Decisions and Mayhem | ✓

Chapter 19

"Have you completed your chemistry assignment?" David asked, making me look up from my notes. He was sitting across from me at the table. Tim was sitting next to him and working on his own assignment. We were at the school's library during our study period as usual.

"Yeah," I hummed, and David grinned.

"Great! Can I look at it? I'm having some problems with the last question," he asked, and I agreed, looking through my bag that was sitting next to my chair before handing him my notebook when I pulled it out of my backpack.

David thanked me before taking my note, and I noticed Tim look over at him before turning his gaze away when David turned to face him briefly. I chuckled, shaking my head as I returned my focus to my own work. They had been acting odd lately, and I concluded in my mind that David had probably asked Tim out and they were in that awkward waiting period where Tim had to 'think about it.'

A small frown made its way to my face when I suddenly thought of Jay. He seemed to be less anxious now, and he wasn't oddly absent from school anymore. I saw him in the hallway with his goons earlier today, but he looked exhausted, and he hardly pestered anyone anymore. I wondered if he had settled things with his parents and if he had maybe come out to his friends, but that seemed unlikely. He seemed to be doing damage control when I last spoke to him, so it was logical that he didn't want anyone to know.

When lunch was over I headed to chemistry class with David He seemed a lot more cheerful — hopeful. The rest of the school day passed, and I waved David and Tim off at the school building's door before turning and heading for the study hall. I had a project to catch up on, and Wyatt had promised to come and pick me up afterward.

The study hall was mostly empty. There were a few people serving detention that were scattered about the place here and there too. I pretty much minded my own business and worked on my assignments, so I was surprised to hear someone pulling the chair beside me. I looked up from my work, and my eyes widened when I saw who it was.

"Don't look at me like that," Jay sighed before settling down on the wooden chair. I frowned, realizing he hadn't brought any books with him and that he was out of the school uniform. I looked away, turning my attention back to my books.

"Don't you have practice?" I asked, turning back to face me. He turned to me a bit, his brown eyes piercing my darker ones.

"What do you care?" he asked in a low voice as a frown took form on his face.

"Well, I mean, you chose to sit here when..." trailed off, motioning towards the other empty chairs and tables around us.

He let out a sigh, bending a bit as he covered his face with his palms. "I guess I wanted to vent to someone who knew about — you know." He sat up, shrugging. "I took permission from the coach to get some fresh air. I just—" he left his sentence unfished and sighed again.

Biting my bottom lip, I drummed on the wooden table with the end of my pen. I didn't know what to say. I wasn't good with emotional stuff, so I just didn't say anything in response.

"About that person."

"What?" I asked, blinking before looking back at Jay. His dirty blonde hair was a mess, and I watched as he pushed his bands back before folding his hands on the table.

"That Wyatt person. What did he do right that I didn't?" Jay asked, narrowing his gaze at me.

A lot of things. I said in my head, but I didn't have the guts to say them out loud just in case Jay was in the mood to smash my head into the wooden table we were sitting by. I mean, I could probably fight him head-on—I have fought him head-on, but my ma didn't want me to get into trouble, and the school, in general, was shit at being fair in those kinds of situations.