Heartstrings | Johnny Lawrence x (y/n) | 1984 |

| 11 | Jealousy

The next day at school, you kept your distance from Johnny. You felt raw, like any moment your emotions might betray you, so instead, you threw yourself into your day. The Cobras noticed something was off between the two of you, but you brushed off their questions with a forced smile and a quick change of subject. Johnny, however, was hard to ignore — his presence felt like a magnet, drawing your eyes to him despite yourself. But you avoided him, keeping conversations short and interactions even shorter.

At lunch, you sat with the Cobras, chatting with them as if nothing had changed, laughing at their jokes and making small talk. But Johnny's gaze was on you the entire time, and you could feel the weight of it, intense and unyielding. He was watching you closely, frustrated that you were giving everyone else your attention, everyone but him.

Then, as if to make matters worse, a guy from your history class, Ryan, stopped by your table, flashing you a friendly grin. "Hey, (Y/N)," he greeted, looking a little too enthusiastic. "I was wondering if you'd still be interested in helping me with that project?"

You could feel Johnny's gaze sharpen from across the table, and though you'd usually brush Ryan off with a quick answer, today, you decided to lean into it. "Sure, Ryan," you replied, smiling at him. "Just let me know when you're free."

Johnny's jaw clenched. He stood up, ignoring the curious looks from the rest of the Cobras as he walked around the table and positioned himself between you and Ryan. "(Y/N) and I actually have plans after school," he said, his voice low and possessive.

You glared up at Johnny, refusing to let him intimidate you. "No, we don't," you replied, folding your arms over your chest. "Not anymore."

Ryan looked uncomfortable, glancing between the two of you. "Uh, I'll... catch you later, (Y/N)." He quickly walked off, sensing the tension.

The moment Ryan was gone, Johnny turned his attention back to you. "What's going on with you?" he demanded, his voice barely hiding the frustration simmering beneath it. "You've been ignoring me all day, and now you're talking to some other guy?"

You scoffed, shaking your head. "So what if I am, Johnny? It's not like we're anything official. Or did that change last night when you let Ali throw herself all over you?"

Johnny's face hardened, a mix of frustration and jealousy flashing in his eyes. He crossed his arms, narrowing his gaze at you. "So that's how it is now? You're just going to run off with some random guy to prove a point?"

You rolled your eyes, determined not to let him see how much he was getting under your skin. "Ryan is not some random guy, he's just a friend. Besides, if it bothers you so much, maybe you should think about how it feels to watch Ali hanging all over you."

Johnny looked away, clenching his jaw. You could tell he was trying to keep his cool, but the jealousy was clear on his face. "Ali was nothing. I told you that. But you..." His voice dropped to a low, rough whisper. "You know you're different."

Before you could respond, one of the Cobras, Dutch, sauntered over with a smirk, clearly amused by the tension between you and Johnny. "Everything good here?" he asked, looking back and forth between you two. "Johnny, you seem a little... tense."

Johnny shot him a warning glare. "Mind your own business, Dutch."

But Tommy and Bobby had also joined the scene, clearly entertained by the drama unfolding in front of them. Tommy leaned in, grinning. "So, (Y/N), you're ditching us for some other guy? Man, Johnny must be slippin'."

You threw your hands up, exasperated. "It's just a school project! Not that any of you care, apparently."

Bobby chuckled, nudging Johnny's shoulder. "You know, Johnny, if you don't want to lose her, maybe you should show her how much she means to you. Actions speak louder than words, right?"

Johnny's expression darkened as he looked down at you, his gaze intense. You could tell he was struggling to keep his cool in front of his friends. "Fine," he muttered, taking a step closer to you, the space between you shrinking. "You want to hang out with Ryan? Go ahead. But don't come running back to me when he doesn't know half the things I do about you."

You scoffed, crossing your arms as you glared up at him. "Maybe I will hang out with Ryan, Johnny. Who knows? Maybe I'll even go out with him. At least he actually seems interested enough to ask me out instead of playing games."

Johnny's jaw clenched, and his eyes flashed with anger and something else — hurt, maybe, buried beneath all that jealousy. He stepped even closer, his voice low and tense. "You wouldn't. Not just to get back at me. I know you're mad, but don't even think about it."

You lifted your chin, refusing to back down. "Why not? Since you're so comfortable with Ali hanging all over you, maybe I should see what it's like to have someone who actually appreciates me." You could feel the heat rising in your face, a mix of anger and frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Johnny's fists clenched at his sides, and he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Oh, so this is about payback, huh? Real mature, (Y/N). Real loyal of you."

"Loyal?" you shot back, disbelief lacing your tone. "Don't talk to me about loyalty when you let Ali cling to you every chance she gets. You didn't seem to mind when she was practically draping herself over you last night!"

Johnny looked like he was barely holding himself together, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "It wasn't like that, and you know it. Ali was just... I don't even know! But it wasn't what you think, okay?"

You shook your head, feeling a bitter ache in your chest. "Maybe I don't know anything anymore. Maybe I don't even know what we are, Johnny. Maybe Ryan could give me some clarity on that."

That last line hit Johnny hard. His face turned red with anger, and he took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "You really think some guy like Ryan could be enough for you?" he muttered, his voice rough with jealousy. "Fine. Go ahead. See if he even comes close."

The Cobras, who had been watching from a few steps away, exchanged uneasy glances. Dutch tried to interject, raising a hand as if to calm things down. "Hey, come on, you two. This is getting a little—"

But you didn't let Dutch finish. You shook your head, your eyes narrowing at Johnny. "Maybe I will. Maybe I deserve someone who isn't constantly making me question where I stand. And maybe Ryan wouldn't treat me like I'm just... some game to be won."

Johnny's face twisted, his voice almost a whisper. "You really think that's all you are to me? Just some game?"

Your heart clenched at the look in his eyes, but you were too angry, too frustrated to let it sway you. "I don't know what to think, Johnny. Because you won't tell me. All I know is I'm tired of feeling like I'm second place to everyone else in your life."

Without waiting for his response, you turned on your heel and stormed off, ignoring the worried looks from the Cobras and the low murmurs as they watched you go. You could feel Johnny's gaze burning into your back, but you refused to turn around, refusing to let him see the tears stinging your eyes.

Behind you, Johnny stood frozen, his fists still clenched, his jaw set tight. Dutch, looking between the two of you, frowned, nudging Johnny's shoulder. "Man, you better fix this. She's really upset."

Johnny barely acknowledged him, still staring after you with a look of frustration and regret. He let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head. "Yeah," he muttered, voice low and rough. "But I don't even know how to fix it if she won't listen."

Bobby put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a serious look. "Maybe start by telling her what she means to you, man. Before she decides Ryan is actually worth her time."

Johnny's eyes narrowed, his jealousy flaring up again. The thought of you even considering Ryan made his blood boil. "That's not happening," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "No way I'm letting that happen."

But as he stood there, watching you walk away, he realized he might have to do more than just claim you as his. He might actually have to show you how much you meant to him — before it was too late.