In the End

3~Reaction

The rest of the week goes by pretty fast.

We catch a ride to school with Aspen, I bring earbuds so I don't have to say anything to him or Meredith, surviving the ride without causing a fight.

Friday; however, is a different story.

Garner and Houston have morning detention for attempting to skip English, so they left for school at six a.m. and Gentry has a headache. Mom's letting him go in late but not me, apparently sympathy pain no longer qualifies as a medical issue.

Which means I'm alone with Aspen and I lost my ear buds. Honestly, I think Garner stole them.

There's a honk outside and I offer mom one more pleading glance, she shakes her head and I open the door. Fine, be that way. I'll remember who her favorite twin is.

Hurrying to end the long series of honks the idiot lets out, I almost don't notice the boy next door taking out the trash. Thank God I do, he's shirtless again.

In my gawking, I trip in the same hole. "Damnit." I mumble, now running for the car.

Flinging the door open, I struggle to get in. Aspen dies laughing, wiping a tear from his eye. Overly annoyed, I go to open the mirror when I catch sight of the boy watching us.

Instantly, I duck into the floor board.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Just drive." I beg, this is too much embarrassment for 8 a.m.

I don't move till he's off my road, opening the mirror as I apply lip tint. I'm a mess, but that's nothing new. I try to tease my hair before letting it fall natural.

"Again, why do you try to change it?" He demands and I roll my eyes. Always the gentleman.

After waiting outside Meredith's house for 10 minutes, he gets a text that she caught a ride with May.

What a petty move but I'm certainly not complaining.

"What's wrong with you?" Aspen blurts out.

"Be more specific." I mock, that's not the first time he's used that line.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend?" He expands and I want to think he's joking but I know better. Aspen Jones doesn't joke.

"No one's interested." I offer tightly.

"Bullshit." He counters, "Like ten guys have asked you out since the beginning of the year."

Very true point.

"Fine." I agree, getting my fingers ready to count. "Jay and I tried dating but it just didn't work. Sam only dated me to piss you and Gentry off.  AJ wanted in my pants, which I was fine with till he decided to get in numerous pairs of pants on the same day. Wes fat shamed me at prom and then ditched me. Meredith paid Eli to ask me out and then stand me up. Ryan tried to fight my brother after shit talking him behind my back and to my face. Jensen told me to stop being a freak show. Should I continue?"

I've hooked up with plenty of people. Had my fare share of fun but relationships just don't work with me. People don't want to claim a freak, they just want to try it out.

"Yeah, I punched every single one of those guys." He offers, proving his own point.

Because if dating was an option, Aspen and Gentry would scare the poor dude off. Not that I'm not fully capable of doing that myself.

"What about Seth?"

I laugh, "What about him?"

He offers me a sideways glance, "Jojo, the kid's practically in love with you."