.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚

Stu and Billy strode across the school grounds, their pace unhurried but their focus sharp. Students milled around them, lost in their own conversations, unaware of the storm simmering just beneath the surface of the two boys' easygoing façade. The cool autumn breeze carried the chatter of the crowd, the occasional laugh or the shrill ring of a bell, but neither of them paid much attention. Their world operated on a different frequency—one filled with sharp edges and unspoken rules.

Stu let out a dramatic sigh, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I don't even think she's mad at me, man. She just—ya know—got a little weirded out. That's not the same thing as hating me."

Billy's eyes stayed locked ahead, his expression unreadable, but there was an unmistakable tension in the way his jaw tightened. "Yeah, well, you're gonna apologize anyway."

Stu frowned, side-eyeing him. "For what? Cracking a joke? Since when do you care about playing nice?"

Billy stopped abruptly, and Stu almost ran into him. Before he could react, Billy's hand shot out, gripping Stu's arm hard enough to make the taller boy wince.

"Because if she hates us, we're doing this for absolutely fucking nothing," Billy muttered, his voice low and controlled, but carrying a dangerous edge that made Stu pause.

A tense silence stretched between them.

Stu licked his lips, his usual playful smirk faltering for just a second. "Dude, relax. She doesn't hate us." He pulled his arm free, rubbing the spot where Billy had grabbed him. "I mean, yeah, she looked a little freaked out, but that's normal, right? Best friend gets gutted like a fish? That shit sticks with you."

Billy's jaw twitched, and for a moment, it seemed like he wasn't going to answer. Then, with a sharp exhale, he rolled his shoulders, like he was trying to shake off the irritation tightening around him. "Exactly. So don't remind her of it."

Stu hesitated. His grin returned, but it wasn't as bright as before. "I mean, I wasn't trying to be a dick. It was just—"

"A joke." Billy finished for him, deadpan.

Stu nodded. "Exactly! Just a bad-timing kinda joke."

Billy exhaled sharply through his nose, running a hand through his hair as he started walking again. His strides were long, purposeful, like he was trying to outrun whatever storm was brewing inside him. Stu fell into step beside him, stealing glances at his friend, his usual lightheartedness dimmed by something heavier.

"Just make it right." Billy said after a long pause, his voice quieter now but no less demanding. "I don't care how. Just do it."

Stu clicked his tongue, glancing over his shoulder toward where Adora had disappeared into the school. "Fine, fine. I'll be a gentleman. Kiss her hand, beg for forgiveness, the whole nine yards." His grin widened, but Billy's stare remained hard.

"Make it believable."

Stu huffed but raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I got it."

They walked in silence for a moment before Stu chuckled under his breath, something knowing in the sound.

"You're really worried about her, huh?" His tone was teasing, but there was something else beneath it. Curiosity. Amusement. Maybe even a little bit of suspicion.

Billy didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slid his hands into his jacket pockets, his expression unreadable as his eyes flickered toward the school. The moment stretched, the weight of it settling between them like a question neither of them wanted to address.

"She matters," Billy finally said, his voice quieter, more measured. "That's all that should matter to you too."

Stu studied him, his smirk twitching at the edges as if he wanted to push, to prod, to tease. But something in Billy's tone kept him from going too far.

"Yeah," Stu murmured, looking away as they reached the school doors. His fingers drummed absently against his thigh. "She matters."

They both knew that she had been the reason they started all of this. They had no choice but to continue now.

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Words: 720

Posted: Sunday March 23, 2025

Written: Sunday March 23, 2025

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Mwah Katherine