Patton approached his locker the next morning after helping Lacy with a bit more of the dance prep.

"Hey Roman." He yawned starting to spin in his code.

"Hey Patton!" Roman chirped back. "Did you study for this test?"

"I did." Patton replied grabbing his books, closing the metal door and turning around to face him. "Doesn't mean I'm ready though."

"Well that's optimistic." Roman said sarcastically.

Patton chuckled at that.

Suddenly it looked like something down the hall caught Roman's eye. Before Patton could look however, Roman put his hand on the lockers behind him and got closer, pushing his back against them. Patton had to hug his books closer to his chest as they were practically pressed against one another.

"What are you doing?" Patton asked.

"Nothing." Roman said quietly. "You didn't close your locker all the way."

"Oh." The other boy looked to Roman's hand which did in fact close his locker completely. "Thanks."

"No problem." Roman smirked removing his arm and taking a step back.

That's when Patton realized Logan approaching down the hall, and lit up. "Hey Logan, good morning!"

"Good morning Patton." Logan greeted back, but didn't seem overly joyed. In fact he sounded slightly angry. He then just continued to walk past.

"Huh, he seemed to be in a bad mood." Patton pointed out tilting his head. "I wonder what's wrong."

"Ah who knows." Roman played innocent. "Can't worry about it now. Let's go get this test over with buddy." He smiled and they started walking to class together.

-&-

Patton sat next to Logan in the Library later that day with a smile. "Hello Logan!"

"Patton." The boy nodded a greeting not looking away from his book. Once he did finish his page after a few seconds of silence he closed the book and payed attention to his lunch.

Patton watched him. "So How has your day been?"

"Adequate." He shrugged still not looking at him.

Patton felt his heart sink a bit. "You keep giving one word responses. You almost never do that. Did I do something to make you upset with me?"

"No." Logan looked over to Patton and sighed when he saw his face. "You have done nothing Patton do not worry yourself with it."

Patton slowly smiled again. "Okay!" He chirped starting to eat his lunch.

Logan watched him quizzically for another few moments of silence and then shifted in his chair before speaking. "Patton?"

"Hm?" He responded.

"What exactly is the nature of your relationship with Roman?" Logan asked.

"Roman?" Patton seemed surprised by the subject. "Um..." he took a sip of his drink before answering. "I mean we've been friends for like... ever."

"Friends?" Logan raised a brow.

"Well... best friends." Patton corrected. "Honestly my only friend until you came along."

Logan straightened his back feeling his cheeks tint pink for a reason unknown to him.

"Why do you ask?" Patton asked curiously.

"No reason aside from curiosity." Logan replied.

Patton felt his smile grow. "Do you get curious often?"

"When it comes to certain things, yes." Logan replied. "Like when it happens to involve you for example."

Patton physically flinched slightly feeling his cheeks warm up. "M-me?"

As if realizing the embarrassment in what he'd just confessed Logan too blushed. "Well I... Yes. What I mean is I have never actually met someone quite like you so I can't help but find it intriguing..."

"Oh..." Patton's blush faded only slightly and he looked to the opposite wall. "Well thanks. Nobody's ever been that interested in me before. In any sense."

Logan couldn't help but feel a tug at his lips. "How shamelessly lamentable for them."

Patton let his eyes trail back to meet the others gaze a shy smile forming on his expression.

-&-

Patton sat at his study hall table looking through his phone since he'd finished his work.

"Heya Peppy." A voice greeted behind him as the figure joined him at the table.

"Hi Ashton!" He replied locking his phone with a polite smile. "How's our school been treating you?"

"Eh, not badly." He shrugged like the subject didn't interest him.

"What's wrong?" Patton asked. "You don't like it here?"

"School brings a lot of unwanted social interaction with people I get to see everyday, but honestly don't care much about. At this point, aside from getting an education, coming her just seems useless and kind of torture to me." He replied fixing the collar of his leather jacket.

"That's a little dramatic don't you think?" Patton chuckled.

"Nah." Ashton responded leaning back in his chair a bit. "I'm just being honest. I've never really been good with people."

