"And sometimes I just want to sit around and gaze at my shoes. And let your dirty sadness fill me up like a balloon. And in the end, I'd do it all again. I think you're my best friend. Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright?" 'The Kids Aren't Alright' by Fall Out Boy
AVALON:
"Shit, Indie, you don't have to wrap it too tightly."
"You fucking cut your arm again. I'm not gonna take it lightly."
I looked up and saw that she was struggling with her tears. I felt extremely bad and placed my non injured hand on her hand.
"I'm sorry. Things are just tough, you know?"
She shook her head. "You can't just mutilate yourself because Finn said something idiotic. If I lose you, God, where would I be?"
I shrugged. "Luke would be supporting your world while trying to hold up his. He wouldn't leave your side." I saw her face flush and grinned. "By the way, did I see you two making out on the sofa? I was ready to die of feels, if not of blood loss."
She blushed even more and I squealed. "Indie! You guys like each othe-"
"I like him, but his feelings for me are unrequited." She smiled. "It's fine though. It's not like he friendzoned me. While saying he loved me."
My jaw dropped. "Friend Zone Level 100: Your best friend say I love you, wait for it, as a best friend."
"Don't rub it in." She said in a sulky tone.
"I mean, there's always the chance he'll ask you to homecoming. I heard him talking to Tyler during AP Chem. He said he'd ask you to the dance." I shrugged. "He also said he'd give you his jersey."
She gasped, because she knew how big of a deal it was if a football guy gave a girl his jersey, or, if you were in ASB, you gave the girl your ASB letter man jacket. It was tradition to give a girl an article of your clothing because one, it'd show he liked the girl and therefore indicated that he was asking the girl out to the dance and two, the girl couldn't say no.
"I can't accept his jersey!" Indie exclaimed. "I wanna find my Jay-Z before I make a commitment."
"News flash: Luke is your Jay-Z. And if you don't accept the jersey, you'll be cast into the lower levels of the high school pyramid."
She sighed. "I get it, it's just...who'll you go with?"
"Me?" I laughed. "Don't worry about me. I have to take photos for yearbook and run the dance. I don't need a man."
"Didn't Tyler want to ask you out?" She asked.
I laughed even more at that. "Tyler's just a friend. We've known each other for what, 4 years? We're practically siblings."
"I'm just saying, Finn wouldn't-"
"Finnigan Samuel Winters is a dick ass bitch who's wearing his ass as a hat." I cut off sharply. I looked at my left arm out of habit. How many scars did he give me? Hours of unrest and tears? Too many. I was ready to give up on him.
"Hey, Ava?" Indie asked. I didn't respond. "AVALON JULIET BLAKE YOU ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW."
"Jesus Christ, no need to yell. There are two teenage boys here."
"That snore like pigs." She scoffed. "Anyways, just don't give up on him, yet. He honestly regrets calling you that and saying those things to you."
"My parents actually did approve..." I trailed off. "I'm so scared though."
"You'll be fabulous, I swear it." Indie promised. She reached out and hugged me. "Now go to bed, we have a long day tomorrow."
~
I was carrying my camera around the football field. All around me was the football team practicing for the big game on Friday and cheerleaders practicing their cheers.
I was caught by surprise when someone hugged me from behind and lifted me in a circle. I shrieked and dug my hands onto the attacker's arms and he laughed in response.
"'Sup, Ava?" Tyler asked, finally setting me down on my feet.
"Nothing much." I replied, tucking my hair behind my ears. He was grinning at me with a thousand watt smile that I couldn't help but smile back.
"Shouldn't you be with your team?" I asked. He pouted at me.
"You looked lonely." He said. I giggled, cos he looked really cute. "I wanted to hang out with you."
I shrugged. "I'm just doing stuff for yearbook, nothing more."
"Maybe I can show off my glorious body and pose for you?" He said in a teasing voice. I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"Nice try, you smart ass." I replied, giggling. "If I did take your picture, I"d be kicked off the yearbook team."
"But, girls would thank you for that beautiful and God-like picture," He replied, winking at me cheekily. I laughed and pushed him away from me.
We walked in silence until he grabbed my wrist. "Hey, Ava?"
"What now?"
He turned me around so I could look at him. He was suddenly incredibly quiet, and subdued.
How weird.
"Um, would you like the honor of wea-"
A football hit him in his head out of nowhere, making him collapse onto me. I shrieked and he wrapped his arms around my neck and covered my head.
"Shit, ow." He pulled his hands out from underneath my head and looked at the rocks embedded in his knuckles. I gasped and grabbed his hand gently. I began pulling the rocks out, one by one.
"Sorry." He said. He looked so confused and embarrassed.
