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Hi All,

Here’s my first go at this – it’s a story about a student in my WIP, the year before my WIP. After hearing it read out loud, pretty sure I missed areas I could have expanded.

Moniker: @bclarke

Jade’s Side Story Audio

Text: 658 words [3 min 50 sec audio]

Jade was used to changing schools. Although the rumours about her weren’t that vicious or exciting, she was always nervous the rumours would precede her at the next school. Even if they did though, she was pretty sure she’d still be able to make friends. She wasn’t skilled at many things, but she’d always been able to make friends.

Sighing, she arrived at the classroom early and picked a seat before groups could complain. Dropping her bag on the desk, she walked over to the other female present.

“Hi, I’m Jade.” Holding out her hand, she smiled.

“Um, Charlise,” the girl responded, taking her hand. “And this is Will.”

“Hi,” he managed, looking confused.

“I’m new here. Mind showing me around?”

Will just turned to Charlise who smiled back at Jade,

“Us too. How about we all go around and learn together?”

“Ah, sorry!” Jade’s eyes widened, “It’s not often someone other than me is new. And seeing the two of you knew each other already, I just assumed you’d be from here.”

“They ain’t the only people in class y’know.” The only other person in class this early was a gangly boy who walked up to them.

“But I can show all three of you around.”

“Yes please,” Jade perked up. Charlise nodded, smiling, as William tried to hide behind her. They arranged to go around the school during recess. As the gangly boy showed them around he introduced them to nearly everyone they crossed paths with.

At lunch, Jade sat with a group of girls and was told that the gangly boy was a ‘friend of everyone, but lover of none’ amidst giggles. A forever friend-zoned type of guy.

“That won’t last,” was Jade’s response. “He might look gangly now, but give it a few years and he’ll give most guys a run for their money.”

She could say so confidently as it had just happened to her cousin. However, the boy being spoken about was nearby and had no way of knowing this as her overheard her, face flushing.

Although Jade seemed to fit in naturally, it wasn’t quite the case for the other two. Charlise would have been fine, but she had to take care of William. And he didn’t want to talk to anyone other than Charlise. So Jade would take time to sit with Charlise and William. The (for now) gangly boy often joined them, with Jade smiling at him as she thought it was obvious that he had the same thoughts as herself.

As they hung out more and more, Charlise seemed to ‘get’ Jade. Even when Jade didn’t speak, Charlise seemed to always know what was needed.

‘This must be what it feels like to have a best friend,’ thought Jade, before becoming troubled.

“What should I do for her, then?”

The gangly boy overheard her muttered query and after Jade shared what was on her mind, he offered his help. Jade gladly took him in as her collaboration partner and soon found out that Charlise had organised for him and William to interact with each other more and more as school went on. As well as many other things Charlise did to help William overcome his shyness.

Jade turned to the gangly boy, grinning strangely, “I’m sorry. You can’t have Charlise as she needs to be with William.”

“Eh?!”

Jade pat him on the shoulder,

“I know you’ve been keen on Charlise for a while now, helping me so much and all. Don’t worry, you won’t be Forever Friend-zoned for life.” Her grin widened as she moved her face closer to his,

“But I’ve found my true goal in life. I used to not have any goal, but now I do. I will make sure Charlise and William get together and I will be the maid of honour at their wedding.”

She scurried off, newfound determination in her steps, leaving a frozen gangly boy far behind in the friend-zone.