"But are they real?" Mel's boyfriend, Brady, asked me. Tracy was still asleep, and I was eating breakfast with her family. I was just telling them about opossums, this animal I heard of but never saw.

"Opossums? Okay—"

"Excuse me," Tracy interrupted, walking into the kitchen and leaning against the counter.

"Oh hey," Melanie greeted, turning to face her. "Grab some oatmeal."

Mel scoot over in her chair and patted the empty space next to her.

"It's okay, I'm on a diet," Tracy declined. I guess she was too scared to eat near her family with the tongue piercing.

"Really, you should, uh, put some chocolate chips in it," Brady encouraged. "It's actually very good."

"Come on, Tracy," Mason said. "You know you get mean when you don't eat."

"Fuck you," Tracy replied playfully, shaking her head as I walked towards her to put away my bowl. "Come on Evie, let's go."

I began to follow her when Mel suddenly approached us and said, "Hey Evie, could you—could you just give us a little second?"

"Yeah, sure," I replied, as I strolled away to brush my teeth and finish up the rest of my outfit.

I styled my hair in a low ponytail with a few small braids, and put on a cute black shirt. I added a beaded cross necklace and a pair of sunglasses.

Tracy came in and asked if I was ready.

"Yeah, let's go," I said with a smile. I decided to be extra nice to her today, after finding out she cut herself yesterday.

We grabbed our bags and followed Mel to the car. As usual, Mel drove us to school. We came about thirty minutes early to hang out with the girls.

When we got out, we met up with some of the girls. Astrid, as usual, and this time Rachel, Kylie and Loren accompanied us.

We went to our usual hang out place, on the side of the school where the dumpsters were. The teachers never came here, so we were free to do whatever we liked.

We all leaned against the dumpsters and talked, and Rachel stood next to me and smoked.

Just then, Medina sauntered past us, embracing her new boyfriend. Ever since Tracy became a treasured member of my clique, we've stopped talking to Medina. I never really liked Medina that much anyway, and Tracy turned out to hate her, so we decided to kick her out.

"All of a sudden Medina has a ghetto booty?" Tracy commented, eyeing her up and down with a disbelieving chuckle.

"I think she stuffs," I replied, turning to look at Tracy with a small smirk.

"That slut ain't got shit compared to these double cheeseburgers," Astrid said loudly, smacking her ass and shaking it as a joke. Medina noticed and turned to stare at us as we all laughed.

"Shake it, don't break it, bitch," Medina retorted as she wheeled around and walked off. We all laughed even harder.

"Fuck her," Astrid said with an amused grin. It was so funny how easily Medina got offended.

Just then Marcus and Javi approached us with a slightly shy grin.

"Javi, you look hot," Astrid greeted as she enveloped him in a hug.

"What up?" Javi responded as he hugged her back.

"Hey Marcus," I said, before turning to Javi and giving him a hug. "Javi."

"Hey Evie," Javi responded, as I kissed him on the neck and backed away. The rest of the girls said their greetings and Javi approached Tracy.

Ooh. Tracy had told me that she liked Javi, and it seemed as if he liked her back. Which kind of sucked, since I did have a little crush on Javi, even though I was dating Ruben right now. But it's fine, I'll let Trace have him. It wasn't that big of a crush anyway. I think.

"Hey Tracy, can I holler at you?" he said, and I turned to look at him, feeling my heart sink a little. Okay, maybe it was a small crush, but it was still a crush.

"Yeah," Tracy replied, and followed him somewhere more secluded. The girls watched, anticipating what was about to happen. I stood close to them to listen to what they were saying.

"I was wondering if uh, maybe you wanna go kick it sometime," Javi said, and my heart sank again.

"Yeah sure," Tracy replied, nodding her head and blushing. Aw, how cute, I guess.

"Okay, well, can I have your number?" Javi said, his grin broadening.

"Yeah—" Tracy began to take her notebook and pen out of her bag to give him her number, but I just couldn't let that happen so I walked over with a pen.

"Um, here's my cell," I said, writing my number on his arm. "We'll be hanging around."

"Straight," Javi replied, strolling away. "See you guys later."

"Bye," Tracy said, before turning to me with a joyful grin. I giggled.

We skipped towards the group excitedly and they all released thrilled screams. I just pretended they were screaming for me, not for her, and we all hugged.

"Go, girl!" I heard Astrid exclaim, hugging Tracy, as the other girls shouted compliments. "That is so cool!"

We talked about it for the rest of the day. I acted super hyped for Tracy even though I felt kind of bad. At least my best friend would finally be getting a boyfriend. I would probably get over Javi in like, two weeks.

At lunch, Javi kept looking over at our table and smiling, a fact that Astrid noticed instantly and teased Tracy about. Tracy blushed like crazy and I just laughed along, even though I felt like complete shit.

Out of all the guys that could've asked Tracy out, it just had to be Javi. Why Javi? Why not anyone else? I know I said I had a small crush, but it turned into a bigger crush, I guess. I would even feel better if Ruben left me for Tracy, although I know Trace doesn't like him at all.

