8.5 – Why can’t we be friends?

No one’s POV

The three friends had been sitting in quiet silence for a few minutes when Oliver had stood up and faced Teo and Edmund. Teo was the only one who reacted to his movement, casting him a glance before continuing to read over Edmund’s shoulder.

“I want to stop picking on Xavier.” Oliver declared with his head held high.

“Okay.” Edmund shrugged without taking his eyes away from his text book. He’d been putting double effort in studying these days.

“Because I really don’t like it anymore! Especially with your whole freak out punch thing, Edmund. That, that’s going overboard!” Oliver continued, not quite having registered his friend’s response yet.

“Okay.” Edmund repeated.

“And I mean, I don’t really see the point in it anymore! It used to be fun, but…really not anymore.” Oliver said, looking almost as if he was talking to himself.

“He said okay.” Teo cut in before Oliver continued his speech.

“He did?” Oliver asked in surprise. “I mean, you did?”

“Yeah well…It’s our last year of high school, we’re seventeen years old now.” Edmund said. “I think it’s time we started acting a bit more mature.”

Teo and Oliver stared at Edmund in disbelief. Edmund was always the more ‘serious’ of the three. More like down to earth and all, but going as far as saying they needed to be mature…There was definitely something going on. That and a high school student studying? Never a good sign.

“Well, I wasn’t really going for mature.” Oliver said before Teo could finally ask Edmund what the hell was going on with him. “More like picking on Xavier feels more like a routine job now than anything else.”

“And Xavier doesn’t really deserve it.” Teo added after a few seconds.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Oliver said.

Edmund made no comment and just kept studying.

Well, if Edmund wanted to spend his last year of highschool studying to get a good grade good for him! But that’s not how Oliver wanted to spend his.

“Alright, well since that’s cleared up,” Oliver said wiping his hands of the matter. “I’m going to go befriend Xavier.”

“Have fun.” Edmund said only half-listening.

With that Oliver headed out of the chill-out room with a confident stride. Once Teo had gotten over his surprise, however, he quickly got to his feet.

“What!?”

“I am going to go be friends with Xavier.” Oliver repeated.

“Are you crazy? Stopping picking on him and befriending him are two very different things!” Teo protested.

“I know, that’s why I separated the two subjects.” Oliver said condescendingly.

With a frustrated groan Teo ran after Oliver.

“You’ve never shown any interest in being friends with Xavier before!” Teo continued to press, not quite understanding Oliver’s sudden decision.

“Oh you know, like what you said he didn’t deserve it or whatnot and blabla.”

“The only thing you’ve ever showed interest in is…oh.” Teo said, finally realizing the motive behind Oliver’s action.

“What?” Oliver asked.

“Nothing.” Teo replied with a small smile.

“Hey! What luck, there they are!” Oliver suddenly exclaimed, pointing at Erin and Xavier who were walking down the corridor.

“Hey you two!” Oliver exclaimed, practically jumping in front of the two’s path. Teo uncomfortably joined his friend’s side.

Erin and Xavier’s earlier rather carefree attitude was replaced by a suspicious and guarded one. Things weren’t going to go as simply as Oliver hoped it would. He glanced at Erin and found himself actually intimidated by Erin’s glare. He gulped his nervousness down.

Oliver’s gaze switched to Xavier.

“Look, I just wanted to say I’m really sorry for what we’ve done to you. We’re going to stop getting on your back now. So I was hoping we could put this behind us and be friends?” Oliver spout out, glancing at Erin’s increasingly angry glare as he did so.

Teo couldn’t help but wonder if this would actually work. Not that he was super big on the idea of being friends with these two.

Xavier gave Oliver a very confused and disbelieving look, but the Halloween-haired teen took this as a sign to go on.

“I think it would be awesome, we could be like buddies and stuff! No more pushing you around.”

“Oh shut your trap.” Erin snapped loudly, surprising everyone except Xavier who let out a small sigh. “That apology sucked a**.”

“Let’s go Xav.” Erin ordered with another glare at the two boys and a shove at Xavier to move away.

“Geez Erin!” Xavier complained, but Erin just pushed him forwards again.¸

It really made Oliver wonder if Xavier was just asking to be bullied sometimes.

Oliver let out an unsatisfied sigh. “Okay, so that didn’t go like I wanted it to.”

“Wow, you actually expected this to go in another direction?” Teo asked with a scoff.

