game on | lucaya

t h i r t e e n

shortstacks and sundaes

_____

"How," I ask, my breaths coming out as irregular pants, "did we get stuck in this situation?"

"I think I should be asking you that," he replies, narrowing his eyes at me as he blows out a shaky breath, a weak attempt to warm his hands.

"I absolutely hate you."

"The feeling's mutual, Shortstack."

How did we get into this situation, you must be wondering. Or what situation we are even in? Well, the only sensible thing to do now is to tell you how this entire thing started.

"Hey Cowboy, want to go for ice cream? The usual squad's going," I ask Lucas once he enters the classroom. "I hear this new ice cream parlour uses Texan milk and all. They even introduced a new flavour: huckleberry."

"Haha, you're so funny I forgot to laugh," he scoffs, rolling his eyes at me. "Why would you invite me anyway? Yesterday, it was like you had a stick up your ass and now you're being all goody-goody with me."

He stops and stares into space, seeming as if he were in deep concentration as he taps a finger on his chin. Just as I'm about to say something, he answers, "I don't think I want to stay to find out what the hell you're planning to do, Hart. So about your little invitation, I'm sorry but I'm afraid I have plans."

With that, he turns and leaves.

Okay, not really leave, I mean, he sits right behind me.

"Are you sure, Friar? I heard they have the best strawberry sundae in town."

His ears perk up as if he were an excited little puppy. "Did you say," he licks his bottom lip, "strawberry?"

Behold Lucas Friar, the first cowboy in history to have his weakness labelled as strawberries.

"Well, yeah, they also have vanilla, chocola-"

"Hold up, Shortstack. I don't care about other flavours. As long as there's strawberry, I'm going."

How to lure a cowboy into your trap 101 with Maya Hart. He's just fallen into our trap — hook, line and sinker.

"But I'll be watching you," he adds, plastering a grim smile onto his face.

With that, I let out a little snort and turn to face the front just as Mr Matthews walks into class to mark the attendance.

_____

As the school bell rings, I grab my bag and just as I'm about to dash out of class-

"The bell doesn't dismiss you, I do," comes the monotonous drawl of Mrs Winston, our English teacher.

And we're released ten minutes late. Thanks Mrs Winston.

I rush to the carpark at the front of the school to meet the squad.

"Sorry I'm late," I apologise, pulling on an sheepish smile.

They raise their eyebrows curiously, to which I reply with, "Mrs Winston".

"Oh, I didn't know your last period was with her. Guess you can't help it," Farkle shrugs and leads us to his new car.

Yeah, you heard me right. Farkle Minkus has his own car. And his own driving licence. Damn, Riley, you set your standards sky high. Lucas Friar can't compare to your boyfriend. He might've been riding Judy the sheep back from where he came from, but he ain't riding that sweet new Porsche convertible.