Chapter Text
''Hey, Harley,'' Dave tugged at his shirt collar as he spoke. ''Could you come with me for a minute?''
''Um... sure.'' Jade replied, curious as to why he wanted her to follow him around. They have barely talked before, her being a social student while he sat alone in the corner. Her group of friends always teased this loner, shades wearing Strider boy, but she didn't because she knew it wasn't right to poke fun at people. It also didn't help that she secretly thought he was kind of cute. He strode away and she followed him down the hallway. The blonde boy walked stiffly, red Converses making patting sounds on the floor. Behind him, Jade let her eyes wander around Dave's back. The red plaid shirt, unbuttoned, with a white tee inside matched perfectly with his dark blue jeans. All branded clothing- he must be rich, Jade thought. Although she could barely see the shape of his butt from her angle, she blushed madly at the thought of his rump.
Dave halted outside the science lab.
''The science lab?'' Jade questioned. Dave just nodded his head and opened the door. They entered the laboratory. With display cupboards filled with chemicals and assorted apparatus, the blue walled laboratory was definitely one of the most impressive places in the school. They walked past the rows of student desks and arrived at the teacher's table to greet the Laboratory supervisor, Mr. Deuce.
''Jade! Just the lad I wanted to see. I have a favor to ask for you.'' He quipped. Dave rested his face in one arm, fingers covering his shades.
''You see, Strider here is very weak at Biology, so I was hoping maybe you could tutor him?'' Jade cocked an eyebrow at Mr. Deuce.
''Well, you are one of my best students, Jade, so I had to ask you.''
''Okay, I will.'' Jade replied hastily. It was best not to get on the bad side of Mr. Deuce.
''Great! So I will leave it to you two to arrange your study sessions together.'' Mr. Deuce grinned and clasped his hands together. After being excused, Jade and Dave exited the laboratory quietly.
''So... when do you want to start?'' Jade asked, flashing Dave one of her friendliest smiles.
''I'm okay with anytime.'' His expression remained stoic. Jade wished that he would at least show some emotion. His lack of enthusiasm was making her feel a little bit uncomfortable.
''My place after school?''
''Sure.''
''All right, meet me by the gate after school.'' Jade ran a hand through her long dark hair and looked down to her blue sneakers awkwardly.
''See ya.'' Dave coughed, breaking the perverse silence and proceeded to walk down the hall. Jade stared at him and shook her head. The ring of the bell startled her. She had to get to class, home room was over.
''Where were you?'' Jade's best friend, Rose Lalonde, asked when Jade entered the Social studies classroom late.
''Mr. Deuce asked me to tutor Dave Strider for Biology. Can you believe that?'' Jade whispered as she sat down next to Rose. Rose smirked and arranged the velvety purple hairband that rested on her silky, blonde short hair.
''Did you know that Dave and I are related? Twins?''
''What? No way!''
''Yes way indeed. My mother and his father were together before. It's complicated.'' Rose sighed.
''Oh I see. He's coming over to my house later though.''
''Ooooh, you're tutoring Strider? In your house??'' a cheerful voice whispered from behind Rose. Feferi Peixes had a devilish grin on her face.
''Yea. No, Fef, it's just tutoring!'' Jade muttered, feeling her face turn slightly redder.
''Strider is such a weirdo,'' Vriska Serket (who was sitting at the other side of Jade) snorted. ''Always alone and wearing sunglasses indoors. He looks like a douchebag!''
''Yea, he is sort of weird.'' Feferi agreed.
''Don't be so rude guys.'' Jade bit her lip.
''Why Jade, do you have some feelings for that loser?'' laughed Vriska, forgetting to keep her voice down. Before Jade could protest, Ms. Paint rapped at her desk and Vriska faced front with a half apologetic look and Ms. Paint continued to write down the notes on the board.
''Well, good luck with Dave,'' Rose whispered to Jade as she continued copying down the things that Ms. Paint was writing on the board. ''He is one complicated kid.'' Jade rolled her eyes and chewed down on her pencil. She hoped that he wouldn't be as bad as Rose was making him sound.
_
''Here we are.'' Jade told Dave as they entered her house. Rifles and firearms of all sorts hung beautifully on the white washed walls, among the grey picture frames containing pictures of Jade and her Grandpa. White themed furniture sat in the high-ceiling room, giving the house a positive glow.
''Nice pad.'' Dave said, clearly impressed.
''Thanks! My grandfather designed it all by himself! He even made the furniture and the frames.''
''Your grandpa sounds like a rad old man.''
''Thanks!'' Jade was glad that he was starting to talk more openly. During their walk to her house, he didn't even say a word. She motioned him to follow her to her room. Before opening the door to her room, Jade remembered that her room was in an absolute mess, and she had left her squiddles in a pile on the floor. It would be awkward if Dave saw them and thought she was childish and uncool. Vriska once made fun of her for still owning stuffed animals at her age. Jade groaned inwardly as they walked into her room. Papers and books lay astray on her desk, with some crumpled paper on the floor. At least her bed was presentable.
''Heh, sorry it's a mess.'' Jade told him, shutting the door behind them.
''Nah, you should see my room. It's ten times worse. What's that?'' Dave pointed to the squiddle pile. Jade shuffled over to the pile and shoved the plushes into a corner.
''Um, they're my stuffed toys.'' Jade was certain that if there were a 'cool-o-meter' right now, she'd be right at zero.
''Oh, okay.'' Dave replied, standing in the middle of the room.
''I'm going to change first. Have a seat!'' Jade quipped, patting on her bed and trying to ease the tension in the room, glad that he didn't make fun of her like her peers did. She grabbed her clothes from her wardrobe, making sure to obscure the view of the contents inside, and dashed off to her bathroom.