"I'm sorry, I'm not interested, but I appreciate your feelings." Dylan replied, speaking in his trademark deadpan tone.
A girl had just confessed to him. She was in the same grade, and for some reason, only took notice of Dylan once they had a class together. Dylan was very tall, no one could miss him.
"B-but ..."
"Sorry. There is someone else I'm thinking about, and I don't plan on leading you on." Dylan left the girl, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets as he walked across the street. Dylan was too straightforward sometimes, but he could not help it.
He went into Domino's, seeing the rest of his friends sitting in a large booth near the door. Turk, Carson, Garrett, Elena, and his (slightly) younger sister Lora.
"Well, if it isn't Dylan Parker." Garrett smiled, looking up at Dylan from his seat. Sure, Garrett was tall too, but Dylan was taller.
"The Park!" Turk said as he chuckled, also looking at Dylan as he sipped his soft drink.
"Seriously, why do you call my brother that? We have the same last name." Lora said in a false stern tone, pretending to sound angry. That got Elena to chuckle to herself.
"What's up, Dyl?" Carson said, calling Dylan by the nickname he made for him.
"You've never called him Dyl since you've met him, Car. It kinda sounds like you're saying 'dill' as in 'dill pickle'." Turk said as he flicked Carson's forehead.
Turk and Carson bickered for a little, cooling off once Elena threatened to smack their faces against the window, since they were sitting opposite to each other. Garrett could not help but laugh. Dylan chuckled as well, which made everyone in the group turn their heads towards him, even Lora. Dylan rarely expressed himself openly, so it was only natural his best friends would look surprised.
"Dylan?" Lora said, cracking half a smile.
"Yeah." Dylan replied, making his question sound more like a statement.
"You laughed." Garrett and Turk said in unison. Elena and Carson remained stunned.
Dylan's eyebrows knitted for a second, giving everyone a slightly annoyed look. He sat down beside Carson, maintaining his expression. Then, suddenly ...
"Why is it like a novelty if I laugh? Am I not allowed to do that! I found it funny, okay?! Jeez guys, don't give me such alienated looks!" Dylan exclaimed, almost shouting. Luckily, the place was not busy enough for anyone to hear Dylan's normally deadpan voice change to something much more animated.
The group, once again was dead silent, giving Dylan a look of bafflement. Garrett, Turk, and Carson exchanged glances at each other, while Elena and Lora remained silent with their eyes widened, darting their eyes everywhere from the people around them to their surroundings.
"Ah." Garrett let out huff as he leaned against the booth cushion.
"I see." Turk said immediately after.
"That's what it is." Carson folded his arms, almost hitting Dylan's lower ribcage by accident.
"It was a girl, wasn't it?" The three boys said in unison, while Lora and Elena gave Dylan a look that could kill.
"Um ..." Dylan mumbled, trying to remain silent.
"A girl? Dylan, don't tell me you still fear girls, even after the thing where one of Gabby's friends-" Lora was cut off as soon as Dylan leaned across the table to cover her mouth. Dylan was incredibly embarrassed.
"A girl, Dylan?" Elena asked politely, while wearing a deathly smile. Garrett did a good job holding her back, knowing his past with Elena gave her a certain viewpoint.
"Look, you gotta just-" Turk was also cut off, as Lora reached across to cover his mouth.
Soon the whole group was bickering with each other, arguing about Dylan in a hyperbolic manner. Dylan sighed, smiling as he took a couple of Turk's fries.
"What great friends I have."