Jaren's POV

"And So then I was like 'woah, watch out' and then Jay was all like 'woah, what the fuck'." Matt babbles on, telling us about how he saved Jay from getting hit by a bus.

How does one not see a bus coming?

"Then let me guess, you went to Matt's place and fucked?" Eric asks, causing everyone to laugh.

I came out to John earlier today, and he hasn't told anyone yet.

I'm thankful for that.

"So John, eyes on anyone lately?" Ezra asks, leaning forward on his elbows.

"I've been trying to get in Jaren's pants but he keeps rejecting me." John complains, pouting at me.

"You gotta work for me baby." I joke, causing the guys to burst into a fit of laughter.

We're the loudest people in the cafeteria, no doubt about it.

My eyes drift over to Luke's table and I see him glance over at me. He smiles slightly and waves, so I wave back, somewhat thankful he's not ignoring me.

I still feel like an ass.

"Hey Jaren, guess what?" Cameron says, looking over at me.

"What?" I reply, leaning forward on the table slightly.

"Toby called you a twink." He whispers, causing Toby to smack his shoulder.

"Ha, Brian said the same thing." I reply with a small laugh.

"Brian actually talked to you? Damn." Griz says, leaning on Ezra's shoulder slightly.

"He's got that asshole vibe to him." I say, causing everyone to agree simultaneously.

"He's an asshole, the nicest ones in their group are David and Brock." Cameron says, grinning at me.

"I didn't meet them." I say, smiling softly.

"You would've liked them, everyone likes them. Brock and Brian are a thing." John says, humming slightly as he looks over at them.

I follow his gaze and see Brian and some other dude sat closely, talking.

That must be Brock.

"I'm glad you're hanging with us though, those guys are a tough crowd to fit in with." Toby says, shaking his head softly.

"Yeah, bunch of fags." Mason says, causing all of us to laugh.

Usually, I'd breakdown if I heard that word, but with them... Its fine. I don't know how to explain it.

I feel like I'm becoming more confident just being around them.

It's been one day, and I'm already feeling the best I've ever been.

"Incoming." Cameron mumbles.

"Wha-."

"Hey, Jaren. Can we talk?" Luke's voice cuts me off. I jump, slightly startled and turn to him.

"Yeah, sure." I say, glancing over at John who gives me a calm look.

I stand up and follow behind Luke, who seems very tense at the moment. We walk past his table and then right out the doors and into the hallway.

"Why are you hanging out with them?" He asks, turning to face me.

"Because they're chill and funny. Why?" I reply, confused.

"We warned you about them though." Luke points out, crossing his arms.

"Well, sorry for not believing every rumour I hear." I say, sarcasm lacing my words.

"Look, I'm just looking out for you." He says, sounding pretty convincing.

"After I called you and your friends that? Why?" I ask, frowning at him. What's he playing at?

"Dude, ask literally anyone and they will say the same thing. They always do this. They find someone innocent or new and let them into their group, find out secrets and shit and then spread it everywhere. That's why we don't hang with them anymore." Luke says, giving me a 'you know it deep down' look.

But I don't know it.

John seems so real, and I would call Cameron my friend. I'd call all of them my friends.

"You just think that the popular bad boys are gonna just let some random guy join them for no reason? Come on! Think about it." Luke says.

He's starting to piss me off.

"You're popular, and you were gonna let me hang with you." I point out, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Yeah, but we're the nice ones!" He yells, rubbing his temples. "I don't wanna see you get hurt." He adds, looking me dead in the eye.

Somehow, I'm believing him.

Let's face the facts;

I've been here for a day and I'm already chilling with the popular bad boys.

John said it himself, he's a player.

Cameron said it himself, they're assholes.

They make dark jokes and racist comments, all in the name of fun.

John punches whoever pisses him off.

Are they really playing me?

"You get it, right?" Luke asks, watching me carefully.

"But why?" I ask, looking up at him. "What's the point in them doing that stuff to me?" I ask, hoping he has some sort of clue.

"They like being assholes." Luke states, sighing softly. "And also, I forgive you for the whole thing yesterday. It was a slip-up, I get it." He adds.

I smile slightly at that and nod.

"Look, just— just stay away from them. Once an asshole, always an asshole. Don't think they change." Luke warns, turning to head inside.

"Luke!" I call out, causing him to stop and turn to me.

I freeze, not knowing how to ask this of him.

"Can you... Can you punch me?" I ask. He looks very confused.

"What? Why?" Luke asks.

"So I have an excuse not to go back in there or go to music." I reply, rubbing my arm.

"Where?" He asks.

"Jaw. Please." I reply. Luke slowly nods his head and walks up to me.

He punches hard.

"Fuck! Ow!" I curse, stumbling back a bit.

"Are you ok? Was that too hard?" He asks, moving closer to me to look at it.

"It's fine, ow. That's gonna bruise." I whine, rubbing the tips of my fingers over where he punched me.

"You could have just faked it." Luke states, chuckling at me.

"Yeah but, I'm a terrible actor." I reply, rolling my jaw and shaking my head lightly. "Thanks." I add.

