Three, social suicide
( ✦ ͙ ˚ / ˚₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳❥ )
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August didn't know why but after seeing what was sent to her, she somehow found herself at the Walters, nearly breaking down as if she had ran over a animal like that one time a couple of months ago.
Well she wasn't crying yet, but it wouldn't go unnoticed by anyone who saw her that she wasn't really in the best position to be asked the dumb questions like 'are you okay.'
Cause obviously fucking not, she was far from okay, hundreds of miles away from that term.
So after rushing to make food and leaving it on the table for her mother, she left the house, taking an uber to the only property she ever went to.
Yet, even with that action, she didn't knock the door.
August stood there for about a good five minutes before it opened itself, revealing Jackie who seemed quite shock to see her in such a state as this.
The encounter was awkward as it was, they momentarily stared at each other while Jackie only allowed herself to give August a sympathetic look before speaking up to replace the silence. "Do you want to come in?"
The tenderness in her voice gave August the comfort in knowing that she wasn't judging her, at least not right now for as far as she knew. So after a pause, she let herself reply. "Uh." Was all she had been able to conjure up. She hasn't decided if this was her best option, though she finally concluded it wasn't when she decided that she didn't want to bother anyone with her problem. "I'm good actually, I was just-" She stopped for a moment. "I'm just gonna go."
She was quick to turn away, determined to get further from the home as soon as possible so that she could get another uber, but Jackie had stopped her when she suddenly announced a proposal.
"Why don't you just come sit down for a moment?" She suggested. "We could stay out here in the porch, I was planning on sitting out here anyways so it wouldn't be bad to have company."
August stopped at her insistence, contemplating if it had been a good idea, but she gave in despite knowing that she might end up bawling her eyes out two minutes in. "Sure." August nodded. "We could do that."
She made her way up the three steps of stairs before they sat together in the chairs just beside it, the seat bringing her a sort of contentedness it always had when she was greeted with it.
It was silent while they settled in.
"Did you know they have a snake?" Jackie mentioned as she recalled the absolute wreck of a scene from earlier.
By the looks of her features August immediately laughed. "Oh no," The girl muttered, covering her mouth slightly as she gasped at the explanation she created in her mind. "They didn't tell you?"
Jackie shook her head as she found her mouth in tight-lipped smile. "Would've been nice to know though."
"Oh my God," August attempted to cover her chuckle, her hand failing to maintain her giggles before she finally removed them. "How did you find out?"
"At dinner."
"That seems like the worst time."
"I was grabbing my plate of spaghetti when I felt something rubbing on my ankle, so I grabbed it."
"Jackie!"
"Now I have a stain on my shirt that isn't really coming off."
August had completely lost it when the scene had played out in her head, she imagined it quite well, enough to make her know that in the moment it wasn't as funny as Jackie was making it out for her to be right now. "If it makes you feel better I can lend you some of my clothes." August insisted. "You're about my size and I have a really cute blue top that would look good on you."
"Really?" Jackie began to slowly smile.
"Of course, it'll make up for the shirt of yours that they ruined."
After Ap chem today Jackie was fed stories of August and how she was known for her legends of probably being the rudest person to step foot on the Earth, she breathed out pure anarchy as they said, but as of this moment those accusations seemed false to the Howard girl. The tales of August Thompson scared Jackie to the point where she was certain she would steer clear from her, yet here they were, laughing about earlier's incident while August was giving her a nice offer.
The moment was short lived however because someone walked out the door themselves, gathering both of their attentions as they spotted three people.
August had texted them and she completely forgotten, apparently they were on their way to see her but she made it easier by being at their house first.
˖*°࿐ •*⁀➷
For the first time in ages August dreaded going to school in a way that she hadn't before.
Adding onto that her car also wasn't fixed yet which meant her headache filled head only increased after she exited the vehicle filled with numerous people.
All of which were chatting loudly.
However, despite everything going on, she still looked her best, or attempted to. If she was going to go through what she thought might be social suicide, there was no harm in dressing up for it.
"Is there a reason for the hat today?" August questioned Jackie as they walked out.
Jackie simply gazed in Isaac's direction, shaking her head as a reply before she took off which caused August's forehead to wrinkle in confusion, turning to the Garcia boy. "What did you do?"
"Nothing." He put his hands up in defense. "Maybe she just has weird style."
She flicked his head, earning the familiar 'ow' he always gave her. "Can't you guys just leave her alone for once?"
"I'm telling you, I did nothing." He defended once more. It was partially true, he wasn't the one who put the bleach in the shampoo so in his eyes he was innocent.
The only part he was involved in was the bet.
But she didn't need to know that.
August didn't end up replying which caused him to closely inspect her as they entered the school together, noticing that she wore an emotion that she had never worn before: anxiousness. The sight caused Isaac to frown slightly, concluding that this was all because of stupid Jackson. Isaac was glad that the boy was gone for good though his resistant to finding him and confronting him in a violent matter about his actions was getting more tempting by the second when he noticed how August reacted when she saw Gabby.
It was for a split second when he found that she released a form of sorrow amongst her eyes, it was quickly gone when Gabriella approached her at her locker though, acting as if the feeling had never existed in the first place.
She was so good at that.
"Absolutely not." August seemed to laugh with an unbelievable tone in her voice at the sight of the girl.
