𓈊 A Poppy By Any Other Name

Act IX

Lizzie had ended up back at the house unsuccessful in her mission to get pizza, so instead, she made three boxes of pizza rolls for everyone to share while they binged The Hunger Games, and they substitued Joel's failed attempt to make popcorn with microwaveable packets of popcorn.

Grian and Joel fell asleep on the couch after the first movie, and Lizzie left to take Fwhip back home not long after. Jimmy turned the TV off when she left and pulled a blanket over Grian and Joel, hesitating for a moment before going to retire to his bedroom. He found it adorable when Grian snuggled into Joel's side, his head resting on the brunette's chest and his hand loosely knotted in the fabric of Joel's sweater.

Jimmy stalked slowly up the stairs and managed to find his way through the dark hallway to his bedroom. He plugged in his phone before getting out of his clothes and into his pajamas, then tucked himself underneath his blankets.

He'd almost fallen asleep until his phone went off. Sleepily, he reached over for it, squinting at the brightness when he turned it on. He smiled a bit when he saw it was a text from Scott, but that smile was gone as soon as he opened it.

"Huh?" Sitting upright, he blinked and rubbed his eyes a bit to make sure he read it correctly.

hey, jimmy. hanging out with you today was fun but i dont think we should see each other outside of school anymore. youre a bad influence, and i have a reputation to keep. im sorry.

Jimmy's eyes stung as he quickly typed a reply. What did I do wrong? I'll change, I promise. Please, tell what I did wro-

Your message is pending until Scott adds you as a friend

Jimmy froze. He unadded me. Looking through the few messages they'd shared previously, Jimmy wanted to cry. What did he do that Scott would go from sending him smiley faces and hearts to telling Jimmy that he was a bad influence? All Jimmy ever wanted to do was be friends with him.

The blonde turned off his phone and threw it toward the foot of his bed with a frustrated grunt, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face in his arms. His forearms felt wet now, and he didn't realize until then that he'd already been crying.

"You want me to be nice?" Fwhip's words from earlier echoed in Jimmy's head. "That asshole made you cry yesterday! He said we weren't worth a second thought. Why the hell would you ask me to be nice to him?"

"Because it's mean to be rude, that's why," Jimmy had responded.

"You're only saying that because you like him."

"Shut up," Jimmy begged meakly in a hoarse voice, but his mind wasn't hesitant to flood him with more reasons to want to cry.

"They're not worth the second thought," Scott's voice now echoed.

"Shut up," Jimmy whispered again, covering his ears as if it would help. "Please."

"Jimmy?" The boy's head snapped up and turned to look toward the doorway, where Lizzie stood. He couldn't see her face, the light being behind her, but her voice was gentle. "Are you okay?"

Jimmy shook his head, letting his legs slide down and stretch. "No," he mumbled as he wiped at his wet cheeks with his sleeve.

Lizzie murmured a small aww before coming into the room and turning on Jimmy's lamp as she snuggled into bed with him. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked, wrapping an arm around Jimmy and pulled him into her side.

The younger hummed, closing his eyes, and relaxed a bit as she rubbed up and down his arm. "'S stupid," he said groggily. He opened his eyes stare at the phone laying on the other end of the bed, and suddenly he felt like breaking down again. He let out a pathetic chuckle. "It really shouldn't matter as much as it does." Wincing when his voice cracked, he cleared his throat.