Saint Palisade's

[ 10 ]

>> 7 months until graduation

NOBODY really studies in school libraries anyway. You goof around and whisper just low enough so that the librarian can't hear you. MJ and Atlas had a table to themselves. MJ and Atlas were trying to be good students and study for the upcoming Physics test while Ben and Isaiah were busy playing on the laptops at the computer station.

"You guys are gonna a bad grade on this exam," MJ called out from behind the bindings of their AP Physics textbook.

"It's all math based so I'll be okay," Ben called back, eyes latched onto his Roblox character.

Atlas sighed. "Just leave them alone. If they don't want to study, then they don't want to study."

"It'll hurt when they're sad about their bad grade."

"They chose not to listen to us and themselves. That's on them." Atlas reassured MJ. "I know you always want to be the good guy, MJ, you really always are. Sometimes you can't help everyone."

"Fine," MJ replied and returned to reading his books.

"I have come to like free periods. They're very relaxing." Isaiah elbowed Ben.

"Totally." Ben giggled before returning to his parkour level.

MJ sat back at the table, forcing his eyes to read the chapter's lines over and over again. He couldn't absorb anything and gave up. "I can't do this anymore. I know I just complained about them not studying but my brain's like, actually fried."

"And... that leaves one of us determined to get a good grade." Atlas chided. He was writing summarizing notes and he planned to share them with the rest of the group.

MJ shrugged and closed the cover of the textbook gently. He picked up his phone to see if Cameron had texted him. There weren't any notifications from her... but there were tons from a lot of other people. There was the girl's soccer team group chat, the interior design club group chat, and the NHS forum. He had no idea why he was in the girl's soccer team group chat; most girls would just add him and hope for him to read or respond to the messages but he hated being doted on.

"Troubles?" Ben had logged off of his laptop and joined the two studious ones.

"How did you know?"

"I saw your face fall while looking at your phone. Waiting for a text that never came, perhaps?" Ben teased with a grin.

"Everything's fine. Cameron's probably busy." He brushed Ben's psycho-analysis off.

"Why don't you go and surprise her? I'm sure she's probably in the DX cave."

MJ paused to consider it. "You know what? That sounds like a good idea. Why don't we all go? You and Atlas have never seen it."

"I'm out." Isaiah put his left hand up in surrender.

"You're still fighting with Jess?" MJ turned around in his chair and shot a glance at Veronica's half-brother.

Atlas raised his head to look at MJ, then Isaiah. Jess?

"Teenagers don't usually resolve petty fights in a day, do they, MJ?" Isaiah retorted with a mocking expression.

"Teenagers don't usually ruin years of friendship because they're too stubborn to admit they like someone, do they, Isaiah?" Atlas shot at him.

"Woah, woah, what?" Ben asked, interested in this uncharacteristic commentary from Atlas. Atlas wasn't usually passive-aggressive unless he was hungry, tired, or angry.