Cabin Nine [Original]

8

High school is absolutely terrifying.

Jack fits right in. But he's my only friend again and they don't take to the mundane middle school popular-by-association rules.

So basically I'm just that loser that follows Jack around like a lost puppy. We signed up for all of the same electives, so we have three classes together. It's a lot better this year, though, because a lot of the older kids see me as a nerdy-cute freshman and make sure nobody makes fun of me.

I think they think they're my friends but I don't actually know them that well. Jack and I don't have the same lunch period, so they all pile into my table and talk about me like I'm not there.

They keep calling me Panda. I don't ask why. I just go with it.

Either way, they keep suggesting that Jack and I are dating. I keep insisting that we're not. I don't think Jack would like the suggestion, so I don't tell him.

It's a Wednesday when it happens. A girl from my second period come up to me at lunch and asks me out. The entire table "ooh"s at us like we're in elementary school.

I panic and invite her to go to church with me.

She blushes and says yes. We exchange numbers somewhat awkwardly and I spend the entire lunch period starting at the numbers on the page, my stomach churning.

Her name is Kaylee. She shows up at church and introduces herself as my friend, which I am deeply grateful for. Jack keeps doing this half-glare look at her and I don't know why.

Jack and I go to the swings after church ends, like we always do, and she follows us. She asks me to see a movie with her as a date and Jack nearly falls out of his swing. I'm too stunned to speak, so Jack does it for me after a long hesitation.

"He'd be honored. What time should we pick you up?"

Kayle grins. "Eightish? It starts at eight-thirty."

"We'll be there. And I mean we. I have to make sure he doesn't say anything stupid. Or that he says something. We'll see."

I'm freaking out all week. After school on Friday, Jack drags me to his house.

"Do we want to make it obvious that I dressed you?" Jack asks.

"Yes."

He gives me green denim pants and a collared blue shirt with black suspenders. I look really good. It's unnerving. The colors shouldn't go together. 

When I come out of the bathroom, Jack just stares at me for a second and says, "Wow."

He hesitates and says, "She's gonna love you."

"Why?"

"I dressed you well, young man. Your clothes match your eyes, too. It looks... good."

It's the first time he's said anything about my eyes in eight years, though he's heard me tell people about heterochromia countless times.

He's right. She does love me. She tells me so two months later while we're doing homework at the library.

I don't think I love her. But I don't want to hurt her, so I say it back.

I don't love her.