Jason and Nate have been best friends since the 6th grade. They have been inseparable ever since Ms. Hooglin, a 6th-grade substitute teacher, put them in time-out together. Ever since then, the pair has spent each grade together. Their next step in their journey together is… high school, where all the drama happens. And drama INDEED happens between these two. Jason and Nate are eager as hell to see what high school has in store for them.

The pair commute to school together early at the ass crack of dawn. It is a chilly September morning, everyone has put their shorts away and taken out their sweaters. The bx9 public bus is extremely packed and rowdy. It seems like it’s everyone’s first day of school with all the chatter going on. Finally, the bus comes to a screeching haul and the caravan of kids comes out like roaches. Right in front of the bus stop is this gray, dull-looking building. It pretty much resembles a bland police precinct. 

Jason and Nate enter the building to be greeted by an overenthusiastic white teacher with a high-pitched voice. She directs the two downstairs to a lunchroom. Immediately, the two started scouting out the lunchroom where all the new arriving freshmen are gathered. Nate spotted the types of girl cliques there are the emos, the popular, and the weirdos. Jason could agree that these are the three categories that are obvious. “ what the fuck is this place? Jason uttered. “ Yeah It’s just one big sea of losers” However, both Jason and Nate gazed over one particular person in the corner of the lunchroom.  

Before High School, Nate and Jason would always have an interest in the same person However, Jason always got the girl he want. Friends always praise him for how charming and charismatic he is. Nate once watched from the sideline as Jason stole his crush right from under him. Of course, they are almost like brothers. They never seriously argue or fight over anything so Nate always brushes it off every time as well as Jason. They promise that no girl will get in the way of their brotherhood.  

This person has luxurious black thick hair with the biggest smile and the sweetest laugh that can be heard across the lunchroom. Her slim-fitted, nicely ironed navy blue uniform intrigued them both. Jason’s attention went to her facial features. She has light makeup on with a light tinted red lipstick. Her glasses were dark black, a little oversized but they fit her perfectly round face.    

 “ I bet she smells good too” blubbered Nate like a creep. 

“Dude that is weird..but I know right! She’s so beautiful” replied Jason. 

“ I’m gonna get her,” both said simultaneously. 

Jason and Nate both look at each other in disbelief. 

“Dude, let me have her. You know every time I meet someone it always ends on bad terms. I am just trying to find my soulmate, man. Im sor-” 

“It’s Alright Jason”.  Nate interrupted. “It’s whatever. Go ahead no one would like a fat guy anyway”.

Jason gives Nate a defeated smirk and proceeds to walk over to the girl’s location. 

Nate watches as Jason, yet again, steals a girl right from under him. Another lost love and what a complete shame. Nate will do anything to keep the ones around him content as he grew up without a father. Keeping everyone happy in his life translates into maintaining control of everything in his life. Meanwhile, Jason has always been a lady’s man, he often watches his father mess around with other women from a young age. His mother is nowhere to be found after the divorce that occurred in Jason’s childhood. Having validation from women always keeps him afloat.

Jason nervously walks over to the girl of his dreams with a blank mind and sweaty palms.  

“Hey, I noticed you from across the room and you seem really nice. Do you think I can get your social media? Shit, maybe Snapchat ?” 

“ yeah of course!” in the sweetest voice anyone can imagine. 

“Here’s my Instagram,” said Celia in a seducing manner. 

Jason was astonished at how easy that was. Usually, these types of romances begin with a little chase. Jason did not even have to jog for this one.

Jason is instantly caught off guard as to how smart she is. As Celia rambles on about how she is taking a psychology class for college credits. He gets lost in her big brown eyes and perfectly arch threaded eyebrows. Her voice is very faint as Jason daydreams a whole life with her. Purely admiring her looks and not paying attention to a word she is saying. She stops after a while for Jason to respond with an insecure “ damn, that is crazy” knowing he didn’t listen. All he can think about is how Celia was fixed on Jason’s lips. “Did she want to kiss me?” Jason questioned.  

He runs back to Nate ecstatically with the piece of notebook paper that has Celia’s Instagram on it.  As he approaches, Nate feels his body becoming hot as if the room temperature skyrocketed. Nate is constantly used to this feeling of embarrassment and defeat. It is hard being the fat guy never getting the girl. “Ayeeee I got it haha” Jason said with enlightenment. “Ha, yeah man I know you always get them. Motherfucking lady’s man, am I right?” 

“Yeah..you okay man? You good?” Jason asked with concern because of Nate’s tone in his response. “Mhm, I am going to look for my class man. I’ll see you around”. 

