Rehearsals With You ✓

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Random

Triss and I both alighted her car and headed inside the school. It was the everyday scenario– students here and there, walking here and there, talking here and there. We didn't put any mind to it and went our way through. Ryan said he was waiting for us at the lockers, hurrying us so we could hang out for a while. 

We spotted him sitting at a shaded bench on the perimeters of the school quadrangle instead. It looks like he's talking to someone in his phone, his back was to us. Triss and I sneaked up on him. "BOO-YAH!" We shouted together.

His shoulders dropped and turned to face us. 'I'm talking on the phone,' he mouthed while pointing at the phone in his ear. 

'We kinda know,' I mouthed back. He rolled his eyes and continued to talk at whoever was at the phone.

"Okay, I'll call you later, Mase," he said while Triss and I dramatically gasped at him. "I love you too," he replied quickly, turning a little red at our teasing expression.

When he pocketed his phone, Triss attacked him– with words. "How can you not introduce us?" 

I crossed my arms and glared at him. "What she said."

"His afternoon class is about to start," he explained.

"But," I insisted.

"Oh, how's the time difference working out for you guys?" Triss asked instead so I let it go. We sat on either side of him.

"It's not that much."

"How much is 'not that much'," I asked.

"Five hours. We make it work."

"Congrats, buddy." I patted his back.

"What? Why?" He gave me a confused look.

"'Cause you found the one?"

He was quiet for a moment. "You are so random," he commented, giving me a thoughtful look.

"I know." I gave a hearty laugh. "It's an asset." But is it really, April? I ignored that so negative thought and grinned before noticing two girls walked past us, talking lowly to themselves while glancing at Ryan. I narrowed my eyes at them and when they saw my look, they hurried their steps."What the hell was that?" Ryan's shoulders slumped at my question. "Do you know what was that about?"

"Word's getting around that I'm gay," he answered.

"So?" Triss asked. "What is wrong with that? Kevin from the basketball team is gay," she stated.

"It's mostly just people being surprised by it." Ryan put his lips into a thin line. "News Flash: Former Heartthrob Ryan Evans Has Given Up On Girls And Are Now Into Guys," he said sarcastically.

"It'll be okay, buddy," I comforted him. Sometimes people just can't mind their own business. "As a person who's been subjected a lot of time to school let's-talk-about-who – courtesy of my previous feud with Grey – before you know it, it has died down and the students have found another poor person to criticize. Don't mind them that much."

"Yeah. They'll forget about it soon. Just ignore it. I don't why they're even making an issue out of it."

"Well . . ." I started, thinking of how I reacted when I first found out. I kinda made a big deal out of it with all the jumping and beaming. The two looked at me when they heard me – wait, scratch that, Ryan looked at me while Triss glared at me. I gave a nervous laugh. "What I meant was, absolutely. Definitely. Positively. Affirmative. They will forget about it soon," I assured, sort of crumbling under Triss scalding look. "So . . . who likes cheese?"