I let out a breath of air as soon as I stepped into my house. It was nice to get out of the cold weather and into my warm, warm house. I locked the door behind me and went straight to my room down the hall. My new house was a lot smaller than my one back in Woodcrest. This one was one floor, my room being on one side of the house and my parents on the other side with the living room and kitchen dead smack in the middle. I had a bathroom next to my room and my parents had one in their bedroom.

I stepped into my room and threw my backpack down onto the floor. The first thing I did when I got home was get out of the clothes I had been in all day. I slipped off my jeans and shirt and tossed them into my hamper and put on a sweater and some yoga pants. I fell back on my bed and stretched out as I plugged my phone into the charger. It was so quiet in the house and none of my friends were texting me back, so I was practically alone. Which in all honesty, sucked. I pouted and decided to text my online friend that I met almost two years ago. She lived in the same town as me, so I was hoping that I would get to meet her sooner or later. It'd be nice to have a girl's night out again sometime soon.

Cindy was a really chill person, a tall white girl who had the attitude of a lifetime. Me and her were so different, yet we were still best friends. I met her through Instagram when someone had posted her as their woman crush wednesday. I ended up following her and surprisingly enough, she followed me back. Considering she had almost over six thousand followers, I don't know why she followed me back. Cindy commented on my pictures, I commented on hers and one day she asked me how I did my makeup and that was how we became best friends. She knew me better than anyone back at home knew me.

She texted me back almost immediately. Hey Jaz wassup? Are you outta school yet?

I turned on Pandora before texting her back and Lil Kim's Crush on You came on. I started moving my hips in beat with the song and opened my messages back up. Yup, can we chill?

Bitchhhh, I thought you would neva ask! Where you stay at?

I quickly typed in my address and she told me she was only a ten minute car ride away. I told her that I'd be here waiting and smiled to myself. I was finally going to meet my best friend! I turned up my music and plugged the aux cord into my radio, loud enough that I could hear it walking out into the living room. Lil Kim's song came off and Foxy Brown's Get Me Home came on next. I danced my way into the kitchen to make myself something to eat. I searched through the fridge for something that would satisfy me. It was hard to find food to eat as a vegetarian sometimes. It was particularly hard because I've only been a vegetarian for a few months and sometimes I just wanted some fried chicken and pulled pork and bacon. I sighed at not being able to eat meat and instead just got out fruit to make myself a strawberry and banana smoothie.

While my smoothie was blending I took my hair out of its ponytail and shook my hair out. You didn't appreciate having your hair out until it was up in a tight ponytail all day. Another old school song came on but it wasn't one that I liked that much, so I stopped dancing and poured my smoothie into a cup to drink it. I plopped down on the couch and waited for Cindy to get here. By the time I wash finished drinking my smoothie and cleaning out my glass, the doorbell rang. I had to admit I was a little nervous. This was the first time I would be meeting her and what if it turned out that we didn't click like we did over the phone? I went over to the door and opened it with a big smile on my face.

"Jazzy Fresh! Wassup girl?!" Cindy yelled and she threw her arms around me and pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back tightly and started laughing. "It only took two damn years to meet my best friend!" She pulled away from me and I stepped back to let her in the house. It finally came to me that I should've at least texted my parents that I had a friend over but I quickly dismissed it, they wouldn't be home for a few more hours anyway.

"Hey Cindy. I was so nervous about meeting you." I laughed at myself and started walking to my room. She followed after me. "Nah, for what?! We know each other like the back of our hands! Ain't no reason to be nervous! I had no idea you lived this close though. My friend stay right across the street."

"Really? Is it Huey?" I asked her, a little more excited than I should've been. Cindy wiggled her eyebrows and sat down on the edge of my bed. She shook her head slowly. "Nope, Huey's little brother, Riley. Buuuuuut, you sounded a lil too eager to offer up Huey's name. You like him or somethin'?"

I turned off my music and shook my head. "No! He was with my in my last class and he was being really rude." Cindy shrugged her arms, "Pfffft, that's just his personality. I wouldn't let it bother you." I felt a little bit of relief at that and smiled. "Oooookay, well. He is really cute. I mean, I sat down next to him and once I got a good looked at him I was just like, 'Damn'."

Cindy laughed, "I know. Him and Riley are hella good looking!"

"I really wish that you went to school with me. I didn't have anybody to eat lunch with today." I pouted. Cindy kicked off her shoes and laid back on my bed. I kind of expected her to just make herself at home without me having to say so. "Nah, don't worry about it, you'll make some friends. Pretty girl like you? I bet you'll be eating with someone tomorrow. Besides, you go to the smart people school. I'ma stick with my school and keep on trying for a basketball scholarship.

"Speaking of basketball, you don't have practice today?" I asked her. She shook her head. "Coach cancelled, family emergency, but it desn't matter, I'll be carrying the team to the championships this year." Cindy smirked. She really did love basketball. Last year, the other team had won by a three pointer at the last minute, which pissed Cindy off for weeks. "Anyways, wanna go meet the boys? Well… Riley at least." She smirked at me and I slapped her arm playfully.

"Cut it out. I can't help it that he's cute." I blushed. Then a thought came to me. "Wait wait wait, isn't Riley the guy that yo-" Cindy smacked her hand over my mouth. "Shush! That's between you and me." A blush had dusted her cheeks and I laughed at how adorable she looked. I shook my head at her and stood up. "Come one, let's go and 'meet the boys'." I said with an eyeroll. I grabbed my TImberlands from the closet and put them on. I grabbed my phone and my jacket and switched off the lights to my room before going to meet Cindy out in the living room. We both put our jackets on and I locked up the house before we crossed the street to Huey's and Riley's house. My heart was beating a mile a minute. What if Huey thought I was some stalker chick?

