Bitter-Sweet

Chapter 35: Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cyrus POV:

Since Jonah and Kira got expelled, my school life has been a lot better...we'll maybe that also has something to do with the fact we basically do nothing in class since we finished our assessments weeks ago and it's almost the end of the year. Me and TJ explained to Metcalf what happened and I gave him the note she gave me. As humiliating as it was, it was worth it. They both have a criminal record and I will hopefully never see either of them ever again even if they live in Shadyside. If they know what's good for them, they'll stay away.

It's now Monday, may I remind you the school dance is Friday. Friday. He's either not going to ask me or he's doing this really last minute. I'm not sure I like the sound of either but hey, I need to trust him...I'm trying really hard here! He's staying over mine tonight and I mayyyyy be hoping he's going to ask me today since we're seeing each other. We haven't seen each other since Friday and I have my fingers crossed.

'Hey there!'

I almost fell over I turned around so fast, thinking it was TJ. To my disappointment, it wasn't, 'Hey Reed,'

'Yeah, Sorry I'm not TJ,' Reed smirked, 'But I'll be sure to tell him how excited you were at the possibility!'

I put on my best sad face, 'Please don't!'

He thought for a moment before patting my back, 'Nah, I wouldn't do that, any who, I just wanted to say that I'm very grateful that you make him so happy,'

I frowned slightly, 'That's umm...very out of character for you,'

Reed chuckled, 'Yeah I haven't had any weed lately, you're turning him into a good man Goodman.'

I smiled, 'Why say this now?'

He tapped his fingers on the locker, 'I guess I just realised that I never really told you how much you've helped TJ. I mean, you know you've helped him but you haven't know him as long as I have. You see, I may appear as if I don't really care about anything but if there's one thing I do care about it's my friends. I've known TJ for so long, he used to be so happy when he was little until a couple years ago when...well you know. But I didn't know what was going on so I couldn't really be there for him since we didn't really talk about serious things. It made me so upset seeing him like that, I...I know how bad it got but I never had the courage to bring it up and help him through it...But you did.....you're always there for him and you make him more happy than you realise and I just wanted to thank you for helping my best friend be happy again. Now I see the same smiley TJ I remember all those years back and I don't think I could ever repay you for that,' I swore I could see tears forming in his eyes but that might have been the trick of the light.

He almost had me crying, 'Wow Reed...I didn't know you had a soft side,'

Looking away he shook his head, 'Tell no one,'

I confined to smile, 'Thanks for...for saying all that,'

Reed waved a hand, 'No thank you Cyrus,'

The bell went, echoing through my ears as it bounced around the corridors.

'Well I better go to class,' Reed said to my surprise.

I was taken aback, 'Hang on, you're actually going to class?'

He shrugged, 'I'm trying to change my act up a bit, even did my homework,' Reed held up a scrappy, crumbled piece of paper up with a paragraph of messy handwriting inked onto it. Well, it's a start.

'Wow, I'm impressed,' I laughed.

'See ya around Goodman!' He saluted, scrunching the paper back up and stuffing it into his pocket. I watched as he walked over to another boy who I didn't recognise, they linked hands and walked away like that. Wow...you think you know someone.