Unexpected Friendship

Chapter 8: Friends

First Wednesday of October

Finally, October is here! This is by far my favorite month of the year. My birthday, Halloween, and a break from school at the end of the month.
I run to my mom's room but she is sleeping. I leave her a note and walk to school.
Jordan catches up to me at the stop light. "Morning," she signs.
"Hi, how are you?" I sign.
She smiles, "Better."
The light turns green and we are off to school. Yesterday, I couldn't go to school since I had a dentist appointment. Jordan told me what I missed though. She has been acting normal and nice even if I almost saw her naked.
We get to school. I see Hailey and Juliet by my locker.
"Wait," Jordan signs. She is getting good at sign language.
"What?"
She walks towards them. Oh great, she's going to fight again. I jog towards the girls but I don't see any conflict.
Juliet nods and continues to speak.
I look at Hailey and she waves hi to me.
"I wait for you in class," Jordan says. She leaves me with the two girls as nothing had happened.
Hailey takes out her phone and texts me.
(Jordan ASKED WHY WE ASKED YOU TO THOMAS PARTY.)
(WHAT DID YOU SAY?)
(BECAUSE WE LIKE YOU AND YOU'RE OUR FRIEND)
I nod. I have more friends now.
Juliet waves goodbye and walks with Hailey to their class. I dismiss my alarm and walk to class.
I notice Jordan has a simple casual blue dress with her hair in pigtails. I sit and look at her.
"Are you okay?" I sign.
She nods.
I want to ask her if she is at peace with Hailey, but I don't eat to upset her. I nod and turn to the front where Mr. Jeff is writing the notes on the board. Class is beginning.
...
I spot Hugo and Laila waiting in line to get their lunch. I poke Laila's arm and she jumps. She signs, "You scared me!"
"Sorry, how are you?" I sign back.
Hugo sees me and waves hi. "Where were you bro?"
"At the dentist," I reply. The line moves closer to the food.
"You missed a cool day yesterday. Ms. Brown led us watch movies."
I smile, "Did Cory ask where I was?"
"Yeah," Laila nods. "He was worried you missed class."
Soon, we get our food and we sit. Jordan  is already there eating with Laila's boyfriend. What is she doing here?
I sit next to her. "What are you doing here?" I sign.
She doesn't understand me, but Carl does and explains. She tells him that Maria invited her to eat with us.
Speaking of the devil, Maria comes and sits next to Hugo. She kisses him and says hi to everyone.
"Wouldn't it be nice if Jordan was Jacob's girlfriend?" Maria says and Hugo translates.
Whoa, no way, she can't never be my girlfriend.
Jordan chuckles and tells Maria I'm taken already.
Laila eyes widen and she drops her sandwich. "You have a girlfriend?!"
I try to calm her down. "I kind of like a girl and she likes me back."
I see Carl translate to Jordan what I said. She rolls her eyes and begins to eat.
Hugo claps by hitting his hand on the table. "Woo!" Maria giggles and tries to high five me, but I don't reply. She frowns and sits back. Hugo kisses her and pats her back.
"Sorry, I jus feel weird. I don't want you guys to scare her," I sign.
"Scare her?" Carl asks. "Who is she?"
I read Jordan's lips as she says Hailey's name. They all stay quiet and look at me.
"What?" I say.
"Hailey Dell?" Laila asks.
I nod.
"She has a boyfriend," Maria says. What? I look at Jordan and she is in disbelief too. She starts talking fast to Maria that I can't read her lips.
Hugo tries to calm her down, but she stands and slaps the table. "What?!" She asks.
I stand and signal her to calm down. She shakes her head and frowns.
Jordan looks around the room and starts jogging towards the right. What is she going to do?
I follow her and see she is walking towards Hailey.
I try to grab her arm but she basically tackles Hailey. She grabs her hair and chaos happens. I pull her away and she is still trying to hurt Hailey.
I see everyone yelling and confused. I push Jordan to the side but she falls to the floor.
Juliet pokes my back and I see Hailey crying in a boy's arms. So, she does have a boyfriend. Why didn't she tell me?
I ignore Juliet and point to the boy. "Love him?" I ask Hailey. She pulls away from his hold. She shakes her head and tries to explain herself.
"I am," he says. He looks at Hailey confused. He tells her something and she denies it.
What's going on? In this situations, I wish I could her for a second. Juliet gets pushed against me. Jordan is crying. She points to her and yells. She is so upset.
I spot Mr. Jeff running towards us. "Stop," I say. I get Jordan and touch her arms. "Stop."
Mr. Jeff comes and asks what is going on. A security guard stands by his side. I know I don't have to hear Mr. Jeff to understand that we need to go to the principal's office.

AFTER SCHOOL

I've  been staring at the blank board for 3 hours!
Jordan, Hailey, her boyfriend, and Juliet are still in detention. Our parents have to forcefully come for us.
We can't speak or move as the security guard just keeps on staring at us. From what Mr. Jeff wrote me in a note, we are all in a problem because of physical force, yelling, disruption of a period, and disrespectful attitude towards authority.
I see Hailey's back. She has been with her head down all this time. Why did she lie to me? Why did she kiss me twice?
Maybe this is what Jordan didn't like about her, she is a liar. Jordan had my back all this time and I got upset with her. She has been trying to be my friend since the beginning and I have pushed her away.
The door opening catches my eye and it is Mr. Jeff with my mom and Vincent.
Jordan quickly walks out of the room with her dad. My mom signals me to get up. I grab my backpack and we walk out of the room.
I see Vincent pulling Jordan from her arm. She is resisting.
We finally get into the car. I feel bad for bothering my mom. She was probably relaxing.
She doesn't say anything. I hate it when she does that. I don't know if I'm going to get the sweet Welch or the strict Welch.
We arrive with Vincent to the complex. I get out and start walking with my mom on my side. Vincent catches up to us and starts talking with my mom. I turn slightly back and see Jordan walking slowly with her head down.
My mom takes my arm and we walk into our building saying goodbye to Vincent.
We get in our apartment and the strict Welch comes out.
She quickly signals me, "What did you do?"
I sit on the couch and explain to her. I even tell her about Hailey.
She thinks for a moment, takes out her notepad from her purse, and begins to write.
OH JACOB. I'M SORRY. SHE DOESN'T DESERVE SUCH A GREAT BOY LIKE YOU.
I sigh. I don't even know if I should talk to her.
My mom hugs me from the side. She kissed my head and massages my arm. I hug her back.
...
I don't know if I should text Jordan. I feel like I rather talk to her than my mom.
I get my phone and look at her contact number. I click on the message icon.
(HEY. I HOPE YOU ARE OKAY.)

I wait for her response. It takes 3 minutes for her to reply.
(COME BY THE WINDOW.)
I open the curtains and the window. She is sitting on the edge of the window looking straight at me. Her legs are dangling in the air.
I text her. (DID YOUR DAD GET PISSED?)
She nods.
(MY MOM GOT UPSET BUT I TOLD HER EVERYTHING. SHE FELT SORRY FOR ME.)

(I DIDN'T KNOW SHE HAD A BF. I KNEW SHE WASN'T WHAT SHE WAS SHOWING YOU. SHE BULLIED ME WITH JULIET.)

I look at her and she gives me a faint smile. She types and sends me: (I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE HURT JACOB. I'M SORRY. I WISHED I WAS WRONG.)
(I'M OKAY. I THINK. I HOPE.)
(I'M HERE FOR YOU. FRIENDS RIGHT?)
I nod. She blows me a kiss and gets inside her room. She sends me a goodnight text and tells me to meet up with her tomorrow.
(NIGHT)