Chapter Text
North, as dubbed by his friends, did not believe in love a first sight. However, he did believe in the kid that sat next to him in during french class. He hid under his beanie and took notes religiously, the nervous air he gave off left North to think he was a freshman. But York gleefully spilled what he knew about the kid over a lunch of greasy pizza and diet sodas.
"Oh, the bleached hair kid? With all the freckles? Wears a beanie a lot?" York mumbled his words through bites of pizza.
"Yeah, he's in french with me. What is he? Freshman? Sophomore?" North sipped at his diet Coke, wrinkling his nose a bit. He was more of a Pepsi guy.
"He's a senior, man." York plucked a tater tot off North's tray and popped it in his mouth, flashing a closed mouth grin at Carolina as she dropped into the seat next to him, tray hitting the tabletop a little too hard. "Hey, princess."
"Wait, senior? No fucking way, he looks like..twelve!" North blinked in surprise, eyebrows pulling up. As if just on cue he moved one seat over so South could take the seat directly across from Carolina, putting North now right across from York rather than diagonal. The fiery blonde took North's second piece of pizza and moved her tater tots to her brothers' tray in seconds.
"No, he's a senior. Why? You gonna try to flirt him up?" York lifted a corner of his mouth and South tore into her pizza, rolling her eyes.
"Why does it matter? You jealous?" North fell right in step with his friend, arching his eyebrows up. It was Carolina's turn to roll her eyes, drinking York's soda alongside her own water. The blond broke off into chuckles, taking a sip of his soda. "You haven't even told me his name."
"It's David. Kid doesn't even go by Dave, he always seems official."
"Seems too official for his fashion sense."
"He was wearing like two shirts today. And it's still summer!"
"He's a good kid." A grumbling voice startled everyone at the table as Maine sat down next to Carolina.
"Oh, you know him?" North leaned over the table a bit to get a clear line of sight to Maine. He only got a nod in response but he was glad he got that much. After that things fell quiet until Florida sat down next to North, he felt South give a slight jump beside him at the tall senior's silent appearance.
"Hey everyone! Did you hear about our new student? From Britain?"
There was silence as the rest of the tables occupants turned to Florida, collectively shaking their heads. Well, South took a handful of Maine's tater tots when he turned away. In seconds he fixed her with a hard state but she only shoved them into her mouth messily, only gaining a frown.
"Oh, well, Reggie is going to sit with us! You'll love him!"
"Hey, well wait. If he's going to hanging out with us we gotta pick a state." York fixed his good eye on Florida with a sort of stern look. Old habits die hard and all that.
"You're right I suppose. I think-"
"Knock knock."
A thin teen stood behind the seat behind Florida, he already had a good start of facial hair.
"..who's there?" North asked, leaning a little this time the other direction so he could see Reggie as he sat down.
"It's me, Reginald!"
There was a pause and North briefly considered laughing but when no one else did he didn't so much as open his mouth. Reggie didn't seem to mind either way.
"Well, if you're sticking around I think we'll call you.." York squinted his eyes a bit, lips pursed as he though for a moment.
"Wyoming?" North tilted his head a bit, taking on the look of a curious puppy.
On the fifth day of school North saw David slink into his art class. (He had to have so many electives, why not art?) Schedule change? He wasn't in this class the other day. He took a seat at the only empty table, in the back of the room. It was offset to the left of the room. A sweatshirt dwarfed him, dingy gray and far too large in the shoulder area. A low warmth settled over North's cheeks and he smiled to himself before turning to York to laugh at his quiet joke.
North came to the conclusion concentration was overrated. David's dark roots poked up through his bleached hair. His eyes had dark rings around them and freckles sprinkled his pale cheeks. His eyes were pale blue, too and his eyebrows were thick and dark showing that of course, he wasn't naturally blond. His cheeks were round and his nose was small. It kinda curved up at the end.
A bit too suddenly North was brought back to seventh grade, freshly thirteen, coming to terms with the fact boys were really fucking cute. Either way that's a story for some other time, long story short York was the cutest boy in school. So, North told himself he would become friends with him, and he did. Granted, they never dated but they did have sex in eight grade. Again, a whole different story. Either way North felt the memory pushing itself around in his head and his chest tightened in the same way it had done years ago.
