"...ring!!! ring!!! ring!!! rin---"

I grab my phone hastily off my counter and press answer.

"Hello?" I grumble.

"Is it true?!?" I hear an excited female voice ask.

"Is what true? What the hell? Natalie? Is that you?" I ask grumpily.

"Of course it's me you goof, don't you have caller ID grandma?"

"Yes I have caller ID but it's-" I pull the phone away to check the time, 2:34am "Two in the morning? What the hell Nat?!!"

"Sorry, sorry. Okay so I was at a party and I heard Jenna talking to Kat and she said that she saw you and Blaze at the theatre, that you guys were holding hands. Is it true???"

I sigh, slapping my palm to my face, letting my hand drag down slowly. Of course this wouldn't stay quiet for long.

"Yes. It's true."

"What?!?!" Natalie shrieks.

"Yes," I repeat, "Blaze and I went to the movies and we ended up holding hands." I answer calmly.

"I thought you hated him?" She demands.

"Yeah I thought I did too," I sigh, "but I don't. He is a really amazing guy and I ... I really like him." I tell her, feeling the blush creep up my cheeks.

Natalie then says the least thing I would have expected her to say, "I knew it!!"

"Huh?" I ask, my jaw dropping.

"I knew it!" She says again, "I knew that you would end up liking him and it would be the classic bad-boy-falls-for-girl-and-settles-down-thing."

I laugh a little, "I don't know Nat, I mean, I like him, I do. He has changed, I see the real him, you know? But guys like that are meant for this sort of thing. They play girls. I'm not going to be naive and fall for him too quick."

Natalie sighs, "I don't know Jade, I have a good feeling about this. He has liked you for a long time. We know that he has liked you for twice the amount he has ever liked anyone else. That right there means something. Doesn't it?"

I yawn, remembering the time, "I don't know. I'm honestlymired to think about this right now. I'm going to go to sleep. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah for sure. I want details about your date though."

I sigh, laughing, "and you will get them. Night Nat."

"Night Jade!" She replies in a sing song voice.

Oh jeez, this is going to be one long story. I am definitely not ready for Natalie's reactions, I think as I slowly drift back to sleep, with Blaze lingering in the back of my mind.

***

Natalie rushes to my locker as soon as I get to school, I mentally slam my head against the metal, knowing what is coming.

"So....??" She demands, approaching me, standing right beside the door.

"So what?" I ask, purposely stalling.

"So what?! I mean what happened with you and Blaze??" She asks, her voice very loud, earning us some glances from fellow students passing in the hall.

"Shush, keep your voice down!" I scold her.

"Sorry!" She yells, then covering her mouth she whispers, "what happened with you and Blaze?"

I exhale deeply, "it's sort of a long story, I'll tell you at lunch in a more quiet place. Can we go to Starbucks?"

"Sure. But I'm going to be in anticipation and suspense all day making up scenarios on what could have possibly happened." She grins evilly.

I mock gasp, "you wouldn't!"

"Oh but I would." She smirks, walking off while swaying her hips, conveying her sassiness.

Why is she my best friend again?

***
I feel my phone buzz in history, taking it out I see a message from Natalie,

I can't take this anymore! Just tell meee!!
-Nat

I smirk, typing back,

Nope. If you want all the details you gotta wait until lunch;)
-Jade

It's only first period! I'm gonna die not knowing!
-Nat

Sorry, u have to wait!
-Jade

Screw u:/
-Nat

Aw u love me;)
-Jade

Nope. Not anymore
-Nat

I try to think of something witty to reply back with but I get cut off by Mr.Walters,

"Jade? Do you know who the first Russian president was?"

I look up to see the class and Mr.Walters watching me, my smile falters.

"Um, no sir, I don't."

"Well maybe if you were paying attention instead of texting your boyfriend you would know."

My cheeks flame red as the class snickers.

"It wasn't my boyf--" I try to object only to get cut off again.

"I don't care who it was. Pay attention or leave my class."

"Okay. Sorry sir."

"Thank you." He replies, exasperated.

I keep feeling my phone buzz, but I keep my head down, copying all the notes on the board.

Suddenly the classroom phone rings. As Mr.Walters proceeds to answer it, I shoot a text to Natalie, ignoring the ones she sent while I was being scolded.

Gotta go, Mr.W caught me on my phone, about to get kicked out. Talk to you at lunch! Byee, don't die;)
-Jade

Throughout the lesson my phone doesn't stop buzzing, I ignore it as it is probably a spam from Natalie and I don't want to get in trouble again.

***

I head to my locker after my third period class, science, to get some money.

As I rummage through my locker to get the money I need for lunch I check the texts I missed during history and throughout the duration of the two periods after that.

Jk, I still love you, don't worry!
-Nat

R u alive anymore?
-Nat

Umm I thought I was gonna die, not you!
-Nat

Oh damn, yeah Mr.Walters is an ass
-Nat

Good luck
-Nat

Can't wait for lunch
-Nat

It's almost lunch!
-Nat

It's lunch!!! I'm running to Starbucks!
-Nat

I laugh as I read her messages, and begin to make my way to Starbucks to join her.

I start to read through the rest of my messages

Hey. Um can we plz talk soon?
-Jason

Text me soon plz, I know ur mad but i need to talk to you
-Jason

I roll my eyes, ignoring him.

Hey:) is it okay if I meet you somewhere at lunch?
-Blaze

My face lights up at his message as I type my reply

Um I can't at lunch, im meeting Nat at Starbucks. Um we could meet after school tho?
-Jade

Yeah that works perfectly. I'll come to your locker?
-Blaze

Sure:) it's 1290
-Jade

Ok thanks, enjoy ur lunch!
-Blaze

Thanks, u too!
-Jade

I am still smiling as I enter Starbucks, searching for Natalie.

I see her at a corner table, right by the window. She already has two drinks, and looks to be tapping her phone impatiently.

Taking a very deep breath, I make my way over to her.

***

Thank you guys for over 890 reads! That's awesome!!

Remember to vote, comment, and publish! It's the comments from you guys that keep me writting:)

Thank you to liamAcarter for reviewing my book and giving me tons of tips on how to make this better! I hope I followed your advice well enough and this book is up to better standards!!

-Maxine//<3