Scholar

Eight

I felt asleep throughout the entire week until Friday. Ryan walked me to class every morning, and I think Chelsea noticed our new...friendship, I guess you could call it. She was much calmer and less passive aggressive. Yet the fact that she and Ryan were still on good terms meant he had yet to come out to her. I knew how hard that was, so I didn't rush him or force him to. I just hoped he'd do it so Chelsea would stop doting on him. It was kind of hard to watch.

I walked into my acting class and sat next to Ryan, throwing my bag aside. He glanced over at me and smiled his, now signature, stupid grin. I just glanced at him. We still hadn't picked a movie for this project. It wasn't due until the end of the year, though, so we had plenty of time to figure it out.

"Alright," Mr.Green said, loudly, gathering the attention of everyone. "Write it down, put it in your phones, whatever, on Wednesday I am coming around to ask what movie you will be choosing for this project! If you've been slacking, you have until Wednesday to get it together!" Of course, just my luck. Whatever, still enough time to figure it out.

"Think of anything, scholar?" Ryan asked. I looked over at him and shook my head.

"You?"

"Not a thing," he said a laugh. I smiled and shook my head. I looked across the room and saw the biggest grin on Ava's face. I raised an eyebrow, and she moved her head left to right and mouthed, "later."

"What about The Bucket List?" Ryan suggested. I groaned at the sound of another title of a movie I'd never seen. "Okay, really? You've literally seen as many movies as my mom, and she died when she was twenty two." My neck practically broke turning to look at Ryan.

"Seriously?"

"Uh, yeah, seriously. I was a baby."

"Of course, you would be the type of person to joke about that," I pointed out. Ryan laughed and shrugged.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're messed up."

"Yeah, a little, but that makes me more interesting, right?" I shook my head in disbelief. 

"Sure, something like that." 

"Anyway, I'm serious. You've barely seen anything good," he said, smoothly changing the subject.

"So?"

"So, I propose that we watch it over the weekend."

"A proposal already? I thought we were just friends." Ryan let out a shocked laugh.

"You made another joke? I'm in shock. I just may go into cardiac arrest from this sudden surprise." I held back a smile and shrugged.

"Shut up," I mumbled. "Do you want to come over, or should I go to your place?"

"Nah, I live in an ugly apartment. Your house is really nice. We should do it there." I nodded. The more Ryan told me about himself, the more I realized I didn't know. 

"Okay," I replied simply, at a loss for words.

"Plus, I'd like to see you without a shirt again." I couldn't help but laugh with him. His laugh made me laugh harder. It was a little higher pitched than his voice and sounded like he was just saying "ha, ha" over and over again. "Why are you laughing so much? It wasn't that funny," he stated with a small chuckle. I shook my head and held up a hand. My laugh was completely silent at this point because of how breathless I was. Tears formed in my eyes as I continued to laugh. I calmed down a moment later and sighed, shaking my head. I wiped my eyes and sniffed.

"Your laugh is hilarious," I told him. He punched my arm, and I let out one last, small laugh.

"Anyway," he said to change topics. "I'll come over Saturday at, like, one. That way you'll have time to put on clothes."

"Okay, fine, sounds good." I watched Ryan plug in his earbuds and untangle them. He put one in and offered me one. I took it and put it in my ear. There was a huge space between us, and his earbud was nearly falling out. I moved closer to him and noticed him smile.

I was sort of glad we were kind of friends now. I refused to admit it, but that didn't make it any less true. I felt my arm press against his and watched as he opened Spotify and played some music. I yawned, not because his music sucked, it was actually my type of music which was somewhat surprising. Anyway, I was tired because I hadn't gotten much sleep the entire week, partially thanks to him. Well, mainly thanks to him.

I wasn't going to sleep in class. I literally could not do that. I didn't know how people weren't stressed when they thought about sleeping and being vulnerable in the middle of a classroom. I allowed myself to lean on Ryan a little and watched him scroll through his social media feeds. Things were peaceful, and I was content with Ryan for the first time since I'd met him.

Next thing I knew, the class period was over. I gave Ryan his earbud back and said bye before Ava approached me, a huge smirk on her face. She took out her phone and showed me a picture.

"You two are cute," she practically squealed, showing me a picture of me leaning on Ryan, looking at his phone which he was holding between us. I laughed and shook my head.

"You're an idiot," I said with a laugh as I threw my bag over one shoulder and slid my arm through the other strap. "Delete that."

"Do you like him?" she asked excitedly, ignoring my demand.

"Um, no," I told her frankly. "And delete that picture."

"He likes you. Don't tell Chelsea, but he totally likes you."

"Oh, I assume he told you that?" I asked sarcastically. Ava rolled her eyes, and I began to walk out of the room. She walked next to me. 

"It's obvious. He's all over you."

"No, I think he just wanted me to like him because I was kind of an asshole before."

"Well, yeah, but come on. There's no way you're so blind to it!"

"If you're such a love expert, why did you ask if I like him?" There was silence for a moment. I looked at Ava as we walked out of the front door. She shrugged.

"You're harder to read. He's like a puppy. He wags his tail and you know he's happy. You're like a turtle."

"He doesn't have a tail," I pointed out.

"It's a metaphor, stupid!" I laughed at her frustration. "Anyway, he has really obvious signs was my point. You don't." I smiled and shrugged. She put out her arms, and I hugged her.

"It's because I like ruining your life," I joked. She laughed and let go.

"See you Monday," she told me as she walked away.

"See ya," I shouted.