I don't really feel that attracted to Ruben anymore. He bores me. That's why I keep cheating on him, and why I went to the park with KK.

At first, my feelings for Javi weren't that deep, but now that he's asked Tracy out, they suddenly grew. Which is so strange, and I kind of feel like a bitch. I should be happy for Trace, this is her first boyfriend, and she's so excited.

As we were walking out of school after our lessons finished, Tracy, Astrid and I discussed inviting Javi for their first, well, date, you could say.

"Okay, I don't want him to come to my house and see Mason and the loser," Tracy said as we strolled out of the gates of school.

"Well, let's all go to my place," I suggested, before looking over at Astrid and suddenly deciding that I didn't want her to come. Sure, Astrid is one of my closest friends, and she was my best friend before Tracy came along, but well, she's getting a little boring. "My aunt says only one friend at a time."

"Come on, babe," Astrid said with an amused grin. She had seen me pull this on a bunch of girls before, when we wanted to hang out by ourselves. Little did she know...

"Okay," Tracy replied, hiding her disappointment as she looked in another direction.

"I'm sorry Astrid," I said with a remorseful look in her direction, before looping my arm around Tracy's and walking away.

"Let me call my mom," Tracy said jubilantly, grabbing my phone from my hands.

"Fine," I heard Astrid call after us, and Tracy and I did our best to contain our giggles.

Okay, you probably think we're assholes, but it was funny. And Astrid always used to talk shit about Tracy behind her back to me until she realized I didn't like it. Well, not exactly talk shit, but she would be really nice to her face and really passive aggressive when she was away.

It's just how girl world works. Trace and I always gossip about the girls in our group behind their backs, even though of course I love them, because sometimes they can be really stupid. They all gossip behind each other's backs as well, but obviously not behind my back since they all adore me, and not Tracy's back, because I've made sure of that. Tracy is my fave.

After Tracy had finished talking on the phone with Mel, I decided to start a conversation.

"Did you see how Astrid wanted to come with me?" I said, snickering. "I love A, of course, but she can be so clueless sometimes. You're my best friend, why would I choose her over you?"

Tracy looked slightly surprised but immediately hid it with a giggle.

"Yeah, I almost fell for it too," she admitted, causing me to burst out laughing.

"No way!"

We were a few feet away from me when a group of shirtless older guys passed by us and Tracy grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Oh my God," she said with a small grin. "Please don't tell me that they live here."

"No, they're old news," I assured her, before facing her with a serious look. "She's my cousin, not my mom. Got it?"

I didn't want her to think Brooke had any sort of parental claim on me or whatever. Tracy was still staring at the group of boys.

"Don't tell them I like them, okay?" Tracy asked with a slight smile. I smirked mischievously and spun around to face the boys.

"Hey boys, my friend wants to suck your dick!" I called, causing Tracy to grab me and lead me away towards my house as we both giggled endlessly.

"Oh my God!" Tracy laughed as one of them shouted for her to come over. "That was so not cool."

We walked in to see Brooke doing her make-up and I strutted in, singing as I left my bag on the couch.

"Hey babe," Brooke greeted as she looked up from her make-up mirror at me.

"Tracy, meet the lovely Brooke LaLaine," I said as I gave Brooke a kiss on the forehead.

"Hello," Brooke said to Tracy, to which Trace responded with a timid hi. "She's a cute one. Oh, Tracy, your mom has been calling."

Brooke handed Tracy a red telephone before turning to me and saying, "Honey, can you get me another beer?"

"Yeah," I replied as I headed to the kitchen, Tracy following me.

I took out a pack of cold beer from the fridge and handed one to Tracy, who was observing the pictures on the wall. Tracy held the bottle of beer in her hands with slight hesitance and stared at me questioningly.

"Um, Evie?" she asked, with a slight smile.

"Um, it's okay," I replied with a grin, and we walked out of the kitchen and back to Brooke.

"So, you're a model?" Tracy inquired as we strolled into the room where Brooke was doing her make-up and smoking.

"She's a model-slash-actress," I answered as I placed a bottle of beer on the table in front of Brooke.

"Mmm, slash bartender who's about to be late for work," Brooke replied, "what time is it, honey?"

"It's like, four thirty or five?" I replied as I opened my bottle.

"Oh shit," Brooke said as she put away her make-up tools and cigarette, before glancing up at us warningly. "Hey, no more than one. You got homework."

"They were removing asbestos from the locker room today, so—ow—" I grimaced as I hurt my finger on the bottle, causing Tracy to laugh, "—we got the whole gym period to do our homework."

That was a lie, but Brooke always believes me.

We sauntered away to my room, me still holding the pack of beers and Tracy chugging down her bottle.

"Yeah, baby!" I enthused as we walked into my room.

Tracy pointed at a picture in my wall and ran towards it.

"I love you, Christina Ricci!" she exclaimed, before kissing the photo. "Mwah!"

"Tracy!" I shouted excitedly.

"What-y?" she responded, wheeling around to face me with a huge beam on her face.

"You're going out with Javi!" I screamed as I went to give her a massive hug. She fell into my bed and I started hitting her with pillows.

