Lincoln stands dumbfounded at his friend that's acting all innocent, as if this wouldn't ever happen to him when he was in command this entire time.
"You're a joke, Noah."
".."
He can't even laugh, similarly to when he couldn't for the sake of Tulip. Right now, like then, Lincoln resist swinging at Noah. Only spitting verbal jabs.
"Tulip can only handle so much. I, as your long time friend too don't understand your actions. This act of yours has gotten sickening."
Noah continues to stare at Lincoln as he withstands his backlash. Standing unmoving, neither does his expression change.
Lincoln knows internally is different, Noah can't fool him. Not as a long time friend, but as another human, he knows these words are affecting him, and his legs that sustain him on the ground is seconds from dropping.
Lincoln knows, but the cynical expression and hand that only tense its hold on the stone, has his resentment soar.
"Are you thinking of Tulip? You always say you are but i'm doubting it, seeing your pathetic act and knowing how selfish and greedy it is."
"…"
"I don't care if you don't answer me, I'll say what needs to be said."
"I can't even be happy, because of your manipulative deception I'm closer to Tulip, but what does that matter when she's miserable all the time!!"
Smack.
Having approach Noah, Lincoln shoves one side of his shoulder. Noah's hair shrouds his expression, but it is clear it's an empty one. Not satisfied, Lincoln raging emotions is noncompliant to his stable ones that oppose one another.
"Do you get that? Or do you not care anymore? Fucking around with girls is now what matters? How far will you go?"
".."
Those words seem to have penetrate through Noah's static appearance. Noah chest visibly heaves rapidly, although his head still cast low, indecipherable.
"I don't want to say it, but it's getting hard to dismiss, you don't feel like Noah to me anymore. To others you are, but if they know what you're doing, that wouldn't be the case."
"Even Tulip.."
"..stop."
Noah chokes the words out. Lincoln huffs stupified.
"You have no shame, you really don't."
Putting an end to his confrontation, Lincoln turns, heading to the path that leads them back to the neighbourhood. Uttering final words before.
"Get back home, do at least that."
——
"This subject will be the death of me. I'm telling you guys, let's make a national petition."
"Huff, not that again."
"Hhhhh, I'm really dying!!!"
As a trio, Tulip, Layla and Sasha are running the 800 metre lap. This being their third time.
For whatever reason, Novourse schools has completing a 800 metre run in under 7 minutes mandatory. The time gets shorter depending on your grade and gender, but nevertheless the friends are exhausted.
Tulip too, the superhuman stamina only appears when she's with Lincoln, and doing this for the third time is taking a toll on her flimsy body.
Out of the three of them, it is Sasha who suffers the most, she dreads every day about PE until it comes and then dreads about the practical they will be doing that'll be essential for a good grade.
The petition Sasha speaks about is something far-fetched, even if it's possible it'll get put down immediately. Anyway, the thought keeps her going.
Reaching the end of their final lap, Sasha cries out and falls over when surpassing the finish line. Layla and Tulip both collapse, laying on the grass gasping.
"Tulip, here."
A classmate of theirs hand Tulip a bottle of water, running off after to his group of friend that slap his back simultaneously. Sasha sits up looking down at the bottle, seeing the sticky note attached.
"What's this? Oooh."
Gushing at the note attached, Sasha urges Tulip to read what it says. Layla who was laying on the ground now up and curious as well.
"Uhm, it says to meet him at the front gate after school."
"Front gate?"
"After school!?"
Layla questions as if it's strange and Sasha too excited to care. Tulip nods, taking the note and showing it to them.
"Yeah. I'm getting picked up though, what do I do?"
"Ohh right, it's a Friday you won't be going home with us."
Sasha hums, in thought for a second then jerking her head up eyes wide.
"Wait, Friday?! It'll be Lincoln today?"
Tulip has a strange feeling, her friend is wearing a peculiar expression. It's true though, today Lincoln will be picking her up.
"Yeah, why?"
"Introduce him to us!! Please! Pleasepleasepleaseeee!!!"
Sasha clutch her arms shaking it with pitiful strength. So that's the reason for that face. Tulip grins at her and attempts to push her away kicking her with her legs.
"Yeah okay, get away from me you glue stick."
"Glue stick?!"
Offended, Sasha gasps and backs away, patting her skin while muttering if she's really that sticky.
"What about the guy though?"
Layla that was listening questions, she also wants to meet Lincoln but feeling bad for the guy that ran away as if giving the bottle took a lot of courage.
"I don't know, let's check our results before that."
Tulip says and stands up with the strength she has left. Sasha that just catched her breath cries out again, whining she can't do it. Tulip tells them to not worry, she'll check for the three of them, leaving the two behind who thanked her as she walked off as if she's doing something heroic.