This Is How We Live.

“Baby, baby, baby, ooh,” I sang as I tapped my pencil on my Tokidoki notebook.

“Whoever is tapping their pencil will you please stop?” Ms. Chavez said.

Michael snickered, “Janine!”

“Shut up, Michael.” I kicked him from my seat.

The lunch bell rang and I immediately stood up.

“Ms. Reyes, you don’t go until I release you.” Ms. Chavez scolded.

I sank back down in my seat, “Getting in trouble isn’t that bad.” Michael told me.

“It is if you wanted to be valedictorian. I have a 98% in this class.” I whispered.

“It’s not like you need a 101% in ALL your classes just to be valedictorian.” He said, smiling.

"To me, you do."

--

Michael walked me to my locker, since he agreed to buying me food again. I wasn't really as stressed as yesterday, but trig homework was definitely kicking my ass.

"Hey pretty girl!" Brandon caught up to me at my locker. He waved at Michael. Michael waved back. "So I was wondering, what color of dress are you wearing?"

"Gold." I said.

"Great," he smiled, "I can't wait to see you in it." He kissed my cheek and walked away.

Michael glared at me. "What?" I said, laughing.

"Nothing," he shook his head.

"Okay," I said, while opening my Pop-Tarts,

We walked to Katie, Cameron, Zach, Amy, Katie, and Cameron. They smiled at us and Katie coughed something I couldn't hear. The table started laughing, and I was out of it. Like usual. I sat on Amy's lap. "Get your ass off of me!"

"I'M GONNA FUCKING CRUSH YOU." I said sarcastically. "Just kidding." I got up and decided to sit on Michael instead.

"Shawty put that ass on me like I was a chair," He sang.

I hit his shoulder playfully, "You're such a bitch!"

The lunch bell rang and everyone evacuated the cafeteria. I didn't get up. At all. I didn't feel like going to dance today. I was too tired, and we were doing ballet this week.

"Get up!" Michael yelled, trying to get me to budge.

"No!" I moaned.

"Can I carry you to your next class? Will that help your laziness?" He proposed sweetly.

"Fine," I sighed and wrapped my arms around his neck. He put his arms under my legs and carried me to the gym.

I refused to let go. "Michaellllll!" I yelled.

"I have to go." He said. "You'll be fine, okay?"

I nodded, "Fine. LEAVE ME!"

"Stop guilt tripping me, girl!" He laughed.

"I'm not trying to." I hugged him, "Good luck in chem though!"

(Michael's POV)

I walked into chem and sat next to Cameron. He gave me this weird creeper look. "What?" I said, turning to him.

"So, you're spending like.. a lot of time with Janine lately. Are you gonna ask her?"

"Bro, NOT EVEN! She's going with Brandon." I sighed, and wrote down some notes.

"You need to tell her sooner or later," He replied.

"What if I can't? I mean, she's always talking about Brandon."

"You're neighbors, bro."

--

I met Janine the summer before seventh grade. I lived across town prior to that, and my parents told me we'd move to Poway. Of course, I bitched about it. I mean, who wouldn't? But the moment I hopped out of that moving truck, I saw her. She was wearing a multicolored striped tank top, a straw fedora with a black bow, red Ray-Bans, and white shorts. She was reading a magazine, and her music was blasting really loud. I could hear the beat from the ground.

She stood up and stared at the moving truck. She turned away and went back into her room.

That was the moment I knew that I wanted the room with the balcony facing hers.

That night, as I brought up all my boxes to my new room, I went outside on the balcony. I just stood there and stared at the stars, hoping she would come out and introduce herself.

"The stars that you can ACTUALLY see are pretty, aren't they?" She said, her voice sounding like music to my ears.

I stuttered, "Uh, yeah."

"I'm Janine, by the way." She smoothed her hair out of her face.

"I'm Michael. I play drums. I have lots of swag. And I have this huge dimple on my face."

She giggled, "Well, as I said, I'm Janine. J-a-n-i-n-e. Janine Mae Reyes. I'm a student. I like pandas. And I drink pink lemonade a lot. My best friends are Amy Davis, Katie Bryant, and Emily Williams."

"You know Katie?" I laughed.

"Since second grade!" She smiled, "Why?"

"Oh, nothing. She's like my cousin."

"OH! She talks about you a lot."

I chuckled, "Really?"

"Yeah. Wait, I'll be right back." She went back into her room (which was gray and she had Christmas lights in there.) and came back with a bowl full of sour gummy worms. "Want one?" She said.

"I bet you can't even throw."

"Oh, okay, Michael!" I liked the way she said my name. She was cute.

She was all that went through my mind that night. "Janine's cute."

Anyways, she chucked a blue and red gummy worm at me, and I actually caught it. She jumped up and down with glee, "Yay!"

"You're good. You play sports?"

"Well, I used to play softball in fourth grade, and I might play volleyball in middle school. I wanna play tennis once I get to high school though." She looked up at the stars. "How about you?"

"Oh. I play basketball and football. And I really like music."

"So do I," she said, smiling (with her braces). "I kinda wanna be famous someday. But I doubt that'll happen."

"Well, the most unexpected things happen." I smiled.

She giggled, "You really do have a huge dimple. I can see it from here!"

"I wasn't lying!"

"Cute." She laughed, "By the way, I hope I have a class with you next year. You seem really chill."

"So do you." I said, blushing.

"Janine!" I could hear from her open doors.

"I'LL BE RIGHT THERE MOM!" She yelled.

"You have to go?"

"Yeah. It was nice talking to you." She smiled, and then disappeared back into her room.

That was the moment I started liking her. I came to the conclusion that everything about her was perfect. Her smile-even though she still had her braces-, her style, her laugh, her face.

She was perfect, and I wanted her to be mine.