YEAH!

Laydon knew he was a wreck; he just didn’t want to miss the last game. For Ethan, and because he promised Jo. Yeah, he knew he was a good best friend and boyfriend. Maybe he would get away with leaving early.

Against his better judgment he picked Jocelyn up shortly after work and listened to her babble away on the way to the game. At first he always listened to her, noticed what she liked, but he had started to not like what he heard. She wasn’t that great of a person.

Laydon parked, mad at himself for getting into this mess, and mad at himself for not ending it. A few seconds later, as he was walking with Jocelyn he got even madder, because he had thought that.

He paid their way into the game and searched for their friends; more like Laydon searched for Pat, J-dog, and Tyler while Jocelyn searched for Audrey, Corie, and Sarah, but together.

Luckily Laydon found his first. He knew as soon as one of Jo’s friends saw them their polar-opposite groups would intermingle. He stood uncomfortably next to Jocelyn while she talked politely to Tyler. He was, as always, friends with everyone. Laydon, quietly, moved away from her and tried to focus on the game. They were winning, and Ethan was even playing.

Laydon looked around for Evan, or even Randy, because, he kept reminding himself, Ethan would be upset the rest of the weekend if she wasn’t. Laydon didn’t see her, but did see Jocelyn watching him out of the corner of her eye so he quickly struck up a conversation with Jessy.

That worked for about five minutes, but then he felt it. Evan and Randy. He didn’t know how or why, the same reason he woke up with the necklace from his dream he supposed, but he felt their presence. Laydon worked hard to keep his attention elsewhere; he didn’t want to look at Evan and be tempted again.

“Hey, Ev!” He heard Patrick call over to her. Laydon shot him a look that said “are you beeping serious?!”. Patrick just smiled back.

Laydon tried to think; how could he fix this? He had no idea. The obvious answer was to break up with Jocelyn, but he had to make sure Ethan knew it wasn’t because of Evan. Well, he had understood… but it was still that Laydon did feel something for her. Something strong. Maybe, he thought, it wasn’t a good thing? Like what the girl said in Percy Jackson.

But then that probably meant a bad thing to his friends, which they all seemed to like her enough…

“Whatsup?” Evan came up to them smiling brightly, her brother dragging behind, obviously mad he was there.

Everyone, mostly everyone that is, looked glad that Evan was there, she seemed to brighten up the group, liven everyone up. Jocelyn was the exception to the rule. Laydon saw her look Evan up and down, scrutinizing her worn blue jeans, and bright Glee T-Shirt she had on at school. Laydon wasn’t surprised, the wind felt warm on his skin, but maybe he was too sick to notice, everyone else had sweatshirts on; Paige even had a blanket. It was after all late October, but it was always the same temperature down south.

Distracted by the weather, Laydon didn’t notice that Jocelyn had come next to him, and jumped when her cold hand touched his arm.

“What?” she asked when he realized it was just her. “You’ve been acting weird lately, you know?” she said, eyes narrow. “Every since she got here.” She glanced at Evan for emphasis.

Unfortunately for Laydon, Evan had heard. “Excuse me? Was that directed toward me?”
“It’s nothing like that,” Laydon lied quickly. “I, er, just haven’t been well,” he realized that wasn’t just a small truth but a big one. He had a shooting pain in his stomach. He tried not to look like he was faking when he said, “Actually, I’ve got to—” he cut off as he started running to the bathroom.

He couldn’t believe it. Why was this going on? No one had anything, nor did he eat anything that would have food poisoning going on this long. He needed to go to the hospital, and tell Grams. Because, not only was it happening more frequently, he could feel himself becoming weaker.

“Laydon?” He heard Patrick calling from outside his stall. “You okay, buddy?” He knocked on the door.

“Better,” Laydon croaked as he came out. “I need something to drink though.”

“Well,” Patrick hesitated. “I’m not going to lie, you look like shit. And I’m not going to lie when I say that I was supposed to either stall you or drag you to stop the fight.”

“Fight?” Laydon thought he knew what Patrick was talking about, but he wasn’t quite sure.

“Yeah,” Pat said uncomfortably. “You saw how Evan reacted when she realized Jocelyn was trashing her. Well, I don’t want to say Evan started it, but,” he shrugged, “She did kind of react.”

Laydon groaned. “Come on,” he grabbed Patrick and walked out to where a small crowd had gathered. Laydon was surprised that no teachers had gotten there yet. However, when he got closer he realized there were teachers there, but for whatever reason they were just gawking like the students. Laydon got a tingling feeling down his back and saw a dark man watching the group intensely. He shook off the feeling, ignoring the man, and ran to the girls.

They were standing three feet apart and shouting each other. Laydon saw Jocelyn’s eyes flash, manicured nails ready, and her body leaning forward to leap. He looked to the other girl, surprised she was just standing there, hands clenched, slouching, and a bored expression on her face as Jocelyn shout obscene things at her.

“You’ve been trying to steal him from me since you got here!” Jocelyn shouted t her.

“I can’t steal something if it wasn’t yours to begin with,” Evan said dryly. “Besides, why the hell would I want to? I don’t even like him as a person. And furthermore I don’t know him, or you, or anybody.”

For a reason he couldn’t explain, it felt like Laydon’s heart had just dropped to the floor. Why the hell would she want to, Laydon thought…He didn’t know either.

“Yeah right,” Jocelyn shot back. “I can see you watching—”

“JOCELYN!” Laydon shouted going up to her and grabbing her arm. “Come on, she’s just trying to get you in trouble.” Laydon pulled Jocelyn into a hug and glared over at Evan.

Well, he thought, I guess I’m not breaking up with her tonight after all…Not after what she said.


