Braces (Jefferson Fanfic) (Highschool AU)

He'll Never Like Me Back

Sky looked at her mouth one more time, groaning when the purple braces were still there. Sky was one of Thomas Jefferson's best friends, the one that had always been there, no matter what. The one who he's known since fifth grade. The one who was never not cool, never nerdy, never derpy. She was always funny, cool, and -sometimes- cute. Braces? Not her thing.

Now they were.

The dentist she went to had forced her to get braces, even though she was 17 and really didn't need them. The moment Sky got home she looked in the mirror and sighed. "This is gonna be a long day."

She walked to school the next day, meeting Thomas in the cafeteria. She was carrying a duffle that had her cleats, shin gaurds and soccer uniform, and the moment she got to them, James took it from her.

"Looks heavy, Sky," He said, causing the athlete to roll her eyes. "You're quiet."

"Mm-mm!" She replied, keeping her mouth closed.

"Come on, sport! Say something! Laugh!" Thomas cried, poking her side. She chuckled without smiling. "What's up?"

"Nothin'," she replied, purposely turning away to hide her braces. She didn't look half bad in them, but they made her sound a little strange.

"Why do you sound like that? Look at me, Sky!" Thomas ordered, grabbing her shoulder and turning her around. She sighed. "Sky!"

"I got braces, okay??" she cried. The braces were affecting the way she sounded, but not her letters.

"Hahaha! That's hilarious!" Thkmad laughed. Sky's heart broke. She had been crushing on Thomas forever now, and he was laughing at her. Not with her, at her. "Hahahaha! You sound so funny!!"

"Thomas!" James cried.

"Come on, Jamesy! You gotta admit, she's pretty hilarious!" He laughed.

"Yeah.... I guess I do..." Sky said, putting on a fake smile while her soul cried. Sky doesn't cry. "Shit, there's the bell. Gotta blast to get to class."

"Funny rhyme!" James smiled. She walked quickly to class and wiped that stray tear that fell without her consent.

~

Thomas kept teasing Sky for months, never giving her a break. To him, it was just harmless fun. To her, it was like a stab in the feels everytime that laugh sounded.

It was the middle of lunch on a random Tuesday and Thomas was, again, teasing Sky. She wasn't eating her food, just picking at it, and James noticed.

"What's up, sport?" He asked. "You're not eating."

"Just nervous for the game tonight," she said. "We're playing Nacric."

"I'll be there!" Thomas cried. "Just to hear you talking! Haha."

"Hehe... Hey, gotta go to the bathroom. Be right back," she got up and Thomas chuckled.

"Alright. See ya in Art, metal mouth," he laughed. Sky took off, running to the bathroom. The moment she got inside she fell to the ground, leaning on a wall and letting the tears fall freely. Every tear she ever had, the ones building up inside at every insult, spilled out. Heartbreaking sobs filled the empty bathroom and quiet whispers of 'end it' agreed with them.

"S-sky?" Asked a familiar voice. Sky's eyes shot open and she stopped her sobbing, wiping her tearstained cheeks and sniffling. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!"

"That was retorical. Why were you crying?" Eliza asked. Eliza, the popular girl dating Alexander Hamilton. She was the head cheerleader and she ruled the high school.