A Cringy, Cheesy, Cliché

Chapter 3

         It's 6:30 a.m. when I hear a honk outside. I was already waiting for them, having finished making a pot of coffee for both me, myself, and I.

         I grab my house keys and promptly make my exit. Locking the front door only to then open the car door. "Well if it isn't my favorite pair of lesbian chauffeurs!"

         Freddie's behind the wheel while Dani's in the passenger sleeping. "Yeah, yeah ally, now buckle up."

         Every morning and afternoon I rely on Freddie to drive me as often as she can. I failed my driver's test twice and my dad is really insistent I study hard before setting up another attempt. If you ask me, I just think the world isn't ready for Miss Hadley Davis on the road.

         The ride ends too quickly and soon enough Freddie is waking up Dani to inform her it's time to go. I unbuckle my seat belt off and spot Silas and Andrew walking out of the senior parking lot and duck. Yesterday still haunts my mentality and I gotta wait until the coast is clear to make my advance. I still see a few more lacrosse boys exiting, but it'll take all day if I wait for the entire team to leave before I can, so I just book it as fast as I can.

         At my locker, morning brain takes over and it takes two tries before I get my lock opened, mistaking it once as my gym combination and the other because I was trying at the wrong locker. After correcting both things though, I successfully exchanged my backpack for a chromebook and pencil needed for survey of math and sociology. The sound of the warning bell alerts me to make a move on and when I close my locker I'm greeted with the face of Silas Black.

         Oh God kill me now.

         He towers over me greatly with both height and intimidation and for the first time ever, I get a good look at Silas. I see the wing of a crow peeking out from underneath his unbuttoned buttoned-up shirt. His hair looks like he didn't have enough time to dry it, but the sheen is gorgeous nonetheless and him combing his veiny fingers made it even more—

         "Hello, are you listening to me?" Silas interrupts me from making any more physical observations and from the look of his face is exhibiting nothing but utter annoyance at my dissociation. "I said I won't do an interview."

         Is he dumb? Of course he won't do an interview, he already told me that much yesterday.

         "But I still wanna help you out."

         I'm sure I'm wearing the confusion on my face when he continues explaining.

         "A Q&A as I tell you about my girlfriends is weird, but if you're up to it, let's date and I'll show you instead."

         Silas Black wants to date me just for my measly little English project? There has to be some sort of incentive to this. And for the first time since coming to my locker I speak up. "What do you want?"

         He shrugs his shoulders. "Nothing."

         I shake my head at the wrong answer. There's no way Silas has had a change in heart all of a sudden and has a desire to help me. And as if knowing, he speaks at the silence of my suspicions.

         "I know you probably think I want something in return, but I honestly see no harm in a little trial dating for you to pass English." He shoves his hands in his pockets and is now waiting for me to say something. Anything. But what? Should I tell him that he should just give up trying to fit his incredibly thick fingers into such a tiny pocket. Probably not, so I opt for something different.

         "Do you even know my name?"

         "What?"

         "My name. What is it?"

         Silas cocks his head to the side. "Henry?"

         What did I expect? Of course a popular kid wouldn't give himself the time of day to look at the yearbook long enough to know the name of his fellow alumni. I don't even offer a parting and am walking away just before Silas pulls my wrist to somehow desperately redeem himself.

         "Henly? Hadley? Harry? I know it's some short 'H' name."

         I sigh and relish in the realization of how often you get something right after two attempts; my driving (hopefully), my locker, and even my name. "The second one is right."

         The bell goes off for real this time marking my tardiness for Mr. Mahoney's lecture. And although Silas is also late, it appears he's in no hurry to get to class like I am.

         "Are you gonna stay here or what?"

         He raises an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? I'm waiting for you."

         Silas is waiting for me to...?

         "Head to class. I don't know where your room is or what your schedule is and I always walk my girlfriends to their classes."

         "And that's supposed to be chivalrous?"

         I can tell Silas's patience is running thin in accordance with my attitude, but I don't budge.

         "It's your assignment, so you can take my experience as help or fail."

         So yeah, I ended up three minutes late to survey of math with Mr. Mahoney because my new boyfriend stood strongly on the claim that walking your partner to class isn't supposed to be a gallant gesture, but a sweet one.

         "Where are you off to after math is done?"

         "Gym."

         "Okay, I'll pick you up then."

         "Where are you going right now?"

         "I got English IV with Ms. Chapman."

         I notice we're right down the same hallway from each other, but then another realization dawns upon me.

         "So you also have the same assignment as me." I direct as an accusation and not a question.

         "You're very smart Davis."

         I was going to ask Silas another question before Mr. Mahoney opened the door.

         "I was going to let you dudes finish your conversation but Hadley you're missing the party and we're just about to talk to review chapter 7, care to join?"

         On that note, that was Silas's invitation to leave. I usually don't ever feel insecure to be late entering a classroom, but with Silas escorting me I did. His ex-girlfriend, Lou, was in this class and she had front row seats to seeing me and Silas loitering outside the math room door. She was not at all subtle with her glares and I badly shrunk into my seat to avoid them. I loosely listened to Mr. Mahoney talk, but I was reviewing something else instead of chapter 7. Silas called me Davis despite not knowing my first name.