Take a Sad Song and Make It Better

Jade's POV

The sound of car doors slamming, feet shuffling on pavement, laughter and the chatter of a thousand teenagers mixed with the car stereo as Bailey drove us to school that day. Small smiles on both of our faces as we pulled into our regular parking space in between Alex and Matt's car that Melanie stole every morning. Opening the car doors, Bailey and I pulled out sweaters closer to our bodies, keeping in as little heat as we could.

“Hey, its the Bates twins!” Melanie shouted pointing over at the two of us as the group turned. Melanie and I both squealed, running toward each other and wrapping the other in a bone crushing hug. “I missed you, woman! I haven't seen you in a whole day!”

“How could I ever live without you?!” I fake sobbed, clutching onto Melanie's shoulders. Laughing, we pulled away from each other before I made the rounds around the group, giving each a short hug. When I got to Alex, he pecked my lips quickly, smiling down at me before intertwining our fingers.

“God, you two are almost as disgustingly cute as Adam and Kaylie.” Melanie said, rolling her eyes. Raising an eyebrow, I looked a little ways across the parking lot and saw the couple standing in front of Adam's car, Kaylie's body leaning against her boyfriend's as they smiled at one another. I smiled for my friend who had found a boy she could be so happy with in the time they had been dating.

“Hey, I'll take it,” Alex shrugged, gripping my hand a little tighter in his, “At least we're not as disgusting as Rian and Kara.”

“I resent that!” Rian yelled, pointing his finger over at Alex and I, a playful glare in his eyes.

“Oh Rian, just admit that we're the best couple on the planet.” Kara said, rolling her eyes as she looked over at her boyfriend. Rian blushed slightly, kissing her lips quickly to try and ignore the teasing that would surely come from answering the question.

The bell rang over head, parts of the group started to go in their separate directions for their individual classes, leaving behind Rian, Kara, Jack, Alex and I as we walked toward the french classes. Rian kissed Kara quickly, watching her as she walked away before walking inside the room with Jack.

“I'll see you later, alright Jay Bird?” I nodded, inviting Alex's lips on mine for the brief moment before he let go of me completely, not turning around as he walked down the hall until he was around the corner and on his way to math. Sighing, I turned to walk into my french class, but not before seeing a couple patches of red and blond hair walking around the corner.

“Hey, look, its our good pal Mrs. Future Gaskarth!” Jack yelled, causing heads to turn in my direction as I blushed and threw the bird in the guitarist's direction. Rian laughed as I sat down, patting my back and turning to face the front when the teacher walked in.

“Fuck, we have a test today!” I whisper-yelled, Rian groaning next to me as Jack laid his head down on his desk, a snore emitting from his mouth every so often. “Did you know about this?” I asked, turning to Rian.

He nodded, “Yeah, but I didn't really study.” A test was placed on each of our desks and I kicked the bottom of Jack's chair, temporarily waking him up.

“What the fuck?! A test?!” He whispered fiercely causing Rian and I to laugh as the teacher gave him a look immediately shutting Jack up as he picked out a pen form his backpack.

Twenty minutes after the test was passed out, Rian was passing it in. Twenty-five minutes after him, I was passing in mine.

Ripping out a piece of paper, I quickly scribbled out a few sentences before handing it over to Rian.

How did you finish that so fast? I didn't even know what half the questions were saying!

Rian quietly laughed as he picked up his pencil and wrote back.

I'm just awesome like that. Don't be hatin'

I bet you write the answers on your teeth and then reflect them onto your paper.

So you're saying that I cheat? I'm not even sitting next to a window...

Trust me Rian, you don't need to sit next to a window to reflect light off those teeth

Rian burst out laughing and folded the paper in half as the bell rang.

“Hey,” Rian said, picking up his backpack and putting on the straps over his shoulders, “can we talk later in chemistry? I just need to talk about some stuff with you.” I nodded, kicking Jack's shin to wake him up as we walked past. The skunk-haired boy quickly sat up deliriously and got up from his chair to hand in his test.

Walking into chemistry class, I scanned the room for Rian's mop of brunette hair. When I didn't see it, I sighed, stalking to the back of the classroom where we always sat to avoid the teacher's darting eyes when we would talk. After pulling out my notebook, chemistry book, and pen, the chair next to mine made a scratching sound as it was pulled away from the table. Looking up from the page I had opened up to in my notebook, I smiled over at Rian as he sat down in his usual seat.

The bell rang a few seconds after and the teacher walked in, pulling out various articles from her bag as she talked to the students who were actually paying attention to what she had to say.

Rian and I were not apart of that group.

“So, what did you have to talked to me about, Ri?” I whispered, chewing on the end of my pen cap.

