tanner
To say Tanner's heart was thumping out of his chest would be an understatement. He was freaking out, full stop. The whole interaction with Theo in the elevator had been... weird. He'd been joking, but obviously Theo did not realize that. He'd gotten all clammy and withdrawn and Tanner couldn't help but feel hurt by it. Obviously he didn't feel for Theo like that, but... something in the way he'd looked at the girl who had stepped in the elevator had just infuriated him.
"Gah!" Tanner sighed as he slid into a seat right before the bell rung. He'd bid his goodbyes to Theo and rushed to his class as quickly as possible, trying to avoid another awkward interaction. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he remembered that Theo had math, which he loved, the nerd.
"Hey, Tanner," called Violet, sliding into the seat across from him.
"Hey," he replied with slight discomfort. He hadn't interacted with her often, except for their one Instagram consecration, so her greeting was quite strange. She studied him slightly, looking him up and down.
"You seem different. Happier. It's your new friend, isn't it?" Tanner blushed, staring down at his papers. That was definitely not what he'd been expecting.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he grumbled as Violet sighed, shaking her head.
"The dork with the green eyes and glasses! Kinda cute, skinny, sad all the time? Obviously in love with you?" Tanner snapped his head towards her, shocked.
"Theo is not in love with me!" Tanner laughed slightly and ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head. "No way in hell could that ever happen."
"Oh, so you do know who I'm talking about." Violet raised her eyebrows.
"I only know of one depressed kid with green eyes who tails me around," he sarcastically replied.
"Look at you, happy just thinking about him! Ask him out already." Tanner rolled his eyes and hid his face.
"Oh my god, Violet. No. I'm not even gay, and he'd say no anyways. He doesn't like me like that. Why would you even think that?" Violet laughed slightly.
"Listen to me, Tanner. You're right that he doesn't like you, he would appear to full on love you." Tanner groaned and buried his face in his arms, wishing the conversation would just end. "The way he looks at you when you walk by him, the way he just smiles when you look at him? Tanner, it's obvious that you have some feelings for him, too. For some reason you're telling yourself you don't when everyone can see it. You're so... happy when you're around him." Tanner glanced at her, lost. "I'm just trying to push you in the right direction," she said with a laugh, throwing her hands up in mock defense.
"What... why would you..." he trailed off, contemplating her words. "I just don't get it," he mumbled, hearing his voice crack slightly.
"You don't have to get it, just roll with it." Tanner stared at his hands, thinking. I don't really like Theo, right? Not like that. But...
"What do I do if you're right?" He glanced at her, overwhelmed.
"You ask him out, stupid." Violet rolled her eyes with a laugh.
"It's not that simple," he mumbled, earning a stern head shake from Violet.
"It is, quite literally, that simple."
"I don't get it," Tanner complained. "Why are you being so helpful? We're hardly even friends!" Violet shrugged.
"I'm helping you because you're kind. I feel like everyone else in our friends group isn't, but you're just so sweet to Theo. I want you to be happy." Tanner bit his lip, mulling over her words.
"You're a really good person, Violet." She smiled sadly, nudging his arm.
"I try."
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"Ay, T!" Phil waved him over, sitting next to Matt at their lunch table. Tanner shot a glance at Theo, who didn't even look at him. A pang of guilt shot through him, feeling tied between the two tables. He did not want to sit with Phil and that group, but...
"Hi." In a last minute decision, Tanner sat next to Violet. She looked a bit annoyed, gesturing to Theo. Tanner shrugged, instantly regretting his choice.
"So how much longer do you have to deal with Othello?" Tanner raised his eyebrows, confused. Phil shrugged, pointing his thumb at Theo.
"His name's Theo," Tanner said with a snort, eating his lunch quietly. Othello?
"How much longer you gotta put up with him?" Tanner sighed.
"I'm supposed to be his guide til the end of November. A few weeks or so." Violet nudged him, guilt filling his body. All he wanted to do was explain to Phil how amazing of a person Theo was, but he just couldn't. Why can't I just fucking spit it out?
"Man. Kid's kinda a fucking loser. Sits by himself everyday."
"Kinda." Tanner almost felt sick, saying such nasty shit about Theo.
"Big ass glasses, gay outfits, lonely as all fuck. What a weirdo." Tanner shrugged, earning another shove from Violet. He didn't even look up, knowing that she was shooting him a well earned glare. She nudged him again, harder. Tanner glanced up, turning to face where she was looking. Theo stood right behind Tanner, his eyes filled with tears. He turned around, racing out of the cafeteria.
"Shiiiit," laughed Matt. Tanner's mind spun, flying through hundreds emotions and then landing on panic.
"Fuck, oh crap." Violet placed her hand on Tanner's shoulder. He shrugged it off, jumping to his feet.
"Theo?"
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Tanner raced down the halls at top speed, finding Theo sitting on the floor with his back against the science room door.
"Oh god." Theo just turned away, standing slowly.
"Can we just go back to your apartment? I wanna get my stuff." Fuck.
"No. Well, yes, we can go back but- I don't want you to move out." Theo shook his head, walking to the doors.
"Why should it matter to you? I'm just some freak." Tanner felt tears well up in his eyes.
"Theo, I didn't mean it when I agreed. It was a misunderstanding, you d-"
"Never mind, Tanner! Forget I ever even slipped into your life. Just let me go."
YOU ARE READING
assigned emotion
RomanceTheo hates Tanner. Tanner hates Theo. That's how it's been since Tanner was assigned Theo to show around the school. That was a week ago, but today, tragedy strikes in Theo's life. He has no one to go to, that is- other than Tanner. What will happen...
