6 Crush and get crushed

There's always a school event each person hates, whether it's the Mid terms, Gym class, Math class, Assembly hour, Spring break, or Mondays. Well, when it comes to me, there is absolutely nothing I hate the most than—

"Campeek!" Someone on school ground yells. And that someone happens to be Ben, Adrian's close friend who -out of no where- jumps into Adrian, turning him away from Madison as he begins talking animatedly.

That little gesture snaps me completely out of my insecurity and inferiority. It's like a God sent gesture, giving me a chance to distract Madison from running up to Adrian and what? Kissing him? I look to Adrian to find that Ben's still talking to him -oblivious to the favours he's giving me.

I quickly grab Madison and turn her towards me which makes her dark brown hair move in an Oscar's worthy film action.

"Uh Madison you can't go talk with Adrian." I say, putting on a straight face and placing my hands on my hips.

She frowns at me, "Why can't I?"

"Oh no," I hear Jenny exhale beside me, knowing fully well of the immature act I'm about to put on.

I scrunch up my face as I try to not feel guilty about what I am about to say. "Well…" I trail. "Since you're new, you probably don't know this."

She frowns the more as she looks between Jenny and I. "Know about what?"

"You see, in America- well in Brice Worth, there's this little rule." I say.

"Little rule? What's that about?"

I quickly glance at Adrian once more to see him still talking with an hyperactive Ben. I guess Ben has stolen his attention away from this new girl. I grab Madison's hand and begin to walk towards the school and away from Adrian, Jenny trailing behind me. "Listen carefully Madison. There's this rule in our school, some people call it the respect rule."

Jenny immediately turns to me with a stern frown on her face but I ignore her, pushing open the door and walking into the school. Then, I stop to face Madison.

"It's when students from different grades can't talk to each other." I say and she looks disappointed for a second. "Freshmen can't talk to Sophomores, Sophomores can't talk to Juniors and Juniors can't talk to Seniors. A form of respect. That's it."

"What?" She asks with a sad expression and I've got to say, that's the first time this morning she doesn't smile.

"Yes." I nod my head.

"So I can't speak with him at school?"

I put on a sympathetic smile, "Yeah, I'm.. I'm sorry."

Jenny sighs and I shift my gaze to see that she has folded her arms and looked elsewhere as she shakes her head disapprovingly.

"But wait," Madison's voice draws my attention to her. "Adrian's a Junior right?" She smiles again.

I stare at her, wondering why she's smiling. Her smile brightens more and it gets me more uneasy. "I'm also in my Junior year!"

Shit, I didn't think about that.

"What?" I ask.

"Wait you guys aren't in your junior year?"

"No we're sophomores." Jenny says with a smile, unfolding her arms and facing Madison.

"Oh, I see." Madison says. "Sorry about that," Now it's her turn to give me a sympathetic smile.

She looks past my shoulders then back at me. "I have to meet Adrian right now, he's always persistent with his kisses. Thanks a lot for your help."

He's always? Meaning that this has happened before?

"Don't worry, I'll try to talk to the principal to change that bloody rule." She says as she begins walking away from us.

"No, no. You don't have to do that—" I say but she's already gone. "Because that rule doesn't exist." I complete as I bring my hands up to my hair.

What have I done?

I look over to Jenny to see her giving me a pointed look.

"Don't give me that look."

I walk towards a table and take a seat, seconds later Jenny does the same.

Some people call it the school's waiting room, some mistake it for the cafeteria– the place I'm sitting right now. But the thing is, it's just an area in school which is designed for students to sit indoors when they aren't in class or in the library, instead of sitting outside on one of those benches to get beaten by the sun. They designed an indoor sitting area with circular tables and chairs. It's the first area of the school you walk into after coming through the doors then you walk towards the left to get to the locker hallway.

"What were you trying to do saying that to Madison?" Jenny asks.

I groan, "I don't know what I was trying to do, I don't know." I murmur the last part, not looking at her as I stared straight at the end of our table.

"Don't tell me you were trying to break them apart."

I quickly turn my head to her. "I wasn't trying to break them apart."

"Well it sure looked like you were trying to pull them apart. Sophomores can't talk to Juniors? Psst." She pauses, "Or you mean, a particular Sophomore named Kinsley can't talk to a Junior named Adrian. And it's not that you're shy."

I don't say anything.

"I still stand on this idea that you could always walk up to him and say hi."

"What's so special about hi? If I walk up to him and say hi, how are you, the next day he won't remember me as someone special he needs to see again." I argue.

"You don't know that." she says and I just sigh.

"You should rest before school officially starts." I say, signaling that I don't want this conversation to continue.

"You know, they might not be dating as you think."

I look over at Jenny to see her staring behind us, I turn my head and follow Jenny's gaze to see Madison and Adrian holding hands as they talk. I can see her smiling and see him smiling back and one can tell they like having each other around. That… doesn't make me feel any better.

"What does that look like to you?" I ask then turn to her. "They might as well be doing movie nights, eating late night meals and laughing at each other's sentences."

Jen frowns, "That's what we do." Then she pauses. "Wait, is that what love means to you?"

I shrug, "Yeah, what else is there?" I frown at her as I tear open a chocolate bar and take a big bite out of it.

She scoffs. "One day Kinsley, you will meet some one who would show you what real love is, show you that there's more to liking someone than late night meals," She gives me a look. "and something tells me that person isn't Adrian."

I chuckle lightly at her. "You're going crazy." I state and she pouts. "It's too much healthy food and because you didn't sleep much last night—"

"That's just mean."

"—You should rest." I pat her back.

She shrugs and turns away from me. I place my chocolate down and I stare at her for a moment. The only person I want to show me what real love is, is Adrian and I'm not sure there's any body else I will fall for apart from Adrian. I turn in my seat to stare at them once more. He's dressed in a black t shirt which I know will make his blue eyes more beautiful, his dark hair styled in it's usual way. In two words, 'He's handsome.'

Suddenly, Madison glances over to me and points in my direction as she says something to Adrian, then he too looks over in my direction.

Hell.

I immediately have the urge to hide myself. I have no idea why, maybe because I feel guilty or maybe Madison's saying something bad about me to Adrian. I don't want the first impression he has of me to be a bad one.

I quickly turn my head away from them and lower it to the table as if that will keep me from their sight but in the process of lowering my head a little too fast, causes me to hit my forehead hard on the table.

"Oww," I whine, rubbing my aching head.

"What is wrong with you?"

Without looking at Jenny, I respond. "Shut up."

"I'm only saying 'sorry' because it hurts."

I slowly raise my head up to look at her, "Thanks."

She gives me a little smile. My best friend, Jenny Scott, nice as Santa himself, calm as a dove and very understanding like no one else.

I watch as the school doors open up and a guy dressed in a cream colored long sleeved shirt, dark jeans, black shoes walks in. I can't quite see his face because of the light blue face cap he's wearing but I notice blonde hair –about two shades darker than mine- peaking out of his cap. And for a moment, I think he glances at me. Then he's out of sight, moving towards the hallway.

I frown to myself, "Why does he look familiar?"

Jenny turns her head to me, "What did you say?"