“I thought once we apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again…”

“Darn it Oliver! Will you for once think before you act? As if they’d accept your apology like that! Hell, I’m surprised that girl didn’t start slapping the hell out of you with the glares she was giving.” Teo said, finding himself once again in a position where he was lecturing his friend. Something he never liked doing, but apparently no one else did.

“She did look mad didn’t she?” Oliver muttered with a weird smile on his face. Teo let out a frustrated sigh.

“She probably sensed you weren’t really sorry. That you couldn’t care less about Xavier, you just want to get on her good side.” Teo said.

“What? Whoa hey now, don’t go jumping to conclusions on your own.” Oliver denied immediately. “I’m really trying to be a nice guy to Xav-man here.”

Teo let out a loud sigh. “Geez Oliver, it really is about the girl.”

***

Xavier’s POV

“Those bastards! Who do they think they are?” Erin continued to complain as we walked down the corridor. “Did they really expect anything with that lame excuse!?”

“Erin! Will you shut the hell up?” I finally cut into all her rambling. She was over reacting on this subject, per usual. I hadn’t even had time to react, she’d decided we needed to leave pronto! For someone who didn’t want to stand up for herself, she sure liked to step in between me and my problems.

Irritated and with a glare, Erin stopped ranting.

“Didn’t you consider that this could actually be a good thing? If they were saying the truth that means I don’t have to worry about them anymore.” I said.

“You want to be with friends with those-” Erin started again, but I interrupted her just in time.

“I wouldn’t go that far! Man, can’t you be a little bit happy with this Erin? Or are you too focused on the fact that would mean you have to uphold your promise this time?” I challenged. If those three actually decided to stop bullying me, then she needed to stand up to her parents and there was no way she could back out. I wouldn’t let her this time.

“I’m not-”

Erin was interrupted by my art teacher as she turned the corner.

“Xavier Jales.” She called out making us both turn around.

“Yeah?”

“The principal wants to see you in his office.” She replied. A cold dread settled over me. I couldn’t think of anything I’d done wrong. Had something happened at home? Or had someone decided to frame me for some prank? Those two could’ve been just kidding around for all I knew. A really lame joke, but I guess it’s possible.

Erin tried to follow me, but my art teacher stopped her.

“Only Xavier, not you Erin. Go enjoy the rest of your break.”

I walked in the principal’s office and nearly turned around and walked back out. Of all the possibilities…this one was one that hadn’t even come to mind.

Some people just can’t leave well enough alone can they?

Standing in the principal’s office was that girl from last week. I’ve seen her in the hallways sometimes and I think she’s in my math class…Xe-something? I can’t really remember.

She gave me a friendly smile, but only dread settled over me as I realized what she had probably done.

“Take a seat Xavier.” The principal said, gesturing at the chairs.

I sat on the seat furthest away from the girl.

“What’s going on?” I asked the principal.

He gave me a kind smile before explaining just why I was here.

“Xenia here has brought to my attention that you’re subject to bullying. That very recently a couple of students hurt you physically to the point of bleeding.” The principal said, and I groaned inwardly. God, I hate being right at this moment. “Is this true?”

Is this true? Of course it’s true. Am I going to say that? No of course not! The competition is this very weekend! And my parents are a couple of scaredy-cats.

“No. Now is this all or can I go eat my lunch?”

Xenia, who’d decided to sit on the principal’s desk, cut in the moment I’d finished talking.

“Why are you lying? Those three really did beat you up! Why are you defending them?”

I gave her a glare hoping it would shut her up, but she glared back defiantly.

“Xenia please, get off my desk.” The principal warned and Xenia complied.

The principal turned back to me.

“Xavier, defending them is not the answer. It’s okay to tell us, they won’t hurt you anymore if you confirm Xenia’s story.” The principal assured and I could almost see the pity rolling off of him in waves.

That’s not what’s going on here at all! Sure those guys are bullies, but not only have I heard of worse bullying, I’ve also just been told that they’ll stop now. Not that I completely believe them just yet.

Either way, these guys don’t know how to take care of a bunch of bullies, especially these three. The past has proven that. And the first thing they’ll do is call my parents which is a no-go.

“I’m fine.” I replied. “I don’t know what she’s seen, but I’m not being bullied.”

The principal didn’t look convinced, but I kept my innocent smile on. He couldn’t do anything unless I admitted to being bullied anyway.

