Fight For All the Right Reasons

I stepped off the bus and on my way into the commons. Babbling girls from the same bus I rode strutted past me, yapping nonchalantly into their two hundred dollar cell phones. Don’t they know cell phones aren’t allowed in school? Well what do they know? Oh, right. Nothing.

I passed by the famous Cody Miles as he made out with his new play toy for the day. Cody has a reputation here at Valley West High School. He’s a bad boy and a player at heart, and no one can possibly change that. The longest he’s been with one girl was about a week, and then he dumped her for another girl. He’s also known for stealing girls from their guys and flirting spontaneously with any girl near by. He drinks, too, and has quite a few tattoos on both his arms. I’ve made sure to keep my distance from him at all costs. I try not to mess with students with bad reps.

Jamie Fisher, my one and only best friend, stood leaning against the trophy case with Corey Daniels close by. They talked in low voices when I approached, and as their conversation ended, Jamie finally took note in noticing my existence. “Jade, my love!” Jamie greeted as she extended her arms and wrapped me in a short hug. “How are you?”

“I’m the same every morning, Jamie.” I said, my eyes half open. “Tired, lazy, and bored.”

“You can never be bored with me around. You know that.” She said. Then she rested her elbow on Corey’s shoulder. “You also know Corey, right? It took me this long to realize he was cool.”

“I’ve been cool for these many years.” Corey said with a slight shrug. “Besides, the only reason you suddenly came onto me was because you wanted me to hook you up personally with Cody.”

Jamie hushed him, but was already too late. The words rang through my ears, and all I could do was laugh at how pathetic Jamie could be. “What’s so funny?” I heard her ask.

I calmed myself down immediately to answer, “Apparently you hadn’t heard about that boy’s reputation, Jamie Fisher!” And then I broke into a series of laughing fits.

“I don’t get it. What’s the punch line?” Corey asked stupidly.

Jamie pushed him against the trophy case, while continuing to stare at me. “Jade.”

“One minute.” I said, feeling more laughter coming on.

“Are you quite finished now?” Jamie questioned after my strained laughter.

“Yeah, yeah.” I made a short gesture. “Go on.”

“There’s no problem in wanting to go out with Cody Miles. Can’t you see he is the most adorable creature in this entire building?”

“I knew it. So Cody is a creature, not a human.”

“Jade, that’s not what I meant. Besides, what gives you the right to tell me whom I can and can’t date? I know all about his reputation, but I can care less!”

“How many times have you told me that? Oh let me think… over five hundred times!”

“I’m proving a point!”

“Well your point isn’t well proven!”

“Is this what everyone means when they say bitch fight?” Corey randomly inquired.

“Shut up!” Jamie and I both shouted.

“Anyway…” Jamie started.

I interrupted. “No! Jamie, listen. I don’t want you getting hurt. Don’t you remember that Jason kid? He said he loved you, and you loved him back, and then he goes and dumps you because he found someone new? Cody is just like that!”

“Aw, I miss Jason.” Jamie whined. “His hands were always so soft, like velvet.”

“Sure, go ahead. Change the topic on me, why don’t you.”

“I don’t get it.” Corey repeated a line from earlier. “Why are you two bickering at seven thirty in the morning? First you two were all happy to see each other, and then you instantly went and tackled each other with doubtful reasons, questions, and answers. And about Cody, too! Damn, girls are so confusing.”

“Yeah, why are we fighting?” Jamie directed her attention back to me.

“We’re not fighting. We’re having an engaged conversation about a particular character.”

“Who?”

“Cody!”

“Where!?”

I groaned, “Out near the entrance making out with some cheerleader. Need I remind you?”

“You mean he already has his prey of the day?”

“That’s what it seems.”

She stomped her foot causing Corey to jump. “Ugh, I have to wait till tomorrow now!”

“Can I go back with my friends now, considering I’m not much help now?” Corey asked very politely.

“If you’ll ask Cody if he wants to hang out with me and Jade at lunch.”

“What!” I exclaimed as Corey nodded and jogged off. “What!”

“Jade, you have to understand that there are some guys you can’t get enough of. Cody is one of those guys… and Jason. God I really do miss him.”

“If you miss him so much, why not go and get him back? You’re really annoying me.”

