“The only thing I hate about Geography is maps,” Jenny said, trying to figure out if her measurements were accurate. She was sitting working on homework at Drake’s house.

“It’s not that bad. Here let me show you,” said Drake, shifting the map so that he could measure the distances. “It’s 5,4 cm.”

“Oh. Just like that?” Jenny asked flirtatiously.

“Yep, just like–” Before Drake could finish his sentence Jenny leaned forward to take the ruler from him to see for herself. Her cheeks were so close to his mouth. He could smell the fresh scent of her flower perfume.

“Perhaps map work isn’t that bad,” Jenny said, looking up into his eyes. If he leaned forward, just a tiny bit, he could kiss her.

Then Jenny turned away to write down the answer in her exercise book. “Woh. I’m done. Now I need a break,” she said, getting up and closing her school books.

“Yeah, good idea.”

Drake poured them some cooldrink and they went to drink it outside in the sunny yard.

“So, do you have dreams?” Drake broke the silence.

“Dreams! As in sleeping?” Jenny asked.

“I mean future goals.”

“Oh, I want to go to university overseas,” Jenny said. “I want to experience new environments.”

Mara, why did she want to move overseas, thought Drake. He was already planning a long-term fantasy future with Jenny.

“Where overseas?”

“USA or Japan,” Jenny said.

“I’ll never get to go there,” Drake said.

“That’s bullshit,” Jenny said and Drake looked at her in shock. He didn’t see that response coming – but it was quite cool.

“What makes you say that?”

“Nothing is impossible. You’ve just got to believe that you’ll build yourself the life that you desire,” Jenny said.

“Oh, but it’s quite hard when you see life as I do,” Drake said.

“And how is that?”

“Nah, you don’t want to know,” he said, and shook his head.

“Try me.”

“This life sucks. It’s full of sabotage, hate, deception, and violence!” Drake sounded like a rebel.

“Don’t be so negative. Yes, life is not perfect, but you have to appreciate one thing,” Jenny countered.

“Which is?”

“The chance to do something extraordinary in this world and each learn the true nature of our abilities,” Jenny said.

Drake felt like the world had stopped spinning. She’s got this positive attitude that I had when I was a child with a wild imagination, he thought as he smiled.

“I like you,” Drake said impulsively, without thinking.

“You like me?” Jenny asked.

Damn. Why did I say that, he asked himself. He was feeling so hot for Jenny.

“I like you too,” Jenny said, as she touched Drake’s hand.

I must’ve heard her incorrectly, Drake thought. “Did you … say you like me as well?” he said, then bit his tongue.

“Yeah, but as a friend,” she said, rubbing his hand.

Ah, as a ‘friend’? Like, friendzone.

“Yeah, I also like you as a friend,” Drake said. But he knew that what he felt went much deeper than that.

“I totally believe you,” Jenny said, as she winked at Drake.

Is she being sarcastic or just messing with my mind? My heart aches though. That’s all I know right now, Drake thought.

“I need to go,” Jenny said, getting up.

“See you tomorrow, friend,” Drake said.

“Yeah, we’ll study Physics tomorrow.”

“Cool. No stress,” Drake said casually.

As Drake watched Jenny walking off down the street he felt like drowning himself in a quart of Black Label, or Hunters Dry.

*****

The following day Drake was filling Arnold in. “Yussus! You’ve made my day,” he laughed as Drake told him what had happened with Jenny.

“Stop laughing man. You’re making me feel bad.”

“OK I’ll stop. But damn! You should’ve made your move yesterday,” Arnold said.

“I was too embarrassed to pull off such a stunt man. Besides, I don’t think she likes me,” Drake said.

“She held your hand. It’s a building block, I think,” Arnold said.

“There’s no building block. She’s just in another league and I must accept that. Just like I did with Alice,” Drake said.

“You’re right. You’ll never get her,” Arnold said and Drake looked at him in shock.

“Then why did you tell me to go after her?” Drake asked.

“C’mon man – with that mentality you ain’t going to go far with that chick. You have to snap out of it and trust your manly instincts,” Arnold said.

“My instincts are below thirty percent. Madoda score,” Drake said as he looked through the window of Jenny’s class, hoping to see her inside.

“Upgrade those instincts and she’ll be yours,” Arnold said, but Drake doubted his friend. What he felt was emptiness in his heart.

*****

“I hate map work,” Sandy said.

“I do too. But it’s not that difficult,” Jenny said, with a bright smile on her face. “And I got help from a friend.”

“A friend? Or a boyfriend?” Sandy asked.

“Why are you asking?” Jenny said, looking at Sandy with suspicion.

“It’s just … never mind,” Sandy said.

“No, ask. It’s fine really,” Jenny said.

“It’s just … your eyes. They look different, like you’re thinking of someone. I can see a light in them,” said Sandy, and Jenny’s cheeks turned pinkish. “See. You’re even blushing. Alright girlfriend – what’s his name?”

“Well, his name starts with a D,” Jenny began.

“Daylon? … No wait … Dennis?”

Jenny shook her head.

“Eh, then who is it?” Sandy said.

