Chapter 13
Thirteen
Shiloh
I chugged the last of my water bottle and crushed it against the lunch table, earning a glare from Jae. I glared back and he rolled his eyes.
“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” he glanced at me, “there’s no way I could ever actually go out with Sam.”
“Why not?” Nox asked with raised brow.
“Because,” Jae groaned, stabbing his fork into the tupperware in his hand, “I just know she’s going to say no. I don’t care if you call me a pussy, I’m not asking her. It’ll be an embarrassment.”
“More embarrassing than when you thought I was buying drugs this whole week,” I deadpanned.
“Yes,” he hissed. “And what did you expect me to think? You were acting shady, always dipping out of lunch early to go ‘take care of something’.”
I chuckled under my breath and rolled my eyes.
“Dude, you saw me curled up, dying of period cramps at that fight thing you invited me to. Periods don’t last one day, excuse the fuck out of me for needing to make sure I didn’t bleed through my clothing while at school.”
I might have been dying of cramps on Sunday, but I was over the fucking moon to find out that I wasn’t pregnant.
Then Adrian showed up to my house on Tuesday to let me know that my tests had come back clear.
And, I hadn’t been summoned by Carlos for any more loyalty tests.
It was shaping up to be an amazing fucking week.
“I said I was sorry,” Jae whined. “I don’t have sisters like Nox. How was I supposed to know you were still on your period?”
“I dunno. Maybe because it’s called common sense that a menstrual cycle doesn’t last one day, fucktrumpet.” I rolled my eyes and moved back to the topic of discussion. “So, you’re not going to ask out a girl you like ‘cause you’re a pussy and you’re scared of rejection?”
“Exactly, so just let me enjoy my crush from afar. Okay?” He glared between us.
Nox raised his hands in surrender, and I relented with a sigh.
“This is stupid. Why do we have to listen to you describe her shiny blonde hair you saw across the soccer field after school? If you’re not gonna make a move, we shouldn’t have to suffer with you,” I reasoned.
I think we’d heard enough about this girl in the last three lunch periods that I could probably relate her whole life story.
“That, my dear Shiloh, is exactly what you guys are here for. What are friends for if not to suffer with you through your problems?” He smirked, pointing his fork in my direction lazily.
I looked over at Nox who shrugged with a soft laugh.
“I mean, he’s not wrong. You’re supposed to support your friends in times of need,” Nox agreed, although he looked at me like he was just agreeing to get under my skin.
“Like in Stranger Things,” Jae grinned. “We stick together, always supporting a fellow team member no matter the cost.”
“What?” I blinked slowly at him. Maybe he’s on drugs.
“You know, their D&D party, you must never break their laws.” He began listing on his fingers, “No lying to each other, the first to pick a fight should be the first to apologize…”
I guess my face was still staring blankly so he trailed off.
“Oh God, tell me you’ve seen Stranger Things,” Jae said, leaning across the table and clutching my arm.
Were these normal people’s ‘problems’? Crushes, not being up to date on the latest trending shows…Was it normal to be as obsessed with fictional TV characters as Jae was?
“No, I haven’t,” I shook my head, fighting the urge to laugh at how ridiculous the situation was.
He flipped my wrist over and put two fingers to my pulse.
“What are you doing?” I spat, twisting his hand off me until he cried uncle.
“Ow,” Jae rubbed his wrist, giving me an incredulous look. “Just checking you’re a human and not some alien. I mean, seriously, do you live under a rock?”
I kicked my foot out, aiming for his shin.
“Shit! Frick!” he spewed as he accidentally clipped his chin on the table edge in his haste to grab his leg.
Nox let out a belly clutching laugh, wheezing out an apology for laughing at Jae’s pain. I couldn’t help but also chuckle, Nox bumping my shoulder and shooting me a smile as we laughed together.
“Shut up,” Jae pouted, but his mouth was half smiling.
“That’s what you get for thinking I’m an alien.”
“We should rewatch it with Shiloh,” Nox suggested to Jae.
“But we’re already watching Black,” he whined. “We barely made it through episode two on Monday.”
“Come on, we can take a hiatus,” Nox countered, his lips pouting.
He looked kind of cute like that, looking up through his lashes with a pleading expression.
Shiloh, knock it off. You’re being a creep.
