SETTLE DOWN, matty healy

Chapter 16: Pressure

Song Selection: Sweetener by Ariana Grande

I spun my coffee casually, still admiring the note left with it without anyone catching me. Such only left for my friends to assume of me being excited to have my usual coffee in the morning.

Good morning darling, hope you slept well. Smile often and bright when you read this as you know I love your smile when it's at its brightest. Have a good day angel, I adore you.
-W.S.

My thoughts were easily succumbed to being distracted in a class as boring as history, leaving me to only remain back on Earth when my teacher instructed for our groups to begin a group discussion on John Rolfe and the trading system of whatever time period we were studying. The bell sounded off not soon enough as I went out the door to be met with a beaming Anna. "Lovely as ever. Proud you've maintained a bit of energy there too."

I chuckled, tucking the paper back into my pocket where it once was. "I'm telling you, I owe my whole sanity to coffee at times; it's true," I exaggerated as she led the way over to Healy's class. I only looked over to Matty briefly, pretending as if the situation weren't happening at all and going along class as normal.

'Course it took practice, but we've been together long enough for me to be accustomed to our lie. Not as plainly as him but just as so.

The class dismissal sounded, leaving for Mr. Healy to yell out the hw while students made out the class unbothered as they went off to lunch. I then left my own note on the table, grabbing the one he left behind as he passed by my desk as he usually did to the other side of the room. "I'm surprised, I didn't think you'd actually get over your little crush from all the things you kept thinking were going on between the two of you," Anna mentioned as her, Ryder, and me stood in line to grab our lunch, "it's like you're not even bothered to be in the class anymore."

I shrugged my shoulders, chuckling for a second. "You two honestly doubt me. I told you, he's my teacher. I can't simply fall in love with a teacher, that's too cliché," I explained to then to leave for them to only laugh along with me.

"Now that seems much more like the Emerson I know. Just with a hint of cockiness in her attitude now which suits her quite well," Ryder said, grabbing her food ahead of us, "Plus I for one am glad that I can now stop hearing the two of you obsess over one guy with a good head of hair and lovable accent; guys are overrated anyways."

Anna laughed under her breath at this and I turned to her confused, not even paying attention to whatever meal I was grabbing from the lunch lady. Ryder shot her a glare and I only raised a brow at the two of them. "Am I missing something?"

She turned to a now annoyed Ryder apologetically, tilting her head. "Oh can't I tell her? It is relatable after all-"

"Alright, okay, I crushed on a teacher too and it's not a big deal, but it was the equivalent to your little, short obsession with Mr. Healy let me just say," Ryder explained herself.

Anna nodded. "I mean, Ms. Frangipane is-"

She stopped herself suddenly and caused for Ryder to grow red from embrassment, covering herself once we were all seated at a table. I couldn't help to smile, sitting beside her now. "God she's a freaking goddess, I don't blame you one bit. Plus, she does know how to really stroke her paint brushes cleanly," I mentioned and Ryder rolled her eyes, clearing her throat, "At least you've got it out there now."

She chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I guess. Not like I was lying much about anything, I had to tell someone about it eventually and I just knew Anna freshman year before you. It would eat me alive to not talk to someone about what I was feeling."