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Awsten found it ridiculous that such a small amount of discipline referrals landed him in the library during lunch AND HIS FREE PERIOD! All because he may or may not have racked up over 10 detentions and BIRs (behavior intervention reports) It’s not like he deserved them either he just liked to talk and maybe skip class sometimes but is it really a crime to need a break??
The bell to lunch rings and he shuffles his way to the school library to begin torture. When he opens the door the librarian motions him over and gives a rundown of his tasks. He’s on duty relabeling all books that have had the sticker ripped off. He takes the bin of books and labels and walks to the farthest table tossing his backpack on the floor and plopping into the plastic chair after setting the supplies on the table. He makes it less than a fourth of the way through when he sees Geoff Wigington waltz in with Otto Wood. Geoff was known for being the school's scene kid stoner hitting a Myspace phase hard. Otto, on the other hand, Awsten only knew the name of. He never stood out to Awsten but maybe he'd just not been looking hard enough.
Geoff walks over to where Awsten is sitting and glances back at Otto. Awsten nods to say hello and Geoff starts to speak just for Otto to pull him away to another table. Okay… Weird Awsten thought but he gets it not everyone wants to talk to him with his reputation especially not the good quiet kid. He finishes the labeling task attempting to discreetly glance at Otto and Geoff while doing it. He’d never seen them talk and by the looks of it, they were pretty buddy-buddy.
The lunch dismissal bell ends just as Awsten is finishing up and he turns the books over to the librarian and then walks to Jazz band next door, his final class. He only joined the class because it was the one class he could have fun in even if he didn't like jazz it was a good homeroom to have. He got to play guitar and his friend Jawn was on bass so they could sit together. They make it through the class and Jawn tags along with Awsten when his mom picks him up. Awsten was fully able to drive but since the library punishment, his car privileges were revoked.
Jawn gets dropped off, and his mom asks how the library is, Awsten explains to his mom his tasks with distaste although he doesn't hate them that much. She nods, pulling into the driveway and definitely not listening to a word he says. He survives dinner and heads back to his room to text Jawn on his sidekick.
A: “BITCH PCK UP UR PHNE!”
J: omg whts ur prblm ????
A: ur mom
J: lol no bt fr ‘;0
A: i mss u b @ my house
J: well do bttr at nt gttng grnded???
A: UGH fu im out
J: kk night
Awsten snaps shut his phone and lies down. The next day comes and he’s back in his class before lunch.
The bell once again rings for lunch and he makes the trek to the library. When he gets there he sees that Geoff and Otto are in HIS SPOT! He claimed it yesterday and he deserves it! Up until he hears the librarian say he’ll be shelving the books. Way more exciting than the table. He pushes the cart and puts the books up skipping around to find where the book goes. He hears Geoff laugh a few times and snaps his head back to see him lean into Otto. He watches as Otto blushes and giggles along. Geoff says something Awsten can’t hear then the two scoot closer and pull a few books towards the middle.
Awsten decides it’s his mission to figure out what’s up with them. He looks for a book to stock in that section and finds only one so he makes his way over holding the book. Otto looks up at him while he reaches behind the other and Awsten finds himself lost. He’d never truly looked at Otto but now that he has he never wants to stop. He studies Otto's features when he gets poked by Geoff who smiles and points to where the book should go. Awsten quickly looks away feeling his face heat up.
“Uhm, that’s my last book to put away can I uh sit with you?” Awsten asks lacking the confidence he does in other classes.
“Oh, uhm well I’m kinda tutoring Otto, but sure I think we’re almost done,” Geoff answers motioning to the chair on the other side of the table.
“You? Tutor? Otto?” Awsten questions perplexed, he just assumed Otto was one of the smart kids since he’d never seen him in the classes he attended.
“Yep, It’s more of a mutual benefit thing though since I'm better at math than Geoff and he’s better at English,” Otto butts in before Geoff can answer.
“Oh, what classes do you take since I’ve not seen you in mine?” Awstens attempts to make small talk.
