The Great Gatsby: The High School AU

Chapter 6

The morning after the worst party of my life, I took the train to school. The date was January first, and my depression was at an all time high. I walked into school thirty minutes early, completely shut down. My brain had basically just stopped working, my mind was just miserably blank.

As an observer and a writer who's constantly analyzing, thinking, and overthinking, having no thoughts cross my mind was kind of scary.

A purple striped shirt and neon green jeans caught my attention.

Jay.

He walked up to me. I didn't even know whether to be happy or mad. I couldn't think.

"Nick," he said. We locked eyes. He looked at me, visibly concerned. He could read my cold, dead eyes.

"You look bad. I brought you a smoothie."

And instantly the numbness was replaced with regret.

"Jay, I'm sorry-"

He shook his head and cut me off. "No, you don't have anything to apologize for. I am so so so sorry. Everything I did last night was absolutely unhinged and assholish. After you left, I asked Woldsheim to help me clean up and I told her what happened. Once she heard everything, she nearly slapped me for even considering keeping whatever I have with Daisy going. She said I was a dumbass for risking such a good friendship."

I tried to smile. "I always knew I liked her. But, Jay, I'm sorry too. What I said was really harsh and it didn't need to be."

He shook his head. "No, I needed to hear it. The whole thing made me realize that when made to choose, I would much rather have a solid relationship with you than a rocky, traumatic, something with Daisy. You're right that Daisy and my relationship would never work, and I've got my priorities sorted out now, so it's over. I am so sorry for putting any of this on you, it was stupid and selfish of me. Look, I love our friendship and I never wanted to risk it, so for that I'm sorry."

I looked up at him and bit my lip. Tears stung my eyes, my vision blurring. I would not let myself cry before school. "Can I have a hug?" I asked him.

"Always."

He wrapped me in his arms and I buried my face in his soft hair. His arms around me radiated more warmth than all the flannels in my closet ever could. My tears dissipated and I dissolved into his fierce embrace. In his arms, it felt ridiculous that we had fought over something so trivial as Daisy Fay.

Wait, no. That sounds mean. But the sentiment is the same.

When we finally broke apart, I remembered we were in the middle of the damn hall. And people were definitely watching.

"So, what kind of smoothie did you make me?" I asked him, jokingly. He shook his head and gave a goofy smile.

"Here," he handed me the smoothie and then took a sip of his own. "I wanted to make strawberry banana, but I know you're allergic to bananas, so it's really more like a strawberry milkshake."

I took a sip of the 'smoothie'. He was right, it was more like a milkshake, but nevertheless it made me much less depressed. This man knows that food is the way to my heart.

Jay walked me to first period, where Mr. Brown proceeded to yell at us for the smoothies. We both had to put them away until the end of the day.

At the end of the day, when the last bell rang, the two of us wandered around the parking lot to find Daisy.

We found her.

She glared at us like her life depended on it. I guess it made sense for her to be mad at me too.