screen. ➳ Joey Armstrong

➳one.

"Jakob, am I boring?" I sighed staring at the cream colored ceiling.

He looked up from his comic book, a puzzled look on his face. "What?"

"It's just," I sat up from his queen sized bed, facing him. "I feel like everyone's out there doing something, you have a band, Joey has a band, Harper is living her dream in Paris. And me, well the most exiting thing that's happened to me this summer is that I almost burned down my house while attempting to make a dyi lipstick... twice." I breathed out. "I guess my point is, that I feel like I'm failing at living, like I'm not enjoying my youth like I should and it's completely my fault."

"Arden, come on, you know that's not true." He put his book down and sat next to me. "You're one of the coolest people I know, you're going to Riverdale University to study astronomy I mean, that's pretty badass."

"Yeah but, technically I haven't been accepted yet so..."

"Shh, let me finish." He scolded. "you are going to be accepted, I just know it. And not only that, but you are amazing at designing. How many 18-year olds can say that they've made logos and merch for 7 different bands, huh? Not to mention the fact that you are really fucking awesome in general. I'm serious, Den, you're by far the coolest friend I have." He assured me, placing his hand in my shoulder.

"Aw, Jake stop you're going to make the meme queen cry." I said as I wrapped my arms around him. He chuckled at my self proclaimed title and hugged me back.

Existencial crises happen to me often, so Jakob and Harper know how to deal with them. I always feel like I bother them, but I have to remind myself that that's what friends are supposed to do and that I'm just being dumb and overthinking everything.

"By the way, I really gotta tell you something." he blurted out, breaking the hug.

"What is it?" I sat up straighter, looking into the chocolate eyes that matched mine.

"Well..." he hesitated.

"Come on, just tell me dude you're killing me!" I rolled my eyes.

"Jesus, okay. Well... I kinda have a girlfriend?" He muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"What?!" I yelled, almost jumping up and down. "Who is it? Can I meet her?"

"Keep it down dammit!" He whisper-yelled. "No one else knows yet, and of course you're gonna meet her but not like... right now cuz she's on, uh, she's on a trip. She'll be back next week though." He smiled, his cheeks turning a light shade of red.

"Aw, I'm so happy for you Jake, wait till Harper hears about this." I gush, taking my phone to see if she had replied to my text yet. Nope.

"Yeah, ha... Harper, we should tell her." He fiddled with the hem of his shirt, he does that when he's nervous.

Something was up, and I was determined to find out what, just not now. I'm happy for him, I really am, but I can't help but think about my own love and relationships status, aka nonexistent. I'm not the type of girl boys like, boring brown eyes, boring brown hair, average body and not very interesting, to say the least. I was always invisible at school, and I was fine with that for a while but when not a single boy wants to date you you can't help but feel like there's something wrong with you. Ugh, I know, fuck the patriarchy and all that stuff, but still.

Moving on to my next love life problem.

I am hopelessly in love with Joey Armstrong.

I know, I know, the best friend's brother, how cliché. But our families have always been close and well, we were around each other almost all the time. It started when I was about 7 and he was 10, I didn't know what to call it back then because I was too little to understand but then came puberty and in that crappy stage (in which I may add I looked like Stacey Dillsen from Zoey 101 on crack), I figured out I had developed a giant crush on Joey and that it was, in fact, going to crush me.

Of course he didn't like me back, he saw me as a little sister and it killed me. You thought that only happened in dumb teen movies? Well that's my life, minus the happy ending.

"Uh... Den?" Jakob waved a hand in front of me, looking for sings of life.

"Yeah? Uh, sorry, I zoned out." I smiled sheepishly.

"I was saying that mom wants you to stay for dinner, she called June and she said it was fine."

"Oh, okay, yeah I'd love to" I nodded, suddenly remembering that I was supposed to text my mom like 3 hours ago.

"What do you wanna do in the meantime though? I'm bored." He laid back on his bed, hands behind his neck.

"Wanna finish watching Stranger Things? I already saw it but it's so good, I just want to discuss it with you without the fear of spoiling it pleaaase, you have to watch it." I begged, that show is so good.

"Sure, but I don't want any 'heyy watch this part' or 'pay attention to this' from you, okay? I want to actually enjoy it." He warned while looking for the show on Netflix.

"Deal." I giggled, I get exited, it's not my fault.

I heard footsteps going up the stairs and then the man himself let himself in, curly dark hair shagging in his forehead. I felt my breathing hitch in my throat as soon as he spoke.

"Hey Jake, hey Arden." I love the way my name sounds when it's coming from his lips.

"Hi Joey." I smiled at him and he smiled back. Get "The Art Of Keeping Calm And Collected Around Your Crush" by Arden Mulder coming to your local bookshop this fall.

"What's up, bro?" Jakob kept his eyes on the screen, probably trying to remember what was the last episode he watched.

"Not much, mom said she wanted me to come over for dinner." Bless your soul, Adie. "Are you watching Strangers Things? Cool." He beamed before flopping himself right next to my spot on the bed.

Well, this will be fun.

A/N: what up world, this is my new Joey Armstrong story because I am In Love™ with swmrs and there aren't enough stories about them on this site. I hope u like it and oh btw I don't think brown hair and brown eyes are ugly or boring (only mine) just so ya know.