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"You're on mine, too," Grayson replied, though he didn't dig the phone out again. Ignacio would just have to trust his word - why wouldn't he? - because Gray was very much occupied with his lunch. They hadn't offered hot dogs, but the burger was pretty decent.

Eating was serious business to the darkest haired member of their trio, so Dani took it upon herself to carry the conversation with Ignacio. She hadn't missed his perusal, however, and she was not impressed by it. "Of course you learn new things, they're just things that have built on the basics, like math, or more detail to things you already knew, like history."

She rolled her eyes as if this was common sense. Dani was a fan of eye-rolling, apparently. "But yeah, school is pretty boring. I mean, I'll get good grades so I can get into a good college, but that doesn't mean it isn't boring."

Oh, but she could. Dani so could.

Ignacio was so far from her type that it was almost laughable; while he fit the criteria of older, but not too old, he was too pale, too freckled, too entirely full of himself. A more self-aware person would have realized that she didn't want another rampant ego battling her own for time and attention, but Dani wasn't that self-aware. She simply thought that he wasn't her type and was satisfied with that because she'd found someone she figured was. She just had to convince him of that particular truth and everything would be fine and dandy.

"I was looking at you -- which, you know, you just happened to catch me looking, so if I was staring so were you -- because I didn't recognize you." She took a bite of her apple, chewed a moment, swallowed. "Also, I thought you might be the guy everyone said was dating one of the other new guys, so I was curious."

That was Dani for you. Straightforward and (mostly) honest, except when it served her to be otherwise.

She slanted Gray a look, amused. "I'm thinking you're the guy everyone thought he was dating."

Grayson paused in his careful attention to his burger, eyebrows raised. He didn't sound offended, just puzzled, as he said, "That's silly. We aren't dating; Ignacio isn't my type, and I'm sure I'm not his."

He turned then, knees nearly knocking into Ignacio's, and smiled gently. He figured he was letting his friend off the hook easily by offering an excuse. "Right?"

He'd wanted to make things less than awkward for all of them.

He hadn't expected Ignacio to laugh outright at the thought they were dating. It surprised him, and it hurt a little bit, and not just because he found himself physically attracted to Ignacio. He was physically attracted to a lot of people; it was a weak basis for anything, and something that was easily buried, easily put aside. No, it hurt a bit because he really liked Ignacio and considered him a friend.

The outright denial of any interest in him didn't bother him, really, and he thought they could be friends easily enough despite it. It was just that he thought it was so funny. It wheedled away at Grayson's confidence, had the smile on his face faltering just a bit before he tucked it away, closed his eyes with a grin.

"Right," Grayson finally said, shifting so that his knees were straight once more. He brought his fist up, leaned his cheek against it casually. Hid his face from Ignacio? "We're friends, but we'll never be more than that."

Dani eyed them both skeptically, bright green eyes darting from one to the other, then settled on Grayson once again when he added, "And I'm not really looking to date, either. I have... a lot going on right now."

Understatement of the year.

Never was a damning word, a word that could write history and predict the future all at once; they would never, they said, and Grayson's heart believed it. So, he nodded along with what Ignacio said, fought back the hurt and replaced it with calm acceptance. He hadn't felt much for Ignacio, anyhow, beyond friendship; the beginning of attraction, but that was fine. He'd snuffed that in the past, he would ignore it now.

It was worth much more to have a friend than to lose one over something silly like that, anyway.

"I don't know," Gray answered thoughtfully, then stuffed his mouth full of apple to avoid saying any more. The simple answer was, people were suspicious of everything nowadays and so two guys hugging and exchanging meaningful looks generally meant a homosexual relationship, but he really didn't want to get into that.

He also didn't want to make Ignacio burst into hearty laughter at the thought, again.

Thankfully, Dani took control of the conversation, saying breezily, "Well, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. You two know you're not dating, ever, so it's fine. Everyone else will figure it out eventually."

Grayson was confused as to why Ignacio was still going on about the whole scenario, except for maybe his friend felt bad about his obvious and honest reaction, and was now trying to make him feel better. He was grateful for the effort, and he showed it in a short, fond smile when Ignacio happened to look his way.

So they could be friends after all, and easily. If Ignacio was going to this much trouble to attempt to make things right, it meant he at least cared. "Well, thank you, Ignacio. You're being too kind, I think," he said with a light laugh, shaking his head.

Definitely, his friend was going overboard. Grayson knew he was moderately attractive, reasonably generous, kind when he could be. He was also lazy and irresponsible, and he put others first to avoid his own problems. His good traits were not born from simple goodness, but he supposed that was true of almost everyone; he just had different motivations from most.

"It's okay, though." He wiped his mouth with his napkin, took a drink of his milk.

Dani, who had been suspiciously quiet throughout the exchange, finally piped up. "Do either of you do sports?"

Apparently, she'd decided it was time to change the subject. Still, she shot Ignacio a very, very suspicious look as she asked.

Grayson wanted to let the subject drop, because if anything, Ignacio's insistence was making him feel a little bit awkward. So, he simply smiled and nodded, looking for all the world like it didn't mean a thing to him either way. Never, ever, they were just words, his expression seemed to say. Nothing to get worked up about, nothing to worry about.

Except Grayson knew better than anyone it was words that cut the deepest, that went straight for the heart and sliced viciously. It was words that could scar where no one would see, that made wounds bleed long after they should have healed properly.

He welcomed the subject change as well, shifting his focus to Dani and lifting his shoulders in a shrug at the question. After Ignacio spoke, he offered, "I don't really do sports. Too lazy to commit," he added, grinning. "Though I do love football."

Dani brightened then, looking between them, rather excited. "You guys should totally come watch some games with me, then. Hillworth and Meadowview have this fierce rivalry going, it's awesome."

Grayson was surprised by the pat and the squeeze, but he only showed it in a brief lifting of his eyebrows. He well and truly wanted to put the awkward conversation behind them; as far as he was concerned, they'd made up their minds, and Ignacio was now trying to make amends. He could be a little bit disappointed for the loss of what might have been, but he was glad that he would still have a friend in Ignacio. That was what mattered most, at the end of the day. It was what he struggled for with Jude, Topher, Barnaby. Simple friendship, something so easily caught and held, was his dearest wish.

Because it got awfully lonely inside his head.

"I'd like to watch the games," he agreed, hands braced on the bench at either side of him. His shoulders lifted inward, a passable shrug. "Just text me and let me know when. And then come get me," he added, knowing himself far too well to even pretend that he would make it to a sporting event that wasn't professional of his own accord.

At the mention of hot dogs his eyes brightened, and he slanted Ignacio a grin. "I do love hot dogs. Ballpark ones are the best, loaded."

Thinking of it, he sighed wistfully. What he wouldn't give for a hot dog instead of the tater tots and half an apple that were on his tray just then.

If Grayson thought it was a little mean-spirited to refer to the outing as a date, he didn't show it. If the thought occurred to him, it was dismissed quickly by the logic that it was a common term, and he clearly hadn't meant it, considering it was the three of them who would be going to the event. It was a bit careless for word choice, but Gray could forgive it. He could forgive a lot of things.

The bell chimed, making him look up with some regret. He still hadn't finished his tater tots.

"We'd better get going," Dani said, rising and keeping to herself on the events that had transpired. For now. Who knew what wheels were turning behind those big green eyes?

Grabbing the tots, Grayson wiggled his way out from his sitting position, carefully balancing his tray in the other hand. He smiled at Dani, saying, "See you around." as she flounced away.

To Ignacio, he smiled as well, though it was a bit confused around the edges. "See you in Lit, right?" It was the period after next.