Glass Hearts [BL]
Chapter 37: Pssh. Trouble’s Scared of Me

Chapter 37: Pssh. Trouble’s Scared of Me

I carried the tray out to the private party in the dining area, where low music played, and rich people in sleek suits and glittering dresses chatted over cocktails. I dropped off the food, made sure nobody needed anything else, and hurried back into the kitchen.

Jae was at the sink, elbow-deep in suds, washing dishes.

"Yo, Jae," I said, catching my breath. "I thought you were front-of-house today?"

She groaned. "Dishwasher broke, so I’m stuck doing this." She flicked sudsy water at me. "But....omg, Ash, I have something to tell you!"

I leaned on the counter, wiping sweat off my forehead. "What’s that, Jae? You never run out of energy, I swear."

"I got a scholarship into Blackwell High," she said in a rush. "I’m starting freshman year next week!"

I froze, the words sinking in.

Blackwell High.

Of course. The same Blackwell where I was... well. Possibly about to get expelled.

My stomach twisted. Still, I forced a huge grin.

"Wait... what?" I said. "Jae! That’s amazing!"

I said, pulling her into a quick hug despite the fact she was dripping water everywhere.

"You’re gonna crush it there," I said. "Blackwell doesn’t even know what’s about to hit them."

She squealed and hugged me tighter. "Thank you, Ash!"

I let her go and wiped a damp spot off my shirt. "But hey, do me a favor. Don’t get in trouble your first week, okay?"

"Pssh. Trouble’s scared of me," she declared, planting her hands on her hips.

I leaned my hip against the counter, watching her stack the sparkling plates in the drying rack.

"Wait," I said. "Why didn’t you start earlier? School’s been back in session for like... two weeks now."

"I was still thinking if I’d take the scholarship or not," she blew a wet strand of hair off her forehead.

I blinked. "Are you kidding me? Jae, it’s Blackwell. That’s a huge opportunity!"

She shrugged, biting her lip. "Yeah, I know. But... I’ve heard things. Like how some of the students there are total jerks. Rich kids with sticks up their asses."

I chuckled. "But you’re not going there for them, are you?"

She burst out laughing. "No, I guess not."

She paused, eyes darting around to make sure no one else was listening. Then she said softly, "Another reason I decided to take the scholarship... is because I heard they don’t discriminate based on sexuality. It’s a great opportunity for me to finally be somewhere I can just.... be who I am. Openly, you know?

A slow smile spread over my face. "Jae... that’s amazing. And yeah...for that, they don’t. But... for other stuff... they totally do. They can be a nightmare."

She tilted her head. "What do you mean? Any advice?"

I hesitated, then shrugged. "Just... try not to end up in the spotlight too fast, okay? I didn’t in freshman year. But sophomore year..." I trailed off and let out a laugh. "Let’s just say I wish I could take it all back."

Jae giggled. "I’m glad I’ll have you by my side there. Makes me feel less scared."

My smile faltered.

Jae was standing here, practically glowing with hope, thinking she’d see me in the halls of Blackwell.

How the hell was I supposed to tell her I was getting expelled?

I swallowed hard, forcing my smile to stay put.

"Yeah," I murmured. "I’m glad you’ll be there too."

Few Hours Later.

By the time the party finally started thinning out, my arms felt like noodles and my back ached from carrying tray after tray.

I slumped against the counter, wiping sweat off my brow. Jae was still scrubbing the last few dishes, humming a song off-key.

"You heading out soon?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"Yeah. My shift’s over."

She gave me a bright wave, even as water flicked everywhere. "Bye, Ash! Text me your new number this time, okay?"

"I will," I promised, tugging off my apron and hanging it on the hook near the door.

I gave her a small wave back and stepped out.

Outside, the sky was shifting from black to deep blue, the first hints of sunrise just bleeding into the horizon.

The second the door swung shut behind me, I sucked in a long breath.

The air smelled faintly of exhaust, fresh bread from the bakery across the street, and cold dew.

I rubbed my eyes. So much for sleep.

The streets were mostly empty, just a few cars passing, headlights cutting through the early dawn haze.

I pulled my hoodie tighter around my shoulders, shoved my hands into my pockets, and started the long walk home.

I stopped for a second at a traffic light, waiting for it to turn. My reflection stared back at me in a darkened shop window. I looked tired.

But also... still standing.

When the light flipped green, I crossed and kept walking, already thinking about how I’d need to catch a few hours of sleep before dealing with the next mess.

And how I’d have to figure out how the hell to tell June and Marcus about... everything.

A cab pulled up, and I climbed in, sinking into the cracked leather seat.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Whitlock," I mumbled, leaning my head back against the window.

A notification lit up my screen. Time-6:15AM

I pulled it out, thumb already aching from tonight’s nonstop lifting, and blinked at the notification.

Bank Alert: +$300 from Mr. Sun

I stared at it for a long moment, blinking at the numbers.

Three hundred bucks.

My shoulders dropped.

That’s a relief.

Though, It wasn’t going to solve everything...hell, it wouldn’t even cover a week’s groceries and transport and bills....but it was something. Enough to breathe. To get through a few more days.

I leaned my head back against the seat, watching the city blur by. A bakery truck whizzed past. Somewhere, someone was just starting their day. Meanwhile, I was still crawling out of the wreckage of mine.