Chapter 2
Claggor sent Mylo an unamused look from his seat at his desk.
“No.”
“Clags, you’re killing me,” Mylo whined, “This is gonna be so hilarious. You have to-“
“No, Mylo. I don’t want anything to do with one of your dumb little schemes.” Claggor held his ground, folding his arms as he stared up at the boy hovering over his seat. “Besides, Kiramman might shoot me with one of her big fancy rifles.”
“Then you sit in my seat, and I’ll sit in hers. I’m not scared of her.” Mylo scoffed. Before Claggor could point out how convoluted of a solution that was, he continued. “Look, just play along and I’ll give you five bucks.”
“Ten.” Claggor asserted after some deliberation. “And, you tell Vi I had nothing to do with this.”
Mylo let out a muted little groan, glancing to the students that just now began to file into the classroom. He bounced on his heels, there wasn’t a lot of time left before everyone else arrived.
“Deal-“
“And,” Mylo’s groan was less muted now. “You lay off of Powder for a while.”
“What? I’m sonice to the little Jinx!”
Claggor sent him a harsh glare. “I’m serious. She’s been sulking in her room since yesterday and I think something’s really upsetting her. She doesn’t need you making it worse.”
“Fine. Whatever.” Mylo rolled his eyes. Claggor gave an approving little nod. “Now go, git. Operation: ‘Secure the Sugar Momma’ is a go.”
“Ew.” Claggor slung his bag over his shoulder, nurturing under his breath as he vacated his usual seat. “We’re all the same age, dude.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just keep walking.”
Mylo watched Claggor retreat to his own usual seat at the back of the class with barely contained excitement. He then hurried up to the front to Caitlyn’s seat.
As expected, only a few moments later the majority of the class strolled into the room. Mylo and Claggor took music as an elective, and the classroom was just a few doors away from the Social Studies one. This gave Mylo the time window he had been waiting for.
“Okay, everyone take your seats.” Called Miss Grayson, who closed the door as the final crowd of students spilled inside.
The clearing of a throat caused Mylo to feign surprise, looking up at the taller girl who stood with folded arms just next to him.
“You’re in my seat.” Caitlyn said stiffly.
“What’re you talking about? I always sit here.” Mylo leaned back, sending her a smug grin. “Gives me a good view of Grayson’s nose hair.”
“Kiramman, take a seat.” Grayson called out. A look around confirmed that Caitlyn was the only one still standing.
“I can’t, he’s in my seat-“
“I don’t care where you sit, as long as your ass is in a chair.” Snickers erupted from the classroom of immature teenagers at the fact a teacher said ‘ass’ and Cait sent Mylo a final glare before retreating to one of the only empty seats in the classroom.
“Okay, we’re gonna take attendance, and then I’m assigning your partners for the presentation,” A chorus of groans and mumbles erupted at the announcement and Grayson rolled her eyes. “Don’t give me that. It’s always been seat partners, and it always will be seat partners.”
There were few more groans and grumbles of discontent, but the class ultimately quietened for attendance.
Caitlyn didn’t really mind being assigned partners. She secretly preferred that. The alternative being awkwardly watching as everyone else pairs up with their friends, and then either being assigned to another pair as a trio, or being allowed to work by herself.
The latter was Cait’s preferred choice, but teachers occasionally insisted on working in groups which ultimately left with Cait sitting silently and doing all the work while the rest of her group talked the whole time.
Grayson’s decision to always assign partners was one that Caitlyn very much appreciated.
And besides, Caitlyn looked up to see the ginger girl who usually sat beside her had turned to give her a shy smile. She was starting to get along with the girl she sat with.
Maddie had transferred a few weeks ago, and she was quite good company.
“Caitlyn Kiramman?”
“Present.” Cait hurried out, blinking back into focus. Grayson nodded and tapped a key on her computer. Cait didn’t zone back out immediately, knowing which name was next in line.
“Violet Lanes?” No response.
Caitlyn didn’t bat an eye, which was immensely more embarrassing than if she was worried.
Most of the time Vi showed up late to social studies because Powder had a class in the STEM building at the same time, and she would walk all the way there to drop her off before arriving.
It was really sweet and it more than excused her lateness, in Cait’s opinion.
