It was the final week of class before winter break. When the bell rang to signal the end of photography class, the teacher held Blake back.

“Yes, Ms. Liautaud?”

She leaned on her desk, eyeing him in a way that made him nervous. “Can we talk about your photography project?”

“Um, sure. Did I do something wrong?”

“No. Quite the contrary, in fact. You’re the first student I’ve had in a long time who took the midterm project seriously.”  She pulled out the manila envelope. “I recognized Silvia, but who are the other girls?”

“Oh, um, well, they’re some of my best friends.”

“Hmm. Blake, you have a great eye for photography.”

Blake didn’t really know how to respond to that. Sure, he liked it; it was a fun hobby, but nothing more. “Oh, I—”

“I’m in charge of the yearbook. Would you mind if I used these?”

“Um—”

“I would also like you to give some thought to joining the yearbook next year.”

“What?” Now this took him by surprise. All he did was take photos of his friends; they couldn’t have been that good. This was just a hobby.

Ms. Liautaud studied him. “Can I ask, what would you like to go to college for?”

“Um, Marine Biology and Oceanography.”

“Okay. Have you thought about photography at all?”

Blake took a moment. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. “No, not really.”

“Hmm, let me guess, you only signed up for this class because you thought it would be an easy A, right?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Fair enough. I let a lot slide. Just do me a favor, think about it. Take these photos and think about how it might feel to be a photographer. You and Silvia both took stunning photos. Just so you know, I gave you an A+.” She winked at him, handing him the envelope.

Blake took it, opening it when he got into the hallway. It was the best picture of the bunch. All three girls, Luci, Silvia, and Becca, all grins, sitting on the railing, arms draped over one another, Luci in the center, Silvia and Becca on either side of her. It was right before she fell backwards, Cyrus barely able to catch the three girls as Luci dragged them down with her.

It had dissolved into a fit of laughter from everyone, including Cyrus, who had groaned in pain underneath them all.

Maybe he could be a photographer. Maybe he could find a way to combine a degree in marine biology with photography.

“Hey, man,” said Jason, sidling up to him in the hallway. He looked at the picture. “Man, is that what I missed studying?”

Blake closed the envelope, starting down the hall. “Yeah. At least you’re being responsible.”

“Only because my parents are making me. Do colleges even look at the ACTs anymore?”

“Doesn’t hurt,”  he said, shrugging. “How’s the Amelia shit going?”

Jason shrugged. “It’s…I don’t know, man. I like her; she likes me. But she’s still got a boyfriend, and I’m –”

“Still hung up on Luci, yeah, we know.”

“I think I need to talk to Luci. I think…I think we need to clear the air about some shit.”

“Do you, dude. You’re probably not wrong, considering you spent the summer sneaking into her bedroom to sleep with her at night. It couldn’t hurt.”

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have done that. I think that just made everything more complicated.”

“Yeah. Hey, have you seen Olivia anywhere? I didn’t see her with the girls this morning.”

“I don’t think she came to school. She wasn’t at lunch, and Vee said she was probably homesick. I think they’re having problems again. She didn’t really want to talk about her.”

Fuck, thought Blake. “Yeah, probably. I think the Halloween party really messed her up.”

“I think we should have called the police.”

“Not much they can do if she doesn’t want to press charges.”

They got to their classroom, and Blake saw Silvia coming down the hall, a dark cloud hanging over her.

“Hey, put my stuff down for me, I wanna give Vee something.” He handed off his bag and ran to Silvia before she entered her classroom.

“Vee! Hold a sec, I’ve got something for you.”

Silvia just stared at him. “Oh, hey, Blake. What’s up?”

He pulled out the close-up of Olivia and Silvia sitting on the stairs, foreheads close, hands intertwined, a smile on each of their lips.

“I, uh, got my project back. I wanted you to have this photo.”

Vee took it, gripping the edges tightly, jaw clenching before she handed it back to him. “Keep it, we broke up.”

“What? Wait, why?”

This time, she met his gaze, eyes brimming with tears. “You know why.”

