chapter four.
[4] "WHAT ABOUT IT?"

    It was the last period and thankfully it was free. I'd usually go to the library but Asher had a free period too, —I knew he had football practice so I decided to sit by the bleachers.

Stop judging me.
I know you are.

I walked upto the bleachers as my eyes wandered around the field, surprisingly, no one was here yet.

I made myself comfortable and in just a few minutes I found myself writing away, my surroundings disappearing before I heard a faint voice call out to me.

I slapped my notebook shut, my head snapping up to see a sweaty Asher. His hair was slightly wet because of it.

"What're you doing here?" He asked as I bit my lip nervously. "Isn't the library usually your place?" He laughed slightly sitting down next to me, chugging down a bottle of water.

Am I supposed to take offence to that??

I glanced around to see a bunch of guys on the field. My eyes didn't fail to spot Johnny, he was laughing at something along with a couple of his friends around him.

A small part of his dirty blonde hair fell onto his face. I watched as he ran his hands through it before his eyes caught mine. He waved, giving me a smug grin to which I looked away, heat rushing to my cheeks.

I looked back at him for split second again before I reluctantly broke my stare, How the hell did I miss practice? What time is it??

I sighed mentally. Pro tip to future self, don't start writing sappy shit while on the bleachers.

I looked over, realising that Asher was still here. "I think I should be asking you what're your doing here talking to me,"

He shrugged, "I can't talk to a friend?" He looked at me, giving a smile. "And I thought..if you want I could help you with you know..school," He spoke, trying his best to not come off rude.

Wait wait

Did I really just need to act dumb to get his attention??

I looked away then back at him, letting out a short breath, "I would like that." I answered with a smile.

"Okay, coo-"

"But," I started sort of cutting him off, "Johnny's already tutoring me.." I trailed off.

Look, as much as I'd love to bail on Johnny. I'm not as much of a jerk as he is. If I act the same way he did, what's the difference between him and I?

"Oh." He let out and then nodded. "Okay um,
If you need anything you can ask me, alright?"

I nodded. This is the most I've talked to him the entire past two years of high school but of course, it just had to be interrupted by the one and only, Jenna.

"Ash mind grabbing my bag from my locker?" She smiled wide. As much as I hate her, I have to admit that she did genuinely like Asher and well, she has him.

Good for her I guess.

He glanced between the both of us, "Uh, yeah, yeah sure." He stood up, giving me a faint smile.

"Thank you! I love you," She pressed her lips against his cheek before he jogged down the bleachers.

The L word. Ew, the L word.

Love scares me. Imagine being in love with someone. How do you even know if you're really in love or whatever?

I mean, don't get me wrong but my Mom and Dad claimed to be in love and guess how things decided to turn out.

They can't stand next to each other alone for a few seconds, they'll simply start yelling at each other. I'm surprised they haven't ripped each others head off yet, like, literally.

God- Do I need therapy? I probably sh-

"Are you crazy!?"
Believe it or not that did not come out of my mouth.

She then crossed her arms, "What part of stay away from him do you not understand?" She rolled her eyes.

"He actually came up to me." I shrugged, shoving my notebook into my backpack.

"You're an idiot if you think he'd do that willingly." She scoffed and just as I stood up she crashed her pencil pointed heel onto my feet.

I winced. Holy hell.

"What the heck?" I mumbled as I looked upto her. The impact of her nude stilettos stung my leg.

Why does this hurt more that it should??

I'm weak and it shows.

"Next time, try listening to me. Okay?" She gave me a fake smile, her jaws clenching.

Soon enough, Asher walked back up, holding her stuff in his hand. Thank god. He glanced between us again, noticing the weird tension and my uneasy face, "Everything okay?"

He really didn't know anything about her evil ways did he? I'm surprised she's not torturing him. I'm sure if he knew how she actually was, she would leave her in seconds.

Poor boy.

I bit my lip as she glared at me, "Perfect."

༄•✧

    Johnny was sitting beside me, working something out in his book. It was currently after school and he had given me some stupid problems that I was supposed to be doing.

His hair was a little damp since he showered before I came over, I had the perfect view of his side profile. His lush, tinted lips were slightly parted and his jawline was sharp as hell.

..I just realised I never took complete notice of how attractive he really was.

"Staring isn't very polite Julie," He smirked slightly, his words breaking my stare.

Wait a minute.

I was hardcore staring at him and I beyond sure that he noticed.

Oh no.
This isn't going to end well, is it?

Nothing stopped the heat rising up to my cheeks, turning them a shade crimson. How was I going to get out of this one? He's not going to let me go without a good tease and I'm so not looking forward to it.

I dropped my head down into the textbook, not wanting him to see my face but clearly he already did.

I'm convinced the universe hates me.