“Drake.”

Sandy raised her eyebrows. Drake was the guy that Alice liked, but she chose Carlton over him. Damn this is bad, really bad, Sandy thought. “I don’t know him. What does he look like?” Sandy lied.

“Well, he has deep brown eyes, well-combed black hair and a mature, yet charmingly confused, look about him,” Jenny said with a smile.

“Oh. He sounds like a dork,” Sandy said.

“He’s very nice,” Jenny said as she looked towards Drake’s class hoping to get a sighting of him.

“Nice guys don’t know how to perform in bed. They’re childish and–”

“Caring. You haven’t met the guy, yet you have so much to say,” Jenny said, stopping Sandy from saying any more.

“Sorry. I just wanted to see what you’d say. You’re pretty hung up on the guy?”

“Maybe yes. Maybe no,” Jenny said, as she saw Drake walking into his class just as Carlton entered hers.

At break Drake told himself again that it was all impossible when he saw Jenny across the quad. Damn! I don’t even have the cash to keep her interested in me, he thought.

“Break ends in ten minutes. Let’s go. It’s time to go and find our girls,” said Arnold. Drake was relieved when they got into Jenny’s class and she wasn’t there.

“Now can we go? She’s not here,” he told Arnold.

“Who’s not here?” a voice said behind Drake. He turned – and there was Jenny, with Sandy. His heart beat faster.

“Jenny, Drake has something to say to you in private,” Arnold said, as he left the class with Sandy.

“So, what it is that you want to tell me?” Jenny asked as Drake looked around the class, anywhere, except at Jenny.

“I … There’s a new video game coming out,” Drake said.

“Which one?” Jenny asked in excitement.

“The Dark … I mean Arkham Knight. Batman,” Drake said. “I’ll show you when you come over to study Physics on Friday.”

“Sure,” she said.

Alice was in the class right next door to Jenny’s. She saw Drake with Jenny and she saw how Drake made her smile. Alice didn’t like it. I can’t believe that Drake didn’t come back to me because of that new bitch, she thought. I should’ve given him more hints and body language after Carlton broke up with me. She felt frustrated.

But this isn’t over. I can still break them apart, she decided.

*****

Carlton stretched out on the couch in his mansion, drinking his preferred wine: merlot. How to get Jenny, he wondered. He had seen the way that Drake looked at her. And it made him feel sick the way she smiled back at him. He had to work fast. He took out his Samsung Galaxy S4 and dialled some numbers.

“Good morning. Yes, it’s Mr Owen speaking. I’d like to order a bunch of flowers,” he said, as he took a sip of wine.

“What kind of flowers would you like, sir?” the florist asked.

Carlton thought about Jenny’s pinkish lips.

“Hello? Are you still there Mr Carlton?”

“Yeah, I’d like to order a bunch of pale pink roses,” Carlton said with a grin, as he took one last sip of the wine.

*****

At Tellison High the bell rang for the end of school and Drake went to Jenny’s class. He saw the bunch of pink roses on her desk and his heart fell.

“Where did you get those from?” He knew the answer already.

“Oh, these flowers? I got them from Carlton,” Jenny said casually.

Drake felt his facial muscles tense up in anger. “You played me.” He had spoken his thoughts aloud.

“What are you talking about?” Jenny asked, as she noticed the storm in Drake’s eyes.

“Why did you lead me on?” Drake said. “I thought you liked me, but you’re busy accepting romantic gifts from Carlton!”

“What? First of all, Carlton gave me these flowers to welcome me to Tellison. Secondly, you don’t own me. I can accept gifts from anyone. I don’t need to explain myself to you!” Jenny stood, her hands on her hips.

Drake was speechless.

“Just because I accepted his gift doesn’t mean that I like him romantically,” Jenny went on scornfully.

“So the way you looked and smiled at me means that you were just being friendly and not that you felt the chemistry that I feel whenever I’m with you?” Drake asked.

“I never said that I don’t feel any chemistry whenever I’m with you,” Jenny said.

“So you’ve felt the connection?”

“Of course I have. That’s why I was shocked when you just said I played you, led you on.”

Drake smiled. It was all the proof he needed. “I’m sorry for doubting you.” Drake spoke softly as he looked straight into Jenny’s eyes.

“Apology not accepted,” Jenny answered, softening her sarcasm with a smile.

Drake kissed Jenny and felt the tenderness of her lips, smooth against his. While they kissed Jenny placed her arms around Drake’s shoulders. It was the best feeling ever. I don’t want this moment to stop. I should’ve kissed her a long time ago, Drake thought, as he felt the smoothness of Jenny’s soft tongue. My brain tells me that she’s playing with me, while my heart says the opposite and that the frequency is real.

“Wait, why did you say you liked me as a friend, when you came to my house?” Drake said, pulling away slightly.

“I wanted to see if you truly liked me and that you weren’t playing with my heart,” Jenny said with a cute smile.

“I really like you, and I promise I’ll never hurt you,” Drake said as he kissed Jenny again and hugged her.

***

Tell us what you think: Should Jenny have accepted the flowers from Carlton?