Only Fools - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Margot: You should have seen his face this morning
Me: Whose face??
Margot: Xavier
Margot: Come on, Aspen. Keep up
Me: I'm sorry!! I'm a forgetful person sometimes. What happened??
Margot: Aspen. I shit you not. He looked like he had seen a ghost. He got so pale and his hands were shaking so bad
Me: The joy that this brings you reads rather diabolically.
Margot: Ok good. That was kind of the point of this whole thing
Me: Of course. And I was happy to help with your nefarious scheme.
Margot: No you weren't. You were looking around like a child lost in the grocery store the entire time
Me: I was not.
Margot: You were shaking so bad I could almost feel the tremors underneath me
Me: Lies.
Margot: Your face was almost as pale as Xavier's was this morning
Me: Ugh. Stop.
Margot: But I'm on a roll
Me: You just like messing with me.
Margot: I'm good at it
"Dude. Do you get this?" I hear Tori whine from in front of me.
Tucking my phone into my pocket, I look at the blank assignment sitting on top of my desk and then up at her.
"Well. I haven't even started yet," I state the obvious.
"Ok. Well can you get started so you can help me?"
"Did I not tell you that I'm literally struggling in this class?"
"You did, but you already went to one of your tutor session things, so I just assumed that was going to help like it's supposed to,"
Letting out a sigh, I actually take a look at the first problem and my eyebrows furrow in confusion. Though the confusion is different from normal. Rather than the confusion being over the problem as a whole, the confusion is based in wondering why I actually know how to solve it.
"Fuck. You don't know either," Tori says, mistaking my expression.
"No. I think I do," I say quietly.
"What?"
I don't even respond to her as I begin writing on the page in a more urgent manner than I had in a while on anything math related. As I finish the problem, I suddenly realize a presence behind me and turn around to see Mr. Todd, who had been previously circling the room, with a smile on his face.
Taking that as the approval I needed, I nod in Tori's direction and begin to guide her to the solution.
————
Me: Dude.
Margot: Dude
Me: I actually did a calc worksheet today.
Margot: Holy shit
Me: I know.
Margot: I must be a miracle worker. I'd like to thank Jesus Christ who obviously worked through me in this time
Me: You're an atheist.
Margot: And?
Margot: That doesn't mean I'm not still a favorite
Margot: I mean have you seen me?
Me: That definitely doesn't prove anything.
"Shit!" I exclaim quietly to myself as I run into someone, which would have sent me flying backwards if they hadn't grabbed my shoulder to steady me.
"Mar- oh, hey Dustin,"
The boy in front of me chuckles as he shakes his head. If I was straight, I'd like to think that Dustin is the type of guy that I'd go for, which coincides perfectly with the fact that Ivy thinks that he's the guy that I am going for currently.
His wavy dark brown hair stops at his shoulders, and he is one of the few guys I know that can make it look good. His light blue eyes paired with long lashes are something Ivy has claimed to be jealous of on multiple occasions. He has a rather strong build from football, and stands at 6', forcing my short ass to constantly be looking up to him.
"I just saved your ass. It's more like 'knight in shining armor', thank you very much,"
"Oh shit, you're right. Thanks, Shrek,"
I resume my walk back to class, but before I know it, Dustin is walking by my side.
"Excuse me?"
"Excuse you is right. One, Shrek is a knight in shining armor. He rescued Fiona from a freaking tower with a dragon or something. Two, you should be honored to even be compared to Shrek in the slightest,"
Dustin just lets out a sigh and shakes his head, clearly not sure on how to respond to me.
"Seriously, are you alright though?" he asks, concern laced into his voice.
"Dude, you're the quarterback. If you were a linebacker or something, there might have been some damage. But let's face it, you don't play defense for a reason,"
"Ouch," Dustin says as he places a hand to his chest as if my words pained him. And I would almost feel bad for them if a smile wasn't threatening to break out onto his face.
"Anyways, how's Declan?" I ask him mischievously. Ivy was wondering why I wanted to know the name of the guy who plays center when I asked her, but Dustin's expression makes it totally worth it. He clears his throat before sending me his best attempt at a confused expression. I let out a sigh as I pull him to the side of the hallway which is mostly clear given that a majority of the kids have already made it to their classes.
