Library Afternoons & Midnight Parties - Completed.

8.

Austin

'Austin, where are you with your head?,' Valentina asked him when he wanted to put the tiramisu in front of the guests at table seven. 'Those desserts are for table ten!' Austin looked from her to Armando's famous tiramisu and back to Valentina, then smiled apologetically at the guests.

'You're right, sorry...' He walked to table ten and put the desserts there, then turned around and walked back into the kitchen.

'Are you okay, Aust? You looked troubled,' Valentina asked sweetly, her hand on his biceps and her worried eyes scanning him. Austin nodded, softly pulling away from her hand.

'Yes, why wouldn't I?' He tried smiling reassuringly, but Valentina didn't take it. 'Look, I am just tired, okay? Spring break is just two days away and I can't wait to have some time off and head home.'

'You're going home?,' the dark haired, beautiful Italian girl asked him. She pouted her plumps lips and flickered her heavy eyelashes at him. Austin stuck to his opinion about her being a real beauty.

'Yeah, I'm gonna visit my dad...'

'Ah, right. Good for you. Just gonna miss you here.' She smiled and Austin huffed.

'I'm just gone for a week, Val, don't worry.' He smiled back and booped her nose, then turned around to take the new order from Armando.

'Less flirting, more waiting, Carlile!,' the cook yelled at him.

'I wasn't flirting!,' Austin yelled back while walking through the double doors.

'Then what were you?,' Julia smirked at him.

'Teasing.'

'Teasing IS flirting.'

'No, it's not,' Austin answered her, throwing her a look. 'You're fifteen, what do you know about flirting anyway?'

'Wow, who's been up your ass today?,' Julia retorted, rolling her eyes. Austin kept in a laugh while he walked up to the table to get the guests their order, wished them a good meal and went back into the kitchen for his fifteen minute break. He pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and went outside through the backdoor to get some fresh air; the kitchen was hot and crowded, and Armando was yelling commands to his chefs.

He sat down at the steps at the door and pulled his phone out of his pocket, frowning when he saw he had a text from –

'Alan.' He sighed and bit his lip, contemplating whether to read it or delete it. He had come across him in the hallway yesterday and today, but had fully ignored him. Austin didn't want to think about or look at or talk to Alan. At all. He was upset about what the ginger boy had done to him, even more because Austin had clearly said no and Alan had still kissed him. But that kiss... Damn. Austin wasn't particularly upset about the kiss, but just the fact that it had been Alan who did it. Alan, whom he'd said no to, whom he'd told him not to do it. Alan was a fucking selfish asshole. Vic was right all along.

It didn't click in Austin's head why Alan had kissed him. Why him, Austin, a guy? Alan just couldn't be gay. Vic had once said that it probably was just a sick joke between Alan and his friends, just to see if gullible, innocent Austin would bite.

But did that mean that Alan knew Austin was gay? No... Couldn't be. No one besides his father, the boys and Danielle knew. And Austin trusted them not to tell anyone.

And despite Austin hating Alan's actions towards him, he knew he would be very upset if it turned out to be a big joke. Austin didn't want to get played; no one did.

'Hey stranger,' Valentina's voice said when she showed up in the door opening. She ruffled his hair and sat down next to him, sighing. 'Is this shift over yet?' Austin smiled.