“We have the same schedule do you not see me in your every class?” Otto interrogates when Geoff interrupts, “We have almost the same schedules but I'm not in band haha!”
Awsten thanks god for Geoff's perfect timing, “Oh! Otto, what do you play?”
“Drums I sit in the back of the room though so you wouldn’t notice without looking back there.”
“OMG that’s epic I’ve heard you but I can’t believe I've never noticed you!”
“I mean, you sit there talking to Jawn the whole time so I wouldn’t imagine you’d notice anyone else.”
“Hey guys, the bell is about to ring we should pack up,” Geoff interrupts once again saving Awsten’s ass.
Awsten follows Otto to their next class and Awsten motions to Jawn that they are sitting in the back. Jawn follows confused but goes anyway, When Awsten sits by the drumset Jawn waves to Otto and then turns back to Awsten who’s making googly eyes at the other. Jawn pulls Awsten over.
“OOOOH you're crushing on him” Jawn whisper-yells shaking Awsten.
“Yeah but also maybe I might also be into Geoff-” Awsten replies looking away.
“Well, who do you like more?” Jawn asks then stops, “Wait… WIGINGTON?”
“Erm, maybe” Awsten murmurs embarrassed.
“No fucking way, he drinks 4loko you are not going after him.”
“Okay! But he’s different in the library.”
And so, Awsten enters his love triangle, angle? How would he know? Arc.
The next day at the library Otto isn’t there but Geoff is so he sets out to get Geoff’s number. He sits with Geoff at the table as they work in silence. Awsten notices Geoff's shirt and decides to comment on it.
“Hey, so you like Linkin Park?”
“Yeah! They're my fav band i know every guitar part to their songs!”
“OMG, you play guitar too!?” Awsten exclaims back trying to hook Geoff’s attention in.
“Yeah, hey! We should jam sometime I’ll give you my number!”
Awsten’s task was complete, however… at the cost of being asked to jam, Ick! Either way, he spends the rest of his day messaging Geoff using as many cute emoticons as possible.
The next day in band he tries to get Otto’s number, it goes about the same as Geoff’s encounter.
“Uhm, So you're like really good at drums, and I was wondering if you’d like to come over and practice our parts together?”
“Oh, sure do you have a kit or...”
“Yep! So do you like, want my number?” Awsten crosses his fingers and hopes really hard that Otto will say yes.
“Alright, give me your arm,” Otto says before scribbling out his number on Awsten’s arm.
Awsten once again spends the night messaging, however this time two boys at once. When he shows up at the library on the fifth day Geoff and Otto are once again talking closely and being all lovey-dovey as if they didn't spend all of yesterday flirting with Awsten. He does his tasks with a cranky attitude then plops down with the two who turn and ask at the same time, “Wanna start a band?”
Awsten looks at them and then puts his head in his hands. He wanted a boyFRIEND, not a boyBAND! He slowly looks back up to the two who are bewildered by Awsten’s actions.
“Uhm you okay?” Otto tilts his head as he speaks and his hair perfectly frames his face, Awsten thinks he might melt.
“Hey, it was only a suggestion you don’t have to we can just be friends and not play music together,” Geoff comforts, his hands taking place on Awstens shoulder.
“UGH, that’s not my problem, I want both of you and not in a friend OR a band way! I wish I didn't have to choose!” Awsten whines putting his head back on the table.
“Oh, why don’t we just all date then? I like you, I like Otto, and you like me and Otto! That just leaves it up to Otto,” Geoff immediately answers as if that was the obvious choice.
“I also like you both! But I still want to be in a band,” Otto states taking Awsten and Geoff's hands.
The bell once again rings and Otto and Awsten hold hands to their homeroom where Jawn squeals. The three spend the class joking back and forth until the final bell goes off and they go home.
That day was the final of Awsten’s library punishment and the start of his library boyfies. They spend the weekend together and Otto gets the band he wanted.