School Spirits - Wally Clark/ OC

Backpack

Warnings - none but gooey sweetness

Josephine Finnes was currently sitting criss cross apple sauce in study hall, backpack unzipped and being emptied. She organised it, putting her old text books and notebooks aside, in another section was snacks, fruit roll ups and mini candy bars she kept for energy purposes. At the bottom of the bag, were pens and pencils, old and new and shavings stuck in the crevices. There was a pair of cheap thick rimmed pink sunglasses she found in one of the side pockets, quickly she put them on, sliding her hair back with them as they sat on the top of her head. There was also a spare pair of sneakers and gym clothes she had from that day. There was the same paint stain on the side leg of the shorts that she got while helping painting the fence around the house with her dad. With a nostalgic sigh, she ran her fingers over the stain and then put them aside. In the last zippy pocket of the backpack were her good stuff. Her phone, that would forever remain on 56% and AirPods in a SpongeBob case.
"You okay?" A voice said at the door. Looking up she saw Charley, surprised to see someone up so early like her.
"Yeah" She breathed. "Just remembered I had this and didn't go through it."
"Well don't throw anything away, put aside if anything. Your surprised how important little things become when they not apart of big things anymore" He crouched down on his knees.
"I'm keeping everything I just, I wanted to see it" Jo's small hand ran over her things. The little trinkets of her day to day life. How funny it was now, affectionately looking at things she'd chucked in her bag carelessly for years. Charley watched her considering something for a moment, then asked.
"So what's going on with you and Wally"
Her head raised up then, hazel eyes large brimming with every embarrassing emotion her body could muster.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come on" He pushed his glasses up his nose, as he settled down on his backside, raising his knees up. "You and him, there's a story there that neither of you are telling"
"I don't know what you are referring too" Jo looked down, putting her books and notepads back in the bag.
"Oh is it like an unspoken thing? I know all about that" He made a face. "Seriously though, you can't see it?"
"See what?" She asked exasperatedly, putting her pens and pencils in the case they'd rolled out of over time.
"Oh my god, you have no idea do you?" Charley scoffed, leaning back against one of the chairs they were seated next to. "Jo, he's obsessed with you" She laughed at that.
"No" Shaking her head, Jo put her case in it's place along side the gym kit, minus her sneakers. She wanted to change her shoes today, just for fun. "He's like that with everyone"
"The hell he is" Charley reached over and stopped her hands that were packing the bag. "Josephine, he really likes you and not as a friend or anything. He like likes you and you're going to have to accept it sooner than later"
She put aside the bag, looking up at her friend finally.
"I don't know what to say" She laughed.
"Do you like him?" He questioned, adjusting his position getting excited by the conversation.
"I mean, he's beautiful" She gave him a pointed look, Charley nodded encouragingly. "I think he's great, I do- he makes me feel confident and shy at the same time, I can't really explain it. It's like I can be myself around him, I haven't felt that way with other guys."
"Does he make you feel all, cutesy and special" He mused, "Because he should"
"Yeah, I'm more to the tomboyish side so, I've never been overtly feminine. Being with him, I feel that way. Especially when he holds me, I feel so little but safe. I sound like such an idiot" Her hands flew to her face. "I don't talk like this Charley, I'm not like this. I have a good relationship with guys, I can be really good friends with them but I end up being one of the boys."
"You really like him, don't you?" He laughed, "Your blushing just talking about him, this is serious" He reached out and playfully touched her face. She swatted his hand away, "Face it Jo, you like him and I'm convinced he likes you to"
"Yeah will, wither your convinced or not, doesn't mean he does. The only person that knows that, is Wally" She sighed, her and Charley wearing matching sheepish smile. "Gosh he's so big"
"He is really big" He agreed. "Aren't you worried one of these days, he'll be running on that damn football field and tackle you"
"Well he can't kill me for a second time" Jo pointed finger guns in his direction. "Anyways, it's not all that I'm scared about"
"Then what are you scared about?" Charley leaned forward, leaning his arms on his knees.
"That, he realises that I'm not as great as he thinks I am, or not as pretty or not as funny. Once he really starts getting to know me he'll realise I'm some boring mess that doesn't like anything he's into and just wants to hide away all day behind romance novels" She made him burst out laughing. "I'm serious dude, this is me being absolutely transparent with you"
"I know, it's just the way you said it" He put a hand to his face and scratched his cheek. "Look kid, the only thing I can tell you as someone who has sat on their ass and been miserable for the pass thirty something years. When you've got something good in front of you, grab with two hands and tell it how good it is, screw the consequences."
"I have told him that I think he's great, we've talked serious before but never in that way" She nodded, picking up one of the hair ties she discovered in the corner of the bag earlier and began to tie her hair up in a loose bun at the back of head. Small tendrils escaped it, shaping her face and tickling her eyebrows.
"Something tells me, if you go to him and have that conversation then things will be even better for you both. You should totally keep your hair up today, it looks cute" Charley smiled.
"Oh really? Okay then" She looked down, "Thanks, it's nice to talk about it"
"Anytime, I'm the dead guru of this school" He pushed his hands on his knees, getting up off the floor. "You coming for breakfast?"
"Sure, is everyone awake?" She pulled off her boots, stuffing them in her backpack.
"Not yet, I'll save you a spot though" He nodded, putting his hands in his denim jacket pocket and headed for the door.
"I won't be long" She replied, loosening her converse laces. Charley gave her nod, waved and was back out the door. "Well cat's out the bag" Jo said to herself, starting to pull on her shoes, rolling her lips inward with the fight to get them on properly. With a small struggle she got them on, double knotting the laces knowing full well she had the tendency to walk around for hours with laces flapping about the place.