Within minutes of stepping into his school grounds the following morning, Nigel found himself longing to be back under his covers. He'd barely gotten enough sleep as it stood. "Morning," he returned Aries' greeting with a weary smile. They went way back, like all the way back to kindergarten and on some personal levels, they'd grown to understand each other.

Aries slouched against his locker, arms crossed in front of him, so Nigel made to move him out of the way so he could access his books. His hand landed at his side but before he could even give the gentle push he'd planned, he saw the pained grimace that flashed across the other's face.

Nigel let go and watched him shuffle out of the way, dark gaze dropping to fix upon his waist where he was positive he was sporting yet another injury. Glancing back up, he pursed his lips at his tense expression but ultimately didn't say anything and just brought out the books he'd needed for the first half of his day. Upon shutting it, he glanced towards Aries whose attention had been drawn elsewhere.

Following his gaze to the opposite end of the hallway, Nigel was sure he didn't need a mirror to tell him how green his face had turned. Hayley stood at her own locker, looking pretty as ever in her form fitting uniform.

She was as delicate a picture as always, the top half of her hair tied in a double bun and the bottom half wavy against the nape of her neck, the only thing spoiling the ambience of such a scene the guy involved in conversation with her just adjacent. He didn't recognize him and that only seemed to compound his annoyance.

"Sure you still won't talk to her?" Aries piped up from where he stood, tone airy as always. "At this rate, she'll get taken and then you'll lose your chance—"

"We've talked," Nigel cut in abruptly before he could finish that train of thought. "Met yesterday at the supermarket."

"Took you long enough," he snickered. "Would you cut it out?" He couldn't help tsking at the sight of Nigel who was intent on boring holes through Hayley's companion by sheer will. Poor guy. He'd already looked about himself twice. "It's probably nothing. He's definitely new so perhaps he's just asking for directions?"

"With that wide smile and fat blush on his face?" Nigel snorted with piercing disdain. "As if."

Aries chuckled but didn't try to persuade him otherwise anymore.

Nigel toned down his glare but still watched the duo nevertheless. When Hayley's eyes suddenly caught his as she shut her locker and turned around. He felt the tip of his ears heating up as her smile widened and she gave an exuberant wave. He didn't mind the other guy's attention, returning a smile nearly as bright.

"You're hopeless," Aries scoffed.

"Proudly."

"Yo!" Nigel felt his lips twitching helplessly as that migraine inducing voice reverberated through the halls, diverting his attention from Hayley. Its owner soon strutted to a stop on front of them, giving a little twirl. "So, what do you guys think?"

Nigel exchanged a glance with Aries, honestly confused on what she wanted an opinion on. It wasn't until Aries gave him a slight, rather surreptitious nudge that he noticed she'd been stroking her lush, wavy hair over and over again with a proud smile. A real peacock this one was. "Well," he began, very much against his conscience. "Your hair's —"

"So much denser, isn't it?" she gushed.

Not really, it's not.

"So, I saw this wonderful hack on Insta and just had to try it for myself," she continued, not seeming to care whether she received a reply or not. The ability to carry a conversation all on her lonesome was this one's special talent. "Basically. . ."

Nigel automatically tuned her out as they started making their way to class. He and Cassandra had a bit of history. She was his first girlfriend and was the only one of half a dozen with whom his breakup hadn't ended on a sour note. In fact, they'd moved on to become even better friends, making up and then breaking up again every couple months afterwards until they'd finally decided to cleanly end it half a year ago.

Aries was the only one kind enough to not tune her out when she went on her long spiels. He left them to it, trying to catch up on some more sleep. He sat up when Aries tapped lightly on his arm minutes later, only realizing at the sight of their AP English teacher, Mr Fernando, stepping in and Cassandra running over to her seat over three lanes away that a certain person was probably running late again.

He leaned over so he was a tad bit closer to Aries. "Alfie—"

"Probably snoozing his alarm," Aries said, gaze fixed on the podium up ahead where their teacher was introducing the guy they'd seen conversing earlier on with Hayley in the hallway.

"You can have a seat next to Alfie," he informed, a dark expression shadowing his otherwise kind face when the new student, formerly introduced as Glenn, took a scant, rather confused glance around the room. "Where on earth is that bumbling—"

The door swung open before the insult could be completed and with an apologetic smile, a blushing Alfie jogged over to his seat, Glenn tagging right behind him. They both took their seats, the paired desks right in front of Aries and Nigel's. Alfie, nice as ever, made small conversation with Glenn as soon as Mr. Fernando begun discussing the period content.

"This is my good friend, Aries," Alfie introduced.

Glenn glanced backwards at the redhead who despite his somewhat cold exterior, waved slightly as he smiled back at him, cross piercing shaking with every move of his hand. From when he'd seen them in the hallway, he'd hardly thought him to be the nicer of the two.

"And of course, Nigel," he finished.

Glenn glanced to the other, a bit taken aback by the sharp coldness brimming in his eyes. He managed a small smile before turning around in his seat and pulling out his book.

Nigel scoffed before sticking a sweet in his mouth and focusing on the class.

–

Nigel really needed a break. It didn't come quickly enough but he was glad when it did and quietly shoved his books in his desk, getting to his feet.

"Hey, Glenn," Alfie suddenly called. "If you don't have anywhere else, maybe you could sit with us for lunch?"

"Alf, what the hell?" Nigel was already beside himself with irritation at the presence of this person in his near circumference, shutting off his expression when Aries nudged him quietly again from the side.

