the bet//[a.k.]

✦ ᴄʀʏʙᴀʙʏ ✦

"hey, y/n..." my friend, melanie, started. we were eating lunch and she stopped what she was ranting about to say my name.

"that's my name." i said, not looking up from my phone as i scrolled through tiktok.

"i don't wanna freak you out but-"

"why is awsten knight walking to our table?" our friend, lana, interrupted her. i snapped my head up and, sure enough, awsten was walking our way. he took a seat in front of me and smiled.

"hey. how's it going?" he greeted me, oh so casually.

"oh, hey. not bad, why aren't you sitting with your friends?" i asked him. he gave me a fake offended look.

"ugh, i thought we were friends. are you friendship breaking up with me?"

"yes, totally, this friendship is over. but, no, seriously, wouldn't you rather sit with your other friends?"

"nah, they'll be fine without me. unless you want me to go away, then i will obviously."

"no, stay." i assured him, internally cringing at how desperate i sounded. he just wore a smug grin and looked at my friends. i realized then i didn't introduce him to them. "oh and awsten, these are my friends, melanie and lana."

i waved to the two and they both mumbled hi's, looking at him skeptically. i was sure they were wondering why he, someone friends with all the popular assholes that bullied us when we were younger, was friends with me. i figured i would explain later.

"well, awsten you're pretty brave coming to hang out with us." lana told the blue haired boy. "i'm sure your little friends are talking shit as we speak."

"i genuinely don't really care. they can't police who i'm friends with." awsten replied. lana smirked.

"how cute." she said.

"awsten, you've gotta tell me, what hair dye do you use?" melanie asked awsten. he chucked.

"it's manic panic. you should check it out." he told her. i giggled.

"yeah, she probably should. mel here likes to use splat. " i called my friend out. awsten cringed.

"oh god, how do you even get that out? it's like fabric dye." he asked her. she shrugged.

"i just dye over it honestly." she admitted.

"and yet you wonder why your hair falls out." lana commented.

"you guys are being mean, i'm gonna cry." melanie said. i knew that if crybaby came out it'd take forever to console her so i went into defense mode.

"mel, we're just picking on your choice of hair dye, please don't cry." i pleaded. i wrapped her into a hug and lana sighed. it was like being friends with a toddler in an almost 16 year old girl's body. but, we loved her.

"was she really about to cry?" awsten asked me. i nodded.

"she's sensitive." i informed him. he nodded.

"understandable."

*beep*

the bell rang and we all got up, grabbing our things.

"i'll sit with you guys tomorrow, if that's cool?" awsten asked. lana and melanie nodded in agreement and i smirked.

"that's if you don't want to go back to your besties." i said. he snorted.

"nah, i'll just sit with you guys instead." he assured me.

"i'll be counting on it."

"you won't be let down."

two weeks later

awsten continued to sit with us each day for the past two weeks. of course, his friends hounded on him to go back to his table but he insisted on sitting with us. "you guys have more personality than them." he always told us. melanie then freaked him out by telling him about the time she made poisoned cookies.

"where's mel and lana?" awsten asked, sitting down at our lunch table. it was the friday before winter break and then we'd have a week off.

"mel stained her face purple with this makeup she, and i quote, 'created'. and, lana just stayed home because she knew we weren't gonna do much today." i informed him. he nodded, taking one of my french fries.

"sounds like them." he said with his mouth full. i gave him a look.

"you have your own french fries, you know."

"they aren't fries they're chips, you filthy american." awsten replied with the worst fake british i had ever heard. i just rolled my eyes and laughed at him.

"yeah, okay." i said.

"i want to go to the uk some day. not there specifically but everywhere, honestly. i want to travel." awsten told me. i nodded in acknowledgement.

"that sounds cool. travelling is cool. i wouldn't mind doing it myself to be honest."

"ha, you could go with me. would be nice to have someone to travel with me."

"i'm not against the idea. friends travel together all the time."

awsten seemed to slightly cringe but i just brushed it off as we talked more. however, awsten seemed to get anxious about something. before i could ask him what's up, he eventually just let it out.

"hey, you know izzy's, right?" awsten asked me. my brain lagged for a moment and then i realized what he was talking about.

"the diner at 2nd street?" i responded. he nodded. "yeah, melanie, lana, and i used to go there after school almost every day in 7th grade."

"well, i heard they had some sick ass milkshakes and i was wondering if you'd go with me to check them out?" awsten asked me. i nodded, nonchalantly.

"yeah, sure. i'll call lana and melanie and see if they want to go too because we haven't been in forever."

"no, y/n, that's not..."

awsten turned a bit red as he rubbed his face. i just looked at him, confusedly. truthfully, i was confused. was i just slow in the head?

"i'm confused, awsten." i admitted.

"y/n, i'm asking you on a date." awsten clarified. i felt my cheeks heat up as i smiled. oh.

"you want to go on a milkshake date with me at izzy's?" i asked him.

"if you'd have me, yes." he agreed.

"i'd love to, aws."

i saw a look of relief flash on awsten's face. it made me quite happy. weeks ago i didn't think awsten would ever look my way and now the two of us were going to go on a date.

"so, can i pick you up tomorrow at 3?" awsten asked me.

"that works perfect." i confirmed with a smile. we both just stared at each other and smiled for a few more moments.

*beep*

"guess that's our cue. talk to you later?" awsten asked.

"of course. text me." i replied. i grabbed my things and exited the cafeteria.

i walked to history class feeling particularly giddy that day.