School Shenanigans [cw]

Zaira shook her head at Jeremy, wrapping her arms around him and just keeping him grounded. Pacing would do him no good at this point. "It can be really scary to feel such a thing if you've never felt it before," she said thinking it through because she didn't want him to think that she didn't approve. Then he started talking about the party and she shook her head. "Why shouldn't you go to the party? Jere you are punishing yourself for something that's completely natural," she said. Did he really think that he was some sort of sinner? That kissing Damiano would doom him to some tormented life?
"Alright, Imma be real with you, cause I would want someone to be real with me if the tables were turned," she said quite seriously, taking his hand and looking at him with empathetic eyes. "Don't run away from a feeling that makes you feel good," she said. She had tried ignoring what she had felt for Kurtis, tried to ignore how much it hurt when she saw him with others, how she had spent her nights just trying to drown out her thoughts about him. "If Damiano makes you happy, then allow yourself to be happy, even if you feel too proud or scared of what other people might think," she spoke, clearly from experience. "I don't know what you've been raised with, but know that at my place there'll always be room for you." It was scary to think if he actually got thrown out from home, but she would be there for him.

Hearing about his brother she frowned, looking down as she let that sink in. What it would mean for Jeremy to see his big brother be shunned like that. Wasn't seraphim all about accepting and loving? She felt a bit confused, but she just shook her head looking at him with caring eyes. Why were all these rich kids parents so fucking ruthless? "I'm sorry," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder, just wanting him to know that she was there for him.
She was silent for a while, just listening to the empty house. She couldn't imagine what it must've felt like for Jeremy right now. "Do you need to tell your parents? Like I don't tell my mom about everything I do," she said, looking up at him. "Like you know I'll do anything for you," she said, "I'll even go to.my grave with what you've just told me if that's what you really want ... but would it really be so bad to just experiment a little?"

"No, it doesn't make you a bad person ... However it makes me dislike your parents a lot," she said, thinking it through, but she just disliked anyone with such narrowminded lives. Had they no compassion for the kids they had raised? "But I just don't want you to go around not being you," she argued. He had bottled it up until now, and she felt a little hurt by the fact he hadn't told her sooner. But then again she had a secret she wanted to tell him too, one that might get disclosed tomorrow. Breathing out she just leaned against him, her body so tired, and yet she knew she couldn't rest when he was dealing with all of this shit. She really cared about him, even going as far as to say that she loved him, albeit not romantically, but love came in all shapes and sizes.
"While we're at the whole ... confessing part; I got something I need to get off my chest too," she muttered, taking a deep breath as she looked out in to the room, a slight smile spreading on her lips. "I kept things quiet, cause part of me was scared that if I said it out loud it would become real and it would break me in some way," feeling her heart beat a little faster. She chuckled, placing a hand over her heart. "You were right about Kurtis ... He does like me and I like him too," maybe talking about love would sound a bit crazy at this point, but she felt like she truly did love the lycan. "And uhm, I kinda asked him to be my boyfriend to which he said yes," she said, feeling so giddy as she smiled to herself. Looking at Jeremy it was clear she searched for some sort of validation or a greenlight. He was his best friend after all, and she adored the nephilim.

She wasn't trying to take away from the things he had gone through today, but she felt like maybe a little distraction was needed. Just to get him out of that bad spiral of thoughts he had. He had a hard time breaking his serious face, and as he asked if she was going to treat him well she just nodded. Of course she was. His mumbled however confirmed that he had tried to be funny.
"Took this long?" She asked a little confused. She also found it a bit ironic as she had sorta waited for Jeremy to come out to her in some sense as well. Not that he had made a perfect confession, but she could see it was still something he had to come to terms with himself.
"Do you wanna stay here the night?" She asked because she didn't want him to go back home if he felt like that would worsen his mindset.

It felt good that Jeremy knew now, and that he actually seemed supportive of what her and Kurtis had. But she just wished she could convey some sort of clever remark about him needing happiness too.
He declined her offer, but she wasn't giving up so easily. "As if I can rest when I know you feel bad," she said in a scoff, "call your parents and say that I needed to catch up on homework and that you're the best student ever or some shit." It was late anyways, would they really want their kid going home through the dark city at this hour? Even if this city was safer than most, she just couldn't imagine it.

He declined again, and she sighed, getting up on her feet as she pulled him up in a hug. "I hate to see you like this," she whispered, holding him close for a few seconds, but her body was about to pass out from being so tired. She was pushing her limits, but who could blame her when it was for Jeremy she stayed up? "At least text me when you get back?" she asked, pulling out of the hug not because she wanted to, but because they needed to. As he left she would mutter a tired, see you tomorrow, even though it already was tomorrow. Heading upstairs she just collapsed on her bed, too tired and too worried, but it wasn't before she got his text that she would really sleep.

Damiano had had it rough after Jeremy had left, his head fixating on what he could've done differently. The fact that he felt so guilty for having enjoyed the kiss despite the nephilim clearly not being in the right mindset. He was laying on his back, having put on music on his record player, hooking up headphones as to not disturb his sleeping family. Fuck it, he needed to just write something, even if he wasn't going to send it.

