30 Days

IX.

"Are you dating or are you not dating?"

Ashe stared at Finn. His best friend was blocking the way with a frustrated expression on his face.

He grinned and said, "Get out of the way, Finn."

"No," Finn replied stubbornly. "Not unless you tell me if you're already dating Blanche."

Ashe chuckled and shook his head at Finn's obstinacy. "Let me pass. We'll be late."

"I don't care if we'll be late."

"Wow. That's a first."

Finn looked like he wanted to throttle him. Then he said, "Just tell me! Let me just remind you that it's the 30th day."

"Is that so?" Ashe muttered, uncaring.

"Yes!" Finn persisted. "So tell me? Are you dating? Because the way you are with her now can only be defined as dating."

His curiosity piqued, Ashe asked, "How am I with her right now?"

"You're always together with her. Last Friday, you saved her a seat during the school assembly, conveniently forgetting to save me one too, and sat next to her. You went to the movies with her last Saturday when you usually can't even be budged to go out on weekends. You had lunch with her five days in a row outside of the classroom when you usually just eat your lunchbox inside because you said it's a pain to walk to and from the cafeteria."

Silently, Ashe digested this information.

"So are you dating?" Finn asked with anticipation, thinking Ashe was finally going to give him the answer he was craving for.

But Ashe only snorted and went round him so he could pass. Finn let out a groan behind him.

"At least tell me if she told you she loved you!" he shouted.

**********

"Do not walk away."

Blanche let out an exasperated sigh but she didn't stop walking.

"Do not walk away, Blanche."

"Why does it matter? You're going to follow me anyway," Blanche mumbled as she slid into her chair in the art room.

Jill plunked her hands on her hips. "Are you guys in a relationship?"

"What?" she muttered as she set a canvass on the easel.

"Are you in a relationship with Ashe?"

"Ashe who?"

"Don't you play dumb with me."

"Your sculpture teacher is going to go gung-ho on you again if you're late for your class," Blanche pointed.

Jill huffed. "I can just bribe the man with candy."

"Get out," Blanche told her in amusement. "Our class is going to start soon."

"Not until you answer me!" Jill cried. Then she leaned into Blanche and hissed, "I let you stand me up a couple of times just so you could spend time with Ashe. I sat in the back row next to Mr. I'm-too-great-for-everyone-in-this-damn-school Jacobs during the school assembly because I was late and you forgot to save me a seat. I suffered five lunch hours with Emmy and Groot because you spent lunch with him. So I think I deserve an answer, Blanche."

But Blanche only laughed at her diatribe and shooed her away when the other art students began to file in the room. Jill groaned and walked out, muttering under her breath. Then she turned.

"At least tell me if he told you he loved you," she whispered furiously from the door.