New Romantics. [1]

18. the Attack on Jake.

"No- NO, man! That barely even works! Nancy and Jonathan lowkey have a thing and that's not us!" Harley emphasized her claim with wide eyes and flamboyant hand gestures.

Sage rolled his blue-green eyes and ran a hand through his blonde hair. His blue jacket made a 'swish' noise when he moved his arm, making Harley clench her fist. "But Nancy ends up with Steve! Her and Jonathan are, like, crime fighting buds! That's us, Har!" He brought down his fist on the picnic table. Sage flicked his gaze between Harley's eyes, searching for any sense or justice.

The two decided to stay after school to support Kara with her seasonal color guard tryouts. They set up shop outside on one of the blue picnic tables that the squad usually hung around before school started. Harley sat on top of the table, and Sage made himself comfortable on the bench. The field was little ways away, close enough to see Kara twirling her flag and Jake hovering next to the field, mocking her movements with a cane from the art room. He looked absolutely ridiculous--although, if you ask Harley, he looks ridiculous constantly. A floral snapback sat backwards on his head, 97 cent shades from the grocery store shielded his eyes, and he sported a bright red tank top to match his hair. His shouts of encouragement were just as loud as the music the coaches put on.

Harley and Sage paused their dispute, and instead peered at Jake as he twirled the cane in the air with a holler, only for the wood to ram him in the face when gravity pulled it down. The two snickered together. "He's gonna get himself killed." Harley mumbled, facing Sage once more.

"Or Kara's gonna kill him for embarrassing her." Said Sage. He smiled at how obviously Kara was trying her hardest to focus and ignore the bright haired boy as his shouts--now mixed with pain--grew louder.

Harley laughed in agreement, her dimples growing, before she folded her legs together and leaned back on her hands. "Aw--why do you have to do that? We eat here." Sage grumbled referring to her dirty sneakers being on the table.

Harley shrugged. She was silent for a few moments before a grin grew on her face, causing Sage to raise his brows in question. "I can't believe it's been, like, two months since we all first sat at this table for lunch and you let me pet your damn hair." Harley and Sage both giggled, sharing a signature fist bump.

"One more, for old times sake?" Sage grinned up at his best friend, pointing to his thick head of hair.

Harley playfully rolled her eyes. "You're fuckin' weird, man." She chuckled. Nevertheless, she reached out and roughed up his hair, giving him a half-assed noogie.

"Ouch--Hey, is that my brother?" Sage suddenly cut himself off, narrowing his eyes at the field. The entire color guard team paused, intently watching Jake and a Tarzan lookalike engage in a screaming match. Harley retracted her hand and faced the scene. Jake seemed at a loss for words as the other man suddenly ran toward him. "Oh my god, it is! WHY IS HE SHIRTLESS?!" Sage shot up from his seat, sprinting towards the two boys.

"JAKE! HOLY SHIT!" Kara shouted, following Sage's tale. The two made it to the field just in time for Ace to score a few punches on the younger boy before Sage ripped him off of Jake.

•••

harley holland: I CANT BELIEVE TBIS
harley holland: UR BROTHERS ASS IS GRASS SAGE

Sage: IM SORRY OKAY HE WONT TELL ME WHY HE DID IT

harley holland: IM IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM WITH MY BROTHWR HE BROKE HIS LEG
harley holland: this is lowkey funny though don't tell Jake I said that

Sage: ACE IS GROUNDED IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL ANY BETTER
Sage: GMAW MIGHT CUT HIS HAIR

harley holland: SHE FUCKIN BETTER

Sage: I CANT BELIEVE YOU PUNCHED MY BROTHER IN THE FACE
Sage: this is too much Harley just too much

harley holland: WTF I WAS MAD THAT HE ATTACKED JAKE SUE ME (please don't)

Sage: okay but lowkey I'm laughing bc color guard practice is still going on???? Jake got beat up on the field and the ambulance had to come why didn't they send the kids home wtf

harley holland: Right! wyd @ the color guard coach
harley holland: Oh yeah Jake just asked if you wanted to come sign his cast when we get home bc he won't be at school for a couple days

Sage: yeah sure that'd be cool

harley holland: Anyways I'm going to murder Ace

Sage: HARLEY

harley holland: IM STILL MAD AS FUCK IM SORRY IM TRASHING ON YOUR BROTHER BUT HE DIDNT HAVE TO BREAK MY BROTHERS LEG WITHOUT A SHIRT ON
harley holland: btw why didn't he have a shirt on

Sage: idk he won't talk and gmaws getting angry
Sage: I'm hiding upstairs
Sage: she's scary when she's mad

harley holland: Hope she gets him to talk 👊
harley holland: Also Jake gets to keep that cane to walk around with im so dead

Sage: no way

harley holland: Ikr I want a cane
harley holland: Break my leg dab daddy

Sage: HARLEY

harley holland: WHY ARE YOU SURPRISED
harley holland: Look bro I gotta go roll Jake in his wheel chair to the car ok bye

Sage: Yikes see ya Harley

•••

ok this isn't supposed to be dramatic its just supposed to be ironic. I just thought that screencap looked like Ace running at Jake so I said to myself, "do it, Olivia, just do it." And I did. #truestory