The thought of Vi brought back memories of yesterday. Of her less than stellar confession and her not-quite rejection. She felt her grip tighten around her pen.
Somehow, Vi’s non-answer was worse than if Cait was flat out rejected.
She was hoping for a yes, but at least she’d entertained the idea of a no. It would’ve been absolutely soul crushing, heartbreaking, and would’ve sent Cait into a spiral of wallowing and despair, but Cait could get over it.
It might take years, decades. But eventually she would.
Caitlyn couldn’t get over a ‘You’re not serious’. How could she? It wasn’t a no but it definitelywasn’t a yes.
Based on tone and body language Caitlyn could assume Vi was rejecting her, but if it was a rejection why wouldn’t she just say no?
But if it was an acceptance, why wouldn’t she just say yes?
Caitlyn dropped her pen, resting her elbows on the table and shoving her fingers through her hair, staring down at the desk then squeezing her eyes closed.
Internally, she screamed.
The door of the classroom pushed open. Vi and Grayson stared at each other for a long moment. Then, the pink-haired girl swung the door shut and moved to her desk.
Grayson grumbled under her breath at the fact Vi hadn’t even pretended to be sorry before going back to update the attendance register. The lateness was so frequent she had completely given up on scolding the student.
Caitlyn had dragged her eyes open at the arrival and her heart stuttered as their eyes met. A momentary panic filled her as Vi stared straight at her, almost frozen.
A smattering of pink crossed her face, matching the girl’s hair before Vi was ducking her head and moving forward.
Cait averted her gaze, pretending to read her textbook and shuffling her chair as far into the desk as possible, to the point where the edge was digging into her stomach. The sound of Vi’s approach was impossible to ignore and it only made her heart thud faster. Stupid crush.
Despite Cait’s efforts, it was still a tight squeeze as Vi shuffled behind her to get to her seat. Her hand curled around the back of Cait’s chair at one point, and Cait almost imploded as she felt fingers brushing against her back.
Vi finally settled down in her seat with a huff. Her outer leg brushed Caitlyn’s for a moment, then she shifted in her seat to move it away.
“- And I’ve written down all your pairs so you can’t go switching around when you feel like it.” Caitlyn’s phone buzzed in her pocket. “Your pair and the deadline is included in the email. For now, you need to pick a topic and submit it to me for approval before the end of the week.”
Several hands shot into the air with questions, and Caitlyn pulled her phone out to check the email.
Now really wasn’t a good time for a presentation, Cait thought, if the deadline isn’t too close, she could manage it, but with homework from her other classes, it’d be-
Her thumb froze above her screen. She blinked, shaking her head, before pinching her fingers to zoom in.
Lanes, Violet + Kiramman, Caitlyn
There’s no way.Cait’s eyes hurriedly scanned the list for Maddie’s name. Maybe she was just listed twice, maybe it was a mistake, a- a fluke.
Nolen, Maddie + Lanes, Mylo
Cait’s eyes snapped upwards, to where Mylo sat in her seat. Maddie was frowning down at her phone, and Mylo was barely hiding his amusement.
Discreetly, she snuck a glance towards her seat partner, who was staring down at her cracked screen with a similar expression to the one she wore yesterday. Eyes wide, lips slightly parted.
Okay, okay, this is fine. She was fine.Caitlyn’s heart was thundering. She swallowed.
“Since we got our pairs now, can we be dismissed early?” One kid asked.
“Yes.” Grayson waved them off. “But I’m trusting you to go work on your presentations in this free time.”
She continued, but no one was paying attention after they heard the ‘yes’. Students began filing out of the classroom, talking amongst themselves.
Caitlyn silently gathered her things and moved to leave, hands gripping the strap of her bag tightly.
This is fine. This is fine. Totally fine. Social studies was the last period before lunch, so Caitlyn headed to her locker to momentarily pack away all her things. I just have to work on a presentation with my crush who rejected me for the next week.
Fine.
She closed the door to her locker, startling when something slammed right next to her head.
“Kiramman.” Vi’s wrapped hand was pressed against the other locker, grey eyes filled with urgency when all Cait could do was appreciate the spattering of freckles across sharp features.
“Uhh,” Caitlyn internally cursed herself, “Yes?”
