I Hate You

Part 9

​
​​​​​"You look nice today,“ Devin comments, looking at you curiously as you sit on his desk, your hair curled in its ponytail with a few ringlets hanging down around your face — your makeup was spot on; you’d actually gotten out of bed early just so you could look nice.

For Ryan.
Who you hadnt talked too since Sunday night.
You’re not sure if you’re excited to see him or not. 
You always walk with Devin and basically drop him off with Ryan after homeroom every morning, but since you’d kissed the other night you weren’t sure of the welcome.
Would he be chill like his normal self?
Would he feel awkward?
Would he ask you out?
Did you want him to ask you out?
You’re not sure.
Would you even say yes?
Could you?
Your eyes flick to your "friends” where they’re gathered in the back chatting, Cassy wearing her basketball sweats as she sits basically in Blake’s lap.
They would freak out if they saw you were dating Ryan.
If he even wants to date you.
You don’t really know each other.
You’re pretty sure you know more about him then he does you, though. He never really asked…
Was he not even interested? 
Or was he just not as nosey as everyone else was?
You’re not sure.
You’re nervous. 
You press your palms against your thighs, rubbing the denim of your jeans.
“(Y/N)?”
“Hmm?” you blink as you look at Devin, seeing his curious look.
“Where are you this morning?”
“On your desk obviously.”
He sighs as he leans back.
“That’s not what I meant.”
You know. 
But you’re not about to tell him.
If Ryan Hadnt Said Anything To His Friends, Why Should you?
Wait. 
Why hadn’t he said anything?
Was he embarrassed by the fact he hung out with you?
You frown.
You were around his friends, sort of.
He shouldn’t be embarrassed of you.
Ehhh….
Your eyes flick anxiously to the clock.
“Woman, if you don’t get your head out of the clouds —.”
You jump as you feel Devin pinch your thigh, and you look at him in irritation.
“What was that for?!”
“You’re not paying attention to what I’m saying! Yeesh. Can’t get your mind off Ryan?”
Your face flames. “What — why would you say that!?”
Devin grins slowly.
He knew it.
“Because I know he hung out at your place Saturday — he blew off band practice for it and it annoyed Chris. We had to have it Sunday instead.”
Oh?
He’d said —.
Aww he’d blown off practice!
You shrug your shoulders nonchalantly. “We just hung out and watched movies.”
So he did tell his friends!
So he couldn’t be embarrassed of it then right!?
“Is that all you done?” Devin prods, nudging your thigh again, ready for every detail. “No hanky Panky?”
You wrinkle your nose. “Seriously, Devin?”
“Well if you guys boned I want to know about it!”
You feel the red creep up your neck and burn your cheeks. “Devin!”
Devin gasps, his eyes widening. “Oh my god, did you guys!?”
“No! Of course not!
You’re crimson.
Oh lord.
You’d never slept with anyone at all — the most you’d ever done was kiss someone and that was because of drunk spin the bottle!
And then Ryan of course.
Devin eyes you. "Are you sure?”
“Yes, Devin, I’m sure.”
“Ahuh.”
He’s going to ask Ryan, he doesn’t believe you.
You both glance up as the bell rings, and you hop off the desk in relief.
Time to see how it goes.
You hope he’s… Normal.
You try not to rush down the hall, but your steps are a little quicker then normal, your books wrapped tightly in your arms. Devin trails behind you in amusement, already able to see Ryan leaning against his normal column.
So you were the reason he wasn’t wearing his slouchy clothes like normal.
Devin hadn’t seen Ryan actually try to look like he gave a shit about what he looked like since his last girlfriend. And even then the trying had stopped before that relationship had ended.
Hmm.
If Devin had a mustache he would be twirling it.
This could be interesting. 
Very very interesting. 
Ryan straightens the instance he sees you, a nervous look on his face as you and Devin stop in front of him. You give him a hesitant smile that he quickly returns.
Oooo.
Devin grins.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Devin glances between the two of you.
That’s it?
Hey?
“Hey, Ryan?”
“Yeah?” Ryan glances at him.
