Ride the Cyclone Oneshots

Help From An Old Friend

Oceans pov

The hot water runs over my face and down my back. My red hair darkened by the water. I pat the water against my face, trying desperately to pull myself together. But nothing could tear my mind away from the ever present thought that stuck in the front of my mind.

"OCEAN," my mother screams from outside the bathroom door. "YOUR FIVE MINUTES OF HOT WATER IS UP. GET OUT."

I sigh, slowly twisting the knobs making the water come to a squeaky stop. I pushed the shower curtain back, stepping out into the steam filled bathroom. I dry off and dress in my perfect pressed and ironed school uniform. Perfecting every crease and fold. I push on my headband, pulling a strand out from either side.

I take a deep breath and walk out of the bathroom. My mother immediately starts blabbering some nonsense about how being in water too long... something something. I tune it out and away just like always. Nodding in the right places and adding in an "mhmm" if needed.

Grabbing my backpack, I B-line for the door. I open it, and crisp fall air greets me. I walk out and let the door slam lightly behind me, not caring about the yelling it caused. I walk briskly down the sidewalk towards my school at the end of the street, ignoring the tears I could feel in the corners of my eyes.

Noel's pov

I search aimlessly in my backpack, looking for nothing in particular while I wait for homeroom to start.

"Noel..." A voice comes from behind me. Without turning around, I know who the grating, annoying voice came from. Ocean OConnel Rosenburg, the student body president, "leader" of the choir, and overall complete know it all.

I turn around to face the red head. "What do you want Oce-." I stop, her name still on my lips as I see the tears welling in her eyes. The normally headstrong independent girl who stood in front of me now looked deflated and broken. "Ocean, what's going on? You look terrible."

"I-I- need to talk to you," she states blandly, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from my locker.

"W-what?" I reply, confused. "Me, why do you need to talk to me. Where's Constance, or like Ricky?" She doesn't reply as she continues to drag me down through the hall into an empty classroom. "C'mon, what's going on? You're freaking me out."

"Noel I-" she finally croaks, after standing and looking at her shoes for a solid minute.

"You what?" I ask impatiently.

"Noel, I think I'm gay," she blurts out, immediately covering her mouth with her shaking hands.

"Oh," I say quietly. I pull out two chairs and motion for her to sit next to me. "Really? How..." Not gonna lie, I'm a little shocked. But I understand why she came to me.

"I just have this feeling, this feeling I've never felt before," she explains, holding her hands on her chest. "F-for Constance, im afraid."

"Mmm, classic," I comment playfully. She looks up at me, concern and confusion on her face. "Never mind. So you have a crush on Constance. Now that something I didn't see coming."

"She's just so smart and pretty, and she's the only one who's stuck by me through everything that happened in middle school. She knows everything, and I'd trust her with my life. But I've been especially mean to her recently because, well, I think... I figured if I pushed her away enought the feelings would go away, ya know?" She rambles.

"Yea, I get that." I reply, feeling a slight sense of being the more knowledgeable in a situation with Ocean for the first time in my life. "I think you should, give yourself some time to figure yourself out, definitely apologize to Constance, and just feel the water before labling yourself or telling her."

"Oh no no no no. I will never tell her. What would she think? What would everyone else think? She can't ever know. You can't tell her, ok?" she demands, more tears spilling down her pale cheeks.

"Hey, woa woa, calm down," I say, an attempt and comforting the crying girl. "You don't have to. I'm just saying, take everything at your own pace, and dont feel forced to do anything. Though I think it'll go better than you think." I mumble that last part.

"Thanks, Noel," she says, wiping her eye with her sleeve. I bell rings sharply above us. "Well, we should get to algebra," she says, standing up.

"Yea, I geuss so," I stand and follow her out of the room. I gently put my arm on her shoulder.

"Ew, don't touch me," she scoffs, pushing my arm off.

"Awww c'mon, I thought we were having a moment," I whine playfully.

"Moment gone," she states, a small smile on her face. I laugh.

"Ok, carrot top"