August in the Fall (A "Lab Partners" Fanfiction) *COMPLETED*

Car Confessions

"August, I-"

August stood up and looked down at the ground, putting his hands in his pockets. "Forget it." He walked over to the stairs of the gazebo and sighed. "I'll just ask your brother instead." My eyes widened. What even...? Without saying anything further, August stepped down the stairs and headed away from the gazebo all together. Still surprised, I shot up from the bench and hassled over to him.

"August, wait a minute!" I jogged over to him and slowed my pace when I was next to him. "What the hell?" I breathed. August shrugged.

"I'm bored." He grumbled. "I just figured since you have a crush on me, you'd want to hang out, but whatever." I felt my heart dropped to the lowest of the low. W-what? I stopped walking to process his words, as August kept up his pace. How the Hell could he possibly have known? I was trying to hide it! And to think I was doing so well too. How did he find out? Was I too obvious? August stopped walking and turned around to face me, frowning. "Dude, don't have a heart attack." He walked over in my direction. I didn't move. I was frozen with surprise. I flinched when August put a hand on my shoulder. "I was gonna find out eventually." He chuckled. "To be honest, you were totally obvious. 'I was just lost in in my thoughts.' Really man? Come on."  He remembers the day I bumped into him. Sure, it only happened a few days ago, but still. I didn't know how to respond to his comments. What would the average person do?

"I-I.."

"Noah." August said sternly, narrowing his eyes. "Lemme make this easy for you since you're all tongue tied at the moment." August turned away from me, then looked over his shoulder. I swear to God. That boy was one dramatic piece of work. "You're coming with me, whether you want to or not. I already planned on long your homework or you anyway." Oh come on! Why is this guy so confusing! I don't understand him at all. Without another word, August began walking again. Trying to ignore my surprise, I began following him. Just go with the flow, Noah. Go with the crazy, insane, probably gonna kill me flow. We didn't say anything as we make our way back up the hill towards the school.  After a few more what seemed like an eternity of walking, -especially after everything that's happened-, we were back in the familiarity of the school parking lot. I kept following August when we got there, thinking there was something else he wanted to show me. He couldn't just leave me with, "you're skipping school with me tomorrow against your own will." There had to be more.

Before I knew it, August Bade had lead me to his car. I kept my mouth shut, and stopped in front of his car, following him with my eyes. August went to the driver side door and opened it up. His eyes floated in my direction. "Aren't you going to go home?" My stomach dropped.

"I-I was s-supposed to h-have a ride home?" I shifted my feet nervously. August rolled his eyes.

"No, you're just going to stay stranded at the school until tomorrow." When I didn't respond, August groaned. "Ugh, Fine. Get in the damn car, Goldman." This boy was making a lot of surprising moves today. Without a side comment, I opened the door of his car, -which was a really nice white Chrysler-, and got in, closing the door. I put my backpack on the floor in front of me and buckled up as August started the car. "I'm gonna need you to tell me where you live." I nodded.

"Oh... yeah.. right." August pulled out of the parking lot and started down the road. "T-take a l-left here."

"Why do you do that?" August asked frowning as he flicked on his turn signal. I looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"The stuttering. Why do you do that? Do I make you nervous?" August tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

I swallowed. "Well... I-I mean... I-I d-don't....."

"Spit it out, Goldman." August interrupted glaring at the car in front of him. What do I say?

"W-"

"I make you nervous don't I?" His question was so quiet I barely heard it. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Quiet tones were nothing like August. It was all or nothing. He either didn't speak at all, or his tones were harsh and mainly composed of deadpans. He was never calm and rational. "I knew it.." August said after a few seconds. His tone was still quiet, but it was sharper. Suddenly, he flicked on his turn signal again and pulled off to the side of the road. Cars whizzed past us. August shut off the engine and sat back in his seat sighing.

"August, w-what is t-this?" I said worriedly, looking around me. I was confused. What the hell is happening? What is he doing? "I-I have t-to get home."

August leaned his head back on the seat and closed his eyes, sighing. "Why do I make you nervous?" He demanded. The question was so suddenly, my mouth opened a bit. What is this? A police interrogation?

"I don't understand.." I mumbled.

"Are you deaf or just stupid?" August yelled louder, raising his head from the car seat. He turned and faced me. "I asked, why do I make you nervous?" I looked at him with wide eyes. August, what is up with you? What's wrong? August narrowed his eyes. "Is it because I smoke? Because I wear leather?" August got in my face. His expression was deadly. "Is it because I swear? Is it because I rebel?"

I leaned my head away from him. "W-what? No."

August gritted his teeth. "What is it then, huh? Is it because my parents don't give a damn about me? Or is it because I'm what they call a 'bad boy?'" I looked in August's eyes as he sat close to me. His deep frown suddenly turned up a bit into a small smirk. "Oh wait. You like that kind of stuff."

"August," I said loudly and concerned. "What is up with you? What's going on?" What's happening to him?

August got out of my face, and sat upright in the seat. He looked down at his lap. "Why do you like me, Noah?" His voice was quiet again. He'd used my first name. Something is definitely wrong. Sitting back up myself, I copied his movement. I didn't respond. "Please tell me..." August whispered. He sounded hurt. Something was definitely off.

"August, what's wrong?"

"Why won't you just tell me?!" He yelled. I jumped at his sudden change of volume. "Or was my assumptions about you wrong? Do you actually like me?"

"August, what brought this on?" I looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Stop asking questions and answer me. Why the bloody hell do you like me?" His tone wasn't safe. I wasn't going to get out of this interrogation anytime sooner. I swallowed and sighed. August met my eyes and narrowed his.

"W-well.... everyone sees you as the 'bad boy' of the school. You have this hard exterior and walls built higher than the wall of China. But I see you differently. Yeah, you may put on the tough guy act to drive everyone away, and sometimes it scares the shit out of me, but I also know that you're kind hearted, and caring." August's eyes widened in surprise. Now you know how I feel, you bastard. "You may not believe me, and you don't have to, but whether you like it or not, you care about other people. And if not other people, me and my brother. You didn't have to take me to see Luka on his behalf and you could've left me stranded in the parking lot, but you didn't. You can try and hide it as much as you want, but you really do care." August didn't respond. Instead, he turned away and looked out the window.

"Wow." He said after a few seconds. "You should be a professional speaker."

I blushed. "Thank you."

"But really, Noah." August looked at me. "I have to say thank you. I needed to hear that. It means a lot, you dork." He smiled.

I smiled back, trying to hide my blush. "Thanks, I guess." August rolled his eyes, but his smile didn't fade. He turned forward and started the car up. I looked out the window, putting my hand on my chin and smiled at the trees that slowly began to pass by as August continued to drive me home.