Cindy knocked on the door a few times and elbowed me lightly. "Calm yourself down."

"I ca-" I started but I shut my mouth as soon as the door unlocked and hid behind Cindy. It kind of worked out because she was a bit more taller than me and had broader shoulders. The door opened. "Hey Huey!" Cindy said.

"What're you doing here McPhearson?" He asked. Cindy stepped over to the side and pointed to me. I sighed and slowly stood up straight and waved at Huey. "I thought Jazmine should meet you and Riley, considering y'all are ya know, neighbors." Huey sighed heavily and stepped back to let us in. I had a slight feeling he didn't want us in his home. I looked around the house and the layout was pretty much identical to mine. I started to unzip my jacket and turned to look back at him. "Hey… Huey, where can I put this?" He looked at me for a minute before grabbing my jacket and hanging it up inside a closet. He walked past me without saying or giving me a second glance. Cindy looked at me and back at him. "Freeman, what's your problem?"

Oh no. Cindy was going to stand up for me and something told me by the look on Huey's face that he was ready to go neck and neck with her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You! You dismissing Jazmine like that for no damn reason. It's rude as hell." Cindy shouted. Huey arched his eyebrows and clenched his jaw. "She's not my friend, and quite frankly, neither are you. So you can leave me alone with that mess." Huey sat down on the couch and unmuted what I figured was the news channel. He grabbed his pick and started to pick out his afro. Cindy muttered something under her breath and grabbed my arm. She pulled me in her direction, I'm guessing to meet Riley. She busted into the room, "Wassup Reezy?!" She shouted. He was on the floor doing push ups and he finished his rep before he stood up. "What's good C-Murph? Who's she?" He asked, pointing a finger in my direction.

Cindy plopped down on one of the end of the bed, "This is Jazmine, my friend from Maryland? I know I've talked to you about her before." Riley thought for a minute before nodding. "I heard about you in school. Gotta say… you do look pretty good." Cindy slapped Riley on the back of his arm and he started laughing. "Aight aight Cindy, damn! Always hitting a nigga for no reason!"

"That's my best friend idiot!" She shouted. Of course, I knew the real reason why she hit him, but I wasn't going to just say it out loud in front of Riley. I laughed and waved at him. "Hey Riley."

"Wassup… Jazmine?" I deadpanned. Cindy literally just said my name a minute ago and he already forgot? "See, Jazmine is a okay name and all, but I'm make up a nickname for you."

Cindy sucked her teeth at him and rolled her eyes, "Ignore him, he's an idiot." Riley called her a bitch under his breath and Cindy flipped him off. They really did have a weird relationship going on. "Anyways, Reezy we're bored. Let's find something to do?"

"The fuck, it's brick outside and you tryna make plans? Try again in a few months."

"Nah, let's do something inside!" She pouted. "I want Jazmine to get used to you and Huey cause she's gonna be around as long as I am. Look, let's convince Huey to let you play the game. What if I re-braid your hair? It's lookin' a lil fuzzy."

"Shut up." Riley mumbled. "But whateva, let's go. But if that nigga got anything to say and we end up fighting again it's gon be on you two." As soon as Riley said that, Huey showed up at the door and looked down at Cindy. "Can you be any louder?"

Cindy smiled at him. "Of course I can!" She rolled her eyes and her and Riley went out into the living room while I kind of lingered at the door way next to Huey. He turned and went into another room and I followed him. He sat down on his bed and looked at me. "Can I help you?"

I blushed and looked at the wall above his head. "Uh… do you not like me or something?"

"Do I have a reason not to like you?" He asked me, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, no not really bu-" He cut me off, "Well there's your answer." I felt a heat of anger roll over my body. What was with this dude and why the hell was he so difficult? "Yeah, but you're giving off this vibe and I'm just trying to make friends. Hiro was nice enough to talk to me."

"I'm not Hiro, and that 'vibe' is my personality. If you don't like it then that's not my problem."

I crossed my arms and looked at him, "Oh really?"

"Really." He paused. "Is that it?" I clenched my jaw and shook my head, deciding to be petty. I took a seat right on the edge of his bed and stared at him. Usually I would've took offense and just dropped the situation, but I felt like he was challenging me. The way his dark brown eyes looked into mine made my stomach do little flips. They were so damn intense. I knew I was blushing, but if I turned back at this point I'd look like a wuss. "You're dismissing me without even talking to me." I said to him. I knew he was dismissing me because plenty of people had done it before. I've been told I had resting bitch face, but from the looks of it, he had it too. Not only that, but when I was smiling and talking, people thought that it was fake and all an act so they just avoided me altogether. It usually took a few conversations to convince someone I wasn't a fake, backstabbing bitch. Huey let out a sigh and crossed his arms. "Okay. I won't dismiss you anymore."

"Okay?" I looked at him. "That's it? I was kinda expecting a little more resistance."

"Yeah well, you're annoyingly persistent." He smirked at me. I let out a dorky laugh and shook my head. "I am not annoying."

"Yes you are." Huey picked up his book and started reading it. I was about to say something when Cindy called me out to the living room. I sighed, wanting to stay in the room with Huey but knowing Cindy would say that we were flirting. I stood up and left his room, smiling when he said "Bye Jazmine."

Maybe we would be friends after all.