UGH DECADES ▸ EIGHTIES IMAGINES

i. andrew clarke

why am i even here? mr. elder's question was written completely wrong on the board, but i guess he didn't like being called out in front of his entire class. but was it really the right call to send me to detention on a saturday?

i was partly relieved that i wasn't the only one stuck in the library on a saturday. i knew brian from a few of our shared honors classes so i had taken the seat next to him, sharing quick smiles towards eachother as i set my belongings down.

later on, the rules started to be ignored and after a stressful run through out the hallways, we had finished with what we smuggled in to the library in brian's underwear. when the high was starting to fade, andrew starting sharing why he was in detention.
after listening to andrew's story, i shared my story.

"i have all these plans thrown on me from my parents on getting into these good schools. i have to take certain classes they allow, my evenings have been spent at SAT prep  you know, i think this is the first weekend that i actually have done something other than some shitty essay prompt. i can't even live a normal life because im stuck living out what parents missed out on because they had me when they were in the first year of college. they had to drop out and take care of me. and they always tell me that. i was the one who ruined their life, so they are trying to live it through me. i dont even want to go to college." i sniffle, looking at everyone else after avoiding their eyes when i was talking.

andrew offers me a small smile. "looks like we both got parents who want to live through us." which makes you chuckle, wiping the tears away from your eyes.

"seems like our parents should get together and go bowling." bender says, giving a quick laugh towards you and andrew, knowing that your parents are pretty shitty.

"sometimes i wish my knee would just give." andrew says. "then he could forget all about me"

"your friends wouldn't mind because they look up to us." claire chimes in softly. brian lets out a huff.

"you're so conceited, claire. your so like, full of yourself. why are you like that?" brian wipes away tears in his eyes.

"i'm not saying anything conceited!" claire yells back, tears filling her eyes. "i hate it, i hate having to go along with everything my friends say."

"then why?"

"i don't know. i don't. you don't get it. you're not friends with the same kind of people andy and i are friends with." claire motions to andrew. andrew moved his hand on the library floor, accidentally on top of your hand. he starts to move but you put your other hand on top of his and give a squeeze. both of your eyes filling with tears, some already falling. "you know. you just don't understand - the pressure they can put on you."

i don't understand what?" brian asks. "you think i don't understand pressure, claire?" well fuck you! fuck you!" brian starts to sob, covering his face in his elbow. "you know why i'm here today? do you?! i'm here because mr ryan found in a gun in my locker."

"why did you have a gun in your locker, brian?" you ask softly.

"i tried. you pull and the lights supposed to go on."

"what's the gun for?" you move away from andrew and closer to brian.

"forget it."

"you brought it up man." andrew says.

"i had an F. i can't have an F. my parents can't have it. even if i ace the rest of the semester, everything is ruined. i'll still have a b."

"no brian, killing yourself isn't an option."  claire says.

"well i didn't do it! did i? i don't think so."

"it was a hand gun?" allison asks.

"no it was a flare gun. it went off in my locker." he looks away.

andrew starts to laugh making you hit him in the shoulder.

"it's not funny" brian closes his eyes.

andrew clears his throat but keeps laughing. brian admits it is which makes the rest of you crack smiles and start to laugh.

"you wanna know what i did to get in here?" allison asks. "nothing. i didn't have anything better to do."

you laugh and turn into andrew's arm to hide how funny the situation was becoming. soon, all of you are in fits of laughter, finally releasing the tension and weight all of you were holding because of shitty parents.

"maybe our parents should all get together." you say, laughing even harder. andrew smiles at you, and you realize how close you are to him, you haven't even thought twice while you were laughing but now, a heat comes over your cheeks, blushing.

"oh come on y/n, what do you want to do?" andrew asks later on in the day. "you said you don't want to go to college, so

"what do you want to do?"

"it's stupid." you shake your head, chuckling as you walk through an aisle of books.

"it's not stupid. i really want to know." andrew says softly, walking right behind you.

"you really want to know?" you turn around sharply, not realizing how close he actually was. you blush but keep talking. "i want to go into film. i want to be a director or an editor. i love movies but my parents think it's a waste."

"i don't think it's stupid." he whispers.

"oh really?" you ask, folding your arms and looking away. the blush coming back from earlier.

"yes really. i think you could be the next hitchcock or spielberg."

"now i know you're lying." you move to walk away from him but he grabs your arm.

"i'm really not y/n, you're super smart. you can do anything you put your mind to. and you've already said it yourself, you're parents are trying to live through you. forcing you to do everything they did and more. choose what you want to do." he smiles.

"if it's not sports, what do you want to do?" you turn the conversation towards him.

"honestly i have no idea. ive been so focused on wrestling that i hadn't given it much thought."

"that's okay. we are still in high school." you smile and laugh.

"you're right." he smiles back. "you have anything going on after this today?"

your blush gets hotter. "i don't, why?"

"good." he crashes his lips into yours. "we are going to do on. a date." he smiles after he pulls away.

"why do you just assume i would say yes?" you smirk.

"does 5:30 work? i'll pick you up." he smirks back.

"that time works for me." your smirk turns into a grin and you kiss him again. "i'm going to go help brian write the essay. see you."

authors note - it's almost been 10 years since this book was first published 😳 i was 14 years old when it was published and was what helped me learn more of a writing style. this imagine is probably one of my better written ones tbh, just because i've learned so much. thank you to everything who has read this through out the years.