Honey and Spice | ✔️

Chapter 23

Ryder

Exams came and went. Well, not exactly. We're currently on our last day taking our social studies exam. Math was fairly manageable, even though I cried a little inside when I saw the first question. Thankfully there wasn't much trig, or else I would've just crumpled the whole test paper and defenestrated it.

In other words, yeeted it out of the window.

"Guys, guys," I say to Nathan and Mae while we're doing last-minute revision in the library. "Wanna hit up the mall after school?"

Mae looks up from her notes. "Wait, why?"

I shrug. "Dunno, maybe celebrate."

"Celebrate what? The possibility of an F on our report cards? Hell yeah!"

"Me too!" Nathan joins in, beaming. Then, with the bravery of a soggy french fry, he whispers, "Road to failure!"

Then I snort so hard I swear I thought I saw grey matter shoot out of my nose and I cut Mae a look. "You're such a bad influence. Terrible," I say. "Look what you've done to Nate!"

Then we all burst out laughing; but a little too loudly, because the librarian stops doing her librarian things and glares at us. So, we resume our revision (or try to - Mae's making some jokes again) until it's time to go and take our exam.

"Last one." Mae claps our backs. "Let's do this, folks."

*

Phew. It's finally all over. Now the mall.

We're on the train, and it's jam-packed with people. I hate how close everyone is to me; like, I just want to wear spiked armour to tell everyone to back off from my personal space. This is why I prefer walking or taking the bus - at least I'm sitting down in the latter.

Meanwhile, Nathan and Mae are talking about the Greek mythology family tree and how Zeus is everywhere. I just listen to them blabbering on because I know nothing about Greek mythology (unless you count me kind-of-reading Percy Jackson in grade 8. The furthest I went was just The Titan's Curse, though). (But it was really good, I just couldn't finish it.)

"Like, is there anyone Zeus didn't get pregnant?" Mae says, her voice rising, earning a few weird looks from other passengers.

"There are but- " Nathan starts to say but she cuts him off.

"I know, I'm just saying, bro."

Then, the train suddenly lurches and Nathan loses his balance. My hand shoots out and closes around his wrist. I pull him back into a standing position and he looks at me, dumbfounded. Oh my god, I need to stop. This stupid protective instinct of mine; although it's probably good so that he won't hurt himself when he falls (if he does, anyway; I keep catching him before he does).

Mae whistles and we both turn to look at her. "Damn, bro. You and your chivalry." She guffaws and it's taking every ounce of my self-control to not hurl her to the sun. What a pain in the ass she is. But still a good friend.

Then, finally, the train reaches our destination and we enter the mall.

*

"Hell, this churro is longer than a witch's saggy tits!" Mae says loudly, holding up her churro.

We're standing at the churro stall, and the person behind the cash register snickers, having heard whatever abomination that just came out of Mae's mouth.

"Mae, what the actual diddly fuck did you just say?" I say as I pay for the churros.

The cashier smirks and whispers to me. "Is she your girlfriend?"