One Big Love/Hate Relationship

“My dear, dear Jonah,” I took his milk off his tray and opened it. “You only WISH you were better than myself.” I smirked, taking a drink. “But, as Erin Law CLEARLY states, girls are better than boys, boys are stupid, and rocks shall be thrown at them by the hundreds.”

He smiled slightly, stealing one of my fries. “But, as Jonah Law clearly states, girls are smelly and have cooties.”

I laughed. “Oh how simplistic is the law of boys.” I threw one of my fries at him. “Now, seriously,” I propped my elbows up on either side of my tray, putting my chin on my palms. “Are you ready for graduation?”

He shrugged. “I don’t really know… I mean…” He picked up his burger and took a bite. “I’ve spent the last 13 years in school… what now?”

I smiled, also taking a bite from my burger. “Now 8 more,”

He smirked. “College.”

“Yep.” I kicked him under the table. “Have you gotten your applications in yet?”

He shook his head. “No, but--” The bell cut him off. “Shit…” He grabbed his tray and started dodging the other tables and booths, with me closely following.

As we finally grabbed our stuff and got out of the cafeteria, he shoved me towards the boys room.

“Jonah!” I shoved him back, into the ISS window.

He groaned and let his head hit the door. “Geez, Erin…” He shoved me back, knocking me into the study hall door, then took off running.

I ran after him, right on his ass all the way to art. Once in art, he dodged behind a desk, pushing it in my path. I threw my books on the floor and dove over the desk, grabbing his shoulders. “Jonah Andrews, I swear!”

He laughed and twisted around, shoving me up against the wall.

“Jonah! Erin!”

He moved, letting me stand on my own, and moved away from me slightly.

“Take your seats!”

“Yes, Mrs. Jinks…” Jonah sat down at our table.

I took the seat next to him, trying not to giggle. “Hey, Jonah…” I was whispering, but loudly.

“What?” So was he.

“I’m gonna write you a note, kay?”

He nodded, laughing.

I opened my notebook, turned to a blank page, and wrote:

Jonah

I hate you!

With love, Erin

I folded the note and passed it to him.

He looked at it, smiled, and put his arm around me. “Love you too, Erin.”

“Alright, class, go back to your charcoal drawings of your neighbor.”

Jonah pulled ours out of his desk and handed me mine and a piece of charcoal. “Oh, Erin, I wanna show you something.”

I looked at him. “Wha--?” Before I could even finish my word, Jonah dragged the charcoal down my face. I couldn’t do anything but sit there with my mouth hanging open.

He busted out laughing. “Oh wow. I did a pretty good job drawing you.”

I took my charcoal and shoved it in his mouth.

He coughed, letting it fall into the floor, making a sour face. “Dude… what the hell?!” He grabbed my chair, pulling the legs, flipping me out of it.

I fell out of it, hitting the floor laughing.

“Jonah! Erin! Separate!”

I threw my arms around Jonah. “No! I mean… we’ll be good! I promise!”

Jonah put his arms around me as well, pretending to cry. “Don’t leave me, Erin! Don’t leave me!” He rolled over onto his back, laying in my lap.

I smiled and put my arms around his abdomen. “I’m here, dah-ling! I’m here!”

“Erin…” He made his voice raspy, wincing. “Erin, I see the light…”

“No, dah-ling! Don’t go into the light! Don’t do it!”

By now, we had the attention of the whole class.

“Erin… don’t… don’t leave m--” He rolled his eyes into the back of his head and went limp.

“No!” I made my voice as dramatic as I could. “No!”

Mrs. Jinks was now standing over us, glaring down at us with her hands on her hips. “Are you two finished?”

I smiled slightly, nodding, as Jonah leapt to his feet and took a bow. He took my hand and pulled me to my feet.

“Next time,” She sighed. “Save it for drama class. Got it?”

Jonah quickly dipped me, looking down at me as he spoke to Mrs. Jinks. “Oh, but, Mrs. Jinks, you know you loved it.”

She put her hand on his shoulder, taking my wrist, and pulled us apart. “Sit down and get to work.”

We obeyed, going back to our drawings. Jonah’s actually looked pretty good… you could actually tell that it was me. Mine was… a stick figure. Literally. Line, line, line, line, long line connecting the four, circle. He kept looking over at mine and smiling, but didn’t criticize it.

“Girls don’t like boys, girls like cars and money. Boys will laugh at girls when they’re not funny. Paper or plastic? Don’t matter. She’ll have it. Vacations and shopping sprees. These are a few of her favorite things…” I was moving my charcoal to the beat of my own singing. Jonah hated the song and I knew it. It was my anthem. I was trying to get him into war.

It worked perfectly too, because I heard, just a little louder, than I had been:

“Hey, don’t write yourself off yet. It’s only in your head you feel left out and looked down on. Just try your best, try everything you can, and don’t you worry what they tell themselves when you’re away…” He had accepted my challenge.

I got a little louder. “Girls don’t like boys, girls like cars and money! Boys will laugh at girls when they’re not funny! And these girls like these boys like these boys like these girls…!”

“IT JUST TAKES SOME TIME TO--”

“Jonah! Enough!” Mrs. Jinks was glaring up at him from her desk.

He cut me a look and went back to drawing.

I leaned into his ear. “Hey, Jonesy… I win.”