Late at night after everyone had gone home, mom came into my room to talk to me. I was playing with Cloud and the other kittens. I looked up at her when she walked in. She smiled at the cats before sitting next to me on my bed.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“Well, I thought we should talk.” She says.

“About?”

“About how you kissed Mackenzie.”

“Oh.” I avert my eyes.

“Yeah, oh. So wanna explain yourself?”

“Like I told Aunty, I was just confused that’s all.”

She sighs and rubs my shoulder reassuringly.

“Anything in particular that confused you? Like the fact that Mackenzie is related to Jade?” She pushes.

I shrug.

“Skylar.”

“Okay, yes. I liked kissing her because she reminds me of Jade. That sounds bad doesn’t it.” I look down to my lap.

“Yes, but at least you can acknowledge it. Mackenzie isn’t Jade and I don’t think it would be wise to entertain anything with her. Not just because of Mackenzie’s feelings, but for Jade’s too. You don’t want to start something you can’t finish.”

“I know. I hear you. I was just confused that’s all. Kissing her was like wow. It reminded me of kissing Jade.” I admit.

“Wait, when did you kiss Jade?” She asks.

My eyes go wide and my face goes red.

“I mean like what I imagine kissing Jade would be like. Because I haven’t kissed Jade, because Jade doesn’t like me. Not like that. That would be, I mean we wouldn’t be having this conversation if she did. But she doesn’t so we are.” I babble.

“Emm hmm, nice try. When did you kiss Jade?” She eyes me.

I fidget with the sheets of my bed.

“Skylar.” She pushes.

“The first time was on accident,” I say.

“The first time!? How many times have you kissed?”

“I accidentally kissed her at a party. The theater party she made me go to. The lights were off and she didn’t know it was me before she kissed me. She thought I was Archer. Then after about of week of panicking and trying to decide what to do, I told Darleen. Darleen told me she liked me and kissed me, and Jade saw. Jade thought that I liked Darleen, but I told her I didn’t then she wanted to know why I was kissing her if I didn’t like her. I said for practice,” I pause to facepalm myself before going on, “Then Jade said we could practice and I agreed like an idiot. When she kissed me she realized it was me she kissed at the party and sort of freaked out. I assured her that I had no feelings for her, you know like a liar, and we agreed never to tell anyone about it. Except Darleen knows, but Jade doesn’t know Darleen knows, and I want to keep it that way. Also, I kissed Jade after I saved her from being kidnapped. So yeah…”

“Aye caramba. You really are in deep aren’t you.” She sighs.

“I had my chance to tell her, heck I’ve had many chances to tell her. But I’ve blown them all! It’s hopeless. She’ll never like me. I’m scared that if I tell her she won’t want to be my friend anymore.” I whimper.

“Hey, enough of that. Jade loves you in her own Jade way. She may not like you the way you want her to and that’s okay. Sometimes we like people and those people can’t return our feelings. There is nothing wrong with that. We just got to pick ourselves back up and move on. These feelings you have for her are starting to become unhealthy and a little obsessive.”

“Mom,” I complain.

“I am just being honest. Maybe it’s time you blow out this old flame. Move on, give Darleen a fighting chance here. I am not saying it’s going to be easy, but sometimes moving on is all we can do. Do you understand?”

“I can’t. Don’t you think I’ve tried? I can’t move on from her. I love her mom. Like really love her. This isn’t just some stupid crush. I would do anything for her.”

Mom sighs and pulls me into a hug.

“I know baby, I know. Maybe that’s the issue. Ever think Jade might be taking advantage of you? Like maybe she knows you would do anything for her so she takes advantage.”

“What are you saying?” I pull back.

“Getting into trouble at school, lying to me, almost getting kidnapped, and lord knows what else I don’t know about. What I am saying is none of these things would have happened if you didn’t let Jade use you. Maybe you should put some distance between you two for a while.”

“Jade isn’t using me,” I get defensive, “And how do you expect me to get any space from her when we are literally going to be stuck together for two weeks cleaning out the garage?”

“Okay, okay, touchy, I get it. Just think about what I said. Sometimes what we want isn’t always what’s best for us.” She kisses me on the forehead.

I frown at her.

“Get some rest, you are going to school tomorrow.” She eyes me before getting up, stepping over kittens and leaving my room.

I huff and lay back on my bed. What is everyone’s deal with Jade? She’s not even a bad person. Yet no matter what everyone keeps telling me to get away from her, that she is using me. But she isn’t, is she? Jade isn’t like that; I refuse to believe it and that’s that.

In the morning Jade takes me to school per usual. She goes into her morning rant about how her mom slept on the couch and how her mom still won’t tell her where she plans to move, or if she has any plans at all. Jade is wearing her dad’s army jacket around her waist today. I can tell this whole thing with her mom must be eating her up.

So I am sure to pay extra close attention to her rants and hold her hand reassuringly as we walk into school to meet our friends. She smiles at me.

“Where have you two been?” Archer asks as we approach the table.

Jade drops my hand and runs into his arms.

Salt meet wound. Hello, wound seems like you could use a little rub, let me help you with that.