"Evie, goddamit, where's my other cutlet?" Brooke called out, stomping into my room wearing a pink wig.

I got off Tracy and picked up Brooke's cutlet from the floor, before throwing it at her with a playful, "Incoming cutlet!"

"Nice meeting you!" Tracy called out at Brooke enthusiastically.

"Very nice meeting you too, princess!" Brooke replied as she hurried out of the room.

Just then, my phone rang, and I went to pick it up. I held it against my ear.

"Popular. Hello?" I said, and heard Javi's voice from the other end of the line. I turned to Tracy with a grin. "It's Javi."

"Oh my God!" Tracy gasped excitedly, trying to snatch the phone away from me but I held her back.

"Shh!" I shushed her, pushing her away with a grin.

"Is Tracy there?" Javi questioned, and my heart sank a little but my facial expression didn't change. I wouldn't let my emotions get the best of me.

"Yeah, she's here. You wanna talk to her?" I asked, and Tracy was practically begging for me to give her the phone. I handed her the phone and then smoothed out her hair. "Shh. Relax, breathe. Calm down, shh."

She inhaled deeply before pressing the phone to her ear. "Hey. Uh, no, no, I don't think I'm too busy," she then pulled away the phone from her ear, staring at me excitedly. "Can we do something tonight if Ruben comes?"

"Yes!" I grinned enthusiastically before snatching the phone away from her. "Hello? Come over—right now. Okay, bye!"

I closed the phone before shouting excitedly. "You get to make out with Javi!"

She was way luckier than me.

We cheered and laughed. Tracy put away her bottle with a giggle and I sat down on the floor next to my bed. I glanced up at her, feeling a strange mixture of envy and happiness for my best friend.

"You don't know how to kiss, do you?" I said, staring at her with a grin. At least I could comfort myself with the idea that she was an amateur at these types of things.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," Tracy protested, picking up her bottle of beer again. "Me and Noel practiced with Cruel Intentions, like, fifty times."

"Right," I replied disbelievingly.

"So, you want me to prove it, les?" Tracy asked with a daring grin.

"Hell, no!" I chortled, and Tracy chugged down her beer and put it away. Realizing what she was about to do, I laughed, and she leaned in to cup my face in her hands and kiss me.

We kissed for a little and then pulled away. I giggled quietly as Tracy sat down with a patient look, waiting for my approval.

"I barely even felt that," I teased, watching as Tracy's expression turned playfully offended with a laugh.

"Well, let's see if you fucking feel this one, then!" Tracy challenged, before throwing me against the floor of my room with a laugh and getting on top of me. We kissed for a couple of seconds, and this time, provoked by my insult, she was much better.

We laughed.

"Well, okay!" I approved, giggling endlessly. Tracy got a cigarette from my counter and started lighting it as Brooke called from the hall.

"All right, honeys, I'm outta here. Uh, if Benny calls, tell him I'll be down at Rene's," Brooke instructed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

We burst out laughing at that. Well, we were about to have a couple of guys over, smoke, and drink, but okay.

"Let me call Ruben," I told Tracy, taking my phone and dialing Ruben's number.

"Okay," Trace replied, letting out a puff of smoke from her cig.

"Remember when Josh is smoking a joint with a beer, and he's all—" I smoked my cigarette and nodded my head, letting out a cloud of smoke. We were discussing the movie we had just watched.

"I don't remember that!"

"I don't either!"

"Did he do that same face like that, too?" Javi asked, laughing.

"You just made that up," Tracy accused playfully, lighting up her cigarette.

"Girl, you jumped all over me when that teacher got a pencil stabbed through her hand," I chuckled. "That wasn't even scary."

"Yeah, it was," Tracy laughed in protest.

"What is this shit, man?" Javi exclaimed, turning off the music playing. "Check this out."

We all turned to look at him attentively. Javi had a talent for beatboxing, and I always liked to watch him.

"Tr-Tr-Tr-Tr-Tracy," he finished his song, and we all laughed. I kind of wish it was my name on his lips, though.

It all got kind of silent. Tracy put away her bottle of beer and I put away my cigarette. I then kissed Ruben, and then got on his lap, pretending it was Javi in my head.

We made out for a while, and I saw Tracy mimic my moves. Let's be a little daring then.

"It's getting kinda hot in here, don't you think?" I said, taking off my top.

Tracy copied my actions, and I giggled approvingly. We then continued to make out, and did much more as well.

"We are so perfect for each other," Tracy announced, as we lay down in bed after our steamy session. "You know, if everybody married someone from a different race, then in one generation, there would be no prejudice."

I sat up and rubbed her shoulders. I could tell Tracy liked Javi, and I tried my best to be happy for her. But it was so hard.

"So you had a good time?" I asked, hugging her.

"Yeah," Tracy replied. "But it tasted kinda nasty."

"What?" I laughed, staring at her amusedly. "We didn't go over that one."

We laughed for a while, and then went to sleep. I urged myself not to cry, but I just couldn't stop thinking of Tracy and Javi.

Ugh.