All The Way

LET'S CONTINUE, WHAT SAY?

|10|

"No, that is the frequency of gamma rays. Why do you keep messing it up?". It is becoming so hard for me to control the venom dripping from my words. Why, just why did I think that it was a good idea to invite James to study with me? Lord, I didn't even invite him, he invited himself. Or did I leave the conversation open for him to join if he wanted to? God, I'm blaming it all on the Fernet-Branca. Definitely.

"Even if I change it with what you think is right, we're still getting the wrong answer, aren't we." the deadpan expression he's giving me seriously makes me want to smack him in the head.

"Let's just look at the book again, alright?"

"Lemme suggest something better, let's take a break.", he says, almost laying flat on the floor with his arms folded behind his head.

I turn my body slightly to my right, face him, and try to be as subtly nice as I can be, "We haven't even done the first 10 questions yet. I don't know, nor do I care, what you have planned out to try and pass physics but I'm not letting you and your stubborn ass interrupt me anymore."

Saying this, I turn back towards my book, which is splattered open on the floor along with my notebook and a few pencils. I pick up my notebook, which happens to have doodled candy bars all over its cover, similar to the one I gave to James about an hour ago. The minute he saw it, he couldn't shut up about how I have the stationery of a 10-year-old girl. I did smack his head with the same notebook to shut his trap. I had no idea, for sure, that THE JAMES ALARIE could talk so much. He's a completely different person from what he is in front of his gang of minions. That doesn't mean it has become easier to tolerate him though. The jackass still annoys the fuck out of me and doesn't let one moment slip by where he doesn't pester me.

Looking down at the question in front of me, the numbers all jumble up with the words and everything starts to fuse. Jesus, how will I ever get valedictorian if I don't even pass physics?

Sighing, I lean my back on the wooden shelf and close my eyes. Sometimes I feel like we study shit that won't even be useful to us. I mean, yes, I get it that physics is needed for calculating all the weather complications, space communications, and all. But what has all of this got to do with me? I just want to pass high school with a scholarship that pays for my college and then cause a catastrophe in the business world by becoming a hot-ass businesswoman. Is that too much to ask for?

"Thinking about ways to cheat your way through it, are you" he whispers, so close to my ear that I get startled. Shocked by the sudden disruption, I look to his side to find him laughing, like full-on giggling, with hands on his abdomen.

"No, I was thinking about 100 ways to strangle you. What the fuck Alarie, what has gotten into you" I say, whisper-yelling at him.

"You bring out the worst in me I guess," he says, shrugging his shoulders in a joking manner.

"Same James. Same" The way I said the comment shut him off. All the rage between us becomes static, bringing over an awkward silence. I raise my head to find him already staring at me. Then, as if a light switch went off in his head, he says "let's continue with the 20 questions, what say?"

To say the least that I'm baffled would be an understatement. How does this guy go from being a serious jock to being such a playful fella within seconds?

"And why would I agree to that, James," I ask, raising my eyebrows in question.

"Because you're just as stuck as I am at these stupid questions, and we can both use a break."

"No."

"C'mon Jones, don't be a bloody wanker now."

"Who even uses the word wanker nowadays?" I ask him with a monotonous tone.

"I do. Now c'mon Bonnie, don't be so difficult. Harmless questions only."

I take a minute to think. I did agree the last time, and even though he stormed off in the middle of it, I still had fun knowing things about him that I never did. I guess always rivaling him made me only aware of his obnoxious traits.

"Fine, but no cold shoulder in between questions this time. If you want to act like we never had a decent conversation by the morning, sure do it, I'll do it too. But don't you dare just up and leave. It's quite annoying."

"Aww, you didn't like me leaving?" he asks, pouting at me like a child.

"Of course not, you asshole. But I do have self-respect."

"Yeah, sorry about last time," he says, grimacing.

"Alright, am I suddenly hallucinating, or are you really apologizing to me?" The shock of it surprises me a lot. I might really be hallucinating though. This can't be real, can it?

"Don't make me repeat myself, Jones" he says, rolling his eyes.

Getting up from where he is sitting, he goes and plants himself opposite me so that we are facing each other. "So, are you this bitchy with everyone, or is it just me?"

"What type of question is that?" I say, taking another sip from my flask.

"Just answer," he says. With a grin plastered on his face.

"Just you Alarie. Just you. My turn now. Are you high? You're acting like a completely different person. It's like the Thomas Alarie we know exists in a parallel universe." I ask, a giggle slipping through my mouth.

The deadpan expression he gives me is something I'm so used to but still enjoy. Rolling his eyes at me (he's been doing that a lot lately), he says, "I'm a genuinely very introverted person, a hard nut to crack. But if you know me enough, you'll know that I can be quite entertaining." He looks at the flask set on the floor between us and asks, "Can I try that?"

"No. And what are you saying that I, your nemesis, your literal rival, cracked your nut? Absolutely ridiculous." Ignoring what I said just seconds ago, he picks up the flask and takes a long sip anyways. Groaning in delight at the just, he says, "Wow, what is this? And to answer your question, unfortunately, with the amount of time we spend together, bickering and fighting, you already cracked the nut a long time ago."

Saying this, he takes another long sip and sets the flask back in its place. With nothing to say, I pick up the flask and take a sip myself to try and diffuse the awkwardness of not knowing what to say anymore.

"I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again"

The speed with which at raise my head to look at him might cause a strain on my neck. "Loki? You know marvel?", I ask, bewildered by the turn of events.

"Who doesn't?", he says, shrugging his shoulders.

Wow, what else did I not know about James? It feels like I'm meeting him for the first time all over again. And it does pain me to insinuate that I might be enjoying our meetings more than I should. How can I not, he just brought up marvel......there's no way I'm backing down now.

"You can never be a god," I say, with a deadpan expression.

The laugh that escapes him echoes around the room. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get me started on-"

This might be the first time we've talked for so long without wanting to snap each other in half. We talk about our favorite characters, our childhood tv cartoons, and whatnot, passing the flask of Fernet between us until it's almost empty. It's like I'm laying myself bare for him to look at, but instead of mocking me for my childish tastes, he joins my awkwardness by telling me all about his embarrassing likings. Apparently, he had a big crush on Peppa pig when he was four. I feel like I might start actually liking him as a human being.

Good heavens, I'm going crazy.

♡

A/N: Jeez, almost 1500 words. I can't believe I wrote all that!! Do vote the story if you liked it, it would mean the world to me:))