“Hey Justin, nice shoes.”
“Yeah, where did you get them? My dumpster?”
Justin rolled his eyes as he made his way down the school hallway to class. He was getting used to being ridiculed for how he looked. He was never dirty, because that was something he could actually take care of. As far as his clothes went, though, he was always going to be beneath others because he simply didn’t have the money. He had more important things to worry about, like finding something for he and Olivia to eat.
“J, just tell them to shove it,” Sam said, coming up beside him.
Samantha had been Justin’s best friend since the third grade. They met on the playground one day when Samantha was trying to play basketball with the boys. One boy wouldn’t let her, and she started crying. Justin, who had been more confident back then, had pushed the boy down and told him that he “better let her play basketball for the rest of the year, or else.” They had been inseparable ever since.
“You want a granola bar?” She said, taking a bite out of one already opened.
Sam was what the teacher’s called “boisterous”. She had started out very shy and reserved but once she hit high school, Sam had become very outgoing and unruly. She said exactly what she was thinking, and did just what she wanted to. Justin loved that about her, although he‘d never be that way himself.
“Well, Livie and I ate a huge breakfast today…” he said, pulling the door to their classroom open for Sam.
“By that, you mean you had oatmeal and are super hungry?” she said, knowing him all too well.
“Starving.” He smiled, as she tossed him a granola bar.
One of the guys in the back of the classroom called out, “I’m glad someone’s feeding the needy. Way to be a Good Samaritan, Samantha.” After Samantha flipped the guy off, Justin sat down in a desk next to her and tried to pay attention.
Samantha glanced over at him. Why did everyone think it was hilarious that he was poor? It wasn’t like he could change his parents. None of these could make it through the type of days that he and Olivia did, she thought. She smiled as he sneaked a bite of granola bar. He was very attractive, but she wished he would stop trying to be so responsible and have fun.
Halfway through class, she slipped him a note.
~Hey Justin, your hair looks good today. You should wear it like that to the club tomorrow…hint, hint. -S
Justin smiled. Samantha had been begging him to come clubbing with her Wednesday night. He knew he needed to get a night out and have some fun, but he had responsibilities. ~Sam, you know I can’t afford to go, and I can’t just leave Olivia alone at my house while my dad goes to the bar. -J
~Bring Olivia to my house to sleep, while we‘re there. I’ll pay for you to get in. You know you want to get your freak on, J! Pleeeeease? I‘ll even buy some clothes for you to wear. -S
~Alright, I’ll go. But I’m not dancing! -J
~Fair enough…We’re going clubbin! Yeahhhh! -S
“Justin and Samantha, enough with the note passing,” the teacher called out.
Justin smiled, and winked at Sam.
Princess Emaria took a sip of her tea and looked across the table at her company. “Ryan, could you act any more bored?”
The prince finished yawning, and smiled. “Sorry Emma. I just stayed out late last night.”
“So what were doing this time?” She said, half smiling at him.
Ryan was known for always getting in some sort of trouble. She thought it was amusing, but it made it even more realistic that they’d never get together. She thought he was attractive, but he was too wild for her taste. They had decided a long time ago that it was better if they just stayed friends, although they still pretended to be interested in each other for their parents sake. It was easier to please than to argue.
“I went to the beach with some chick,” He said, acting like it was no big deal.
“The beach? In the middle of the night? That makes sense…” She said, taking another sip of tea.
“It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s not like we were there to get a tan, if you know what I mean,” He said, winking at her.
She laughed. “Sounds fun,” She said sarcastically.
“Okay well what do you consider fun, Princess Emaria?” He said, grabbing a cookie.
“Concerts, sight-seeing, dancing. You know, all the things we boring people like to do,” She said, smiling.
“Dancing huh? Well what if I took you dancing? Would you go?”
She didn’t hide her surprise. “YOU want to take me dancing?”
“Why not?”
“Well, I guess that would be fine. Yeah I would go.”
“Okay, tonight then. The club it is.” He said, brushing his mouth with a napkin.
Her mouth dropped open. “What?! I wasn’t talking about that kind of dancing, Ryan!”
“It’s too late. You already agreed,” He said, proud of himself. He stood up and reached for her hand.
She took it and joined him. “Fine, I’ll go. But this isn’t a date!”
“Of course not.”
“And Ryan? Don’t tell my parents.”
“Princess Emma’s a rebel! I knew this day would come,” He said, half smiling at her.
She laughed and shoved him lightly.
