❝Just because you hate everybody doesn't mean everybody hates you. You have people that still need you around, and I'm not afraid to admit I'm one of them.❞
. . .in which she must find a way to navigate through a changed world and a changed heart.
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☼ ☼ ☼
It was finally the last day of school. Midtown was filled with enthusiastic students ready to start their summer. Andi was among the enthused, though she found at the moment she was just happy to be done with her junior year. She closed her locker for the last time and started down the hall to the library where she knew at least two of her friends would be.
"Andi!"
Andi turned around to see Ned rushing to her. She stopped to wait on him, only resuming her journey forward after he'd caught up.
"Hey, what's up, Ned?"
"I just wanted to talk to my pal and thank her and her very generous aunt for paying for my flight," Ned said to her. "Now I'm gonna use my credits to get a new hat in every country we visit."
"That's nice, Ned," Andi replied with a chuckle. "I'm happy I could be of service to you."
The two of them turned to head into the library. As soon as Andi walked in she noticed Gwen and Peter sitting together. They were lost in conversation. Peter had his phone out in front of them, and Andi figured he was showing Gwen something. She just wasn't sure what it was. All she knew was that Gwen seemed incredibly happy about it. Almost too happy.
Andi grabbed Ned's sleeve to stop him from walking any further. She pulled him close, her curious brown eyes still on the oblivious pair at the other end of the room. "What do you think they're talkin' about?" she asked Ned, gesturing over to Peter and Gwen.
Ned looked over at them and shrugged. "I'm not sure. They've been super weird lately, like, keeping secrets weird. They've been having secret conversations in art class for about two weeks now. Neither one of them will tell me what they're talking about. Have they said anything to you?"
"None of you tell me anything anymore." Andi scoffed and pulled her bag tighter over her shoulder, glancing between Ned and Peter and Gwen often.
"Maybe if you answered my text messages every once in a while I would actually tell you things," Ned defended himself, but his words only earned an eye roll from Andi.
"Then send me something besides memes!"
"Hey, it's quality content!"
Andi rolled her eyes again and gestured Ned forward. "C'mon, let's go see what they're talking about."
Andi and Ned walked over to the table where Peter and Gwen were sitting in a heap of smiles. Their demeanors changed, however, the moment they noticed Andi approaching with Ned. Peter put his phone away and leaned forward, clasping his hands together on the table. Gwen pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose and sat back in her seat, sinking down ever-so-slightly.
