all that glitters » david dobrik au

twenty five

The day we returned back to Abernathy at the end of winter break was... terrifying. Not only was I scared about how David would treat me in front of other people, but I also was still hiding from my friends that I even went to New York with David in the first place. They believed I was hanging out with my cousin in the big city, and that David's trip just happened to overlap with mine. I was going to keep it that way for as long as possible.

That being said, it was pretty hard to hide things from some of the nosiest people on Earth, especially with the way David was acting.

Walking into school alone (as Heath, my usual walk-in buddy, was still in Bali for the next two days) was daunting, to say the least. No one looked at me funny, or made it clear that they knew David's fingers were in my vagina just a week earlier, but... something had definitely changed. Maybe it was my confidence, the way I walked in with my head held high despite the fact that I was alone. Maybe it was the way that David winked at me from across the hall as we passed each other. Maybe it was Gabbie's not-so-subtle eyeroll as I walked into our shared first period. Whatever it was, it helped.

It was lunch before things started going a little downhill. For starters, by the time we all got to lunch, Liza, Kristen, and Zane had already shared their crazy winter break stories. I heard all about the hot guys in Paris with Liza and Kristen, and Zane's trip to Florida, where most of his family lived. Now, they wanted to hear about my vacation.

"It was really chill," was the only response I could give them. "We saw the ball drop on New Years, and we did all the basic tourist things. Super fun, but you know... it was family. No drama."

"Boring!" Kristen sighed. "You didn't run into David?"

"No," I tried to hold back my nervous laughter, and instead focused all my anxious energy into tapping my foot against the floor. "It's a big city, you know? I probably only say five percent of it while I was there."

"I just think it was weird you guys were there at the exact same time," Zane spoke from the other side of the table. "I mean, can you say soulmates?"

"Shut up!" I laughed. "It's New Years. They have the biggest ball drop, like, ever. Of course it's a popular destination. I saw Brandon Calvillo was there too. Am I going to be interrogated about whether or not I was with him?"

"Just wondering," Liza shrugged, clearly sensing I wanted to end the conversation. "Anyway, did we tell you about Jean Pierre? Let us tell you about Jean Pierre."

I really did try to listen to their story about another hot guy that flirted with them while they were eating at a café down the street from the Eiffel Tower, but... something distracted me. Or should I say someone?

David. Of course it was David, but what I didn't expect was him to be sitting at his table with Gabbie perched on his lap like some kind of trophy. Even if that wasn't his intention, it sure as hell felt that way, especially after what happened the night I went to his house on the first day of break. I knew they had done something, and I really didn't need him rubbing it in my face.

Apparently, I had been staring for too long. I felt my phone vibrate in my lap, shaking me out of my David induced haze.

david: Come sit with me

I giggled to myself at the ridiculousness of his statement, letting my eyes flicker up to look at him. He stared back of me, no hint of laughter or amusement on his face. He was serious.

mona lisa: i'm with my friends

I watched as he received the text, watching his eyes roll. He looked up at me to send me a what the fuck? face, then began typing.

david: Why are u still staring at me then lol

I rolled my eyes at that one.

mona lisa: im not

David scoffed from his seat at my stubborn response, his fingers quick to start typing again.

david: Just come sit with me

mona lisa: no

mona lisa: besides u seem pretty busy with gabbie on ur lap lol

David seemed to smirk from his spot at his table, raising his eyebrows as if he was presenting me a challenge. I never got a text back, but I knew what he was communicating just by the cocky look on his face. He wanted me to go over there, but I wasn't that desperate. If he wanted to talk to me, he'd have to approach me first.

"Mona," Liza's voice shook me from my thoughts of David and back into the real world. "We were asking if you wanted to go eat with us tonight."

"I can't," I sighed. "I have to work on revising the AP government project with Todd. He was too busy fucking around with his friends to do any work during class, remember?"

"You are so unlucky," Liza laughed. "At least I got Scott. Todd's dumber than a rock."

"He's nice, though," I shrugged. "He needs to drop his friends. I think he'd prosper without them. That actually reminds me, I need to ask him where we're meeting and when. I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"

They all waved me off with little resistance, focusing more on Zane's story about how he and Heath got into a huge argument before Heath left for Bali.

I approached the popular kids' table with no nervousness. I had created a new mindset for myself since moving to Vernon Hills; simply saying what's the worst thing that could happen? was enough to get me to do pretty much anything. What were they going to do? Shoot me? I was about to find out.

I sat down at the round table between Scott and Todd, directly across from David, who stared at me in mild shock. Everyone else seemed to be disgusted by my presence, except Todd, who smiled and cheered, "Mona! Just the girl I wanted to talk to."

"Yeah, I actually came over here to ask you where and when you wanted to meet up," I kept my sentence vague on purpose. I wanted David to think Todd and I were just hanging out for funsies, just to see what he would do. "I was thinking Starbucks would be good, but I wouldn't mind your house, if you wanted to go there."

"Starbucks sounds fine," he shrugged, making David's face twist in the slightest bit on confusion and possibly jealousy. "Is four okay? I have some stuff to do after my fifth period."

"Yeah," I smiled, sighing in relief just as the bell rang. "I'll see you tonight, okay? Bye!"

I had almost escaped the cafeteria when someone snagged my elbow, pulling me to a halt.

I think you can guess who it was.

i never have authors notes for this book im sorry i always write this when im deadass dying to go to sleep lmao xoxo abby