“Alright then, you can leave for lunch, but know that you can come see me or a teacher anytime if something happens.” The principal finally replied, earning an exaggerated eye roll from Xenia.

I got up with a thanks and left the principal’s office.

Yes of course, I will definitely contact the very reliable staff of this fine institution. I’m pretty sure I even heard a rumor that three kids were killed in this school twenty years ago. Very fine institution indeed.

***

Erin’s POV

“It didn’t disappear…” I noticed as Xavier’s plate stayed where it was.

“See? I can’t do anything I want.” Xavier said as he took another mouthful.

“Huh…So you have limits.” I’d inquired on Xavier’s witch powers. I didn’t know much – see nothing – about witches. About as much as Xavier did, and I’d been under the impression that as long as Xavier said the word anything could happen. That was clearly not the case.

“There’s probably a special way to phrase it or something.”

“Or maybe it’s when your emotions are on the rise, like you’re really angry and stuff.” I said.

“That would make sense, but it’d be pretty inconvenient as well.” Xavier said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, pretty sure the t.v. at the bar didn’t appreciate your little mood spike.” I said, grinning as I remembered the events. It sucked for the bartender but…it was still pretty amusing.

“I think she got fired…the bartender I mean.” Xavier said.

“Yeah I hope not, we can go check that out this weekend.” I really hoped she hadn’t gotten fired because of us! She was a very nice person…and well I doubt anyone else would be so willing to give us alcohol.

“I can’t, I’ve got my competition remember? Next weekend.” Xavier said.

“Oh right…”

“Hey guys, hope you don’t mind.” Oliver said, suddenly deciding to sit at our table like we were a group of close friends.

“We do mind!” Was my immediate reaction as Oliver settled down like it was the most comfortable couch he’d ever sat on.

“I don’t mind.” Xavier said right after me. Teo took that as a sign to sit down as well.

I stared at Xavier in shock, but he refused to meet my eyes. What was he thinking? Then again he was wearing a pretty fake face on right now. Is he trying not to get in trouble? If that’s the reason, I better not push. Even if I most certainly do not want to see those two faces in front of me.

“Thanks man. You know I was serious about the being friends thing right?”

“Still doubting the truth in those words.” I said before Xavier could reply. I couldn’t help myself. Xavier had only recently decided to stand up for himself after all, I wasn’t used to it yet.

“I can explain.” Oliver said in a rather serious tone. Teo seemed to have some difficulty swallowing what he was eating.

“Well we’re all ears.” Xavier said as he put down his fork.

“I get it that this might be a really weird situation, but I’ve- we’ve come to the reality that this is our last year of high school! High school isn’t a place where one should bully or be bullied. This is our last year, we should rather be doing things we want to do! Things we won’t be able to do later or have been wanting to do for a while now.” Oliver said, and his eyes glanced my way at the last part. “I’d like to at least try to be friends, to make up for things done in the past.”

“As if that would excuse all-” I replied immediately, but Xavier gave me a look that clearly told me he’d had enough of me butting in. I reeled myself back in and waited for Xavier’s response.

“Okay.” Xavier simply said to Oliver and Teo.

Ah great. Means I’m stuck with this guy noisily crunching on his toast right in front of me.

“Okay.” Oliver repeated.

Awesome, now we were going to try and be friends, and what’s the first thing that happened as ‘friends’?

An extremely awkward silence installed itself nice and comfy between us four.

I didn’t have much of an appetite anymore so I just played around with my spoon until FINALLY I realized I would be the one to have the break the silence. The guys didn’t feel up to it it would seem.

“So, you keep spouting all this stuff about friendship and being nicer to Xavier, but what about your ‘leader’? Where’s Edmund in all this?” I asked. He was the worst of the three after all.

“He’s not man enough to come here and apologize himself.” Oliver replied like it was nothing, scooping another spoonful of soup. The spoon barely made it out of the bowl that its contenst spilled backd into it as Teo harshly elbowed Oliver in the side.

“I mean- He’s busy studying.” Oliver said. He gave a mean glare at Teo. “Can I eat my soup now?”

I really hope Xavier is just enduring their presence and not actually going for an actual friendship here.

 

 

Hey guys, here’s a pic to demonstrate my day to day life with my sims game.

 

Xavier: *left hand erupts from chests and slaps him* ???

Erin: Well what’d you expect? Telling me to shut up. *grumble*

Believe it or not, stuff like this can actually make picture taking harder than it should be!