Suspect

Tylers POV

Despite the way I had unwillingly dragged my feet through the tiled halls this morning, my pace was nothing short of lightning as I zipped and dodged my way through students, nearly jogging to the cafeteria. There is a distinct difference between trudging to the hell hole that was my 2nd block class, and the pleasure of food that awaited me just past the cafeteria doors.

I halted in my tracks just for a moment to eye the subtle blue flyer tacked on the bulletin board. Scanning around the array of usual school announcements and events I eventually found the sign Troye and I had spotted just over a week ago. We had been searching the board for the next student council meeting when we both noticed the new poster hanging in the corner.

'Winter Formal Dec. 19
A Winter Wonderland you don't want to miss!'

Turning to me with a stupid teasing grin plastered on his face, Troye asked if I wanted to go with him.
"Like a date?" I pestered.
"If you want to call it that," he'd replied. "Just as platonic best friends of course."
"Duh." I'd responded. "Just best friends."

I tore my gaze from the flyer, the familiarly odd sense of excitement and disappointment stirring my stomach into a jumble of contorted knots. Troye had asked me to the dance! The same giddy feeling I'd received ever since that day returned at every mention of the formal, tinting my heated cheeks a bright shade of pink. But just as friends, I had to remind myself. The wave of despair crashed over my excitement, creating a sense of nausea in the pit of my stomach. Of course I was thrilled he had asked me at all. Knowing him he hated going out in public, not to mention the fact he simply loathed school functions. I didn't question him though, just accepting his offer as casually as I could whilst my heart leaped in my chest.
I have got to get my emotions under control. The boy's straight for fucks sake.

Sighing loudly as I plopped into my usual lunch seat, I hungrily snatched my paper brown sack from deep within my back pack and raised it to the table. The fashion in which I unwrapped and engulfed my sandwich within a matter of seconds could be deemed bizarre and more than likely entirely terrifying to anyone who wasn't aware of my passion for food. But seeing as I had missed breakfast this morning, I couldn't find the will in me to care. That is until I heard the chortle of laughter behind me, clearly amused having seen the fleeting moment in which I had stuffed my face.

"I don't know what you're laughing at," I quipped sassily, swallowing the last bite of my ham and cheese.

"I can't decide whether I'm laughing at the speed in which you inhaled that, or rather the fact that I'm not surprised,"
Troye explained, settling himself into the seat next to me.

"I'll have you know I had to skip breakfast this morning, and I was about to starve!" I explained, trying to make him understand my animalistic nature had a cause. "I may have slept through my alarm and nearly missed the bus again." I finished that last bit, lowering my voice guiltily. It was the second time this week I had overslept, and I'll admit I am ashamed.

"You do realize you wouldn't have this problem if you just let me give you a ride in the mornings, right?" He asked, tilting his head. I sighed heavily, having heard that offer more times than necessary.

"You do realize that I'm not letting you waste your gas money, or making you leave the house early just to pick me up, right?" I replied, maybe snappier than I should have. Troye didn't seem upset though, only annoyed as he rolled his eyes at me.

"Tyler it's not wasting my money if you are on my way to school. And you know I take every opportunity to get out of my house. Leaving early to get you would be a blessing! Honestly, why are you so stubborn?" He scowled, turning to focus on his food rather than wait for my response.