"Dustin, Dustin, Dustin. I know that we haven't hung out that much recently, and I know that Ivy has her own little best friends to lovers trope hopes for us at the moment, but we've been friends since, what, kindergarten? Trust me when I say that I know you, and this is just a hunch, but I think something is going on with Declan. I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am," I say in a hushed voice so that only he can hear me. Dustin lets out a sigh as he looks away from me.
"I don't- I mean- I just-,"
Crap. I definitely shouldn't have asked him that. He probably doesn't want anyone to know. Plus, the bell rang like a minute ago. We should both already be in class and most of all not discussing this.
"No, you know what? I'm sorry I'm being so pushy. I seriously didn't mean for it to come out that way. It's your personal life and I get that we're friends, but that gives me no right to-"
"Aspen, you're fine. You are one of my best friends, and I should probably have someone to talk about it with anyway. I just.... I worry about the team's reaction so I don't want to tell Ivy just in case and...."
"It's ok, dude. I get it,"
"You like someone on the cheer team?" he asks me, clearly confused.
"No. I also like someone on the football team," I say, my voice slowly getting higher with each word.
"Just tell him then. The amount of times the guys go off about the cheerleaders in the locker room is unholy, man,"
"Yeah? Well, I'm pretty sure she doesn't join in on that conversation,"
"Oh shit,"
"Oh shit is right,"
"Ivy?"
"Ivy,"
"Damn, Grayson. So Ivy really is confused about the two of us then,"
"That she is,"
"And all the times she would tell me that she thought you were staring at me?"
"You're always right next to her,"
"I-"
"McCob! Grayson! What are you two doing out of class?" our former theology teacher yells at us.
"Got lost?" I offer up.
"I was on my way to the bathroom, Ms. Boulder," Dustin offers up sweetly to the teacher as he motions to the bathroom right across the hall. The teacher just nods at him before turning to me. He mouths an apology before rushing away. So much for being best friends.
"Got a better excuse, Grayson?" Ms. Boulder questions me.
"Had to get something from my locker?" I tell her. She lets out a sigh in response before shaking her head.
"Whatever, Miss Grayson. Just don't let it happen again, and make sure to tell Mr. McCob that too,"
I rapidly nod my head before turning on my heel and speed walking to class.
————
"Dude. Cheer practice wiped me out,"
"Yeah?" Ivy says as she pours water into my glass.
"Yeah. Coach made me run my tumbling passes way too many times, then we had to try a new stunt right after that, and then she kept making us run our round because Gabby kept messing up for some reason. And Ashley wouldn't stop bitching about me the entire time. Aspen, do this. Aspen you're doing this wrong. Aspen, stop that. Like, shut the fuck up,"
Ivy hums as she stops pouring and looks up at me.
"And then-"
"Aspen, you do know that I have other tables to wait on right?"
"So?"
"So, I can't just stand here and talk to you,"
"Wow. And to think that I would've called you my best friend just a minute ago. I would've claimed that you were the girl that would put me before all else and have my back, knowing that I would always do the same for her,"
"I am that, but if I don't go over to other tables, then I'm not doing my job. If I'm not doing my job, then I get fired,"
"I should be worth more than all the money in the world to you. And yet I'm just thrown to the side now, treated like just another customer,"
"That's because you technically are,"
I let out the loudest gasp that I possibly can, resulting in some people turning to look over at me to see what may be wrong.
"How dare you make such a claim," I hiss at her. Ivy just rolls her eyes at me in response.
"My goodness, the disgrace. An eye roll, really? I am just hurt. It feels as though you have plunged a dagger straight through my chest and not on accident, no, on purpose. I can't help but to feel as though I'm some lowly peasant who you believe to not deserve your love. And perhaps that's true, but I will have you know that I have devoted a decent amount of these past six years to this friendship. I'm not going to claim to have been perfect, though I could probably do so, but I have tolerated you for that long. I should be getting a gold medal rather than be swept into the crowd with the rest. These people don't know you like I do. They don't know how you like your breakfast in the morning. So how am I supposed to just sit here and accept the same treatment as them?"
Ivy doesn't even respond to me as she spins around and skates over to a table that she's waiting on the other side of the diner, as far away and she can get from me. With a sigh, I set down a tip for her before getting up and walking out the door, knowing that she's much too responsible to deal with my shenanigans.
