I CAN FIX HIM ! by KissLeclerc
October 21, 2022 # "You Idiot."

A MONTH LATER, AND STILL NOTHING. Adeline and Paul were not friends. Since that disastrous dinner, their friendship seemed beyond repair. Adeline couldn't envision a day when she would willingly reconcile with Paul. The memory of that night still hurt too much.

To have someone else picked over your lifelong friendship is a lot of emotional damage to live with, and although Paul has had multiple attempts in trying to talk things out, Adeline was too stubborn.

From constantly attempting to stop her in the halls or blowing up her phone with messages to the point she had blocked his number, he tried his best but failed every time.

The drift between the two caused an awkward split between the friend group, but the love was still there in a way.

Kinda.

Paul completely stopped sitting with them at lunch and found somewhere else to sit with Vivienne instead, which made it easier on Adeline's behalf, but the others still clearly missed the blonde and his stupid antics from time to time.

The disagreement was so intense that, for the last couple weeks, the teens had not spent time together on their usual Sunday nights. Their long streak that had lasted years of memories and love, gone.

But, despite the tension, Ollie and Kimi continued to talk to Paul, they kinda had to, and regardless, he was still one of their best mates, even though they thought he was a major idiot and that his girlfriend was a nightmare.

Meanwhile, Joslyn and Genevieve distanced themselves from Paul, limiting their interactions to minimal exchanges. The once close-knit group now found themselves navigating a strained and uncomfortable new reality.

But with the month that had gone by, Adeline had been doing well. She was still a bit more closed off than she was before but how could you not when you lose someone so near and dear to your heart?

She had found a member to add to the debate team in order for them to qualify for a new debating season. And unfortunately for her though... said member wasn't very good.

But! Anyone over Vivienne is better, she told herself.

And that was true.

Sitting in Vettel's classroom during her usual morning free period, Adeline typed away at a French assignment as the familiar man kept minimal conversation with her from time to time, when their attention was briefly grabbed by two bodies that entered the room.

"Ollie... Paul... how may I assist you?" Vettel glanced up as the blonde stared directly at the girl who paid him no attention while she looked at the brunette beside him before putting her attention back on her laptop screen.

"Library's got testing going on. Need a place to crash..." Ollie said awkwardly as he tapped mindlessly on the teacher's desk, rocking back and forth on his feet before glancing at his friend.

"Hi Adeline." He smiled, earning one back in return as she gave him a quick dap up.

"Go for it, I don't care." Vettel motioned towards the desks sprawled out in his classroom before going back to the book in his hand.

With not another word, Paul and Ollie began to snicker happily as they walked towards the back of the classroom, soon shoving each other playfully after an inaudible exchange of what Adeline could only make out as banter.

The period went on and it was silent.

Well, minus the occasional giggles from Ollie and Paul in the back but Adeline drowned it out after grabbing her headphones in annoyance.

"And where are you off to?" Vettel interrupted as she got up from her seat.

"What... Are you the police?" She pulled her headphones down and quirked a brow at his sudden curiosity as he was never the type of teacher to question a student and where they were going.

He firmly believed in; "If you leave, then you leave."

"Just curious." He shrugged.

"Gonna refill my water bottle..." She said awkwardly before subtly glancing behind her to see Ollie and Paul watching their exchange. "Yeah..." She ended with a nod before pulling her headphones back on and walking out of the classroom.

Strolling down the hallway, Adeline held her water bottle close as she scrolled through a playlist on her phone before settling with the shuffle button; a familiar tune that made her slowly exhale as Thinkin Bout You by Frank Ocean blared through her headphones.

As she finished filling her water bottle, the girl carefully grabbed the flask as she held the straw and lid in her mouth before turning around to be startled by someone standing directly behind her. Her slight movement of surprise making her spill water all over herself and on the floor.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Adeline ripped the straw and lid out of her mouth, groaning as she glared directly at Paul who probably felt like the biggest idiot.

"I'm so sorry! I should've announced myself." He quickly apologized and tried to help her but she pulled away.

Leaving him in a brief and very angered silence, Adeline pulled down her headphones as she screwed the lid back onto her water bottle.

"So are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna grab me some paper towels?" She spoke up. Looking directly at the blonde before subtly glancing at the boys bathroom for him to take the hint.

"Oh-Right." He nodded before running to the door behind him, leaving her in an annoyed state.

Rushing back with many towels in hand, Paul slipped and fell, making the girl look around the hallway in disbelief with her hand over her mouth, trying her best to suppress her giggles but failing miserably as she laughed out loud

"Ow-" Paul laughed through a groan as he held his back in pain on the floor, still handing over a crumpled bunch of paper towels as she laughed.

"You idiot." She said through a small grin as she bent down to wipe the rest of the spilled water on the laminated flooring.

