Freak (Sherlock x reader high school AU)

Five: Aftermath

The dining hall is the place where everything happens. Theatre kids announce auditions for the school musicals and plays, school dance dates are posted, club sign ups, all of the expected things. And, every now and then, the unexpected. Older students forces the younger ones to eat food from the floor, some idiots run past the tables completely naked on a dare, once a first year was rolled in wrapped completely in plastic wrap, wriggling to get free. The dining hall is the stage for public humiliation. So, naturally, you tend to be on the defense when there.

Which is why when Eliza, who happens to be Thomas's girlfriend, comes up to you with her two friends behind her, you tense up.
She compliments you on a pair of sneakers you've worn a million times before. And it's not done sarcastically. She, Elaine, and Darcy invite you to sit with them at breakfast. Since Sherlock is continuing his science experiment in the lab you accept. And, strangely enough, it's fine. You talk about school and which teachers you find annoying, giggling at Mrs. Moore's constant tangents about her no good ex-husband.
Eliza gives you her telephone number and tells you to text her sometime, then she says something you ponder for the rest of the day.

"I'll talk to Thomas and the boys about easing up on freak- I mean Sherlock. It's just stupid teenager stuff you know? They don't really mean half the stuff they say and do"

"Is is that easy?" you wonder. Just make friends with Eliza, she'll talk to Thomas, and Sherlock will be left alone? Almost makes the anxiety ridden task of socializing worth it.

Then she does the most surprising thing of all. She invites you to go out with them tomorrow, "girl time" she calls it. You're so taken aback you can't think of anything to say. Just say yes, it's one word, one syllable, yes. You think think to yourself. But no words form, and you're left standing with your mouth wide open. They chuckle.

"I'll take that as a yes" she grins, and you nod.

Stupidstupidstupid.

They turn and go, leaving you in the middle of the cafeteria clutching your lunch tray, breaths short and scarce. You don't know how to do this. Go out. Shop. Socialize. Make conversation. You make a mental note to rewatch Clueless and see what topics of conversations are brought up and how to do so.

The sound of sharp laughter snaps you out of your trance. You look up to see Thomas and Malcom standing on a table near the entrance of the dining hall, holding a non-struggling Sherlock upside down over a waste bin full of half eaten food. A crowd has formed around them as Thomas threatens to drop him in the bin, lowering down and yanking him up at the last second.

"If you're going to drop me then just do it already" Sherlock says in almost bored tone, one he knows will annoy Thomas to no end. Thomas takes pleasure in watching people struggle, makes him feel strong. So for Sherlock to not has the opposite affect.

"Where's the fun in that?" he retorts, much to everyone's satisfaction.

You shove your way through the crowd, wrecking your brain for a movie line that could possibly get Sherlock out of this one. But someone beats you to the front. Eliza, seemingly frustrated, begins yelling at a shocked Thomas.

"You're such a bloody child Tom I swear. Sometimes I wonder why I even put up with you!" she shouts, quieting a suddenly uncomfortable crowd.

"Eliza, love-"

"Don't you "love" me! Put him down right now, or I swear to god" she doesn't finish the threat. She doesn't have to. Then, as if just now realizing there is a crowd, she turns to them, "Get a life!" and just as quickly as they came, they disperse, until you're the only one left standing there.