"Wow, you're actually on time!" Jaxon exclaims sarcastically as I walk through the door of the bookshop.
"Yeah? Well, don't get used to it,"
Jax just chuckles before continuing to read the comic book in his hands as he sits behind the counter.
"And I'm guessing you were early?" I ask him.
"To be early is to be on time," he says without even looking up.
"Dweeb," I say under my breath, but just loud enough so that he can hear me. It's then that Jax actually looks up from his comic to send me a glare.
"Whatever. I'm gonna go restock books,"
"Yeah, right. You mean you're going to sit in the back of the shop and blow off work while praying that no customer approaches you," Jax says snarkily.
"Actually, you're wrong,"
"Really?" Jax looks up from his comic, slightly surprised.
"Yeah. I won't need to pray that no customers approach me. No customers come in here anyways,"
"Whatever, Aspen," Jax says with an eye roll, before beginning to read yet again. I shrug my shoulders before turning on my heel and walking to the back of the shop. Not wanting to completely shirk off my responsibilities, I fix a couple shelves and then fall onto the bean bag in the back corner of the store. Upon pulling my phone out of my pocket, I notice a text from Dustin.
Dustin: Boulder didn't get you in trouble right?
Me: Thank goodness, no.
Me: You never did finish telling me what was up with Declan.
Dustin: True.
Me: So....??
Dustin: Nothing much to tell.
Dustin: He has no clue about my feelings.
Me: Damn. That sounds really familiar.
Dustin: They're so oblivious aren't they!
Me: I can't believe a person can be that oblivious!
Dustin: I swear I feel like I've flirted with him every single day this week.
Me: And the number of times I've told her how beautiful she is to her face.
Dustin: Isn't that just something girls do though?
Me: And isn't flirting just something homies do?
Dustin: Shit.
Me: Yeah.... shit.
Dustin: Well are you going to actually do anything about it?
Me: Are you??
Dustin: I asked first.
Me: And my answer is no. Happy??
Dustin: I mean not really.
Dustin: Maybe you should do something about it.
Me: Your answer??
Declan: No
Me: Hypocrite.
It's then that I hear a familiar voice echo throughout the shop.
"Jax!" Ivy exclaims, followed by giggling. My head snaps up as I push myself out of the bean bag and speed walk to the front of the shop.
"Ivy?" I question as I round the corner of the shelves and find Ivy leaning against the counter, giggling over something Jaxon just said. It takes everything in me not to storm forward. However, smile Ivy shoots me once she sees me has an unfailing ability to calm me down.
"Hey, Aspen," she says excitedly.
"What are you doing here?" I ask her as I approach the counter.
"I'm on break so I thought I could maybe visit?"
"You don't normally," I say, narrowing my eyes at her.
"And I can't start now?" she asks defensively. I just look down at the ground, not wanting to answer her.
"So, you're back from blowing off work?" Jaxon asks me, breaking the awkward silence.
"Yeah. I am, J," I say with a smirk. Jaxon rolls his eyes at the nickname I know he most hates.
"Blowing off work? Seriously, Aspen?" Ivy questions me.
"Come on, grasshopper. There's no work to even be blowing off. All J does is sit up here and read comics. What's the difference between that and me sitting in the back texting Dustin?" I defend myself, throwing in the nickname so that Jaxon knows I mean business. He may not know we're competing, but that doesn't mean I won't still win.
"Oh, you were texting Dustin?" Ivy asks suggestively. Shit. Now that was not the correct thing to say.
"What's so interesting about her texting Dustin?" Jaxon asks in an attempt to stay in the conversation.
"Stay out of it, dweeb," I say as I shoot him a glare. Ivy gives me a blank stare at the name calling before turning to Jaxon.
"I'm sorry, Jax. I don't think Aspen wants me to tell you,"
"Why? Does she like him or something?" he asks, clearly confused. Throwing my head back, I let out a loud groan.
"So she does like him," Jaxon says, misinterpreting my annoyance as some type of signal. My eyes widen at that statement.
"No, no, no, no. That is not what that meant. Don't-"
"Sure it isn't," Jax says with a wink.
I let Ivy and Jaxon fall into a conversation as I zone out and pull my phone back out of my pocket.
Me: Hey. So I may have accidentally further convinced Ivy that I have a big as crush on you....
Dustin: Aspen....