The Crash Years by Anonymous (manga ereader TXT) 📕

10-page report on Spanish history. Garrett looked around with the same suspicious gaze, although not as carefully as Milos. He wasn’t afraid of getting caught.
Whipping out a wad of dollar bills, Garrett added, “Good, because you know what would happen to you if you didn’t.”
Milos gave Garrett a single glance before counting the money that was given to him. Doing Garrett’s homework had been an on-going chore ever since he was fourteen. It was the only way that Milos secured himself against Garrett and the gang that Denver used to hang out with, though he didn’t mind the extra cash flow either.
Knowing that the cash paid was enough, Garrett gave Milos a little smirk before turning around to head to class.
“You mean you don’t even want to know what it’s about?” asked Milos.
“When am I ever going to use Spanish?” replied Garrett as he gave off a light laugh. Milos gave one more glance around the hallway, hoping that nobody had been watching the exchange. He then headed to Physiology, nervousness filling his mind.
WASE CHABLASE @ Nelson Girls’ College
Hearing the teacher drone on and on about the importance of using the right size sauce pan was getting exhausting. Wase was regretting ever have taken this class, which was Home Economics. She only took it because she had already completed her tough courses, and she heard that this class was an easy A. The only thing that she was finding impossibly hard was to keep her eyes open. That is until the door opened.
Some 20-something year old guy with a delivery uniform came in, setting down a huge vase of sunflowers. All of the girls in Wase’s class were sighing, probably because the delivery guy really wasn’t all that bad looking. But Wase had her eyes glued to the flowers. They were HER favorite flowers. Milos.
“Uhh, I have a delivery for Miss Wase Chablase. Is she here by any chance?” asked the guy with the flowers. Wase went white.
“Me, um… that’s me,” piped Wase, her hands getting clammy as she saw that the delivery guy not only had flowers, but a note he had to read.
“This is from a guy named… Mmm-eye-lohs? M-eee-lohs? Anyways, but he says ‘Wase, these past four months have been the highlight of my life. If you agree, I would like to know what color of tux I’m getting, and whether you enjoy limos or not. Reply as soon as you can.’”
Wase was so nervous all she could do was let out a quiet laugh. She nodded her head “yes” about three or four times before the delivery guy said “have a good day, Wase,” and headed back out the classroom door. All of the girls’ eyes were glued on her.
ALEC HARRISON @ Nelson Boys’ College – one week later
It had only been yesterday morning – the day before prom – that Alec started thinking about who he would invite to prom. The posters had littered the school walls for weeks, splashed with neon and glitter and containing huge posters of peoples’ faces. As the usual, these posters would slowly get edited by the students walking by who would have the occasional Sharpie pen and doodle mustaches and thick eyebrows in place of perfect lips and sparkling eyes.
Alec, being new to Nelson, had already received invites from girls on the Nelson College messaging site. A lot of the girls were really quite pretty, but Alec was stuck. He didn’t exactly want to say something along the lines of “oh, no I’d rather go to prom with Byron Welch than with you,” in a case of hurting the girls’ feelings. And he didn’t want to be that obvious. But he thought that maybe because of all the turn-downs he had been giving, that they would eventually get the hint.
Kai O’Vander was a cute guitarist from Alec’s music class, but Alec hardly knew Kai and didn’t want prom to feel like some awkward first date.
So as it was Alec’s last day of detention, he opened the door to find Denver in his usual spot. And as always lately, Alec’s adrenaline would kick up, allowing him to tense up and stutter pathetically whenever he tried talking to Denver. It was so simple.
But Alec knew that Denver never really left detention. Though he had finished half of his homework thanks to Alec’s help, Denver would never be able to go to prom due to his school record.
So although today was Saturday, Alec was joyfully walking towards the detention hall, about to miss prom that he might have gone as a date for some girl, or even Kai the guitarist. Instead he had - unknowingly to Denver – refused to do any classwork or homework at all on Friday, securing his spot in detention with the certain Barry. The thought about it still brought chills. Alec was never the type to be so rebellious. Alec opened the door.
It was weird coming into the almost empty room. Usually it was filled, and noise from other students would suffocate the room, making it nearly impossible to concentrate. However, right now, the room was dead quiet. The proctor was sitting at her desk with a pile of romance novels and an extra-large cup of coffee. Besides her, the only other person in the room was Denver.
Denver had his usual pile of folders on his desk, but he obviously wasn’t paying attention to them. It seemed like he tried though, as if he were imagining that Alec was there with him, helping him complete the work.
Right now he was poised looking out the window. And it was odd, he almost looked sad. Alec had never seen Denver so vulnerable, and it was almost as if someone had broken a barrier. After the first note of admitting that he didn’t know how to do his homework, Denver never really expressed any more emotion other than that he didn’t really give a care in the world.
