Chapter 136

When I met up with my friends, all Kira wanted to do was talk about our plan to hang out. She suspected I was either going to back out in the last moment, or that I'd likely let Austin tag along. It was clear that they were really hurt. And I felt bad for having neglected them even if I had never wished to do so. Austin was just hella demanding. Like a child who you had to keep a very close eye on because he was likely to get into trouble and you'd also be to blame. 

It wasn't until lunch that I realized I was supposed to reply to a couple of messages. I blamed myself for forgetting about it, and I was scared that they'd think I was deliberately ignoring them. I first texted Reign back. He would be leaving in a few days and I suppose it was only fair for us to meet up and say hi before he left. It just felt like basic human decency to do so and despite having said no to him so many times, I always liked his company. Even through the phone, he always managed to keep me interested and I was sure that wherever him and I went, we were going to have fun. But I was only going to be free on Sunday, somehow that entire weekend was filled with different things to do. 

Reign texted me back immediately after,he was surprised that I had given in to his request to hang out, and when he asked me where I wanted to go I just told him it was all upto him. Then I told him we'd text more after school since I was busy. 

I also decided that I'd tell Austin about it. Just because I had a feeling he was going to find out either way, with his stalking and whatnot. And it was definitely better if he heard it from me instead of following me discreetly just to see me meet up with Reign. I could just picture his reaction, buti was done babying him to accommodate both my feelings and actions. How was it that he could help his crazy friend who had perhaps murdered someone, but I couldn't meet up with my perfectly sane and famous friend for some coffee? The balance just sounded a bit off and I was going to fix it. 

Next I called my mum, but she didn't pick up and I assumed that perhaps she was busy, so I texted her back, telling her to call me whenever she was free. Life with her was easier, but I wasn't completely cold-hearted. And yes, Austin had also attempted to stalk my phone and text her pretending to be me so that she'd "know I care". 

Fucking hypocrite!

" What're we talking about?"Austin asked us during lunch. Kira, Max and I had been seated in the cafeteria and he showed up and sat next to me. I was never going to stop being happy over his presence. It was just natural for me to cheer up whenever I saw him, especially when there was currently no beef between us. 

But Max scoffed and Kira sighed, then they both gave each other this weird look which I was sure was them communicating something. 

" Austin! It's you..... again, " Kira said with openly faked enthusiasm. 

" Like a damn shadow!" Max muttered just loud enough for us to hear. Austin shifted his gaze from me to them, but I just shrugged and shook my head. Acting as if I was clueless even though I knew exactly why they were behaving like that. It wasn't even because if jealousy. Those two were more mature than to feel bad because I was spending too much tim with Austin. It was Austin himself that they had an issue with. 

He didn't have a filter so he basically said whatever he felt like, and not to mention his recklessness when it came to rules. The whole school definitely knew about that. Which was why no one voluntarily approached him. And I had previously come to learn that his history with breaking the rules went far back. He had gotten expelled more times than I could have ever imagined. 

" Is there anything you two wanna tell me? Go ahead, I'm a very open-minded person and I take well to criticism, " Austin directly told them, I just shook my head to the two. My silent way of begging them not to dare. They might think they know Austin but they just didn't, no one fully knew or understand him. Including me, and I had known him for years. 

" What makes you think we have anything to say?" Kira asked, that's sarcastic smile on her freckled face. 

" I don't know, do you?" 

" I personally can't think of one. "

" I see...and is that a new top?" 

Coming from Austin, the question just felt odd. Kira looked down at herself, then she said that it was. She was really dressing different these days and I had a feeling it was because of her new crush.

" Wow, I like how bold you are. Who said personal taste had to be accepted by everyone?" 

Kira's mouth basically fell open, I secretly wanted to yank Austin's hair our of his skull because why the hell would he even say something like that? For what purpose? 

" Max, do you have anything to say to him" Kira turned to Max, her tone dripping bitterness, and he just took a sip of his drink and put on his headphones. I felt relieved, thinking that was the end of it, but then max went ahead and commented. 

" Why don't you let Kyle breathe for a second?" 

Immediately Max said that, I cursed. Kira was basically the instigator but she acted all shocked at the comment, and when Austin asked Max what he had just said, the girl scooted away to the edge of the bench and started to go through her bag, acting all busy. 

When Max kept quiet, Austin reached over and snatched his headphones away. 

No way was I going to be a part of some stupid fight between my boyfriend and one of my best friends. So I just grabbed the headphones and placed them on the table's surface, then I grabbed Austin by his nape and forcibly led him away. 

" What did I do? They literally started it? And what the hell did that assh-"

" Max, can you just stick to his name? And yes, they started it but you know better than to let some silly comments rile you up." 

He didn't know better, I was just trying to be nice. He had reacted exactly how I knew he would and had it not been for me, Max was probably going to be the one that got him expelled. After Austin beat the crap out of him in the middle of the cafeteria's floor. I was also going to have a word with those two. 

" Who's side-"

" Don't even finish that question. " 

He looked away, I watched as he struggled to control his anger. He just kept looking back at the direction of the cafeteria as if he was gonna sprint off towards it at any moment. 

" What were you guys talking about? Was it me? Is that why they switched up like that?" 

" No, I think they're just mad because I've been spending a lot of time with you. "

" Seriously?" 

" Yeah, just cool off okay? I'll talk to them later on and solve things. It's just some petty misunderstanding. "

I started to fix his hair even though it was just fine, he was like a puppy I suppose. You had to give him all the attention he wanted because otherwise he was going to throw a fit. If I tried to make it seem like I wasn't really on his side then he was going to take it personally. 

" You were gonna beat him up, weren't you?" 

"Maybe. "

" Next time try to think before you do something so crazy. "

He still looked upset over it. He just didn't like it whenever anyone randomly tried to rile him up. Especially since he had been in a pretty good mood since morning. So I ruffled the hair I had been busy fixing and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. 

" Cheer up, we can watch that movie you mentioned tonight. I'll close up early, it's really slow at the store these days anyways. "

I saw a smile creeping into his features, but then he forced it away and looked at me with faked sadness. 

" And will you make me dinner?" he arched a brow, I immediately let go.of him and stepped back. 

" Don't push it, " I warned as I walked away. But in the end I did end up making him dinner, we had been eating takeout way too much and there was something about my attempts at cooking that he allegedly loved. And halfway through the movie, Reign texted. I didn't bother hiding the phone from view or acting all suspicious. And since Austin and I had literally been cuddling, he obviously saw who it was.