Getting off her knees and brushing off any dust that stuck to her skin, she proceeded to feel nice and help Paul back up by offering a hand. Staring at the gesture in awe, the blonde smiled and happily took her hand into his and got back up, looking down at her before she took a step back, realizing her mistake.

"Throw these away for me, will you?" She lightly shoved the piles of dirty and wet paper towels into his arms. "Thanks..." She nodded before turning on her heel, trying to avoid a conversation with him as she knew he would try his best to use the interaction as a way to talk to her.

As Adeline walked back to Vettel's classroom, she glanced down at her white button-up and realized she had gotten it wet. Muttering to herself in frustration once again, the girl decided to not return to the classroom just yet, and headed straight for her locker that was just a hallway over.

Arriving to the familiar wall of metal compartments, she quickly unlocked her lock and soon retrieved a wad of tissues from a small pack she kept in her locker as an essential and pat down her clothing to somehow dry it a little bit.

After feeling a bit satisfied with a less wet shirt, she swiftly threw on a debate team sweater that she shoved inside the metal compartment about a week ago when she had no room for it in her school bag.

Feeling satisfied with her new look, she glanced in her small mirror and fixed any misplaced hairs before closing the locker shut and unfortunately finding herself running into Paul a second time as he somehow snuck up behind her again.

"Adeline-Wait!" He sighed as she moved out of the way and avoided him, his small call outs still bleeding through her headphones. "Adeline!" He caught up to her, getting in the way and standing in front of her.

"Whaaaat." She groaned out loud, dragging the word to emphasize her irritation. "Paul, I don't want to talk to you. Don't let what just happened be an invitation to talk to me."

"Please." He tried to convince her.

"Paul." Adeline huffed. "If you know what's best, just leave me alone." She sighed.

"Is it wrong to want my friend back?" He frowned as his words left her a little speechless.

"I'm sorry, but you lost your friend the moment you defended your psychotic girlfriend who mutilated my thighs and hand." She displayed the burn scars on her wrist before he glanced down to see similar healing wounds around her thighs, partially visible around her school skirt.

"I'm sorry, Adeline. I really am." Paul sighed. "But, you know ... I'm happy with Vivienne." He said with what sounded like disappointment. "But I want to fix things."

"Okay... I'm happy for you." She tried to stay calm and civil. The month that they spent not talking had allowed her to give some grace to him, and still overall, he was a backbone to her for years, but oh how badly did she want to sock him in the nose.

"But I just can't." Adeline shrugged. "I'm sorry."

"So, what? We're just not friends anymore?" He asked in near disbelief as she just shrugged once again.

"Well, what do you think?"

"I think we're two good friends who just got into a small disagreement." Paul explained as she rolled her eyes immediately.

"Sorry?-Are you calling your girlfriend purposefully spilling freshly brewed, piping hot tea all over me on, a 'small disagreement'?!" She asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Adeline-Okay. Look." He a hand through his hair. "I suppose it wasn't an accident..."

"Yeah okay, I'm done here." She tried to move out of the way but he refused. "Paul, I'm so fucking serious. Don't make me scream."

"Please, I want to talk it out. How can I fix this?" He seemed desperate.

"I have no control over who you date so I can't even suggest breaking up with her, and besides... you've disrespected me on multiple accounts and I don't appreciate it at all." Adeline shook her head.

"There's no fixing this."

"But-"

"Paul, it's done... we aren't friends... We haven't been for a month, and honestly... I'd like to keep it that way." She admitted, but she wasn't too sure if she was telling the truth.

"Are you serious?" His eyes softened as her statement seemed to leave him with a small pang in his chest. Her eyes looking into his while she shrugged, unsure of how to respond.

"I'll be civil and nice." Adeline added. "How's that?" She asked as he shook his head in disbelief.

"I'll take what I can get." He sighed as she nodded. The two falling into an awkward silence that made her just want to walk away.

"Right." She mumbled. "Then I guess that's that." Her voice was low. "Are we done here?" The girl attempted to turn on her heel and walk away but he stopped her.

"Wait-I want to say one more thing." Paul insisted as she huffed an annoyed sigh, giving him all her attention once more.

"Okay... what?"

"I wanted to say thank you." He said softly.

"For?..." She quirked a brow.

"You really helped me change." Paul shrugged. "I wouldn't be this happy with Vivienne if it weren't for you." He said with a pang of guilt. "I owe it all to you... seriously." The blonde glanced down at the floor before looking at her.

"Nobody wanted to help me, but you were the only one that did... so thank you."

"No need to thank me." She shook her head.

"But, I feel like I should.." He insisted. "Genuinely."

"It was your choice to change." Adeline sighed. "Give yourself some credit and thank yourself."

VERA'S VOICE!
am i even sticking to my plot rn ? ! Ha!!! No.

this was so cliche imo too. Lord. this is a mess lowk. but anywho!!!!!!! i had writers block and decided a time skip would be best. THANK YOUUUU.

Hello Elena And Belle.
Love Vera.