Rian sighed, opening up his notebook as he uncapped his own pen and began to doodle on a fresh piece of paper.

“Is it...important?” I asked.

“I would think so.” Rian replied, not looking up at me as he concentrate don his drawings.

“Is it...about Kara?”

Rian let out a small chuckle, “No, there's nothing wrong with Kara and I.”

I let out a sigh of relief, “Good, because if there was, the earth would explode from the perfect couple dying out.”

Rian laughed, finally looking up at me, a smile on his face, “Thanks, Jay.”

“Now, why don't you tell me what's really bothering you?” Rian sighed, looking back down at his paper, continuing to draw once again. Silence filled the air between us once more and I easily became agitated waiting for him to spill whatever he had so desperately needed to speak with me about. After a few more minutes of silence, I grabbed the pen from Rian's hand, sticking it down my shirt when he tried to grab for it.

“You know I could easily reach down your shirt and get it, right?” Rian said, reaching his hand toward the neck of my shirt. I clenched the top fabric in my fists, hurriedly shaking my head as Rian smiled softly at me. “Kidding, Jay.”

“Rian, just tell me so I don't beat you up.”

“Like you could.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Not really.”

I smiled, taking the pen out of my shirt, holding it tightly my hand, “Rian, please tell me. I'm getting worried.”

Rian sighed once more, looking up at me, his smile disappearing completely from his face, “Its about the band.”

“What about it?” I asked, placing the pen on the table between us, leaning on my elbow with my head in my hand while still looking at him.

Rian rubbed the top of his head, messing up his slightly shaggy brown hair, “I don't know if you know this but...I got accepted to all the schools I applied to.”

My eyes widened as I looked at the boy before me, “Didn't you apply to, like, 6 schools?”

Rian nodded, “Yeah. I mean, I'm not...stupid; I do well in school. I have a 4.0 and I feel like, with the band, I putting all this trust in something that might not even make it. But with the college thing, its a guarentee. I don't have to worry.”

I wasn't exactly sure what to say to Rian. I mean, how could I? I hadn't applied ot any schools. I had no plans or future and here he was debating between two possible choices. What did I have?

“At least you have a back up plan.”

“I got scholarships, Jade,” My eyes widened once more, “Half of the schools I applied to are giving me scholarships to attend and if I do the band, I won't have that opportunity again.” Rian rested his elbows on the table top, placing his hands on his palms as he rubbed his forehead. “I don't know if this band will be worth it in the long run.”

Rian was one of my best friends; the first one I had made and clung to when first arriving in Dulaney High School. He had never asked me for anything as serious as he was now and he needed my help, but I had nothing to offer. I was empty handed when dealing with the future and he wanted what was best for himself. He loved the band, I knew that, and he loved his friends, but I couldn't make a decision for him as big as this.

My mouth was dry as I stumbled upon words to help my friend make his decision but I was at a blank for words. He stared at me, watching as I wiped my hands on my pants to rid them of the small damp feeling that accumulated on my palms. I was nervous.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, I jumbled words together to make what seemed like a valid question.

“Rian,” He blinked, staring at me with his big brown eyes, “do you like music?”

He gave me a look, scoffing before answering, “I love music. Its almost unhealthy.”

“Do you like Alex, Jack, and Zack?”

Again, he gave me the same look, “We're like brothers.” He said with determination; he kne how he felt about his friends.

“Do you like the band?”

“I love the band.” Rian answered without missing a beat.

I smiled, shaking my head, “I would love to help you, Rian, but its not really my decision. You need to talk with your family and Kara and figure out the pros and cons. I can tell you right now though, not a lot of kids get this opportunity and your fucking lucky to have gotten this. If you give it up, down the road you...” I looked over at Rian, hoping my choice of words wouldn't offend him, “you might be kicking yourself wishing you had.”

“So...you think I should?” He asked, his smile creeping slowly on his face again.

“I think you should do what you want and I promise I'll be there for you no matter your decision.”

Rian grinned, pulling me into a quick hug as the bell rang, “You rock, Jade.”

“A rock star just said I rock, I must!” We both laughed as we slung our bags over our shoulders, walking from the classroom to find Alex and Kara waiting outside the door.

“Have fun in chemistry?” Kara asked as Rian wrapped an arm around her shoulder, kissing her cheek.

I looked over at my friend, winking at him slightly before turning to his girlfriend, a smile still plastered on my face.

“It was...inspiring.”

“Do you know what else in inspiring?” Alex asked, wrapping a hand around my own as he stared down at me. From my peripheral vision I could see Rian rolling his eyes.

“What Alex?” Rian asked, knowing that if he didn't ask Alex would bug us about it until we did.
Alex smirked, looking over at his friend.

“My dick.”