Tuesday

"Hey guys wanna grab pizza after school?"

The crew decided to meet together in the morning before classes started. It was fresh in the morning. Nick and Lucille were holding hands, walking alongside Miller, Clay and Victor. They were making idle conversation on the way to JIms house.

"Yeah sure let's get Jimmy though." Lucille chirped.

Conveniently Jim was located near a pizza parlor, well a block away but located near nonetheless. Once Jim joined the party they were on the way to get pizza for breakfast.

Jim stretches, and yawns, "Man I had a weird dream. I dreamt these guys came together and formed a slam poetry group but everytime someone preformed the lyrics would get darker and darker until eventually the last person came on stage and shot himself."

"Uh? JIM? That's eerily dark first thing in the damn morning-" Lucille said, reapplying her lip gloss. Miller walking alongside Victor takes it upon himself to grab his hand, at this gesture Victor internally swoons completely forgetting Miller's attitude problem. "Jim, my guy, you good?"

"Yes sir, I think I just been watching too much crime documentaries."

Clay shivers at the thought, "Eee I can't watch true crime crap it freaks me out."

"Pussy." Miller said.

Nick laughed at this but Clay gave Miller a dirty glance, one that was met with a similar face. Afterwards Miller whispered something under his breath, "Mutt."

"What did you just call me? You fucking smurf. " Clay shot back.

Everyone went silent waiting for a moment, waiting for Miller to bite back. But he didn't. Instead, he tsk-ed and rolled his eyes. Getting shut down caught Clay off guard, he was so ready to get into an argument. And maybe he realized he should reflect on this habit of his, so he sighed.

Lucille, worn out and tired, "You guys are always bickering like children."

"Maybe they are kids, doll."

"Oh I love it when you call me that." She's falling more in love with Nick as time goes on. Jim gags, "Gross you two, cut that crap out. You too Clay and Mills no more name calling."

She giggles, "Jealous, hun?"

"Oh I would rather die, thank you." He reassured her. This entire time Victor has just been on his phone, "Guys can we order our pizza now?" Not even looking up from his phone.

"Oh right, let's go in and order."

The crew steps and order their pizza slices, and once they finish it their off their way to school.

At school they went inside and waited until the bell rung to go to their classes. Once the bell rung they went to their own classes, Jim and Miller sharing a homeroom. They walk together talking, "So how's things with Victor?"

Miller coughed, "Uh. Their new."

"Wow, vague. Remind me not to ask you anything ever again."

"Will do. But how about you? Hows' things with Poppy?"

"Ahhh, things are going great with them I hope. The other day we were texting and they said I could pistol whip them." He chuckled.

"What?"

"...As a joke obviously."

Miller side eyed him, "Okay. Anyways though, I'm gonna go to the bathroom." 

Jim shifted his gaze towards Miller. He knew what Miller was up too, as Miller has been consistently high since the weekend. Jim didn't like this new development, not that it's uncharacteristic of Miller. Everyone saw this coming. 

"Okay, dude, see you later."

Jim continues walking without Miller and goes to his first period class. His first period class is his favorite, as it's music. He walks in alongside other students, sitting down and talking while his teacher set up.

"Hey Cami," Jim turned to his side in his seat. "How are you?"

Cami, a sophomore had brown light straight hair with brown hazel eyes to match. She said, "Hey Jimmy! I'm good- Just hells of tired." Her smile fading a bit.

"No yeah same, I hate getting up in the morning-"

"I heard you're in a band now."

"Oh?" He was surprised at the sudden mention of his 'hobby.'

"Yeah The something project right?" Her eyes daring to move away from his.

He frowned thinking of Miller, "The Basement Project." 

"Right right… That's pretty cool honestly!" Her eyes now sparking with interest. She shifted in her seat to fully face Jim now and grinned.

"I know! It's so exciting." Smiling now as well.

"You're cool too." She said softly.

"Oh!"

Before he could respond, the door swung open and in walked Miller.

Mrs.Zaman, the teacher, said, "You're late."

Millers eyes were low and he stretched, "Sorry ma'am." He kept walking inside and sat down across from Jim and shot him a small nod. Jim nodded back but rolled his eyes at how obvious it was that Miller was 'tired.'

The next few classes for Jim were easy, at least he thought. He always wondered how one could fall behind school work when you have time both in and out of school, and have extra help in every classroom. But then again he thought maybe he was just being insensitive. He thought of Miller again, not that Miller was behind in his work. But Miller at times did show apathy towards his grades and school work. He wondered why, why wouldn't you care about your grades? Grades have the power to possibly determine your future, so you'd think he'd care a bit more. But whatever, he decided it wasn't his business to dwell on it.

Once it was lunch time, the crew sat together again. It was rectangular in shape, big enough for 8 people but just the right size for six. Jim, Miller and Clay sat on one side of the table, eating school lunch. Lucille, Victor and Nick sat on the other side, talking. 

