*𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 1 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.*
Jake and Violet have been best friends for as long as they can remember. They have a bond like no other: sharing the smallest of secrets and practically reading each other's minds. Every...
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"Don't forget that tomorrow is your To Kill A Mockingbird test!" Mr. Wittman called out as the bell rang. "This will be your last test grade of the quarter, so make it count!"
Whitney groaned as we left the classroom to get our history textbooks from our lockers for our next class. "I am not going to pass that test," Whitney dug through her locker for her textbook. "I was barely able to even finish the book." Whitney hated reading while I loved it. I'll convert her into a book reader one day.
"You'll be fine," I laughed, grabbing my history textbook. "Just come over tonight so we can study together. I already started making flashcards just for you." Whitney turned to me, laughing.
"Like either of us would get much studying done. But I'll still come over." I smiled and shook my head, closing my locker. I turned around to follow Whitney to our next class when I ran into someone.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't—oh." Of course, I had to run into Michael Alderwood. If only we hadn't tried so hard at the end of middle school to make sure we got lockers next to each other, I wouldn't be in this situation right now.
"Hey, Jada." Michael offered me a weak smile. Whitney stopped and looked between the two of us apprehensively. I'll be fine, I mouthed to Whitney, but she stood her ground. I appreciate her so much. "How was English?" I sighed, rolling my eyes and starting to walk away. I didn't want to talk to Michael for any longer than I had to, but at the same time, all I wanted to do was talk for hours on the phone with him like we used to. "Can we talk?"
"Sorry, I should get to class." I followed Whitney to our history class, forgetting that Michael was in that class as well. Great. Just great. "Besides," I added, seeing as how Michael was close behind me, "I haven't had anything I've wanted to say to you for a while." Whitney and I took a seat at our desks, pulling out our notes from the other day.
"Jada, come on," Michael started, sitting down at the desk next to me. If it weren't for the assigned seating, I would've chosen a seat as far from him as I could be. "We haven't talked in forever."
"And who's fault is that?" I whispered angrily, not wanting to draw everyone's attention to me. "I'm not the one who started keeping secrets from their best friend." Michael looked taken aback at that and turned around, lips pressed tightly together.
"All right, now that we are done with notes for the day, let's get on with the details of your final project," Mr. Willard began. "This will be a fairly simple one. However, since we will need to start reviewing for your final exam next semester, this project will be due at the end of the month." The class collectively groaned. "Hold on, before you start complaining, that's why I'm making this a partner assignment."
Whitney and I grinned, looking at each other. Thankfully she's in this class, or I would've been stuck partnered with someone I didn't want to work with. "But, seeing as how our last group project didn't go so well, I chose your partners for you." Our smiles deflated, Whitney and I faced our teacher again as he started reading out our assigned partners. My mind started to drift off from what the teacher was saying and on to old memories, which of course had to have Michael in them.
