A Cringy, Cheesy, Cliché

Chapter 4

         "And don't forget: test on Thursday!" Mr. Mahoney crammed just as first block concluded. I was the first one out of my seat, like Edward trying to quickly flee the temptation of Bella's shampoo, except for me it was Lou's desire of murder. Upon exiting though, Silas showed up on his promise and was waiting for me yet again. God, I'm already getting sick of it.

         "Ready?" He slinked an arm over my shoulder and pasted some ugly smile on.

         "Hands. Off."

         Silas's overly-exaggerated-toothpaste-commercial smile went away, replacing itself with a more natural grimace.

         "Gladly."

         Long story short, we were not late this time around.

         I neglected changing into my sportswear and opted for receiving a zero today. I have no friends in any of my classes and even today my background character extras were absent today further leaving me with no acquaintances. I was scrolling through TikTok, liking one funny video after another, when Andrew Willis came up to me.

        "So you guys are dating now?"

         I don't care to open my mouth and continue watching the funny cat meme displayed in front of me.

         "Yo, Davis!"

         Again with the second time of being referred to by my surname.

         "You know me?"

         "Yeah, you're Hadley Davis. We have phys ed together."

         That could explain Silas calling me Davis. Andrew must've let him know after I left their lunch table so he could put a name to my face.

         "What do you want?"

         "Well aren't you just something? You do know it's common courtesy to become friends with your boyfriends' best friend?"

         "No, I did not know that."

         "Well now you do! And if we're gonna be friends you gotta change."

         "Fat chance, I don't feel like it."

         "Well I need a buddy to play basketball with and you sitting out won't help me, will it?"

         To be honest, I have no reason to go back into that locker room I dread so much just to play with some random meathead I won't talk to in the next month. But alas, I was convinced. I mean, what type of girlfriend would I be? Even if it's fake. I'd hope Andrew was informed of me and Silas's charade because he's acting just as annoying as real friends would.

         "God Hadley, if I had known you were this bad I wouldn't have asked you to change."

         I roll my eyes at Andrew's insult and shoot again.

         "Hadley, it's called basketball, meaning ball-basket, meaning put the ball in the basket."

         "Wow, I really needed a guy mansplaining to me how basketball worked!"

         "What does mansplaining mean?"

         "To explain a simple and basic concept—"

         Andrew throws the ball at my face which my hands quickly intercept as uncoordinated as I am.

         "I was joking. Do you know what sarcasm means Hadley?"

         "No, what is it?"

         And that's how it went for the next 90-minutes. Me airballing, Andrew dissing, and us both playing dodgeball for the remainder of the period.

         A whistle blown alerts us to change back into our uniforms and I rejoin Andrew as soon as I'm done.

         "You're sitting at our lunch table next block?"

         "Probably not, I want to sit and eat with my own friends, y'know?"

         "Ouch. I thought we were buds Hads?" Andrew throws on this pathetic pout that I can't help but grin at.

         "In just one gym period I'm regarded as your friend?" I'm both genuinely asking and teasing.

         He cocks his head to the side and puts on a natural smile Silas could only best in his dreams. "I don't see why not."