[Messages between Damiano and Jeremy]
[Damiano:] I'm sorry
[Damiano:] I just don't deal with emotions well
[Damiano:] Please don't ignore me
[Damiano:] I don't want to ruin the friendship we have

Friendship? He felt so tired of just pretending like there wasn't more between them, but what could he do? Taking a deep breath he looked down at his fresh cuts, it was not really a good sign, but he had nowhere to act out these feelings inside of him. The hurt and the anger was just too much and then there would be times when he just felt numb from it all.

[Damiano:] I can't fucking sleep
[Damiano:] My body feels weird
[Damiano:] And I feel like everything is my fault

Feeling his phone vibrate against his chest was a bit surprising, mostly because he thought Jeremy would be asleep by now. Reading the texts however didn't make him feel better, it actually just felt like his heart was trying to fight the numbness. Pretend like it never happened. How was he supposed to do that? Could Jeremy just turn off his feelings and go on with life? In that case Damiano didn't know how to react.

[Damiano:] I did do something wrong it seems
[Damiano:] Because I enjoyed that kiss even though you probably regret it now
[Damiano:] I can't just forget that feeling, that's not who I am

Scratching and pulling his hair a little he felt so frustrated, sitting up and his earphones popped out, shaking a little at these emotions. It was as if every time he thought back to it, he just felt those nice tingles down his spine. He could feel his breath halter and how Jeremy had held on to his neck.

[Damiano:] Maybe
[Damiano:] Maybe it would just be better if we don't see each other then

Damiano felt his eyes water, looking up at the ceiling of his room. It was easier to push people away before they got too close. And if Jeremy was too scared to do anything, then what was the hybrid really waiting for? A miracle wouldn't just happen over night, and he couldn't keep doing the same thing over and over, trying to convince himself that something might change. He felt like such a failure. How could he even call himself a friend when he couldn't help anyone? Reading the messages didn't help either, because it just confirmed everything about their situation. They could be together but only to a certain extent, and Damiano knew that it wouldn't be enough. Was it unfair to say that?

[Damiano:] I'm not angry
[Damiano:] I'm just really sad

He wouldn't reply further, turning off his phone as he looked up at his ceiling. He couldn't sleep, but he had smoked his last cigarette and no store was really open at this hour. Taking a few deep breaths he shut his eyes, pressing his eyelids harshly together as he tried ignoring his intrusive thoughts.

How he had managed to sleep at all was the biggest question, but as his father had awakened him, he had gotten ready for school. Being a scholarship kid meant that missing just one day of school or one class could be perceived as being lazy or not wanting this education enough. He had to be careful. The bags under his eyes were huge, but not too bad that some makeup couldn't hide it.

Looking at the lycan as he approached, Damiano sorta feared that he was coming over to yell at him. Maybe for hurting Jeremy? Or at least something like it. But as he thanked him and handed over the pack of cigarettes he just nodded, "yeah, don't mention it," he said a little distantly, but he was smiling politely. At least the lycan seemed in a better mood today, and he hoped that he would continue to have that. Damiano on the other hand just watched as the lycan left, and he himself headed in to school, just wanting to have the day over with.

Zaira arrived at the gate, frowning as she couldn't see Jeremy anywhere. But they always met at the gate, so it felt weird as she headed in by herself. She was doing better today, her pain medication actually doing more than just taking the edge off, and she felt more like herself. She was greeted by some of the cheerleaders from her squad, falling in to conversation with them and she even laughed, but her mind was occupied with what had happened to Jeremy, shooting him a quick text asking where he was. "Yeah, sure I'll be at practice later; I just can't do anything too crazy just yet," she said the team captain, to which they understood. Getting tossed in the air when her ribs were still healing maybe wasn't the best idea.

Having her back turned she didn't notice Kurtis before he pulled her in, placing his lips against her own. For a short while it felt like the world around them dissappeared, and she leaned in to the kiss quite oblivious to the fact that people were watching. He pulled away and she opened her eyes to look at him at his whisper before he hurried off to class. "You're such an ass, Trevino!" she yelled after him, but her voice wasn't harsh, rather she had liked that a lot. Only now she turned to see the squad flabbergasted by what they had just witnesses, "what?" she muttered a bit defensive, crossing her arms in front of her chest. One of the girls giggled, "just didn't see that one coming," she said. Zaira groaned, rolling her eyes as she saw the looks from Kurtis' pursuers - if looks could kill she would've died multiple times already.
Heading to class the whole school was buzzing with the newest rumor; Zaira Rojas and Kurtis Trevino were dating. Of course most people tried not talking about it when she was around, but she could see it from their looks. It felt like being stalked, all eyes on her as she headed down the hallway for her next class. Some guys even winking at her as if she had something new about her. But she didn't want that to rise to her head.

[Messages between Zaira and Jeremy]
[Zaira:] Hey, are you alright?
[Zaira:] Just a little sign of life would be nice, yk