Playing Like A Girl

The First Time

Dedicated to Kitkat4life_2002 for just being cool idk, and when I eventually get around to tagging, if you reply then you get another chappie bc yayyy why not. Same goes for any future dedications and tags. Kay bye ʕ•ﻌ•ʔ

***

After the little stunt I pulled at lunch, let's just say Hunter was more than a little awkward around me.

And I was loving it.

So was Brenda, honestly. Naturally, I told her everything that night, phone wedged between my ear and shoulder as I lounged on my bed flicking through Netflix.

"So, girly, what's the next step?" Brenda giggles, the slightly static sound of her music playing through speakers in the background.

"Well, now that I know he doesn't completely hate me, next I just need to make him love me," I twirl a blonde lock of hair around my finger, "and then break his heart."

***

The next day I dress up a little more than usual. Not too much of course, but hopefully enough to catch Hunter's eye. I mean, I want to show off a bit, but I still need to be classy.

School passes by me quickly, and next thing I know, I am back in English with the one and only Hunter.

Like, literally, the one and only. There are no other kids called Hunter in my whole school.

When I take my seat next to Hunter at the back of the class, I have to hold in a chuckle at his visible slump as I sit.

"Hey Hunter, hey Trent!" I plaster a cheerful smile on my face, trying to ignore the awkward tension emanating from the grumpy boy next to me.

"Hey, Ju!" Speckles sends me a similarly happy smile, then leans to nudge his friend with a frown. "Quit scowling, child. You'll give yourself wrinkles."

Hunter thumps his head on the table.

A giggle bubbles up in my throat, and I lean over a bit to tug some of Hunter's hair out of his face so I can see his eyes.

"Careful, you silly boy. You don't need a concussion." I give him a soft smile, trying to stop my tiny chuckles from making their way into the world.

"Well, I'm starting to want one." He turns his head to face Trent and sighs.
"Well, then, grumpy pants. On another topic, what did you two think of the English homework?"

I barely finish my sentence when Hunter's head shoots off of the table, looking like he's just been stung.

"We had homework?" Honestly, the expression of pure terror on his face is extremely amusing, but I figure now wouldn't be the best time to collapse in peals of laughter.

Peals, another one from good ol' English.

"Uh, you okay, buddy?" Speckles leans towards his friend, looking quite concerned. I assume Hunter doesn't typically act like this when he forgets to do his homework.

Hunter turns to glower at Trent, who visibly recoils from the glare. "Do I look okay? Damn it, I can't afford to get in trouble again. If I get another homework note, I'll have detention tonight, and I can't-" He cuts off suddenly, his hands firmly wedged in his hair as he slams his elbows on the table.

I wince.

A few seconds later, after getting out my laptop and logging on, I look over at Hunter's slumped form and feel slightly surprised at the need to help that rushes over me.

I've had those days before, and it almost hurts to remember how hopeless and dramatic everything feels, before you look back over it a while later with either regret or relief.

I fiddle around with my laptop for a minute, before nudging Hunter with my elbow.

"What?" His voice is an irritable growl and his face a mix of annoyance and hopelessness.

"Check your emails, grumpy guts. Might help."

He rolls his eyes but pulls out his laptop nonetheless, waiting a minute while it logs on.

It doesn't take long for him to get to his emails, and when he does, his eyes widen slightly and dart over to where I sit. We are both well aware just how strict our school is about sharing work, as in it's not allowed, and the English homework I just emailed Hunter would be no exception.

I offer him a small smile and a shrug. "Change it up a bit. I don't wanna get in trouble, kay?"

And then, for the first time, like, ever, Hunter smiles at me.