Within the Lines

8.

The band hadn't arrived yet a few minutes before the start of the party, and it looked like Becky was about to pass out from the stress. If not pass out, then burst. 

"Relax," I told her, gently rubbing her stiff shoulders. "They'll be here. And so what if they start playin' a bit later? We'll put up other music. People will entertain themselves talkin'." 

Becky flashed me a weak, unconvinced smile. "Thanks. It's just... this is my first task as the head of the Student Council. I just want this to go well, you know? What will I put on my resume if it doesn't?"

"At least the place looks awesome. You got the right team of students together in time against all odds, Beck," Jonah said. He raised both hands, and actually made Becky smile as she high-fived him with both hands.

"Yup, you really brought it together," Mandy also complimented Becky, and Becky finally seemed to calm down a little. She breathed out through her mouth, and closed her eyes. 

Jonah shot me a subtle 'wow' look at the averted Becky-breakdown crisis. 

"I'm going to meet up with some friends," he then told me. "Hope I'll see you later tonight, though."

"Yeah, me too," I said. 

I watched Jonah walk away, not realising I had an audience until Mandy giggled. I glanced at both Becky's and Mandy's beaming faces. 

"What?" I asked, pretending not to understand. 

"Nothing," Becky replied innocently. Then her phone rang and she was off again, muttering that it'd better be the band telling her they were here, else she was going to rip them apart on their online review page. 

Mandy stayed glued to my side. She put an elbow on my shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows. 

"So, you like the theatre guys. You and Jonah?" 

I chuckled awkwardly. "I don't know. Maybe." 

There was one potential curtain-dropper in this theater affair, however. Atticus. Somehow, it always came down to Atticus. If I wanted to see Jonah, but he and Atticus had a history, maybe they were exes, that would complicate matters a little. At least, as long as Atticus and I were still living under the same roof. It wouldn't stop me if I decided I wanted to date Jonah, but it would be good to know where they stood. 

Especially since I was supposed to drive home with Atticus tonight.

Obviously, Atticus was like a closed off like a stuck jar lid. Probably unable to crack open unless you slam him on the table and pour hot water over his head. I didn't want to resort to torture. I couldn't ask Jonah because, no. Just no. That was even weirder than asking Atticus. 

Mandy however...Mandy seemed to know an awful lot about everyone's business, and she had no trouble, as Becky called it, word-vomiting all over the place. Worth a shot. 

"Hey, Mandy?"

"Mm?"

I darted a glance around us, and decided it was safe to ask. I leaned a little closer to her. "Do you know if Atticus and Jonah ever dated?" 

Mandy's mouth formed a perfect 'o.' "

No," she whisper-shouted back. Her eyes lit up. "But do you think they did? Or that they're dating now? I thought they were just friends. Oh my God, how did you find out?"

"Wait, wait, stop jumpin' to conclusions! Freeze!" I ordered. Clearly, if Jonah and Atticus had ever been involved, it wasn't public knowledge.   

 I might've yelled 'freeze!' and Mandy played along by going still like a mannequin, I knew she was thinking about it. I had to say something to make her forget about it.