Bad Enough for You (BoyxBoy)

Bad 6

He’s sitting a table outside at lunch, careful to avoid the area him and Jeremy had their moment—as Tyler’s now calling it—this morning for the sake of his heart, well-being and overall sanity, when Caroline and Matt come running up to the table demanding details-right-the-fuck-now.

Tyler smiles and tells them word for word everything that happened and he knows he did a good job because he stunned his two best friends into silence which is very hard to do. He’s knows that neither of them thought he had it in them so it’s good on him.

“Tyler,” Caroline squeaks but there’s a proud smile tugging at her lips, “I didn’t think you had it in you,” Bingo! “I’m so proud of you baby,” Caroline squeals and hops around the table to all but crush Tyler in a hug, a hug that Tyler returns with just as much gusto because he’s been vibrating all morning wanting to share his good fortune with someone, preferably the two blondes right here. Matt is smiling so wide Tyler thinks his cheeks might shatter and he’s getting up to join the hug too and if anyone’s watching them this is sure to look rather strange.

“So what’s next,” Tyler wonders as Caroline releases him from her vice like grip. Him and Matt plop themselves at the table, watching her with wide, curious eyes as they wait with bated breath for Caroline to shed some more of her glorious light on the situation.

“Do you even need my help anymore,” and that’s one of the stupidest thing Tyler’s ever heard, like ever. Why would she- “I mean you’re doing fine on your own, do you really need me?” Tyler and Matt gape at her like she has 3 heads, 100 eyes and just suggested that Tyler is capable of doing this on his own. Oh wait…she did just say that…what the bloody fuck?!

“Are you serious…you’re kid-” Caroline cuts Tyler off.

“Of course I am -- I know you still need help, you’re doing so well but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to bag the little Gilbert all on your own. I’ll be here to help as long as I feel you need my assistance.” Tyler and Matt both let out a sigh of relief and Tyler’s sure he’s never enjoyed being insulted more…he doesn’t even care that Caroline thinks he and Matt are hopeless without her, she’s right in thinking that and Tyler will be the first to confirm it.

“So…what’s next,” Matt repeats Tyler’s earlier question and the two boys lean in conspiratorially as Caroline does. They hunch over the table further as some of their other friends join them at the table giving them weird looks, being ignored as they try to tear them away from their avid scheming. They’re too busy plotting and planning to notice the big brown eyes watching them (mainly Tyler) curiously from the shadowy of the school building.

***

It continues like that for a few days, Tyler dresses to kill, Jeremy watches not so subtly from somewhere on the school’s campus and the three musketeers give themselves coronaries on a daily basis as they obsess over how well their plan is going. And in all honesty it’s going exceedingly well, Caroline even said they were doing better than expected considering Tyler and Jeremy already had an interaction that consisted of more than 5 words and Tyler not fainting, so yeah things were going much better than expected.

The day after they shared a cigarette the younger boy initiated contact with Tyler who stayed strong and blew him off, not even breaking a sweat as he looked him over, turned and walked in the other direction. It would have been one of his prouder moments had Tyler not caught sight of Jeremy on the verge of tears as he left him behind. That sucked but Caroline seemed pleased, so all systems go.

Tyler assumes from what Caroline has told him that the seed’s been planted—the seed being Tyler dressing to impress, dressing to get Jeremy’s attention—and every day after that is just getting the younger boy more and more interested so he falls deeper and deeper under Tyler’s spell of surefire BA-ness.

Things escalate over the next couple of weeks and soon the act is almost second nature. He doesn’t have to think about what to say to seem like a douche he just says it, Caroline and Matt being the only exceptions. Teachers stop questioning him when he misses assignments or comes into class 30 minutes late and no one says anything when he ditches class altogether. He’s getting more attention now too which isn’t anything foreign to him but now it’s flipped so instead of people wanting him to talk to them or stop at their locker its turned into them wanting Tyler to ignore them, blow them off like their nothing because that would mean they’re being treated like nothing by Tyler Lockwood and that’s awesome.

He finds himself smoking of his own volition because he actually quite enjoys it, drinking more and partying harder. He’s even found himself ‘mingling’ with the druggies and punks (which he actually doesn’t mind nearly as much as he probably should. They’re a lot of fun, good people really and he sees why Jeremy likes them so much. Being friends with Jeremy’s group is probably the only thing Tyler doesn’t have to fake or act to pull off because it’s all really genuine as far as that’s concerned,) Jeremy’s friends, behind the school during breaks and classes he’s supposed to be in but seriously could care less about. If Jeremy is already there, Tyler ignores him and he always makes a point to leave abruptly if Jeremy shows up unexpectedly.

One time however he did stray from his norm of prick like behavior with the hope that Jeremy didn’t give up on him completely. Jeremy had just strolled up casually to his group of friends plus Tyler, his friend Zac in the middle of a story Tyler was actually really enjoying as the younger boy sat down cautiously next to Spencer, wary of the fact that Tyler could bolt at any moment. Tyler didn’t though, surprising everyone, especially Jeremy.

He’d chuckled almost imperceptibly at the funny parts and let a lazy smile settle on his face after it ended. Zac was asking him a question that majority of the group was listening to when Matt came strolling over, football in hand and few of the football guys in tow.

“Hey guys…Ty, pickup game, you in,” Matt spins the ball around between his hands, friendly guy that he is smiles at everyone, lingering on Jeremy who is watching Tyler like he needs to in order to breathe as the roll-up he’s holding burns down between his fingers.

Tyler smirks and nods, “You know me better than that Mattie-cake,” Matt laughs as Tyler stands. He’s about to walk away with his friends when it hits him. He should play this up.

He shrugs out of his jacket smoothly, placing it on one of the table tops and it is merely coincidence that Jeremy is sitting on top of that table. Tyler places it next to the brunette before raising his arms above his head (he’s glad he wore the really tight black shirt today,) stretching like a cat after a nap, fully aware of the show he’s giving Jeremy (who’s all but drooling.) As he drops his arms back down to his sides he catches the younger’s eyes who averts them quickly, blushing furiously. Jeremy chances a look up at Tyler to see him still standing there with a smirk on his face. Tyler drops a wink at him before turning to Matt and walking off to the grassy area of the courtyard.

Matt is stifling chuckles but once they pass the trashcans he lets out a wild guffaw that makes Tyler smile proudly. The other guys are laughing too (a few of Tyler’s teammates have pieced together what the three amigos are up to, that led to a very rowdy practice) as they start passing the ball around them.

“You are so bad,” Matt says through his laughter, tossing an arm around Tyler’s shoulders companionably.  

“Isn’t that kind of the point,” Tyler wonders as he nudges his best friend in the side.

“You nearly gave the poor kid a heart attack,” Tyler smiles so wide it hurts his cheeks and pride is radiating off of him in waves.

“Again isn’t that kind of the point. Gimme,” He opens his hands for the ball, which he catches with ease before taking off around the courtyard, putting on a good display in case Jeremy’s still watching, (which he is). He can’t wait to tell Caroline about this one.

That incident aside it all looks very cold otherwise but that’s the point and he’s assuming the plan is doing its job when the younger boy confronts him about his behavior.