[right][sub][color=dimgray][b]Flashback:[/b] Wednesday, nearing the end of the school day.
Collab with [@Lovely Complex][/color][/sub][/right]
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[sup]Click title.[/sup]

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[indent]As usual, when someone sought Joy out, when they truly needed her, it was during the times she was in the library, as coincidental as that may be. This time was different, though. It was fifteen minutes before last period, where both Joy and Katie made sure if they hadn’t seen each other for most of their days, minus the times they had class, obviously, they would meet at the library to give each other an update. Talking in person was so much more personal than text. This time specifically, the library was like a barren desert. No students came to the library near the end of the day unless they had a project to print. 

Neither girls cared if they were late to their last period, since it was an easy class and their teacher didn’t really do attendance, so more often than not, they had their own little short picnic in their safe place. Even the librarian stepped out around this time, giving them the entire room to themselves. Only Joy and other librarian assistants were given access to the library when the librarian was on a break or went home for the day. It was a trust policy and if anything went missing, the librarian knew who to interrogate first. 

In the library, there was a hidden area, where most of the older books were tossed. Piles and piles of books hiding this little nook. An area that no student, besides Joy (and Katie, by association), ever explored. It was dim and the lightbulb surely needed to be replaced, but it was Joy’s private place on school grounds. The place where she could breathe and even take naps, if she so desperately needed one. There sat two, large bean bags, a blanket (merchandise from her Uncle’s gaming team ‘RD’) laying out with food of the best kind on top of it, a computer for gaming, a tv (with a couple of consoles surrounding it) for gaming, and small decor that was added over time. Like glow-in-the-dark stars. Joy took a liking to astronomy because of her second cousin Freya, basically an aunt figure, who owns an observatory. 

This was their place, away from the chaos and stress that was their school. Just for two best friends. No other people, including Joy’s boyfriend, were allowed here. Even if some did find this place, Joy wouldn’t care if anything got stolen. Most of the tech she brought here was her old stuff that would’ve been given to Goodwill anyways. 

Sitting on her blue bean bag, criss-cross applesauce, Joy munched on some cheetos, as she stared at her distressed friend, finishing up telling her everything that had transpired the night before and the morning of with Damian, [color=6174ff][b]“Yeah… so that happened. Still a virgin, but at least parents approve and Melody, or my dad, didn’t kill him, amiright? I honestly couldn’t believe he refrained from having sex with me and actually woke up early just to talk to my dad. I guess he isn’t always thinking with his penis. He must really like me…”[/b][/color] Joy trailed off briefly, before shaking her head, [color=6174ff][b]“Enough about me! How are you, Katie? You okay? Something feels a bit off. Like, yeah I’ve been seeing you smiling throughout the day but it doesn’t feel… genuine. I could be looking way too into it, but I worry.”[/b][/color]

If she was being completely honest, Katie had been in and out of the conversation since it began. Really, she’d been stuck in her own head all day it felt like. [color=ba314c][b]“Huh? Oh...I’m...okay, I’m gonna say something, and you have to keep it a secret. You can’t tell Damian, or Noah, or literally anyone.”[/b][/color] Katie paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

[color=ba314c][b]“Last night, at the party, me and Scott had this...moment. It was weird, and stupid, but for a second we were just, connected, I guess? I don’t know. It was confusing, and strange, and I planned to completely ignore it, but then I may or may not have had a sex dream about him,”[/b][/color] Katie said, wincing. God, what was her life coming to? 

[color=6174ff][b]“Oh wow.”[/b][/color] Joy munched on another chip, contemplating her friend’s words. Was Katie having feelings for someone? Scott, specifically? [color=6174ff][b]“So… do you like him?”[/b][/color] Joy was never one to beat around the bush. They could dance around the subject, but that gets old real quick. [color=6174ff][b]“There’s nothing wrong with what you’re feeling. Being confused is okay. I mean I’m still figuring out this whole romance thing myself.”[/b][/color] [i]Munch.[/i]

[color=ba314c][b]“No! Nononono! I do not have feelings for Scott Lyon! He is arrogant, and annoying, and rude, and spoiled! I mean, he sucks! He’s my arch-nemesis! I can’t have feelings for him!”[/b][/color] Katie hissed, her face flushing red. [color=ba314c][b]“And, it’s not like that matters, cause today he decided that we shouldn’t be talking anymore. Which like, yeah, I agree, but also, who is he to make those decisions? He just assumes he’s right all the time, that’s what I hate. It’s like, God, grow up!”[/b][/color] Katie said, her ranting distracting her from less welcome thoughts of a certain Lyon.

Joy’s plain expression turned into a smug. [i]Munch.[/i] [color=6174ff][b]“If he was all those things, which I’m sure he can be, would you still give him the time of day? Y’know. Damian, he’s prideful, a manwhore, and cares way too much about looking swole, I mean I don’t mind, but still... he isn’t just that. He’s actually too sweet for his own good.”[/b][/color] She paused, wanting Katie to take in her words, [color=6174ff][b]“You two have been at it for as long as you’ve guys known each other. I’ve never met someone that could keep up with you and your argumentative self like he can.”[/b][/color] [i]Munch[/i]. [color=6174ff][b]“Let me ask you this, are you okay with this stopping? No more chess fights. No more run ins in the hallway where he teases you and you backfire. No more heated debates in the parking lot by ‘the G spot’. No more seeing him. At all.”[/b][/color] The G spot stood for the Gearheads spot. 

Katie pondered Joys words for a moment. Her first instinct was to deny the heresy that Joy was insinuating. Of course she wouldn’t miss any of it. She hated Scott! Except, maybe she didn’t. Groaning, she let her head fall backwards, her exasperation clear. [color=ba314c][b]“Katie Callaghan has been broken. She stood strong for many years against the Male Threat, but Scott Lyon was too fucking much!”[/b][/color] Katie said dramatically, lolling her head back to it’s normal position. [color=ba314c][b]“The Boy Boycott is over.”[/b][/color]

After wiping her fingers on a napkin, placing it on her plate of cheese (yes just cheese), Joy rolled out of her bean bag, taking her chips with her, of course, and crawled to her friend, still grinning. Lowly, she chuckled, [color=6174ff][b]“Operation ‘get Scott? or… Operation ‘get laid’.”[/b][/color] Joy was thinking way ahead of herself. Thanks to Damian, Joy may have obtained a [i]dirty[/i] mind. [color=6174ff][b]“We could do both. Yes, definitely both. What’d you say?”[/b][/color] 

Katie sighed. [color=ba314c][b]“It’s the end of an era Joy. That’s what.”[/b][/color] Katie fished a cheeto from Joy’s bag and with a deep sigh, popped it into her mouth.

[i]Munch.[/i][/indent]