F.R.I.E.N.D.S

02.

Start Something
& Build.

Love Willows.

Happy, for once in a really long while he was happy, not because of the school cheering, or everyone treating him like royalty, —no, he was happy because next to him was someone he hoped saw him as just him, Love Willows, not the celebrity, the model, the rich kid, or any label else that had been glued onto his persona, just him. The pep rally had been bliss, with Simon finally getting some respect and him finally realizing why Charlie and the boys had been bullying him.

Simon had played with fire last year, in the form of Ezra Hilton, he was a rich kid, a jock, aggressive as hell and son of one of the Cove's business tycoons, he was a lot, though despite his family's success not being his own, —he had still deluded himself into believing it was his success and he was at the top, —he could do, say and be anything he wanted without consequences therefore it got to his head.

His entanglement with Simon and their very public fall out which was humiliating for Ezra led him to want to get even, so he planned on making Simon's life hard, —Charlie and the team had already started the intimidation but when Aaron discovered what Ezra intended on doing, he had the team go all out on Simon, though crude, their method had worked, it protected Simon from Ezra but that was up until Love intervened and he knew he needed to get Ezra to back down before shit hit the fan.

He knew he couldn't ask Simon about it, but he could still help him, that's why he persuaded the Dean to enforce the two strike policy but for one certain individual, one strike was all it took, but Love knew it wasn't enough, he needed to protect Simon, he needed to protect his first friend back. So as they both cheered at the end of the cheer squad's song and routine, he knew it would be worth it.

"Come on before the stampede starts!" Simon announced and he let him lead the way, on their way down, Love noticed Ezra glaring at them, but he was not the only one, Hale was too, if his intuition was right, which it always was, there was trouble brewing but he ignored it because Simon seemed to be carefree and trying not to get them both swarmed by people, he thought he had left the hords of people swarming him outside of Pittsburgh but it seemed even here, it was still the same.

"Finally out!" Simon cheered with a laugh aswell making Love himself laugh too. "Hey, do you wanna get milkshakes before you head home, —I mean that's if you don't have plans." He asked hoping the boy wouldn't reject. "I'd like that, and milkshakes don't sound bad, if you're paying." Simon retorted earning a snicker from Love. "I'm the one who offered didn't I, —come on." He grabbed the boy by his shoulders and they made their way to his car only to be stopped by Ezra who seemed annoyed for some unknown reason.

"Can we help you?" Love asked noticing how rigid Simon became. "Yeah, —you can infact—." Ezra replied with a sneer. "What are you doing hanging out with him of all people Love, you know better than to entertain common people." He exclaimed further causing Love to frown, he knew Ezra was a pompous brat but the extent of his attitude was nauseating.

"You and I are different people Ezra, —I suggest you walk away before I do something you'll regret." Love hissed and Ezra seemed shaken which Simon noticed as well, he knew Simon would have questions but that wasn't the time for them. "One day Love, I'll knock you down from that high pedestal, it won't last, this control you have over everyone, and when I find out how you do it, —I will end you." Ezra growled before turning to leave.