6 - The Part Where Perrie Realized It Was Time To Try
"Where have you guys been?" Jade curiously asks with an arched eyebrow as she grabs her bag beside her and stood up from the bench, walking towards the pair, and Perrie seemed to be deep in apprehension right now. But Jed was totally feeling the opposite right now; he was so relaxed as if cleaning the classroom and saying he got detention as an excuse was a normal chore for him.
Jed smiles as he kisses Jade's lips—and Perrie briefly looked away until their quickie was finished. "We just had detention... for using our mouths."
"Oh."
"Um, I have to go. Jesy and I are gonna eat in the café at the corner of the street," Perrie tells the couple, and Jade frowned.
"Why won't you guys eat with us? Leigh invited us for lunch and I wanted to invite you as well. Jesy can come along too if she would like," Jade says with hopeful eyes bulging out so Perrie couldn't resist.
"You know I would if Leigh-Anne and I are close friends... but unfortunately we aren't, so I can't go," Perrie tells the brunette, who seems disappointed.
"Come on, you can come along. Leigh doesn't mind guests at all."
"My mom would be disappointed if we leave her cooked meals untouched when she comes home."
"But I want you to come, Perrie," Jed says to Perrie, who was taken aback by his sudden pleading to the blonde. He quickly recovered, "We—we'd like you to come with us."
"Um... okay? But I still can't just abandon my best friend. And like I said, maybe next time," Perrie says as she sneaks a brief glance at Jade, whose eyebrows were connected for a second before going back to normal, making Perrie confused if what she saw was real and not a hallucination.
Jed smiled at Jade nervously. He drew his lips near where he could kiss Jade's temple as he spoke, "Babe, let's go? I'm kinda hungry."
For some reason, Perrie just knew that Jade's smile was a fake one, because it didn't even reach her eyes compared to what she usually sees in Jade's face every time Jade answers to Jed. And Perrie just had to hope she won't be caught in the middle of Jade and Jed's relationship soon.
"Yeah, okay," Jade says to Jed, sounding hesitant. "Leigh might get disappointed if we go late."
Jed faced Perrie with a smirk as he waved at the blonde. "Bye, Perrie."
Perrie faced Jade, once again ignoring the boy's acknowledgement. "Goodbye, Jade. See you later in Biology class."
Jade merely nodded at Perrie and immediately grabbed Jed's wrist, practically pulling her boyfriend with her as they walk away as if they were in a hurry. Perrie looked at their backs with bewilderment and apprehension. Perrie began to think if what Jed told her made Jade become suspicious, even though there's literally nothing to worry about.
Don't get her wrong. Perrie knew that Jed was good-looking; that he was a catch. But Perrie didn't even care about that because the only thing she wants is the guy's girlfriend, who seemed to have misinterpreted the wrong idea.
~•~•~
As much as she hates the word jealousy, Jade knew she felt it burning inside her. Jade surely became suspicious as to why all of a sudden Jed was becoming interested in getting to know her blonde friend—who was honestly beautiful, and that, to Jade, was something all girlfriends should be worried about.
"Jed?" Jade called, looking down at her feet as she walks.
"Yeah, babe?"
"Do you think Perrie is pretty?"
This had caught her boyfriend's attention all of a sudden as Jed stopped in his tracks and Jade followed. Jed looked at the girl weirdly and chuckled at the brunette. "Why? Do you think she's pretty?"
"Honestly? She's basically prettier than me," Jade sighs out, frantically moving her eyes to meet Jed's intense gaze.
A small laugh flowed from Jed's lips continuously, and when Jade questioned him on what was funny, he laughed once again. "Jade, you're the prettiest person I've ever seen in my life if that's what you're curious about."
"But Perrie is pretty," Jade sighs.
"But you're prettier," Jed insists. "And besides, she's a nerd. Nobody would settle for a nerd."
Jade opposes to that, she knew Perrie was more than just a nerd. In fact, Perrie was the friendliest person she's ever met—her best friend aside. Perrie was one of the fewest people who did not even care at least one bit about Jade's popular reputation and Jade loved that quality of the blonde. The quality of being brave, courageous rather. The quality of not caring about what people thinks of her. Perrie could literally tell the whole world who she likes without even giving two shits of her consequences afterwards.
And Jade just hoped she could have that quality.
"Babe?" Jed squeezed Jade's hand a little tight just to get the brunette's attention—which seemed to work considering Jade was already looking at him.
"Hmm?"
"Let's go. We're here."
~•~•~
It was already lunch and Perrie found herself staring at nothing, whilst Jesy started to wonder why on earth is her best friend was suddenly inside her own world now. Jesy shook Perrie's shoulder, hoping to get Perrie out of her thoughts, but sadly there was no reaction.
"Perrie."
No reaction.
"Louise."
No reaction.
"Edwards."
Still no reaction. And Jesy was getting frustrated. Jesy reached for Perrie's forearm and pinched it, and Perrie's eyes bulged out from the sudden pain.
"Ouch! What a bitch, Jes!" Perrie exclaimed, rubbing the pinched area whilst blowing it—as if it will work.
Jesy shrugged. "You weren't listening."
"You could've just done anything but that."
"Whatever." Jesy rolled her eyes. "I saw you talking to her awhile ago. What did she want?"
"She wanted us to eat lunch with her and her friend," Perrie sighs, "and have I mentioned that her boyfriend is there as well?"
Jesy arched an eyebrow. "So are you going?"
Perrie's eyes darkened a bit as they glare at Jesy. Her face giving a dull expression. "Of course not, Jes! I don't wanna be a fucking third-wheel to them."
Jesy heaved a deep sigh. She placed her hand on Perrie's shoulder soothingly and smiled. "You know what? How about I set you up with one of my friends? Don't worry, she's single and ready to mingle. And she's a lesbian, too. How about that?"
"Is it even worth it?" Perrie asks her best friend with a downcast face. "I don't think I'll ever find someone who could make me feel like what Jade made me feel."
"That's what you thought, Pez," Jesy says, "and so what if you thought you couldn't find someone better? You still need to try, Pez. Who knows? Maybe there is someone out there named Soulmate."
"And what if I didn't?"
Jesy rubbed Perrie's shoulder gently. "At least you tried."