If I Said Your Smile's All That Mattered, Would You Save My Life?

It wasn’t long before Courtney and Jack resumed their positions as boyfriend and girlfriend. Thankfully, though, Jack didn’t go and pick up Courtney every morning like he used to. I supposed she hadn’t told him yet that she had run away, her mother worried sick about her back in New York. No, of course she wouldn’t. Maybe if she actually cared for him.

But she didn’t. And we both knew that.

&&

Courtney couldn’t stop twirling her long brown hair in her fingers. I knew form back in kindergarten that she would only do that we she had some type of plan running through her head. Her smile was wide, although I was able to tell it was fake. Everyone seemed to be falling for her lies anyways. And Jack fell the hardest.

I looked over at Courtney, who smiled up at me, beaming. She then stopped twirling her hair and looked over at Jack. He was stuffing about ten fries into his mouth at once, while talking to Rian about some show that was happening that weekend. I rolled my eyes at Jack, knowing what a huge pig he always was.

But Courtney, she didn’t. Sometime between Jack's fry stuffing and his hardcore show talking, Courtney came up with an evil but simple plan to ruin everything that was good.

&&

My mum was a bit off. Despite the fact that it was September, we still had our Christmas tree up from last Christmas. She had said there was no reason to take it down. It was just a tree, really, just one that brought joy to everyone when they saw it.

Only right now it didn’t bring me any joy at all.

Jack had been waiting at the door for me, just barely inside the house. We about to head off to band practice. I was heading downstairs from my room, wearing clothes that didn’t smell like feet.

Once I reached the bottom of the stairs I lost my balance, causing me to stumbling over to the Christmas tree. I then tripped on the stand of the tree, which caused me to fall, my body landing and pushing down Jack as he tried to save me, our lips crashing onto each other's perfectly.

And instead of getting off my best friend like I should have, my body was just frozen in shock. From what I could tell, so was his. So there we laid, bodies perfectly aligned on top of each other.

And then, suddenly, I was back up on my feet, apologizing to Jack, sounding as if I had gone mad. Jack was still lying down, probably completely incomprehensive. Soon enough, though, he was up on his feet, saying how he had to leave.

Once he was gone, I sat there, thinking. There was something, although I couldn’t place what exactly, that felt so perfect about our lips pressing against each other's.

Even if it was just an accident.

&&

Jack told Courtney about out little fall. He explained it was an accident and meant nothing. Of course, it's not like Jack would ever want to actually kiss me. Yet she didn’t believe him. She wouldn’t talk to him for days. Four long days that I had to endure both Jack and Courtney talking to me about the other and their nonstop pouting.

I told Courtney that if she was going to be mad at anyone it would be me. I mean, I was the one that landed on Jack and didn’t get up for some time. But she just back fired my comment by saying, her voice will with a bitter attitude, "But you're not the one with a girlfriend."

I couldn’t disagree with that so I simply nodded and let her ignoring of Jack continue once more.

But eventually Courtney gave in one day when Jack left her a bouquet of roses in every class she had. They ended up having a huge make-out session after school, which I had to witness as I waited for Jack to take me home. Eventually I just gave up waiting and started to walk home.

As I walked, I ran into Jody.

Thankfully, I didn’t literally run into him. Especially because he was in his old blue truck. That would not have been pretty at all. But he started to drive past me, but slowed down and asked me if I wanted a ride. I told him I would love one. Walking home would not have been one bit enjoyable.

"So why isn’t Jack giving you a ride home like always?" Jody asked. I looked over at him, a bit surprised by his question. Although I shared about ninety percent of my classes with Jody since I moved here, we had never been close in the slightest. I had no idea that he would have known that Jack gave me a ride home every day.

Jody had always just been this hot nerd. He had dyed his hair blue and green. Green on the top of his head, that faded perfectly into a blue. He had these think glasses that on anyone else would have looked horrible. But they somehow worked with his face. His skin was slightly tan and his cheeks held a small natural blush. And he had the best smile anyone could have ever seen.

"Big make-out session with Courtney," I replied. Jody nodded, his eyes fixated on the road.

"That must be kind of awkward for you, two of your best friends going out and everything. And the fact that I was so sure Jack was in love with you for the longest time. It's all just a bit odd."

"Jack? In love with me?" I said, laughing, completely ignoring his first statement, despite how right he was.

"Yeah. I guess it would have been hard for you to notice, but the way he looked at you was just so lovingly. Then again, I might have been wrong. I'm not the best when it comes to these things." Jody laughed nervously.

"Yeah, of course, despite your – what? – fifty girlfriends?" I retorted, laughing to myself. A small smile grew on Jody's face.

Jody glanced over at me, his eyes darting from me and back to the road."True, I have dated a lot. But, truthfully, I've never really liked any of them more than friends, really. It was all lust, I guess." He shrugged his shoulders and returned his eyes back to the road, which I had to admit I was thankful for.

"Is there anyone that you've liked more than that? I mean, there has to have been someone out of the billions of people in this world. Even though most of them live on the other side of the world and you probably don't know them or ever will. But maybe from some online thing, I really don’t know," I said, the words coming out a type of ramble of sorts, blush spreading over my face as I realized how stupid I sounded.

"Well, yeah," he said as we pulled up in front of my house. I got out of the truck and made my way to his side of his truck. I placed my arms and head against the window ledge.

"Who is it? I promise I won't tell a soul." He looked over at me, obviously trying to decide if I was trust worthy or not. For the most part I was. I would tell Jack everything, but only him. And he told no one. But with the distance that was growing between the two of us because of Courtney, I was sure that I wouldn’t even end up telling him.

"You," he said, and then drove off, slowly, giving me enough time to remove myself from the car ledge, but still left me stumbling backwards, filled with complete and utter confusion.