This is the other story I'm working on, I'm having a bit of a block with 'I'll Follow You' so this is to help during breaks...and also because I love High School AU's a worrying amount...it's an addiction. This will also be long as it seems I am incapable of shorts. Hope you enjoy!

I reposted this, because I realised whilst writing the next chapter that I had made things to close together, for instance "Since the incident a month ago" I limited myself, so I changed it to make things fit better.

When people asked Eames why he hung out with Nash he didn't really have an answer. Dom was an easy one. He was down to earth, loyal and not afraid to kick Eames arse when he needed it, in addition he was also one of the best Quarterbacks Eames had ever seen.

Yusuf as well, was easy. They had been best mates since they were 13 when he'd caught Eames attempting to hot wire a car, and then proceeded to tell him he was doing it wrong and corrected him. They'd joined the football team together, and had engaged in an ill advised naked pier jump as initiation together.

Nash though...Nash was a twat.

Eames was again questioning why they hung out with him, when the four of them were smoking in their usual spot, the bike sheds behind the biology building.

"I'm just saying, that Ariadne chick would be so much hotter if she wasn't such a lesbian" Eames sighed, rubbing his temples, too tired for another one of Nash's rants.

"How do you know she's gay?" Dom questioned from his position lying on the grass, flicking ash up at the sky.

"She acts like it, hanging around the schools token fag"

"Shut up Nash" Dom replied without blinking, this was the agreed response to when Nash acted like a tosser, still Eames couldn't stop the stab of white hot anger whenever Nash started using those words.

"What? He is!" holding up his hands in surrender

Dom mirrored Eames and sighed "Again, how do you know?"

Nash smirked "I heard he and Brad fucked last year in the bathroom stalls"

"Y'know not everyone's as disgusting as you" Eames snapped looking down to avoid the look he knew would be written on Yusuf's face, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"It's true! That's why everyone calls him 'The Slut'" Eames froze, it was the first time he'd heard anyone use that nickname for Arthur since the incident four months ago, he still hated it.

"By everyone you mean you and the football team" Eames cut back stabbing his cigarette out in the grass, pretending it was Nash's face.

Nash gawked "Why do you care? I thought you and 'slut boy' didn't get on?" Yusuf gave him a sidelong glance which he pointedly ignored.

"That doesn't mean I think you should mess with him. Just cause he can get laid and you can't" Eames retorted, Dom chuckled trying to, without much effort, cover it with a cough.

"What the fuck would you know" he said grabbing a pencil from his bag and chucking it at Eames head, which he easily dodged "are you in love with him or something?"

It was meant as a statement not a question but Eames still struggled to find a comeback, the few moments hesitation was all the fuel Nash needed as he opened his mouth-

"-I heard Arthur doesn't believe in love", Yusuf interjected, whatever Nash was about to say died on his lips as he turned his beady eyes, filled with interest to where Yusuf was sitting cross legged on the grass.

"What?" Yusuf frowned at the shocked looks from the three.

Eames smiled "Yusuf, you? Gossiping? I'm shocked!"

"Shut up Eames that's just what Ariadne told me" The hint of amusement in his voice showed there was no real bite to his insult.

"You talked to her?" Dom asked, a puzzled look crossing his features.

"I kind of have too since she's my lab partner and all" he mumbled uncomfortably.

Nash's face lit up in what could only be called glee "Come on man give us the dyke's dirt" he flinched at the look Yusuf gave him, the one that made even Eames's blood run cold, so much so that he found himself edging away.

"For the sake of you living till tomorrow I'm going to pretend you didn't say that" Now that had bite, Nash held Yusuf's gaze for a second before caving and looking nervously away.

"Go on Yusuf"

"Look we were just talking about the biology of love in class and Ari just mentioned she was worried about how closed off Arthur was about his feelings..."

"Gay."

"Shut up Nash" Dom and Eames replied in unison.

"...And then she said Arthur never wants to fall in love" Yusuf finished glancing around as he leaned back on his elbows.

Eames noticed a smirk forming on Nash's face and felt his stomach drop,

"Well gentlemen I think I smell a bet, eh Eames?" forget drop, Eames felt his stomach plummet to the centre of the earth.

"What are you on?" he asked unable to keep the shakiness out of his voice.

"Since Eames wants to be Arthur's big gay prince to his princess, I'll give you what you want I bet you can't make Arthur fall in love with you by the end of the month."

"Why would I agree to that?"

"Because if you win I'll delete that picture I took at Maddie's party" Eames could've sworn his heart literally stopped, Nash swore he'd deleted that photo! Before he knew it Yusuf was restraining him with a hand on his arm.

"What the fuck!" Eames was going to kill that greasy haired wanker!

"You know what, why don't I make this more interesting If you refuse or lose I'll have some fun with the photo copier" Ok now Nash was a dead man!

"You fucker!" Dom who was now aiding Yusuf in stopping Eames from kicking Nash looked at him puzzled and concerned.

"Eames, what's he talking about?" Great, he was so getting interrogated by Mal about this now. Taking a deep breath he was able to clear some of the red from his vision.

"Nothing" Nash had retreated a safe distance from Eames the coward, and now had the gall to smile smugly at Eames.

"Do we have a wager?"

"What's to stop me from breaking your phone?" he snarled

"The fact I have the photo saved on my computer just waiting for an opportunity like this"

"You greasy haired wanker!" He launches himself at Nash again, not getting very far thanks to Yusuf and Cobb grasping firmly to his arms.

"I'll take that as a yes" stamping out his cigarette. "Relax man, you don't have to even tell anyone about you 'dating' just get us a evidence, a recording or something proving you did it" just then the shrill ring of the bell rang out "Saved by the bell" he smirked "have fun Eames" he ran off waving.

"Piss off!" Eames yelled at his retreating back, he shrugs of Yusuf and Dom running a hand through his already mussed up hair.

"Why do we hang out with him?" He grabbed his bag angrily stuffing in his pack and lighter, he felt Yusuf's shadow behind him.

"Eames, you don't have to do it y'know..."

"Yeah I do"

"What's so bad about the photo?"

"Please just leave it Yusuf?" the other man hesitated but nevertheless nodded "fucking Nash" he muttered under his breath as the three of them headed off to third period, Eames striding up front with Yusuf and Dom giving him space behind. He was fuming, he knew Nash was a twat but this was a whole new low. He and Arthur hadn't spoken in years, not since...fuck how did this happen?

Grrr Nash! He gets better I swear because I'm a sucker for character development, also I put the guys through a lot...I'm sorry in advance!