Only Fools...

'Apology accepted Jessie' - Chapter Seven

"Hey dude," The boy and Danny exchanged in a hug as Danny spoke. "Where've you been hiding?"

"I had to call my mum to tell her about forgetting my iPad. She was not impressed!"

"I can't believe you forgot it in the first place, you dickhead." Danny joked.

"Oi," The boy objected. He looked disgruntled at being called a dickhead in front of me and Rachel. An awkward silence ensued as we looked at each other.

"Jess," Rachel gestured at the boy, "this is Jack."

Jack shot me a cheeky grin. He was tall with a well sculptured chest, if you know what I mean. His hair shone a burnt redish colour and was long and floppy. His skin was quite tan, not as much as me but tan all the same. Even though he wasn't my type, Jack was definitely hot. Very hot.

"Hi Jack," I giggled. "So how do you two know each other?" I looked from Rachel to Jack.

"Jess, you really are useless at this aren't you?" Rachel joked. "We've been going to school together for six years." Why am I such an idiot? "We're in the same geography class." My eyes lit up.

"Geography?" I spluttered. "You're in the same geography class?"

"That's what she said, you plonker!" Danny nudged me with his elbow.

"Erm, thanks for that Danny, sorry if I'm a little bit slow." I laughed.

"Apology accepted, Jessie," Danny winked. "So I'm starving, wanna head to the canteen for lunch guys?"

"Yes please!" We all agreed in greedy harmony.

*

"Rachel!" I screeched as I flew through the door. She was sitting on her bed, reading an old edition of 'Company' magazine. She looked quite comfortable, although she can't have been there that long. "When did you come up here?"

"Straight up after lunch; I needed to catch up on some homework"

"Looks like you're doing a good job of it! Remind me what Cheryl Cole has to do with English again?"

"Don't you dare missy; everyone's allowed to kick back once in a while."

"Once in a while Rach? How come you seem to be constantly kicking back!" I laughed. "Anyway, I think you know what I want to talk about."

"Do we have to do this right now?"

"You know the answer to that one," I said menacingly. "So then," I paused for dramatic effect. "Jack. Thoughts?"

"Jess you know the answer to that. He's the best boy here but that doesn't mean I like him."

"It doesn't mean that you don't." I pondered for a second, wondering the best way to approach this. "Look Rachel, I've met him and, you know, I get it. I get why you like him, it's okay. I mean, he's good looking, funny and clever and you guys got on like a house on fire."

"But Jess it's more complicated than that." Rachel moaned. "Even if I did like him, he's not catholic."

"What!?" I screeched in uproar. "Are you telling me you only date Catholics?"

"No, of course not Jess. It's just that he's kind of the opposite of what my family will approve of."

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.

"He may be funny and clever but he's not in any way religious or well-behaved. He's really disrespectful to the teachers Jess, he never hands in his homework on time..." She carried on babbling about all of his bad points; I tuned out after a while. It really made me think. I mean, Rachel is so perfect, so innocent to the world around her. I've dated guys who do a lot worse things than miss a homework deadline. And yet here she is, getting all worked-up and emotional about this ginger boy who takes geography. And that, is why she's my best friend.