Fun fact about this chapter: my sister keyboard mashed me for teasing her about her hatred of classic Broadway songs i sing in the car every day so there might be random typos or letters..... let mr know if u find any

Second fun fact: half this chapter is a filler because im a shitty planner and realized Lukr fighting someone would not make sense if the rest of the chapter was about Ryan. So i wrote out some of the fight and what happens afrer and then theres a good ~300 filler words to kinda drag it out.

Also two things:

1) i know i mentioned this earlier but ihave another ohmtoonz in the making and im so EXCITED only thing im telling is that one is a,single father and the other is a killer :)

2) do yall want cute carnival date or like.... borderline smut

---

Luke now realizes that this was a bad idea. A terrible idea, actually.

A fist comes towards his face. He ducks down, grabbing said fist and using it to open a spot for him to punch. His knuckles are bleeding, he's gonna be bruised as hell, but fuck does this feel good.

Jonathan grunts faintly as Luke's fist connects with his jaw. There's not muc time to feel smug about such a clean hit, because a knee is suddenly digging into his stomach. It forces him to stumble backwards, and then he's sent falling down onto his ass.

 "Fuck off, dammit!" Jon kicks Luke in the stomach, right where he had just punched. It hurts. A lot.

Still, there's no use in staying on the ground like he's dead. Luke scrambles to his feet and slams Jonathan against the lockers face first. He's like, what, two seconds from punching the back of his head when a hand grabs him and pulls him off.

Bryce is staring at both of them, looking like someone just kicked his puppy into a fire. He crosses his arms and glares at them both with all the fury of a small kitten. "What are you doing?! What the heck are you fighting for?! You- you guys are my boyfriend and my best friend! We're friends! Friends don't beat the crap out of each other!"

Luke and Jonathan are silent, neither moving from their positions against the locker. He has a point- what were they fighting over, again?

Oh, right.

"Jonathan's a piece of shit, that's why." Luke then resumes trying to bash Jon's head in. Jon manages to break free after the third or fourth attempt, shoving Luke back with an elbow to the gut.

A fist comes flying into his eye. He's blinded by both pain and fist, stumbling back and nearly falling onto Bryce.

Bryce, to his surprise, breaks the fight up by grabbing Luke and shoving him back onto the floor. He then stomps up to Jonathan and smacks him across the face, bruised cheek be damned.

He opens his mouth to start talking (lecturing). Not even a full word is said before a door opens into the empty hall, an angry teacher coming out with arms folded.

"What the hell do you boys think you're doing?! Get up and come with me to my office." A teacher (principal?) stands over them both, glaring down at them disapprovingly.

Luke is indifferent about this. This happens a lot, so what? Jonathan seems uneasy (though that just might be him trying to not cry from pain), and Bryce looks more heartbroken than before.

He wants to reach out to comfort Bryce, but feels like that's a bad idea. So he refrains from doing so, instead opting to keep his hands to himself.

---

To be frank, they were led into the principal's office and lectured for a good twenty minutes. Jonathan got detention for the next two weeks, Bryce got away punishment- free, and Luke?

Well...

"Expelled?! You got yourself expelled!" His mother screeches at him over the phone, making him cringe. "Hold your shit honey, I am on my goddamn way."

He groans tiredly, sinking back in his chair. "No, I wasn't-"

"You better pray to fuckin' Christ you aren't!"

He flinches at the anger in her voice. It's been a long time since he felt this kind of fear, and to think it comes from, of all things, his mother...

No wonder he's so loud as a person. Hopefully she won't be too mad, right?

---

Two hours (yes, two HOURS) later, Luke's in the car with his mother and Bryce, because Bryce’s parents are out of town once again. He can feel the tension in the air, and his mom's frustration only worsening the feeling. He swallows nervously and sighs.

"Hey.... mom?"

The only response he gets is a sweet, calm, "Yes, Luke?"

"Where are we going?"

"Groceries. I want to make lunch and I doubt either of you have eaten." Her voice is curt and low, and it only makes Luke feel worse.

