A Good Guy & A Bad Boy

Ch. 2

"It's to help us remember the material. I'm surprised you even got good grades."

"It's because I cheat. My grades haven't dropped below a C-minus."

"I can help you with your work so you don't have to cheat," Jake offered. "My grades are above a B."

"Are you... asking to tutor me?"

"Yeah. I don't mind helping."

"Uh... thanks, Boy Scout."

Nick wrapped his arm around Jake's neck, shaking him kindly.

"So, where are we gonna go?" Jake asked.

"How about the Twilight Cafe?" Erica suggested. "It's the most popular teen hangout in town."

"Are you saying that because almost everyone at school goes there, or because your parents work there?" Nick asked.

"Uh... a little of both? And besides, Jake never been there. He might like it there."

"Sure," Jake answered. "Let's walk to the Twilight Cafe after school."

"Jake Arnette!" yelled a dark red-haired girl who approached the trio.

She was wearing a blue and yellow cheerleader outfit and holding a camera in her hand.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Trina Crawford, head cheerleader and the writer of the school blog, Miss Inform. The school gotta know... how did you become friends with Erica Blackwell and Nick Nova?"

"Erica's the first person I met, and Principal Boswell made Nick give me a tour of the school," Jake explained.

"Interesting... Well, I'm surprised you made friends with Nick. He's always pulling pranks and stealing from others."

"He's not that bad. From what I saw, he got good intentions."

"Oh really? Whatever floats your boat. I'll see you guys later."

Trina walked off, heading towards the gym.
Jake and his friends went to class.

After school, Jake walked outside and saw Nick with a very similar-looking phone. He reached in his pocket and noticed that his phone was gone. He quickly rushed up to Nick.

"There you are, Boy Scout," Nick said. "Here your phone back."

"Why did you take it in the first place?" Jake asked.

"Um... I was just, uh... putting my number in it. No biggie."

"You know, instead of stealing my phone, you could've just asked me, right? I would've let you put it in."

"Heh. I'm so used to doing things on my own, I tend to not ask."

"Try asking once in a while. Can you do that?"

"What... ever..."

As Jake and Nick were talking to each other, Trina watched them from afar, drinking a smoothie. A girl with her hair dyed blue arrived; she was also wearing a cheerleader outfit.

"Hey," said the girl. "Is something wrong?"

"Sophie...?" Trina asked. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Is this something about you?"

"No. It's about Nick and the new kid, Jake. Nick don't try to associate with anyone. Yet when Jake arrived, he's trying to be nice. As if he's doing it for him."

"You're thinking way too hard on this. Maybe he wants new friends. Did he make friends with anyone else?"

"Yeah, Erica Blackwell," Trina sipped her smoothie.

"Then he's trying to make friends with other people," Sophie replied. "Jake probably became friends with Erica, and then Nick became friends with both of them. Stop trying to start drama that doesn't concern you."

Trina looked at Sophie as she sipped her smoothie, releasing the straw from her mouth.

"Whatever, Sophie," she said.

Erica walked out the school, approaching Jake and Nick.

"Hey, boys," she said.

"Took you long enough," Nick commented. "What were you doing for so long?"

"I was called to Principal Boswell's office. Nothing major though. Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's head to the Twilight Cafe," Jake answered.

Jake followed Nick and Erica to the Twilight Cafe, which was close to the school. When they walked in, they noticed the different shades of blue that decorated the cafe. The walls were baby blue, and the tables were solid blue, with utensils being navy blue. There were booths by the windows and on the walls, with tables in the center of the cafe. On the third wall, there was an elevated platform with two tables on it; a bar with a cash register was also on the third wall.

"Welcome to the Twilight Cafe," Erica said.

"It's lively here," Jake commented.

"This place is like a second home... to the football players, cheerleaders, and band members," Nick said.

Erica ignored Nick's statement, "Anyway, the food here is good, and the smoothies here are great. I'll go order us some burgers and drinks."

Erica went to the bar as Nick and Jake sat at a window booth. Jake sat by the window, and Nick decided to sit beside him. Nick placed his arm across the head of the booth.

"Come on, Sophie!" Trina said as she was approaching the Twilight Cafe. "I need to get a strawberry smoothie."

"Didn't you just have a smoothie?" Sophie asked.

"I did, but I want another one!"

"You're so needy."

As Sophie was making her comment, Trina saw Nick and Jake sitting in the booth through the window. She noticed hiw Nick's arm was placed behind Jake.

"What are you looking at, Trina?" Sophie asked.

"Nick and Jake getting all cozy with each other," Trina pointed at the window.

"I think they came here with Erica. You're overthinking it again..."

"Well see."

Trina and Sophie walked in the cafe and saw Erica with a large tray containing three hamburgers, two sodas, and a bottle of water. She sat down with Jake and Nick, sitting across from them.

"See? I told you!" Sophie said. "Not everything have to deal with drama."

"Let's just get my smoothie," Trina replied.

Trina and Sophie walked over to the bar and requested two smoothies.

"Jake, has Nick been behaving himself while I was getting the food?" Erica asked.

"He have... surprisingly," Jake answered.

"Don't test me, Boy Scout," Nick said. "I will act like a fool."

Jake picked up a burger and shoved it in Nick's mouth.

"Shut up and eat," he said.

Nick, reluctantly, did as he was told, taking a bite out of the burger.

"Wow, Jake," Erica said. "You told Nick to do something, and he actually listened!"

"Say some crap like that again, and I'll drag you by your hair, Goldilocks," Nick replied.

"Anyway," Jake intervened. "This place is great. Thanks for bringing me here, Erica."

"No problem," she replied.

The three ate their food and drunk their drinks, enjoying themselves.

"My first day of school turned out to be great," Jake thought. "I made friends with a good girl and a bad boy. We may be an odd group, but it works. Can't wait to see what happens next."