Champagne's for Celebrating, I'll Take a Martini

The next day at school Jack was extremely irritable. For starters, Mandy was being super clingy, his friends kept giving him shit about Arianna, and he hadn't done his French homework again. He swore that his teacher had a personal vendetta against him. From day one she'd made him sit front row, directly in front of her desk. She was always calling on him when virtually the rest of the class had their hands raised and he had slowly begun to sink down in his chair. She just loved looking for ways to torture him.

On top of all that he'd had to sit through another family dinner being lectured about his "silly little band" and how he should be spending more time studying to carry on the family tradition and become a doctor. He didn't want that though. He could never see himself doing anything other than music. His parents just didn't understand. With a million different things on his mind, he trudged into French class, dropping his bag uncaringly to the floor as he took his assigned seat. He pulled up his dark grey hood and rest his head down against his sweatshirt clad arms. He briefly wondered how red his teacher's face would get if she caught him sleeping her class.

"Whoa, someone missed their morning Luck Charms," a familiar giggle sounded. His head snapped up and there was Arianna, standing right in front of him, hunched over his desk. Normally he would have been delighted that she had finally initiated a conversation, but today nothing was pleasing him. "You know, Ms. Dubois is going to bite your head off if she sees you wearing that hoodie," she smirked, her tone teasing but friendly. He put his head back down, emitting a soft grunt in response.

"Well okay then…" she said sounding a little disappointed. He mentally cursed himself when he looked up again and saw that she was no longer there. Another addition to his perfect day.

After class was over and everyone began to shuffle out into the busy hallway, Jack caught sight of Arianna and quickly went after her. "Hey, Arianna, wait!" Jack called out, trying to catch up as she exited the classroom. "Wait up!"

Finally she stopped and turned around. "Oh, so now you want to talk to me?" she placed her hands on her hips. He frowned, not able to tell if she was really mad or just being smart. "Oh my gosh, relax! You don't have to be so serious all the time!" her solemn expression broke, a smile taking its place. He forced a small laugh, running his fingers through his scruffy hair. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine…sorry for—"

"Being an asshat?" she finished for him and he smiled sheepishly.

"Well, yeah…" he trailed off and he could feel his cheeks getting hot. He was never like this. He never apologized. He never felt so anxious. This girl put him on his toes and he couldn't figure out why.

"Well…" she stroked her chin, looking deep in thought. "I mean I guess I can forgive you."

She had that smart grin on her face that made Jack feel like the floor beneath him had dissolved and now he was just floating. He quickly snapped himself out of it, raking his fingers through his hair again. Arianna was used to the "high and mighty" overly proud Jack Barakat. Seeing him so frazzled and dare she say nervous was kind of amusing to her.

"So really what's up with you?" she asked as the two fell in step with each other, walking down the hallway. He rolled his shoulders, looking down at his feet. She narrowed her eyes, studying the boy suspiciously. "Oh come on, I didn't think you of all people were the type to hold back."

He glanced up at her, her striking green eyes almost intimidating as they probed him for answers. He sighed heavily and answered, "My parents think I'm wasting my time with the band. They want me to drop out."

"Oh…well that sucks," she sounded sympathetic. "It must be something really important to you then, huh?"

He nodded. "We started it freshman year. It's been pretty much all we put time and effort into since and they think it's just some dumb hobby."

"Well did you tell them that?" she asked, wrinkling her forehead. He nodded silently. "Well I say, screw what they think. Work ten times as hard and make it big so you can rub all your success in their faces later," she nudged him with a wink. He chuckled softly and nudged her back. Their hands brushed lightly against each other and a warm sensation rippled through both their bodies, a light blush creeping up on their cheeks.

"You should come see us sometime," Jack said, looking over to her.

"Should I?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes you really should. Like you said, we're gunna be all big and famous one day. When that day comes you'll be able to say you knew Jack Barakat back when," he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"I bet all the girls would be jealous."

"Well of course, it is me after all?" he joked and she pushed him away playfully.

"You're so conceited it's ridiculous!"

"Others find it endearing," he retorted and she rolled her eyes.

"Sure they do…"

Their hands brushed again and this time they turned towards each other, a faint smile playing at their lips. Their eyes locked and they stopped walking for a moment, becoming roadblocks on the fast highway of students.

"Jack?" a shrill voice called out and the two broke eye contact. When they turned in the direction of the voice, they saw a little blonde cheerleader hastily walking towards them. Mandy. "Jack, where were you? You were supposed to meet me outside the gym," she said once she'd reached the two. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her hip jutting out to her side. She didn't look too happy.

"Oh sorry, I forgot," he dismissed the issue, the bitterness from before edging back into his voice. Arianna looked between the two, confusion settling over her pretty features.

"And who's this?" Mandy eyed Arianna, looking her up and down with scrutiny.

"Arianna," she answered for herself, catching a snobbish vibe from the small blonde. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I would like to speak to my boyfriend, so if you could just…" Mandy motioned her hands in a "shooing" gesture. Arianna's eyebrows rose and she took a step back from the couple.

Boyfriend? Jack is her boyfriend?

"Mandy you can't just shoo people off," Jack defended her. "We were talking."

"Well now we're talking," she fired back, an unsettling tension rising among the three.

"You know what," Arianna patted Jack's shoulder. "I have to go anyway. Nice meeting you Mandy. See you around Jack…"

A smirk rose on Mandy's face, satisfied while Jack watched Arianna walk off, a sick feeling settling inside of him. See you around Jack. She'd said it so tersely, like she didn't mean it. He continued to watch as she turned the corner and disappeared from his view. They had finally made some progress and were having an actual conversation and now he was back to square one again.