The Girl Bestfriend

chapter one

Veronica's POV

It's the same old story you've heard a million times. Boy meets girl. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy looses interest in girl, and walks away. Considering this is the hundredth time this has happened to me, you'd think I'd be more chill about the situation but I'm an actual wreck. again.

my name is Veronica Booker, but you can call me Ronnie: most people do. I'm a relatively average girl, not too shy, not too outgoing. You'd probably know of me if you asked around a little but you wouldn't find out much beyond my name. If there's three things you should know about me it's that

I love anything to do with the arts- signing, dancing, acting, painting, you name it.

I'm an incredibly loyal person- I will always choose my friends happiness above my own. always.

And lastly, and most embarrassingly- I have never been or even come remotely close to having a serious relationship. which brings us to today, right now, at Thomas Jefferson High.

"Hey..V I'm talking to you" he said with a concerned look on his face. "are you good?"

"Huh-" I quickly shifted my sight from his shoelaces to his puzzled bright blue eyes

"I'm sorry, I totally spaced"

"Yea I figured" He let out a gentle laugh as he tightened the right strap of his backpack, he closed his locker and started lazily walking to class.

"all I'm saying is that you're pretty and all, I mean I think you're great-"

"but you're not looking for anything serious" I said following next to him. "for right now.."

He forced another nervous laugh as he ran his fingers through his thick curly brown hair. he didn't say much as we walked over to class, neither of us did. we awkwardly stepped into the classroom and gazed around the already very crowded room.
I noticed there weren't many open seats so I was starting to panic a little bit.

"I'm real sorry" he said finally breaking the silence "summer was cool and all but it's a new year and I don't wanna be tied down" 

"I get it, you don't need to explain yourself" I said stiffly as I set my backpack down on an empty desk near the back. "it was just a summer fling"

He smiled uncomfortably, shooting hesitant looks over to his friends sitting up at the front of the classroom. "exactly, I'm glad you understand"

He patted me on the shoulder awkwardly, and rushed to take a seat with his group. they were all staring at me but I wasn't gonna give them a reaction . I sat down, laid out some paper and pens, and threw my earbuds on. maybe if I just kept scrolling they'd stop looking, either way I just wanted to distract myself.

It's not like I was super into him really. in fact we didn't really have much in common.

but he made me laugh so much this summer. he'd always buy me skittles when we'd pass by a candy cart in the park, and he never made me feel weird for dipping my chicken nuggets into my ice cream. he was also the first boy I'd ever fooled around with. I snuck out of the house twice to meet him, and both times I chickened out of actually going anywhere so we'd just sit in my driveway and talk about random things until he'd get really sleepy.  I'd always have to give him pop rocks to eat on the drive home. He would always chew gum really loudly during movies and he hated horror films as much as I did. He did this thing where he'd tug on my seatbelt when he'd turn too aggressively, he said I was too small and he was scared I'd smack my head on the window. He was a good kisser too. He never complained when I wore too much lipgloss or giggled in the middle of making out. He listened to my stories and carried my shoes when my feet would hurt.
He's Jason Reed. He made me laugh.

But it was just for the summer, and summer is over.

I felt someone tap lightly on my shoulder, I jolted up ripping out my earbuds.

"sorry I didn't mean to scare you- is anyone sitting here?"

I shook my head and motioned for him to sit. I was too scared to glance up in case Jason's friends were still looking, so I started to doodle on the paper I took out. The boy gently placed his bag on the floor next to me, adjusted his glasses, and pulled down his hood. I could feel him staring at me.

"Is there anything else you wanted to ask..or??"

"I'm sorry" he laughed, "you just look really sad"

"and ..that's funny to you?"

"No not at all- sorry" he said shifting in his seat, "you're just.. uh..never mind"

"no please- I'm what??" I said snapping at him, causing everyone who wasn't already staring at me to fix their eyes on me.

"No- nothing" he smirked, "forget I said anything" he nervously figdeted with the cap of his pen. I finally looked up at Jason who was red in the face. he could hardly keep eye contact with me. everyone went back to their conversations as Mr. Peters got settled in his desk. The boy kept looking at me, on and off, still playing with the cap of his pen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"it's cool" he said finally setting the pen down on the desk.

"you're out of his league anyway"

I quickly straightened up in my chair.

"uh..how did you-"

"I have a sense for these things." he said looking at Jason. "also I kind of overheard everything on my way in here" he chuckled, lightly tapping on the desk. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I don't even know you"

"that's okay, I've been told I'm a good listener. I'm like Dr. Phil" he rested his head on his hand, his deep green eyes raced across my face empathetically.

"Well Dr. Phill, I appreciate the offer" I said cracking a small smile, "maybe another time"

His smile faded as he tucked his hood up behind his thick brown hair. "Suit yourself"

I feel so humiliated.
it seems like every time I start to really connect with someone, like I finally find something real, I get the rug pulled out right from under me. I just wanna cry. I sink into my desk and pull my backpack into my lap. Hugging it tightly, I watch the clock slowly move it's course while Mr. Peters begins his lesson.

"Welcome back Class of 2020!"

Fuck junior year.