My Favorite Everything

Chapter Twenty Two

The rest of the weekend went smoothly, as Frankie, Rory, and Wilder prepared for the upcoming week of school late Sunday evening. Just before the unruly dark-haired boy settled into bed, he remembered that the Environmental Club was hosting a meeting Monday after school. Feeling quite eager to attend, because he had missed every gathering in the past, Wilder made a mental commitment to show up. When the morning arose, he drugs himself out of bed and into the bathroom, where he got himself ready for the exciting day ahead. As usual, he met Frankie as he walked to school, and he used the opportunity to share his plans. Frankie's eyes lit up with delight.

    "I'm so glad you're going! I think it'll be great. You should come over after so I can hear all about it."

    Raising his eyebrows, Wilder was flattered by the offer, but he didn't want to bore him. "Are you sure? I don't know if you'd be really interested in plants, and all that..."

    Frankie rolled his eyes as he tilted his head towards him. "I'm interested in what makes you happy, so yeah, I think it's fine."

    Trying his hardest not to blush, a wide grin spread across Wilder's lips. "Shut up. I'll come over."

    "Good."

    As the pair made their way into Crossley, they began their usual route to Frankie's first hour when Wilder was met with a harsh shoulder bump. Turning around to see who the culprit was, Carter Cowell, Tammy's on and off boyfriend, shot him a particularly nasty glance. The boy was tall and broad-shouldered, with greasy red hair and a set of crooked front teeth. He was an averagely talented catcher, with a knack for switching girlfriends every other day. Carter and Tammy had been in and out of a relationship for the past six months, yet they had a continuously possessive hold on each other regardless of who they were sleeping with. 

    "What the hell?" Wilder questioned as he watched Carter fade into the rest of the students.

    Frankie furrowed his brow. "Was that Tammy's boyfriend?"

    "Yeah, forgot he even went here. He's a nobody."

    "Well, looks like you're on his radar now. Did you hook up with Tammy when they were together?"

    Chewing on the inside of his lip, Wilder followed Frankie down the hallway. "She didn't mention him. Also- we just kissed, I didn't get with her or anything."

    Clearly annoyed, Frankie hooked his thumbs around the outsides of his backpack straps. "Well, you did enough for her to flip her shit."

    "She was the one who pursued me! I said something to Rory one time, asking if anyone liked me, and then the next day I had Tammy all over me."

    Before stepping inside of his classroom, Frankie turned to Wilder, nudging him on the arm. "Just don't get yourself into anything stupid. He's not worth it."

    Saluting him with two fingers, Wilder half smiled as he made his way back towards his first class. When he took his seat, he decided to brush off the threat and actually try to focus on his work. The day passed quickly, Wilder noticed, once he took part in-class activities and finished the papers he was assigned. He had performed considerably well in class, and most of his teachers were delighted as they recognized his sudden change in attitude. When the final bell had rung, Wilder packed up his things and hurried out towards Crossley High's greenhouse. A five minute walk away from the football field, the Environmental Club met in the field between the conservatory and the up and coming garden. As Wilder entered the gathering area, he noticed that several heads turned his way. He reminded himself to soften up as he forced a smile at the onlookers. Scanning the grass, his eyes settled on a lanky girl with a clipboard. Approaching her, he noticed that she was fairly pretty, with wavy blonde hair and honey brown eyes. Scratching the back of his head, he took a breath.