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Chapter 1-4

  She took him to see Looz and Sam at the cafeteria lunch tables where they had been waiting, introducing him to Sandra as well.

  "Hey guys, guess who I found!" Audrey said, announcing Jacob's return.

  "SAMANTHA! LOOZ!" he said, going in for a hug.

  "JACKIE!" Sam said, hugging him tightly. Jacob then reached for Looz.

  "Woah woah woah, settle down there, seeing you is enough for me," Looz said jokingly.

  "Well you haven't changed much, you're still short, maybe even shrunk!" Jacob said.

  "What are you smoking? You're higher than the clouds, you ass!"

  "Always so quick! God, you guys are still the same amazing people you were back then!" Jacob laughed.

  "Yeah yeah, it's good to see you too J." Looz said, more friendlier now.

  "Hi I'm Sandra," she said. A shy expression was on her face.

  "Hey! I'm Jacob, nice to meetcha." Before they could all catch up he got a call from his mom.

   "Sorry guys, I gotta go, I'll see you guys tomorrow!" He said. He dashed out of there like he was racing for a gold medal. As soon as he was a safe enough distance away, Sam immediately moved in closer to Audrey.

  "Well!? What did you guys talk about?" Sam asked. She knew Audrey had a crush on him since 6th grade and she liked being inquisitive about Audrey's love life—not that she had much of one. She didn't even have to ask to know what Audrey was feeling, Sam and Looz read her like a book. It called to mind what Looz told her this morning. I really am that predictable.

  "Nothing important, just caught up and he asked about going to the beach sometime as a group," Audrey said.

  Sam squinted her eyes at her. Audrey tried not to look at her. Sam observed her hands, noticing how she was peeling the skin off the edge of her thumbs again.

  "What else Dri, I know there's more to that story!" She grabbed her hands. "And I told you to stop doing that, you'll make yourself bleed."

  Audrey's face grew a bright red and put her head down.

  "Well he said I was pretty, and it gave me butterflies. It was nice." She paused for a moment. Thoughts of Natalie came to mind. How amazing and brave she was to be so outgoing. She compared their lifestyles together. The difference made her upset. "But then we ran into Natalie and he saw how beautiful she is and how bland I am"

  "Natalie is hot, not gonna lie babe," Sam said. She rubbed Audrey's back.

  "I know! She's gorgeous! Why can't I be like her," Audrey said.

  Sandra had to excuse herself, but not before chiming in. "Don't worry Audrey, I don't think you're plain." She waved goodbye and left.

  "Yeah Bruh, like Sandra says. You're beautiful, Jacob just thinks with his dick sometimes," Looz said.

  "It's not just that, I mean I've always been like this. He went off about how different I looked but inside I'm still the same loser I was in middle school," she said defeated.

  "Everything I do is so monotonous, I'm sick of it!" She paused to collect herself. "Seeing Natalie, well, it just made me feel like a nobody. I want to be like her, someone people like to be with and outgoing and just amazing."

  "You're all of those things and more Dri," Looz said.

  "Yeah, you don't have to change for anyone," Sam said, holding her close.