Friendships aren't built on false promises
I've failed without defeat.
In this game of disrespect
I'm a victim-a small town tragedy.
Here's the difference between you and I
I'll tell the truth and count my blessings
So thanks for all you've done
But i won't let you get the best of me. – "Song 13" by Ataris
"Honestly, I never would have guessed you were related to him," Ephram told Jesse, who was leaning against the red rubbery seat. Mama Joy's was exceptionally empty for a Saturday evening.
"Why?" Jesse inquired, stirring her smoothie with the straw.
"He's such a jerk...and you're not like that," Ephram explained. Jesse looked up, her eyes slightly flashed with disapproval.
"You don't even know my brother," Jesse shot back, "I'm sorry, but I don't think you have the right to make judgments."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Ephram apologized gently.
"Yeah, well you did," Jesse sighed, and turned her attention back towards her drink, "So, your dating Madison Kellner. I'm shocked."
"Why?" Ephram asked, shredding his napkin.
"I don't think you're the kind of guy that would be dumb enough to be with a girl like her," Jesse replied, and then smiled, "And yes, I realize I just made a judgment. I'm a hypocrite, so be it."
"What's wrong with Madison?" Ephram questioned, ignoring her last remark.
"Where should I begin?" Jesse laughed, "Don't get me wrong, I love the girl, but she's just a can of worms that isn't worth opening."
"It's too late," Ephram responded, "I guess I'm just a dumb guy."
"Guess so," Jesse nodded, "But...there's hope for you yet."
"What do you mean?" Ephram raised and eyebrow. A thoughtful look spread over Jesse's face. She took a deep breath and tucked a hair behind her ears.
"Honestly, you're a mystery to me," Jesse explained, "And usually, I can read people pretty well. But you...you just come up blank. And I like that."
"Why do people always tell me that?" Ephram joked, locking eyes with Jesse. Jesse quickly broke the glance, and looked away.
***
Jesse jogged down the street, her heart beating at a rapid pace. She loved the feel of running. It was so invigorating and exciting, and nothing compared to it. Well, Jesse could think of a few things, but some of those things she had yet to experience. As she turned to corner, she saw a familiar face of a friend she hadn't seen in quite a while.
"Hey!" Jesse yelled, quickening her pace.
"You know how dumb you look?" Her friend replied, grinning, "You're jogging in a freaking parka."
"Shut up, Bright," Jesse laughed, stopping as she reached him, "How are you?"
"I've been better," Bright told her honestly, "How about you?"
"Same," Jesse nodded, and then shifted uneasily, "I better get going."
"Don't worry, Amy doesn't even live here anymore," Bright informed her, leaning against his truck. A shocked, yet doubtful, expression crossed Jesse's face.
"What do you mean?" Jesse inquired promptly, her eyes glued to Bright.
"She choose her drug dealer boyfriend over us," Bright explained, "She's been pretty screwed up for a while now."
"Wow, miss popularity, I'm surprised," Jesse replied honestly, "So how are your parents holding up?"
"Not so well," Bright responded grimly, "Things are pretty tense around here."
"I can imagine," Jesse nodded, "I missed you, ya know."
"I don't believe it," Bright laughed, taking the edge off of the moment, "You're the very same girl who slapped me in front of the whole school during homecoming a couple years ago."
"You deserved it," Jesse grinned, "What were you expecting when you tried to look down by shirt?"
"What were you expecting when you wore a shirt with such a plunging neckline?" Bright chuckled, and Jesse couldn't help but join him.
I've failed without defeat.
In this game of disrespect
I'm a victim-a small town tragedy.
Here's the difference between you and I
I'll tell the truth and count my blessings
So thanks for all you've done
But i won't let you get the best of me. – "Song 13" by Ataris
"Honestly, I never would have guessed you were related to him," Ephram told Jesse, who was leaning against the red rubbery seat. Mama Joy's was exceptionally empty for a Saturday evening.
"Why?" Jesse inquired, stirring her smoothie with the straw.
"He's such a jerk...and you're not like that," Ephram explained. Jesse looked up, her eyes slightly flashed with disapproval.
"You don't even know my brother," Jesse shot back, "I'm sorry, but I don't think you have the right to make judgments."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Ephram apologized gently.
"Yeah, well you did," Jesse sighed, and turned her attention back towards her drink, "So, your dating Madison Kellner. I'm shocked."
"Why?" Ephram asked, shredding his napkin.
"I don't think you're the kind of guy that would be dumb enough to be with a girl like her," Jesse replied, and then smiled, "And yes, I realize I just made a judgment. I'm a hypocrite, so be it."
"What's wrong with Madison?" Ephram questioned, ignoring her last remark.
"Where should I begin?" Jesse laughed, "Don't get me wrong, I love the girl, but she's just a can of worms that isn't worth opening."
"It's too late," Ephram responded, "I guess I'm just a dumb guy."
"Guess so," Jesse nodded, "But...there's hope for you yet."
"What do you mean?" Ephram raised and eyebrow. A thoughtful look spread over Jesse's face. She took a deep breath and tucked a hair behind her ears.
"Honestly, you're a mystery to me," Jesse explained, "And usually, I can read people pretty well. But you...you just come up blank. And I like that."
"Why do people always tell me that?" Ephram joked, locking eyes with Jesse. Jesse quickly broke the glance, and looked away.
***
Jesse jogged down the street, her heart beating at a rapid pace. She loved the feel of running. It was so invigorating and exciting, and nothing compared to it. Well, Jesse could think of a few things, but some of those things she had yet to experience. As she turned to corner, she saw a familiar face of a friend she hadn't seen in quite a while.
"Hey!" Jesse yelled, quickening her pace.
"You know how dumb you look?" Her friend replied, grinning, "You're jogging in a freaking parka."
"Shut up, Bright," Jesse laughed, stopping as she reached him, "How are you?"
"I've been better," Bright told her honestly, "How about you?"
"Same," Jesse nodded, and then shifted uneasily, "I better get going."
"Don't worry, Amy doesn't even live here anymore," Bright informed her, leaning against his truck. A shocked, yet doubtful, expression crossed Jesse's face.
"What do you mean?" Jesse inquired promptly, her eyes glued to Bright.
"She choose her drug dealer boyfriend over us," Bright explained, "She's been pretty screwed up for a while now."
"Wow, miss popularity, I'm surprised," Jesse replied honestly, "So how are your parents holding up?"
"Not so well," Bright responded grimly, "Things are pretty tense around here."
"I can imagine," Jesse nodded, "I missed you, ya know."
"I don't believe it," Bright laughed, taking the edge off of the moment, "You're the very same girl who slapped me in front of the whole school during homecoming a couple years ago."
"You deserved it," Jesse grinned, "What were you expecting when you tried to look down by shirt?"
"What were you expecting when you wore a shirt with such a plunging neckline?" Bright chuckled, and Jesse couldn't help but join him.