"This is boring." Cole complained as we chilled out in his house.
Connor shot him a glare. "We're watching a movie, shut up."
He listened. For five minutes. Then Cole shot up from the couch and cursed loudly, interrupting our movie. We groaned. "I'm failing calculus!" He shouted miserably while staring at his phone in disbelief.
My heart quickened just thinking about him. "How bad?" I asked quietly.
"A fucking fifty-five."
I cringed for him along with everyone else and we all immediately got out our phones, checking our grades online.
"Goddammit." Erin grumbled.
"What is it?" I asked cautiously.
"A sixty."
"Mine's a fifty-five, too." Connor said in anger.
I suddenly felt terrible. I felt it was all my fault. Why was he such an angry man? I deserved the punishment, not every single student he taught.
"What's yours Diana?" Cole asked with a huff.
I felt my nerves pulling at all side of me, and I feared the worse. It was probably a forty, or maybe lower. I wanted to cry. I scrolled on my phone and entered in my username and password from the school. The site recognized my student ID and my grades popped up.
IB Art: 100
IB Literature: 99
History of the Americas: 99
IB Spanish V: 100
Advanced Geo: 98
Orchestra Chamber: 100
Advanced Calculus: 87
My jaw dropped.
He didn't fail me.
"What is it??" They asked eagerly, grabbing at my phone.
I stuffed it in my pocket and buried my face in my hands. I knew for a fact I should be failing along with everyone else. And it broke me knowing he still didn't want to.
"What is it, Diana??" Cole bugged.
"He failed you pretty bad, huh." Erin said in sympathy.
I sighed and looked up at them. "Yeah." I said. "Pretty bad."
...
The three of them came up to me before I left for lunch and I tried to ignore the fact that... Mr. Grant was still in his room. His door was opened, since Mr. Joseph was talking to him.
"Why aren't you eating with us?" Cole asked, stuffing french fries in his mouth.
I grabbed my bag and Erin answered for me. "Her lover is taking her out." She gave me a wink and I flushed in fear, but knowing they took it as embarrassment.
"Lover? Diana?" Mr. Joseph said at the door way of Mr. Grant's classroom.
Lord end my life, please.
I shook my head, "I have to go-" I began, but Erin didn't shut her stupid mouth.
"Her and Andy Carl." She said giddily.
"Erin, shut up." I snapped, praying Mr. Grant wasn't listening because I didn't want him to hate me more than he already did. If that was even possible.
"So the rumors are true?" The sweet old man said with a crinkle in his eyes.
I said nothing and he laughed, walking off to his classroom. They all looked at me and I ran out of that building as quick as I could, seeing Andy was already there, pulled up in his fancy Audie and smiling warmly at me.
"Ready?" He asked, kissing me as I got in.
I nodded. "I've got thirty minutes, don't make me miss my class." I said with a joking tone and he let out a beautiful laugh that calmed my nerves.
We stopped by a hole-in-the-wall restaurant where he had a secluded area for the two of us. We both ate, but talked a lot, too. "Do you like to sing?" He randomly asked while we were finished eating and sitting across from each other, ten minutes to spare.
I laughed at him. "Yeah, sure, but I'm terrible at it." I said in honesty and he crossed his leg.
"Do you play any instruments?"
"Cello. That's about it." I said with a shrug and he leaned forward in interest.
"You've never told me that before."
"I never really thought about it."
"Are you good?" He asked curiously.
I shrugged. "I guess so. I'm advanced so I'd say I am."
"You should play for me one day."
I narrowed playful eyes at him. "Cute, but I'm not your entertainment monkey, Andy." I teased and he laughed again, standing up and taking my hand to walk us both to his car.
"No, you're not." He leaned in and kissed me. "You're my everything."
I blushed under his eyes and wanted to fall asleep with him in that moment, but we both knew it was time for him to take me back, and when he did, I wasn't ready to leave.
"Stay at my place tonight?" He asked as I was walking away.
I gave him a nod and blew him a playful kiss. The rest of school was... Well it was normal. It was so oddly normal, and I wanted to just take out the feeling of pain in my gut so I could go on with my life and not want to cry all the time. I still hadn't cried yet, and I believed I never would. That was a pretty comforting feeling to me, even if it sort of sounded like I lost my heart. I hated tears.
After school I headed home, gathered my things, then went to Andy's to do my homework.
"What are you doing this weekend?" I heard him shout from his room, probably changing out of his business clothes.
"Nothing special." I replied boredly, analyzing a book I had to read for literature.
He came back out in a tshirt and pajama pants. "Come to Cancün with me." He said with a grin.
I stared up at him. "Mexico?" I asked in awe. "Seriously?"
"You and me, it'll be fun."
He sat next to me on the couch and I sighed. "Haven't you spent enough money on me as it is?" I reminded him shyly and he grabbed my foot, suddenly rubbing me slowly.
I sighed out in comfort and had to close my eyes. "Mm," I moaned. "I need to do homework."
He kissed my leg. "What you need to do is relax." He told me knowingly, kneading my calves.
It felt so good I was about to fall asleep. "Andy." I groaned. "You're distracting me."
"So can I book the flight for two?"
I opened my eyes and he looked back at me, my legs in his lap and his hands working wonders on me. I nodded shyly and he gave me a grin, giving me a gentle kiss on my lips. "You and me, Diana." His lips said against mine, blowing his hot breath into my mouth.
I smiled at thought. The two of us, no reminder of how terrible of a person I was. No one telling me what to do. No confusion. "You and me." I said back as we cuddled into each other once again.
...
The next day after school we met at my house. Erin, Cole, and Connor were in my living room in the floor, sitting in a circle and playing Catan.
Last settlement, last road, I clapped my hands eagerly as Erin drew one more tally by my name and she froze. "Dammit!"
"How do you win every time?" Cole sighed, throwing his pieces back in the box.
I heard my brothers come in with James. "You guys just suck at playing." I said casually and they all gave me a glare.
"Catan!" Austin said with excitement. "I love this game, this was all we did in high school."
The front door opened again and Tyler was in. "Other than get wasted, sure." He said.
"Which one is this?"
"Just the original, we didn't have time for the other ones." Erin answered Austin.
"Well what is everyone doing this fine weekend?" Bailey asked, falling onto the couch behind me.
"We're staying over tonight." Connor said, throwing another piece from the game up high and catching it.
"Then that's about it."
Then I go to Cancün with Andy.
"Alright." The guys sat up. "We're gonna head out then."
They said; getting up. Tyler waved Cole off, then as they were heading out the door I heard James mutter to Bailey. "Maybe we should go to Chance's. Apparently he's back with Claire."
And then Bailey, "Claire? Oh god, I remember her, finally Chance found himself...-" They shut and locked the door, leaving my heart throbbing.
I told him to, and part of me was thankful he listened. The other part felt completely broken.
I deserve to feel broken, he doesn't.
"Who's Chance?" Erin looked at Cole and asked.
He gave her a careless shrug, not really paying attention, and got up. "Well, who's up for another game of Catan?"
That's pretty much how our night went.