Snowbarry Week 2019

But We Still, Hold On

A.N. Day 1 Snowbarry Week 2019 "high school sweethearts." Title comes from the song "All You Wanted" by Sounds Under Radio. A.U. High school - pretend it's a different Earth. Caitlin and Barry meet in high school and it isn't long before they fall head over heels in love (even if they're too stubborn to act on it).

For Barry Allen, high school was already turning out a lot like middle school and it was only the first day. As usual, he overslept - completely slept through his alarm. When he woke up, Joe was already gone to work and Iris was nowhere to be found either - probably already at school after catching the bus. Barry ran around as fast as he could, getting dressed and scarfing down some breakfast.

Luckily he made it just in time to catch the city bus. By the time he made it to Central City High School, the doors were already locked and he had to pound on them for what felt like forever before the janitor let him in.

He was running his way down the hall to his locker when he heard the sounds of crying and laughing in the distance. He stopped, turning a corner and frowning at the sight of a girl about his age with reddish-brown hair. She was knelt on the ground, crying, surrounded by a scattered pile of books and a bookbag. Another older girl with dark hair stood over her, laughing.

"What's the matter, Scaredy-Cait!? Drop something?" The older girl sneered.

'Cait' tried to get up, but the bully knocked her down again. "Lexi, stop!"

"Shut up, Caitlin!" Lexi rolled her eyes.

Barry cringed, the tone of the older girl's voice was one he was all too familiar with. He was used to being teased and kicked around by his own personal bully -- Tony Woodward.

The girl - Caitlin? - looked absolutely miserable on the ground. He frowned, feeling torn. He knew the right thing to do would be to intervene, stick up for Caitlin against the older girl. He also knew, though, that the bully appeared to be older than him and it would do no good for both Barry and Caitlin to be in the bully's crosshairs.

"Lexi, I have to get to class! Please!" Caitlin cried.

"Nerd much?" Lexi laughed. "So pathetic."

Barry balled his fists at his sides, his muscles tensing. He stepped forward, about to intervene, when a boy with long dark hair stepped in between Caitlin and Lexi.

"Dude, Lexi, leave her alone."

"Cisco, don't." Caitlin shook her head. Barry paused, relaxing his fists.

"No one gets to pick on my best friend." Cisco glared at the bully.

Lexi just stared back and forth between Caitlin and Cisco, and then burst out laughing. "Whatever. You're both pathetic - and this is boring." With a roll of her eyes, Lexi crossed her arms and walked away.

Barry sighed in relief as Cisco helped Caitlin to her feet. The two of them hugged and walked down the hall. Barry watched them until they disappeared around a corner, and then hurried to his own class.

Later at lunch, he caught up with Iris who teased him mercilessly for being late - again - as they ate at one of the tables. "High school seems a lot like middle school." She laughed, fondly shaking her head. "Oh Barry Allen, what are we going to do with you?"

"Yeah yeah . . ." He rolled his eyes. He caught a glimpse of light brown hair out of the corner of his eye, instantly transfixed and searching the crowd. And then he saw her, trailing behind a line of other students with the long haired boy right next to her.

"Uh oh . . . I know that look." Iris smirked.

"Huh?" Barry's eyes didn't stray from where she stood.