Just Friends
Page 25
Thank you to my best friend Grace Raines, the absolute light of my life. Also Jordan Nett, Lauren Forthman, Kasey Perry-Lovell, Joel Beck, Randy Perry-Johnson, Julie Torix, Christen Brown, and countless others who have stood by me for all these years. I love you all. Thank you for putting up with me.
And thank you to you, the reader, for picking up this book and giving it a chance.
Chance and Jenny’s Playlists
CHANCE’S PLAYLIST
1. “Barlights” – fun.
2. “Somebody’s Heartbreak” – Hunter Hayes
3. “A Drop in the Ocean” – Ron Pope
4. “Hey Jealousy (cover)” – Hit the Lights
5. “King of Wishful Thinking (cover)” – New Found Glory
6. “7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)” – Fall Out Boy
7. “You Found Me” – The Fray
8. “Bad Blood” – Bastille
9. “Everybody Talks” – Neon Trees
10. “Brighter Than Sunshine” – Aqualung
JENNY’S PLAYLIST
1. “Oh No!” – Marina and the Diamonds
2. “Something That I Want” – Grace Potter
3. “Closer” – Tegan and Sara
4. “Everything Is Embarrassing” – Sky Ferreira
5. “Pumpkin Soup” – Kate Nash
6. “Thinking of You” – Katy Perry
7. “Torn” – Natalie Imbruglia
8. “Shake It Out” – Florence and the Machine
9. “State of Grace” – Taylor Swift
10. “Parachute (acoustic)” – Ingrid Michaelson
A Coffee Date
between author Tiffany Pitcock and her editor, Holly West
Getting to Know You
Holly West (HW): What was the first romance novel you ever read?
Tiffany Pitcock (TP): I think it was All-American Girl by Meg Cabot. It quickly became my favorite book. I used to check it out from the middle school library constantly.
HW: I love Meg Cabot. She’s lovely. Who is your OTP, your favorite fictional couple?
TP: Lily and James Potter. I know they’re Harry’s parents and they die before the books even start, but I’m in love with them. I fell in love with them in the flashbacks all through the series. I love that “I hate you … oh no I don’t” type of relationship. I’ve read so much Marauders Era fanfiction that it is ridiculous. It’s to the point that I only care about Harry Potter if it has something to do with the Marauders.
HW: Do you have any hobbies?
TP: I do a lot of crafts like painting, drawing, etc. I have no idea if I’m any good at them, but I enjoy myself. I love gardening, too. I collect Beauty and the Beast merchandise and copies of Peter Pan. Oh, and I collect comic books, particularly the 1990s run of Robin.
HW: And my favorite question: If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
TP: I’ve never actually given this question serious thought. I’ve always been partial to telekinesis, but that seems a little too outgoing for me. Probably invisibility. I’d love to be able to go around and observe without being observed. I like to people-watch. Plus, there are about a thousand-and-one different times in my life that I’ve wished myself invisible.
The Swoon Reads Experience
HW: What made you decide to post your manuscript on Swoon Reads?
TP: I had just finished writing Just Friends for my creative writing class (it was my final project) and I decided, hey, why not. It seemed like fate. Even if I was never chosen, it would still be great to get feedback and connect to readers.
HW: What was your experience like on the site before you were chosen?
TP: I loved the site. I loved reading other manuscripts and seeing what people liked and what they didn’t. For me, the best part was receiving feedback. I don’t have the privilege of being near any writing or critique groups, so being part of a community that gave positive criticism was a huge help for me as a writer. I think I still have a document somewhere where I saved every comment I got so I’d know how to fix things later.
HW: Once you were chosen, who was the first person you told and how did you celebrate?
TP: My college roommate. I actually found out three days before my twenty-second birthday, so I told her and we went out to a celebratory birthday/book dinner with my best friend.
The Writing Life
HW: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
TP: I don’t think there was ever a defining moment. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, since before I can remember. That was always my answer when people asked me what I wanted to be. I wrote stories back in first grade. When I was eight, I promised my best friend Kasey that I would dedicate my first book to her. One of the best moments of my life was getting to call her last year and tell her I can finally make good on that.
HW: Do you have any writing rituals?
TP: I have to be alone. I mean, totally alone, like no one else can be in the house. If I even know someone else is nearby, it’s a distraction for me.
HW: Where did the idea for Just Friends start?
TP: I was a junior in high school and had just broken up with my first boyfriend, who had also been my best friend at the time. I was also trying to watch as many classic teen movies as I could, because they were my escape. I have to say it was the movie Reality Bites that inspired me the most. There’s this scene where Winona Ryder’s character yells at Ethan Hawke’s about ditching her after they finally hooked up, particularly the part where she says that he can mess around with everyone else but how dare he mess around with her. So many teen movies focus on that fragile line between friends and lovers and I wanted to explore a relationship where crossing that line could really be a disaster. My original intent was to, I guess, kind of deconstruct those types of narratives, which is why I gave them the fake past. My original idea was really dark, though. Chance and Jenny never even got together. I think someone had a kid and they never spoke again. Luckily, that version never got written.
HW: Do you ever get writer’s block? How do you get back on track?
TP: Yes, all the time. I try to skip ahead to a scene that I really want to write—even if it doesn’t actually fit in the story—and write that instead. It’s like a reward. Sometimes I get bogged down and I just want to have a little fun, so I’ll write a scene where the characters just talk or dance or do something stupid, and that helps. I have about twenty different scenes of Chance and Jenny just hanging out that’ll never see the light of day, but they helped motivate me to finish.
HW: And now we are all dying to see those scenes! What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever heard?
