Oh Boy! (BL)

22 - Lost Boy (2/3)

We spent the remainder of Sunday searching everywhere for our guildmate and when Clover hadn't shown up by Monday morning, we were more than just a bit concerned on our way to school.

The premises were perfect ghost-town material during the few days before Thanksgiving. Most of the sports teams were excused from classes for their individual practice camps. And due to the upcoming holiday break, the rest of us only had to attend school for two days anyway. Empty hallways, a cafeteria in which nerds and nobodies were staring at each other because they could freely choose a table instead of crouching into a corner, and the classes were a sheer cakewalk.

Since the classrooms were half empty, the only thing we did was watching movies; and the teachers didn't really care if we were watching them or if we slept - like the guy sitting next to me. Or if we played with our phones – like me. I texted Clay to as how the practice camp was going and tried not checking too often if he had replied.

But I also texted Clover repeatedly.

When my phone went off the next time, it was lunch break. I was sitting below the tall oak tree inhaling a sandwich while Cooper tapped on his phone. I almost choked my food when opening the incoming text.

"Did he reply?" Curiously, Cooper leaned over my shoulder, and I was faster than The Flash to turn my phone down.

"Clay!", I squeaked. "It...was him."

When Cooper rolled his eyes and turned back to his own phone, I unlocked my screen with a gazillion of butterflies in my stomach. Since Saturday morning, Clay had sent me several pictures of the camp. Pictures of the practice court, the bedrooms, the community areas often photo-bombed by Evans's grinning face. But today, he hadn't sent me just any picture...

No, not what you're thinking. Please.

Holding the phone high above his head, Clay smirked right into the camera like the devil he was. Holding the hem of his black and white sports jersey in between his pearl white teeth, he exposed his hard and sweaty sixpack to my wide-eyed gaze. I was close to hyperventilating when he added a text.

Miss me?

Miss him?! I almost fainted!

I needed several attempts to type an acceptable reply that was neither too corny nor too boring...but, in the end, I was only able to send him an emoji with reddened cheeks. You might understand why I could hardly focus for the rest of the day.

"Ken?"

"Hmm?" I looked up from the sketch I had just begun drawing for the next issue of the Blitz!.

Cooper lifted one bow. "You okay?"

I nodded.

Trish chuckled. "You're kinda red, you know?"

Oh, I pressed my hands to my heated cheeks. Oops.

"Anyway," Cooper turned to all four of us. "The feature about Holland and Clay was one hell of a success."

I gripped my pencil tightly.

"And, as we all know, the finale of the soccer tournament takes place on Sunday. The Thunderbirds are in top form, and as far as I can tell, they might bring it home."

Amber and Trish high fived. "They're gonna kick the Tigers' asses!"

"But" Amber looked confused. "What does the feature have to do with the tournament?"

Good point. Was there a connection between the feature and Maple Leaf High that I had somehow overlooked?

"We have to shape the next article as if Clay was just able to bring on his A-game because..." Cooper glanced briefly in my direction before turning back to Amber. "he's in love with her."