Part 2: Jasmine

“Even though I disagree with what you both are saying, I like the name,” I replied.

Bridget smiled: “I’m glad!”

Sara pretended to stroke an imaginary beard in thought.

“Maybe I could draw something! It would have a-”

“No no no no no no no no no!” I put a large red stop sign in front of her train of thought.

Bridget went to talk to Anna, so Sara and I sat in silence. I was thinking about what they had said about Cooper. I mean, it makes sense. Enemies to lovers, a typical trope; but am I really that cliché? Really?

“Oh my goodness!” shouted Sara some while later.

“What?” her shout made me jump.

“Justin’s getting his phone confiscated!” she couldn’t hide the glee in her voice.

“What did he do this time? Caught watching Youtube or Tik Tok or something?” I questioned.

She nodded absent-mindedly: “Probably.”

Bridget sat back down. “Yo!”

Sara laughed: “Yo.”

I smiled at them, and was thankful to have friends that are kind, caring and supportive.

“Oh! Look who’s coming!” Bridget’s eyes lit up with opportunity.

Sara rolled her eyes. One day I fear they will stay in the back of her head.

“Cooper!” Bridget called.

He kept walking.

“Oi! Cooper!” Sara tried.

He kept walking.

“Hey! My friends are trying to actively care about you and you just walk off? Rude.”

He stopped like there was a wall in front of him. Cooper spun round, and smiled at us. I could feel heat creeping into my cheeks, but I knew if I did anything about it he would notice.

“But I don’t actively care about them, so what’s the point?” his smile turned into a literal snarl and walked off.

“He’s cute! Did you see that smile?” Bridget fangirled.

“I guess so,” Sara mumbled.

I didn’t say anything, but stared at him as he walked away.

Bridget continued to give us a lecture on why Cooper is considered attractive by most of the girls in our year. It was agony. I could tell Sara’s mind was elsewhere, but mine was still lingering on Cooper. His smile: wasn’t real. The hurt, sadness, confusion.

What is he hiding?