I would like to mention that there are traces of a controversial ship here but I don't wanna spoil.
Besides pretty sure you guys won't mind.
It's all part of character development (i think so at least)

On a side note it's kinda painful for me to write Jared pre-Evan.

-

The bake sale was supposed to end at three. Too bad for us, though, that was like our busiest hour.

Of course, by busy, I mean there were more than two people in line at once. None of this fundraiser was really "busy."

A girl with curly brown hair and a little too much make-up stepped to the front of the table, looked at the prices, and straight up left.

"Rude." Jared commented, ushering the next person forward, "Some people just don't understand economy."

I rolled my eyes and started packing the next order.

"Hey g-guys, I'm sorry I'm late I-" I turned around to see a sweaty Evan running back towards us with his advertising sign, "Oh, you're still working?"

Jared scoffed, "Fucking overtime."

I shook my head and really replied to Evan, "People kept coming, and we couldn't just leave."

"We could've left just fine!" Jared protested, grabbing money from someone and quickly saying, "Enjoy your brownies." and turning back to us, "We're allowed to disappoint people you know!"

"You'd know." I replied, not looking up from the next bag of treats I was packing.

Jared eased up, "Ouch." He said quietly.

"Yeah that was kinda harsh." Evan whispered.

I shrugged, but honestly I felt a little bad. I thought we were doing playful banter. I hope I didn't actually hurt his feelings.

I can't apologize though, right? Because what if he wasn't hurt?

I don't know, social is hard.

Evan sat down in a chair beside me and the three of us kept working in silence.

Once the last person left, Jared stood up, "We're free to go now, Miss Bossy?"

I frowned at him, "Aren't you gonna help pack up?"

"Well, I- yknow, whatever."

Evan started to put the money in a pouch and Jared and I started packing up the extra treats.

Something about everything felt off right now, but maybe that was just because all of us wanted to go home.

As I put the lid on the brownies, I finally decided to apologize to Jared. "Sorry if I hurt your feelings." I said quietly.

He hummed and looked up, "Did you say something?"

"Yeah I-" Socializing was so hard, jesus christ. Why can't I just effortlessly apologize like normal people? I've done it before! "Sorry about earlier."

He shook his head, "You were joking. I understand."

"Did I..." I took a breath in, "Did what I said hurt you? I didn't mean to I-"

"Oh my god." He groaned, "You sound like Evan! You're fine, Alana." He smiled at me as if to indicate the conversation's end.

"Ok. Ok." I said, turning away and throwing a broken cookie away.

Jared turned to Evan, "You need a ride home, Hansen?"

"No!" Evan answered loudly, flinching backwards. He realized his eagerness to respond and tried again, "I mean- No thank you. I'm walking to the Murphy's."

"Ah." Jared simply respond, his voice lacing a bit with disgust.

I put the tables against the school's walls, knowing a teacher will find them and put them away on Monday.

Jared started walking past Evan and to the parking lot, and I subconsciously followed him.

He turned around, "What?" He asked, "Do you need a ride?"

No, no I didn't. I didn't live more than 3 miles from here, and I could easily walk. I walked here, I could walk back. But being in a car would be nice I guess...

"If you don't mind." I responded. "Do you know where to go?"

"GPS technology, baby!" He laughed, getting into the driver seat. I got in as he said, "I know how to get anywhere in 2018!"

I smiled and we put my address into the GPS. "Not a long drive." Jared commented.

I started to count the money we made as we drove, and was both ecstatic and disappointed to see we had only raised $420.69.

"It's a lot?" Jared asked.

"hnnnn, not really." I responded. "But a lot better than nothing. If we add this in with the money from the spirit sale and those jobs at the library, we probably have about a thousand dollars."

"Nice." Jared responded, dragging out the c, "We'll get to 50,000 in no time."

I shook my head and was about to argue, but we pulled up beside my house. "Thanks for the ride, Jared." I called as I stepped out, "It beats walking any day."

Jared nodded, "Absolutely. See you Monday?"

"Probably, yeah." I yelled back, halfway to my door. "Bye."

He drove away and I opened my front door. Immediately I was greeting with France sitting at our little round dining room table, juice box in hand. "That was a boy." She simply said.

"Hello to you, too." I said bitterly. France, you guessed it, is in middle school. So that means every one around her is getting boyfriends, and she really wants one. For some reason. Guess she doesn't know boys are literally only good as acquaintances. That way they don't think they have power over you. I'm not a hard-core feminist or anything, it's just from experience, really. "He's 18, by the way." I noted, making sure she knew that Jared was wayyyy out of her league. And, yknow, that would be illegal.

France nodded and changed the subject, "How much'd you make?"

I shook my head, rummaging through the pouch, "Not much. Jared made some really wacky prices, so a lot of people turned away after just reading the price list. I mean, it was a sorta smart plan, because we did get extra tips and stuff, but it also turned a lot of people away. I could see what he was trying to get done, but it didn't really work like he expected. I mean, I admire him trying, but like..." I was rambling.

"Ah. Jared." She said, as if she was testing out his name or something, "And you like him."

"...what." I said, backing up a bit, "No, Jared's just my friend."

France shrugged, "Never said he wasn't. But don't you fall in love with like every boy?"

"Ok, I'm not that straight." I responded, holding my hands forward in defence, "You just think that because I only talk about the ones I like."

"So you only talk about boys you like? And that's why I never hear about the ones you don't like?"

I nodded.

She nodded back and stood up, walking towards the stairs. "I'd let that sink in." She said before heading up to her room.

...what just happened?

Jared's just my friend. Acquaintance, actually. I don't wanna be anything more.

Besides, pretty sure he's gay. I mean, he never told me straight on, but he just has that vibe, yknow?

I'm pretty sure I'd know if I liked a boy, okay France? Jeez.

I went up to my room and put the pouch of money into a little safe beside my computer. The safe held all 799 of the physical dollars we had raised. Only o couple of our donations have been online so far, but that's just because not many people have heard of the Project yet. We were gonna have a ceremony to promote it on Tuesday. Maybe then at least some of the school will know about it.

Tomorrow was Monday. The 24th. My birthday, actually. The big 1-8. Exciting, right?

Sure. Yeah. Exciting.

Honestly, I think I already know what's in store for my birthday. I'm still gonna have to go to school, because, well, EDUCATION! But my parents are gonna take off because "they're parents" and they "can do that."

I'm gonna wake up, they're gonna be like, "Do you know how to do taxes yet?" then usher me to school where all my friends are gonna give me too much attention.

Exciting.

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Published 4/27/20
Word Count 1362

I have no idea what I'm doing-