Just Friends by Madison Butt (recommended ebook reader TXT) 📕

Chapter 3

 I saw someone else familiar. OH MY GOSH! The guy I sit next to on the bus! He motioned for me to go sit next to him because there was an empty seat. Lola looked over and raised her eyebrows up and down to tease me. I rolled my eyes, smiled and walked to the seat he sat next to. 

"I never did catch your name." I said slyly. 

"Daniel. It's Daniel." He replied.

"I'm glad we have this class together, Daniel. You're the first friend I've made today!" We started to laugh.

"Yeah..." He scratched his head. 

"What's the matter?" I elbowed him. 

"Nothing... really..." ONLY THAT THE TEACHER WAS STARING RIGHT AT US! We stopped talking and got back to work. The teacher looked really smug and very mean. It was a girl, she had platinum hair, blue eyes and no eyebrows. It looked like she was 50-51 years old. I raised my hand.

"What math is this? Math III? I'm just asking because there are 11th graders in this class..." I asked.

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Now do you work." She pointed plenty of times at my paper.

"Sor-" She cut me off and pointed again. I nodded, put my head down and did my work.

"She's pretty mean, huh?" Daniel nudged me. 

"Yeah. I've had a teacher like this before. They're evil." We laughed. I got a text message. Crap. Sound was on. The teacher snapped her neck back and reached her hand out. I put my head down, with shame, and handed her my phone. What a crappy day. The bell rang. I'll never see what that text message said! What if it was from my dad? Ugh! Teachers are so dumb. 

"Heyy someone has a cruuuush!" Lola shook me back and forth as we walked out of the classroom. 

"Nooooo." I blushed.

"Then why are you blushing?" She raised her eyebrows up and down again.

"Stop! I can't like him. Only as a friend." I smiled and looked down. She stopped me. 

"Wait. Explain?" We kept walking and I explained everything my dad has ever told me. Before I knew it, Lola turned into Home Ec and left me. We made sad faces to each other and I was off to Shop class. The teacher was actually a girl too! She greeted me warmly then said that I have to sit at an empty desk with a partner. All the boys in here were practically nerds so I just sat in the back with a boy with blonde hair. I noticed something familiar about him. That was the boy I saw at the bus stop this morning. The asshole. He looked over at me. That hair... those eyes... that mouth... WHAT AM I THINKING?! He called me a 7th grader with those little kids. He's a mean person in general. He opened his mouth like he was going to speak and I sat straighter to get ready for what he was going to bully me about. Oh. It was just a yawn. I need to get this one thing out of my head and focus on shop class. I heard talking so I whipped my head back and saw the cute boy from the bus stop asked my name. Oh my gosh! He likes me?!?! 

Dating 101

If a boy asks your name, he most likely likes you. If he touches you in any way, he likes you. If he's being mean to you... HE LIKES YOU

"Josie. My name is Josie." I roll my eyes because I'm flirting back. 

"Hey, I'm Carson." He pulls me closer. Is he already going to kiss me?! Is going through my head right now. He whispers in my ear "I'm sorry for how I acted at the bus stop today. If I didn't act like that, those kids would tell my dad what I do. I did one bad thing in front of those kids. My dad can't know about that though. My scholarship would be taken away from me. I honestly didn't think you looked like a 7th grader. My first impression of you was 'Wow! Who's that really pretty girl?' So, Josie, can you forgive me?" I blushed and quietly mumbled 'yes' loud enough for him to hear. The shop teacher got our attention by saying "Stop flirting and pay attention." We both blushed really hard and looked up at the teacher. Carson and I look at each other and smiled. Carson had big blue eyes, full lips, blonde shaggy hair, and his hands were the softest hands I've ever felt... on my arms anyway. Wait! What am I thinking. He still isn't my type. I like Daniel. Sweet, cute, amazing Daniel. 

