Duly Noted

Duly Noted Part 1

Joy slumps at the kitchen table, her head resting on the hard wood as she stares at the condensation on her glass of milk. She sighs audibly feeling at a total loss, she's normally the go to person in anyone's time of need but right now...she's got zip!

"Hey short stack," Haley says as she strolls into the kitchen.

"Hey," Joy says through a sigh.

Haley scrunches her eyebrows at her little sister, "What's gotcha down sprout?"

Joy huffs loudly and sits up in her chair, letting her head roll back to look at her sister upside down.

"It's Cassie," she says exasperatedly.

Haley rolls her eyes but smiles kindly as she opens the fridge, "What is it this time?"

"He got rejected again," Joy sighs and watches her sister still in her upside down position. "Hardly got him to talk on the way home, could barley keep up with his pace."

"I thought he kind of ran off today," Haley says and skims the fridge.

"He's been holding out since lunch, his eyes were bright red when we left school. And now I'm sure he's locked himself in his room to be broken without having to worry about watchful judgmental eyes." Joy pouts deeply, "I don't understand he's not a bad guy why are they so mean to him?"

Haley shrugs and takes a water bottle from the fridge, "Girls are mean Joy." She turns to look at her sister, "What happened?"

Joy turns around in her seat to face Haley, "He apparently attempted to ask out Cameron she's number 67 on his list."

Haley snorts a little, "He's got a list?"

Joy nods, "Yeah he's going through our yearbook." Haley giggles and Joy scowls at her sister, "Don't laugh Haley."

"I'm sorry I'm sorry," Haley smiles. "I love that quirky dude but...geez talk about drastic measures."

"He's just trying to rid the world of that stupid nickname," Joy says puffing her cheeks.

Haley's expression softens, "People still call him that?"

Joy nods, "It's tearing him apart Hay Bail."

Haley smiles kindly, "Alright I'm sorry I laughed. Go on what happened."

Joy sighs and moves to sit up on the table with her feet on the chair, "Well he had tried to start a conversation with her but she wouldn't have it. She straight up asked him what did he want and after a lot of pressuring she got him to say that he wanted to take her on a date. She and her whole table of cheerleader friends laughed and she made some comment about never being caught dead with Catch Less Cassie." Joy growls, "The loud noise made everyone look at him and when he tried to leave with his dignity he knocked into some jock and ended up covered the food on the guy's tray...it was an accident but the jerky jock acted like Cassie did it on purpose...everyone laughed."

Haley nods, "Where were you?"

Joy looks down feeling a gray cloud forming over her, "I was having lunch in the art studio to finish up a project...I wasn't there for him when it happened."

"And now you've gotta pick up the pieces," Haley sighs and sits next to her little sister on the table.

"Yeah but...I don't know how to piece him back together this time Haley." She looks at her older sister, "He's been barley managing the past few months. He hasn't been himself since the Jillian fiasco, that's three girls ago Haley!" She whines in distress, "He's been trying to act like he's fine, but his confidence is tanking fast."