He was going to become friends with David. Besides, the kid seemed pretty lonely. The whole stare at the ground, stay silent deal. By now North was a bit too confident in his ability to make friends but really you could say he was a sweet guy. Or as parents would say, a charming young man.
At least he was until he was drinking watery vodka and taking an occasional drag off South's cigarettes. But I mean, parents didn't need to know about that. After all, what happened at the skate park (or in York's basement) tended to stay there.
That weekend 'The Crew' met up for another night at the skate park, hell, they always did. North was there first, roller skates laced up tight as he made shaky circles around South as she smoked a cigarette, her skateboard rested across her lap, lavender paint chipping. North's board rested next to her. York showed up second, ending up shakily skating laps around the park on his board, North clumsily trailing behind. Neither brought up the other's lack of skill with their favorite mode of transportation. Carolina trailed in after York, getting on her bright teal board, quickly lapping the two boys, a grin pulling at her lips. South just watched them. Soon CT showed up with Maine, sitting herself besides South. Maine pulled out a pack of beer from his bag, Connie's board was packed snugly in the duffle bag as well. South took a warm beer and Connie took her board, rolling the wheels around. Wyoming nervously trailed Florida when the two arrived, he had a board surprisingly. Florida's roller skates were connected at the laces, slung over his shoulder. A dopey grin spread over his lips and he sat on South's other side, Wyoming sat next to him. Soon Wyoming had a beer in his hand, watching York and North race Carolina. A typical Friday night with the addition of Wyoming.
The sun was sinking slowly and York was standing on his skateboard, everyone gathered together by this point. He struggled to stay directly upright, taking drags off a cigarette, slightly buzzed from the beer he'd drank. CT was clapping and laughing, breath heavy with the sent of alcohol which South was far too aware of as she was sitting just a bit too close, a blush light on her cheeks, from being intoxicated or flustered. Either one.
North was laughing too hard, waving his arms as he drunkenly talked about David. Beer sloshed around in the half empty can he held. Carolina grinned a bit, standing up and snatching York's cigarette to steal a drag, putting it back in his hand with a black lipstick smudge on the end. She was a bit buzzed but was still steady enough to hop on her board, swaying a bit, sliding the board back and forth.
"Sounds like North's got the hugest fuckin' crush," she taunted, grinning wolfishly. Her blonde roots shown bright against her red dyed hair that was pulled into a messy ponytail, her tight tank top rode up on her stomach a bit, showing off her belly button.
"Why David?" South's lip curled and she gave a snort. "He looks like such a douche. Beanies, hair bleach, he wears plaid!" Nobody mentioned that fact that her hair was bleached, damaged beyond belief due to the sheer amount of bleach she actually used. Her hair was already a sort of dirty blonde or really light brown color but she bleached it to make it even lighter, nobody really bothered asking why.
Maine grumbled something that could have been a snarky comment or a farewell, patting Connie's head lightly before grabbing his bag and lumbering home. The sun was sinking a bit quicker now, Florida insisted he would walk Wyoming home. As soon as they were out of earshot everyone began to drunkenly place bets on how long it would take for one of them to kiss the other. Thirty bucks were on the table.
As soon as bets were placed York snuffed out his cigarette and all attention turned to North.
"Yeah man, why David?"
"He's not that bad, we've talked a few times!" Connie piped up, taking another long drink from her can of beer.
"Well, I mean. Hell, I don't know!" North's words were a little frantic and he shrugged quickly. "I didn't pick him out specifically."
"I'd love to stick around for this but my brother's going to freak out if I'm not home to humor him." Carolina stepped off her board, picking it up.
"Little Church gonna get pissy?" A smirk settled across York's face.
"You know he hates that."
"Hey, he wants to hang out with us but not really as a group so he gets the whole last name nickname thing."
"It's because our dad is 'Mr.Church', and he's not on the best terms with him, he already hates being named after him."
"Whatever he's like twelve-"
"Sixteen."
"Are you guys going to quit bickering?" North heaved a sigh and took another swig of his beer, the can clinked against his teeth.
"Oh shut up, you're like twelve too." York gave a short laugh and a snort slipped out.
"You're so goddamn drunk, you idiot." A grin curved onto North's face.