Cool Kids [p. parker] || SLOW UPDATES

THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
( DUMB JEALOUSY )

"IF YOU THINK NICK and Richie Dickerson are dating, Peter, then you got dumber since the break up."

"Wow. Thanks, Ned." Peter rolled his eyes, his sarcastic thanks making Ned simply shrug.

Seeing Nick at Evie's Bakery was a complete surprise, but seeing the popular soccer and football player with him was another surprise itself. Really, though, it shouldn't have surprised Peter that much; they were on the soccer team together so of course they talked once in a while, especially since Nick had drifted more towards the popular crowd since school started back a month ago. It was just that Nick and Richie seemed really close, and they were at the bakery together, ordering sweets alone, the junior doing his best to make the younger one laugh before they ordered anything.

At seeing them, one thought came into his mind: they were dating. To him, it made sense. Nick did break up with him out of the blue, and didn't seem upset about it – around Peter, at least – and he could have easily stopped liking Peter in that way. So, it wouldn't be a surprise to Peter if they were dating. Richie was better looking, anyway. And Peter told Ned exactly that once he got the chance, which was Ned called his best friend dumb as they sat down at their regular lunch table, everyone else in the lunch line or running late to lunch.

"Dude, you're over thinking things," Ned said. "Nick liked you so, so much. I doubt he's moved on so quickly. I mean, it's only been a few weeks, and he had the biggest crush on you before you guys started anything. Not to mention, Richie has same size crush on Mary J- wait, are you jealous?"

"What? No," Peter scoffed, voice an octave higher, a sign that he was lying. "Why would I be jealous?"

"I dunno, you tell me," Ned said as he sat down, Peter right beside him.

"What's Peter telling you?" Harry Osborn asked as he sat down with Gwen Stacy, Anita Rowe and Olivia Green coming over a second later.

"Oh, are we gossiping?" Olivia asked.

"Peter's jealous of Nick and Richie."

"Dude!"

"What?"

Harry rolled his eyes at the mention of Nick and stuffed part of the burnt roll that was on his tray into his mouth so he wouldn't say anything, having already learned that once when Anita slapped him upside the head and defended Nick, and when Peter just got more sad about everything again. So, he wasn't going to talk negatively about Nick, no matter how much he wanted to since the younger boy had hurt Peter. Anita must have noticed, because the girl sent Harry a warning glare from across the table. She wasn't that fond of Nick at the moment, either, but she wasn't about to let someone talk badly about him.