The Romance In Our Rivalry

7 | No Hard Feelings

Nova

I didn't tell Nick about my whole original plan to run for prom queen because I felt that it sounded rather superficial when said out loud. But then, Nick suddenly suggested that we run, rendering me speechless in a way. I maintained my mellow demeanor and played things off calm, dare I even say iffy. But truth be told: in reality, I was over the moon.

Day by day I am growing more comfortable with Nick and our budding romance. Today was my first day getting in his car alone, just the two of us. Still, though, I refuse to let him bring me home. That's because I'm somewhat embarrassed about my living situation. I try to tell myself that nothing is wrong with being in an apartment, but not only do mom and I live in an apartment... we live in the ghetto.

Aubrey

"Meet me at my locker after school?" I texted Jason as I paid no mind to the on-going lesson in my French class. He read my text instantly, replying with "sure thing Aubrey!"

I am very uncertain as to whether or not Jason will like the idea of running, because he and Nick are close. But it's a good thing I don't have enough care to consider that, or Jason's potential hesitance. The way I see it, Jason doesn't have much of a choice. If he doesn't run, I'll either blackmail him into doing it, start a nasty rumor about him, or just flat out find a hotter guy.

At this point, Nova and Nick are all I ever hear about, it's driving me crazy. Who fucking cares about those two airheads? They're regular teenagers in a very cringe relationship, why are they getting all this credibility?

Out of annoyance earlier, I confided to a random group of girls sitting nearby, who had been talking aimlessly about Nick and Nova, that Jason and I were running for prom King and Queen as well. I haven't even asked Jason yet, so I probably shouldn't have said anything to anybody, but as I said earlier, I don't give a damn. It's not like Jason has much of a choice anyway.

Nick

"Oop," Maddie said as she looked at her phone before looking back up at me. "Aubrey and Jason are running for prom king and queen as well." I raised an eyebrow at the mention of Jason's name. "What?" I wondered aloud, caught completely off guard. "He's actually gonna do that knowing that I'm running?"

My thing is, I don't care that Jason and Aubrey may or may not be a thing. However, I do care that Jason was now attempting to run for prom King, knowing that I was also running and genuinely wanted to run. I bet my life that Jason doesn't even wanna run but is just doing this to be petty either because his little girlfriend is jealous of Nova, or because he's jealous that Nova is with me.

***

Aubrey

"I think we should run for prom King and Queen" I suggested with a warm-looking, forced smile as Jason approached me at my locker. He looked unamused before I even started talking.

"I don't think I even have much of a say in this" Jason voiced in a blunt manner, folding his arms as he did so. "You already told everybody that we'd be running." I acted as if I didn't know what Jason was talking about. "What?" I asked in fake confusion, scrunching up my face. "I didn't tell everybody" I argued, "I just told a group of girls that wouldn't stop talking about Nick and Nova."

"Why do you care about what other people do?" Jason asked, sounding pretty confrontational. "I don't wanna have a relationship with you if we're always discussing the lives of other people and what they may or may not be planning on doing."

I groaned and gave Jason a stern look, refusing to back down. "It's not about other people," I insisted, adding a hint of sadness to my voice. Those acting lessons from my salad years are really paying off in ways that I didn't expect. "It's about me wanting to be prom Queen. I just want that one thing, Jason." I pouted my lips ever so slightly to align with my pretending to sound sad. Jason subtly rolled his eyes before briefly looking at the ground and then back up at me.

"Fine Aubrey" he sighed, "we can run, but do not make something of it, seriously." I raised an eyebrow, back to my normal demeanor. "And what's that supposed to mean?" I questioned Jason, actually confused this time. "It means don't harass Nova or create some type of drama, Nick and I are super close and I intend to stay that way" Jason warned me, his eyebrows furrowed as he talked.

***

Nick

Today was the meeting for any kids interested in playing football. Since Maddie's boyfriend, Matt, was also on the football team, Maddie and Nova decided to walk to Maddie's house after school. A "girls day" or whatever the hell they said.

"Bro, did you hear that Jason is like, also running?" Matt asked me as he and I made our way to the men's locker room. I shrugged.

"Do you think he's capable of beating me and Nova?" I asked, to which Matt let out an obnoxious, undoubtedly forced laugh.

"Man, if Aubrey keeps up on that prep girl shit that everybody says she's been doing, then you and Nova without a doubt got it in the bag."

I nodded as my teammate, George, who had been listening to our conversation, came around the corner. "As much as Aubrey's behavior may be her demise, you and Nova also have to keep up your current status" George budded in. "If you guys fall apart while Aubrey and Jason don't, regardless of Aubrey's shit attitude, then you'll be as bad as, if not worse, than them."

"In all honesty, I don't even think Jason is running" I admitted. "I think he's either playing a joke or is putting on some act just to mock me. You know how he gets." George and Matt's facial expressions seemed to harbor some agreement. As I finished my sentence, Jason entered the locker room.

"Hey guys!" he eagerly greeted us, as if he didn't just shock all of us with his apparent announcement to run. "What's happening? What's the word? How y'all doing?" Yeah, this whole running thing had to be a fucking joke. I know Jason all too well.

Despite my introspections, what came out of my mouth was not aligning with my thoughts. "I don't know" I answered Jason, resting my hands in my lap, "what the hell is happening?" Jason didn't laugh or even smile at my question, now bringing me back to a place of uncertainty. So he is really running?

"It was Aubrey's idea" he replied, "I just wanted to make her happy. Plus, without her and I, you and Nova wouldn't have that much competition."

I couldn't help but agree with that one, and it was pretty hard to even be mad at Jason. "Yeah," I gave Jason a small nod, "You're right. I guess, as long as this shit doesn't make us fall out or something, it's cool. Prom isn't as important as our brotherhood."

Jason scoffed, "nah we good bro!" he said, sitting beside me on the wooden bench, resting his forearm on my shoulder, "it's just as if we were in the third grade all over again, playing all those board games that we'd play at your house until like three in the morning. That competitive shit, you know?"

"Yeah," I said with a small chuckle, looking down at my shoes while quickly reliving those times, "I know. Best of luck to you two."

"Same to you," Jason insisted, patting my upper back. "And while you're at it, tell Nova I said that as well, she seems like a good vibe."