CHAPTER ELEVEN

(imma piece of trash lol)

(apologies)

Your name is Jade Harley and you are in love.

Not just 'love' like "ooh I love this plant what a cute plant~" but 'love love/. Like legitimately feeling an ache when being away from Dave and feeling tickly inside when thinking about him.

As you sit on the squishy couch in your apartment, you find yourself involuntarily pulling your legs in close to your torso and covering your face in embarrassment. You felt like you were going to burst if you didn't talk about it to someone soon. But who? You couldn't tell John about this, he'd definitely make fun of you. You didn't know anyone else all that well...wait! Exactly!

You jump up and snatch your phone up, quickly scrolling through the contacts. "Yes!"

Phone against ear, you have found the solution. Someone who would listen to you, someone who's not personal friends with your brother OR Dave...Feferi! A co worker is perfect!

You took in a breath as she picked up with a chipper, "He-ello?"

"Fef! Fef I need to talk about something, I can't stand not being able to tell anyone, but you can't be telling other people too because I know that John lives close by...I dont want him to hear!"

"Hold up gillfrond." She said, "What's this about?"

"I...I um." You inhaled sharply before continuing, nervous to hear it out loud from your own lips. "I think I'm...in love."

Silence.

For a moment you were a bit scared at what might be going through you're friend's head. Did she think you were being silly and naive? Or joking? Or was she mad for some reason?

You nearly drop your phone as a shrill screech crackles through the speakers. "oh mY COD JADE! SERIOUSLY?" TELL ME!"

You nearly laughed with relief. "Uh...well see I dont know for sure, this is the first time ive dated a real live person...but i dont know, I just feel so happy around Dave. As if everything in the world is happy and good." You run cold fingers through your long hair, nervously biting your lip. It sure is embarrassing talking about these things.

You could mentally picture the poofy haired girl bouncing up an down. "AaaAAH! How long have you been going out?"

"Dunno, a few months...I know, its not that long. Maybe I'm being silly.. " You chuckle nervously, now realizing that maybe you're kidding yourself. Maybe you're overreacting.

"NONSENSE! There is no time restriction on when someone can fall in love, ya clownfish! It's true love~" She sang into the phone, "You're like Romeo and Juliet, how romantic!"

You found yourself laughing at this, "I sure hope not! I don't fancy dying the first year being around other humans!" Your eyes wander the room, deep in thought. Until, conveniently, they land on the oven clock.

"Oh, but thats what makes it so romantic! They died/ for each other because they couldnt stand being apart~ its so-" Your screech cuts off Feferi's gushing and you dash from the kitchen.

"What!? What!?"

"I'm gonna be late! I have to go meet Dave and some friends at the Festival in town! Ohmy go-oood" As fast as humanly possible, you tug on a big beige-white sweater with dark red patterns across the middle. Tucking your leggings into your fuzzy, brown boots, you quickly pull on your jacket and run out the door. No time to do your hair, I suppose.

Feferi gasped on the other end of the phone, "Is it a date? You're going on a date!"

"Yes indeed-y, I need to hurry!" You step out the front door downstairs and groan as a gust of wind throws your hair across your eyes. Great. Running down the sidewalk, attempting to fight back the hair in your face, you hear Feferi chirp a "Good luck! ~" and hang up, giggling. You can't help but laugh at this, effectively leaving you spitting strands of black out your mouth.

After rounding a corner, you see a flash of blue and suddenly you're scrambling to stay balanced on your feet. After swinging your arms around and standing up straight, you look down and realise the other guy was not so lucky. And that the other guy was... your brother? "Golly, John is that you?"

He looks around in confusion, fixing his askew glasses and looking up. "Whoah! Jade? Fancy meeting you here."

You laugh and offer him a hand, "I live here, silly. What brings you?"

He rubs his lower back absently and looks around, "I'm supposed to be meeting someone... uh."

"Me too! Down this road?"

"Yea, I think." He said sheepishly. "Guess I was going the wrong way."

You burst out laughing as drag him around, heading down the sidewalk.

John smiled, "You're very chipper today."

"I guess." You flip around and start skipping backwards. "It's pretty nice out today, besides the wind. Patooie." You push a mass of black hair from your face again, sighing in exasperation.

"Who're you meeting?"

You just giggled in response and John tried kicking you. Walking in silence for a few moments, you find yourself walking faster in anticipation as you grow nearer to where Dave'll be. You've been looking forward to this for a while now. What a fun day it'll be! A festival outside, nothing too big but that just means it wont be too overwhelming. Which is always nice.

You smile widely as you see a blonde figure down the road with headphones on, head slightly bobbing up and down.

Both running over, you call out to him, but oddly enough...so does John.

"Dave!"

"Hey Dave!"

You look at each other and Dave's mouth falls open.

"Wait...but if she's here to see you then that means..." John says slowly.

Dave and John screamed.