"Never thought I'd hear someone thank me for punching them." Luke jeers, making both of us laugh lightly.

"See ya later." I say, sending him a small wave before turning and heading to the front office, where I assume the nurses office is.

"See ya, Jaren." Luke calls, turning to head into the cafeteria.

I rub my jaw, slightly hissing at the pain and my idiotic plan.

It's not like I can avoid them forever.

But I can definitely try. And if that fails, I can ignore them.

Why does this feel wrong?

/: POV Switch {John's POV} :\

"Where's Jaren?" Cameron asks as we all watch Luke walk back in. We all stay quiet, waiting for the short brown haired male to walk back in, but he doesn't.

"Somethings not right." Eric voices, glancing around at all of us.

"You think Luke told him?" Ezra asks, pouting slightly.

"Of course he did." I reply, rolling my eyes. "Why wouldn't he ruin our game?" I ask, causing everyone to groan.

Now we were going to have to win Jaren back over.

Our game isn't over until we loose interest or he tells us everything.

So far I've gotten the most out of him, but I haven't told the guys yet.

Part of me feels guilty, because something tells me that he and I are more alike then I'd like to believe.

And after what happened yesterday, I'm not sure I really want to continue using him like the others.

Something about him makes me feel safe, makes me feel calm.

I was never one to worry about someone, but yesterday when he broke down, I found myself panicking.

I never panic.

Of course, I would never voice this to the guys, they'd tell me I was catching feelings and call me lover boy or some stupid shit like that.

Was I catching feelings?

I don't know.

I wince slightly as I stand up, the beating I received from my drunk-ass dad last night, finally catching up with me.

"I'm going to go look for him." I say, the others barely even listening and forming their own plan to win him over.

These guys are actual assholes, I love them, but goddamn.

I'm normally involved in the games, but not as heavily as they are.

I prefer to fuck guys, not toy with their emotions.

I'll help my friends out if they're desperate, but I think I'm gonna sit this one out and actually get to know Jaren.

I actually rather like the brunette.

We both have the same sense of humour, we like the same vape juice, we like the same rappers and we both have troubled pasts.

He hasn't said a word to me about his past, but then again, I haven't told him a single thing about mine.

I smile slightly at the memory of us talking earlier. He came out to me.

That was cute.

I head out of the cafeteria, catching Luke's gaze as I go by.

Jaren isn't out here.

Maybe he went to vape.

I start walking down the hallways, checking one bathroom after another, not finding any sign of him.

I head out back, but he isn't there either.

I head to the front of the building, thinking maybe he went out front, but as I'm walking past the office I hear loud voices.

"Who punched you?"

"No one, sir."

Jaren.

I walk into the office area and see Mr. Patterson standing there with Jaren. Jaren looks back at me and my eyes instantly go to the developing bruise.

"Did Luke fucking do that to you?" I snap, my eyes on Jaren's nervous features.

"W-What! No." He replies, what a terrible actor.

"My son did this to you?" Mr. Patterson asks, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Sir, with all do respect, I'm going to beat your sons ass." I state, turning to head for the door.

"John!" Mr. Patterson and Jaren both yell at the same time.

"John, stop!" Jaren yells, grabbing arm arm as I reach for the door.

"The bastard hit you! Let me at him, I'll make him sorry." I growl, trying to gently pull my arm from his grasp.

"I asked him to punch me!" Jaren yells, his face flushed red and a nervous look on his face.

"You did what?" I ask, slightly taken aback.

"I asked him to hit me so I wouldn't have to go sit with you guys..." He mumbles.

"He told you, didn't he?" I ask, turning to face him.

"So you're admitting is true?" He asks, an angry look on his face.

"Not for me. I'm sitting this one out, I got nothing to do with Cameron and the others on this one. I didn't even plan on talking to you." I reply, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

"But Cameron's doing it?" He asks, and I notice the hurt look on his face.

Might as well be honest with him.

It's not like it's me he'll be mad at.

"Yeah, Cameron and the others are." I reply, glancing away from him.

"Then how can I believe that you're not too?" He asks, the hurt look on his face seeming to get worse.

"Because I usually don't play their game, I'm their friend so I'll help out every once and a while. But I prefer fucking guys, not toying with their emotions. That's just messed." I reply truthfully.

"So you're just trying to fuck me?" He asks, crossing his arms.

"I mean, at first that was the only reason, but now your my vape bud. But if you wanna bone, I'm down." I reply, grinning at him and trying to lighten the mood.

He stares at me and then looks away.

That's when I notice that Mr. Patterson was listening to us with a grossed out look on his face.

I start laughing at that, and Jaren catches my gaze and as soon as he sees Mr. Patterson's face, he's a laughing mess.

Me and Jaren stand there for a second before being shooed out by Mr. P.

We stand in the hallway in an awkward silence before he finally speaks.

"I'm gonna trust you, ok? But if I find out you're lying to me—."

"You won't. I'm not lying to you. When I caught you vaping in the bathroom, I knew we were meant to be friends. Like, for real." I say, putting a hand over my heart. "I'll earn your trust, as long as it takes." I add.

"All right John. Don't disappoint me."

||.:.||