schlatt (+lunch club) : babysitter

thirty three +

"so are you guys gonna talk or...?" charlie looks between the two of us as we sit there in silence.

"that was not a rhetorical question." he speaks again.

"can we maybe not have y/n on the podcast?" schlatt mumbles, scraping up some cereal.
"i don't see why it's such a problem for you?" i pipe up too.
"oh you REALLY don't see?"
"no??"
"you know what that tweet means right? that's going to trend. everyone is going to know.
"i know it's scary but.. she just tweeted what she saw... it's not that terrible.."

"who tweeted what?" ted strolls in with his towel over his shoulder and dripping wet hair.

"it doesn't matter. i'll sort it myself." he gets that sour look on his face and stares angrily down at his phone.

"well... sweet! we'll head down to the studio in 10. i don't think we'll be long though so maybe we head down to the beach afterwards? the one we used to go to?"

"yeah that sounds fun." i try my best to smile as charlie nods, staring at schlatt still.

"schlatt?"

"fine."

he barely talks to me all day. i try my best to be kind to him and talk to him but it's like i'm not even here.

we head to the studio and check out the set for the first time and it's amazing. it's just like a little chuckle diner.

there's condiments all over the shelves, photos of tweets, a little menu board with themed dishes. there's a checkered red tablecloth to match the fancy red leather seats. the whole ambience is so chill and funky. they even have a big neon sign that says CHUCKLE SANDWICH.

"oh wow!" i laugh point to a framed photo on the shelf, "andrew yang's chicken soup! whos idea was that?"
ted and charlie look back at schlatt.

"stop." schlatt just scoffs and goes to check the lights.

"i don't understand what i did.."
"what was that tweet he was talking about?" ted asks.
"yeah he seems real mad at you. it's weird, last week he was spending every day in hospital taking care of you. what happened?"

i sigh, "it's nothing. he's just being really private right now and i don't know why. like is it so terrible if people know one extra thing about him?"
"he's funny like that." charlie nods, "like how he'll show home videos of him as a kid but never release his birthday."
"yeah..." i fiddle with some paper in my pocket before getting my phone out.

blue ! @ oceansammie
MOOTS ARE SAYING JSCHLATT AND Y/U/N ARE A THING??? HUH???

oh, it really did get popular..

Schlatt @ jschlatt
yo y/u/n and i are not dating. i don't know why that rumour started. please stop tweeting about it.

he didn't even ask me about any of this..

"c'mon y/n."

we meet all the people they'll be working with and they all seem so sweet. one guy kris even asks if i'll be on the podcast, to which i reply with awkward "yes?"

i'm still not sure what's going on with schlatt really. i do want to be on, if i can.

but eventually the afternoon comes, things reach their end and ted claps his hands together excitedly.

"cool! let's head to the beach. i texted shae and she's gonna meet us there."
"oo i'm excited to meet her." i smile.
"she's just the best, honestly." ted grins and spins his car keys around his finger.

conar

have you spoken
to schlatt at all?

just about the
flight why?

okay i need to confess
the org is schlatt

oh like a duo channel?

connor

ohhhh
oh that's why you
we're out of breath
a bunch

yeah

i figured it was just
pneumonia lol
so you're dating?
isn't that trending?

no? i don't know,,
i'll call you later
at beach now

i sigh and slip my phone back into my pocket.

"there she is!" ted runs over and hugs a girl with long dark hair in a baggy tee and beach skirt.

"y/n, shae. shae, y/n." he gestures between us as the other two say hey to her.

"hey so nice to meet you!" she smiles and waves.
"nice to meet you too! i've heard so much about you."
"aw good things? i'd hope so, theodore." she pokes ted's shoulder.

"i hear you love shy guy?"
"i do. i do love shy guy."

the beach brings back all the memories. the sounds of the waves, the heat, the shops behind us. things would be perfect if this tweet hadn't gotten out.

all i can think of are the dreams i had at the hospital; this is where they were. when i was lost, when schlatt was searching for me. it feels comforting to be here again, finally.

if only schlatt would talk.

"are you gonna come in?" i ask him as i get my towel out of my bag, pushing my wet hair out of my face.
he doesn't answer.
"schlatt?" i dry my arms.
still nothing.

"please. i don't understand why you're so mad at me?"

"do you understand how embarrassing it would be?" he snaps, finally.

"what?"
"can you imagine? i tell the world im with this girl so she can go and fuck me up once again. only this time, the whole internet sees."
"schlatt-!"
"everyone's going to see the tweet... everyone's going to know... fuck!" he pushes his hair back in stress.

"please just calm down! i don't hate you! i didn't realise that you were still feeling hurt.." i reach out to him.
"of course you didn't! you didn't care back then! you only like me now because i have long hair and i'm not 'edgy' or whatever." he moves away from me, "you just like this new part of me. what about the rest that never changed?"
"i never hated you!"
"sure. you just wanted some guy to hold and look after you. you just grabbed the nearest loser you could because you want something to keep you warm at night. too scared to be alone. you don't actually care, do you?"
"of course i do! i-"
"just... stay away from me. like before." he gets up and goes off to the dunes.

i sigh and look down at the blanket.

the little slip of paper managed to fall out of my pocket and into the sand.

i grab it.

pros & cons: S

that list that i wrote...

"hey is schlatt okay yet?" charlie says, running up behind me.

"no. i think i know what to do though. i'll be back in a sec." i stand up and grab my hoodie as the sun brings itself towards the horizon.

i don't think he notices as i walk up behind and sit there next to him.

he looks rather regretful of what he said before. but there's still so much pain in his eyes.

i hold out my hand with the page in it.

"read it."