Cliché

chapter 12. dinner with the neighbors

Right before the school year started, Mom bought packs of binder paper, folders, notebooks, pencils, lead, and pens and highlighters of assorted colors, all in preparation of Jasmine entering sophomore year and me my senior. After all, junior year had been relatively difficult for me, taking four AP classes (which I began purposefully flopping after my father's death and the realization that everything was fiction and nothing mattered anymore)— but for this new year, Mom wanted me to have a fresh start. New school, new supplies, new mindset.

Too bad the story started, meaning school became one of the details the author brushed over.

As I hear Brie's sniffles begin to subside, I pull out a piece of binder paper and a pencil— one of the first times I've used them throughout these past few days (and judging from the way my classes have been going, one of the only times I'll ever use them)— to write down a list of all my potential love interests.

quarterback
bad boy
rich boy
gang leader (love interest/antagonist?)
ex-bff next door
Tylar

"Hey, Iris."

I poke my head up to see Brie and Evan, now finished with their little talk. As Brie takes the seat beside me, I look at her in concern. Her eyes are still red-rimmed and puffy, but all her tears have disappeared, along with any traces of melancholy previously overtaking her face.

I give a small smile to Evan, who's sprawled out across the other couch, and mouth, 'thank you'. He nods, drawing his lips up into a tight smile in return.

"So," Brie speaks up, looking across my shoulder at the piece of paper I was writing on, "let's get started?"

I nod, using my pencil to point at each of my love interests in turn as I explain my first meeting, classes with, and speculations about each one. As I'm recounting my experience of being kidnapped by a gang of men and imprisoned in a room on the second floor, Evan stops me by snatching the paper out of my hands.

"Hey! I need that to remember who is who." I frown.

Instead of justifying himself, he simply holds out his hand. I look at it in confusion.

"Give me your pencil, Iris," Evan snaps.

"Rude," I mutter under my breath, slapping it into his hand in fiery irritation.

I watch as he scratches two words beside each love interest, until each line except his and Tylar's are filled. When he holds it up, I realize that he's written all of their names.

quarterback - Brandon Cooper
bad boy
rich boy - Alexander Sterling
gang leader (love interest/antagonist?) - Cayden King
ex-bff next door - Jake Williams
Tylar

"For your use. I don't think I can handle another second of that 'ex-bff next door' shit anymore," Evan grumbles, shoving the paper and pencil back into my hand.

"This is pretty much everyone you sit at with lunch, Evan," Brie observes. "Right?"

"No. I don't know who the hell Tylar is."

"Oh, no," I interrupt, laughing slightly as I scan over the list, "I have to go to the forest to interact with them. So we don't have to worry about that."

Evan gives me a sideways look. "Cool. I guess."

"And you want us to help you make the rest of the boys aware?" Brie clarifies. "By repeatedly reminding them of the fact that we're in a book?"

"Correct. Point out weird inconsistencies, bring up past memories, just talk to them until they start going all Roman Holiday on us. That's how you know you're doing it right. Easy, yeah?"