TP: To just write. There’s a section on Meg Cabot’s website where she says the difference between writers and people who want to write is that writers actually find time to write. I think that’s true. You just have to push through it, even though it’s hard. Write now, edit later. Get the ideas on paper first, and then see what you’re working with.
Just Friends
Discussion Questions
1. If you were to create a fake past for yourself and your friends, like Jenny and Chance, what would it be?
2. Did Chance and Jenny’s fake past help or hurt their relationship? How would things be different if they had dropped the lie?
3. The book makes use of dual points of view to give an inside look into both Jenny’s and Chance’s heads. Are there any scenes you would’ve liked to see from the other’s point of view?
4. Throughout the novel, Chance struggles with his relationship with his older brother Levi. Do you think he was right to be as angry as he was? How would you have handled the situation?
5. In the beginning, Jenny has a hard time connecting to other people and showing her emotions. Do you think that changed over the course of the story?
6. When Jenny overhears Chance say that he doesn’t do relationships, she’s crushed. How would you have reacted in that situation?
7. Both Jenny
and Chance choose to date other people in an effort to “get over” their best friend. Do you think this was a smart plan? What would you have done?
8. Drake reacts badly to his breakup with Jenny. Why do you think he was so upset? Do you think he had genuine feelings for her? Or was he just in love with his idea of her?
9. At the end of the novel, Levi offers to let Chance move in with him. Would this be a good move for Chance? Why or why not?
10. After they get together, Chance and Jenny find it hard to make up a fake past. Why do you think that is?
I KISSED MAX HOLDEN.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
After her dad catches her making out with the bad boy next door, Jillian swears she’ll stay away from him. But not kissing Max is easier said than done.…
HE TUCKS A LOCK OF HAIR behind my ear. “You really committed to getting crazy.”
“Thanks mostly to your mixology.”
“Yeah, well, it was cool having you as my partner in crime.” He glances at the ceiling and his face changes. He takes a slight step to the right, eyes alight. He gives a nod, indicating I should shift too. I do, confused but intrigued. He looks up again, meaningfully. I follow his gaze.
A sprig of green with waxy white berries, attached to the archway with a festive red bow.
“You know what this means?” Max asks slyly.
I give a laugh that comes out sounding more like a bark. “Mistletoe is a parasitic shrub,” I say, because that’s a fact he needs to know right now. “It’s also poisonous—eating it can make you really sick.”
“I’m not offering you a taste, Jillian.” And then, incredibly, “You don’t want to kiss me?”
I prop a hand on my hip. “How drunk are you, Holden?”
He gives my question a moment’s consideration before saying, “Not nearly as drunk as I was last time we kissed.” He rubs his hands together, like he’s prepping to discuss plays in a midfield huddle. “Let’s do this before someone comes upstairs.”
God, he’s serious. “What about Becky?”
He snorts. “Since when do you care about Becky?”
I don’t care about her, but when I think about what Max and I did on Halloween, I feel guilty, and ashamed, and I wonder why he’s pegged me a willing collaborator in his two-timing.
Partner in crime, he said. Is that who I want to be?
Just as I’m remembering my morals, deciding to put a stop to whatever the hell this is, I make the mistake of looking up. Max is sort of gorgeous with his hair all spiky, his lips turned up in a hopeful grin. All kinds of alluring. All kinds of kissable.
I’ve had a lot of rum.
I shut out the siren in my head, the one that’s wailing, Bad idea! Bad idea!, and take a tiny step forward. Mistletoe—it’s tradition. Besides, tonight’s about letting loose, right?
Oh, Max smells good, very good, a clean, woodsy scent that reminds me of pine needles and hiking and moonlight. His eyes are smoky like always, but there’s something different about them, too, something inviting. He blinks languidly and everything—my knees, my pulse, what’s left of my resolve—goes weak.
“Jesus, Jilly, you look terrified. We don’t have to.”
“No, I’m fine.” And I think, maybe, I am.
He rests his hands on my shoulders. “You’re sure?”
I nod.
I close my eyes.
I wait an immeasurable moment.
Max’s lips touch mine.
He kisses me—really kisses me—warm and soft and leisurely, and I kiss him back, leaning into his chest. I feel him smile. He skates his hands across my shoulders, under my hair, along my neck, until his calloused palms cradle my face. I shiver, delighting in his tenderness.
He pulls back, and for one horrible second I think it’s over. But then the softest groan escapes him and he walks me backward, presses me against the wall, and opens his mouth over mine. He tastes like chocolate and beer and I wonder: Will I ever get to kiss him when he’s sober?
I shove that musing out of my head, content to focus on the here and now.
Max Holden is kissing me like it means something.
Like he wants to keep kissing me, forever.
About the Author
TIFFANY PITCOCK is a young writer from Benton, Arkansas. She studied English at Henderson State University but has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She is a fan of reading, cats, staying indoors, and TV dramas. Being published is a dream come true for the girl who spent her high-school nights scribbling out plot ideas wherever she could. Just Friends is her debut novel.
Find her online at
Maybe-This-Time.tumblr.com, or sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
Feiwel and Friends ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Acknowledgments
Swoonworthy Extras
About the Author
Copyright
A SWOON READS BOOK
An imprint of Feiwel and Friends and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
JUST FRIENDS. Copyright © 2017 by Tiffany Pitcock. Excerpt from Kissing Max Holden copyright © 2017 by Katy Upperman. All rights reserved.
For information, address Feiwel and Friends, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
ISBN 978-1-250-08405-7 (trade paperback) / ISBN 978-1-250-08402-6 (ebook)
Feiwel and Friends logo designed by Filomena Tuosto
First Edition—2017
swoonreads.com
eISBN: 9781250084026