Chapter Nine
Barry rolls his eyes, "Yeah, yeah you dorks."
The rest of the weekend quickly passed and soon enough Barry finds himself sitting in his advanced math class, Cisco by his side. Barry sighs again, causing Cisco to finally look up from his chemistry book. "Dude, what?"
"I'm just thinking about Oliver." Barry finally confesses.
"Then stop." Cisco suggests, "He's no good for you."
Barry grins, "Just because you think he's a dick."
"Because he is." Cisco points out, "LIke a mega dick."
Barry's grin widens, "But not as much as Hunter Clarington."
Cisco and Barry both sneak a glance towards the front of the classroom where Hunter sits in the corner brooding by himself. "Yeah, but not as much as Clarington."
"I can hear you." Hunter snaps without turning around. The two stare at each other, blushing madly as they quickly return to their respective textbooks after muttering quick apologies.
After the class is over, Barry and Cisco rush out of the room, studiously avoiding Hunter's own path. "That was embarrassing." Barry mumbles.
Cisco nods vigorously, "You've got that right. Man, I hope he doesn't retaliate."
"Hope who doesn't retaliate?" Sebastian asks, sliding smoothly into step with the pair.
"Clarington." Cisco clarifies. "We called him a dick and he heard us."
Sebastian laughs, "You guys suck."
"Apparently." Barry agrees.
"So guess what juicy gossip I heard in class?" Sebastian asks in an almost smug tone of voice.
Barry shrugs as he hikes his messenger bag higher up on his shoulder. "I don't have a clue when it comes to you." Barry reasonably points out, Cisco nodding his agreement.
Sebastian rolls his eyes, "You two are no fun. I knew I should have waited to gloat it out with Thad. Anyways," Sebastian haughtily continues "I heard that someone is thinking of asking you out, Barry."
"What?" Barry blushes. "Who?"
"Well that's for me to know and for you to find out." Sebastian gloats, "They're planning to ask you out at lunch today."
"Oh no." Barry moans, "This isn't good."
"But," Sebastian continues, gleefully watching as his brother's blush spreads, "I have it on good authority that it's not Queen but it is someone who you will be very happy to go out with."
Barry shoots his brother a doubtful look, "Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Cisco rolls his eyes, "Whatever. We'll find out at lunch, now c'mon! I refuse to be late to our next class because you two are turning into gossiping old men." Cisco firmly states before dragging the two behind him to their next class.
All too soon the twins file into the lunchroom, quickly grab their food, and settle themselves down at their usual lunch spot, the others surrounding them. "So ready to be asked out?" Nick teasingly asks Barry, causing his flush to flare back up.
"Shut up." Barry mumbles as he stabs a carrot viciously and shoves it into his mouth.
Jeff's eyebrows raise in amusement, "I'd like to take that as a no."
"Oh but you'll be very happy with who does ask you out." Thad smiles encouragingly at him. "Practically swoon-worthy."
"Thad you're straight!" Barry chuckles.
Thad shrugs and waves his hand around a bit, "Eh."
The boys fall back into easy banter as the lunch period stretches on. Finally, only five minutes before the break was over, a member of the lacrosse team saunters over to the table. "Hey Barry." He smiles, wide and large.
"Uh, hi, Alex." Barry stammers back.
Alex's grin widens. "So do you have any plans this next Saturday?"
Two tables over, Hunter nudges Oliver and jerks his head towards Barry and Alex. "You've gotta hear what's going on with twiddle dee." Hunter hisses.
Oliver unsubtly stares towards the pair and intently listens as Alex continues after Barry slowly says he had no plans, "Excellent." Alex smiles like a cat who caught a canary, "I was wanting to know if you would do my the great honor-"
"'Great honor'?" Oliver sneers to himself.
"-of going out with me? I thought we could get some dinner and catch the new Marvel movie." Alex finishes.
Barry stares at the boy, eyes wide. He chances a glance first towards Thad, who gives him a thumbs up, and then towards Sebastian who shrugs in indifference. Barry finally looks back towards Alex, whose smile had yet to waver. "I-I- that would be nice, thank you." Barry agrees.
Alex's grin impossibly widens, "Awesome! I'll come by your dorm room around six this coming Saturday then! See you at lacrosse guys!" Alex waves short once towards Barry before stalking back across the cafeteria to his gaggle of friends.
"Told you you'd like who it was." Thad smugly states.
"You mean the guy I had a crush on for like a day last year?" Barry says, incredulous.
Sebastian shrugs, "Too late to back out now."
"Besides," Jeff adds in, "he could be an awesome date and you'll have the time of your life."
"Or," Barry counters, "he could be pulling one on me."
"If he does then we'll beat him up for you." Nick offers.
"How sweet." Barry sarcastically simpers as he stands up and leaves the chuckling group behind.
Two tables over Oliver is steaming. Hunter smirks, "Dude, you suck. And now you're never going to win tweedle dee over."
"Shut up!" Oliver smacks his room mate. "This is serious!"
"Ah yes," Hunter rolls his eyes as he pushes the remaining food around on his lunch tray, "so serious. The most serious. The most serious thing to ever serious in the history of seriousness."
"I literally hate you so much right now." Oliver growls in annoyance.
"Lighten up dude." Hunter sighs, "If it means so much to you, I'll try and help win you tweedle dee's love and undying devotion."
Oliver's lips curl in slight confusion mixed with disgust, "I'd settle for a date."
"You think too small." Hunter snaps in irritation, "You need to think bigger."
"Bigger?"
"Yes! Bigger!" Hunter throws his arm around Oliver's shoulder, "And you, my dear friend, are going to get all the fucking help from me because literally everyone in this school hates us."
Oliver sighs in resignation, "I hate you."
"I hate you too." Hunter pats Oliver's arm condescendingly. "Think of it this way: if all goes to plan you'll be fuckin-"
Oliver smother's the rest of Hunter's sentence, "Shut up, dude. I'm only letting you help me because if I called my best friend he'd be a bigger dick than you are." Oliver then hastily removes his hand from Hunters mouth and wipes it on his pants.
Hunter simpers and flutters his eyelashes, "Oh thank you!" Oliver sends Hunter another look of disgust before he grabs his trash and stalks out of the lunchroom.
