Chapter Nineteen: Chubby Snowman

After Landon called me beautiful at the formal I assumed everything would be awkward around us, but it didn't seem to faze him at all. Maybe he just didn't think it was a big deal, eventhough it kind of was to me. So I avoided him, and all things Landon related since that night.

But between school, piano lessons and my shifts at the Ice Cream shop it hasn't been too difficult.

I yawn, looking at my watch which reads 8pm. Work was beyond boring today. Don't get me wrong I love working here but the days Taylor isn't here are the worst.

I finish closing up the shop and step outside into the cool night breeze. I hug my scarf around my neck for some warmth.

Considering I'm wearing a wooly sweater, a hoodie on top of that and a coat to top that off. Oh yeah, and a scarf, and a beanie, and a pair of gloves. I officially look like a chubby snowman.

Suddenly, a pair of hands wrap around my waist and I am lifted up into the air. "Do you wanna build a snowm-"

Before my attacker can make any advance I swing my arm back and elbow them hard in their face. "HOLY MOTHERFU-"

I quickly turn around to face them. "I have a black belt in karate so I'd run if I were y- DYLAN?"

I stare down at the blonde haired  boy clutching his nose in pain. The booming laughter shifts my attention to the person standing beside him.

"Landon?"

"Oh my god, you got your ass whooped!"

He glares at Landon. "I AM AWARE! WHAT IS YOUR ELBOW MADE OF, STEEL?"

"You practically groped me!"

"I was hugging the clearly NOT SO friendly snowman." He says whilst rubbing his nose.

Before we can continue arguing, we're rudely interrupted by Landon's loud laughter.

"What are you laughing at!"

"You thinking you have a black belt in karate makes me tear up."

"Oh just.. just shove Dylan's foot down your throat!" I huff and start walking faster and away from these weasels.

It clearly doesn't work as they're both back at my side in less than a second. "My foot is a blessing he'd be lucky to even be in the presence of it."

"La la la la... I'm walking alone." I sing making the cousins both exchange a confused look.

"La la la la I don't know these people next to me. La la la la I wish they'd just leave already!"

Landon nudges me. "Who pissed in your fruit loops this morning?"

"La la la la I'm not talking to you." I shoot back.

"What did I do? Make fun of you? I always do that."

"La la la la go away Landon."

Before I can walk any further he lightly grabs my arm and tugs me backwards.

"Say La la la one more time and I swear I'll tickle you."

Shoot he knew my biggest weakness.

"So? Are you not going to tell me why you've been avoiding me since the formal?"

"I've not been avoiding you." I mumble.

"Every time I go to the music room you're not there, at lunch you get up as soon as I walk in, you haven't been to any of Ryan's recent games. Do I need to continue?"

"Fine. I'm pissed that Stella was your date." 

He raises an eyebrow. "You're jealous?"

"No. I just thought that my friend wouldn't go with the girl I hate because that's what friends do!"

"Psst I told him not to take her." Dylan whispers, earning a glare from the both of us. "I'll just be wayyyy over there."

Landon turns his attention back to me. "Well why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I'd seem like I was jealous when I'm not. Plus who am I to tell you who to and not to sleep with."

"Sleep with?"

"That's what guys like you do, right? You toy around with girls just to get in their pants!"

A uncomfortable silence encloses around us. We stare at each other and I can see a flash of pain cross his cloudy grey eyes.

Fuck.

"I shouldn't have said th-"

"Save it. You're just like you're brother. I was just the idiot thinking you're different."

"But no you're right, I'm Landon Knight, the guy that got shipped off to boarding school, the rich guy who rides a motorcycle, sleeps with every girl in the school and most likely went to jail, right? Surely you and the whole school know everything about me."

"Landon I-" I go out to reach him.

He shifts away before I can touch him. "Bye Heidi."

Every muscle in my body screams for me to go after him, but there I stand frozen watching him walk away.

Considering I was calling him a bad friend earlier, I did the worst thing any friend could do. I listened to the rumours and judged him without even knowing him.

He called you Heidi, not Gem. And with that thought my heart broke a little.

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I'm a very mean author I'm sorry :(

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~H <3