STUCK IN A ROMANCE NOVEL

JEALOUSY

Once we enter the lab where the club members hang out I saw Joel there, and he took one look at Tristan and me, and I hear him groan.  I shake my head and help set Tristan up on the old pc to play chess.  I walk over to Joel grab his hand and pull him into the corner we use to count the inventory for the student store and have private conversations.  After finishing the stock, I ask him "what is wrong with you today."  "Nothing"  "come on tell me,"  He says "NO, go away."  I shake my head as he leans back against the wall.  I move next to him and place my head on his shoulder and say "come on Joel my little Jo Jo tell me"  "fine, I just don't want to see you get hurt."  "who is going to hurt me Jo Jo"  "that Tristan guy Trina.  You are way too innocent.  Hell, you had never kissed anyone  until last year."  "Yeah, until you decided that letting me sweat trying to study for my geometry final was funny."  "Yeah, I guess I shouldn't have done that, but I had always wanted to kiss you that is why I did it."  "yeah, but Jo Jo you knew you didn't like me.  You were already crushing on Julie."  "yeah, and that is why I am worried if I was dumb enough to do something to hurt you Trin.  How do I know he won't"  "look, I have to learn sometime and haven't you told me I need to stop living in my romance novels that life is more like a Shakespearean play than a romance novel."  "Yeah, I guess just promise me no matter what you will stay my innocent Trin."  "I promise Jo Jo."  I get up and walk over to Tristan, and he looks at me when I come and sit next to him "so, you two look close."  "Like I said he is my best friend, and I am his we know stuff about each other that no one else does."  "Oh, so you two..."  I laugh "No, nothing more than a kiss last year and we agreed we were just friends."  He smiled and said, "good because I would like to get to know you better and maybe go hiking on one of those trails at the ranch Jose told me about."  I smile "I would like that, but you should know there are rattlers out there, so we do need to be careful."  "Well, I got that from when you said it was a ranch."  "ok, good."  He brushed the hair out of eyes, and we just stared at each other.  He leaned in, and I pulled back, and I told him "first we just met and well we have to take this slow.  Second, after what happened last year I can not afford to have Mr. Plass catch me again."  He raises his eyebrow at me, and I say "yeah Joel and me right here."  I started laughing, and he said: "Well we better not make it a strike two for you."  The bell rings, and he walks me to my last class of the day Creative Writing and Literary magazine.  "Well I will see you later Trina I am off to football practice."  All of a sudden I hear "you, Trina how many times do I got to tell ya stop drooling all over me."  I laugh "ahh shut it, Rigo, we all know you drool over me"  I blow him a kiss, and he pretends to dodge it.  "hey come on I have a rep to protect."  "yeah, that of a wannabe player."  "That hurts Trina.  You know I secretly pine for burger."   I  laugh and tell Tristan "bye" and walk into my class.

I was glad the day was finally over, and I headed into my mom's room, and  Tristan is standing there talking to her. So I drop my books I need to take home on the table and go out to my locker to get the rest from my locker and put the books that I am leaving here back in.   I go back to my mom's classroom and start on my homework.  I finished it up and picked up my books and took them out to the locker and put them away. I walked to the corner where the beanbags are and threw myself down into one and I here "Natsuko how many times do I have to tell you don't drop into them."  "yes, mom"  Joel is in the one next to me and whispers "What's Tristan doing here?"  Rolling my eye  "come on you know if he is her new student she is probably trying to make sure he can keep up with the class."  "Ah, so we have a while."  "yep, then we are going to PIZZA HUT"  "Who  else is going oh just Charlie and Alberto."  "cool, so it will just be us I need to talk to you."  "what happened?"  "Julie got pissed again said I have to choose." "Oh"  I look down and sit up.  Joel wraps his arms around me and pulls me down next to him, so I have my head on his chest.  "Trin, I will not choose her over you.  OK, you have always been there for me. I need you there, and I know you need me there.  I don't think either one of us could hold it all together if we lose each other."  "yeah, you know I still miss her."  "Yeah, I know but remember just stay true to yourself like she would have wanted and she will be so proud of you."  I smile, and I look up at him and say "Just like you need to remember no matter what you are loved.  Just because she resents you for being your dad's first and he lets her doesn't mean you are worthless."  After a while I hear "so, what are you two whispering about overhear."  We look up and see Tristan lowering himself next to us.  I smile and say "nothing just some best friend stuff." I reach out and tap his nose.  He grabs my hand and starts to play with my fingers and says "I hope that's all."

Joel glares at him and jumps up going to talk to my mom.  "So, Mrs. Garza is your mother?"  "Yep, I didn't realize you were in her class."  "Yep, I was warned by the coach if I didn't want a ton of work to catch up on to get my schedule changed if not to make sure I came here to get my work and set up tutoring.  I never knew a teacher to come in on Saturday's"  "Yep she does that for her football player, well all her Friday night students.  Since most of them have after school practice every day."  "That's good."  'Yep."  "So, you two have a date."  I laughed "no, on payday my mom takes me and my brother out to Pizza Hut with our besties.  Although Alberto doesn't count he is more like a brother to me."  "Nice is he the one by the board staring at us."  I look up and smile "nope that is my little brother Charlie.  Alberto is the other one sitting down with the guitar."  "OK well, it looks like you guys are leaving plus I need to get back to practice.  See you tomorrow Trina."