Free Sunset Boulevard by Zoey Dean

edge.
    Actually, revealing her former semi-stalking ways wasn't that embarrassing. She'd caught Jake
    studying Fairy Princess websites on the day they met. Now they were even.
    "You liked him!" Jake wished he could put the exclamation back in his head, where it
    belonged. He didn't want to embarrass Jojo when she was helping him. Still, if a girl like Jojo
    thought Justin was worth spying on, it meant he was Jake's Tommy Archer. This was perfect.
    She shrugged, not seeming annoyed at all. "Maybe, but that's unimportant. You need to know
    why I liked him. Why every girl at JFK liked him."
    "He was probably built, right? Isn't that why girls always like guys?" Jake could almost hear
    the wrong answer buzzer going off in his head. After all, he'd worked all summer to get built,
    and he was still girlfriendless. And clueless.
    Jojo rolled her eyes. "Way more than that. It's a whole lifestyle, the way of the Klatch or
    something. Like, take Lewis Buford. If a girl dropped all her books in front of his locker, he'd
    probably say something like, 'Wow, if you wanted to show me your ass, you could have just
    asked me out' or something. Now, what do you think Justin would do?"
    "Maybe stop to help her pick them up?" Jake said. It was what he would do, or would do for a
    girl like Jojo. Other BHH girls would swim through mud before letting Jake help them over it.
    Jojo nodded. "Yeah, exactly. You do the right thing, but always keeping in mind that you're not
    obligated to. And that's what makes the person feel special: You don't have to be nice to them,
    but you're choosing to be." Jojo was surprised by how good it felt to actually be able to offer
    advice on something. Just as Myla was the expert on getting respect at BHH, she was starting
    to feel like the expert on what it took to be popular in Anytown, USA. And it was nice, too, to
    think about her old school, her old life. It all seemed so far in the past now, like looking in the
    rearview mirror.
    Jake was practically taking notes, so she went on. "When you're doing your part, just think of
    scenes with a girl like it's not that much different than being around a guy. But in your head,
    you're thinking, 'She wants to kiss me.' And you don't let on that you might want to kiss her.
    You're just chill in every situation. And not some guy who's only nice to see if you can hook
    up with someone." Jojo knew from experience. The anniversary of Dropped Books Day, the
    one and only time she'd been truly alone with Justin, was coming up. Justin's sweet assistance
    as he corralled her spilled papers and books had launched her crush on him. But she'd never
    had the guts to really flirt with him. "And when he talks to you, he smiles and never breaks eye
    contact, like you're a puzzle he's trying to figure out. He has these great blue eyes, and longish
    blond hair that sort of hangs over his forehead. I don't think he uses any product."
    Jake self-consciously ran a hand through his own hair, coated in pomade in an attempt to tame
    it. "How would he treat a geek like me?"
    "That's the best part. Justin is, like, captain of the soccer team, captain of the baseball team, has
    a great car and is totally ripped. But it would never cross his mind to rip on a geek. The thing
    with Justin Klatch is, it's like he doesn't see categories. That's not true for every cool kid at
    JFK. There are plenty of cliques, too, just at JFK, they're formed based on common interests,
    not your parents' net worth. But Justin treats everyone like they're the same. Well, not the same,
    but equal."
    "Is he some kind of saint? If I weren't Jewish, I'd say he's the new Jesus." The corner of Jake's
    mouth turned up in a grin.
    "WWJKD?" Jojo caught Jake's eye across the table and they both cracked up.
    Jake was beaming, and Jojo felt really good, like for once there was a use for her here. Jake
    glanced at his cell. "Hey, I have to get back." He left money for the check and stretched out a
    hand to help Jojo from her seat. When