Rhythm | JATP

(33) First Day Jitters

Justin nudges her side.

"Hot," Daisy blurts out. "I mean, hi. Sorry, hi. I'm Daisy."

The girl arches a brow and looks her up and down. "Justin said. I'm Carrie."

"Right," Daisy lets out a breathless laugh. "It's a little warm in here. Anyone else?" When she looks around, she can't help the warmth on her cheeks when Justin tries to hide his laughter.

"So true. Anyway, I've gotta run. Wanna grab lunch later?" Carrie asks, tilting her head.

"Sure. See you later," Justin replies.

"Nice to meet you, Daisy." Carrie winks as she walks away.

Daisy watches her go, her eyes wide enough to feel strained and her mouth dry enough to cough out sand. When Justin's giggles reach her ears, she buries her head in her hands and groans. "Stop!"

"'Hot?'" Justin wraps an arm over her shoulder. "That's what you say? Hot?"

"I'm awkward, ok?! Stop judging me."

"Oh, we're going to get along great," Justin says as they begin walking to her first class. "Come on, disaster gay. I've got you. You're going to be perfectly fine."

✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

If Alex could eat, he'd be chewing so much his teeth would grind. Instead, his corporeal jew clenches so hard he feels it in his muscles as he glares at the table across the dining hall. Whatever Julie and Flynn are talking about never really finds Alex's ear as he narrows his eyes.

Someone shoves an elbow into his side, but he doesn't care. From his other side, someone covers his eyes. "Hey!" He yelps, shoving Luke's hand away and pushing Reggie back. "What?"

"Dude, they're not gonna burst into flames if you keep glaring," Luke says. "You look like you want to kill someone."

"I don't." He shrugs. He sort of does, but he wouldn't say that.

"Relax, it's fine." Luke leans against the table and follows Alex's gaze to the other table. "He'll talk to us eventually."

"Why are you bothering me?" Alex shakes his head. "Reggie's the one who can't stop looking at them."

Reggie's eyes widen. "I-I am not!"

"Oh my gosh, can you three be quiet for two seconds?!" Julie hisses. "Flynn and I are coming up with a game plan. So let me think!"

"But what if you don't have the brain cells today?" Luke asks.

She glares him into silence. "Do you have any ideas, Patterson?"

He shrinks back, slightly hiding behind Alex. "No."

"We could go talk to them," Alex says. "Yeah, let's just go over there now and talk to them and yell a bit and everything will be fine." He leaps to his feet, but both Reggie and Luke pull him back to the seat.

He had made enough commotion that Justin looks over from where they stare. All of them, Julie and Flynn included, look elsewhere to avoid his gaze. The new girl glances over too with a happy wave before Carrie pulls her back into some conversation.

"Nice going," Luke mutters.

Alex grimaces. "I still say we just go over there."

"She's on the move!" Reggie exclaims suddenly, slamming his hands on the table. Everyone attempts to slyly look over as Daisy Nobel walks away from the dining hall, her bag slung over her shoulder. They watch as she turns right, looking over her shoulder as she goes.