Faker Than Barbie

‡Eight‡

 We walked through the doors of the public lodge, our boots stomping the snow away with each step. I took off my helmet, smiling at Kyle and Jenny, who were walking beside me. Behind me, Lucas, Heather, and the rest of the boys walked with their boards. I was the only girl with a snowboard, which hung under Kyle's right arm.

The biting cold of the wind was shut out as the doors closed behind us. My cheeks were red from wind burn, but the thrill of going that fast was worth the pain. I ran a hand through my hair and my french braid as I lead the group towards the cafeteria. We'd been skiing all morning, waking up extra early to get ahead of the lines. Money could get us a lot of things, but there was no such thing as a fast pass for skiing.

We found a large table sitting in front of a window giving us a gorgeous view of the Colorado mountain range, with beautiful buildings and trees sitting on the landscape. When I first saw it, watching the sun rise in the morning, I'd let a tear escape. Luckily the only one who saw was Kyle, but he didn't say anything.

"Come on. I'm starving." I groaned, pulling Jenny by my side. She giggled and glanced back at Michael who was setting their stuff down. "Ok, you really need to grow a pair and actually get together. Enough of that immature hookup thing." She looked at me, her brows furrowing.

"What do you mean?" I sighed and glanced back. The group was still putting everything down, little ways away from us. Even though I faked nearly all my interactions and emotions around Jenny, I still found her one of my closest, real friends. On very emotional nights, she helped me get through with ice cream and the Notebook. So it didn't feel odd when I spoke to her now.

"You and Michael have been a thing since freshman year. He's in love with you, and you're in love with him. For god's sake just make a move." We reached the buffet line and I immediately started filling up my tray.

"But you don't believe in love. Even though you watch the Notebook, and still cry every time." She grinned at me out of the corner of her eye, and I rolled my eyes with a slight smile.

"I might not believe in love, but you do. And so does he. And if Love really does exist, what you and Michael have would be it." She frowned, her eyes staring at her tray in thought. "If you don't act then I'll go to him," I smirked as her eyes snapped to mine in a panic.

She gripped my wrist, leaning in and whispering with a hiss, "Don't you dare." I laughed, pulling out of her grip.

"Calm down. If you talk to him, I won't have to." With a wink, I picked up my tray and went to sit down. I brought the large, juicy burger to my lips just as Jenny sat down, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Kyle sat down beside me, his own tray full of food and with a pie, I somehow had missed.

"They had pie?" My voice was muffled as I covered my mouth, my cheeks full of food. "I didn't see any pie." Kyle grinned.

"I flirted with the lunch lady." He looked over his shoulder and waved. I turned and saw the woman was in her 30s as she flushed and waved back. With a raised brow I swallowed my food and wrapped brought my hand to the back of his neck, playing with the little hairs I found there. "If you make her jealous, she might not give me pie anymore." He said, not making a move to push me away. I smiled and bat my lashes, my eyes glancing at the woman, who faces was red with jealousy.

"Or, she'll just try to change your mind and make you pick her by giving you more pie," I said with an innocent smile as my spoon dove into his slice. He chuckled but pushed the pie away from me.

"Jade!" I turned around, meeting with a smiling Eleanor. Bringing a fake smile I stood up from my seat and hugged her. "I'm so glad we could see each other!" She giggled. "This is John, Samantha, Hale, and Kim." I smiled, my voice dropping into a sultry tone as I gripped Hale's hand. Unlike John, who looked like he was hit in the face with a brick, or Pedro, who looked like he'd been spending too much time in the tanning salon, Hale had a nice golden tan, with nice green eyes and brown, curly hair. His lips curled into a smirk of his own as he took my hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too." I smiled, but then I felt his presence before I even looked. "This is Kyle," I said, my smile becoming fake once more.

"Her boyfriend." I rolled my eyes and pushed him off me.

"Her friend." He smiled at Hale with a wink. "This is Michael, Jenny, Heather, Lucas, etc." I looked to Eleanor. "You remember James, over there. Don't you Elie?" I asked, my lashes fluttering in innocence. Her cheeks turned crimson as she waved at him. He smiled awkwardly as the freshman at his side leaned into him, whispering into his ear as her eyes stayed on Eleanor.

"So, you're the famous Jade." I turned to the girl Eleanor called Samantha. "I've heard a lot about you." She smirked as she placed a hand on her waist and flipped her flaming red hair over her padded shoulders. Her freckled cheeks dimpled at the sides as she spoke, but I simply gave her a pleasant smile.

"All good things I hope?" I said, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek like daddy taught me. "I love your hair," I said though it couldn't have been more of a lie. It looked like someone had dropped a pumpkin on her head, and she couldn't get it all out. "It's so wild." The curls looked like Merida from Brave, but with a lot less volume. I would have said something about a perm, but I thought that would have been a bit much.

"Thanks. But is there anything bad about you to mention?" She said, her smile mocking. I glanced to Eleanor, but she ignored my gaze and focused on chatting with Jenny. Apparently, Eleanor wasn't as stupid as I thought. "I heard all about you. About your dancing career, and your grades. I feel like I've known you my whole life." I laughed.

"Yes, but I don't know a thing about you. " I asked, my smile easy going as Kyle threw his arm over his shoulder as well as a charming smile of his own towards Samantha.

"I'm Kyle" Her cheeks flushed for a second, making her look like a tomato, but she pretended it wasn't there as a smirk graced her lips, and she gave him a once over. "Samantha, right?"

"Yeah, but you can call me Sam." She reached out her hand to him, and when he took it, the handshake lasted a little longer than it had to. "And what are you to...Jade?" She asked, glancing at me with a raised brow.

I knew the look. She wanted Kyle, and even more now that she thought he was with me. She didn't find me a threat, if anything, from what I can gather, she's just like me with a little more visible sass. "I'm her boyfriend." He said, kissing the side of my head. I didn't correct him that time as I smiled at her mockingly. I wasn't about to let a bitch come into my group, treat me with no respect, and think she could come in and run the place.

"You mind if we sit with you?" She asked Kyle, completely disregarding my presence. I inwardly smirked, knowing just what she was trying to do. But Kyle wasn't an idiot and looked down to me with raised brow as if repeating the question. I smiled up at him once more.

"I don't see the harm." And with one last smirk at Sam, I turned and sat back down, the sound of screeching chairs following. Sam ended up sitting little ways away, so I turned to Gabe who sat across from me. "Gabe, would you mind switching with Samantha, I was having a conversation with her, and wanted to keep it going." His face scrunched up in annoyance but complied nonetheless. Sam didn't waste the opportunity and sat down immediately, mischief gleaming in her eyes.

You can try all you want, sweetheart. But these are my people, and you're on my turf.