Written By: Raelynn Wiebe
BOYS
My name is Jenna. I am 15 almost 16 and I cannot wait to graduate. My best friend's name is Amanda and she is the coolest person I know. She is always really happy and she's really fun to be around. But one day, she was different. She was all mopey and sad. She was barely talking, just going through the motions, not really caring about what she did or how. She was completely different. She was definitely not herself. I tried talking to her but whenever I asked her why she was upset, she would shrug me off. I didn't know what to do and I was getting really worried about her. One day, she didn't even come to school. She was ALWAYS at school. After school, I went to bring Amanda the work she missed. She was sitting outside on her front porch. I went over to her and saw that she was crying. I don't mean a few tears like you just got yelled at by your parents. I mean she was full out bawling like something was horribly wrong. I went over and set the books and papers down on the small table and sat next to her. I tried to give her a hug, but she just pushed me away. I moved closer and she got up and went over to the railing. I got up slowly and went to stand next to her. I put my hand on her shoulder and expected her to push me away again. But she didn't. She turned around and hugged me, crying so hard that she was shaking now. I asked her what was wrong, why she was crying but she wouldn't answer me. She moved back from me and looked me straight in the eye. Her face was beat red.
"Go home Jenna. Thanks for bringing me my work, but I don't want you to be here. I don't want you to talk to me anymore."
"But Amanda..."
"Just GO!" She screamed.
She went over and grabbed her work. Then she went inside and slammed the door shut. I stood there for a few minutes thinking about what got her so upset. I went home and tried to think. I was definitely not going to stop talking to her. She was my best friend and I needed to know why she was so upset. The next day at school, Amanda looked even worse than the day before. She apologized for being so mean the day before and I forgave her. I hung out with her at lunch and she seemed a little better, she was smiling, but I could tell that something was still wrong. I finally got her to tell me why she had been so upset. I didn't believe it at first. It turns out that her boyfriend, Erik, broke up with her a few days earlier. Apparently, he saw her kissing the school's new quarterback, Stark, a few days ago and dumped her. Usually, she wouldn't get that upset over someone breaking up with her but this time was much different. Erik talked with her and said that he would still go out with her, as long as she promised to stay away from Stark. She agreed, but the night before, she and Stark were making out right before Erik was supposed to hang out with her. Luckily, Erik had to cancel. She said that she still felt really guilty.
"Why were you making out with Stark anyway, after you promised Erik you would stay away from him?"
"I don't know why Jenna, it just kind of happened."
I didn't want her to get hurt but I knew that she would if she kept sneaking around with Stark behind Erik's back. I could not believe what happened the next day. Erik came up to me at lunch and said that he really liked me. He asked me to go out for dinner with him that night and I said yes. I realized, after he left, what I had just done. I had just agreed to go on a date with Erik aka my best friend's boyfriend. Well, one of them. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I couldn't just blow Erik off for no reason cause that would be mean. I couldn't go out with him either because he was dating my best friend. And the worst part was I couldn't even talk to Amanda about it. Then she would know that 1: Erik was cheating on her and 2: I was the girl he was cheating on her for. I also knew that I couldn't tell Erik any of this because then he would know that Amanda was still seeing Stark, after she promised him she wouldn't. My life was too complicated to figure out. I tried my best to avoid Erik and Amanda. It worked a little bit because I didn't see either of them until lunch. We walked around outside and went to the store. I didn't say much. I knew that I would say something I shouldn't if I talked too much so I just said the occasional yes, no, or I'm not sure. I was shocked that I made it through lunch. I had a safe afternoon. I didn't have any classes with Amanda or Erik. I had Science last period with Stark but I didn't think that would be a big deal. He wrote me a note saying this:
Jenna, do you wanna see a movie later? Just the two of us.
I read the note fast and without thinking first, I wrote back:
Sure Stark, I'd love to.
I saw his face light up when he read my response. I was the first one out of the room when the last bell rang. I didn't bother going to my locker. I walked home by myself. I needed to figure out what to do about Erik Stark and Amanda. I remembered now that I was supposed to go over to her place after school to study for the chemistry test we had the next day. I got to my house and the second I opened the door, the phone rang. It was Amanda.
"Hey Amanda, what's up?"
"Oh nothing. Are you still coming over later?"
I didn't know what to tell her.
"Umm...yeah. But I have to leave by six okay?"
"Yeah that's fine. See you later."
"Bye."
I hung up the phone and noticed that I had two new text messages. The first one was from Stark. He asked if I wanted to see the new alien movie that just came out. I told him that was fine and he said it started at 8. The second one was from Erik. He asked me to meet him outside my house at 6:30. I asked why, but he said it was a surprise so I just said okay. Maybe this night will work out after all I thought to myself. I didn't believe it. I stayed at Amanda's until 6 and I got back to my house just in time to meet Erik. We went for dinner and he walked me home afterwards. He kissed me goodnight, smiled and left. I went inside and sat on the couch. I didn't even bother turning the TV on, I just sat there staring at the screen until 7:30. I stood outside for about 5 minutes before I saw Stark's car. I got in and we went to the movies. I didn't even pay attention to the screen. I was too busy watching Stark, who was staring at me with a weird grin on his face. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. Before I had the chance to move away, my head was on his chest and I was surrounded by his scent. I liked the way he smelled. When the movie was over, he bought me an ice cream and drove me home because it had started to rain. The night was turning out almost perfectly. Almost. When we got to my house, Amanda was there. She was standing at the door and turned around when she heard us drive up. I didn't like the look on her face. She was not impressed.