“Did you two sleep together Saturday? She won’t tell me.”
“Devin!” You hiss, your face flooding with color as you give him a horrified look.
Ryan snorts. “Dude, no. We watched cartoons.”
“What?”
“Yup. Adventure Time. With the pink lady and the doughnuts walking around and —.” 
“Okay, it’s Princess Bubblegum okay? And she’s the ruler of Candy kingdom,” you defend, wrinkling your nose. “And you liked it so don’t be an ass.”
He rolls his eyes.
“Whatever. Finn can totally do better. He doesn’t need a tall chick.”
“What’s wrong with tall chick’s?” you frown.
“Nothing. But she’s a bitch to him.”
“She’s like way older then him! She doesn’t want to date a kid.”
“You guys are really lame,” Devin frowns at the two of you. “I was hoping for hot details on your love affair and you give me cartoons.”
You flush and Ryan grins.
“I gotta get going,” you shake your head. “I have a long way to walk to class.”
​​​This conversation was going to embarrass you, you just knew it.​​
​​"Want me to walk with you?“
Your eyes flick to Ryan curiously. "You’ll be late if you do.”
“Coach won’t notice, he and his wife are fighting.” Ryan shrugs.
Oh.
Well in that case…
“Sure, if you want too.” 
You didn’t see why not.
Just your AP class.
You glance at Devin to make sure it’s fine with him, and he gives the two of you a smile before abruptly leaving.
Well okay then.
“Come on,” Ryan says, slinging his bag over his shoulder. You nod, and the two of you leave the main building, chatting lightly about nothing in particular. He even holds the door open to the building you need to enter, and you send him a smile over your shoulder as the two of you head for the stairs — your class just has to be on the bottom level, of course, and it was much easier to take the inside stairs then the out.
“I don’t want to make you too late,” you say as you step inside the stairwell, the door closing behind you. “I can take it from here. Thanks though.”
“No big deal.” Ryan shifts, and you wait, knowing he wants to say something.
He finally runs a hand through his hair, looking irritated.
“Look, um… About the other night —.”
Oh shit.
You feel your stomach fill with dread.
Did he not have fun? 
Did he not like you?
Were you a bad kisser!?
What if you were!?!?!?
Oh god.
How humiliating. 
“— why don’t we do it again?”
Wait.
“What?” you stare at him like he’s lost his mind.
He frowns. “Let’s hang out again. Fri — er, not Friday. I have the thing with the guys. Um… Late Saturday again? I work in the morning.”
You brighten. 
“Okay,” you agree instantly, tightening your hold on your bag. “Sounds great.”
“Cool.” he grins at you. “We’ll make a plan or something.”
You nod.
Good.
You look in surprise as the bell rings, signaling the beginning of class and you’re still in the stairwell!
Shit!
“You better go,” Ryan chuckles at your expression. 
“Yeah! See you fourth block!”
~~~~
Balz is suspicious. 
He eyes you where you sit at the end of the table, smiling stupidly down at your lap. He sends a sideways glance to Chris, seeing he just looked bored as Mrs. Burke rambled on about something no one was really paying attention to, and even she didn’t sound interested.
Something was going on.
Big time.
​​"Okay.“ You smile.
All of his friends watch as the two of you walk towards the double doors, Ryan staying close to your side.
"What the fuck?” Balz asks.
​​ “He likes her, obviously,” Devin huffs, crossing his arms.
“Obviously. But why? They hate each other.”
“She’s a nice person, what’s not to like?” Devin defends instantly. 
“She’s – no she’s not!” Balz fuzzes up. “She’s one of them, dude! She can’t be trusted! And the only reason he’s so in to her is because they slept together!”
“They slept together?” Chris sounds surprised. “Seriously?”
“No!” Devin shakes his head.
“They totally did! We know how Ryan gets when he’s getting some!” Balz argues. “They’re fucking, I know it!”
“Who is?” Ricky asks, him and Vinny stepping up about the same time.
“Ryan and (Y/N).”
“(Y/N)? No way. She hates Ryan.”
“Apparently not anymore,” Balz crosses his arms unhappily. “He’s all up her ass right now.”
