Other side of paradise (Jason Dean x reader)

𝐒𝐢𝐱

You were practically shoved out of the backseat of Heather C's car by McNamara, being the only one to volunteer to go get Chandler's chips.  She got hungry, and she had a craving for corn nuts.  So here your merry group was, at a Snappy Snack Shack, getting chips.

"BBQ or plain," you asked.

"Barbeque," Chandler replied.

"Great.  Got any cash?"

Veronica scoffed as Chandler handed you a 20, and you made your way inside the building.  You began to search around for the chips that were so desired by Heather, and you eventually found a grouping of corn nut bags.  Now all you needed was to find the barbeque flavor.

"Are you gonna pull a super-chug with that," a voice asked from behind you.

"No, but if you're  nice, I'll let you get me a slushie," you replied.  "I see you know your convenience-speak pretty well."

Jason Dean smirked, and you couldn't help but feel a strange feeling in your chest.  You assumed that you were just excited to be able to hang out with a non-asshole in public again.  You missed Martha, sure, but this would do.  It was at least some normal human interaction.

"Yeah, well, I've moved around all my life," Jason Dean began.  "Dallas, Baton Rouge, Vegas... Sherwood Ohio...  there's always been a Snappy Snack Shack.  Any town, any time, pop a ham n' cheese in the microwave and feast on a turbo dog... it keeps me sane."

"Really?  That thing you pulled at lunch earlier was pretty insane," you pointed out.

"Yeah, well, the extreme always seems to make an impression.  So, what flavor did you say you wanted?"

"I didn't.  [flavor] please."

He smiled at you and grabbed one of the large cups next to the slushie machine and filled it up with the requested flavor.  You thanked him as he handed it to you, and you grabbed the corn nuts you originally came in for.  Making your way to the counter you grabbed the bill Heather had given you to pay, only for Jason Dean to pay for you.

"Who knew Jason Dean, the kid with the gun in school, was such a gentleman," you joked.

"Just call me JD.  Saves time," he told you.

He lead you outside, and you followed him a little so you could try and thank him again.

"Hey, nice bike," you said, pointing at the motorcycle.

"Yeah, just a humble perk of my dad's construction company.  You've seen the commercial, right?  'Bringing your state to a higher state,'" he quoted.

"Wait a minute... Jason Dean... your dad's 'Big Bud Dean Construction?'  Must be rough moving place to place..."

"Well, everybody's life's got static.  Is your life perfect," he asked.

"Oh yeah," you replied sarcastically.  "I'm on my way to a party at Remington university."

As if on cue, Chandler beeped the horn to her car.  You could see her lips move as she talked to the other Heathers' and your sister, and you sighed.

"No, my life's not perfect.  I don't really like my sister or her friends," you answered honestly.

"Well, I don't really like her friends either," JD smiled.

"It's like they're people I work with, and their job is being popular and shit," you tried to explain.

"Maybe it's time to take a vacation," JD suggested.  "Oh, and you look good in purple."

He smiled at you one last time before sitting on the motorcycle, and driving off, leaving you in his wake.  'You look good in purple.'  It felt different from when Veronica said it.  She was just trying to make your Hell a little more bearable, but JD had genuinely complimented you.  You looked down at the blazer that Heather C and your sister had picked out, and smiled a little.

Chandler beeped the horn yet again, obviously impatient.  You snapped out of your thoughts and began making your way to the car, reclaiming your spot in the backseat.  You handed Chandler her corn nuts and looked at the slushie.

"Why'd you get that," McNamara asked you.

"Oh, someone got it for me," you replied.

"Was it that boy," Duke questioned.

"Yeah, it was.  Nice guy."

"Well forget him, we have a party to go to," Chandler practically shouted.

And with that, her car was moving again, and you resumed the journey to Remington.