Heart of Glass (A Pierce the Veil Fanfiction)

XXVII

Tony's POV

The incident happened Tuesday. Wednesday, Anne and Monica didn't come to school. They were competing for my undivided attention by Thursday and now it's Friday and I'm going crazy.

Don't get me wrong, they're amazing girls but... I needed time to think. I couldn't when they were making it so hard and as of right now, I was wandering the hallways, avoiding the lunch room. Yesterday, it's like they wouldn't leave me alone. They were on either side of my arm just pleading for attention without really pleading. It was driving me out of my mind and when I turned the corner, I saw Jaime.

"Trouble in paradise, Tony? I thought I'd find you wandering the hallways." Jaime laid a hand on my shoulder and walked with me.

"Jaime, it's like they won't leave me alone! They're competing for my attention, I get it, but it's a highly unattractive move on both their parts. They give me no time to think!" Jaime nodded his head, cooking up some advice for me.

"Well, sounds to me like you just need to get away. Think about it for a while."

"Yeah, but how do I do that when I'm constantly bombarded with messages, calls, voicemails, notes, gah! My mother doesn't even keep tabs on me like this!"

"Tony, your mother doesn't keep tabs on you at all."

"Exactly, Jaime. I'm not used to a woman wanting to know where I am all the time." Just then my phone went off and I checked it. I grinded my teeth together and shoved it back into my pocket, pissed.

"Huh, I don't know what to tell you, man. If I were you, I would just turn off my phone." He had a point and I powered down my phone, and replaced it back into my pocket.

"Well what about you, Jaime? Are you and Belle back to kisses and hugs?" Jaime sighed and fingered through his spiky hair.

"I don't know. Before Jennifer opened her big mouth, Belle was on a road to recovery because I was helping her with her anorexia. But now she looks worse than ever. She won't answer my calls or texts, I even emailed her! She doesn't wanna talk."

"Wow, that's rough."

"I know. Every time I see her she turns the other way. I don't know how to talk to her in such a fragile state." Jaime felt ready to give up, but I wasn't ready to let him give up.

"Jaime, it's time for you to wow her. I've got a plan."

<><><>

After school, I never even talked to anyone. I skated straight home to avoid two crazy admirers and to grab my guitar. I was on my way out the door and stopped when I saw Monica on my doorstep about to knock. I mentally died.

"Hey Tony, how about we go out! Like, on a date maybe." This was really getting on my nerves and my patience was thinning.

"Yes, Monica. Fine. I will pick you up tomorrow at six." She let out a small squeal and kissed my cheek before bouncing away from my house. I rolled my eyes and got onto my skateboard, guitar strapped to my back, and skated to Jaime's house. I rang the bell and the door flew open almost immediately.

"You ready?" I asked. He pulled me in and we made our way into his room. I sat and he dug through his drawer for something that turned out to be a wrinkled sheet of paper with sloppy writing on it.

He strummed his guitar and I strummed different chords to help harmonize the words he was singing. He sang the words on the paper and hours later we were ready. We loaded into the car and collected a bucket of rocks and pebbles that sat with us. I looked over at the clock that read 9:17 p.m. in blue digital numbers. We were back in my neighborhood, and Jaime parked at my house as we walked to Belle's house. The look on his face showed no confidence.