“He graduated, Jade! Remember?”

I sighed, “You can never trust a senior.”

“Look!” She pointed over to where Corey was. He stood apart from the others and spoke quietly, alone with Cody. Cody’s eye length bangs kept falling in front of his eyes, and I watched in interest as he kept putting his bangs behind his ears over and over. When Corey turned around to signify who Jamie was to Cody, I averted my eyes so I was staring at a group of freshmen listening to their iPods on full blast. Somehow I could feel Cody’s and Corey’s eyes burning into mine, as if they saw me glaring at them from afar. “Oh, I can’t wait to find out if Cody’s a good kisser as everyone says!” Jamie squealed with delight.

“Why would you want to kiss a guy who has kissed over a trillion girls before? What if he has herpes, or HIV? What will you do about that?” I interrogated Jamie sternly as I revolved to face her. Clearly enough, her attention was still drifting off towards the other end of the commons, gazing profoundly at her surprisingly new crush, Cody. Sometimes I wonder what Jamie sees in every guy she falls for. That Jason senior… god, he had a freaking Mohawk! He was definitely not eye candy. Except maybe for punk chicks, or something. I don’t know, and I could really care less.

I’ve known Corey since grade school, fourth grade to be exact. We would always help each other on homework and most subjects we were having difficulties in. I guess you can say he was my first real best friend, until several grades later, along came Cody and his popularity.

The story behind Cody isn’t very thrilling. It’s more along the lines of irrational. Cody is one of the brightest students ever in this school. He gets perfect grades all the time, despite of his reputation and how little he drinks. Of course, the bad rep had to start somewhere right? In about seventh grade, the Valentine’s Day dance was coming to a close and Cody had his eye on one of the most popular girls in school. Imagine this. Cody had short black hair, black-rimmed glasses, and was on honor roll (the bad boys, or at least the majority, always have a past that starts out geeky). This popular girl was head cheerleader with light blond hair, baby blue eyes, and was very skinny (you know, like most cheerleaders are supposed to be). Cody goes up to her and asks her to the dance, but she denies and calls him freak of nature. Poor emotional Cody couldn’t handle it, and wanted to change his appearance so he looked attractive. He also changed his attitude so maybe it’ll attract more girls. So he grows out his hair, bangs and all, ditches the glasses and wears contacts, and he dresses like a rebel. No, I did not make this story up. I’ve heard this story many times by many different people. And if you’re wondering, Cody did actually manage to hook up with the cheerleader. Obviously, he dumped her and made her look bad. Come to think of it, that was quite heroic. I would have done the same thing in his place.

So I guess you can say Cody felt rejected, out of place, unwelcome. Any other person would have accepted that the person they asked did not want to go to the dance with them. I wouldn’t really care any way at all.

The first bell of the morning rang and everyone darted off to his or her lockers. I practically had to punch Jamie so hard for her to cooperate. “Let’s go!” I told her impatiently.

“Hang on! Cody’s about to bypass!”

“Now!” I snatched her arm and started dragging her down the hallway. She moaned and groaned about wanting to wait for Corey to find out information, but I refused to stop at all. Last time Jamie made me wait with her, I landed myself with a tardy slip. That’s not a bad thing, but I still can’t risk being late anymore.

Jamie and I share a locker since mine refuses to open. It’s been like that since freshmen year. I was able to open it the first few weeks, but then it wouldn’t budge at all. It was like someone mega glued it shut on purpose. Am I that well known?

I placed in the numbers on the lock and opened it. Jamie walked away to speak to Corey. I pretended not to notice. Maybe it’s best if I stay out of Jamie’s love life. It is her decision on who she should go out with, not mine. Like I mentioned before, every guy she falls for, or dates, is ugly in some way. One will have a lip ring; the other will have a Mohawk. It’s as if Jamie only falls for the bad guys. I can’t say much myself considering I’ve never dated a guy in my entire life. The only thing I’ve been kissed by was Jamie’s Golden Retriever, Chuckie. And like most say, dogs don’t count.

“Guess what!” Jamie predominantly shouted in my ear.

“You’re going out with Cody. Hurray for you.”

“Nope, although I can’t wait for that.”

“Then what?”

“He’s sitting with us at lunch!”

And just when I thought things couldn't get much worse.