“You gotta ask Grayson to switch partners.”
“What?” And the fluttery feeling in her stomach was overshadowed by confusion. “Why?”
Vi’s eyes were wide and she sputtered momentarily, hands floundering between them. “Because!” She said articulately.
“Because I like you?” Caitlyn filled in. She felt her face grow a little warmer at the words, but she was sure her blush was nothing in comparison to Vi’s.
Her whole face boiled red, going so far as to begin spreading down her neck and tinging the tips of her ears.
Cait let out a huff at the lack of response, “If that’s what you’re concerned about, I’ll have you know that I’ve had feelings for you for the past four months and you never noticed. I’m sure we can work on one project together without issue.”
Vi looked like a deer in headlights. Cait caught her faintly mouthing the words ‘four months’ before she’d turned to walk to the cafeteria.
They had lunch after this period, and there was little else for Caitlyn to do other than get food early to beat the queues and find a table to wait for Jayce.
“Kiramman,” Cait rolled her eyes, quickening her pace. “Kiramman, please.”
“If it’s bothering you this much, why don’t you ask Grayson yourself?” Caitlyn snapped. She ignored the twinge of hurt at the fact Vi was so desperate to avoid her and continued moving.
“I already did. She said no. She’ll say yes to you though, because you’re her favorite.” The twinge grew stronger at those words. Cait just grit her teeth and moved even faster. “Ki-“
“Ah, Miss Kiramman.” Caitlyn stopped herself just in time to avoid stumbling over their short Principal. Vi went face first into Cait’s back, sending her forwards anyway before the other student managed to tug her back by the collar of her shirt.
“Principal Heimerdinger.” Cait greeted. She shot a glare to Vi who’d moved to stand beside her. The pink-haired girl immediately released her grip on Cait’s collar with a sheepish expression.
“And Miss Lanes,” Heimerdinger noted with a hum, “I take it the talk went well?”
“Talk?” Cait heard Vi mumble to herself.
“Ah, no sir, we haven’t had the opportunity to speak about that just yet but we should be able to. Soon.” She explained hurriedly. Her hand curled around Vi’s wrist and she sent an apologetic look to the Principal. “We really must be going, sir. It was nice to see you.”
“Oh, uh, nice to see you two girls!” He called out to their rapidly retreating forms.
The pair made it all the way to the entrance of the cafeteria before Vi finally pulled away.
“Talk?” She demanded immediately. “What talk?”
Caitlyn sighed, folding one arm across her chest and rubbing at her forehead with the other. She knew Vi wouldn’t take the idea well, so she’d been hoping to discuss it at a later date.
“Principal Heimerdinger asked me a few months ago to discuss a few issues with you. Like your attendance, lateness, your fighting,” Vi’s expression grew more and more appalled with each word. “I was hoping to talk to you about that once we’d actually spoken for a while.”
Multiple emotions flashed across Vi’s face. Anger, betrayal, frustration, then her features began to relax and something like comprehension dawned on her.
“Look, Kir- Caitlyn,” Vi began, her tone hesitant, like someone trying to avoid spooking a horse. “I’m gonna be real with you here: I only wanted to switch partners because Mylo’s been giving me a lot of shit because of . . .” The blush began to creep up Vi’s face once more and she desperately pushed it down. “That.”
Oh. Cait frowned. She wasn’t angry?
“So if you just ask Grayson to switch your partners, I guess I’ll start trying to show up to class on time and we’ll both be happy.” The pink haired girl pushed a hand through her mullet, giving Cait an apprehensive look. “Sound good?”
Oh. Cait’s frown deepened. That’s why.
“No.”
Vi looked taken aback, blinking in shock before she let a matching angry look to Caitlyn’s cross her face. “No?”
“No. I don’t have a problem being partners with you, so I won’t ask to switch.”
“Fine! I’ll just-“
“I didn’t ask you out because of Heimerdinger.” Caitlyn interjected, taking a step forward. Vi’s eyes widened in something resembling panic. “You know that, right? It’s important to me that you know that.”
“Well- why-“ Vi struggled for words, retreating backwards. Cait was hot on her trail.
