She thought Caleb Smith was going to ask her homecoming. They had talked every day over summer, texting and Facetiming to keep in touch through their busy sports schedules. Only seeing each other on the way in or out of practice. 

“I like him,” Paige Johnson told her friends. “I don’t know if he likes me or not though.” 

But Johnson and Smith were no secret. Her best friend, Mia Brown was a little upset about it but that was normal. She got over it fast.

Brown liked him in seventh and eighth grade on and off. At the beginning of sophomore year, she caught feelings again.

Smith and Brown started hanging out more. They were always talking on the phone. Eventually, Brown called around 10 o’clock at night to break the news to her best friend. 

Smith had asked her to Homecoming.

She said yes. 

Johnson was pissed off, but she didn’t tell her best friend that she felt betrayed.  

Most people don’t get asked to homecoming. Johnson thought she was getting asked by her summer crush and he asked her best friend instead. People can always go with a group of friends but it’s not the same. People want to be asked.

“She prioritized him, which I thought was really rude,” Johnson said. “We’ve been friends since kindergarten. She’s known me longer.” 

Johnson held off on telling the truth. She didn’t want to deal with the drama.

That’s why Johnson couldn’t just “drop her.” Both girls play on the volleyball team, share the same social groups and a couple classes. Johnson didn’t want to start anything with someone she saw on a daily basis. It wasn’t worth it. 

“There’s definitely times where she flaunts it. And I kind of want to say something,” Johnson said. 

Johnson might eventually say something, but she wasn’t planning on it anytime soon. It was a summer crush and she needed to move on. Brown and Smith were basically dating now. “I don’t think I should be the reason that they can’t do anything,” Johnson said. They were kinda cute together. It’s okay.” 

One of Johnson’s guy friends asked her to homecoming. She said yes. They just went as friends. She wasn’t trying to make anyone jealous. The girls had been friends since forever. They had never fought over a boy before. And Johnson wasn’t going to let one ruin their friendship. She just wanted to move on and have a good homecoming. 

She saw them there and it was fine. She was there to have a good night.