The Six Months Forgotten

Over

"Oh now he texts me back! My stripes!" I huff climbing down the ladder. Evie had helped me pick out tomorrow's outfit and I had gone back to working on painting my side of the room. Currently getting the main part on this last blank wall when who but Mr. No-text finally replies.

"Hasn't been talkative today?"

"Today and yesterday. I've been trying to get a hold of him since Scowl and I saw him in the garden." I say before relaying the events of the day prior.

I hadn't tried texting while Scowl was here, since I wanted to spend some time with him. Though after they left, I had texted Hayden to see if he wanted to have dinner together last night but got no response. At dinner I asked his friend group and they said he had skipped due to being sick. I then headed to the infirmary but heard that Ms. Merriwether hadn't seen him. After that I tried his room, for his roommate to say he was out with family so I decided to give up and just text him goodnight when I went to bed.

"I mean he could have said he was having a bad day and didn't want to be near anyone. I mean, I get it, but just. . . yeah. It was weird." I say before looking at my phone.

Hayden: Hey, we need to talk.

That's a scary sentence.

Me: About?

Hayden: We just need to talk.

"He's Mr. No-context either." I sigh, sliding my phone in my pocket. "Alright. I'll be back." I say before heading out. I start to head to the guys dorms but find Mr. No-want-talk.

"There you are! I've been trying to get a hold of you for the last half a day!"

"Yeah. Sorry, I've been busy." He says as we head into one of the lounges. Why don't students utilize these more? It's always empty in here.

"Right. So, what did you want to talk about?" I question as we sit on the couch.

"Well, to put it simply. I've been hearing some things today, about you and Doug's cousin."

"Dexter?"

"No the other one."

"Smiley?"

"No, it's a guy."

"Simper?"

"No the one from yesterday. That you were talking with in the garden."

"Oh you did see us! Yeah, yeah. That was Scowl. I called for you to come over, but you didn't seem to hear me." I pause before squinting, "Did you not hear me?"

"W—well I did, but it just looked like you two were having a lot of fun together, and I just— I didn't want to intrude."

"So is that what you were mad about?" I ask, "Hayden, I've told you, Scowl and I are only friends."

"Well, it didn't look like it, and with the new rumor and the added stuff, it's really starting to seem like you're more."

"And what's the new rumor this time?" I sigh. Honestly a few hundred something kids at this place and no one can mind their fluffing business.

"The one about you already dating Scowl, and you know what other stuff."

"No I don't actually. Please enlighten me."

"You know! The texting, spending all your time together, talking about him constantly—"

"I do not talk about him constantly." I huff, "I only talk about him when he pops up in conversation."

"Oh and one seems to pop up everyday?"

"Unfortunately yeah, because his cousin keeps bringing him up and since when does kicking the wind with a friend mean you're dating them?"

"I didn't say it meant that!" He stands and starts gesturing, "I'm just saying you'd rather hang out with him instead of anyone else!"

"That's not true!" I defend, jumping up as well, "I love spinning webs with any of my friends! And it's not like they're not welcome to splat in when he is around!"

"Could've fooled me! It's like you put him as your top priority every time he's near you!"

"Because I barely see him! I'd do the same if my Wonderland friends came for a Boingenanny! What? That mean I'm dating all of them too!?"

"No, but I'm sure you would probably date him rather than me wouldn't you?"

"No! Why on earth would you think that!?"

"Because you didn't want to go out with me in the first place!" He snaps for me to pause. He knows?

"It's true right?" He takes a breath, " You just said yes out of pity?"

"Pity? No." I pause as Blaze and Storm herd the thoughts together, "I said yes, because I knew if I didn't you would just keep pushing for one. And yeah, I was dreading going out.

"Yeah I thought—"

"I'm not finished." I hiss, "Okay? Yes. I was dreading it. Until Wednesday when you asked to start over. Obviously I believe in second chances so I said yes, and with you being more manners about everything, I actually started liking you. But I guess all of that was just a mask."

"It wasn't."

"Really? So you're not jealous of Scowl?"

"Well, yeah. I am, but only because I heard that you had started dating him after already saying yes to me!"

"And I've told you, I don't even like him that way! Okay? Where did you hear I was dating him?"

"My friends said they heard it from a few of their girlfriends who had talked to friends of yours last night! And friends don't spread lies about each other so it has to be true!"

"One of those 'friends' has been trying to set me and her cousin up for the past week! Even though both of us have told her multiple times that we're not interested!"

"Are you really though? Or are you just trying to date me to forget about your feelings for him!?"

"Believe me if I was trying to hide feelings for him, you and everyone in this blasted school would know! Okay!? I can show you our messages!" I pull out my phone, "There is nothing going on!"

"And how do I know that you didn't delete any messages from him!?"

"Because I don't do that!" I snap feeling my fangs sharpening. I take a breath. "Look Hayden. . . you have my word that nothing is going on between me and Scowl. Okay? Nothing."

He pauses, staring at the ground for what seemed like an eternity before finally sighing.

"Listen Cass, getting to know you was a blast. I'm thankful I did, but I can't take you out." I take a breath.

"Fine." I pause, pocketing my phone, "I guess I'll see you in safety class."

"Yeah." I head for the door.

"And Cass—" I stop and turn my head 180 degrees to see him step towards me. "I am sorry about this."

I turn my head back.

"I am too." I say before leaving. Where's Smiley?