I'm sitting in Mr Clarke's class; alone at my double desk. I always sit alone, but today I actually thought, that Max would maybe sit beside me. But I guess I got my hopes up too much, because she just stared weird at me and sat elsewhere. I am confused and a bit disappointed, I mean the past week Max seemed so nice and helped me with all my books. Also she always smiled at me and we talked during breaks sometime. Did I do something wrong? (Probably..) I really want to be friends with her... but uh yeah. Clarke's lessons are always boring, so I quietly put out my sketchbook and open an empty page. Without thinking long, I draw Max.

Finally, school's over. I push the door open, there is Mike waiting. "Hey El", he greets me. I kiss him.

I don't know about kissing. Always when I kiss him, nothing really happens. Like I don't feel anything. It just got normal. Our lips just touch a while and then - Nothing. No excitement, no nothing. Older people always say it feels nice and special. Hm.

"Are you waiting for someone?", I ask, because Mike isn't moving. "Yeah, actually. For Will. Didn't he tell you?", he responds. Ah, now my bell is ringing. "Oh, yah! Sorry I forgot. You guys wanted to meet today, right?", I say. "Correct", Mike smiles. I rise my eyebrows. His smile is rarely so big. Weird. "Okay, I'll go to Jonathan and Argyle.", I tell him. "Okay", he replies and I leave him.

Jonathan unlocks the door of our house. "Oh, hello guys!", Joyce comes out of the kitchen. "My shift was canceled today.", she explains. We all nod interested.

Everyone gets in their room, except for me. "Uh.. Joyce?", I mumble. "What is it hun?", she asks me. "I-I- I uhm...", I stutter. Joyce smiles very comfortable and trusting. "How... how d-does it feel like to kiss someone..?", I ask. "Oh honey! I'm glad you trust me that much, to ask me that.", she says. I give her a weak smile. "Well, how about we sit somewhere.", she suggests. I nod and we go to the couch in the living room. "So.", Joyce sighs. "Sometimes, we humans start, to build a special "connection" with somebody. For example you like one person more, than anyone else. You get "butterflies" in your stomach, when they look at you, smile at you, or do something else. You are obsessed with them and only can think of this person. That's called being in love."(That's my opinion, not everyone's!) She pauses. "And if that person, you like so much, likes you the same way back, you feel amazing. Like the happiest girl in the world. And if it happens, that you kiss this person, it is magical. When your lips touch, you feel like you're flying on top of the world. You just have these sprinkles in your stomach, plus this amazing feeling.", she stops again. "But you need to know, that this is only my opinion. You have to experience that yourself. ... Don't you feel the same way with Mike?", Joyce adds. I'm amazed by her speech. But there is one point, that makes me really sad; I never, never experienced that with Mike. "Uh.. ye yeah.. I sure do...", I answer. Joyce smiles and strokes my shoulder."Well, that's wonderful."

I thought about Mike for a while, but I decided, that the thought of him is kind of boring, so now I'm sitting on my bed, thinking of Max.

I mean I didn't do anything wrong, did I? The thought of Max isn't boring, it's very confusing. I spent the last hour, just thinking about if I did something wrong or not. I.. I just.. ugh, I need to go outside to clear my head.

So that's what I'm going to do. I go downstairs. "Joyce, I'm going outside for a while, okay?", I shout. "Yeah, fine! But be at home by 6, latest!", she shouts back. "Okay!", I say and close the door. I go along a street, around me are many trees, because there's a forest near the road. I walk with my head down, watching the grey asphalt for about 20 minutes. When I left it already was 5 pm so I only have 40 minutes left. Suddenly a longboard rolls against my feet. I look up. There is, staring with wide eyes at me, Max. I pick up the skateboard with my foot and go up to her. She's like frozen. "We need to talk*", I say, while I press her skateboard against Max' chest. She looks at me, with her ocean blue eyes. I look at them, so we have eye contact. In my stomach, there is a weird feeling; like...sparkles. We stare a long while at eachother's eyes. I get hot. "So?", I say, because I don't want my face to get red. "Uh.. yeah okay..", she replies. We sit on the roadside.

I sit on the cold asphalt, beside Jane. She wants to talk. Well me too, but she asked me so yeah. This is weird, I don't know what to say. Awkward silence... "uhhh..", Jane starts. She sighs. "You were so nice to me on your first day! And the past week! I thought m-maybe..", she breaks. "A-Are you mad at me?", she asks quiet. I look ashamed on the right(Jane sits on the left). "Maybe.", I answer. She looks disappointed. "W-What did I do? Can I please make it right again? I want to be friends with you so bad!", she slips. I'm surprised and I look shocked at her. "W-What..?" "I-I want to be friends with you.", she repeats. My eyes wide. I don't know what to say. Should I just tell her?

"Me too. I really want to be friends with you, from the first moment I saw you. I'm sorry. I was just a jealous piece of shit.", I say.

Suddenly she hugs me. I'm surprised, but I hug Jane back. She smells like cherry blossom.

I smile.

We stay like that for a while. "Wait- what's the time?", she suddenly asks and lets go of me. I look at the watch I stole from mom. "It's 5.49pm, why?" "OH NO!", Jane shouts. "What is it?!", I say. "I gotta be home at 6pm and I have to walk atleast 20 minutes!", she answers. "Oh fuck... you can take my skateboard!", I offer.

Oh god. Now I have to go home again. I really don't want that. "Wait- Jane?"

"Yes?"

"Can- Can I go with you?", I ask. "Y-You mean you want to come to my place?", she replies. "Yes! We're friends now, right?", I say. "Yeah- Yeah we are!", she smiles. "Joyce wouldn't mind, I'm sure", she adds. I smile at her, even though I do not know, who Joyce is. "I have an idea how we could get under 10 minutes to your place.", I say. "How?", Jane's eyes glow. I take my longboard and tell Jane to stand on it. She struggles, but I hold her. I stand now in front of her on the longboard. "Hold my waist tight, okay?" I assure her. "Y-Your what?", she doesn't seem to understand, so I put her hands on my waist. I hold back the butterflies in my stomach; "Hold on tight, okay?", I repeat and push off with my leg.

Cold wind is filling my lungs, while we're skateboarding through the streets.

Soon we are at Jane's house. "Was that okay?", I ask her. "It was so fun!", she answers and giggles. My heart melts by this. But I just smile, pick up my longboard and Jane rings the doorbell.

A woman, with slight brown curls, opens the door.