It had been two weeks. Kayla was home, grumbling because she wasn't allowed to ride until the stitches were completely healed. She spent as much time as she could with Jett. They were together constantly, Kayla even coming to the Silverstone set once she felt well enough to travel that far. Filming was no burden on Jett now that he didn't have to worry about homework and school.
JB came to visit often, and the three of them went down to the creek almost every weekend, to " hunt for gold", an in-joke between them ever since Jett had been bitten by a snake the last time they had gone searching. Hunting for gold meant they were going to picnic and swim.
JB felt a little alienated once Jett and Kayla started getting serious. He tried not to show it, but Jett noticed anyway. When Kayla had been dropped off at her house, their kisses exchanged, and goodbyes said, Jett sat to talk with his best friend.
"What's up, JB?" Jett asked.
JB sighed. "Nothing."
"It sure doesn't sound like nothing," Jett said. "Come on, JB, I've known you my whole life. You can tell me anything."
JB refused to meet his eyes. "It's nothing."
Jett put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "It's okay, man."
JB sighed. "Look, Jett. You and Kayla are my only two best friends, and I'm starting to feel really left out. I feel like my two favorite people in the world are abandoning me for each other."
Jett nodded. "Yeah, I understand."
"No you don't!" JB cried. "Remember? It keeps coming back to this! You're popular, Jett! You're cool! I have never in my life been cool!"
"That's not true, JB!" Jett said. "You are cool. People are jerks." He sighed. "How do I explain this? People see Silverstone, JB, not me. People expect me to be the superhero that I play on TV. When they meet me, they're either disappointed or overjoyed. No one knows me inside the face that is Silverstone."
"And people see me and they hate me." JB put his head in his hands, and Jett was shocked to see real tears in his eyes.
"I don't hate you, JB. And neither does Kayla. And neither does Riley." Jett said.
JB's eyes grew a little brighter at the mention of Riley's name. "Yeah, I guess." He sat back. "The point is, I don't want to lose you or Kayla as my friends."
"You won't," Jett promised. "Kayla and I are gonna be friends to you forever."
JB smiled, blinking away the treacherous tears that still clouded his eyes. Jett gave him a hug. "Thanks, man." JB said sheepishly.
"No problem." Jett stood up. "Now, you feel like some of Nana's cookies? She made fresh chocolate chip ones before we left."
"Sounds good to me," JB said. "Race you!" And he sprinted off down the street, shirttails flying.