Gabby slightly eyed Isaac who tried to act amused at the scene despite being worried for August's being, however her gaze quickly went back to her friend while she fiddled with the pencil in her hand. "Look August I'm-"
"Why are you talking to me right now?" August squinted her eyes at her, looking at her as if she was an utter idiot. It succeeded of course, there was a reason why people didn't approach the Thompson girl, and amidst all the reason, her making you feel like you want to be swallowed up whole and thrown in the deepest depth of hell than have to witness her lingering stare was a big reason. In fact Gabby tore away from her gaze, only causing August to look at Isaac with laughter in her voice. "Why is she talking to me right now, Isaac?"
He shrugged his shoulders, a smile on his face as he captured Gabriella's embarrassed state. Good.
He didn't really get a say when Gabby spoke up again, "I just wanted-"
"Just wanted to what?" August interrogated.
"I wanted t-"
"Actually I don't really care what you want so you can save it for Jackson." August interfered once again before she grinned.
Already in a flustered position, August scoffed in delight before doing something out of pure anger. It was a little foolish and immature but it felt nice to see Gabriella's face drop at the simplest gesture.
She took Isaac's arm and wrapped it around herself, her hand holding his in the process while her stare fell into a much tender gaze when it landed on him. "Walk me to class?"
Taken back himself, he went along with it for her, allowing his arm to pull her in closer while faintly feeling her hair brush against his chin, still grinning while he nodded his head and eventually leading her away from the scene.
Unconsciously however she buried herself in his chest which he hasn't expected, and despite winning that petty argument that was hardly even an argument to begin with until she made it one, she felt as if she still lost.
August understood why perhaps Jackson found more of a liking in her best friend, it was obvious and she was just blind, but for Gabriella to not value their friendship was what angered her most.
This whole thing was stupid.
Isaac and August passed by many people in the halls that exchanged confused glances before they made it to their destination, and it wasn't class, it was with Alex considering he had 1st period off.
"Don't you have class?" Alex questioned, he was in the theater room with Danny who wasn't present at the moment.
Nonetheless he was staring at them in curiosity with how they were, and it was then when August had realized what she had actually done. She became aware of everything that was happening, beginning with the fact that she was nothing but rude to Gabby who was trying to apologize to her while she only then continued to make her jealous with the boy that she was undeniably in love with for two years.
What was August Thompson doing!
Once the events of her being an absolute bitch faded, her thoughts wondered to the boy who still held her incredibly close, and it became known that he wasn't as calm as he might present himself to be. His heart was beating just as fast as hers probably was, indicating her thesis being proven right, in fact she could physically feel each breath he takes, being able to identify if there was a one second difference in between them.
She quickly removed herself as she suppressed her pink tinted cheeks before sitting on the edge of the stage while her hands went up to head to display how uneasy she was. "I'm not going to class." She explained to Alex. "I'm actually moving schools, I'm going out of state, out of the country. I'm gonna stay on a different planet completely!"
Alex looked concerned when he turned his attention towards Isaac who took a seat next to her, not as close as they were seconds prior but close enough to feel her arm. "Long story." Was all he said to his cousin.
"Oh my God." August continued to groan into her hands. "What is actually wrong with me?"
"Um." She heard Alex's voice. "I would list some of the issues you have but you don't seem to be in the mood to hear them."
"Dude."
"You're not funny Alex." August deadpanned when she finally lifted her head up. It took a moment but she finally caught a glimpse of Isaac before embarrassment came rushing back into her. "I'm so sorry." She quickly said, "I was mad and I didn't know what to do and everyone knows she's like obsessed with you and I just wanted to get her back."
The more she talked the more she noticed that his grin when he looked at her eventually turned into a laugh, causing her to immediately shove him with whatever force she had in her. "It's not funny!" She shouted. "Stop laughing."
She hit him in the head like always which put a stop in his chuckles, though amusement still visibly covered him when he spoke. "I'm gonna get brain damage if you keep doing that."
"Good!"
"Is she okay?" Came Danny's voice from on the stage behind her from where she sat.
Alex hummed, "I've been trying to figure that out."
"No, Danny, I'm not okay!" August erupted before her face fell right into Isaac again.
She didn't know it but both Danny and Alex had motioned for him to do something, something that would help her, but didn't they know that Isaac literally sucked at these kinds of things? If there was an award for the least comforting person ever he would win.
The hand motions they were giving him were confusing which only caused him to squint at them weirdly. But finally, for her sake, he ran his hand ( as delicately as he could, which he wasn't ) through her hair, a sigh leaving his lips as he conjured up something that he meant entirely. "Look it'll be fine alright?"
The words somewhat put August at peace while Danny crouched down before sitting beside her. "Do you want to help me rehearse? Get your mind off things."
"Seriously?" Alex laughed.
"She doesn't want to help you rehearse." Isaac scoffed.
"What?" He gaped at them. "August you would be surprised at how fun being in theater actually is. Come on. I guarantee you will feel better."
August lifted her head up from Isaac's shoulder, inhaling a heavy breath before nodding her head. "Okay yeah." She said. "We could do some acting. I'm up for some acting."
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August is so special to me omg
and her and isaac are important
to me it's not even funny anymore
their fake dating trope has my heart