Achieving Unbroken
Chapter Three

—

"Remeber those walls I built? Well baby, they're tumbling down.
And they didn't even put up a fight, they didn't even make a sound."
Halo | Beyoncé

—

Lilla

The cheeseburger he's raising to his mouth pauses midair. He has a confused and questioning look on his face, and I can tell he wants to say something but he doesn't know how.

"Not for real," I quickly say. "And not right now. I know you can't flip a switch and be social and fun. We use the end of this year and summer to hang out, get to know each other and get everyone comfortable with you being back. Maybe you can even get back on the football team. The other part of my offer is someone to talk to. I won't breathe down your neck, but just talk and I'll listen. And when senior year starts, we'll act like we're dating, and you've got an automatic in."

He's quiet. He is looking at me, trying to decipher and comprehend everything I just said, and the look on his face doesn't tell me whether he loves or hates the idea. Finally, he opens his mouth.

"So, dating, because...?"

"If we're just friends, that doesn't do much. I have a lot of friends but they don't all come in the 'inner circle'---as stupid as that sounds---just because we are friends. If you and I are dating, however, you're forced in because then it's a package deal."

No response, once again, and while I know that this is something that needs comprehending I am also one of the most impatient people on the face of the Earth. Staring at him in such deep thought, I wish that I could be inside his head and witness the things he must be thinking, not only about my proposal but about me in general.

"OK," he says, and I snap out of the trace I was in while staring at him. I must have a questioning look on my face because he repeats his answer. "OK. If you believe that your idea has hope, that you could help me move past this and help me get my friends back then I'm in."

I can't help but smile.

"I do." He pushes the side of the tray that has his fries towards me, with a deep breath and a smirk.

"When do we start?"

—

[Friday, May 12th, 2018]

"So how'd your little chat go with Jughead Jones?" Pip asks while we tie our shoes in the locker room. Our class mates and some of our ex-friends give us looks hearing her nickname for Jason, and I quickly try to cover up.

"We're just talking about Riverdale, I binged it a few weeks ago," I say, waving it off. The girls turn around, some of the quickly falling into a debate on who's more 'daddy': Cole Sprouse or KJ Apa.

Cole, definitely. But I love KJ more.

"Don't think you can avoid this. What happened?" I shrug.

"He agreed."

"He what?" She squeaks, deserving the next round of stares she receives. I shush her, something I seem to do a lot.

"Shhhh. Korea probably heard that. And as I said, he agreed. He's gonna go to football tryouts this Friday and try and get back on the team, and we'll go from there."

"God, I can't believe you're trying this." We check the time on the clock and notice that it's time to go to the gym, and make our way to the door. "Like, what are you even going to do?" I huff as I shove the door open.

"Did I not tell you the plan?"

"You told me, I'm just confused and worried."

"Well can we discuss this later over homework? I don't need these Gossip Girls eavesdropping on our conversations," I comment, quickly glancing at the whispering group of our ex-friends next to us.

"Whatever works, I'm with you no matter what." Walking to the track to meet up with our gym teacher and start our laps, I throw my arm around her.

"Even if you disagree?" She tosses her arm around me in return.

"Even if I think it's going to cause the third world war."

"Piper Karin Cho, you have no idea how happy I am that you didn't turn out to be an asshole." She giggles and throws her head back, and both of us look like laughing idiots.

"I love you too, Lil."

—

"And up, down, 101. Up, down, 102. Up, dow---"

"Can you please stop that?" Jason asks, collapsed on the ground.

"Stop what?"

"Stop sounding like the push-up fitness test recording," he grunts, referring to the monotone recording our school uses to test our athletic abilities during the semester. He gets up and carefully walks over to his water bottle, chugging the contents inside. "I can count in my head." After taking another swig, "and why are you just watching me do this? Don't you have shit to do?" I put down my journal and look at him, annoyed.

I also take a moment to admire how fit he is, but I don't focus on that for too long.

"I'll have you know that I'm doing my math homework, and I'm here to make sure you're pushing yourself."

He uses a fresh towel to wipe up his face of all the sweat. Even in the midst of his heavier breathing I can hear him chuckle.

"So you're my coach now? Is this The Blind Side?"

"Yep. Just call me SJ, I'll call you Michael, and we can even pull out our southern accents if you want." We both smirk, and he gets back on the mat to start sit-ups.

"So, are you sure you're here to help me and not watch all of the other guys prep for tryouts?" I turn around in my chair to see all of the guys who're working out as well, and are also staring at me. They nudge their friends and point to me, whispering to each other. I'm imagining that they're talking about my being here with Jason, which might bother me in another time and place, but right now their obvious lack of subtly is amusing. I laugh and wave in their direction.

"Hey guys!"

"Hey Lilla," they all chorus back. Smiling, I turn back to Jason. He shakes his head and starts his sit-ups, pausing when he comes up after a few.

"Do I need to bitch at them for talking to 'my girl'?" He jokes, and I shush him.

"Not yet babe, not yet. Baby steps."

"Babe? Baby steps, Lilla."

"I'm practicing," is my excuse. His head shakes more, and he resumes his sit-ups. I'm tempted to start counting again, but he glares enough times for me to give him a break.

When we finish up in the weight room, Jason and I walk to the parking lot together, and I ask him a question that's been bugging me.

"So, how are you so chill around me and a total loner in any other setting?" I don't add on no offense or sorry, because he knows that this is what we need to work on.

So let's start working.