Chapter Text
Musa leaned on the edge of the bleachers, her earbuds in, but no music playing. Her phone died an hour ago, but the earbuds kept her away from conversation, so she kept them in. She watched Riven from across the gym, he was with Brandon, the two of them fighting some dummies. His movements were all sharp and fast, she even flinched when a particular jab sent the dummy tipping slightly backwards. He looked like he was trying to beat his thoughts out of his fists.
Darcy stood by, arms crossed and smirking. Tall, beautiful Darcy, with long, luscious hair that reached her butt, and curves in all the right places. Her golden eyes were narrow and so captivating as they followed Riven like a Hawk, possessive and maybe even a little dangerous.
God, she hates her. Hates them. Hates how good they look together. Or maybe she just hates the fact that they are together.
Riven threw a punch so hard, it sent his dummy flying onto his back, making a huge thud in the gym that sent an echo throughout the whole room. Brandon, stepping back, just took a laugh and shook his head, taking Riven’s attack as a sign for them to start cleaning up. Riven pulled off his gloves and started walking towards the edge of the mat, towards Darcy. She leaned in and whispered something into his ear that made him smirk, and Musa felt a familiar twist in her stomach that she knew all too well.
She looked away. Musa doesn’t know why she even watches him anyway. It’s stupid, but maybe if Musa stares at them enough, Riven would finally grow some sense and dump that evil wench he liked to call his girlfriend.
“Still not over him, huh?” A voice said beside her. She turned to see Tecna, holding two water bottles, one extended towards her.
Musa shrugged, taking the bottle. “There’s nothing to be over. We’re friends, that’s all.”
Tecna raised an eyebrow, “You write songs about him in your notebook.”
“That was one time, and I was PMSing,” mumbled Musa as she dropped her head in her hands as the embarrassment of the memory came back to her. “Besides, I write songs about a lot of people.”
Tecna stayed silent and just sat next to her friend, but the eyebrow that stayed raised told Musa she didn’t believe a single thing coming out of her friend’s mouth.
The bell rang, and two girls started gathering their things to leave, just as a certain someone called out to Musa
“Yo, you’re coming to Kelli’s party tonight, right?” Riven’s shirt clung to his skin, earbuds slung around his neck like hers.
“I didn’t tell you? I’m the DJ for that thing.” Musa smirked in response.
“You bitch, why didn’t you tell me?” Riven jabbed playfully
She shrugged nonchalantly, “Must’ve slipped my mind.”
“Whatever,” Riven rolled his eyes, but Musa could tell there was no real malice behind it. Then, a certain glow in his eyes lit up as an idea formed in his head, and Musa already had to fight the groan that would escape her lips at Riven’s next sentence. ‘Say, me and Darcy’s-”
“Darcy and I,” Interrupted Tecna, looking completely disinterested in the current conversation.
“Darcy and I are celebrating our first anniversary tomorrow. I was thinking, maybe I could plan a surprise, and once the clock hits midnight, you could play the song ‘Charmer And The Snake’”
“From the Velveteers?” Asked Musa.
“Yeah, that one! It’s the song that was playing in the photobooth when Darcy and I (Riven quickly shot Tecna a side eye) had our first kiss. It's cute, don’t you think?”
Musa inwardly cringed at the concept of doing something good for Darcy popped up in her mind, but –being the people pleaser that she is– just nodded her head at Riven. “Sure, not really a party song, but I guess I can make it work.”
The smile on Riven’s face made Musa feel a little better about playing a song for the woman she had one-sided beef with, but that happiness was soon replaced with annoyance as Darcy made her way next to Riven, her dark nails brushing down his arm. “Riv, what’s taking so long?” Darcy made eye contact with Musa, and although Musa was positively sure Darcy didn’t know about her little crush on Riven, the glare Darcy was giving her made her feel like Darcy knew every single thought that was passing through Musa’s mind. “We’re going to be late for calc.”
Riven, not even noticing the tension, nodded his head at Musa as he left for the gym doors, Darcy right by his side. “Later, Musa.”
After they were gone, Tecna shot Musa a look of sympathy, but Musa just ignored it as she turned and started walking to the doors herself. “Don’t say anything.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Tecna responded, following Musa out of the gym, glad that her least favorite subject was finally over.
Musa didn’t even bother responding, just gave a quick look back at Tecna with the most deadpanned expression she could muster. She didn’t want to talk about the guy she, for some stupid reason, likes and the girl he’s dating, who shall not be named.
—-
The school cafeteria buzzed with the low hum of lunch period chaos. Trays clattering, friends laughing, gossip spreading through tables like a virus. Musa stood with Tecna and Flora, waiting to grab their lunches while the rest of their friends looked for a table.
“Well, I think Riven only likes Darcy because he doesn’t want to be alone.” Said Flora, grabbing some carrots and putting them on her tray. Unfortunately for Musa, she happened to be standing next to the only two people who knew about her little crush. Tecna because she was so damn attentive all the time, and Flora because, well, she’s Flora and she just knows everything.
“Or because they’re the only two people who think making out in front of people’s lockers is a spectator sport,” replied Tecna. How do teachers always manage to catch Tecna when she dares to fill up her water bottle without a pass, but no one bats an eye when Riven and Darcy are gobbling each other up in the middle of the hallway? Where is the decorum?
Musa sighed and rolled her head back to look at the ceiling. “Ugh, guys, can we please not make this about him today?”
“Sure,” Flora said gently. “But, you are okay, right?”
Musa gave her a forced smile and nodded. “Yeah, just a little tired. I pulled an all-nighter last night to finish my mixtape for Kelli’s party. You’re coming, right?”
