How Bad Can High School Be? (Onceler x Reader)

Chapter 6

     "You know you can go sit with him, right?"

     (Name) snapped out of her thoughts and shifted her gaze to Norma and the rest of their friends. She felt her face heat up a little. After all, they caught her staring at her newest friend. What they must be thinking...

     "Or you can always invite him over here too," Mark added, causing Norma to nod.

     "Yeah, alright," (Name) stood. "I'll, uh, go see what he's up to."

     She could feel the groups' eyes on her back as she walked down the bleachers, pulling her coat tighter as a gust of wind blew straight at her.

     (Name) felt bad as she made her way over to the tree. Mostly because she also felt relieved. She'd much rather hang out with Onceler than the rest of the group, but she wondered if that made her ungrateful. She wasn't ungrateful, not in the slightest. The group had taken her in when she had nobody else.

     But...

     She felt odd being apart of the group. They had established relationships with one another. Memories she could never make her own. And interests that (Name) could never find herself sharing. She still considered them all friends, but hanging out with them made her feel off.

      Then there was Onceler. From their short time together, he already felt way more her speed. She didn't feel like she had to make herself seem more interesting or energetic around him. Their interests were more aligned, and she wouldn't have to play catch up with all of his stories and experiences she missed out on.

     Of course being more friendly with Onceler didn't mean (Name) would completely leave the group behind. She would still hang out with them and come to games to support them if they wished. But the Onceler felt more...natural.

    "How's it going?" She asked with a smile as she sat beside the boy. Onceler glanced down at her. "Hey, (Name). It's going pretty alright." He looked back at the notebook in his hands. (Name) looked at it. Are these notes? 

     Upon more inspection, (Name) could confidently say yes, the Onceler was indeed studying notes. "Oh, are these the notes for our math quiz?" She asked, looking up at his face. He nodded. "Yep." Then he popped something in his mouth, causing (Name) to draw her brows together in confusion. She looked over to see a bag of marshmallows resting against the boys other side. She giggled.

     "You're eating marshmallows for lunch?"

     A grin spread across Onceler's face. "Of course!"

     "Why?"

     "Marshmallows are delicious! Why else?" His sudden intense passion for marshmallows caused (Name) to laugh.

     "But they're so sugary."

      The Onceler gasped, putting a hand to his chest. His expression suggested you just insulted his very being.

     "There is nothing wrong with that! Marshmallows are perfect, and I won't tolerate such blatant hate on them!" He exclaimed with a huff, crossing his arms.

     (Name) couldn't help exploding into a fit of giggles. "It's not like I don't like marshmallows," she said at last. "I just can't eat too much of them without getting a tummy ache."

     She watched as Onceler nodded. "Well I guess that's a valid reason for not liking marshmallows much," he said slowly. "But trust me, stick with me and we'll kick those tummy aches away." (Name) shook her head slowly with a big smile, wondering how that could even be possible. 

     Stick with him, huh...

     (Name) looked over at the bleachers as the boy beside her went back to studying for their quiz. The group all seemed to go back to their normal conversations, except one. Norma's eyes remained on the other girl. (Name) felt a pang of guilt for leaving her like she did, but that disappeared when she noticed the brunette wink before turning back to her friends.

     (Name) smiled to herself. Maybe it won't be too hard to transition from the group.

     She scooted closer, looking over the Onceler's shoulder. If he's going to take this time to study, I might as well too.

~~~~~

     "So what did you get?" (Name) asked excitedly, though with a competitive tone to her voice. The pair were leaving Mr. Fish's math class, which was the only class they had together other than Mrs. Wocket's. However, they didn't get to sit together like they did in the latter. It was also the last class of the day.

     Onceler smirked, looking down at the girl. "What did you get?"

     (Name) hid the paper behind her back. "Hey, I asked you first!"

     He shrugged and she sighed. "Well fine, if you must know first, I got a 93," (Name) said, proud of herself.

     "I got a 100," Onceler said with a grin. 

     "You win." The girl sighed softly. That was such a hard quiz too.

      "What's up with you? Do you have, like, a super computer for a brain? Are you even human?" (Name) questioned as the pair walked to their lockers. Onceler chuckled.

      "Nope, I'm secretly an evil robot man here to best you in everything you do!"

     (Name) gasped in joke shock. He laughed. "Naw, I just study. A lot," he added softly as he stopped at his locker. (Name)'s was still further down the hall. 

     "Meet you at your locker when I have my stuff?" He asked. The girl nodded and waved a little before turning to head to her locker. 

     (Name) grabbed her things, humming happily as she went to close her locker. The Onceler was right behind the door. She jumped a little in shock, not expecting to see his face. They both laughed at her.

     "Wow, am I really that scary?"

     "Yes, you monster," she said, and playfully jabbed his arm with her elbow as they walked.

     "Ouch, monster? That's harsh, (Name)." His tone was one of hurt, but the girl could tell it was a joke from the look in his eyes. 

     Soon they were outside the school where their paths split. "See you tomorrow," (Name) said with a smile. Onceler returned the smile and gave a nod. They two went their separate ways.