The teachers finally realized what had happened and also realized that it was already taken care of. Laydon lead Jo over to the snack bar, where the dark man was creeping about earlier.

“Don’t you ever do that again,” Laydon told Jocelyn. “She just wanted to get you kicked out, but for some reason you didn’t.”

“I’m sorry,” Jocelyn said slowly, avoiding eye contact.

“Hey,” Laydon said, forcing her to make eye contact with him. “It’s alright; I just don’t want you getting kicked out.” He didn’t know where this was coming for, or maybe he did. He was still pissed at Evan and wanted to prove to her that she didn’t matter to him.

“Just,” Jocelyn started, “To me, it seemed like you were after her as well.”

Laydon shook his head, “I’m here with you.” Laydon was astounded, where this good acting came from. He came here to break up with her, but now, now he was just using her to make Evan jealous. Using her.

He sighed.

***

Patrick came up to him at half time, the other team was ahead, and sat by him.
“Um, dude, what happened?” He said when Jocelyn left to get a Diet Coke. “Like, I thought you said you were going to end it?”

Laydon groaned. “I was. But I couldn’t. She basically said she hated me,” he didn't have to say who and put his head in his hands, starting to feel sick again.

“Yeah,” Pat admitted. “But it’s not like Jocelyn is that great either. Besides Evan could have just been saying that?” He smiled.

“Uhuh,” Laydon said. “But I’m trying not to care, so just drop it,” he mumbled into his hands.

“Fine.” Patrick’s voice sounded far away. “But someone apparently wants to talk to you. I’ll stall Jo.”

Laydon looked through his fingers to see Evan standing at the bottom of the stands looking up at them. Patrick went down and muttered something to Laydon, which he thought was “He’s already cut up, don’t make it worse.” He vaguely wondered why he could hear Pat if he was at the top and Pat clearly down at the bottom.

But that left him as Evan took the seat by him. “I’m sorry,” she said looking ahead.

Shit:
“I threw up in the closet but I don't care; Cuz we're young and we're broke and I can't find my coat”
-Ke$ha

Laydon rolled over in his blankets before leaning over the mattress and throwing up into the pot someone put there.

“Honey?” Grams came walking briskly into the room with a pitcher and a glass of water. “You’re awake. That’s good.” She gave him the glass and he greedily drank.

“What-What happened?” Laydon asked when he finished. “The game, an-and everyone?”

“Tyler called me,” she said smoothing Laydon’s hair into a headband. “Apparently you passed out after getting sick again, and he wanted to get you home. He and a pretty girl helped you to the gate where I met them. I brought you straight home, and put you in bed. Tyler followed me and helped.”

“Oh…” was Laydon said. “Jocelyn?” He asked realizing who the pretty girl probably was.

Grams shook her head. “No, a pale red head; she was polite.” She looked at her watch. “You’ve been out for a few hours, I didn’t know if I should call the doctor. However I decided to just use a few of your father’s herb beliefs.” She smiled and gestured to the herbs lying on his bedside. That’s what made the smell he realized.

“Can I call Ethan,” he asked. “And then Jo? I mean I’m pretty sure Ty and Evan told them, but still…”

“Make it quick,” Grams smiled warmly. “And then I’ll give you some more medicine. Call me when you’re done.”


Ethan understood easy enough, it was Jocelyn who was hard to apologize to, but why he was in the first place he couldn’t understand. Things just weren’t good for them anymore. Finally he pretended to overcome with great coughs and hung up.

***

The next day the doctor came over to look at him. He couldn’t however explain what was wrong with Laydon, but new the frequent spewing would interfere with school and wrote a note explaining he had come down with a stomach flu and would be absent until otherwise noted.

Although he wasn’t allowed at school, Kirk still let him work busing tables, as long as he wasn’t getting his germs anywhere that was clean.


A week later, however work came with an unpleasant, or rather pleasant, surprise; Evan came in and put on an apron and started work behind the counter. When Laydon came into Kirk’s office about it soon thereafter, Kirk just shrugged.

“Look, Perce,” he said softly, “You’re too sick to do anything and I needed to fill the post. I figured out she was the girl and all, but I still need her.”

“Yeah,” Laydon mumbled. “It’s cool. I get it.”

“Did something else happen,” Kirk asked, seeing the distant look in Laydon’s eyes.

“She basically hates me,” Laydon said. “But whatever, I’ll get back to work.”


Luckily for him though, Evan didn’t appear to hate him as he had thought, and they worked together well, even if they were doing completely separate things. They chatted before the rush came in and then later toward night. He knew their connection was still there but he tried to keep that out of his mind. She never mentioned what she said about him, either, nor did he bring it up. She kept him posted on school, informing him that Ethan was doing his best without his best.

Ethan had already told him this, of course, when he came around with his homework. Whenever Evan and Ethan were in the same place he seemed to be more focused on her. Ethan also told him what Evan didn’t, that Jocelyn was livid, brutally hunting anyone with information on his health. Laydon had been pulling a Ron Weasley and feigned sleep whenever she visited.

Ethan also told him he asked Evan for dinner the next weekend, and she agreed. Laydon was a little surprised at this, confused about why she didn’t tell him.

Laydon was doing pretty well with the homework Ethan or Pat or J brought him, but he knew he was falling behind in Chemistry and Statistics. Monica and Jessy agreed to help him with Chemistry so they came to the shop a couple days a week, but Pat wasn’t able to help him with Stats because of band practice. So a couple weeks later he knew it was time to ask the only person for the job…



Okay. That's a lot, but still. I <3 it xD

And I have more. Uber yay! It's when we meet Loren too xD.

Always, as Promised,
-S.
+ I'm just gonna kill it now, that dark man is INDEED, Sylvestor xD