The Oakley Plan (Troyler AU) // ON HOLD

chaptah 6

A/N: SORRY IF THIS SUCKS IM STILL KINDA IN SHOCK AND STUFF.

The morning passes by in a blur. Caspar and I get stopped by so many of his admirers on the way into school that I miss meeting Zoe and barely make it to biology on time. Regular biology, it turns out, is like the coloring book version of what I know I would be getting in the AP class. In French, the teacher may as well be speaking in tongues because I am so wrapped up in the botched car ride that I hardly hear a word he says. Then, in PE, I take a basketball square on the chin. Do they ever stop torturing kids with basketball?

Finally, the bell rings for first lunch, where I know I'll catch up with Zoe. I get in the food line, drop a yogurt and apple onto my tray, plus a chocolate chip cookie to lift my spirits. Now, where do I sit? I don't see Zoe yet, or any of the wallflowers that we usually sat with last year. I scan for Tyler, not sure whether I want to see him or not, but he's nowhere to be seen.

"Troye!" From all the way over at one of the rectangular tables by the window, Caspar waves for me to join him. Caspar, King of the school, wants me to join him. He's with Marcus, Joe and a couple fake-ass lookin cheerleaders. I wave back, noticing that heads at random tables turn toward Caspar, then me. Is it my imagination, or are cameras flashing?

Caspar introduces me to the table. "Troye is super cool once you get to know him!" He pats my back. I focus on peeling off the top of my yogurt to keep from grinning like an idiot. Caspar thinks I'm super cool. Me? SUPER COOL!?

Zoe waves from across the lunch room and makes her way to the table. There's another round of introductions. She, as it turns out, already knows some of the guys through Alfie.

Zoe dumps the contents of a brown paper lunch sack on the table and tears open a little pouch of gummy bunny rabbits. "Where were you this morning?" she asks. "I waited as long as I could."

Everyone else is totally absorbed in a conversation about football or some shit. I scoot closer to her, stirring my yogurt, speaking in a soft voice. "Oh, Zoe, it was awful."

"What happened?" Zoe asks.

I'm about to begin my tale of woe when a new wave of people rushes into the commons. And rushing in with them like he's being carried by the wave?

Tyler.

"Oh my god!" I shift in my seat so that my back is to the entrance and hide in Zoe's long hair.

"What's wrong?" she giggles.

"See the guy who just came in? The hot one?"

She shifts in her seat. "Which one? Purple hair?"

"Yes!" I whisper yell. "Don't stare!"

She gives me a don't-be-pathetic look. "Gimme some credit."

She looks over to the crowd again then turns back to me.

"The one talking to the Teapot?"

I risk a quick glance. Tyler is in the burger line talking with the girl Zoe and I call the Teapot because of the part she played in last years school production of Beauty and the Beast. Appropriately, she is both short and stout.

"No, Zo. The OTHER guy with purple hair." I reply sarcastically.

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever. I don't think I've seen him before," she says. "Is he what happened this morning?"

Between spoonfuls of yogurt, I tell her about Tyler playing soccer with Tyde, and me stopping the ball with my head. I told her about how good it felt talking to him- giddy, but at the same time totally comfortable. I tell her about my sleepless night of obsessive wondering. Is he gay? Will he be my boyfriend? Will we adopt children one day? What'll I do if he turns senile at ninety and I have to choose whether or not to have him institutionalized?!

"Jeez, Troye, get out of your head!"

"I know, I know, and then this morning, I made a total fool of myself."

"How?"

"Well, I gave him a ride to school-"

Oops.

"You what?!" Zoe snaps. "You don't know this guy at all! He could be a rapist. Or worse, you could lose your license!" She presses the inside of her wrist to my forehead. "You, my friend, are sick."

Is that what it is? Did that soccer ball do something to my brain?