Faking It [REWORKING '23]

chapter o4

chapter four :
studying
- vocalpeter

this is really chill, no dialogue, and almost very boring. again, this is r e a l l y chill. nothing really happens in this chapter but descriptions and more details. it's long but I happen to like it.

•••

[ Core Four ]
[ Third Person ]

A week passed from the incident, ( "Sexident," Mal calls it ) and they all found themselves in the library. Evie and Carlos were studying for their big chemistry test next month - "you two are the smartest in the class!" Jay said to them - while Mal and Jay were bouncing around the aisles.

There was the usual problem of disturbance from the two, books knocked off shelves, laughing, and the occasional screech. It sounded more like a baby dinosaur. The librarian, also know as Queen Belle, would simply smile down at her work, enjoying the childishness from them.

Seeing as the two were preoccupied with their shenanigans, Carlos and Evie kept themselves entertained as well. Using various methods of studying. Cards, colour coordination, and even writing definitions. The both laughed at all the silly puns and jokes they could make of the periodic table, hell, even Fairy Godmother laughed when she passed by.

They would get occasional glares though. Aziz would scoff at their neediness, and Tyrone would roll his eyes. But Kristina would always tell them to be nice.

Evie always admired her kindness. She was the daughter of Prince Kristof and Princess Anna ( from Arendelle ), and she was so kind to everyone. She had made necklaces for her few friends and even took a few back to Norway for a trip to see Queen Elsa's old palace. She smiled brightly at the two before going back to her books.

Jay and Mal came back in fits of laughter. Carlos huffed, smiling as he continued to read, writing down different notes here and there. And, Evie would glance over, erasing and correcting the notes that the two had been working on. Even the table had markings from their writing.

Jay was quick to put his head down. But not to sleep. He was simply admiring Carlos. The boy was too indulged in his studies to even notice him.

The way his eyebrows shot up when he realized that, maybe, something was important. He'd stick his tongue out in concentration and would squeeze whatever it was on to the the notecard he had. His nose would scrunch when he went over a tough subject, and his eyes would always focus on the diagrams and graphs and pictures. Jay smiled, looking at his boyfriend ( is he allowed to be called that? ) with a fond expression.

Mal just marveled at the two, glancing over at her girlfriend ( she's allowed to call her that ), and just smile, big and happy. Like a puppy, Evie would describe. And the blue-haired girl would look up, seeing Mal staring at her with this lovely haze in her eyes. The kind that made your heart swell with warmth. She smiled back, giving her a finger wave before going back to her work.

The lighting was always moving, causing shadows to cascade down into through the ceiling window. The light struck Carlos at such a lovely angle, Jay thought he must've been an angel. Carlos glanced up, and Jay could've sworn he saw that bright halo perched high above his platinum locks.

Mal smiled gently over at the two. Seeing how Carlos looked particularly innocent today in his little outfit ( was that one of Jay's shirts ? ) while he studied. He looked over at Jay, who seemed as if he just couldn't take his eyes of Carlos. And she let out a breath of air, a poor excuse of a laugh, as she saw him staring so longingly at the young boy. He was whipped and she wouldn't hesitate to put money on it.

And that's how they sat. Mal and Jay on one side of the table and Carlos and Evie on the other. Mal spoke to Jay softly. Simple things like : "Pretty lucky, huh?" And Jay would nod his head, but he'd never take his eyes of Carlos. Too risky to do that.

But, the entire peace of the moment was destroyed when Ben came strolling in. All cocky and confident. And, of course, Jay couldn't smack talk him because, hello ?, his mom was right. There.

Ben exchanged a few words to Carlos, his back turned to Jay as he was leaned against the table. He waved his hand around as he spoke, the ring on his middle finger shimmering in the light. And Jay twitched, urge filling him before he breathed deeply and put his head fully on his arms to cover his eyes.

The last he heard was the wet smack of lips, which got his head to shoot up. He saw Ben pulling away from Carlos' hair and smiled down at him. Jay cursed under his breath but didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. Ben gave Jay a side glance, his lips tugging into a smirk before he stood up straight and walked towards his mother at the desk.

Mal gave Jay a questioning look, raising her eyebrows as if to ask if he was okay. To which he responded with a nod and then looked back to Carlos, who looked particularly flushed red and blushing.

Jay felt a scorching burn of fiery rage in his veins, no one could do that to Carlos but him. Carlos was his boy-

No. He wasn't. Carlos was just Jay's best friend. Who he was fake dating to keep him safe from Chad.

Evie looked up sharply, hitting Carlos on the arm like a lunatic before showing him something in the book. The platinum haired boy snorted, pouting with the end of his pencil to the open notebook between them. Evie huffed, seeing it already written down, but continued working anyways.

Mal laughed lightly, the type that made you think she wasn't the daughter of the villainess Maleficent. She reached over the table with her arm, her hand coming to rest on Evie's wrist. And both girls smiled at the gesture, Evie putting her thumb up and Mal doing the same. Their fists touched briefly before Mal pulled back to let Evie study.

The two girls were happy. There was no one to judge them as they platonically and discreetly showed their affection towards the other. And, they felt safe. Out of sight from prying eyes tucked in the very front corner of the library with their two best friends next to them.

Of course, their Sundays were always like this. But no matter how many weeks had gone by with the four just sitting in the library for five hours, they'd cherish it. It gave Carlos a break from being cooped up, Jay liked to glance around the room for something to actually do ( he never finds anything but he continues anyways ), Mal would always pick up a book on Magic, or one about the Isle (let's face it, she misses the damn place ), and Evie loved to pull a new book and learn something new. And no matter what, they'd always find comfort sitting in silence with one another.

Let's just be realistic. Being off the isle, and brought into this new place, they were exposed to new things now. Things like the quiet. and they basked in it. Taking it all in, and reminiscing in it.