tratie one shots, vol. i

[ high school au ]

I smiled to myself and shot back a laughing emoji before focusing back on Mr. Walker. Apparently, my grin was obvious, and my desk partner raised an eyebrow.

"Texting someone special?" Max whispered with a suggestive smirk.

I cast him a glare with pursed lips. Even if he was Olivia's brother, and by default a close acquaintance, I didn't have to be nice to him. He'd asked me out several times within the past week, because he wanted to "score some" on Valentine's Day. Tonight. 

Ugh.

"I'm talking to my boyfriend," I hissed pointedly. 

"The one that doesn't exist," Max recalled.

I opened my mouth to argue, but decided better of it. Mr. Walker was handing out the Bunsen burners, and I had to pay attention if I wanted extra credit for participation. I repeated the same phrase in my head that had kept me going for the past year: it doesn't matter what they think, it doesn't matter what they think, it doesn't-

"Katie, here you go." Mr. Walter smiled at me as he placed the burner on my side of the desk. "Don't let Max touch it without you overseeing it, okay?"

The class let out a collective chuckle, remembering when Max set fire to his shirt last semester. Max grumbled something about him only doing it to see what would happen. I pulled my focus away from my congested thoughts and put it on pouring the correct chemicals into the pot. 

One more semester.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Carey said as she fluttered through the hallways. With every person she passed, she produced an award-winning smile and a card with a lollipop attached to it. When she saw me, she brightened. "Hey, Katie! Happy-"

"Isn't that more of a kindergarten activity?" I cut her off, but felt a little bad after doing so. She was a lot to take in at once, but she meant well. I softened my expression. "Are they voting cards?"

"Well, not exactly." Her bubbly personality wasn't phased by my curtness. "They're Valentines. But I'm hoping this'll score me some points for next semester's election." 

The junior class wasn't really competitive that year, so I didn't know why Carey thought she needed to jump the gun for student government elections. 

"I'm sure you'll be fine," I commented as she handed me a card. It had a bee with heart stickers surrounding it. The print read, Bee mine.

"Thanks, Katie!" she chirped. "Are you doing anything for tonight?"

I checked my phone and sighed. 4 unopened messages from trav <3 ."Nah. Travis is hours away, and we decided to wait until spring break to do anything."

Unlocking my phone, I felt warmth flood through me as I scanned over the texts.

I miss you.

What if I drove to you

If I left right now I could be there by the time sixth ends

I'm gonna ditch the rest of school.

Carey paused for a sympathetic frown, but soon her grin was back on her face. "I forgot you said you were dating that guy. He's from New York, right?"

I couldn't decipher whether or not she was being sincere, but I figured I'd go along. "Yeah."

I texted back, haha yeah you do that, even though he'd texted me an hour and a half ago.

"That sure makes turning Max down convenient!" she gigged, and I furrowed my brow at her flippancy. "You don't even need proof, apparently."

She didn't believe me, either.

None of them did - not Carey, not Olivia, and especially not Max. 

"You sure you're not going to Justin's thing?" he questioned after sixth period as we walked to our lockers. "It's gonna get pretty crazy."

"That's exactly why I'm not going," I stated. 

"You're so boring!" Olivia groaned.

Rolling my eyes to the ceiling, I yanked open my locker to shove its contents into my bag. "I like getting sleep before school. And I prefer not to be high."

"I could give you a high you wouldn't forget." The look on Max's expectant face made me want to barf. 

I stared blankly at him, giving him nothing. "I have a boyfriend."

"I don't see him anywhere."

"That's because he's-"

"Right here."

The familiar voice made butterflies release into my rib cage, and I felt a smile tug at my cheeks as I twirled around. 

Travis.

"Who's-" Max began, but his mouth slammed shut the moment I flung myself into Travis' arms. 

Travis.

"Heya, Katie-kat," he chuckled into my ear as he lifted and spun me around. 

His comforting scent overtook me as I buried my head into his chest. He was here. He'd driven all the way to me. On Valentine's Day. And showed up in front of the people who thought he didn't exist.

Travis.

Once he set me down, I remained in his arms. I didn't want to ever let go. It felt like it had been years since I saw him, and being wrapped in him was pure ecstasy. I could've started crying if I wasn't aware that I stood in the middle of the hallway of school.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, smiling so hard it hurt my face. But I didn't care.

He was here.

He ran a hand through his auburn curls, making my heart skip a beat. "Uh, I told you. I missed you."

As if Max was unaware of any type of hint, he butted in to say, "That's Travis?"

I narrowed my eyes at him and Olivia, who wore the same shocked expression. "Yes. Told you he was real."

"Oh, I'm real, alright." Travis smirked as he snaked his arm around my waist, squeezing me against his side. He looked at Max with the most intimidating smile I'd ever seen. "So, back off from my girl, got it?"

I couldn't believe he'd come.

Olivia and Max couldn't, either, but for a very different reason.

"Have fun at your party," I told them, guiding Travis to turn away from them. I would've walked away then, but I stopped to rise up on my toes and plant a kiss on Travis' cheek. Just because I could.

Travis was real, and Travis was here.

"Whatta you say we get out of here and celebrate?" my boyfriend offered, taking my hand and walking me out to the parking lot. 

His car sat in the visitor's parking, and I decided my car could wait.

"It is the day of love, or whatever."

"That's every day with you, Kates." He grinned and pulled me into another embrace. 

"You're cheesy."

"And you're beautiful."

I rolled my eyes, but a smile stained my face. And that smile stayed there the entire night. 

What a way to have Valentine's Day.