𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 ( 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡 )

𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮-𝙨𝙞𝙭

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

in the eye of the storm

after that excruciating school day, my supposed boyfriend and i met behind the big tree, the one we had hidden behind before. we had hurriedly agreed to do so after that excruciating second period and i beat him to it by a few minutes, waiting alone while sitting against my backpack. 

when he finally arrived, i jumped to my feet, grabbed his hand, and pulled him down with me. it had to be at most forty five degrees outside. i let go of a block of ice. "are you okay?" i asked, rubbing my hands together.

"yes, i'm fine. now tell me everything that's happened since i saw you last," he said, sitting against his bag like i did.

"it was seemingly normal, but there were more interactions from some people i don't usually interact with, and less from some people i do," i explained. "for example, i dropped my pencil and it slid right next to jake's chair. and when i asked him to get it for me, he pretended like i wasn't there. and don't get me wrong, i don't mind him ignoring me, but i had to get out of my seat and draw more attention to myself from the rest of the class." i rolled my eyes aggressively, then happily asked, "what about you?"

"since we left chemistry, your theory about us being 'criminals' was confirmed. people were looking at me or talking about us like we've broken a law. even if we didn't, people here have made this building feel like a prison." he sighed a visible puff. "i'd rather be out here in the cold with you."

"shh! you can't be romantic on school grounds! someone might hear," i joked.

he smirked at me, then adjusted his position and lay down on the cold hard ground, looking oddly comfortable. "i'm gonna play sick tomorrow," he said.

"if you fall asleep out here, you won't have to pretend."

"today was exhausting. but i'm sure i'll be fine tomorrow. why don't we hang out then, just you and me," he suggested.

"you're not slick," i teased. "now that we know we like each other, you could just say that you're asking me out."

"oh. well, i was thinking just laid back, baking disaster free, one-on-one time. but if you want to make it a date under your dad's nose that's more than fine with me."

"ugh! my dad is so... so... difficult!" 

he sat up and looked at me so intensely i couldn't not look back. "i say you be difficult back. i don't wanna make you do what you don't want to, so you can still hide me and stuff. but now i know that you do want to make it a date, y'know? remember our deal? let's not waste any more time just because other people think it's better for us to."

i blinked a few times after pondering his overture, which i had concluded was completely correct. a deal could only run on loyalty and a mindset could only run on consistency. "okay. when and where?"