[right][sub][color=dimgray]Collab with [@TootsiePop][@Bee][@smarty0114]
AJ interacts with Val at the end [@Dirty Pretty Lies][/color][/sub][/right]
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[indent]For the sake of Yung Steve’s campaign, which will be revealed when his video cues on the Morning show, AJ brought his [i]baby [/i]to school. His first [url=https://imgur.com/aiggePE]car[/url] he built with his father. It had a distinct look to it, one of his more uniquely styled vehicles, so of course when the rapper boy went to his garage he was drawn to it. And AJ didn’t decline. He was pretty down for Steve’s idea, plus any opportunity to peacock his goods was an opportunity just for him.

He wasn’t fond of taking her out nowadays but within the past two weeks, he found himself needing her. She provided him with some kind of comfort. Comfort he needed so he wasn’t a complete asshole to his friends. Comfort that would help him look away from the tug-o-war battle happening inside of him from doing what’s right to taking what belongs to him. She gave him the peace he desperately wanted, to stop thinking about the fact that Jamie had a boyfriend, the fact that he was using Bailee to make his ex jealous, and the fact that he had no control over himself because he was filled with regret and rage. He hated that he was turning into someone that couldn’t handle a little heartbreak. 

This was fucking stupid. 

On his back windshield, he sported the man that had his vote “YUNG STEVE FOR PREZ’ with a car safe vinyl decal. School politics was dumb and Yung Steve seemed to be the less serious about it. Or well, he was completely serious but he was fun about it. Ya feel me?  [b][color=#ff9c23]“Katie, what’s good?” [/color][/b]He grinned at his ex’s sister, bringing his sunglasses down to eye her up and down. [b][color=#ff9c23]“You know, Scott, maybe you should bring her along to my family’s movie night, Wednesday? I’m sure my moms would love to meet the girl that got you—” [/color][/b]AJ made a whip noise, before adding, [b][color=#ff9c23]“Whipped.” [/color][/b]

Turning his head toward the other girl, and his other close friend, Elise, who unfortunately wasn’t allowed to family movie nights because she wasn’t his boy lover, Scott, or fucking his boy lover, Scott, AJ rested his sunglasses on his fluffy brown hair and brought her into the conversation, [b][color=#ff9c23]“Do you approve, Ellie? Of Scott’s new, shiny toy.” [/color][/b]He gestured toward the outspoken feminist standing close to his best friend.  

Arm locked with Scott’s, Katie rolled her eyes, an action that came too often and easily when she was around AJ. Before Ellie could even respond, Katie’s mouth was open, flinging a retort AJ’s way. [b][color=#ba314c]“AJ, nice to see that despite being a member of an oppressed class, you still manage to come off as a misogynistic prick all the time.” [/color][/b]Katie grinned at AJ, the same smarmy look her brother got every time he knew he was right but you weren’t backing down, the same one they’d inherited from their father.

[b][color=#ba314c]“I’m Katie, by the way,” [/color][/b]she said, turning to Ellie and extending her free hand for a shake, all semblance of hostility suddenly dissipated from her tone.

Ellie was perched on her car, ass on the hood as she eyed Scott’s new toy. The whole situation was a bit weird but it wasn’t anything that Ellie was a stranger to. However, she wasn’t sure if she was a fan of this person just yet. Something was off about her, but she couldn’t quite place her finger on what was wrong. However, this was AJ. She sort of had to go along with what he wanted to do, at least right now, when this chick was around.

[b][color=#b0e0e6]“Ellie. Good to meet ya.”[/color] [/b]The girl put her hand out and shook Katie’s hand. [b][color=#b0e0e6]“This your first time around here?”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#ba314c]“It’s the first time I was invited at least,”[/color][/b] Katie said, smiling at the fond memories of after-school moments spent hurling insults at Scott and AJ. She’d taken to showing up at the G Spot for unplanned sparring matches, though it seemed those days were behind her now. [b][color=#ba314c]“Scott wanted me to meet you guys but seeing as how I’ve heard AJ having sex in my house more times than I care to remember, you’re the one I needed to meet. Props to you for hanging out with these two all the time, that’s more than I could ever do,”[/color][/b] Katie said, giving Scott a playful nudge with her elbow.

