I Think I Just Legalized Love

Chapter 6

6

I wake up surprisingly about a half hour before my alarm goes off. I grab a new set of clothes and get in the shower. After showering, I get on black jeans, a button down, and red converse. I grab my backpack and walk downstairs to the kitchen. Through the window, I see my bus pull up, so I grab an apple and run outside. I get on just in time, and sit in the front like I usually do.

            I put my earbuds in from my phone and put All Time Low on. Ryan comes over and pushes my head into the window – hard; not extremely hard, but hard. I hold my hand to my head, and stare at him. I wait for someone to do something, to see if something in their minds changed because of last night, but they don’t do anything. It takes me second, actually, to realize it’s what they aren’t doing – laughing.

            “Looks like your show got old over night,” I say.

            The bus comes to stop by Abby’s house and I see her and Miles walk out. I get off the bus to join them. “Hey,” I say to Abby and Miles.

            “Hi,” Abby says. Miles puts and arm on my shoulders and drags me along with them. “Miles…” she says kind of quietly.

            “Huh? Oh right.” He turns toward me, taking his arm away. “Abby feels left out,” he says.

            “Yeah,” I say, “my mom told me that might be something I should ask you about. Sorry.”

            “No it’s fine, don’t worry about it. But I expect to be invited to the next party.” We all laugh for a second, and then start running to school.

I found a note in my locker. It was folded up small, but when I opened it, it wasn’t too small. It read:

            Jason, we promise you won’t be alone at lunch or beat up by Ryan anymore and that other crap.

            That was really all it said, but it was big because it was signed by a million people. I finish getting my books and head to class. On the way there, people say hi to me and I just half smile.

            I buy lunch fourth period and sit with Miles and Abby at a table. I haven’t sat in the cafeteria for a long time, and it seems weird. “So what happened at the party?” Abby asks.

            “Deface Ryan,” I say.

            “Spin the bottle,” Miles says. Abby gives him a weird look. “The Only-If-It’s-Okay version.” She rolls her eyes and starts eating again.

            “Singing contest,” I continue.

            “Either of you sing?” Abby asks.

            “Jason did. He was great!” I shake my head and start poking at my food. “Don’t lie, you know you were good.”

            “Yeah..., no.”

            Suddenly the people who watch us during lunch blow their whistle to get our attention and make us quiet. Melody hops onto one of the tables, and starts saying, “Do we all remember my party last night?” Everyone starts talking with each other about it. “Okay! Well since it looks like it’s gonna rain, than we can’t get outside. So I suggest that we have that singing contest again!” Everyone starts getting excited, and I spot Ryan a few tables over. He looks confused and the other football people act like they don’t know what’s going on either. Melody reads a list of people she wants to go, and I’m one of them.