Blue Jeans (Michael Clifford)

02

We left the class and walked to the lunch room. Luke was bursting with laughter saying, “Ha I knew it’d happen. You got paired with the new kid.” He said in such a childish manner. “Yeah, yeah, now who’d you get paired with?” I asked, hoping he had gotten a terrible partner to. “That kid Ashton who sits a couple chairs back.” He shook it off as if it were no big deal to be with him. “Isn’t that the kid with the dimples?” I laughed at how I had characterized him. “Hey he has other cool facial features okay? He’s not known as ‘the kid with dimples’ Carrie.” Luke snickered. “Of course he’s not.” I dropped my books into my locker and sat down in the lunch room, opening my bag.

My mom had packed a tuna sandwich and a Mott juice box. My nose was intoxicated with the disgusting smell, so I shoved it back into my lunch bag. Luke took notice and said, “Lunch off the school yard again?” I nodded my head and we stood up from the table, leaving my lunch bag.

We walked off outside, looking for the pizza place down the street. “Isn’t it so wonderful to have a pizza place just a few minutes away from school?” He spun around in circles, getting dizzy and grabbing onto his grey beanie. I grabbed his shoulders to steady him and sighed. “Yeah, but it’s not as good as having a monkey as a best friend.” He stared at me saying, “Hey you’re stuck with me, and haven’t complained after sixteen years.” I ignored him and walked into the parlor, hearing the bells jingle. Luke placed our order and I took a seat in the booth, playing with the salt shakers and humming to myself.

Luke took a seat next to me, and complimented my voice. “With a voice like that, I still don’t get why you’re single.” He said. “Why thank you.” I replied. “Oh wait, it’s probably because you smell funny.”   Luke plastered on a smile. We rambled on and on about nothing until I heard the familiar bells jingle, and looked at the door. There stood Michael. What was he doing here?

The waiter brought our pizza and Luke took notice to Michael sitting by himself so he called him over. “No thanks, man I don’t want to intrude on your date.” Michael said from the table across. Luke and I stared at each other, before bursting out in laughter.

“We are not together, and this is not a date. We go to your school?” I said trying to jog his memory back to this morning, but he still seemed confused. “I’m your partner for the history project due next month.” I tried one last time. He whispered an ‘oh’, stood up, and took a seat next to us.

“So what’s up new kid? Why’d you move here?” Luke rudely asked, and I kicked him under the table. “I’d prefer Michael, thank you. And I’ve lived in New York for about three years. I’m in a new school, not a new country.” He looked down at the table whilst talking, and tapped his fingers against the table. He seemed so uneasy being around us, like something was always bothering him. We all shared the pepperoni pizza, and Luke and I tried to make small talk with Michael to keep him preoccupied. “So Michael, uh if you’re not busy today, maybe we can hangout. Like all of us-I mean-if you’re parents are okay with that?” I wanted him to meet my parents since they were so determined to make me be friends with him.

“Why would my parents not.” He half smiled. At least he was warming up to us, and not giving us the cold shoulder all the time. “I don’t know. Maybe because we just met today and some parents wouldn’t be cool with that.” Luke interrupted. Luke paid the bill and we scurried off to class, making it barely in time for third period. I said my goodbyes to Michael and Luke, and told them to meet me in the front of the school yard at 3:00 pm, where Luke and I always did.

Luke and Michael had the same class together, which left me by myself. I took a seat all the way in the back. Just as I was pulling out my books from my book bag, a hand touched my shoulder, causing me to drop all of my books and papers were flying about. “Oh sorry about that ha-ha, didn’t mean to scare you.” He said. I turned around to be faced by Ashton. “Oh hey dimple boy, it’s okay.” I began to laugh, but froze, realizing I wasn’t talking to Luke.

“Dimple boy?” Ashton sounded confused. I didn’t blame him. “Yeah sorry, that’s what my friend and I call you.” I looked at him and froze, noticing I had been saying the wrong words. “You-you talk about me with your friends?” He seemed shock. I placed all the books back onto my desk. “Um, not really. It’s just that you were paired with my friend for a project, and-well-yeah. I tapped my pencil on the desk. “Oh you’re Luke’s friend?” He seemed much calmer at the mention of Luke. “Sadly, yes.”  I joked. “Well, this weekend is my birthday, and you and Luke are invited.” He gnawed on his pen. “Really?” I yelled-whispered, causing him to chuckle. “Yeah, you are. I’ll text Luke the details later today.” He looked down at his paper. I nodded and faced forward.

Maybe today wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

(A/N) wrote this chapter whilst listening to Marina and Lana my queens;)