Worse Than Nicotine

Now that Holly was back with Alex, her loving of school returned. She always got excited for music and always got to watch him during class. She loved the secret glances and winks he’d send to her when no one was looking, the ones that only she knew. She was actually excited to go to school again, and this was a side of her she liked showing.

Holly was helping Hayley work out a cord in one of her new songs in the last period of the day, which was thankfully music. She looked over at Alex quickly, and he sent her a wink before looking back at the computer in front of him. She bit down on her lip to stop her from grinning so big.

“I’m going to barf,” Hayley joked, and Holly hit her softly on the arm.

As Hayley worked out one of the chords finally, a knock sounded on the classroom door. None of the students were startled, and only Alex stood to open the door for the dean of students. Holly glanced over, seeing the dean gesturing for Alex to come outside the classroom and asked another teacher to substitute for the rest of class. Holly raised her eyebrows, growing anxious. Why was the dean talking to him? Why did he need to talk to him for so long that they needed a sub for the rest of class?

“Why did that just happen?” Hayley whispered.

Holly bit down on her fingernail. “I don’t know.”

---

She went to Alex’ classroom during lunch, even though it went against their new rules, but found his chair empty. She huffed out a sigh and made her way back to the cafeteria, trying to make herself feel better about where he was. She didn’t visit his apartment afterschool though, because she already had plans with Hayley anyways.

When she walked into music the next day, she found the sub from yesterday still there. He didn’t come to school today. If you thought she was nervous before, you couldn’t imagine the stress Holly was facing now.

She sat down on the couch she usually occupied every day, running a hand through her hair and throwing her head into her hands. Hayley walked into the classroom a minute later, staring at the sub in confusion before taking her spot next to Holly.

“Holl?” The redhead scooted close to her friend, rubbing circles into her back. “Are you okay?”

Holly shook her head, and Hayley hugged her tightly. “I’m so worried,” the blonde whispered into her friend’s hair. Hayley just nodded in understanding.

“Well, I have a prediction as to what happened.”

Jasey Rae’s voice peaked in the quiet classroom as she spoke to the group of people around her. Holly slowly slid away from Hayley, lifting her eyes to the brunette surrounded by her other classmates. What is she going on about? Holly questioned in her head.

“From what my boyfriend, Brendon, told me,” she went on, “Mr. Gaskarth may have been fired because he might have had an affair with one of his students. But I’m not one to tell if it’s true or not.” She shrugged with a smirk.

Eyes widened around her as whispers were sent, questioning who might be the guilty student. Holly frowned and bit the inside of her cheek, not expecting what Hayley was going to do next.

“You don’t know anything, Jasey Rae.” Hayley stood up, walking close to the brunette with an angry expression. “You and your stupid little boyfriend, who doesn’t know what he wants, don’t know anything about what happened to Mr. Gaskarth. So don’t make accusations about things you don’t know about.”

Jasey ground her teeth. “For you information, Hayley, I like to be called just Jas―”

“Oh, shut the hell up and go cry to your lying boyfriend.”

Holly smiled warmly as her best friend defended her. She was so thankful to have a person like Hayley in her life. Even though she knew Hayley didn’t fully approve of her relationship, she knew she’d always be there for her. Hayley was someone who would be around for the long-run, and that was exactly what Holly needed in life.

Now she just needed to find out what happened to Alex for real, and she would be satisfied.

Notes

Sorry for the short chapter :(
But oh noooooo, what do you think happened to Alex???
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Rock on \m/