"Is there a problem?" Alfie inquired innocently. "Can't he eat with us?"

"Of course, he can," Aries reassured with a brimming smile. "Nigel's just starving. Come on."

Nigel pursed his lips but let himself be tugged away.

Glenn glanced after them, sure Alfie was the only one of the four of them who'd actually believe that. Averting his glance, he packed up his stuff before following Alfie out to the cafeteria. It was a round table of six and Glenn picked one at random, leaving a seat between he and Nigel. The latter didn't seem to like him much and he'd respect it since he had just switched to resolutely ignoring him.

"Yo, you guys are the worst," Cassandra groaned, dropping into the seat between Nigel and Glenn. "You basically just vanished."

Nigel didn't respond, picking at his food. He pursed his lips when Aries suddenly nudged him to show the new message on their group chat.

It was Cassandra, speaking every bit like a female bandit as she boasted of how she was going to bag the new student and how she'd eliminate any stumbling block in her path.

Nigel felt his lip twitch as he glanced back up at Cassandra, not even sure what expression to make at the sight of her thoughtful expression, probably pondering how to start on her quest. "Hey," he leaned in closer so their conversation was privy to just the both of them. "Are you serious about this?"

"Why not?" she smiled. "Need some action. What? Jealous?"

Nigel wasn't. He just held her stare, watching as her foamy blue eyes sparkled with a hint of teasing.

She leaned in closer until there was just a couple of inches left between their lips, their breaths intermingling. "It's not too late, Nic," she smiled, her features lighting up even further. "Should we try. . . just one more time?"

"No," Nigel didn't hesitate. "Knock yourself out, Cas."

Cassandra rolled her eyes before withdrawing and sidling up closer to Glenn who withdrew the thoughtful expression he'd had, as had everyone else on the table. "So, Glenn," she said with an easy smile. "Why'd you change schools?"

Nigel tried to eat as much as his appetite could allow since he'd hardly find himself able to dredge up an appetite if he left it to fate later at dinner. He was nearly finishing when soft footsteps approached his table. He glanced up, heat flooding his ears down to his neck when his gaze met Hayley's.

"Mind if I join your table?" Hayley asked.

"Definitely, Lily!" Cassandra was exuberant as she withdrew briefly from her conversation with Glenn so she could tug her best friend into the only other empty seat at the table.

Nigel glanced to the seat that was right next to him. He shot a speechless look over at Aries who'd been occupying the seat prior. He hadn't even noticed when he scooted over to the next one. He felt his fry get stuck in his throat when Aries simply beamed, really just short of throwing him a wink.

He cleared his throat slightly and as Cassandra and Glenn brought his best friends into conversation, he lowered his voice so he could do likewise with Hayley. "Are you okay with that?" He asked, jerking his head softly in the direction of her food tray.

"Hm," she gave a short hum, her cheeks pinking lightly. "I have a small stomach."

Unable to help himself, Nigel found his gaze dropping.

Hayley flushed even more. "I have to watch my calories if I want to stay on the team," she said, voice deadening to barely more than a whisper. "I don't have really great metabolism, you know?"

Nigel smiled before focusing all his attention on her, his own food forgotten. "Perhaps," he agreed. "However, how do you get enough nutrients or energy if all you eat are salted cabbages?"

"It's cauliflower," she chuckled softly.

"Of course," he smiled, dipping his hand in the front pocket of his blazer and handing it over. "You'll probably bolt if I offered you the rest of my meatloaf."

Hayley said nothing, a smile touching her lip as she stroked the accepted lollipop in her hand.

"To raise your energy levels. Small goals are good," Nigel felt his smile widen, unable to recall when last he'd had such an easy conversation. "Or do you want the meatloaf?"

She just chuckled and went back to eating her vegetables.

Nigel returned his focus to his meal as well and cut out a piece of meatloaf, chewing gradually to properly savor its favor.

Hayley dropped her fork, another smile lighting up her face as she turned over to face him once more. "Are you goading me?" she asked, eyes crinkling with laughter.

"No?" he said as he forked up another piece. "Mm, very delicious." His gaze lit up with even more teasing before he informed, "Now I'm goading you."

Hayley shook her head in amusement before taking another forkful of her veggies. "Definitely just as good," she said.

"Even you don't believe that," Nigel remarked before holding up another piece. "Meatloaf?"

Hayley stared at the piece of speared meat, throat involuntarily bobbing at the sight. She swallowed before resolutely averting her gaze. "I mean it," she said. "Want some?"

"Heh," Nigel snorted at the sight of the fork embedded in leafy greens. "I'll pass."

Hayley pursed her lips.

"Here," he called as he dropped the piece of meat in her bowl. "Actually, a portion so small wouldn't exactly change anything."

Hayley looked left and right at the others still involved in their conversation evolved argument, nearly sending Nigel into a fit as she quickly popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened at the explosion of spice and meat in her mouth before she quickly turned her fervent gaze on the rest of the juicy meatloaf in his plate.

"Seriously though," Nigel said, even more amused now. "I'm not vouching for your stats remaining the same if you have all of this."

Hayley instantly deflated, shooting him a dirty glare before burying her head in her bowl.

Nigel smiled, trying to still his want to pat her hair, knowing for a fact when she glanced back up to return his smile that perhaps his feelings hadn't been so one-sided after all.

–

meatloaf, anyone?