Sept. 7th, 2023

9:30 at the beach on a Thursday night

"I am never going to fall in love." Jake said as I sat next to him on the back of his truck.

"Oh, come on." I said.

"I am not kidding Abigail. I don't want to get my heart broken or break someone's heart." He said looking at me.

"And a guy better not break your heart or I will break him." He said because we have been friends since I was 3 years old and he was 4 years old.

"Plus, you are too young to be thinking about love." He said.

"I am 16 years old." I said.

"Exactly and I am 17." He said.

"You will fall in love one day." I said.

"No I won't. Plus with girls at our school you never know if they are telling the truth or just telling a lie." He said.

"Whatever just wait." I said.

"Yeah just wait. I am not falling in love ever." He said.

I just rolled my eyes.

"We better get going. We have school in the morning." He said getting down.

"Wouldn't want to miss that." I said getting down and he laughed.

"You have this year and next year and they will go by fast." He said as we both got in his truck.

"And you have this year." I said.

"Yeah I am lucky." He said and I laughed.

When Daughtry's No Surprise came on the radio I turned the volume up and he just shook his head. I started singing like I always do to my favorite songs as he drove.

"So are you finally going to drive to school tomorrow?" He asked as he parked in my driveway.

"Yes and I am so happy I got my license today." I said.

"Just don't wreck the car." He said and I hit him in the arm.

"Hey." He said.

"Don't jinx me." I said and he laughed.

"Bye." I said getting out of his truck.

"Bye." He said before backing out of the driveway.

"So where did Jake and you go?" My mom asked as soon as I got inside and shut the door behind me.

"To the beach." I said looking at her.

"I am glad you two are still friends." She said.

"Me too." I said before going up to my room.

"Lena called earlier!" She yelled talking about my other best friend that is my age.

"Ok!" I yelled right before I got to my room.

"Girl where have you been?" Lena asked when she picked up her phone.

"At the beach with Jake." I said.

"Did you have fun?" She asked.

" Yeah and I am sorry I didn't call you and invite you along. So what's up?" I asked.

"Chance asked me out." She said.

"That's great." I said.

"My mom wants to meet him first." She said.

"Oh." I said.

"Yeah." She said.

"Hey I got my driver's license so do you want me to pick you up in the morning?" I asked.

"Yeah as long as you don't kill me." She said.

"Shut up." I said and she laughed.

"Alright you know I have to go to bed soon so I will talk to you in the morning." She said.

"Alright girl see you then." I said before hanging up my phone.

I had just brushed my teeth, changed clothes, and got in my bed when my phone rung. I looked to see it was Jake.

"What you want?" I asked.

"Math (Geom.) homework. Did you do it?" He asked.

"I think you know the answer to that." I said.

"Good because I need to borrow it." He said.

"Meet me in our usual spot in the morning." I said.

"Ok." He said.

"Good night Jake." I said.

"Night Abigail." He said then I hung up my phone.

After that I went to sleep. I woke up the next day at 6:45 and took a shower. I hate wearing uniforms but at Hanson Academy in San Diego, California we have to. I curled my shoulder length dark brown hair which doesn't look right with my hazel eyes but I swear dark brown is my natural hair color. I put on a little bit of make-up then grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs. I quickly ate a pop tart before grabbing my car keys and leaving to go pick up Lena.

We arrived at school at 7:35 and we both saw Jake sitting with his friends Harrison, Lewis, and Keith. They had 4 girls (Samantha, Jen, Becky, and Brooke) around them and Jen was all into what Jake was saying but he was paying her no attention.

"Is he ever going to be in a relationship?" Lena asked me looking at Jake as we walked towards the school.

"He told me last night he was never going to fall in love." I said.

"Never heard a guy say that before." She said.

"Besides with his looks (blonde hair and blue eyes; you can tell he works out too) he could have his pick of about any girl he wants." She said and I shook my head.

"Abigail!" Jake yelled when he saw me.

"Hey Abigail." Keith said smiling at me when I stopped at the table.

"Math homework." I said holding it out towards Jake.

"Thank you." He said smiling at me.

"I just hope you understand it enough to pass the test next Wednesday." I said.

"And you are my study partner." He said.

"Oh really. I don't remember you asking me to be your study partner." I said.

"Please." He said.

"Fine." I said before walking away because I still had to go to my locker.

"You two have chemistry." Lena said as we were walking away.

"What?" I asked looking at her.

"There is definitely chemistry between Jake and you. You two would make a great couple." She said.

"Right. We are just friends Lena." I said.

"If you say so." She said as we stopped at my locker.

"I do say so. I have known him since I was 3." I said.

"I know." She said opening her locker which was right beside mine.

"Just tell me if he was to ask you out would you say yes?" She asked.

"No I don't think about Jake in a boyfriend kind of way only in a friend way." I said.

"Ok." She said.

"Just shut up ok." I said shutting my locker.

Not long after that the bell rung. When I got to my English class Courtney (my other friend that is my age) was already in her regular seat right next to mine on the last row and in the very back.

"Hey girl." I said sitting down in my seat.

"How about we have a girl night tonight?" She asked looking at me.

"Ok what happened?" I asked.

"Brandon broke up with me last night." She said.

"But the romantic dinner." I said.

"Wasn't so great." She said.

"Ok I will rent the movie, you get the snacks, and Lena will get the drinks." I said.

