Between Us - Craig Tucker x Reader

Chapter 3: Study Hall

« ─── ⋅ weeks after last chapter⋅ ─── »

"I hate school." I complain to Kyle.

"who doesn't," Kyle responds.

The two of you leave your history class together as Kyle follows you to your locker.

"what do you have next?" he asked.

you stare inside your locker blankly before replying him. "study hall, I think.."

"bummer, thought we'd have the same class today"

"yeah.. I wonder why they changed some parts of our schedule today" you wondered aloud.

"beats me," he replied.
"I'll see you later, Y/n" he smiled.

you hum in response, returning the smile before turning away to walk to your next 'class'.

You enter the classroom of study hall, taking a seat at the table in the corner beside a window. You slouch in your seat with a heavy sigh. After the bell rings, the teacher takes attendance before retreating to their desk to do nothing. The class immediately does whatever they want. The room is filled with small talk from groups.

You take out your overdue homework and your book, starting it. Someone pulls out the chair beside you. You look up to see craig on his phone. You turn your full attention to him but seeing as they had their phone out, frantically texting someone, you don't pry. You turn your attention back to your paper. Craig notices the paper out infront of you.

"Isn't that the homework due this morning?" He questions.

You glance at him and the paper infront of you before replying, "um, maybe?"
"wait, how'd you know this was due before? we don't have any classes together in the morning." you added.

"yeah we do. you sit infront of me."

"no one sits behind me?"

"I do. I just don't attend class often."

"oh"

Craig notices the various erased writing.
"Are you having trouble with it?"

"Yeah," you admit, "I was gonna ask my friend for help but they were busy and I didn't want to bother them."

"Let me help," Craig digs through his bags for his calculator.

"what? uh. you sure?" you asked, surprised at his offer

"yeah. you helped me before so uh.. think of this as a thank you."

"...thanks"

He nods in response.

He scoots his seat a little closer to you and slide the worksheet in between you two. "So what are you struggling on?" He asks.

"This whole section on standard deviation," you tap it with your pencil, "I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"..Let me see" Craig looks over what work is done. You watch him trace your paper with the eraser head as he scans over your writing. "So that's what you did.." he says with a slight judgmental tone, to you atleast.

"shit, am I that bad?" you question.

"relax, it's just a little mistake," he chuckles.
"you're using the wrong equations with some of the problems."

"ohh"

Craig writes a new equation under one of the problems, "you're suppose to use the population one not the sample equations."

"what's the difference?" you ask.

"The sample is a statistic while a population is a parameter. you understand?" He meets your eyes.

"kinda,"

"want my notes?"

"thought you didnt attend class much, how do you have notes?"

"my friends,"

"ah"

"so?"

"yeah, that would be nice." you smile.

He pulls out his notebook from his bag then flips through the pages to find the right ones for you. They slide the notebook towards you. "thanks." you offer a small smile as he hums in response. Craig leaves you to do your homework which after a few minutes you surprisingly finish. You put away the paper as you plan on turning it in once the day is over. You close Craigs notebook, sliding it back to them. He looks up from his phone at the notebook then to you.

"Done?" they take the book off the table to put it away.

"mhm, thanks to you" you smile at him.

He stares at you for few seconds before nodding then looking back at his phone.
you prop you arms on the table, placing your chin on your hands. You look around the room and your eyes stops at the clock. "hm" you hum. your eyes land on the yellow eyed man beside you who was scrolling on his phone. His chulo hat was tilted a little to the side, his brows were slightly furrowed, his eyes looked somewhat gentle. Craig meets your gaze before you turn away.

« ─── ⋅⋅ ─── »

The bell rings, releasing the student from school. You say goodbye to wendy and the girls before heading out the school. As you step outside you see Kyle.

"Hey Y/n," He smiles sweetly.

"Hi Kyle," You greet back.

"wanna walk home together?"

"you sure? your house is a little far from mines,"

"I don't mind, I'm stopping by Stans house anyway." He reassures.

"alright," you offer another smile.

As you both were about to walk away from school, someone calls your name.

"Y/n!" A slightly monotone voice calls you.

You turn around to see craig walk to you,
"your uh. pen." He holds up your pen.

"oh! thanks craig," you grin while thanking him, as he gives you your pen. "I must've left it behind while in study hall." you chuckle a little.

"..you did" he stares at you as you stare back. "Is that all, Craig?" you ask, His brows furrow slightly. was his cheeks flushed or was it the lighting?

"uh, yeah."
"bye." he walks away to the student parking lot.

"what was that?"

You turn and look up at Kyle. His brows were furrowed. "He just brought back my pen," you answered.

"uh huh." He stares at craig.

"um.. lets go?"

"oh, yeah yeah lets go" he looks at you and offers a small smile as you two start walking to your house.