friends | jorbyn ✓

six

ON ASPEN'S FIFTEENTH birthday, she'd finally invited corbyn and jonah, since she was allowed her first co-ed party.
it was a pool party as it was years ago.
when she jumped into the water, she giggled as she resurfaced. she turned her head to look at corbyn, who moved towards her.
"happy birthday, a," he smiled.
"thanks. and thanks for comin', it means a lot to me."
she opened her arms for a hug, which he accepted.
they pulled away from the hug and stared at each other for a bit.
eventually, corbyn swam to the other side of the pool, where jonah was. he avoided meeting his eyes, fearing the same exact speech he'd received four years ago.
"did you see caleb's little brother? he shouldn't have dyed his hair," jonah said.
"really? what color is it?"
"blonde."
"that's... disgusting."
before jonah could reply, a girl clapped her hand on corbyn's shoulder.
"you're corbyn? aspen's boyfriend?"
corbyn could feel jonah's eyes on him, the anger radiating off of him.
"what? where'd you hear that?"
"around school, obviously."
"well, he's not dating my sister, to clear that up," jonah interrupted.
"hey, dude, chill out. i was just asking, damn."
the girl waded back to her friends, scowl on her face.
"are you dating aspen?" jonah demanded.
"what? wh-"
"corbyn, stop fucking stalling. are you dating my little sister?"
"no. and even if i was, why is it such a big deal? it's not like she's that much younger than me."
"she's my sister, corbyn, i have every right to be protective over her."
jonah climbed out of the pool and started towards the house.
corbyn followed, arms crossed.
"you can't keep her under your wing forever, you know."
"i never said i could."
"she's gonna date eventually, and she doesn't need your damn permission to do so. wouldn't be a shock if she was dating someone right now."
"shut up, corbyn. jesus christ, i never said i don't want her to date, i don't want her to date the wrong person."
"so you're saying i'm not 'good enough' for aspen?"
"no. i didn't say that."
"you basically did."
"now you're putting words in my mouth."
"and you're being an asshole."
eyes smoldering, jonah turned and went into the house, leaving corbyn to watch him walk away.
the next day at school, whispers flooded the hallways whenever jonah was near.
"hey, jonah, did you hear? i mean i'm sure you have, corbyn is your best friend right?"
jonah's heart pounded against his ribs at the mention of corbyn.
"hear what?"
the short brunette glanced up at him, tugging her hair up into a ponytail.
"jeez. you have to live under a rock. him and aspen are dating."
jonah paused in the hallway, jaw clenched angrily.
"you're serious?"
"as a heart attack."
"my sister aspen? and my best friend corbyn?"
"yes," gabriela sighed exasperatedly. "people are calling it 'asbyn' apparently."
she tugged the scrunchie out of her hair, letting her curls cascade over her back again.
"since when?"
"aspen's party last night. wait, weren't you there?"
"i went in early."
jonah tuned gabbie out as she blabbed on about whatever.
he scanned the hallways for corbyn, hands balled into fists.
as his eyes settled on corbyn leaning against his locker, arms crossed as he talked to none other than aspen.
he parted from gabbie without a word and made a direct beeline for his best friend and his sister.
"hey aspen, i'm going to steal corbyn for a bit."
he grabbed corbyn by his arm and pulled him towards an empty part of the hallway.
once they were stopped, corbyn let a sly grin spread across his lips.
"i guess you heard the news."
"yeah, and what the fuck, corbyn?"
corbyn shrugged.
"you said yourself that you didn't want aspen with the wrong guy. and you also said i'm not not good enough for aspen. so, i asked her out. great for both me and you, she said yes."
angry, jonah gripped the front of corbyn's shirt.
"why? of all people, why my sister?"
"why not?"
the cocky grin was wiped off of corbyn's face as his back made contact with the lockers behind him.
"what the hell, jonah, let me go."
"listen to me corbyn," jonah growled into his ear. "if you break my sister's heart, i'll fucking kill you."
he released corbyn's shirt and started back down the hallway towards his first class of the day.
when lunch rolled around, corbyn felt hesitant to sit next to jonah. he felt terrible because he asked aspen out in order to spite jo, and he felt terrible because aspen actually liked him.
despite his nerves, he slid into the seat across from jonah, placing his lunch tray down in front of him.
"what was lunch today?" jonah asked as if he hadn't pressed corbyn against the lockers less than three hours before.
"mozzarella sticks."
jonah grimaced and sat back in his seat, giving all of his attention to his phone.
their lunch remained without conversation for a while, before corbyn spoke up.
"we should start planning the halloween party."
a shit eating grin cracked across jonah's lips.
"i thought you'd never say so."

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'party' means alcohol , alcohol means mistakes 🙈.