"Sounds great and let's say 7 o'clock at  my house." She said.

"Ok." I said just as the teacher (Mrs. Walker) walked into the room.

Lunch

"We are meeting at Courtney's house at 7." I said to Lena after we sat down at our usual table.

"Girls night so something must have happened." She said.

"Brandon broke up with her." I said.

"Oh." She said.

"Exactly." I said right before Courtney sat down.

"Yeah I could use a great time tonight." Courtney said.

"And a great time you will have." Lena said smiling at her.

"What are you girls talking about?" Jake asked sitting down right in front of me and Keith, Lewis, and Harrison sat down at the table too.

"Nothing that concerns you guys." I said.

"Exactly." Courtney said.

"Fine keep it a secret." Lewis said.

"You and I are going to be partners at softball practice ok." Courtney said.

Courtney is a catcher and I am a pitcher.

"No problem." I said and she smiled at me.

The rest of lunch we all just talked and laughed. I was so glad when school plus softball practice was over. I went straight home to see Jake was there waiting on me.

"Can't hang out tonight." I said getting out of my car.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Girls night." I said and he nodded his head.

"I was hoping we could start studying for the math test tonight." He said.

"You are going to the football game like you always do liar." I said and he smiled.

"Can we start tomorrow night?" He asked.

"Sure." I said.

"Alright I will leave and let you get ready for girls night." He said getting out his keys.

"Glad to see you made it to school and back and are still in one piece." He said.

"Oh be quiet." I said getting the mail out of the mail box and he laughed before getting in his truck.

At Courtney's house

10:30(after the movie ended)

"Why am I always the one getting dumped?" Courtney asked.

"Well you can't be dumped if you never dated anyone." Lena said looking at me.

"I dated Matthew." I said.

"Back in 7th grade and that didn't even last long." Lena said.

"Chance asked me out." Lena said.

"I am happy for you." Courtney said smiling at her.

"Don't you think Jake and Abby (my nickname) would make a great couple?" Lena asked.

"Lena." I said.

"Maybe." Courtney said.

"You two are crazy." I said.

"Whatever." Lena said.

"Whatever shut up." I said.

Later that night after I got home and up to my room Jake called.

"We won tonight." He said when I answered my phone.

"Good." I said.

"Wow you sound excited for the football team." He said.

"Football isn't my thing sorry." I said.

"I know. So is girls' night over?" He asked.

"Yes." I said.

"So how about I come over and we celebrate the win?" He asked.

"It is 11:30 and all I want to do is sleep." I said.

"Fine." He said.

"Fine good night." I said.

"Good night." He said then I hung up my phone.

After that I brushed my teeth, changed clothes, and then I went to bed.

I woke up at 9:30 by my phone ringing. I looked to see it was Jake.

"Dude what is your problem you just woke me up." I said.

"There is a party tonight that Lewis, Harrison, and Keith want me to go to. So I was wondering could you come over now to help me study for the test?" He asked.

"Yeah I will be there in 35 minutes." I said then I hung up my phone.

When I got there Jake was waiting outside for me and I saw his father's (his mom died when he was 7) car wasn't home.

"Your dad at the office?" I asked getting out of my car.

"He is a lawyer so when isn't he?" He asked.

"I already have my math book, math notebook, and calculator out." He said when I sat down on the couch in the living room.

"I am so proud of you." I said as a joke and he just rolled his eyes.

2 hours later

"No I am telling you. You got the wrong answer because you messed up right here." I said putting my hand on his paper where he messed up as we both sat on the floor.

"No I didn't I followed the book." He said pointing to the book then he put his hand on top of mine.

After that we looked at each other and not long after that he kissed me. The kiss lasted maybe 1 minute before I broke the kiss.

"I have to go." I said grabbing my stuff, got up, and walked away.

I went straight home and up to my room because I couldn't believe what happened.

Jake's POV

3 hours after Abigail left my house and at Keith's house.

"I think I really messed up my friendship with Abby." I said as we sat down at the table on the back porch.

"Yeah right. It would take something like a kiss to mess up that friendship." He said laughing.

"Seriously?" He asked two minutes later when he quit laughing.

"Yeah I kissed her." I said.

"Wow. Was there sparks?" He asked.

"That's not the point. We have been friends since before we started school." I said.

"And sometimes friends fall for each other." He said.

"There was sparks." I said leaning my head on the table.

"But she just walked out and left after I kissed her." I said.

"Give her time." He said.

"Why did this have to happen? I didn't plan on kissing her it just happened and it couldn't have come at a worse time." I said.

"Why you say that?" He asked.

"Because Thursday night I told her I would never fall in love." I said.

"Oh dude you didn't." He said.

"Yeah I did." I said.

"Well liking a girl is different from loving a girl besides to start off with in a relationship you just like the girl." He said.

"But we are talking about Abby." I said.

"It was bound to happen Jake. You two are so close and you two proved all of us wrong that thought you guys wouldn't be able to stay friends once we got in 7th grade." He said.

"Doesn't matter. I tried calling her and she won't pick up. She has never ignored my phone calls." I said.

"Give her a little bit of time. Sooner or later you know that you two are going to have to talk about what happened." He said.

"I pick later." I said.

"But you two can't talk until both of you are ready to talk about it." He said.

"Enough about how much I just messed up my life. What is happening with you?" I asked.

We sat there and talked for 2 hours before I left to go home.