Darren, Brendon and I all howl with laughter as Elisica walks away from Jaxon, putting her earbuds in her ears.

“Oh my god, that was fucking beautiful!” Brendon exclaims, clapping a hand onto Jaxon’s shoulder once he walks back to us.

“Dude, we made that bet last night,” Darren laughs. “You really tanked your chance of winning.”

“False,” Jaxon says, tossing the bouquet of flowers into a trashcan. “I learned that she doesn’t like flowers.”

“Or maybe she just doesn’t like you,” I state. “After all, she’s a girl. What girl doesn’t like getting flowers?”

“That’s very true,” Darren agrees. Hudson walks up to us with a smile on his face.

“You’re kidding, right?” he asks. “Jaxon did you seriously think that was going to work?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

“Yeah, okay, maybe I did think it was gonna work.” Jaxon pouts, crossing his arms and kicking a pencil someone threw on the floor. “Not like any of you have any plans to try and woo her.”

“Did you really just say woo?”

“Because you could do any better, Hudson!” Jaxon snaps. Hudson shrugs, then rolls his eyes.

“I could, actually.”

“Yeah, he definitely could do better than that,” I point out. “Hudson, you want in on the bet now?”

“My answer is still no.” Hudson pulls out his phone. I feel my own vibrate in my pocket moments later and choose not to look at it.

Look. I might be an idiot, but I’m not stupid.

“What’s the matter, are you a stupid gay?” Jaxon teases. Hudson rolls his eyes and face-palms.

“No, I’m not gay,” Hudson replies. “And the LGBT community isn’t stupid. Fix yourself before I smack you.”

“Violent child,” Darren snorts. “But yes, I agree. Jaxon, stop being a homophobic doucehbag.”

“I’m not!”

“Yes you are,” the rest of us chorus. Jaxon sighs and shrugs.

“Doesn’t matter if I am or not. What does matter is that-”

“You treat human beings like human beings.”

Jaxon jumps a foot in the air at the sound of Elisica’s voice.

“Where’d you come from!”

Elisica rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.

“I’m only back here because y’all are acting suspicious,” she says. “I don’t know what your game is, but just know that I’m going to figure it out.”

Elisica whirls around and walks away, as graceful as ever.

“She won't figure it out,” Darren assures the rest of us.

“She probably will,” I disagree. “She’s not fucking stupid.”

“She’ll be fucking handsome, though- ow!”

I shake my hand as Jaxon smacks his head against the ground.

“What was that for?” he whines. I shrug.

“Talk shit, get hit.” I crouch down, glaring into his eyes. “Listen to me very closely: if I find out that you touched her in any way, I will end you. Understand?”

Jaxon nods, rubbing the back of his head. I nod, satisfied, and stand up straight.

“So we know neither Jaxon or Jack is going to win, so it’s down to me and Brendon,” Darren says.

“Unless I change her mind.”

“Jaxon you aren’t going to win shit, accept it.”

“You aren’t going to win shit,” Jaxon mocks. Darren lightly smacks the back of his head, causing Jaxon to whimper.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“I hate you guys,” he whines again.

“Don’t be a homophobic, sex-obsessed douchebag,” I state. “And you won’t get hit.”

“You’re not any better!” Jaxon shouts, pointing at me.

“I’m not sex-obsessed.”

“But you’re hom-homo- bleh bleh!”

“The word you’re looking for is homophobic, and no, Jack isn’t really homophobic,” Brendon says. “And if he is, he’s very good at hiding it.”

“What other people do with their lives isn’t any of my business.” I slide my hands into my pockets, tapping my phone a few times. “Doesn’t affect me, I don’t care.”

“Good philosophy,” Darren comments. “I don’t know if you noticed, but this school isn’t exactly acceptance central. I mean for fucks sake, guys, people walk around rambling about how gay that last test was. The more accepting people there are, the better this place is.”

“So remind me again why we’re still friends with this douchebag?” Hudson points at Jaxon, who is still on the floor.