Blake took back the photo and ran off back to class, shooting Luci a quick text to meet him in the stairwell.

“Sorry teach, restrooms full,” he said, hoping to be excused.

The teacher waved her hand, clearly done with the semester, allowing him to be late.

Luci was a few minutes behind him, a hall pass in her hands.

“Dude, what’s wrong?”

“Silvia knows.”

Luci winced. “Yeah, I uh, I told her.”

“You said we shouldn’t!”

“I know, I know. But she told me Olivia was trying to force herself on her, and then would run off whenever Vee said no or put a pause on it. I thought it was just a one-time thing, but it wasn’t. So I told her and…she took me to the pool storage by building five…they were there.”

“Fuck.”

“She’s not mad at us, in case that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I—”

Lucita rolled her eyes. “Please, you care about her. You’ve always cared, since freshman year.”

“Luce—”

“What were you and Matt talking about? That day on the beach?”

Blake stared at her curiously. “About wanting people who don’t want us.”

Luci nodded, closing her eyes. “He’s wrong about that. And I think you are too.”

“Really?”

“He deserves someone who chooses him first. I do—did want him. And as for Vee, I don’t think that ship has sailed.”

Blake caught her slip-up. “What do you want, Luci?”

Luci let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the wall, eyes cast on the ground. “Heartbreak.”

Blake knew exactly who she meant by that.

“Maybe you should let go of him.”

Looking up, Luci gave him a small smile. “Easier said than done, dude.”

She gave him a peek on the cheek. “Vee will be okay, and so will you. I feel it in my bones.” She left the stairwell, and so did he, returning to class where The Notebook was playing.

She wasn’t the only one choosing heartbreak.

***

Jason tapped on her window. It had been a while since he had done this. She arched her eyebrows at him but let him in. Carefully, like he used to, he crept into her room.

“What’s up, dude?”

“Can we talk?”

“Sure.” She sat cross-legged on her bed in an extra-large t-shirt and shorts. The same extremely short blue shorts she often wore to bed. Shorts that showed too much skin.

They were silent for a moment, Luci staring at him curiously, before he spoke again.

“Luci, I still have feelings for you.”

“Jason—”

“Amelia wants to try dating again, and I—”

“Amelia? Fuck no.”

He was angry now. “You really don’t get to dictate who I fucking date.”

Lucita glared at him. “She’s bad news, Jason. She’s not good for you.”

“So what? I’m just supposed to wait for you to get over Cyrus and now Matt?”

“That’s not what I’m saying, and that’s not fair!”

“Oh, you want to talk about fair. Why not me, huh? Why Matt? And don’t you fucking say it has anything to do with Liz. She was making your life hell anyway. You wanted Cyrus’s best friend, you wanted someone who could hurt him.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

“You could have had me. I wanted you.”

“Even if it means you were my second choice? Because that’s what Matt was. It’s why he ended things.”

“I would have gladly been your second choice.” Then he was kissing her. He felt her mouth fall open in surprise as she melted in his arms.

Everything in her body shouted to stop, to push him away. To not do this.

Instead, she did the opposite because she was a stupid girl.

Instead of pushing him away, she straddled him, stripping off her shirt and losing herself in his kisses.

Oh yes, she was a stupid, lonely girl who wanted to be touched and loved.

But not by Jason.

“No.”

She jumped off him, grabbing her shirt from the floor.

“Luce—”

“No, Jason. No one deserves to be someone’s second choice. You don’t deserve to be just a plaything like Matt was. I can’t do that to you?”

He sat there, staring at her, her heart breaking. But now he knew where she stood, at least he knew she cared enough.

“Yeah, okay.” He stood up and went to her. “I have to move on, then Luci.”

“Jason, dating Amelia—”

“I have to try. Don’t you get that? Just like Matt, I have to fucking try. If Amelia is a mistake, then she’s my mistake to make.” He lifted her chin, giving her one last kiss. “See you around, Lu.”

Order ‘New Girl,’ the first in my YA Romance series.