•͟U͟N͟D͟E͟R͟S͟T͟A͟N͟D͟ ͟c͟a͟r͟t͟i͟u͟z͟i͟•͟

XXIII

Symere was still staring at Jordan.

"And what is it that you want to be?" Symere questioned.

"Symere," Jordan said, bracing for the worst, "I want to be your boyfriend."

The words leaving Jordan's mouth seemed to align with what felt like a YMCA's worth of dumbbells being lifted off of his chest. He felt relieved, but after the first two seconds, relief turned to worry, as a deafening silence followed.

Symere said nothing, still looking at Jordan, directly in the eyes. Both of their eyes glimmered in the reflection of the opposite. Symere was left speechless, unsure what to say. Sure, this is exactly what he wanted, but it always seemed as if it would've never happened. He wished he could lighten the intensified mood more, but he wasn't sure if he could do or say something to help his situation.

Jordan watched as Symere slowly blinked, each one seeming to take up more time than the last. He was afraid he had spoke too soon, that an unscheduled encounter with Montero had ruined his chances. Perhaps Symere's eyes laid upon someone else. Jordan shifted his gaze from Symere's twinkling corneas to the wall-mounted mirror that resided beyond the foot of the bed.

He looked himself directly in the eyes, and for the first time since his encounter with Symere and Montero in the bathroom, a feeling of loss and hopelessness, Jordan she's a singular tear from his right eye. It was one of the most pure forms of emotion a human being could display; the art of true heartbrokeness. That is, until he felt something in his side.

Jordan jumped, his sides were naturally really sensitive. He shifted his single-tear gaze from his own down towards the source of the feeling. Symere pulled his hand away really quickly. Jordan gave him a confused look to which Symere exchanged a quick sideways glance at him. All of a sudden, Symere repeated the same poke in the same spot, this time making Jordan smile and giggle. Symere smiled back.

Symere moved closer towards Jordan, who began to slowly back away, still smiling. Symere then lunged at Jordan, tackling his pencil-wide body onto the bed. He then bombarded him with attacks of tickles on his sides and stomach. Jordan couldn't help but laugh, it was impossible for him not to. Even though Jordan couldn't stop laughing, he managed to overpower Symere and throw him onto the bed.

Jordan sat down on his waist, effectively pinning him down, where he continued the same attack, but now on Symere. Symere somehow laughed even harder, trying to overpower Jordan as he had did to him; Symere's small body was no match for Jordan's, though.

"Jordyyyyyyyyyyyyy stahhhhhhhhhpppppp," Symere managed to say between laughs, "how'd you even know my weaknessssssss?"

"Let's just say a charming Rakim Mayers informed me of it." Jordan replied smiling. Symere's eyes began to look into Jordan's directly, and that was when he stopped his playful attack on Symere. Symere's laughs ceased and the only sounds that filled the room was the heavy breathing of both of them as well as the distant roaring rap music. It was then when Symere pulled his arms up and then put his hands behind Jordan's neck. He pulled him in closer, and then their lips contacted for the first time.

Their lips touched for thirty seconds straight until they departed. They both opened their eyes to see the other staring back. It was then when Jordan moved in closer to give Symere tongue. He bit down on Symere's bottom lip, causing him to whimper enough for Jordan to force his tongue inside Symere's mouth. Symere tasted like vodka, but it didn't matter to Jordan; this was all he had ever wanted, the cliché "true love's kiss".