♫ Perfect For You - Peach PRC
Gathering into first period, Naila and Jade push past a hoard of teenage girls to take a seat next to me in the back row.
"You know what today is?" Naila sings to me with a grin.
I frown. Have I forgotten her birthday again?
"It's Drag Day!" she cheers, but then drops her hands into her lap with a scowl. "Don't tell me you forgot."
But I did. It's not my fault that my mind has been consumed with other things. So much so that our yearly tradition completely blew past me.
"Well, I've already bought the snacks," Jade says slouching to relax in her chair. "We're meeting at your place still, right?"
I nod my head. Every year the three of us gather together to celebrate the season premiere of the greatest show known to television: RuPaul's Drag Race.
It's just one of our many traditions, and honestly the highlight of my year. I live a sad life.
Naila squeals clapping her hands. "I can't wait!"
Just then, the bell sounds as Tina Parker squeezes past bodies in desks to take a seat in front of me. Twisting around, she spits in a hushed tone, "Have you heard the latest Jack Moody gossip?"
My ears perk up at the mention of his name. I had spent the last two lunches with him and I can only hope Tina's heard new gossip about the two of us—that the news of our newfound friendship has hit the Wilcrest halls.
Although why would she come bringing that to me?
"What do you know?" I ask leaning forward.
She looks over her shoulder at our teacher—we have a substitute today. Some old woman I don't recognize, who gathers a stack of papers in her hands readying herself to begin the morning lesson.
Taking note, Tina starts talking even quieter as she states in a low voice, "Well, I heard he spent Monday night with Emma McKinney."
What?
"That's not possible," I say in a breathy tone. "I was with Jack Monday evening."
At that admission, my two friends and Tina Parker proclaim in unison, "You were?"
"Ladies, quiet down, please, so we can begin," the historical artifact of a teacher calls to us and Tina frowns before turning back around in her seat.
Naila and Jade's eyes remain fixed onto me, burning the sides of my face. It had slipped my mind to mention the night to them. I'm not sure why.
I've just been in my own world lately, I forgot to tell them.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Naila whispers softly, and I only shrug.
It's apparent she feels lied to but I can't focus on that right now. My mind is swirling with Jack Moody and Emma McKinney. We're they really together on Monday?
Tapping Tina's shoulder in front of me, I lean forward to whisper in a panicked rush, "What time was Jack with her?"
The girl shrugs. "Must've been after he left your place," she says quietly. "He was there late."
Anger burns throughout my veins. What would he be doing at Emma's at that late of an hour—only one thing.
Did he really leave my house—dinner with my parents, to go hook up with Emma McKinney?
Unable to contain the rage any longer, my fury bubbles over escaping through my mouth. "That homewrecking slut," I seethe under my breath, tensing so hard I almost snap the pencil in my hand right in two.
At my words, Jade whips her head to me, her big wild hair bouncing with her. "Jesus, Molly. Let's not call other women sluts," she scolds and I roll my eyes.
"And she's not exactly a homewrecker," she adds harshly. "You and Jack Moody aren't even together."
Her words burn me. What does she know? It's not like she saw the way he was looking at me Monday night.
Naila stares up at our teacher, focusing on her as she quietly mumbles, "Yeah, I think Jack's who you should be angry with. He's the one playing you both."
Frustrated, I cross my arms in a huff. Nostrils flaring as I brush off her words. She just doesn't understand.
Jack likes me—I know he does. It's just stupid Emma McKinney butting in that's ruining everything.
......................
Standing in the hall, my dingy locker door rests within my grip. Staring ahead, my eyes bore into the back of Emma's perfectly shiny blonde hair. Taunting me, it sways as she chatters away to Jack Moody before she turns, bouncing off down the corridor.
With a shaky exhale, I slam the metal door shut with a thwack.
"Molly, you have to chill out," Jade grumbles rolling her eyes.
I shake my head. Why can't I have supportive friends? Why are they never on my side?
"Hey," a voice calls out and I whip around to meet Jack. "What's up?"
Happy to see his face, I smile at him as he turns to greet my friends behind me.
"Naila. Jade. How are you guys?" he asks staring at them with a blank face.
They glare back, clearly not pleased with him from the latest of Tina Parker's gossip. But they just don't understand—if they did, they would be treating him and me a whole lot better right now.
Jade grips on to Naila's arm as she pulls her away muttering, "Come on, Naila. Let's go ransack the vending machines for more snacks for tonight."
Perking up at her mention of the historic day, Naila bounces behind her throwing up a fist to roar, "Yeah! Drag Day!"
Raising his dark brows, Jack watches them as they disappear down the corridor. "What's up with them?"
With a shrug of my shoulders, I mumble, "It's Drag Day."
Jack juts his chin back. "Drag Day?" he inquires.
And then an idea sparks. "Yeah," I say with a smile growing on my lips. "You should come. My house. Tonight."
He wrinkles his nose. "I'm not sure I'd be into that."
"Oh," I assure placing a hand onto his chest, which I quickly recoil—because why did I do that. Flustered, I dart my eyes to the shiny floor. "Uh—it's just a show. We get together to watch and eat junk food."
Jack nods slowly. "I'll think about it," he says with a shrug. "I'll text you if I decide to come."
He starts to brush past me, but I reach out a hand to stop him. "Wait—I don't have your phone number," I mumble.
His brows scrunch together. "Oh, you don't?"
No—because if I did, Jack, you would know. Probably would've called you at least a dozen times by now.
"Here," he says holding his empty hand out to me. "Give me your phone, I'll add my number."
With a big smile, I dig into the side pocket of my light blue backpack. Retrieving my phone, I hastily shove it into his hand.
As he punches onto my screen, I eagerly look around the halls, hoping Emma's around to see this. But, unfortunately, she's no where to be found.
He presses the phone back towards me and I snatch it up, staring back at it with starry eyes. Etched into the pixels on my screen are the words: Jack Moody. And next to his name, he's placed a single black heart.
My stomach does a cartwheel.
"Th—thank you," I stutter like an idiot.
He squints at me, offering a confused look before he says, "Yeah, text me when you all are getting together. Maybe I'll stop by."
Frantically, I nod my head as he takes a few steps backwards before turning around, sauntering off down the hall.
In a haste, I screen-shot the image on my phone a few times for safe keeping. I never want to lose this number. This is the best thing to ever happen to me.