Chapter 4

 On the bus, I'm in the inside because I hopped in first. I see Daniels sweet eyes as he walks onto the bus. I position myself upright as I watch his body move closer and closer. He smiles at me, while putting his bag in the seat and starts telling me about his day... wow! I sigh dreamily. 

"--So, then the teacher yelled at us and we said we didn't do it, but she didn't believe us!" He laughed and I laughed at him. I wasn't paying attention to his story, just the beautiful features on his body. Carson doesn't look like that. Carson is the person who broke me down into tiny little pieces just because he didn't want to get in trouble with some little 8th graders.

After he was done telling me about his day, he smiles as if he is trying to tell me to tell him about my day. I quickly catch on as if I can read his mind, and I start telling Daniel about my first day at school -- At this school. I tell him how I met Lola, and what we did in Shop class. He looked pretty amused. After I'm done with my story, I see some other girls' hand try and make her way on his chest. Are they dating or something? I quickly notice how he swats it away, and instead, kisses her.  My smile kind of fades. He turns, facing me again and his  smile is brighter. And then I hear the worst thing I've heard all year. "Josie, meet my girlfriend, Andy." 

I stop talking and get my stuff together.  "Where are you going Josie?" His smile slowly fades off his face. I stop in my tracks. "Please move." I have my coat, bag, and gym bag all together in my hands. 

"Wait, what? You can't move seats." Daniel turns back around. I slump all my things back onto my lap and doze off. I start thinking of Daniel again. Then that thought quickly goes on to Carson. What is this?! I don't like Carson... Do I? No... I can't! What will Daniel think of me? A slut? Because I was flirting with him but I actually like Carson? What is happening? 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5

 I looked up to my green-ish ceiling. I roll over on my mat that I've been sleeping on for the time that I've been here. In Florida. I turn my phone on because my teacher FINALLY gave it back to me at the end of the day. Then I started thinking. My first thought was about Carson. "Why do I like him?" I asked myself.

"Why is he even apart of my life?" I keep saying things quietly to myself. Sometimes talking to myself helps me get deeper in thought. Then, I remember Daniel. Soooo dreamy, not mean to me at all, ever! Maybe . . . just . . . maybe . . . I could ask my dad to date him? No. He's been very sad lately. No. Daniel has a girlfriend. What am I thinking? What the hell is up with my life. It's all messed up. All I wanted to do was make a new reputation at school. I can't even do that. 

 

 The next day came and I was laying in my mat. Freezing my butt off. As soon as I woke up, I started thinking of what I was going to wear. I thought it all out. It was the cutest outfit of my existence. But then thoughts ran through my mind. Who am I trying to impress? The boy who likes me for who I am will belong to me. If any of them like me at all . . . even just a little. I check my phone. 

 

| Carson: Hey Josie |

 

WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?! Texting me "Hey Josie". I know, I'm over-reacting about this a little. It's just . . . just . . . I don't know what to think right now. Carson was a mean person, but he's hella cute and apologized. Daniel is super nice and hella cute, but has a girlfriend and is in 11th grade. I don't know what to do. I have to find a way to break Daniel and that ugly chick up. Ugh . . . I even shiver at that name Andy. 

 

I get on the bus, storming into my seat. I wait until Daniel gets up. He looks worried for me. I shun everyone. I don't talk. I strictly just march into my seat. Daniel shrugs and starts to talk to Andy. She starts smiling, touching his shoulder, twirling her hair, you know, what girls do. I roll my eyes and look out the window. A tear falls down my face. I quickly wipe my face and turn around to see if anyone saw that. I chuckle to myself and get my phone out. Another text from Carson 

 

| Carson: Josie r u mad at me? Can we hang out later today? |

 

I turn down the brightness on my phone and text him back.

 

| Josie: Hey, No, no. I'm not mad at you, that would be an understatement. I hate your guts and I hope you burn in Hell. You think you can talk to me like that, just because you don't want to get in trouble by 8th graders? Wow. Very humble. I still forgive you, but I'm