Jade & Sabrina
“Compared to some people, I’m a loser,” Sabrina countered. “I don’t necessarily have a problem with that? I don’t think anyway.” She knew Mak wouldn’t like it if she heard Sabrina saying such things, but the truth was truth. Sometimes it sucked. She did look mildly surprised to hear Jade had a college fund, and she was already imagining him flitting off to somewhere much cooler than Point Pleasant. “If you’ve got the money for it, I’d go,” she said after a moment. “Have you ever thought about any of that stuff?”
Jade knew that here was where he should insert a comment about not comparing themselves to other people, but that would be hypocritical of him. He did it all the time with himself and others, so he kept his mouth shut. Maybe things would seem easier when they ‘grew up’ and had more life experience. He guessed he could hope so. “I mean, it’s not a fortune,” he said of the college fund. “I’m thinking community college or online? Something like that.” He shrugged slightly. “Never thought about it until I knew I had some college money. I’d probably do something related to journalism. Writing.”
Community college wasn’t too far from Point Pleasant, and online courses meant he might stay in town. Sabrina hoped so, though she didn’t want to say it and sound desperate or whatever. It felt like most of the people she was friends with now was smart enough to go to college. Or they could at least afford it. She wasn’t entirely sure her dad even knew she was graduating this year. “You should join the school paper if you want to do that kind of writing,” she suggested. “You can expose all the creepers and bitches in our school with sensationalized stories! I would so read that.”
“I’ve done a few things for the paper already,” Jade said. He’d thought she knew that, but who had time to keep up with every little detail? Sabrina’d had a lot going on lately. Snickering, he added, “I might write a sensationalized novel about everyone at school. Wouldn’t that be fun? Sam Balone.” He wasn’t likely to do that and make it public, but it was fun to think about. Everyone who’d ever been an asshole to him would be skewered. He flipped his empty cup from hand to hand. “I really want another beer,” he said. Somehow drinking was more fun out somewhere like this. At home he could probably nip from Luke’s supply, but why bother?
"Sam Balone." Sabrina snickered. "I want you to do that though... totally write a novel about school. Just change everyone's names but make them really obvious." She reached out to take his empty cup. "I'll go get you another. As long as you're not driving!" See? She could be a responsible teenager! Thank goodness for Mak, otherwise Sabrina would be walking home and that would totally suck. So would having to call Jade's brother to come get him, even if the guy was fun to look at.
“If I do, you’ll be the first person I show,” Jade promised. He hefted himself to his feet when Sabrina said she’d get him another drink. “I’m not driving, but I’ll come with you,” he said. “Need to stretch my legs. Parties are for mingling, right?” He’d have an easier time with that if he wasn’t alone, for damn sure. “Let’s go.”