Flora nodded as they left the lunch line, but as they spotted the rest of their friends, Tecna couldn’t help but mumble under her breath. “All that work for nothing. Now she’s gonna have to fix the whole mixtape to fit some song in for that onionhead.”
Not recalling when Tecna was gifted the ability to deliver sass, Musa chose to be the bigger person and pretended like Tecna never said anything at all as they reached the familiar voice of a particularly bubbly blonde.
“Okay, so anyway, apparently Amaryl’s party last week got raided like 30 minutes in, so I’m actually glad we weren’t invited!” Stella gossiped to Bloom and Aisha. Once she spotted the rest of her girls, she motioned them over with the excitement of a puppy seeing their owner come home from work. “Oh, Hey! I was just talking about how we’re lucky we didn’t go to Amaryl’s lame ass party last week and how we’re all going to have so much fun tonight!”
Aisha, noticing the dig at her, rolled her eyes at her friend’s antics. “I told you, Stella, I have a date tonight. I’m not going to the party.”
“Oh, come on! This is the first time Musa’s DJing at a party, and you, as her best friend, can’t be bothered to show up as support?” Stella looked genuinely offended on Musa’s behalf at Aisha’s lack of support, as she looked at her with her jaw slightly ajar and eyebrows raised.
“Musa’s awesome, she’ll be DJing at another party in no time.” Looking at the way Musa stiffened at the conversation, Aisha nudged her knee under the table. “You’re going to kill it.”
“Thanks, Aisha.” Musa smiled as she picked out the onions from her burger.
“You’re welcome.”
“Why don’t you bring Nick to the party with you? Kelli’s chill, I’m sure she won’t mind.” Bloom proposed, wiping the spaghetti sauce off her mouth.
“I’m not sure Nex would be too pleased with me if I changed the plans last minute. Sorry,” Aisha just shrugged her shoulders, feeling not at all apologetic. God forbid a girl wants to get her freak on.. “Plus, I’m pretty sure Icy and her posse are going and.. no thanks.”
Bloom shivered at the mention of their names. “Ugh, point taken.” It was shocking how liked those girls were liked despite being an annoyance in the lives of basically every student. Bloom’s convinced someone threw salt, vinegar, and everything sinister in a bowl, and that’s how they were conceived.
“Well, I hope you have a lovely date, Aisha,” Flora told Aisha, offering one of her dimpled smiles.
“Thanks. It’s nice to know at least one of you supports me, I guess.”
–
Across the room, Riven sat with his friends, while Darcy sat to his left, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger, half-listening to the conversation.
“I still don’t get how the two of you even work together,” Sky told Riven, not at all ashamed to express such a thought with Darcy with them.
Riven just laughed and leaned back, while Darcy just smirked, not at all offended by Sky’s blunt remark.
“Please, if they don’t date each other, who will?” Brandon chimed in, feeling extremely pleased he could make a jab at one of his friends.
Darcy arched one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows at Brandon, “What? You don’t think people want to date me?”
“Well, yeah, but anyone with half a brain wouldn’t last a week with that personality.”
All the amusement on Darcy’s face dropped at that, and her eyes narrowed dangerously as she tilted her face to glare at him. “Careful, Brandon. I might take that as an insult to my character. Perhaps you should learn from your friend, and learn how to keep your mouth shut like four eyes over here.”
Timmy, recognizing his unfortunate nickname, looked up from his physics notebook for the first time since sitting down. “Huh?”
Brandon simply ignored Timmy and flashed a mocking smile towards Darcy. “Don’t worry, we’re all just joking here, right?”
Darcy was about to say something, but was cut off as Icy came out of the lunch line and called her over. “As much as I’d love to stay here and talk to you, Brandon, I fear there are other people who require my attention.” And with that, Darcy got up, gave a quick peck to Riven, and went to her friends.
As soon as she was out of sight, Brandon’s smile dropped and was replaced by an eye roll, “God, she’s so pretentious.”
“Dude, that’s my girlfriend you’re talking about. Wouldn’t it be nice if the two of you could get along?”
“That’s because you didn’t see the way she was treating Mirta yesterday in creative writing.”
“It looked like old school bullying, the kind you see in TV shows,” Sky interjected, speaking with his mouth full of mushed-up pizza.
Timmy just looked at Sky in disgust. “How can someone so rich be so gross?”
Sky just shrugged while Brandon laughed, but Riven was too focused on Brandon’s comment to react. Mirta? Riven knew Darcy could be a little blunt, plus she already finds Mirta annoying, and it’s not like Riven’s the nicest guy himself, but he wouldn’t consider himself a bully, or someone who dates one, right?
It's just her humor. They don’t get it.
Riven listened to his conscience. He knows Darcy, they don’t. He’s seen her cry and everything. That coldness is just a front to hide how soft she is inside. It’s probably just a misunderstanding anyway. Riven was distracted from his thoughts when he saw a tanned hand waving right up in his face.
“Hello, Riven? Did you hear anything I just said?” Asked Brandon.
“Sorry, what? I usually just zone out when you start talking.” Riven clapped back.
“Ha. Ha. Ya funny. Anyways, I asked if I should wear my dark green shirt or my light green shirt for the party today. I heard Stella’s gonna be there so I want to look my best.”
“Dude. Did you hit your head or something? Why would you ask me for fashion advice?”
“Well, Timmy wears two shirts every day and Sky’s just Sky, so he’s out of the question.” Timmy simply shook his head at his friend’s jab while Sky elbowed Brandon under the table.
“Whatever. You sound like a girl.”
“He says that now, but he’s for sure gonna take like 30 minutes just to gel his hair in place,” Sky smirked to Brandon and Timmy. Both boys laughed while Riven sacrificed his apple to throw it at Sky’s head.