It wasn’t until then that Scott had felt like he needed to step in. He was enjoying watching Katie do what she did best: verbally spar with people; only this time, it wasn’t with him. It was weird in a way, but… he had to admit, he kind of liked it. [b][color=#e2e520]“We’re not that bad!” [/color][/b]Scott protested, though he was smiling at Katie all the while. It was good to be comfortable, and casual with her, compared to how he’d been even just a couple of weeks again. It was different and nice — even if she was a little… scrappy with Joy at the moment. That too would pass, or at least Scott hoped so. Katie and Joy beefing was a little weird — Joy had always been there to reel Katie in before, and Scott had to hope he and his girlfriend didn’t get in a verbal fight while Joy was down for the count.

[b][color=#e2e520]“Don’t call her a toy, bro. Shit’s rude. And so what if I am whipped? At least —” [/color][/b]Scott paused, thinking about a way to make fun of Jamie and AJ’s relationship, but not start something with Katie. That was going to be… harder than he thought, so he instead chose the wiser path of just dropping that thought like a hot potato, and changing gears. [b][color=#e2e520]“Play nice, I wanna keep it this way as long as I can.”[/color][/b]

Everything Katie and Ellie had said went in one ear and out the other, because now AJ Tyler was focused on two words Scott said. Two words that showed Scott had something to [i]say [/i]but chose to hold his tongue. Taking his sunglasses off his head, he hooked it on his tee and hissed, [b][color=#ff9c23]“At least, what?” [/color][/b]Anyone that knew AJ knew he didn’t let shit go and he wasn’t going to let this go. His anger, that’s been there for awhile, was hard to swallow and keep in, especially right now. He preferred suppressing the rage, but right now?  He looked at his [i]friend [/i]and his ex’s sister and wanted to act out. This was a disaster waiting to happen because looking at them made him feel undeniable and burning animosity. [b][color=#ff9c23]“I’ll play nice once you tell me what the [i]fuck [/i]you were going to say, Scott?” [/color][/b]

Geeze, sometimes AJ was such a baby. Scott had to remind himself that his best friend, despite his good parts, was kind of a bipolar dude. It made things a little obnoxious sometimes, but he’d dealt with it for a good fourteen years now, he could handle it pretty damn well. Even so, it was nonetheless irksome for the young man; no one [i]wanted[/i] their friend to get snappy over nothing. Scott shook his head, glancing over at AJ, [b][color=#e2e520]“does it [i]really[/i] matter? Do you really wanna do this so early in the day, dude?” [/color][/b]Scott asked, but he already knew the answer. Of course he did, because when didn’t AJ want to do this? [b][color=#e2e520]“I was just gonna say something about yours and Jamie’s relationship, but I didn’t because I know Jamie is kind of a sore subject for Katie, that’s all. Geeze man, you gotta get a handle on yourself.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#ff9c23]“Why you scared ‘round your girl? If you two are actually ‘in love’ she’d handle your [i]true [/i]feelings on her brother just fine. It ain’t news that my relationship with Jamie was a dumpster fire, dude.” [/color][/b]Sometimes, AJ got so lost in the moment, in his anger, letting the torment in his brain fester, that his surroundings were clouded. His friend was being a goddamn pussy for a girl, whose liberal opinions meant nothing to him because she was probably part of the reason Jamie broke up with him. When Jamie had his doubts and insecurities, Katie would surely chime in and say, fuck that guy, instead of give actual good advice. He was an emotional volcano convinced it was everyone else’s fault but his own. The truth was hard to accept. The truth that Jamie wanted to give up on him and fall in love with the biggest diva at their school. Marshall-fucking-Radley. His build up steam, scorching his insides, as he avoided owning the shame that was all his, was interrupted by someone covering his eyes.

[b][color=EF4651]“[i]Guess who[/i]?”[/color][/b]

For a moment, he imagined his ex covering his eyes, as he led him to a midnight picnic in one of their favorite outdoor spots, since aside from cars, AJ loved camping and the great outdoors, which only made things worse. Snapping at the unsuspected guest, AJ growled, while taking their hands off him, [b][color=#ff9c23]“Not now, Bailee.” [/color][/b]He turned around to see his childhood friend, only to realize it was a different childhood friend entirely. Someone he didn’t think would be here, at his school, right now. [b][color=#ff9c23]“Wait, Val, what the fuck?” [/color][/b][/indent]