"It's fine. Thanks for saving my head and stuff but..." I indicated at our position. He blushed even more and got up. He held out his hand and helped me scramble to my feet.
"What were you going to ask me?" I asked as I pulled out the gravel and rocks from his hand.
"Oh, that." He scratched his head with his non injured hand. "Would you like to go to homecoming with me?"
I stared at him. He paled at his face. I think I've never seen him look so bashful and shy.
His face fell. "I'm sorry. Was that a shit proposal? I have cookies and cream chocolate in my locker. I have this stash and I thought you'd like som-"
I leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Absolutely. I'd love to go with you."
He looked absolutely shocked. And then his face lit up like the football field at night. He lifted me off of my feet again and I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck.
He let me down gracefully and took off his jersey. I heard Coach Lanter yell, "Put your fucking shirt back on, Epcot!" but Tyler just smiled and pulled his shirt onto my body.
"Just wondering." I said. "Why would you ask an ASB student to the dance? Is it cos you felt bad that Finn didn't ask me?"
He looked shocked. "I truly, genuinely like you Ava. And I know it's tradition to bring a cheerleader, but traditions are meant to be broken." He grinned. "And Finn didn't ask you, so I thought I would. You deserve Homecoming Queen and all the dances you can handle."
I blinked. "I'm not on the Court."
He nodded. "Yeah, you are. You were the People's Choice, nominated by the senior population."
"Okay...?"
"People really like you, even though you work behind the scenes at school events."
I looked at him. He looked really serious and it suddenly hit me, did Tyler like me?
We both heard a cough and we simultaneously turned around. I saw Finn, looking like he was ready to blow up. Or throw something. Maybe both.
"Why would you go with him?" He said in a seething voice. "Why not me?"
~
FINN:
I've never been so jealous of Tyler Epcot in my life. Or a jersey.
Ava stood beside Tyler, fiddling with the hem of his jersey. It was too big, and it hung to her thighs. Tyler wasn't making an effort to cover up his chest, and it was bothering the hell out of me, that he would stand next to Ava shirtless.
Sweet, strong Ava that could cuss like a sailor. Ava that was weird and nerdy but still cooler than most people.
Ava, who should be going to homecoming and prom with me.
She crossed her arms and glared at me. "Hey, Ty, could you leave us?" She asked with barely controlled rage.
He nodded and kissed her cheek. It looked like she didn't even notice.
Once he was gone, she began passing, staring up at the sky. She looked ready for a lightning bolt to strike her. I looked at her arms and saw a bit of gauze wrapped around her arm.
"What happened?" I asked, pointing at her arm. She looked at me and shot me a lethal look that Indie would be proud of.
"You." She spat bitterly. "You happened. You, my thoughts, and a handy dandy Swiss pocket knife happened."
"You mean-"
"Yeah."
I looked down at my football shoes. "I'm sorry."
She scoffed at that. "I don't need your sorries. I don't have time for them, actually."
"Will you please stop being so stubborn and listen to me? Please?" I pleaded. I need to make amends with her.
She shook her head. "It's whatever now, Finn. It was always whatever. It's been whatever since seventh grade. I stood by you for I-Don't-Even-Know-How-Long. I've been your mental support. What do you do? You turn on my back. You left me when I needed you most." She kicked at a rock. The rock hit me at my shin, but she didn't apologize. "I only became your friend again because Indie and Luke forced it, and also, your mom needed a babysitter for Jack. I gave you so many opportunities to talk to me, to apologize. You were too hard headed and one sided and too damn stubborn to even notice I gave you chances."
She looked up, and I wanted to say everything. How I've liked her since middle school. How sorry I was for saying all of those things.
But I couldn't.
"Are you not going to talk?" She asked, sounding incredibly hurt. "I'm not talking to you anymore. I'll only ever talk to you when it's necessary, since you love talking to people other than me."
She looked at me. "Just..don't stop being friends with Tyler or Indie or even Luke to avoid me." She said, giving me a shaky smile. "I'll be fine. I'm always fine."
"Indie, I-I," I began, but I couldn't form a coherent thought.
"I'm sorry for whatever I did, Finn." She whispered sadly.
She walked off towards the school, and out of my life for what seemed like forever.
-
A/N
it's lia cos bo's at her best bae's house :)))))
i ship them too much, is that bad?
and i'm sorry finn's being an ass, i'm just going with some real life personality traits ;)
well then, hmm, i don't have a question for you, so if you wanna leave your own friendzone experience, do tell. i've been friendzoned myself, and it's hard, but yeah.
boys are stupid.
anywaaays
until the next chapter :)
lia xx
(Tyler is played by Dylan O'Brien, and Fall Out Boy's The Kids Aren't Alright is on the side.)