"Jenna? Stark? What are you doing? Together?"
Stark didn't say anything. I needed to think fast.
"Umm...I was at the movies and Stark drove by and asked me if I wanted a ride home because it was raining. I said sure. That's all."
Amanda looked from me to Stark and back to me.
"Well ok. Anyway, I just came by to bring you your chemistry textbook in case you wanted to study tonight. You forgot it at my place. You rushed out really quickly."
"Ok. Well thanks for bringing it by. I'll see you tomorrow okay?"
She looked at me weird and walked away. I turned to see Stark still standing behind me. No wonder Amanda looked at me weird.
"Well I better get inside. My dad will freak out if I'm late again. So...bye."
He grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him like he had in the movie theatre. I knew I should go inside but his scent once again surrounded me and I didn't want to go anywhere. He leaned down and kissed me. It wasn't just a goodnight kiss either. It was better. He pulled away and I hugged him. Then I went inside and ran up to my room. I grabbed my diary from under my pillow and wrote down everything that just happened. When I was done, I re-read it to make sure I had everything.
Dear Diary,
Today was really complicated. I'm not even sure today was real. It feels like everything that happened was a dream. It all started at lunch. Erik, Amanda's boyfriend, asked me out. And I said yes. Then, in Science class, Stark, Amanda's other boyfriend, asked me out. I said yes to him too. I don't know what I was thinking. Not only saying yes to a date with two different guys but my best friend's boyfriends. I went over to Amanda's place to study after school but I left at 6 instead of staying until 7 like usual. I met Erik at my place at 6:30 and he took me out for dinner. We went to a really fancy restaurant. He walked me home and before he left, he kissed me. I sat down once I got inside and just stared at the TV screen for awhile. Then Stark picked me up. We went to see a movie. He bought me ice cream and then drove me home. Amanda was at my house and I don't think she believed the story I told her of why me and Stark were together. Then, once she left, Stark kissed me. It was better than Erik's kiss too! I came inside and my head was so jumbled. I have o idea how to fix this. Not only is Amanda dating two guys, but I'm dating the same two as well. My. Life. Sucks.
I closed my diary and put it back under my pillow. I had a shower, thinking that it might clear my head a little. It didn't work. I put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and went down stairs. I got some ice cream from the freezer and watched some TV. I must've fallen asleep because I opened my eyes and my dad was in the kitchen making breakfast. I looked at my watch and it read 9:47am. I was late! I jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen.
"What's your hurry princess?" My dad asked.
"I'm late for school!" I yelled.
"Umm...princess...it's Saturday."
I sat down when he said that and I felt like and idiot.
"Sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind lately."
I ate my breakfast and went up to my room. I had 18 text messages! I looked at them slowly. Most of them were from Erik or Stark. But there was one from Amanda. It read:
How could you Jenna?
I texted her back right away.
How could I what Amanda?
Her message came instantly, like she had already been typing it before I asked.
How could you lie straight to my face saying Stark just gave you a ride home and then kiss him! How could go out with him in the first place Jenna? You knew we were dating! And don't even think about saying that I was cheating on him because I broke up with Stark yesterday because I like Erik more.
If I wasn't going crazy already, I was now.
But if you broke up with Stark then me going out with him wasn't a big deal right?
Wrong! I never told you that I broke up with him so for all you know I still could've been dating him. Shows what a good friend you are Jenna!
I turned off my phone. I didn't want her to get anymore mad at me then she already was. I watched TV for awhile and then I had lunch. I was in the middle of doing the dishes when I heard a knock on the front door. I opened the door and saw Amanda standing there.
"Hi Jenna. Can I come in? I need to talk to you."
"Sure Amanda. But I thought you were mad at me?"
"I was. But after I thought about it, I realized that there was nothing to be mad at you for. Not really."
I hugged her tight and for the next half hour, we talked. Like really talked. She explained everything to me. And I explained everything to her. She wasn't even mad that I had gone out with Erik the night before.
"So is it alright if I still date Stark then? If you're gonna date Erik? I mean now that you and Erik made up."
"Yeah, it's fine with me. I like Erik better anyways."
On Monday morning, I met Stark at the front doors of the school. He had texted me saying he wanted to talk.
"Hey Stark, what's up?"
"Jenna, I don't think we should go out anymore. When I heard that you went out with Erik only half an hour before I went out with you, I realized that you're not the kind of girl I want to date. I'm sorry Jenna. It's not you, it's me. Well actually it is you but...I gotta go."
I stood there for a good ten minutes before Amanda came up to me.
"What's wrong Jenna?"
"Stark...just...dumped...me."
"WHAT! Why?"
"He said that because I went out with Erik before him, he didn't want to go out with me."
"I bet Erik had something to do it Jenna. Erik has been acting weird since Saturday. I shouldn't have gone out with him again."
I hugged her and then I moved away.
"You know what Amanda?"
"What?"
"I'm done with dating, and guys. It's too stressful."
"Really? But what if Mr. Perfect comes along?"
"I think I could make an exception if it was Mr. Perfect."
We both laughed and headed inside before we were late for class.
"Hey Amanda?"
"Yeah Jenna?"
"Do you think I will find Mr. Perfect?"
"I am 100% sure that he will come along when it's time."
"Thanks."
"Until then, all boys are jerks."
"Agreed. What would we do without them?"
"I don't know. They may be jerks, but let's face it, we need our boys."
"Agreed."
June 9, 2009Page 4
