Misfits (#2)

30.

Taylor Ivers has a heart of gold. I'm pretty sure he's had a crush on Aurelie since we were all in middle school together. Always pursuing her, always there for her to fall back on.

I am a firm believer that love is freaking adorable. I love witnessing it between other people but the hurt that comes with it, I'm not so much of a fan.

Everest's standing by my side, sweaty and pulling on his shirt after the practice they just finished. He looks down to me, "Do you want me to come with you?"

I shake my head, lifting my chin, "I'm okay. Gotta be strong."

It's been a few days since the party, since Everest drove me home and snuck into the manor and tucked me in. He wanted to make sure I was okay after everything that had happened. With him there, I fell asleep pretty quickly.

I haven't had the nerve to face Aurelie since, nor do I want to. I avoid any parts of school I know she's usually located and don't have it in me to answer any of her relentless texts. I can't get the sickening feeling out of my stomach, thinking about the two weeks of secrecy.

Why him? She's Aurelie Blanc, able to lure anybody. Why Dean? When she has a sweet boy that's protected and chased her since they were little kids. I've always loved my best friend but she's hurt more than just me. He has feelings too.

How can she so easily dismiss everything Dean inflicts on other people? It makes me question her morality more than I ever have. I don't know how I'm supposed to go back to before. I don't know how to even start picking up the shattered fragments of trust.

Taylor's been my friend since we were little too, always sticking up for me when I couldn't for myself. He knows what happened.

Everest clears his throat.

I look up at him.

He raises his eyebrow, "You're shitting yourself, huh?"

"What if he's sad?" I turn to him, eyes wide, "Or what if I stupidly cry. And then my crying causes him to cry? I've never seen Taylor crying. But most boys look like sad little puppies when they cry and I just- I don't want to see him sad."

"Sweetheart, I don't think you like seeing anybody sad." He looks down to me, stifling a smile, "You could sympathise for a fucking rock."

"Okay, that was a horrible analogy. Rocks," I point, "Have sad existences. Walked all over, thrown into water-"

"Vy."

I pinch my eyes shut to try and get back on track. I sigh and run a hand through my hair, "Right. I can do this."

I stare at the bleachers, where Taylor's pulling on his t-shirt. If I try hard enough, maybe I could deduce whether he's sad from his body language. I squint, trying to figure out if his shoulders are slumped, or if his jaw is clenched, or if-

"I can't do this." I turn around.

Everest spins me back in place, clearly amused when he taunts like he's talking to a kid, "Well then your pretty little daffodil will go to waste."

I glare, "Stop teasing me about the daffodil."

He tries to hold back his laugh but it doesn't work. I was sort of rambling to Ev when we were walking over and at the corner of the field, there was a little patch of daffodils. I can't go wrong with a daffodil. If he's sad, it might make him less so. That was my theory, anyways but Ev's been concealing a smile the longer I twirl the stem of the daffodil between my fingers. So now I feel like an idiot.

"Taylor!" Everest yells and before I can stop it, Tay looks back and spots us. I crystallise in place for a moment before Ev nudges me, "Babe, smile that smile of yours and hand him a daffodil and he'll have no choice but to feel better."