Just Friends

*3*

"If I have Mr. Jerrod again next year I swear I am dropping out." FP declares, slamming himself dramatically against the locker next to Alice.

She rolls her eyes. "Why now?"

"He threatened to give me detention! On the last day of school! Can you believe that? What an asshat." He grumbles. "I swear he's-"

"Out to get you." Alice finishes his sentence, having known already where it was going. "I swear we have this conversation every single week."

"Well, every week he singles me out."

"Is he singling you out or are you just being disruptive?"

FP gapes. "Are you like in on this with him or something?"

"All I'm saying is maybe he wouldn't have it out for you if you spent less time flirting and more time actually being a decent student. I'd give you detention too."

"Whatever." He follows her down the hall as she swings her bag over her shoulder, filled with notebooks and old papers ready to be burned. "Can we stop at Pop's?"

"You read my mind," Alice answers, just as they meet up with Fred and Hermione in the hall. "Hey you guys ready to go?"

"Just waiting on you."

"We're gonna stop at Pop's, do you guys want anything?"

"Yeah sounds good. We'll meet you at the river."

"Sure you don't wanna just come with us? We can grab a bite to eat and then head there together?" FP suggests.

"Don't wanna miss out on our spot." Hermione insists with a knowing glance at the blonde.

"Gotcha." Alice tugs on FP's arm and quirks an eyebrow at him. "We'll meet you guys there in about thirty minutes?"

"Make sure mine is a peanut butter shake!" Fred reminds as Hermione pulls him down the hall.

"They do realize we call it our spot for a reason, right? As in no one else ever goes there beside us? Why do they think they need to reserve it or something?"

"You never know."

"Actually I do, that's been our spot since we were kids, I've never seen anyone besides us there."

"You know Hermione's parents, she's barely allowed to go out to dinner with Fred alone, let alone have privacy to do anything else."

"Ew, they're going there to hook up?"

"Oh shut up, it's not like you're going to have to sit where they did it, we're setting up camp in the back of your truck."

"What are you? Their pimp or something?"

***

"Hey, if I recall correctly, I got the date."

"Yeah, and how did that go? She dumped you a week later."

"Doesn't matter, I still got the date in the first place."

"Alright, FP's dating woes aside, can you believe that we'll be seniors in just 3 months?" Hermione sparks, smiling at the thought.

"'Bout damn time," Alice replies, tugging on the thin blanket she had draped over herself and FP as the temperature began to dip. "The sooner I'm out of this place, the better."

"Won't you miss us?" Fred fakes a pout.

"Like a toothache."

"Why can't you ever just be nice for once? Everything has to be some snarky joke with you." Hermione hisses.

"Why do you have to turn everything into a life mantra, I was content talking about the embarrassing shit FP has done to get girls, you're the one who changed the tune."

"Easy, Al," FP says lowly. "We all know we're gonna be friends for life."

"Great now you've turned FP sappy."

"I'm serious, I really just can't imagine my life in the future without you guys in it some way or another." He nudges Alice with his elbow. "And whether you want to admit it or not, I know the same is true for you."

"Well yeah but doesn't that just go without saying? We've been friends since fifth grade, with Hermione since eighth, you think we're just gonna abandon all of that?" Alice huffs and rests herself against FP from her position between his legs. "I just don't wanna jinx it is all."

"See? She does have a heart." Fred teases. "Seriously though, next summer is probably going to be stressful, with college on the horizon and adulthood creeping up, we need to make the most of this one."

"That's true," Hermione adds. "It may be the last time we get the chance to just be teenagers. No responsibilities, no planning for the future, just carefree, wild adventures."

"So what are we talking here? Camping trip and water balloon fights?" Alice questions.

"Well to scratch the surface, yeah. But so much more too, like picnics and carnivals, baseball games. Basically, anything that sounds even remotely fun, consider it a plan. Deal?" Fred puts his hand out.

"Deal." Hermione eagerly agrees, placing her hand on his.

FP's hand joins in. "I'm in." He looks down at Alice who's staring at them judgingly. FP rolls his eyes and takes her hand in his, placing them both on the pile. "She's in too."