The Arts

24 - Let The Games Begin

TYLER

The entire football field was packed. The Arts, being a school that already put all of its focus into the arts, wasn't the strongest in terms of athletics. Definitely not the worst, but mostly not very notable. Just decent.

So they were probably gonna get creamed by Trinity Catholic.

It didn't make the crowd any less energetic. That was the thing about homecoming. Was winning the game a huge deal? Yes. But it was a fun week either way.

Tyler sat alone on the bleachers. This solitary moment was just one of many that really made it set in for him that Gianna and Ivan were his only close friends. There were lots of people that he was friendly with, now that PAI had launched him to the top. But no friends.

Turns out being at the top kinda sucked sometimes.

No matter. That was what had to be done. Tyler was not about to let his moping distract him from his endgame: play in a rock band. Get famous. Acquire millions of adoring fans. And also a supermodel girlfriend.

After the national anthem, the game kicked off. Tyler turned his attention to the players, tiny green and white specks on the field.

Tyler had played football in seventh and eighth grade. Maybe it'd be a good time to come back to that. After all, he was gonna have to do something with all his free time after he abandoned the charity that he only started for Cool Points.

A gust of wind blew around Tyler, making him shudder. He should've grabbed a second jacket. His hoodie wasn't cutting it.

After a few minutes, Jack of all people came up to him with a girl. Said girl had dark red hair that was obviously from a box dye kit and her face was decorated with green glitter and stars. She looked like a hotter version of Andi.

"Suh," Jack said. He and the girl sat down next to Tyler.

"Hey man," Tyler greeted him flatly, hoping that would ward him off. It didn't. Tyler craned his neck, looking at the fake redhead on the other side of Jack. "Who's the chick?"

"Meg," the girl said, totally unphased by Tyler's rudeness, sticking her hand out. Tyler reluctantly shook it.

"So how's it goin', buddy?" Jack asked, reaching his arm around to slap Tyler's shoulder.

Was Tyler in the Twilight Zone or something? As far as he knew, Jack hated him.

Then again, after a closer sniff, it became a little more obvious as to why Jack was being uncharacteristically chummy.

"It's goin'," Tyler said. "Where's Ivan?" He hadn't seen Ivan since Freshman Orientation yesterday. And Ivan wasn't picking up his phone. Tyler figured if anyone knew what was up, it was probably Jack.

"Dunno. Haven't seen him since yesterday. He got all bent out of shape when I told him his homecoming proposal idea sucked."

"He totally missed out on his date because of you. I had to ask her my damn self," Tyler spat.

"Whoa. Give him a stupid proposal idea so you can swoop in and steal the girl? Baller move, dude. Maybe you aren't as lame as I thought," Jack held his hand out for a fist bump, which Tyler took for no reason other than to avoid dealing with the mentally taxing repercussions of rejecting Jack in any capacity.