𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

Act XXXV

We had no teacher in jazz today so here. Have another chapter, loves <3

Also!! This chapter references No Reason from Beetlejuice the Musical, so I suggest listening to it if you've never heard it before so you have an idea of what's going on! /lh/nf

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Jimmy felt much better the next day and went to school, while Daniel stayed home again with Lizzie.

Jimmy was grabbing things from his locker when he saw Scott and Zach talking across the hall. It didn't look like they were fighting, but Scott didn't seem too happy either. He caught himself staring at them, though not before Scott's eyes met his own. Half flustered, Jimmy turned his attention back to his locker. When he closed it and started for his next class, he was met face-to-face with Scott.

"Gah-" Jimmy stepped backward, startled by Scott's sudden appearance. It was awkward for a moment - they both stood there, waiting for the other person to do something. "Where were you?" Jimmy asked finally.

Scott glanced away. "Ms. Gold's house," he answered, then looked back at Jimmy. "Where were you?"

"I was sick."

Scott nodded and laughed a bit. "Was that another excuse to get out of dealing with me?" he tried to joke, but it didn't quite land.

"No," Jimmy said firmly. "I was actually sick. I had a fever, and I-"

"I was just joking," Scott interrupted, rolling his eyes. "No need to get all defensive."

Jimmy huffed and did his best to look upset, though he looked rather silly, especially with all the books in his arms. "Well, sorry that I've been worried about you because you didn't come home last night or the night before," he pouted. "And you didn't even bother to call or text me, either."

Scott quirked an unimpressed brow at Jimmy and took a sip of a Monster that Jimmy somehow just noticed. "Funny how you say that, yet just two days ago, you told me I was victimizing myself because you fractured and dislocated my shoulder." He shrugged. "Wonder why I didn't call you."

"Wha-" Jimmy shook his head. "You literally said you weren't mad at me but you still blamed me for it!"

"I mean, you did do it."

"But you said-"

"Jimmy, saying I'm not mad at you doesn't mean I don't blame you for something you did," Scott said. He sighed. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry I came off that way, okay? And I know it wasn't entirely your fault. You were just trying to help me." He looked away. "That's all I came over here for."

"Oh." Jimmy bit the inside of his lip, now feeling very awkward. "Uh... thank you?"

Scott looked back at the blonde. "That's it?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, maybe I was hoping you'd apologize," Scott said as he glanced around the hallway as if he didn't want to have to say it himself. He waited for a moment, then sighed again. "I thought so." He glanced behind him, most likely to where Zach was standing by the opposite wall. "I'm just gonna go, then." Scott waved a bit before starting to walk back toward Zach.

"Wait," Jimmy called, and Scott turned around. "You're still with Zach?"

Scott scoffed. "He's better than you."

"How?" Jimmy grimaced.

Scott gave him an insincere smile. "Because he actually apologized to me." With that, he returned to his boyfriend, leaving Jimmy very confused.