𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋! [𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐑]

BREAK UPS AND REPORT CARDS

THE DEAL
two | ❝Screw 'em. If they can't see how smart you are, they must actually be stupid.❞

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"No, Carl, lobsters can't be mermaids to scorpions. Humans and mermaids both have the human part. While scorpions are arachnids and lobsters are invertebrates," Poppy explained as her and Carl walked into school.

"Popsicle, why do you always have to overcomplicate everything? You could've just said no," he rolled his eyes.

Poppy shrugged. "I like facts."

Carl shook his head before turning to see Dominique standing by her locker. "I'll catch you later, Popsicle," he told her.

"Alright," she smiled at him, once seeing Dominique. She really liked those two together, "bye."

Carl watched her walk off to her first period before going to his girlfriend.

"Hey, babe," he smiled at her.

She jumped slightly and turned to him. "Oh, hi, Carl," she began walking down the hall and Carl followed.

"So, what happened yesterday with your dad?" he asked.

"What?" She asked, confused for a moment, before realization filled her face. "Oh, yeah! My dad.. uh- he picked me up after school and we went to Patsy's Pies," she stuttered.

Carl scrunched his eyebrows. "Wait, after school?"

"Mhm," she nodded, responding a bit too quickly.

"Dom, I was there after school, it was practically empty," he felt his heart begin to beat faster than usual.

Dominique looked scared. Like she was a child caught in a lie.

She gave a sigh before grabbing his arm and dragging him into the supply closet.

"I wasn't with my dad yesterday," she confessed.

Carl opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out, until something did. "O-okay. So, where were you?"

"I was with Bryan."

"Bryan?" Carl asked.

She nodded.

"Who's Bryan? What- What were you doing with Bryan?"

"Bryan is a- friend... We were at his house," she avoided Carl's gaze, "Carl, I don't think we should be together anymore."

He was taken aback. "What- Why?"

"Bryan and I have been- seeing each other," she explained, "I'm breaking up with you so that I can find happiness, and so you can find yours."

"You're my happiness!" He exclaimed.

"I'm not, Carl," Dominique sighed and gave him a sad smile, "goodbye."

She left the supply closet, leaving Carl shocked and broken hearted.

•••

"Poppy, your report card came in today," Poppy's mother, Elena, told her as they all sat at the dinner table.

Poppy froze, not knowing what to expect, yet at the same time, knowing exactly what to expect.

"We saw you had straight A's," her father, Marcus, added.

Poppy couldn't help but smile. Were they finally going to appreciate her hard work?

"But, we also saw that you scored a ninety-one on your physics exam?" Her father questioned.