"I heard Ash almost got caught with his weed pen today." At the mention of weed, Miller perked up.

Nick scoffed, "Ash is always high, how are they just getting caught now?"

"Speak of the devil," Victor whispered, "He's walking right there-"

"RIGHT WHERE?" Lucille screamed.

Ash turned around from where they were standing, looking out of it. "What?" He said, perking an eyebrow.

"Nothing!" Victor rushed, embarrassed. "Sorry."

Ash shrugged slowly and continued walking away. After they turned their back, Victor elbowed Lucille, "You think you're mad funny!"

Jim starts to zone out as the rest of them continue to chat and eat away. He looks at Miller, who looks back and shrugs, "What?"

"Uh-" He hoped the mask somehow managed to deter Miller from noticing he's embarrassed.

MIller repeated, "What??" More confused this time.

"...You're stupid." He randomly spat.

"What the hell??"

Clay, who was watching the whole interaction laughed, "Realest words ever said to Miller." Rolling his eyes Miller said, "Whatever guys." In a quiet voice.

And so the rest of lunch continued like that, with Clay and Miller bickering throughout the whole thing. Jim enjoyed his time with his friends, it was never a boring moment.

After lunch, Jim had class with Poppy, forensics. He walked to his class alongside Miller, who was no longer high. 

"Man, I haven't really spoken to Victor these past few days." Miller sighed.

"Why? Let me guess, cause you've been too up in the clouds."

"Yeeep." Miller bent down to tie his shoelaces but kept talking, "He isn't too big on my hobby so when he can tell, he becomes all dry and distant."

Jim smiled at the fact his friend was confiding in him although it wasn't the first and it wasn't gonna be the last. Luckily Miller didn't see through the mask Jim always wore for cosmetic purposes. Finally he spoke, "Maybe if your partner doesn't like something, you should stop doing it as often as you've been doing." Wise words.

Miller finished tying his shoes and looked up, "Uh. No??"

Jim looked at him, "Oh."

Then Poppy appeared before them. Poppy had black really short wavy hair, and a black sweater to wear. They weren't wearing uniform at all Jim and Miller noticed a long time ago. "Oh my god! It's you, Candide ! How are you??" They said excitedly, holding their hands together. Miller stood in between them both pretending to not exist. Jim blushed, but matched the excited energy. "Oh my god is that Shake-a-lackey-eat-a-taki?"

"What." Miller said. Shake-a-lackey-eat-a-taki and Candide were nicknames they came up with for each other, although it was Poppy who first named Jim that odd name so Jims name for them is mostly a jab at Poppy's strange nicknames for people.

Poppy put their hands on their hips, "Divine altercations aren't for cats, he says petting one."

"What." Miller said.

"Okay.." Jim smiled weirdly, "I'm good, how are you?"

"I'm good! I was just talking to Cami about trains. Come on let's head to class."

So they walked together into forensics and Miller went off to his own class, gov. Afterschool, the crew decided to get sundaes. Nick was holding Lucille hands, so were Victor and Miller this time from the get-go. Clay and Jim walked lonesome near them, but didn't actually feel alone. Well maybe Clay did. Jim stretched his back, "So y'all how was our day?"

"Good!" Lucille said, "I made a new friend, Acera."

"Acera? What are their pronouns?"

Lucille thought for a moment, "Uh any/all!" She smiled while reapplying her lip gloss. "How was everyone else's day?"

Nick took the opportunity to reply, "My day was okay, you know, school was school- But oh my god Mr.Martinez is soo annoying."

"My day was bad. Some kids called me the piano freak as 'a joke.'" Clay said with air quotations. "And someone else pointed out my hearing aids in the most rudest way possible."

"Maybe they called you the piano freak because you are one, have you considered that?" Miller squeezed Victors hands as he narrows his eyes.

"Oh okay, got something ableist to say too?"

"Yes-"

"No!" Victor shoved Miller into Lucille, earning a 'hey!' from them both.

Clay snapped his neck towards Miller and rolled his eyes.

Stepping into the ice cream shop, they all immediately the change in temperature and environment. The shop, called Charlies Helados, was covered in advertisement from toys to posters all the way to designed chairs. And the place it self was cold and made of white tiles.

Nick and Lucille begin ordering, "Yes two large pumpkin spice cups please." Lucille said in her polite voice. Behind her stood Jim and Clay. Naturally, the more confident one spoke for the two. "One donut with a small cup of mint chocolate and whipped cream, then for me a medium cup of cookies and cream." Jim pointed.

Last but not least was Victor and Miller, but much to everybody's surprise the timid Victor spoke for the taller one. "Um- Can I get um. One medium cup of carmel cone and one large cup of chocolate, both with chocolate syrup and sprinkles please!" Victor stuttered nervously. Miller searched through his pockets and pulled out wrinkly bills which Victor then grabbed and paid with.

Everyone walked behind the waiting line and one by one they all ended up getting their orders. After which they all went their separate ways, Jim recounted this as the last time they were all happy.