Bryce, however, seems to perk up at the sound of food. "Are- are you gonna cook for us, Miss?"

"Of course, sweetheart. You could use some food in you anyways. What would you like?" She seems calmer now, smile more soft and her eyes crinkling at the corners like they do when she's genuinely happy.

"Oh.... uhm, I like... spaghetti? An- and chicken! Ooh, I like tacos too, though..."

Luke huffs. Is this what it's like to have a younger, cuter sibling? He crosses his arms and glares out the window. He'd give his opinion, but would his mom really care? Maybe it's worth a shot anyways... "I like steak, personally..."

Bryce gasps softly and nods his head vigorously. "Yes! Can we make steak? And corn, too! And maybe garlic bread? I really like garlic bread."

"Do I get a say in this?" Luke isn't sure if he can pull the sad puppy eyes look like Bryce or Ryan (or even Jonathan), so he settles for being blunt and hurt like the man-child he is.

"Mm... that depends. You wanna give me the real reason you got yourself expelled by beating up your best friend and dragging Bryce into it?" His mother gives him one of those looks. Those unsettling, just a little too knowing, those "I know you're lying" kinda looks.

It makes him shrink back against his seat like some scared little child. "That's private business."

"Sure. Private business you had to drag multiple people into. Makes total sense. Come on now. Can't you two tell me what's going on?" His mother stops the car, presumably at the store now, turning around to give the two stern glares. "What's happening that's pulling the both of you into violence and shit like this?"

Luke tenses. Bryce is all confused eyes and raised eyebrows, nothing but obliviousness that's no doubt about to be crushed and killed on sight. He frowns. This is far from good, is this really what he wants? Is it really for the sake of his friend like Ryan insists it is?

He sighs. "Fine. You wanna know? Jon is fucking cheating on Bryce and I tried to beat some sense into him."

Bryce’s eyes widen. "He's... he's what?"

"You fucking heard me," Luke snaps, turning to face Bryce next to him. "Caught him making out with Evan in the halls, they didn't even try to deny it. You know, Bryce, I didn't wanna fucking tell you this, but fuck it! Your boyfriend is a piece of shit and so is-"

"Why would you not want to tell me?! I think this kinda involves me! What would not telling me do, huh?!" Bryce crosses his arms, a new kind of expression on his face. Is it his angry face? Luke can't tell- he's not sure he's ever seen Bryce legitimately angry before.

Luke feels the urge to bash his head in on the window of the car. "What are you gonna do to him now that you know, huh? Go over there and scold them like some kindergarten teacher? Smack him on the wrist then let him run off and do it all over again? Considering how it takes me telling you this, I doubt you even noticed!"

"Why do you assume I'd just sit back and accept it, then? It's not my fault I had faith in my freaking boyfriend! Don't you have trust in Ryan?! What's the difference between that and me and Jonathan?!"

"Uh, the difference is that he fucking cheated on you! And you're probably not gonna do anything about it!"

Bryce glares at Luke with an almost terrifying amount of fury. "Am I supposed to go over there and bite off his- his freaking dick or something? Or do you expect me to sit back and talk to him like a puppy?"

"Tell him cheating is bad and make him pick between you and Evan!"

Bryce laughs a very hollow, bitter laugh. "Then what? Reward him for staying loyal? Then I may as well reward myself for having a beating heart. Or reward you for being a piece of crap."

Luke opens his mouth to give Bryce another piece of his mind, but the sound of the car door opening startles him. He watches his mother get back into the car and turn it on, seeming content with the silence.

"I got my groceries while you two sorted things out. Figured once you dropped whatever bomb you were holding, you two would screech things out. You two clearly aren't done, but we will continue this screaming match after dinner. And I know Bryce naturally has manners like a Disney princess, but that doesn't mean you can't act like a slob, Luke. He is our guest and you will be polite at dinner. I even brought a discount cake for dessert."

She must've seen the inevitablely confused looks Luke (and maybe Bryce) send him. She smiles.

"It's a discount cake because they accidentally squished part of it. But cake is cake, right? It'll taste just as good."

(Dinner was, obviously, very awkward that night.)