“You would not believe what has happened to us!” Jade says dramatically.

“This ought to be good.” Darleen raises an eyebrow.

“I almost got kidnapped!” Jade says.

“What!?” Wini’s eyes go wide.

“True story, but thanks to Skylar here their evil plans were thwarted.” She smiles at me.

“What happened?” Demarcus asks.

Then Jade proceeds to tell a dramatic retelling of the whole story.

“You okay?” Darleen asks me, ignoring Jade.

“Yeah, but I am grounded for two weeks. Which means no dates, no friends over, no anything. Mom’s orders.” I sigh.

“No way.” Darleen frowns at me.

“I know, but them’s the rules. Also, do you know anyone who wants a cat?”

“A cat?”

“Jade made me secretly adopt six kittens and now my mom found them and wants to get rid of three of them.”

“You two have been busy.” She smirks at me.

“Guess so.” I smile.

She leans in and kisses me, right there at the table, in front of everyone! My face goes beet red.

“You are too cute.” She smiles against my lips.

“D-Darleen. People can see us.” I stammer.

“Let them look.” She giggles before kissing me again.

I lean into the kiss which causes butterflies to flutter in my stomach.

“Ew get a room you two.” Jade teases us.

I quickly pull back and Darleen shoots her a glare.

“So what’s this I heard about Kittens?” Wini asks to change the subject.

“Right, any of you want a cute fur baby? We have three that need homes.”

“I do,” Wini says.

“Hey, I do too. My mom and I were just talking about it.” Demarcus says.

“One fur baby left.” Jade declares.

“I’ll take it. I’m sure my parents won’t mind.” Archer says.

“Yay! That was easy.” Jade smiles.

“Show them a picture,” I say.

“Good idea!” Jade pulls out her phone and shows them the kittens.

While the three of them ogle the cuties I turn back to Darleen. Darleen smirks at me before kissing me again.

“Stop it,” I whisper against her lips, pulling back.

“Mmm, make me.” she kisses me again.

I feel goosebumps rise on my skin as she trails her hand up my thigh. This is way too much for me! We are in public; people can see us! This is embarrassing. I gently push her off.

She giggles when she sees how red I am.

“I want you.” Darleen kisses my neck.

I close my eyes and sigh in pleasure.

Jade clears her throat and once again I am snapped out of it.

“Hello, still here you know. Also, ew! We are in school!” Jade teases.

My face gets even redder.

“You are just jealous because I got the hottest girlfriend in the whole school.” Darleen teases back and pulls me into her arms.

“I don’t know, I beg to differ.” Archer wraps his arm around Jade.

Jade blushes.

“I guess we will have to agree to disagree.” Darleen smiles at him.

“Guess so, but come on, I’m right here.” He jokes.

“Oh is that a challenge?” She smirks.

“Okay, that’s enough. If I get any redder I’ll start to nose bleed.” I joke.

Wini and Demarcus laugh. I smile at them.

The rest of the school day goes on as usual. At practice, Darleen makes me late because she makes out with me in the locker room. We had to run extra laps. Then Jade takes me home and the two of us open up the garage.

“Nice going, you totally got Archer to call me his girlfriend! Eee!” Jade squeals in excitement.

Yay for heartache!

“I saw.” I smile at her.

“I am just so happy! I don’t even care that we have to clean this dump.” She smiles.

“Give it five minutes.” I tease.

She looks at the mountains of stuff and sighs.

“Okay, so everything can pretty much go in the trash, except for baby clothes which we can donate, family photos which we want to save, and anything else you think might be important,” I say.

“Urgh! You are lucky I love you.” She says before we get to work.

I put on some music and the two of us start working. We throw out old useless furniture and boxes of old phone books. Then we load up Jade's car with the first of what I am sure will be many loads of clothes for donation. After we drop that off we come back and get to cleaning some more.

We have to stop when Wini, Demarcus, and Archer come over to look at and take the kittens.

So I bring the whole box of kittens outside and we all play with them. Mom is taking her usual afternoon nap so she doesn’t care, or know that my friends are here. Oli is outside with us, also playing with the Kittens.

Jade picks up the countess in her arms just as Darleen’s car pulls up. I look to it in confusion, what is she doing here?

She opens the car door and out jumps Dukun.

“Surprise, they said he was ready to come home. Thought I’d save you the trouble.” She grabs his leash and brings him to me.

“Dukun!” Oli runs to him.

“Thanks, you didn’t have to.” I smile at her.

“Well, it also gave me an excuse to see you.”

Dukun jumps around in excitement and licks Oli all over the face.

“Here’s the list of instructions the vet gave me. They said to feed him soft foods for a while and not to overexert him. Also, make sure he doesn’t eat any more phone chargers.”

“Got it.” I nod.

“Dukun no!” Oli shouts.

I turn and look.

He is barking at the countess in Jade’s arms.

The cat puffs up and claws the living daylights out of Jade’s arm.

“Ow!” She cries dropping the cat.

From there it was all downhill. Dukun took off towards the countess, his leash slipping right through Oli’s fingers. The cat ran away at full speed, Dukun on its tale.

“Dukun no!” I call.

Then I start chasing after them.