"It's okay, it's cute when you blush," He teased, probably making my cheeks turn a shade darker.

I hate him. I hate him so much I could care less if aliens from Jupiter, no, Pluto came over and abducted him in a way that he could never come back and annoy me.

"I hate you." I mumbled, sitting back up as I got myself together.

He laughed, "Sure you do," He looked away then back at me. "I'm sure everyone knows how much you secretly adore me but it's okay, I can wait for your true confession," He smirked as I slapped his arm.

"Has anybody told you how annoying you really are?"

He laughed again shaking his head, "Honestly, no one has. I mean, no one but you, you call
me annoying like a million times a day but it's okay, I think of it as a weird way of you telling me that your basically in love with me." He shrugged, hiding his smile to sound as stern as possible.

I scrunched my nose, "I am anything but in love with you!"

He shrugged, "Right. You're in love with my brother."

I gave him the coldest glare possible, "I'm not in love with your brother either! Love is a strong word okay!?" I huffed.

He twisted his tongue, "Okay." He shrugged before a short chuckle fell from his lip. His eyes dropped down to my toes and then met mine again. "Do you have a fish inside your show or something?" He suddenly asked, his laugh falling.

"What?"

"You can take your shoes off you know? You look uncomfortable,"

I bit my lip, He noticed way too many things about me which sometimes I myself wasn't conscious about and that slightly freaked me out.

That's also why it's always been so easy to pull his sneaky tricks on me.

"I'm not uncomfortable."

He furrowed his eyebrows a little, his eyes scanning me. "You're lying," He said quite flatly.

"No I'm not." I answered trying to come off as believable as possible.

"What's wrong?" He questioned and the tone of his voice confused me. "I saw you and Jenna talking today, did she do something?"

I shut my eyes looking away from him. I let out a breath, "It shouldn't even matter to you Johnny."

He gave me a 'Tell-me-what-it-is-or-I'll-find-out-myself" look and I rolled my eyes, I let out a huff, again, "Jenna decided to go all psycho mode and crush me with her needle like shoe," I told him with a forced smile on my face, "Don't look at me like that, It's nothing that hasn't happened before."

"When are you going to stop letting her walk all over you?" He asked and I almost laughed at how literal that was.

I licked my lip, "Never?" I unanswered uncertain, putting my shoulders up. "The whole school knows her. They idolise her like she's superior to everyone." I told him, as if he didn't already know.

"And what about it?"

He doesn't get it does he?
How could he? He's literally the male—somehow a lot better version of her!

"If she'd say anything about me. It would spread like a wildfire and I'd just become more of an outcast,"

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll stick by your side the entire time. It's the last year of high school. Are you seriously going to graduate without doing anything but listen to every lie your very sociopathic bully had to say?"

I raised a brow as his words sunk in, "Well she isn't lying, she's just reminding me everyday of how pathetic I actually am." I gave him a tight smile, looking away.

"Please," He rolled his eyes. "You're anything but pathetic. You aren't afraid to put me in my place whats stopping you from doing the same to her?"

I don't like him and the way he has good responses to everything.

I sighed as I read the evident look on his face, "Well, I- we, the two of us were best friends and when she ditched me, literally out nowhere, I felt like I was actually doing something wrong? I don't know, Maybe she actually has a valid reason for acting like such a bitch and it's all my fault."

"If you ask me I don't think she ever even considered you as friend." He mumbled. "And You're perfect the way you are. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He spoke, pride reflecting his words.

I twisted my tongue, "Not even you?" I narrowed my eyes, a smile on my face because he was genuinely being nice.

He let out a laugh, "Not even me." He answered.

I looked away and scoffed slightly, "Well It's easy for you to say. Every single girl is literally obsessed with you"

"Everyone but you," He ended with a small shrug causing me to look up at him. My eyes caught the sudden hint of bright green in his eyes making me wet my dry lips.

What the hell does that mean?

He cleared his throat slightly, "One day you're gonna stand up to her and I'll be right by your side," He smirked, changing whatever tension that lingered in the air.

Stupid smirk.

I looked into his eyes for a second before I reluctantly broke my stare for the second, maybe third time today. "We'll see about that." I replied getting back to my work.

Johnny got back to his homework too, but I couldn't bring myself to stop glancing at him and I hated it.

Like, what is wrong with me??
I'm an idiot. A literal idiot.

Within a few seconds my mind went back to our previous conversation, Maybe it's finally time I stood up to the demon herself, Maybe it's time for a change—I glanced at Johnny for a second before my eyes met my blank notebook once again, and well, Maybe just maybe, he isn't that bad after all.

༄•✧

author:

hi, sorry for the late chapter
i forgot to publish it ;-;

also i might unpublish skater, should I?
i don't know-

have a good day! 🤍