Jordan approaches me in the halls excitedly shoving her new schedule in my face. We only spent the day apart, and we have gone without talking or seeing each other for much longer but a much needed conversation from my best friend was all I could think about.
"They finally gave me drama, which will now be the only drama in my life," She exclaims rereading over the the paper again, as if it was the first time she was seeing it, "Sorry I missed lunch, but I heard you had a dinner date with Jack anyways."
"From who!?" I nearly yell before realizing the emphasis on my words and calming myself. Getting people to refrain from talking on the Jack and I situation was becoming harder by the second.
"Okay, calm down psychopath," Jordan mumbles looking at me bewildered, "James told me."
I let out a sigh of relief, "It was hardly a date, most of his friends were there."
"You met his friends?"
I nod my head unamused, "There was a Romeo, a Harley, and a Noelle."
"Noelle?" She mimics back, "Who's Noelle?"
"Apparently the only other girl in his life keeping him out of prison.," The words still dripped in her inner city accent, I wasn't sure if that was the reason it came off as cocky or I was just trying to make her look bad.
I need to stop thinking about it.
Jordan and I enter the cafeteria for a quick breakfast before class starts. We have a good fifteen minutes before the warning bell rings which also gives us plenty of time to talk. This would be the first school year where my problems were more relevant than Jordan's, she was the kid who made risky decisions and now I was playing that part as well.
I immediately notice the familiar blonde suave hair from last night, this time paired with a black sweater and jeans. He looks more casual than the dinner which I figured, but I never figured I would run into him this soon.
"Johnson?"
He turns around at the sound of his name leaving my mouth and I'm thrown off guard from hearing it escape. Once again, my thoughts were becoming reality, I really need to refrain from continuing this habit because it was going to get me into trouble.
He notices me as I stood with Jordan, of course the two weren't familiar with each other and I couldn't tell her why he made me nervous to be around. Unlike Jordan who knew all the true events that unfolded this summer, I tried to shy everyone else away from mentioning it.
"Charlie," He calls back turning away from his group of friends, "I knew you went here but I didn't expect to see you so soon," he immediately notices the piece hanging from my neck, "Gilinsky is such a romantic."
I let an awkward laugh escape before trying to cover it up with a semi realistic one, "How are you?"
"I'm great actually, always nice to run into a familiar face," Johnson eyes me for a moment definitely taking in my familiar face before turning towards Jordan, "I'm afraid we haven't met."
"I'm Jordan," She smiles, "You might be more familiar with my brother, James?
Johnson nods his head from recognizing her brother, "You hold yourself together to be related with that dumbass."
Jordan giggles at his comment, before he looks back over to me, "I was actually in the middle of a conversation, so we'll talk later, yeah?"
I nod my head letting the silence speak for itself before walking away from Johnson and towards the breakfast bar. Jordan stands beside me as we both reach for a carton of green grapes.
"Who was that?" She finally questions as we move up the line.
I pick up a plain granola bar, "Oh, him? He's a friend of Jack's. He was also at the dinner."
"Jack and all his friends are good looking, who would've figured?" She jokes, as I force a small laugh.
I pay for my small breakfast items before stepping out of the line awaiting Jordan. I look back over to Johnson and his friends, he stood with his arms crossed across his chest and staring at the guy in front of him as if he was studying his words and the way he talked. I must've been staring for too long because he slightly glances over my direction resulting in an awkward two second eye contact, before I shot back over to Jordan who was already making her way over to me.
I smile at her as I lead her towards the same table I sat for lunch yesterday with Marilyn. I also gave myself a quick reminder to tell Jordan about Marilyn.
"I sat with Marilyn Blackwell yesterday," I mention, "She let me back into the honors society club with the exception that I'm still a virgin."
Jordan scrunch her face up giving me a confused look, "Well bye bye honors society, am I right?"
and here's that lie again.
I let out another awkward laugh, "Yeah..."
