Rose King

Ten

[Liam]

"Hey!" Evie comes out of her house helmet in hand. Brandon decided to take Mia to breakfast so here I am. Knight in shining leather.

"It's been so long since I saw you last." I drawl.

"Shut up. It's been like three hours maybe." She swings her leg over and wraps her arms around my waist.

I steady my breathing and kick the stand up. "Here we go."

She holds tight and leans her head against my back. This is okay. We'll be alright, and Sam's right, I need to respect her decision. I mean it was my decision, but I felt that it was what she wanted. By the way she's acting, it certainly feels like I was right.

I'll take her anyway I can get her. Didn't I say I wanted to be her best friend and her boyfriend. Maybe one comes before the other. This could be a good thing.

We pull into the student lot and I help her off. She smiles at me when I pull her helmet off and hands me my backpack.

"Come on, princ— Evie." We ignore the curious stares and head to first period.

She peels off and goes to ask Mia about her date. I settle into my own seat. This is different, but not necessarily bad.

"Good morning class!" Miss Baker comes in with worksheets. Ick. "We're going to begin work time for the midterm today."

Collective groans resound. Evie rolls her eyes with me and takes her seat.

"Maybe you can write your paper on the daily view out the window." She teases.

"Ouch." I can't help it. I have the attention span of a baby carrot.

"Miss Walker you can pair up with someone since you're incapacitated at the moment."

I snort into my hand. It's really not funny because I know how her arm came to be broken, but the glare she sends is laughable.

"I'll pair with Liam, I'm sure he won't mind writing my paper for me." Evie announces.

"Lame." I whisper once the teacher passes.

"Bite me."

I consider doing it, but I don't think friends bite each other.

I don't know how to do this with her. She was my first actual girlfriend. I never befriended the girls I ahem fucked. Which is double weird because Evie and I never...

"There's a new kid transferring tomorrow and I'm giving him a tour of Somerset." She tells me. The class breaks into light chatter as work time begins.

"Oh yeah? What's his name?" I desperately ignore the jealousy creeping up on me.

"I think it's Bennett or something like that I don't remember. But anyways, I won't be in morning classes tomorrow so that is a serious bonus. Not to mention it's Friday."

I nod and offer a smile. She tells me about visiting with people while she was at St Anne's and apologizes again for not letting me come.

Towards the end we actually get some work done. I've outlined her essay per her instruction and brainstormed for my own.

When the bell rings she waves goodbye and leaves with Mia. I can't help returning her beaming grin.

***

[Evie]

"It was terrible." I put my head down and groan.

"Yes it sounds like the worst thing in the world."

"I mean he brought me to school and that was fun, I even wore the helmet he got me for Christmas."

"Uhh huh." He agrees.

"He came to me last night and apologized for everything, which then just made me feel bad because honestly he didn't even do anything. It was all me I never should of lied to him."

"Yeah."

I raise a brow. "And then we had sex on Miss Baker's desk."

"That's great. Glad that worked out for you. He's been inconsolable."

"Asher!" I sigh.

"What? Sorry, I'm sorry." He looks up from his phone. "Apple took a serious hit this morning, I had to buy while I could."

My eyes cross as he explains and apologizes. Why doesn't he realize I'm stupid?

"I'm sorry for venting at you." I concede.

"No no, it's fine. I was just a bit preoccupied. Maybe we should listen to the sub and do this worksheet."

I turn my finished periodic table paper to him. The elements were all filled in for our simple midterm with atomic weight and electron count. He turns pink.

"Of course you finished." He mumbles.

"I'll leave you alone so you can finish."

"No, I can't focus today." He stares at the beakers in the back, enunciating his point.

"Something wrong with the baby?"

"No she's perfectly fine."

"Then what's on your mind?" I enjoy talking to Asher, he's equally intelligent and flustered and it's always fun.

He sets his phone face down and removes his glasses. Running a hand through his near-white hair he sighs. "It's Camille."

And now ladies and gentlemen I am thoroughly interested.

"What's wrong?"

"She has the flu."

"Since when? She didn't tell me or anyone else." I start to worry too. She gets stir-crazy, I wouldn't be surprised if her parents have sedated her just to make her sleep off the fever.

"She called this morning."

"Well why don't you go see her?" I say.

"I— didn't think of that."

"It's perfect, and then Liam and I can finish our English assignment and watch Audrey Rose for you." I pat myself on the back for that quick thinking.

"Thank you." He smiles. "Do you know, what does she like when she's sick?"

"I'm not sure what you mean?" My mind's eye envisions Ash knocking on her door with diamonds in one hand and flowers in the other. "You can't gift the flu away."

"I want to make her feel better."

"I guess you could take her projects from the redroom to her." I think of the pieces she has hanging in the development room off the photo lab. "Maybe you can help her finish them at her house."

"Yeah." He smiles and gets excited. The bell rings and he grabs his suit jacket. "Can I walk you to third?"

"Don't worry about it."

I watch him dial her mom's number and make some other calls until he disappears around the corner. I'm still confused, but I'm glad that I can be there for my friends. And hey, maybe lunchtime today won't be such a nightmare.