Fine Line Between Love and Hate | Dan x Reader High School

Bet

There's this pianist with the last name Debussy, and I can't stop laughing even though I know I'm pronouncing it wrong.

Enjoy~

(y/n)'s POV

"Hey," I turned in my lunch seat towards Zoe, "Where's Dan?" I only shrugged.

"I dunno, why do you assume I'd know," I said. She gave me a look and I sighed, "I guess he was feeling sick so he went home." I said.

"Yeah, he showed up the next period, looking like a ghost more than ever. I though when we were leaving he at least got a little better," Phil interrupted. I felt guilt rip at my stomach. Of course I made it worse. I'd bring him soup. Was that a good idea?? Did he feel sick to the stomach? Did he even want to see me??

"Did you see him?" Zoe asked, nudging PJ across the way. He usually wasn't here due to tutoring freshmen or sitting with Sophie when they both were here. She did tutoring too. PJ glanced up at me for a moment, shaking his head.

"Yeah, he went home," he said, and I ducked my head. Did Dan tell PJ something? What was that look? Of course Dan and PJ had been friends before, when I was being bullied, so he probably tells him things I wouldn't know. PJ isn't in very many of my classes besides Art and History. Art, which I had next, would be awkward if he did know something.

"Oh okay," Zoe replied and glanced at me, "Missing your boyfriend got you in a tizzy?" 

"He's not my boyfriend Zoe," I replied to her adamant teasing.

"Sure," 

"He's not," I replied. She seemed to clearly question me, but let it go at the change in tone of my voice.

"So what's wrong?" she asked. Phil glanced up from his cookie to look at me. Damn it. It was because of Dan.

"Uh, nothing, just having an off day I guess," I lied.

"You were so happy this morning!" Zoe said.

"Moods can change," I replied and all fell silent. Phil offered up a piece of his cookie and I just shook my head, not really hungry. I closed up my lunchbox and tucked it away, resting my arms on the table, careful to watch my elbow, and then my head. I heard a few whispers and then a harsh pinch in my leg. "OW! You could've tapped me!"

"Sorry, it's just I'd want to be ready for this," she said.

"Wha--" she turned my head towards the doorway where a group of boys stampeded into the lunchroom, all clad with football shorts and numbers for their game tonight. I noticed them disperse to tables to hit on girls for one of the last few game days they could. That was always a big thing. If they won, they won. Alfie jogged over to our table, a wild smile on his face.

"Hey babe! Are you feeling better?" he asked. She nodded, and they kissed. I cooed at them to which she smacked my arm. I looked over and winked at Phil who only winked back.

"Loverbirds over here," I said, not so quietly behind my hand. Again I got slapped. Phil laughed and I got up to sit besides him, watching them aimlessly flirt. "Another year to place bets my dear Phillip?"

It may seem cruel and odd, but this was mine and Phil's fantasy football. We'd pick a pair, one football player and his pray, that we think will last the longest after the game.

"You're on," he said, "And I'm not sure who to pick just yet."

"Well my bets on Thomas and Amy," I said, motioning to the pair. Her face was red while he leaned over the table to talk to her.

"I don't know..." Phil said, scouring over the crowd. I glanced around too and noticed a smaller football player, one that had to have been benched the last few games I went to. He seemed to watch the other players, a freshman, new to the system. He spotted me and we made eye contact for a few seconds before I glanced away.

"Shit," I said, and Phil looked over at me.

"What?"

"I just made eye contact with that one kid, is he coming over??" I asked. Phil glanced around and let out a snort.

"Yeah, a little,"

"Nonononono,"

"Hey, you're that girl from the play," he said.

Damn it.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, shrinking back and away from him. He leaned up against the table like the others did and I felt my face go red as well. This is not good.

"Hey, uh, Matt let's go, Jack's waving us over," Alfie called from behind me. God bless his soul. I just pursed my lips and Alfie dragged him away. I turned in my seat to see Zoe smirking with her chin resting on her hand.

"My money's on you guys," Phil chimed in and I shoved him hard.

"Pick an actual pair you hoe,"

"Fine, I pick Jack and Madeline," he said, and I glanced over at the pair, his arm already around her.

"Shit,"

"Hah, my choice is clearly better," he said.

"Oh yeah, well time will tell and it's telling me that I'm getting 20 pounds soon," he rolled his eyes at me.

"Bet,"

"That's what we're doing,"

"Shut up,"

"You shut up,"

"Hey children? Let's not," Zoe said, standing up. She headed over to Alfie with a skip, the other football guys greeting her. There wasn't usually a firm boundary with a football guy's girl and the other players, but Alfie was the nicest guy there, and they wouldn't dare to mess with Zoe. 

"So you going to see Dan after school?" Phil asked. I sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I should probably check up on him," I said. He nodded and we both stood up from the table. He started towards the door, but I stopped him, "Wait, final pick?" he nodded and I held out my hand which he shook. The bell rang and I headed out to Art with PJ, him being relatively quiet the way there.

"Hey, so while Dan was running out, he said he kind of snapped and you snapped back, what's that all about?" he asked.

"Oh, well I asked him if he was okay and he flipped out so I got mad, and then when he went to help me up after I tried to defend Zoe and got pushed,  I refused," I explained.

"So you two just sort of freaked out about it?" I nodded and he did as well, changing the subject. We headed into the art room.

"Okay class, so today just sketch up something sad or emotional for your next watercolor, something that you connect with personally," the teacher announced as the bell rung. I pulled out my sketch book for thumbnail sketches and began a few. It showcased two red figures walking away from each other, mad, and grayer figures, watching over sad. I felt my stomach churn but I went with it anyway, sketching it on the canvas lightly before class ended.

"That's cool," Alfie said as we were packing up. I just looked over at him, knowing that meaning behind the painting was obvious.

"Yeah, totally,"

Frick.

Stay awesome!

~Calymari