Carter Brothers: Dane

Chapter 5

 
"Yes. I mean, I don't want to be that couple, you know? The ones who swap gum and are constantly touching each other way too much but we can sit together at lunch sometimes and not have to pretend the other doesn't exist."
She cringes at the thought of some of the couples in their school that just do way too much. As much as Emery likes affection, that level has to get frustrating.

Dane only half listens to her cautions. Instead he hauls her up against him and off her feet with his hands around her waist. She squeals and throws her hands around his neck.
"Fuck yeah," he whispers putting her back down, "let's get to school."
She nods her agreement a whole lot happier than last night.




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That pleased feeling is a lot shorter lived than she anticipated. The butterflies are like birds that beat their wings at the insides of her stomach with the sense of dread creeping through her bones like a cold chill as they approach the school. It's later than they normally arrive so students are already milling around. Rather than dash off to her locker and then homeroom as she normally would, she allows Dane to take her hand as she hikes up her backpack over the other shoulder.
"It's okay. I'm right here," he murmurs giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

His optimism doesn't make her feel all that better. Popularity comes with the privilege of doing things out of the norm and it being easily accepted. Whereas if you're on the bottom of the social ladder like Emery, anything and everything you do is considered weird and strange.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your locker."

She allows him to lead her through the same walls she's being walking through for years. Only this time it all feels so new. Most kids are too engrossed in whatever they are doing but she's very aware of the flicker of gazes every so often towards them, followed by whispers and giggles. It's so odd how that feels worse to her than if someone just came up to her and said something directly to her face. Emery casts her eyes towards Dane, who is either oblivious to it or doesn't care. He smiles as he places his arm around her shoulder and it gives her the courage she needs to do her best in ignoring the people surrounding them.



"So we have the same lunch period," he implies, "I can save you a seat and you can sit with my friends and I?"
She closes her locker and her obvious discomfort must have been showing since his smile falls.
"Or not. Maybe that's too much today."
Damn, she's already getting far too invested in him. It upsets her to see him disappointed. What did her mom say before she even agreed to date him? Oh yeah, be brave.
Most of his friends are nice but some are most definitely not. It's going to be hell but she'll sit through it for him, she supposes.

Leaning up, Emery gives him a chaste kiss and replies, "we can sit with your friends today."
Once he sees how much they hate her, she'll have a reasonable excuse to go back to her own social circle. Again, oblivious to all that Dane just leans to kiss her more passionately than her soft, little kiss.
"Okay I'll see you later then. Bye baby."
"Bye," she grudgingly responds.

Watching his form become engulfed in the crowds, he's no longer there to be the buffer between the rest of the world and her and so Emery has that rush of self-consciousness. Head down, she does what she's always done and just try get the day over with.

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Dane cranes his head to see if he can spot her in the crowd but her class must be getting out late because he doesn't spot her yet.
"Who you looking for?" asks Justin.
"Em," mutters back Dane still keeping his eye out for her.
"Who?"
"Emery."

From his peripheral he sees the guys exchange glances before one of them dares to snort, "knew it. Just friends my ass. You all owe me 5 bucks each."
"What?!"
Dane's attention swings back to his group of friends who start arguing amongst themselves.