“I dunno.” Darren shrugs in response. I walk away from Jaxon. Darren, Brendon and Hudson follow after quickly, and Jaxon catches up with us soon after that.

“So, where we goin’?” Hudson asks.

“We could go get ice cream,” I suggest. “Wait, no. We all drove here, didn’t we?”

“Jack, we all stayed at Darren’s house.” Brendon lightly smacks my shoulder. “Alecsa dropped us off.”

“Right, right.” Now I recall Darren’s sister wishing us a good day before speeding off in her dark blue Camry. “Guess we’re walking.”

Elisica zooms by us, either not noticing that we’re there or not caring.

“Hey, that’s a pretty nice skateboard,” Brendon comments. Elisica ollies onto a sidewalk and all of our jaws drop.

“Did she just-”

“Yeah, she did-”

“Dude, she’s even more awesome than we thought!” I exclaim. We watch Elisica ride her board down the hill, scraping her foot against the ground a few times to slow down.

“Elisica can board,” Jaxon breathes. “That’s fucking hot.”

I smack the back of Jaxon’s head. “Dude.”

“Why?” he whines, but doesn’t say anything to defend himself.

“Dude, can you learn to not objectify?” Hudson snaps. “Jesus fuck, dude. Girls aren’t objects for you to fucking ogle. If you want to do that go to a goddamn museum and stare at a statue.”

“Sorry,” Jaxon mumbles, throwing his hands up. “Jeez.”

Darren, Brendon and I all exchange a look. Hudson snapped for the first time.

“Holy fuck,” I breath, turning away with a racing heart. “Remind me to never make you angry.”

“Are we going to get ice cream or what?” Hudson walks away, slipping his hands into his pockets. We all shrug before following him.

“So, lads, what are you going to do to get Elisica?” Jaxon asks, nudging my shoulder with his own. “What are your plans?”

“Buddy, we’re not telling you,” I answer. “You’re just going to steal our ideas and make a bigger fool out of yourself.”

“You’re mean!”

“I try.”

“Here’s an idea: quit being an idiot and you won’t get made fun of!” Darren shouts. Jaxon shrugs.

“If I quit being an idiot I wouldn’t have any personality left.” Jaxon sighs dramatically. “You would all leave me!”

“I’d leave you even if you had a personality,” I retort. “It’s a good thing you don’t, huh?”

“You are so rude.”

“I am well aware. It’s one of my many traits.”

“You don’t have any good traits, do you?”

“I’m halfway smart. That absolutely counts for something.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, buddy,” Brendon jumps in. “You and smart don’t belong in the same sentence.”

“I’m smarter than everyone here except Hudson,” I declare.

“I will absolutely agree to that,” Hudson responds. Jaxon pouts and I glare at him.

“You just said that being an idiot was your entire personality. ‘Smart idiot’ isn’t a thing, dumbass.”

“Oh my god, you hate me!”

I groan and face-palm as Jaxon flashes finger guns towards me.

“I’m seriously considering it,” I grumble, narrowing my eyes at him. Jaxon shrugs and skips ahead of me, humming a song that is so far out of tune it isn’t funny. “Are you even capable of being quiet?”

“You know you love me- actually, please don’t. That’s super gay.”

“I love you, full homo,” Darren states, wrapping an arm around Jaxon’s neck. “I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while now, actually.”

“Jesus, get off of me!” Jaxon shoves Darren away from him, laughing as he does. “Ew, gross, Darren cooties. Blegh.”

“I’m surrounded by idiots,” Hudson mumbles, face-palming.

“I’m hurt.” I hold a hand to my chest.

“You’re included in that group.”

“Wow, that makes it so much better.”

“You’re welcome for the compliment.”

“Quit flirting!” Brendon exclaims, smacking the back of my head. We all laugh, except Jaxon, who mutters something I don’t catch.

“Flirting shmirting,” I say, flapping a hand in Brendon’s direction. “You’re just jealous.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, man.”