Nate strolls down the long and narrow hallways glancing quickly at the classroom doors with papers attached to them. Each paper has the names of students who are going to be in that classroom for the rest of the semester. As he reaches the last door, he sees Celia walk into the classroom. “Holy shit, is she in my class?” Nate’s being one of the slowest motherfuckers, he jogs his ass over to the piece of paper with the roster. “She is in my class! Yes! Wait fuck, she is in my class..” realizing  Jason has already infiltrated and he has no right to intervene because of the bro code. Bro code is code that shall not be broken amongst brothers. Nate holds this in high regard because he is an empath. 

Nate sits in his assigned seat which happens to be behind Celia. Nate can not help but smell the olive-scented hair product she has on. The vanilla perfume she also had on penetrated the air with such intensity. It is like love is in the air. All this guy can do is just admire Celia and her beauty from afar. He just daydreams of what life can be with her; The kids, the picket fences, and the treehouse in the backyard. Then all of a sudden, as if it was a sign of God himself, Celia turns around. In the sweetest voice imaginable, she asks “Hey sorry to bother but you got a pencil? I am so ill-prepared I suck”. “No worries haha” responded Nate.  “All I did in middle school was stuff my work in my bag….no folder just straight in there.” 

“You and me both” rebuttal Celia. Both exchange a wholesome and satisfying laugh. Nate instantly fell in love. He tripped, stumbled, collapsed, you name it. Nate felt as if cupid himself struck him with an arrow. He was completely infatuated by her voice and humor. 

After that small interaction, they spend the rest of their precious time chumming it up and getting to know each other. Turns out they share many things in common. Most notably, they both grew up without a father figure in their lives in which they can resonate with one another. They share similar experiences and hardships in life which brings them closer together faster. 

In the midst of their conversation, Celia gets up to use the bathroom while Nate patiently waits for her to get back. After a few minutes, Nate looks up and notices Celia waving at him to come outside as well. And sure enough he did. Nate obliviously leaves the classroom with a hall pass and meets Celia. “Hey, what’s going on?” asked Nate. “Okay, I am just going to say it but I like you. I think you are very funny. I don’t know maybe we can-”. She starts to lean in. She seems to be rushing a little because she is using up her time allowed outside of the class. Nate, being the fat guy who gets no girls, has two opinions; kiss her or reject her. However, as they lean closer, keys jingle in the distance. They jump like startled cat and run back to their classroom. Its the security guard doing patrolling and coincidentally ruin Nate’s kiss. Possibly the only chance. Meanwhile Jason is in another classroom anticipating the end of the school day so he can see this girl.

The end of the school day arrives and everyone is ready for dismissal. Everyone rushes out the exit to escape the jailhouse of a high school. Jason patiently waits for Nate outside of school to tell him about his day. As He stares down the exit of the school, he sees Nate but alongside him was the devil herself, Celia. Jason does not think much of it, as he has plans to play the long game. However, great minds think alike, as Nate as well has made the decision  to participate in this so called “long game”. Subconsciously, they know this by the quick stare down they exchange as they all approach each other. Jason and Nate greet each other with a handshake. “Oh my god you guys know each other? Small world ! we can all be friends!” exclaimed Celia. The boys are extremely confused and taken back by Celia’s comment. “Friends”? These two were thinking. As they are processing this, Celia hugs the two boys and but at the end of the hug,  she slides. What these boys fail to realize is that some girls are just genuinely nice. However it does not occur to these naive teenage boys. 

Jason and Nate arrive home and quickly hop on a phone call to discust what the fuck just happened. “Duddee! Jason, Jason. Jason. Let me tell you man. You know that girl Celia you approached? She’s in my class and we were just talking the whole time. Literally the whole time we were just talking about our past and struggles. She is just like me. I don’t know man, She’s great. She’s adorable”. “Nate I know, that’s why she’s perfect for me. I feel like I deserve her more.” explained Jason. “And plus, I called dibs’ ‘. However, little do they know Celia is nothing but a heartbreaker. 

Dibs was a very serious concept in their friendship. Similar to a constitution, a social contact one might say. Here is where the boys are separated from the men. Even though these two are delusional. They are very much indeed in love with Celia. Both in their right to love someone, this certainty puts strain on the brotherhood. The power of women, at least they believe. They are stepping into dangerous territory because , as some believe, one can not just be friends with a girl. There will always be an imbalance in appreciation. Meaning it is not an even exchange of gratitude. Jason and Nate knowing this, they came up with an elaborate plan. A treaty. A treaty agreeing to not fall in love with Celia as long as the treaty is in effect. However, acknowledging how amazing she is, they include an expiration date. “Once the age of 25 is reached, this treaty shall expire and all parties do as they please.” And so, Jason and Nate type this up on a google docs and print it out in their college library. Both went to staples and bought a vintage fountain pen to make the occasion more formal. Arriving home, they slap the already wrinkled printed copy of the treaty on the public park bench and they sign.” what shall we call this document?” asked Jason. “ The treaty of Orange Park…you know since the park is right here”. “The Treaty of Orange Park, I like it”. And so They sign the treaty of Orange Park.