✮ That’s Not My Problem
Student!Ryland Grace x Reader (Gender neutral)
PART 1
✮ Summary: Attending the Spring ball isn’t entirely their cup of tea, and unfortunately for them navigating through the whole concept of being “normal” was proven to be quite difficult—well, for a pair of nerds that is.
✮ No warnings | comes in parts* (?) if you guys want continuation lemme know in the comments lol
✮ I made this while we were suffering a town-wide electricity black out, it was hot combined with a bunch of mosquitoes feasting upon me ;-;
“Hey Ryland?” I called out softly as i trace the rim of my teacup, the drink has gotten a little too lukewarm for my liking, but still great nonetheless. The said man perked up, brows lifting ever so slightly as he peer over the textbook he was reading,
He hummed in question, a silent affirmation that he heard me,
“I am thinking about the upcoming Spring ball.”
At the mention, his brows furrowed slightly in thought, “What about it..?” He sets his textbook down, lifting his own cup of coffee before taking a sip,
“Have you asked anyone yet?”
He scoffed slightly, setting the cup down before stippling his hands together, “i was thinking of not attending, actually…” he drawled out, glancing up at me “Were you going?” He asks after a beat, looking at me beneath his slightly crooked glasses
I purse my lips in thought, gently poking the insides of my cheeks as i construct my response mentally,
“Well. I suppose I am, it comes once in a while..so..” i trailed off, noticing his eyes still trained on me, i cleared my throat before looking elsewhere, “Well, if you’re not going, i think I won’t go too, you’re like the only person I tolerate anyway..” i huffed, crossing my arms against my chest as i glance down at the teacup on the worn table
Ryland’s gaze remained on me for a moment longer before he sighs, hand raking along his scalp, messing his already unruly hair—now it’s comically sticking up in random directions.
“Look, I uhh…you look like you want to go though.” He quirks his lips sideways, his brows remained furrowed, creasing the skin in between.
“Well, duh. It can be pretty fun..i think.”
“Then you should.”
“Don’t wanna’,”
“Can’t have you missing out on my own account.”
“Who says it’ll be your fault?”
He paused,
“…you just did? When you mentioned you won’t go if I won’t?”
“Well it’s not like it’s directly your fault.”
“…Valid.” He shrugged,
The blonde sighs, quirking his lips side to side as if weighing his options inwardly, he then ticks his tongue, ran another hand through his messy locks before glancing back to me
“I..I’ll att—“
“Reall—“
He nods quickly, “I’ll attend it then,” he stood up, dusting his jeans as he grab his bags, “Which means I have to flip over my whole wardrobe to find some decent attire, so i better get going.” He slung his bags over his shoulder, his laptop in his right hand, eyeglasses still sitting crooked on the bridge of his nose
I blinked, “Isn’t it too early to pick outfits?”
“Better to be early,” he reasoned, chugging the last of his coffee as he straightened up
I followed suit, grabbing my belongings and stuffing them into my bag, before standing up, “Nah, I am convinced you’re far more excited about the Spring dance than i do~” i teased
He glances back at me, astonished for a beat before he laughed lightly, “The audacity. I wasn’t even supposed to go?”
“Exactly. You were just basically waiting for me to ask you so you’ll have a reason,” i retort back, shrugging my shoulders
He laughs amused, “Funny, sometimes I am appalled how your mind works sometimes.”
“Genius you say,”
He scoffed, a light smile still plastered on his face as he shake his head in disbelief, “Unbelievable.”
The rest of the week came by in a blur, Ryland has been stressing his attire more than I anticipated he would, it’s honestly refreshing to see him so worked up over something aside from his research. He reasoned none of his formal attire fits him anymore, even going as far as telling me he wouldn’t attend at this point simply coz his coat is in a color he dislike, “I hate the pattern on that one, why do they even create suits with pentagon patterns?”
“Why do you even have it then?”
“I don’t know either. I am convinced it just spawned in there.”
“Just admit you have a terrible taste,”
He made a disgusted face, as he glanced at me with his famous stinky eye “As if you’re any better.”
I gasped, feigning surprise
“This is why people don’t like to be around you, Ryland.”
He shrugs, “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
My jaw drops, I have nothing to retort to that, unfortunately—him and his smart mouth, he can be annoying if he wanted to.
I sigh, sitting back down on his bed, it was unmade, with several textbooks at the foot of the bed but i paid them no mind.
“Well, If you’re stressing over your outfit that much, maybe we could rent out a suit then?”
He visibly perks up at the idea, that seemed to work quite well.
“I hadn’t think of that.”
“I did.”
“You know any shop that does rental?” He asks, already whipping out his slightly outdated phone, the screen protector was cracked beyond its means but he reasoned he doesn’t have the luxury to change it. Leaving it as is, collecting more cracks as it goes.
“We can check the market? I hadn’t been out that much so I wouldn’t know. But i am pretty sure there’s loads of them around.”
“Great. I’ll see you at the square, Saturday 9am.”
“Sweet.”
A beat passed,
“Why are you still here?” He asks,
“Oh, I was supposed to leave?”
He paused, brows quirking upwards, “That was your cue to go,”
“I wasn’t informed there’s a cue.”
“Oh, you need a prompter for that?”
“Honestly, yeah.”
“Unbelievable. Why are we friends again?”
I shrugged, “Do you want the literal or the possible hypothesis?”
“Possible hypothesi—“ he stopped, looking a bit lost before slapping a hand to his forehead, “You know what, I am not even gonna’ ask,” he sighs, adjusting his glasses on his nose, which unfortunately, remained stubbornly crooked
“It’s still crooked,” I told him, gesturing at his glasses
“It is,”
“So? Adjust it.”
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“It’s my ears.”
“What’s the connection of your glasses to yours ears?”
“I think they were not aligned or something, that’s why my glasses will always remained crooked no matter what.”
“Didn’t know you’re disabled—“
“I AM NOT? oh my god—Visually impaired, yes. But having slightly unaligned ears is not a disability.” He huffs,
Sometimes, i like stressing him out, it’s so funny.