Only Ones Who Know - Derp Crew High School AU

Chapter 4: Pigskins and Proposals

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"Leaving Tom's house now, we'll be at yours in a few minutes," Smarty texted me. "GaLm will be driving alone with Myla."

"Okay," I simply replied, putting my phone down and throwing on my Batman hoodie over my blue plaid shirt. The guys and I are going out to a big football game tonight at school and they're on their way to pick me up. Cielo's coming too, but she's going to ride with a few of her own friends.

Tonight's also a big night because Tom's going to be asking Johanna to Homecoming tonight. With my help, the other kids in the band are going to help out after the halftime show by getting her attention, then Tom is going to come out with flowers and we'll follow behind with a banner that has his question written on it. We even got the press box operators to help out by playing her favorite song during all of this, "Hold On Till May" by Pierce the Veil. He's pretty nervous about it but we've been helping him out with it all.

We've been going to Granite Hills for a couple weeks now and adjustment was a lot easier than what I thought. I've spent most of my time with the Derp Crew, as we call ourselves now, and Cielo's made a few friends herself, including Steven's sister Scarlett. In addition, Ze and I are almost ready to turn in our math project that we started on my first day.

Speaking of Steven, after the first day when Smarty brought up getting him a girlfriend, he hasn't shown any signs of being scared of the topic. Because of that, I haven't brought it up again or asked him about it. I also haven't asked him about why it seemed like he was "blushing" at me at lunch the other day. If he really wants to tell someone, he will. Or at least I assume he would.

I walked out of my room and saw Cielo in the hallway. Her dark hair was pulled into a side braid and she was wearing a Three Days Grace t-shirt with pink skinny jeans and her brown leather boots. It even looked like, in the light of her phone, that she was wearing make-up. The clothes she was wearing didn't surprise me, but the make-up did. If there's one thing I know about my baby sister, it's that she doesn't wear make-up. She kept Mom's set after she passed away but never used it, until now.

"Hey there, Cielo," I greeted, eyeing her out of the corner of my eye. No, no make-up! Cielo Livia Mariani, you're almost 15, remember that! the big brother in me screamed in my head. "Who are you all dressed up for?"

She quickly put her phone away and blushed. "No reason, I just felt like dressing up."

"Make-up too?"

"Uh, yeah? Might as well, you know." I just nodded and the door bell rang. Dad was grabbing a snack in the kitchen and answered it while he was up.

"Anthony, John's here!" Dad shouted.

"On my way! Okay, see you there, Ci-ci." I patted her on the back and ran to the door. "See you later, Dad."

"Alright, Anthony. Don't be out too late, okay?"

"Will do!" I closed the door behind me and rushed to Smarty's car.

"Okay, just to warn you, it's a little tight back there." I didn't listen to him and flung myself in the backseat, landing on Steven and Tom's laps. Tom lifted the flowers he bought for Johanna so I wouldn't crush them on accident. I turned over and stared up at my surprised friends. Steven moved his hand away from my hip and looked the other way, not before he grazed my inner thigh ever so lightly.

"Oh, h-hey guys," I stuttered, thinking about where Steven's hand had been. Why can't he put it back? I whined in my head. Before things got too awkward I sat up in the seat that was actually designated for me. I heard Marissa, John's date, laugh in the front seat.

John came in and buckled up. "I tried to tell you, bro. By the way, Marissa you know Anthony, from class?"

"Yep. Hi!" We shook each other's hands and I put on my own seat belt. I could feel heat radiating from Steven in the cramped back seat. The ride was quiet except for the radio and some small chatter from John and Marissa. He looked so smitten with her and smiled after everything she said. He looks at her the way I look at Steven - except I'm afraid that I can't have him the way he can have her. I haven't even come out to them yet, thinking that it's just not the right time.