"Really? That's shocking." Patton joked sarcastically.

Ashton laughed at that. It was a good solid laugh, one you could tell wasn't used very often. It made Patton feel accomplished. "You really are something Peppy. You always seem to have the opposite problem. People flock to you like you're their last known life source or something."

"So you've noticed." Patton replied shyly.

"It's not very hard to notice you Patton. You're like the most beloved guy in school. So many friends so little time." He replied.

I guess it does seem that way from the outside... Patton thought. "So..." he stated deciding to change the subject before it saddened him more. "If you dislike social interaction so much, why are you talking to me?"

Ashton thought for a second before sitting up properly and flashing a smug smile. "Well everybody's gotta have at least one friend right?"

Patton was surprised by his response but then smiled. "Right."

-&-

Roman sighed as he closed his locker. "Another play practice with Virgil the grouch."

Patton giggled a little. "Oh come on after all this time you can't honestly tell me you two haven't at least have sort of been getting along better."

"Hm..?" Roman hummed leaning back against his locker with crossed arms. "I guess... kind of, but he's still so grumpy all the time. He never smiles and every time I so much as look at him he gets annoyed."

Patton raised a brow at him.

Roman stiffened speaking quickly. "Not that I care if he liked me or not of course. It would just make things a lot smoother."

"Riight~" Patton nodded.

"Hey Patton?" Roman asked like he genuinely changed the subject.

"Yeah?" He asked closing his locker.

"Can I have a hug?" He replied with an innocent smile and his arms held out.

"Of course!" Patton chirped happily wrapping his arms tightly around his best-friend.

Roman returned the hug for a bit and then pulled away. "Thanks buddy. Well, see you!" He waved and then turned on his heals walking down the hall.

"Hello Patton."
"Hey preppy!"

Two voices chimed simultaneously.

Patton looked back and forth between Logan and Ashton who had both addressed him.

The two then looked at each other for a moment looking just as surprised as him.

Patton chuckled at the encounter. "Hey guys."

Logan then shook his head. "Patton I apologize, but I cannot drive you home today I have a doctors appointment in ten minutes. And I apologize again for not notifying you earlier, but my phone had inconveniently died."

"It's Okay Logan." Patton assured him with a smile.

"Yeah." Ashton stated breaking Patton's focus on his crush. "I can drive you home Patton."

"Really?" Patton asked.

"Sure thing." Ashton shrugged nonchalantly.

"Okay!" Patton replied.

The three boys then walked into the parking lot together. They stopped when Ashton did, no one questioning why Logan didn't just continue to his own vehicle.

"Woah!" Patton exclaimed in amazement. "You have a motorcycle?!"

"Yeah." Ashton smiled proudly. "You ever ridden one before?"

Patton shook his head no still marveling over the bike.

"Well safety first." Ashton handed him a helmet.

Patton took it and placed it on his head securing the strap with a satisfying click.

"Here." Ashton adjusted it better to fit his head and then turned around getting on the black motorcycle. "Hop on."

Patton stepped toward it swinging his leg over the side and sitting properly. He wrapped his arms around Ashton from behind gently.

"Hold on tight." Ashton said starting up the engine with a loud roar. The sudden sound and vibration caused Patton to cling to him tighter out of slight fear, causing Ashton to chuckle. "You ready?"

"Yeah!" Patton replied. "Bye Logan!" He yelled cheerfully as the rode out of the parking lot together.

Logan waved thinking back on the last couple days.

He thought about when Roman caressed Patton's face, or when he pushed him back on the lockers, or hugged him just now as they left. He thought back at Patton and Ashton laughing together during their study hall when Logan passed through, or just now when they rode off together. It brought on an emotion that kept getting stronger, and one he wasn't fond of it. Everything made him feel so... so- it was so... "Obnoxiously infuriating." Logan muttered in anger.

Hey guys! Oooh all these boys be wantin' the Patton! What chya gonna do Logan?! XD anyway I hope you like the new part. (Sidenote I just went and saw the Greatest Showman, and it was FREAKING FANTASTIC!) So, what do you guys think of Ashton? Vote and comment, bye!
~Hannah😋