“Fine,” Jae groaned. “But it’s going to be a marathon viewing so come prepared for an all-night event.”
“What do you mean ‘all-night?” I asked.
“Like a sleepover,” Jae shrugged, resuming his meal.
“With you guys? Like sleep over at your house?” I asked in disbelief.
They do realize I’m a girl, right?
“Yeah,” Nox nodded slowly. “Why? You got plans this weekend?”
I raised my brows, fully believing that they must have lost their minds.
“Hello? I’m a girl. You’re two boys. I’m just gonna cuddle between the both of you all night?”
Jae laughed but Nox smiled and winked.
“I wouldn’t be opposed. I love a good cuddle session,” Nox said.
I rolled my eyes, and he bumped my shoulder playfully.
“Relax, I’m joking. Mostly. We can all crash in the living room. Jae and I will take a mattress on the floor, and you can have the couch,” Nox explained with an appeasing smile.
I narrowed my eyes in skepticism.
“If it’s an issue about being alone or sleeping at someone else’s house, my parents will be home. Your parents can call mine or drop you off if they want to meet.”
“Nah, it’s not that. Um…okay. Sure. But there better be food involved. And if either of you try anything I will cut your microdicks off and shove them down your throats like a baby carrot.”
I met their gazes, Jae choking on his drink and banging on his chest to clear his airways.
“What makes you think I’ve got a microdick?” Jae asked when he could breathe again.
“Cheese and rice, can we not talk about the size of your dick while I’m trying to eat,” Nox complained.
The lunch bell rang, and Nox groaned, resting his forehead against the table. I looked to Jae for an explanation, but he just shrugged as he shoveled the last of his food into his mouth quicker than he could chew.
“What now?” I asked as I swung my backpack over my shoulders.
“I’ve got my math midterm next period,” he mumbled under the table.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him upright.
“Which is why you should be getting your ass to class, shitbird,” I stated, picking up my tray to return.
“Hey! Who you calling a shitbird?” Nox shouted after me, grabbing his stuff and rushing in my direction.
I chuckled and ignored him, heading out of the cafeteria.
“I’m not a shitbird,” he grumbled next to me as I headed towards my locker.
“Whatever,” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Math is in the other direction, shitbird.”
“I know,” he muttered, grabbing my wrist so that we didn’t get separated through the crowds in the halls. “I’m stalling. I’m freaking out.”
“Nox,” I sighed, abruptly stopping and stepping to the side of the hall. “You did the study guide three times without my help. There’s nothing more for you to do but go in there and take the damn thing.”
He sighed and nodded, looking around the halls.
“So, get your fucking ass to the classroom and take the test. Show your teacher you can actually use the thing,” I emphasized by tapping his forehead, “floating around up there so I don’t seem like a shit tutor.”
He chuckled and grabbed my hand, squeezing it.
“Okay! I’m gonna go. Thanks, Shiloh.”
He smiled and for a moment I thought he was going to say something more the way his brown eyes were staring into mine, but he turned and disappeared into a cluster of students.
I really did hope that he passed his midterm exam.
Not just because it would be satisfying to know that I was helping him, but also because I knew how important this was to him.
He wanted to join the military as much as I wanted to disappear from the face of the earth.
He made that pretty clear in how determined he was to put in the required effort to improve his grades.
We’d spent every day together this week getting him ready for his midterm that I hadn’t even studied for any of my own exams.
I used to put maximum effort into my grades as well, but suddenly things like life after high school seemed a lot less certain. Thanks to Carlos, I was now a criminal. A stupid test didn’t feel very high on my list of priorities when I was contemplating just ending things now.
The final bell rang, and I jumped, realizing I had stared off into space.
I quickly made my way to the math block.
A calculus midterm was the last thing that I wanted to be doing.
I slipped into my usual seat in the middle of the room and eyed the students around me who were trying to get in some last minute studying.
Now that I wasn’t with my friends my energy had depleted, and I was feeling the lack of sleep.
I adjusted myself in my chair, balling up my sweatshirt on top of my desk so I could rest my head on it.
My eyes were begging for rest and cramming for an exam I already hadn’t bothered to study seriously for wasn’t going to do me any good.
I tried to hold onto that feeling of warmth I got whenever I was around Nox and Jae, praying that it would last long enough I wouldn’t feel so empty when I got home.