As the night got later, Isis started to feel tired and she was hoping Jackie wanted to leave soon.
As if Roman sensed it, he said loudly “It’s late, can I walk you girls in the direction you need to go?”
Jackie peeled her gaze from Braden and smiled dramatically at Roman “Why yes, what a gentleman you are!”
Roman stood up and held his hand out to Isis. She took it and stood up, surprised at how warm and good his hand felt holding hers. Jackie and Braden stood up too, both clearly unsteady on their feet.
The four of them walked back inside and said some goodbyes. As Isis walked down the front steps, hand in hand with Roman, she laughed at how different she felt now, compared to when she walked up those steps. She felt like she actually fit in.
They were almost to Jackie’s house when Roman needed to go another direction. Jackie and Braden sat down sloppily on the curb and started fully making out. Again, Isis blushed, and she hated her reaction. She nervously looked up at Roman, assuming he would want to do the same. Instead he asked her if she was okay to walk the rest of the way. She nodded and smiled at him. He was really cute and her feelings for him were definitely growing. He hugged her gently and told her to call him if she needed anything, no matter how late.
Then he kissed her cheek, said goodnight, and walked down the street.
Isis could hardly believe he kissed her cheek! She turned to look down at Jackie, expecting Braden to leave as well. The two of them stood up, literally attached at the hip. Jackie said “We’re sneaking Braden into my house.”
Isis was disappointed because she wanted to gush about Roman and tell her about Ava. She smiled weakly and just followed them the rest of the walk back.
The house was dark and silent when Jackie opened the front door. Even with the lights off, Isis could make out fast food packages and empty beer bottles scattered on the coffee table. The living room felt cluttered and cramped, nothing like the spacious, tidy house she was used to.
The three of them tip-toed to Jackie’s room and shut the door behind them. Isis was excited to finally see her friend’s room. It was more girly than Isis expected. The walls were light pink and she had posters of boy bands taped up.
Jackie stumbled as she pulled a fluffy, purple blanket off her bed and laid it on the floor for Isis. She handed her a pillow and gave her a slightly apologetic look.
Braden flopped onto the bed and folded his hands behind his head, casually looking Jackie up and down. There was something about him that rubbed Isis the wrong way.
Jackie said goodnight to Isis and turned off the lights.
This was so awkward! Isis should have gone home, but how would she explain that to her parents? She heard soft whispering and giggles from the bed and pulled the blanket over her head. Thankfully she was exhausted and fell asleep quickly.
When she woke up, the bed was empty and light was coming in through the window. Oh. My. God. Her head was pounding. Holy crap, was she going to be sick? She sat upright, panic rising in her chest. She had no idea where the bathroom was.
The door opened and she had never been happier in her life to see Jackie. Jackie beamed at her and said “Good morning sunshine! Here, you’ll need this.” She handed Isis a giant glass of water and an ibuprofen. Isis swallowed the pill and chugged half the water.
“Morning. Where’s Braden?” she mumbled.
“He left before the sun came up so my mom and stepdad wouldn’t find out.” Jackie replied, and added “Hey I’m sorry about that, I didn’t plan on him coming over but you know how it goes.”
Isis replied “I didn’t know he was your boyfriend.”
Jackie laughed so loudly that it hurt Isis’s head. “He’s not my boyfriend silly. He’s just hot and we were having fun.”
Isis didn’t know how to reply to that, but she questioned “So, did you guys, you know…?”
“Isis, I’m still a virgin,” she said with a laugh. “Not that I particularly care to be, but no we did not fuck.”
Isis cringed at the vulgar word but she was relieved. She considered Jackie her best friend but she was realizing how very different their worlds were.
Changing the subject, Isis asked “Hey, why in the world did you start talking to me that first day of school?”
Jackie smirked at her affectionately “I guess I’m just sick of all the fake ass people at school and I could tell you were different. You’re just… chill and easy going. You don’t care what other people think.”
Isis was stunned. Of course she cared! She was constantly trying to fit it. In fact, she was amazed Jackie saw her that way, because those were the exact qualities she admired in Jackie.
Isis hugged her friend, then promptly asked where the bathroom was when a wave of nausea swept over her.
After she had freshened up in the bathroom, they sat on Jackie’s bed talking. Jackie teased Isis about Roman and called Ava a bitch when Isis told her the story.
Eventually Isis felt her headache receding and gathered her stuff to head home. When they walked out and passed through the living room, Jackie’s mom and stepdad were sprawled on the couch in grungy pajamas, coffee table still full of trash and empty bottles.
Jackie said flatly “Hey, this is Isis.” Isis smiled at them cheerfully and said “Hello” but they barely glanced away from the TV.
Her and Jackie definitely came from two very different worlds.
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