eight.

                                    

                                          
"why didn't you bloody stop me!?" el shakes mike back and fourth with a groan, "that was so stupid of me and humiliating! why did you let me do that!?" she screams, recalling the events of the party night only because someone filmed it. 
                          
"i lost you!" he shouts, "max lost you but i was freaking out upstairs thinking something bad has happened to you but at least i found you!"
                          
she huffs and crosses her arms, "it's so humiliating. the video is humiliating." she whispers and looks down at the ground. 
                          
"no, it's not." he says softly, cupping her shoulder, "look around for me, el. those people right now giving you smiles, the ones who are defending you under that comment section of the video."
                          
"they what?" she looks up slowly as he nods with a smile, "yes. i'll send you them because they're defending you, they're helping you."
                          
"but it's not—"
                          
"enough?" he asks as she nods slowly, "it's only a few people, mike. it doesn't matter because..." she trails off, "do you.. of course you know, who am i kidding?" she look away with a scoff. 
                          
"if you don't want me to know then," he snaps his fingers, "poof, i forgot everything. who are you? what happened again?"
                          
she giggles quietly, "i.. i don't mind." she murmurs, "everyone knows anyways."
                          
"i believe you, el. i am one of those people that believes you. my friends does, those girls do, those boys over there as well. it might not be much but just know that we believe you." he says softly, "and if i could do anything to make them—the court, the people, i don't know—to believe you, i would. i would, el."
                          
she smiles weakly, her eyes brimming with tears, "thanks mike." she sniffles, "okay now go."
                          
"what?" he asks. 
                          
"its your make-up test, mike. we've been studying and practising. now go, i'll meet you outside the classroom in an hour and you can tell me all about it." she pats his shoulder, which by the way, was really hard and she didn't know how he barely budged when she quietly winced. 
                          
he grins, "okay then. we can go to starbucks after?" he asks as she nods, "yes, i have art now and we can go later."
                          
he smiles and gives her a nod, "be safe, okay? i'll text if it runs over." he pushes her off a bit as she gasps, "no! don't text during a test!"
                          
he chuckles and shoos her away, "okay, okay."
                          
☁︎
                          
"el, come on, just eat your food." mike pleads as she silences him, "my english paper is due, shush please." she says, "food can wait, everything can wait."
                          
"english doesn't even matter to you." he says as she groans, "yes, it does! it's grades, mike. i— it's.. it's graded."
                          
"okay, okay. but please eat first and i'll let you work later." he folds up her stuff as she whines, "mike, please—"
                          
"shh," he silences her, "please eat your muffin before it gets cold. and drink your drink."
                          
she bites down on her lip in defeat and then huffs, "i was almost done." she pushes her round glasses up making him chuckle. 
                          
"what?" she asks as he shakes his head, "nothing. your glasses just make you look cute." he shrugs, "nothing."
                          
she gasps inaudibly and blushes a bit before looking down at her food and eating her muffin to cover her face.