Alec shut the door, and as soon as he did, Denver’s head snapped in his direction, his eyes widening as if he was trying to remember a reason why Alec would be here.
A simple “hey” was all that Alec gave before sitting in his seat next to Denver. A smile grew on Alec’s face as he waited in anticipation for Denver to ask why he had come to detention on prom night.
“Alec… why are you here? I thought your detention ended yesterday. Why aren’t you at prom?” Denver looked clueless.
“I um… didn’t do any of my class work yesterday. So, I’m here.”
Denver kept shaking his head. Alec heard him repeat “no” about ten to twenty times. Why was Denver looking so regretful? Alec thought Denver would at least be a little happy to have company during prom night. What was the big deal?
“Why would you do that?” asked Denver half yelling. The proctor looked up from her novel. Alec was horrified, and started to forget his great idea, his great reasoning as to why he did ever come here.
“I-I don’t know,” Alec looked around nervously. How horrible. Something had to be up. Denver looked so distressed.
Not really caring about how much Denver knew about his frustrating prom date decisions, Alec rambled on anyways.
“I didn’t want to go with any of the girls. I mean, I don’t really even know anybody here anyways.” No comment from Denver.
Alec looked directly at him.
“I wanted to see you.” Still no reply. Alec was slowly getting frustrated. Had he really refused to do class work just to sit all night in detention with a guy who was now completely ignoring him?
“Well you have to admit you wanted to see me, too!” yelled Alec. No longer waiting for Milos to reply, Alec picked up his backpack and sat at another desk closer to the front of the room.
ANDIE BARRY and WASE CHABLASE @ the Barry residence – Saturday afternoon
“You picked the perfect dress, Wase. No doubt my brother’s going to treat you like queen tonight,” Andie smiled as Wase gazed in the mirror, trying on her dress yet another time. Andie was sitting up on her bed, careful to rest her feet before she had to do Wase’s hair for the prom.
Wase looked back at Andie. What Jack had done to her wasn’t fair. The entire family except for Denver was enraged, though their concern didn’t make Andromeda feel any better.
“Look, I know it’s only been a week since you-know-what, but I’d hate for you to be here by yourself doing nothing while I’m going to prom.”
“It’s okay, really,” replied Andie as she shifted uncomfortably on the bed. The break up between her and Jack was still definitely a touchy subject, as well as the fact that she was obviously pregnant, which meant that her dreams of ever going to prom were also diminished.
“No, seriously, Andie. Milos and I already have our separate bids. I can just add you to mine. It will be fun, I promise. I’ll do everything. I’ll help you pick out your dress, do your hair and makeup. Please?”
Andie looked back up at Wase. It was obvious that the invite was something Wase really wanted to do. She wasn’t one of those girls who felt pity but never wanted to do anything about it. Andie half laughed.
“Maybe.”
DENVER BARRY @ Nelson Boys’ College – Detention
Alec was so far away. It was frustrating. All Denver wanted to do was run up to him and see the hope and approval Alec held in his eyes. He was the only one who had seemed to overlook Denver’s imperfections. However, due to Alec’s outburst earlier, Denver knew that the last thing that Alec wanted to do was to look up at him.
How funny, Denver thought, that he would end up falling for someone so opposite. Alec Harrison, the new golden boy of Nelson, with his disheveled blonde hair and blue pools for eyes. Alec was so practically perfect that it was annoying and alluring at the same time. Everybody wanted to be with him – Denver had overheard numerous girls betting on who would be Alec’s first girlfriend.
He should have told him. He should have told Alec that he didn’t want him to become imperfect, just to sit with him in detention. He was fine the way he was, and when Alec told Denver about how he fell in detention tonight, Denver worried that he might have caused Alec to want to change. He could never wish for that.
He should have told Alec that he felt the same way too, when Alec shouted at him, trying to get him to admit that he was happy to at least see him. He was, for with all of the homework left unfinished, Denver had already decided that he really wouldn’t have seen Alec anymore. Someone’s book closed.
“Ahh, forget it,” the proctor sighed, “it’s prom night. Get out of here.” The proctor then picked up her numerous romance novels, shoveling them into her bag. Alec gave one look to Denver before reluctantly walking out the door. Denver followed in pursuit.
Outside the school were the gang of guys that Denver used to hang out with, the same ones who had beat up Alec a week prior.
“Hey girly-boy, gonna rat us out again?” asked Garrett, the new leader. Denver used to be the leader, before voluntarily backing out of the group. He now kept an eye on Alec.
“Considering that a bruise is only temporary, and that detention wasn’t all so bad, I say why not? You guys don’t scare me,” Alec casually replied. He started to walk down towards his house. Denver’s blood pulsed madly through his veins. This wasn’t going to end well.
“Boy, you don’t know HOW