𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕𝚜

a glitch in the game, i loop like a bug

[7o'clock - Penelope Scott]

[11]

        The dimned room was full of bright, neon hues hung from the ceiling, filling up the cramped cafeteria to a brim with an element of tamed chaos you and your peers found yourselves craving. Two large speakers sat atop a black platform at the very front, pumping the music through the hot and heavy air. The school only really played bad Kids Bop stuff, but it was better than nothing. The walls are linned with the plastic chairs typically found in your classrooms- right were you sat- away from the kids. They crashed into the walls as the jumped and 'dances', like violent waves, mercilessly wrecking the peaceful, sandy shore. 

        You bounced your leg, feeling the almost completely detached sole of your shoe hitting the floor, and biting at the dead skin around your nail. You were never particularly a fan of parties-- the loud music, the crowds, the headaches, everything. After the  Halloween dance back in October, you promised yourself you'd never waste ten dollars on another ticket again. Obviously, you're not very good at keeping promises. Your friends had just about dropped to their knees, begging you to come with them, and what were supposed to do then? All it took in the end to chip away at the last bit on your stubbornness was a tender clasping of your hands, and round puppy dog eyes. Before you knew it, Jace had dubbed you their "platonic date."  

       You'd been regretting agreeing to them the second you had stepped into the cafeteria. For the last ten minutes that you've been here, you've been thinking up excuses for leaving early. You even typed, deleted, and retyped the same text to your mom over and over. Just as you were about to grab your phone to finally send that text, Jace grabbed your attention. 

        "Hey," they greet. "I got us some snacks!" They hold out your favorite drink and a bag of chips. You take them, and thank Jace with a greatful smile.

        You put the chip bag on your leg, and open up your drink. You take a few sips before closing it back up, and tucking it between your legs. "Where's Vic?" You ask, surveying the crowd.

        Jace responds with a clearly displeased sigh. "With her other friends."

        "Oh." Vic's other friend group became a bit of a sore subject withen your own little posse. Lets just say they're dicks. The issue arose back in sixth grade, and now two years later, it still wasn't resolved. They picked on Jace most of all. I mean, Blue hair AND pronouns? In this undisclosed small town? As far as everyone-- including the teachers-- were concerned, they had it coming. 

        "Eh," They continue, seeing your smile drop. "It's whatever. We still have eachother, and we always will."

        You smile at the thought.

        "What do you mean?" 

       "Just-" He seems to be fighting with himself about how he should word this atrocious info dump. "We need to talk."

        "Talk about what....?" Your heart started to race, something deep in your head telling you to hang up, run, throw your damn phone out the window to solve the problem entirely, because every other time you've ran away frim your problem, that had solved everything. The line goes silent. Too silent- and for too long. You start to wonder if he had acted on your instincts. "Ben?"

       "Something! Alright?" He spits. You flinch at his brutal inflection- nothing like you've ever gotten from him before. Sure, rage quits, and partially friendly yelling matches over Uno, or Monopoly, but nothing like that absolute rancor that he had shown you for but a moment. He takes a breath, realizing. "I need you to trust me, alright? You trust me, don't you?"