Hey guys! Wow it's been forever since I updated this story! Sorry for the long wait, I've just had a total lack of inspiration lately... Anyway hope you enjoy! I'll try to keep my updates a little more consistent form now in and feel free to send me pjo prompts!
Jason had always been, in a word constant. He knew his place and remained there. Only once had he ever made a truly significant change and that was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. So he was surprised at how easily he settled back into life in San Fransisco. The winding streets and misty mornings had become a norm is his life, as had his teaching job. He now knew all his students names and had connected to all of them to some extent. He loved his teaching job, far more that he had ever anticipated. It had been a month since Jason moved and yet Jason felt as if he'd lived here forever. Well, Jason thought wryly to himself, once upon a time I did.
He was pulling his car into the vast staff carpark at Jupiter High, when a suspicious group of students on the lower left field caught his eye. He adjusted his rear view mirror to try and see what was going on. Jason knew a thing or two about teenagers, and a large group normally meant a fight. He quickly parked in his designated spot and headed over to investigate.
Upon getting closer, Jason's gut sank as he realised he was right. Bobby, from the track team stood facing a taller goonish looking boy Jason recognised as Austin. Bobby was visibly seething, with clenched fists and furious eyes.
ho"Take that back, Octavian!" Bobby growled. Jason followed his eye line and realised Bobby wasn't talking to the hulking boy in front of him, but rather to a boy behind him, Jason recognised from his first period history class. Octavian was stick thin with sallow looking skin and stringy blond hair. From what Jason observed wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but was very persuasive and somehow seemed to make perfect grades.
" I SAID TAKE IT BACK!" Bobby's sudden outburst snapped Jason back to reality. He ran over to intervene, just as Bobby pushed past Austin and lunged at Octavian, but someone got there first. While being distracted by Bobby, Jason hadn't seen Malcolm and Reyna round the corner, until Malcolm jumped between Bobby's fist and Octavian's face. There was a loud crack as Malcolm's nose began to bleed profusely. A few feet away, Reyna stood with her hands clapped over her mouth. There was a few seconds of silence as everyone registered what had just happened. Jason shook of his shock and stepped in to intervene.
"Alright everyone that's enough!" He said sternly. "Fighting is not permitted on school grounds, and you guys are seniors! You have no excuse!" He took a deep breath and raked his hands through his hair. "Octavian and Bobby, stay behind, everyone else get to class!"
The crowd shuffled away, murmuring with excitement and Jason knew this little incident would be the gossip of the school, before noon. He turned to the boys in front of them, before noticing Reyna and Malcolm, nose still bleeding standing nearby. He ignored their presence and returned to the situation at hand.
"Now according to school policy, I have to give you both detention so I want to see you both in my class afterschool.."
"But Mr Grace, Bobby attacked me!" Octavian's scratchy voice cut through Jason's speech. "I'm the victim here, why am I being punished?"
"For provoking him, you ignorant piece of shit!" Jason's turned in shock at Reyna's furious tone. She had moved so she was about a foot away from him. Her eyes were locked in a death stare so fierce, Octavian actually flinched. "You have no idea how insulting and.."
Malcolm reached for her shoulder, and gently pulled her away from Octavian, effectively cutting her off. Jason turned back to Bobby and Octavian.
"Detention, my room, 3 o'clock" He asserted. The boys nodded and headed off on separate directions.
Malcolm and Reyna also turned away to leave, when Jason called,
"Reyna, a word?"
She turned, her dark eyes boring into his. He beckoned her closer and she stalked over, dusting off her army jacket. Malcolm stopped and waited where he was, with arms folded.
"You seemed pretty angry, just before." Jason stated. Reyna averted her eyes slightly ad fiddled with the tips of her hair. It was down today, instead of in its usual braid. It caught the light of the morning sun as she played with it, making Jason momentarily distracted.
"He was messing with my friend." Reyna finally said, raising her chin.
"Are sure there wasn't anything else?" Jason pressed. He knew Reyna was a very private person, but if something or someone was bothering he wanted to help.
"No" Reyna said firmly "There's nothing else"
Jason wasn't entirely sure he believed her, but he let it drop.
"Can I go now?" Reyna asked, raising her eyebrows. "Malcolm's nose won't clean itself up"
"Yes, of course." Jason's replied, quickly writing her a hall pass. "You and Malcolm come to class when he's all cleaned up."
Reyna nodded her thanks and walked back to Malcolm. Jason watched as Malcolm wound his arm around Reyna's waist as the pair walked off. Jason wondered if Malcolm knew what was bothering Reyna. Then he wondered why it mattered. Suddenly the screech of the school bell interrupted his thoughts.
"Oh shit!"
" Ow, ow ow!" Malcolm muttered as Reyna adjusted an ice pack over the bridge of his nose. They were in one of the staff bathrooms, in the far side of campus, that was generally empty as it was away from the main block of buildings. Malcolm was sitting on the counter top, while Reyna rummaged through the first aid kit she'd borrowed from Mr Grace's classroom.
There was silence as Reyna did so. Reyna figured Malcolm wanted to ask what Mr Grace had said to her, but was too polite to say so. She remembered Mr Grace's electric blue eyes staring at her with concern. It was a little odd, she thought to have someone be so concerned with her well being. Everyone always assumed she could handle herself, which she liked just fine, and yet... She shook her head getting rid of these strange thoughts. She must be tired or something.
" I really didn't think getting punched would hurt so much," Malcolm said breaking the silence "Who knew?"
"It's your own fault, you know" Reyna teased "You could've let Bobby hit him."
" True," Malcolm agreed "but if I had, we'd all have to listen to Octavian whine about getting assaulted for the next month, so I think this is actually less painful."
Reyna chuckled as she wet a cloth and moved towards Malcolm. She stood between his legs as she gently wiped the blood off his face.
"Transfer student takes one for the team huh?" Reyna smiled
"Hey I'm from New York," Malcolm quipped back "your fights here are tame compared to that."
"Oh is that so?" Reyna questioned "well I guess you know how to clean yourself up better then too." As Reyna moved to pull away, Malcolm reached down and wrapped his arms around her waist hugging her.
"Malcolm!" Reyna giggled "Stop!"
"Stop what?" Malcolm said with a mischievous grin and his long fingers tickled her sides.
Reyna's giggles turned to shrieks of laughter as she tried, unsuccessfully to get away from him until he finally let up. She leaned back, still in his loosely in his hold, panting softly.
Malcolm reached up and traced his thumb over the slight blush on her cheek. Reyna's heart sped up a little bit as she realised how close Malcolm's face was to hers. His apples adam bobbed slightly as he swallowed staring at her in earnest.
It was a pattern of theirs, Reyna realised. They were best friends, who knew each other inside out, but somewhere along the way, the line between being friends and /more than friends/ had started to blur.
Every so often there would be a moment, where they would get so close to breaking that barrier. Malcolm always seemed to initiate, but never finished it. Reyna suspected he wanted her to be the one to confirm that there was something more than friendship. Unfortunately for Malcolm, Reyna was always the one who pulled away, and this time was no exception.
Reyna ducked her head and slowly stepped out of his embrace.
She cleared her throat and awkwardly said "We should probably head back to class"
She could sense his disappointment, but as always he took it graciously.
"As you wish." He said with a smile, opening the door for her.
As they stepped out iE
nto the crisp fall air, Reyna found her thoughts wandering back to Mr Grace and his concern for her. Maybe talking about things with someone new could help her out. Reyna shook her head and laughed slightly at the thought. Reyna didn't need anyone, ever. And now was no exception.