interdependence ➸ 5sos

0.1

Cassidy sits down next to Ryan at their lunch table, which consists of the four of them - Cassidy, Ryan, Jordan, and Chloe. They all grew up together and just never drifted apart. "I'm so tired," Ryan groans, resting his head on her shoulder.

"You know, if you'd go to bed earlier, you wouldn't have this problem," she tells him, slapping his hand away from her blueberries.

"But I can't! The homework never ends." He pouts up at her. She's tried so many times to tutor him, and help him do his work, but he's hopeless. Not that she can blame him, but she knows he's smarter than he gives himself credit for.

Ryan is pretty much a photocopy of his dad. He has the same wide, hazel/green eyes, and that cheeky, dimpled smile. His dark blonde hair is shaggy, and falls over his forehead because he doesn't style it. It drives Cassidy crazy, but she lets it go because he can kind of pull it off.

Jordan sits down, Chloe following after, and Ryan takes his chance to snatch a blueberry from his best friend. His head is still resting on her shoulder because he's tired, and doesn't want to be rude by putting it down on the table. He knows none of them care, and Jordan does it enough on his own, but he doesn't care.

"Aw, you guys are cute," Chloe coos.

"Ew, no." Cass laughs, pushing Ryan away from her. He sticks his tongue out, but she just flicks his forehead.

"How's your day been?" she asks the other two, kicking Ryan under the table when he steals another blueberry.

Jordan's green eyes go wide as he recalls a story from third period. Everyone enjoys watching him tell stories because he gets so into them, with hand motions and facial expressions and everything. Everyone laughs along with him when his story finishes.

"My day's been boring," Chloe says, once Jordan has calmed down.

"Mine, too," Cassidy agrees.

"I got yelled at in algebra." Ryan rests his elbow on the table and holds his chin in his hand.

"What for?" Jordan asks, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I wasn't paying attention and I got called on and didn't know the answer. It was stupid." He shakes his head.

"I wish you'd let me help you a little more," Cassidy tells him.

"I don't need help!" he snaps. "It's my own fault. I can do it, Cassie."

She nods slowly, focusing back on her food. The table is silent for a couple minutes. Ryan is staring at his food, but he's not eating it. Cassidy isn't either. Chloe and Jordan start talking to each other after another few minutes of silence. Chloe's telling a story about the twins, her brown eyes alight with laughter.

Cassidy doesn't talk to Ryan the rest of lunch. He knows she's just trying to help, but he's not having a good day. He'll explain himself later. He knows that she's upset, so he decides to gives her some space; although they still walk out of the cafeteria together, and sit by each other in study hall. They just don't talk.

She follows Ryan to the elementary school to get Aspyn at the end of the day. Chloe and Jordan follow close behind them, still having some energetic conversation. Ryan reaches out, putting his arm around Cassidy's shoulders. They still don't say a word to each other, but she doesn't shrug him off.

Aspyn is talking to Kennedy about something very excitedly (something about puppies and kittens) when she approaches the older bunch of kids. Alex and Hudson are right behind them, and Alex is saying how much better Spiderman is than Batman, and Hudson is disagreeing very strongly, saying that it's not possible.