Naïve to the Bone (lgbt)

time 04 | if i can't be a lover then i'll be a pest (yes i will)

👍

song is chicken by alex g.

sensitive topics :
- underage smoking
- mentions of violence

Cigarettes outside the art wing were a morning ritual for the gang. The wing had a little breezeway on the second floor with a patio like a semi-circle. In the nineties, you could eat lunch out there, but now, the hall monitors would make you go into the cafeteria if they caught you hanging around. In the mornings, though, there was a lack of supervision. The art teachers turned a blind eye, and the friends were given pretty much free reign over the area until the first tardy bell rang.

Leanne was almost always the first to show up. Having insomnia, she sometimes showed up as early as six in the morning despite the first bell not ringing until 8:45am. It would be one thing if she played a sport and had to show up early for practice, but that wasn't the case--she was just usually on an upper and had nothing better to do.

Jones typically showed up next. Her dad went to work early and kind of far away, so he'd drop her off about an hour before the bell.

Next was Marcus, who was driven to school by his cousin Raphael a grade above them. They weren't super close, but Raphael was a nice guy and would wave to them all in the hallways when he saw them.

Then Leo came. He lived about twenty minutes away by skateboard. His neighbor who was in their same grade, Emma, could drive and always offered to give him a ride, but after their awkward makeout in freshman year, he had a hard time being with her in closed spaces in fear of her springing herself on him out of nowhere again. He hadn't been particularly opposed to kissing her—she was pretty and nice—it's just that they were at the back of the school dance, it was dark, she'd just gotten broken up with, and she rammed her face into his so hard her tooth cut his lip and his chin bruised hers. Wasn't cute. Nonetheless, he was usually the fourth to show up.

JoJo was usually nearly late. He walked to school despite it being a thirty minute trek. He'd gotten his ass kicked at bus stops a couple times so he avoided them as much as possible unless Leo was with him. Leo was always perplexed as to why he felt more safe around him when he was absolutely useless in a fight.

Leo found himself perched on the art wing's ledge at 8:20, 25 minutes before the bell. He bummed a cigarette off Leanne, having left his pack somewhere in his room since he changed jeans. You see, the cool part of wearing the same pair of jeans for a disgustingly long amount of time is that all your shit's already in them! Keys, cigarettes, wallet, lighter, chapstick—it's all there! But when you change your jeans because your mom points out that the stain on your leg is starting to get noticeable, guess what? Your shit's not in there. And sometimes in the switching over process, you forget to throw it all in your new pockets.

Usually, he smoked American Spirits. Leanne on the other hand smoked Camel Crush, and Leo hated menthols. He was trying to kill himself, not smoke minty air. Either way, he thanked her for the cigarette and wondered when JoJo would show up.

Jones was going on about a show she wanted see to Marcus who was nodding along without really listening. He was staring into a tree whose lowest branches were about level with the patio, probably watching a bird or something. For looking like such a punk asshole, all he seemed to care about were birds and Hello Kitty. Realizing he wasn't listening to her, Jones hopped of the ledge next to him and moved to the one beside Leo.

"How was your weekend?" She piped up, swinging her platform-clad feet.

He shrugged in response. "It was alright, how 'bout you?" Leo busied himself with stubbing out his cigarette, having killed it, and shoving the butt in his pocket. There weren't any trash cans around, and he wasn't a litterer—he'd toss it out once he got inside.