Six Like The Number

Water Works

*Six's POV*

After I leave Theo on thursday morning, I’m pretty emotionally drained and I’m thankful that my day is rather uneventful. 

On Friday during chemistry, Emmett confirms our date and I tell him I’ll meet him at his house and 5 so that we can go together. He had offered to come pick me up at mine but I was, quite frankly, embarrassed about my living situation. 

Axle has been acting like nothing happened between us, and I’m not quite sure what to make of it. I decide for now that ignorance is bliss. 

After school Friday, I stop in at Shaunice’s to say hi before I go get ready. What does one wear to a dinner date with an affluent football player? I settle on a baby pink tank top tucked into a pleated black skirt and throw a navy blue blazer with the sleeves rolled up on top just in case. 

I get to his house and knock on the door. When he answers, I notice that he looks good in his black jeans, white t-shirt and leather jacket. He looks me over and smiles, saying, “Wow, you look amazing. Should we go?” I nod and he leads me to his car, opening the door for me.

As we drive, I think about how sweet he is and how untainted he is by the world. Maybe that’s what I need in my life. But would he be able to handle me and all my s**t? Unknown. 

We get to the restaurant, he tells the host his name and we’re escorted to a table. After we order food he asks, “So what are you thinking of doing after high school? You kno, for college?” The question takes me a bit by surprise. Most people I’ve met assume I’m not going. I find myself pleasantly surprised that he hasn’t made assumptions about me. “I want to be a nurse. How about you?”

“I’m not really sure yet, but I was thinking maybe engineering of some kind.”

We continue to make pleasant conversation the whole evening and I’m surprised that I’m actually having a good time. Maybe my idea of trying out someone who’s not my type wasn’t so bad after all.

When we get back to his place after dinner, he walks me over to my car and says, “I had a really good time tonight.”

“Me too,” I reply.

“I would like to take you out again.”

“I would like that,” I say. He leans down to press his lips against mine and it’s nice but I can’t help but compare it to the way Axle’s felt. But, it’s definitely pleasant and logically, Emmett is a good guy for me, so I continue to kiss him. After several seconds he pulls away and says, “So I guess I’ll see you Monday?”

I nod and tell him goodnight and then head home.

I spend the weekend hanging out with Theo; we go to the park with Shaunice and Kayla, we go grocery shopping and on Sunday afternoon I take him out for ice cream. I spend some time finishing the last couple of chapters of 1984 and also manage to get in a decent amount of time on cam. Overall a very productive weekend.

When I show up to school on Monday, I’m feeling pretty good. As I’m walking down the halls towards my locker, I notice some strange looks and whispers directed at me, many of them containing the words “slut” and “whore.”

Cleo runs up to me and says, “We have a problem. Did you or did you not sleep with Emmett on Friday?"

“What?! No! Is that what people are whispering about? They just assume because we went on a date I f****d him?”

“It’s not an assumption. That’s what Emmett is going around telling people. He’s saying that he only went out with you to see if WestSide girls were better in bed.”

“Are you f*****g kidding me?!” My blood is boiling and I’m sure there’s literal steam coming out of my ears. 

“What are you gonna do about it? Should we tell people the truth?”

“No, I have a better idea.” With a few strategically placed texts and conversations with key people, the whole school is talking about how Emmett cries after he orgasms by the time first period starts. 

Axle is suspiciously absent from Calculus and I seriously consider skipping Chemistry, but I decide it would look like I’m hiding if I did. I see Emmett waiting outside the classroom and when he sees me, he starts stalking towards me. He is pissed. Good. 

“What the f**k Six!” I look around and see a few people are hanging around, listening in.

I plaster a fake smile on my face and use my best innocent voice and say, “What? Did I do something wrong?"

“Don’t play this game with me! You know what you did!”

“Ha! What I did? No, no, do not put this on me. You brought this upon yourself when you told everyone we f****d. What, did you think I was just gonna sit there and take it?”

“Oh come on, you should be grateful I told everyone we slept together. Most girls here line up for me!”

“Oh my god your arrogance is astounding! News flash Emmett: my reputation does not and will not ever hinge on what you say about me.”

“What reputation Six? That you’re the Chelsea charity case?”

“Wow, f**k you!”

“Haven’t you heard? You already did.”

“Really? You’re still going with that? Okay, make sure when you jerk yourself off tonight that you keep some extra tissues handy for those water works!” I yell and then stomp away angrily. I’m definitely not going to class now. 

I go outside to the smoke pit and search around my back pack for the pack of cigarettes I keep in there for emergencies. I stopped smoking almost a year ago but I still need one occasionally. I figure one cigarette every few weeks isn’t the end of the world and there are a lot worse things I could be doing to alleviate stress. 

I fish out a cigarette and my lighter and quickly take a drag, and when I exhale I look up and see Axle watching me from a few feet away with his own cigarette between his fingers. I roll my eyes. Of course he's here right now.

“So Ashford is a crier, huh? Can’t say I’m surprised.”

I just roll my eyes and take a seat on the curb. He walks over and sits down beside me. 

“Tell me you didn’t actually f**k him,”

I snap my head up and say, “Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Are you gonna sit here and call me slut like everyone else if I did?!” 

“No! I just- please just answer the question.”

“No Axle, I didn’t f**k him!”

“Good.”

“Good? What the f**k does that mean?”

“It means I’m glad you didn’t f**k him.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s not good enough for you. He’s a piece of shit.”

“You should tell him that. Apparently he’s the best thing since sliced bread and I should be happy he’s saying he slept with me because I’m Chelsea’s charity case.”

“What? Did he actually say that to you?” I see pure anger flash in his eyes and his jaw clenches and un-clenches a couple times. I don’t answer. I just take another drag and run my finger through my hair.

“You know that’s not true right?”

“I know that. Doesn’t make it any less shitty to hear though.” He scoots closer to me and puts an arm around my shoulder and I let my head rest on his chest, letting the beat of his heart in my ear comfort me as my cigarette burns out. After a couple minutes, he pulls away, stands up and says, “Come on, let’s go,” and offers me his hand.

“Go where?” I ask, taking it. 

He shrugs and says, “Somewhere that’s not here. Got any ideas?”