“I asked you out because I wanted to. Not to fix your attendance, or lateness, or stop you from fighting, though I do wish you’d do those things. I like you, Violet Lanes. And I’ll keep telling you that until you get it through your thick skull-“
Vi’s back hit the cafeteria door. It swung open with her weight.
Her wide, panicked eyes met Cait’s as she began to fall back, the other student merely watching with horror as the moment occurred in slow motion.
She was falling. Hands flailing for something to hold onto before her back hit the ground with an echoing slam, her head following with a softer but still powerful thud.
Cait’s hand came up to cover her mouth at the noise and the resounding groan Vi emitted.
“Are you-“ The door came swinging back with great speed, whacking the top of Vi’s skull hard.
—————————-
“I’m really sorry.”
Vi sat on the little bed in the nurse’s office, one hand on the top of her head, one hand cradling the back. Cait sat on the one just opposite.
“It’s not your fault, Cupcake.”
“I still feel awful.” Caitlyn lamented. Then she blinked. “Again with the Cupcake?”
“Because you’re so sweet. Worrying about me when I’m completely fine.”The last words were pointed, probably referring to the fact that Cait had forced Vi to go to the Nurse’s Office despite her protests.
The pair sat in silence while they waited for the Nurse to return from his smoke break. Caitlyn stewed on her guilt while Vi’s leg bounced where she sat. Restless as her thoughts.
“I don’t mean to be-“ She let out a frustrated sigh. Cait let her attention refocus on the other girl. “I just-“
“It’s okay, Vi.” Cait noticed the girl getting more and more angry as she struggled to find words.
“I’m not a fucking kid.” She snarked. Then she sighed again and slumped where she sat. “I didn’t- I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” Vi’s head snapped up at that, confusion clear in her gaze. “I thought I was just being direct with how I felt but I realize I might’ve come across as a little . . . Pushy. I didn’t really stop to consider whether you might be uncomfortable with all of this.”
“It’s not your fault, Caitlyn, I just,” Vi opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Then she shrugged and mumbled something.
“Pardon?”
“I’vejustneverreallybeenaskedoutbefore.”
Caitlyn blinked in disbelief, mouth gaping slightly. “You’re joking.”
Vi just stared at the floor, leg bouncing even faster as pink crept up on her cheeks again.
“How?” Caitlyn exclaimed a little too loudly for an indoor setting. “You’re so cool! And caring! And pretty-“
“Stop.” Vi snapped and for a moment, Caitlyn thought she might’ve been angry at her. Until she looked up at Vi whose face was emulating a strawberry. “God, Kiramman. How do you not get embarrassed saying that shit?”
“Because it’s true.” Caitlyn huffed. Vi let out a strangled noise of protest, shoulders coming up to her ears. The blue-haired student couldn’t help but smile at the image.
After four months of observation, of silent pining and yearning over her oblivious crush, Caitlyn had thought she knew almost everything about Vi.
But she never knew Vi blushed so easily.
It made her heart restart its pumping, it made the ache of longing return as Caitlyn wondered what else she didn’t know about Vi.
“So I guess we should start talking about what we’re doing for the project, huh?” Vi remarked aloud.
Caitlyn’s hands gripped the edge of the bed tightly. “We uh, we don’t have to work together if you really don’t want to. I can ask Grayson to-“
“Dude, seriously, it’s fine.” Vi stressed the last word. “I was being kind of a dick about switching but I meant it when I said it’s got nothing to do with you and everything to do with my asshole little brother.”
“So wouldn’t it still be better to switch partners? So . . . So Mylo backs off?”
“Nah, don’t worry about that Cupcake. I got a plan.” Vi gave Caitlyn an evil grin that made the other student laugh.
“Oh really?” She goaded, thoroughly entertained.
“Really. Since he wants to be childish about everything, I’ll stoop down to his level. Give him a taste of his own medicine.”
“Sounds clever.” The pair smiled at each other, ripe with mischief.
Then Vi was abruptly breaking eye contact to pull the hand that held the top of her head down. Staring at it with a concerned look.
“What’s wrong?”
“Huh.” Vi turned her hand, showing her fingers which were covered in blood. “I’m bleeding.
If Vi had the ability to go back in time to four seconds ago, to before she’d told Caitlyn, she’d have done it in a heartbeat because once those apologies were reignited, they weren’t stopping anytime soon.