“Because he likes her!” Devin sounds exasperated. “You don’t have to sleep with someone to like them, Josh, stop being a asshole about it. She’s really nice and you know it. You’re just pissy because Ryan skipped practice last weekend.”
“To sleep with her! He’s not gonna cancel practice just to hang out with her!”
“That’s kind of what he did.”
Chris, Ricky, and Vinny look back and forth at Devin and Balz as they argue, the three of them in sync as they listen to the judges decide who slept with who.
“Why don’t you just ask them if they did?” Vinny asks, glancing around, making sure his dad wasn’t anywhere near.
“I did.” Devin responds, his hands on his hips. “And they didn’t! Even Ryan said they didn’t. And you know if they did he would be talking about it — he always did.”
Eh.
True.
Balz frowns.
Dammit.
“Okay, so fine, they didn’t sleep together.”
~~~~
“So, uh, I’ll see you Thursday?” Ryan asks, a little nervously as he leans in the window of your car. He had Thursday and Friday off, not that the guys know about Thursday, and he’s… Gonna take you out.
On a date.
Somehow.
He’s literally got every nickel and dime saved up for his guitar, but… Maybe breaking into his stash for you wouldn’t be so bad.
Maybe.
“Yeah.” You nod, gazing up at him. “You wanna meet at my house or yours? We can hang out —.”
“Er, no, actually…. Just, um… Let’s go out to eat or something.”
“Oh, okay, cool. Like Wendy’s or —?”
“What’s your favorite restaurant?”
“What?” you stare at him in surprise. 
“What’s you’re favorite restaurant?”
“Oh… Um…. I like O'Charleys.”
He had kind of figured.
You seemed to like Italian.
“Cool. So Thursday we meet up there after school.”
“Okay.”
But why?
You look up at him curiously. 
“Do you like Italian?’”
“It’s okay.”
“Wh — if you don’t like it we can go somewhere else.”
“No, no, it’s cool.”
You eye him.
“Why do you want to go to O'Charleys?”
“Because I figure… It’s a nice place for a first date, don’t you think?”
You stare at him a moment, your mouth open to speak but nothing coming out.
A date!?
“Like… A date date?” you ask stupidly.
Ryan grins down at you.
“What else kind of date is there?”
You feel yourself start to smile.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Of course. So after school —.”
“Our first date.”
Ryan actually flushes.
“Y-yeah. I guess.”
You grin up at him, and then lean forward impulsively, kissing him. Ryan hesitates, but then leans into your kiss, returning it.
He was excited too.
~~~~
“Look at that,” Balz grunts, staring judgmentally across the parking lot. Ricky glances at him, both of them standing — or rather crouching — by Ryans car.
They were staking out.
“I told you,” Balz mutters, glaring as Ryan leans further through your window, his lips locked with yours.
“Well, he does seem to like her,” Ricky comments. “Considering he’s sucking face with her through her car window.”
“This is awful, we have to do something.”
“Dude, why? Let Ryan have some fun, he’s been lame since his ex graduated. He doesn’t have any fun —.”
“Fuck, we’re not gonna have a band if he hooks up with her! She’ll make him want to be, like, lame or shit!”
“… Do you mean normal?”
“You know what I mean!”
Ricky frowns.
"Are you in love with Ryan or something?”
“What? No!”
“Then stop being a little bitch and getting in his business. If he wants to fuck a preppy hot chick, let him. At least one of us is getting some. She seems nice enough, she brought us all cupcakes.”
“…. Don’t you think that’s even a little suspicious? She doesn’t know us. A couple weeks ago she hated Ryans guts. Why is she suddenly wanting to bang him?”
“Balz, stop man. It doesn’t fucking matter. Let’s just go get some pizza or something okay?”
“Okay,” Balz says after a moment, begrudgingly.
He’s chill with pizza.
And he knows Ricky just wants him to go, because the tiny dude hates pizza.
So fine.
For now, he’d let it go.
But if it started to interfere with the band —.
Done.
The end.
Balz wouldn’t have it.
But he would have some pizza.