Kissing Booth [BoyxBoy]

25 | ѕнιʀтѕℓeeveѕ

please please check out the video to the side of Jamie singing and playing guitar. It makes my heart hurt every time I watch it.

When salted tears won't dry

I'll wipe my shirtsleeve under your eyes

Chapter 25 ~ Shirtsleeves

     Scar Patterson

"That is like the fourth time that I've blasted your ass off!" Trey exclaimed at the top of his lungs as he nudged me in my shoulder. "How does it feel to be a sore loser, eh?" His lips curled into a teasing grin.

I returned the nudge, but kept a straight while I did so. "Don't get too cocky," I spat. "I promise I'm going to beat you in the next game. Those other times were test runs."

Trey let out a large cackle as he thumbed the buttons on his controller. "Sure, Patterson, sure." He reached for his can of soda, brought it to his lips, and took a sip. Silence settled between us before Trey looked at me with an inquiring glint in his dark eyes. "Scar."

I dug my hand into the bowl of chips beside us. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you," he apologized, "and I know that I'm saying that a lot, but I really do mean it. The team isn't even half as good as we were when you were there. I've been trying to convince Coach to let you back on the team."

I shrugged carelessly. "It's okay. I don't really like football anymore." That was the truth. Jamie gave me the money he had been saving for his own place, and he insisted that I used it for my college tuition. Don't get me wrong, it was a kind gesture but taking money from him felt wrong.

Trey's jaw dropped open. "What do you mean you don't like football anymore?"

I sighed as I set my controller on the floor, knowing this would be a long, tiresome talk. "I just don't."

Trey's dark brows pulled together into one straight line. "Seriously? You were the one who convinced me to drop out of baseball, so we could do football together. And now you're saying you don't like it?"

I thought it over for a moment. "I like football and I know I'm pretty good at it. But maybe I want to do something different with my life, now that I have the chance."

I knew my claims only made Trey more confused. "Scar. Ever since we were little, the dream was always to become first string players at Notre Dame. It was supposed to be me and you, college football, remember?"

"Yes, I remember, but Notre Dame is so far away. If I go, then I'll be leaving Jamie here by himself."

Trey's brows drew closer together as his face morphed into a confused expression. He had completely disregarded his controller and gave me his full attention. "You don't want to do football because of Jamie? What the hell, man?"

I shook my head. "It's not because of Jamie. He supports me in everything I do, so much so that he's practically paying for my tuition. And how will I repay him? By moving more than 30,000 miles away? I'm not going to abandon him like that. That's my decision, not his."

Trey's confused expression remained plastered on his face. "You don't actually think you two are going to be together forever, do you?"

I glanced down at my hands and began to play with my fingers. "I'd like to think so."

He scoffed. "I thought this was, like, a temporary thing."

I didn't know why, but that made me slightly offended. "If this was a temporary thing, then I wouldn't have bothered risking everything for him. I love him, Trey, and I'm not going to spend my life after high school away from him."