The Gay Gatsby

Chapter 18: Pining as Hard as an Evergreen Forest

Author's note: Not too long of a chapter today. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Anyway, this chapter is only Chance's p.o.v. Sorry about that, I kinda got carried away. Hopefully you'll understand why as you read. As usual, next chapter will be all Callaway!

Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Pining as Hard as an Evergreen Forest

"If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him."

    - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Chance

I didn't quite know what had urged me to ask Mr. Franklin to reschedule my detention at the same time as Callaway's. The way that the teacher had looked at me when I lied to him made me question the necessity of what I was asking. Was lying about something so trivial to my pre-calculus teacher a good idea?

But when I had skipped out of the classroom with Callaway's hand clasped within my own, I found that I wasn't regretful at all.
___________

Tuesday found itself quickly, and along with it I found myself in detention. I was grateful that Callaway and I were only obligated to stay for half an hour. It was much better than the full hour that most of the other students had had to attend the previous day.

Thankfully, the classroom in which detention was held was empty of any other students. And the teacher in charge was dozing off at their laptop by the front of the room, obnoxious snores and all.

With the temporary freedom, I decided to converse with Callaway in a most civil manner: by vigorously kicking the back of his chair. Every time he paused to glare at me, I laughed.

The teacher had obligated me to sit behind him, not beside him. The reasons for which were unknown to me, but at least it allowed me my violent pleasantries.

Though, after a good 5 minutes of continuous kicking, Callaway had hissed, "You and your fruitless actions are piteous." He whined childishly at me, "Abstain from kicking me if physically possible."

I grinned as he huffed and turned his back towards me.

Though I did discontinue my kicking, I uncovered other ways to scour for the dark haired boy's attention. I began to hum along to Soft Cell's "Tainted Love". I even took the time to add my own clapping sound effects, certain that the teacher wouldn't be waking up soon.

Though, my initial soft humming slowly transitioned into singing. "Sometimes I feel I've got to," I clapped twice, "run away."

I knew that I was a crap singer and that Callaway's eardrums must've been aching for relief. Nevertheless, I got so into the song that, on top of my clapping, I added my own beats. I focused all my attention on tapping my sneakers against the tiles of the classroom floor.

Green eyes bore into my face and Callaway's irritated voice groaned, "Synth excessive 80's music? Really?"

"Tainted Love is an amazing song," I argued. "Don't even try to fight me on this."

Callaway ignored me as I ventured to finish the whole song. By that point, I enjoyed it for itself - annoying Callaway was an added bonus.

"I'm attempting to hibernate for the next twenty minutes," Callaway grumbled, head stuffed into the arm of his sweater like it was a pillow. "Please stop yourself from conceiving a one-man A Capella group while I rest."