Serendipity

For the project

"Alright, now pair up with the person next to you and start brainstorming!"

Sydney looks over at me, and I grin.

"Looks like we're together yet again," I say poetically, slipping a bit of my accent into my words. He scoffs.

"Are you quoting something?" He asks, tugging out his phone and fiddling with the case.

"Nope," I copy him and set my phone on the desk. "It's all me."

He shakes his head, then glances at my phone curiously. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I shrug.

"I figured we should exchange numbers so we can stay in touch. Ya know, for the project," I tap my phone with my finger. I still think it's crazy we already have a project in the first week. Although, the teacher said specifically that it'd be a good way for us to practice teamwork and socialization.

There's silence between us for a few seconds, then he lifts his phone and opens Contacts, then holds out the device to me with an almost... hopeful expression?

I take it from him and put in my name and number, then hand it back to him gently. I try to hide the excited shiver that runs up my back at the prospect of getting this cute kid's number on the second day.

Our fingers brush as he takes it from me, and I see his cheeks turn pink before he turns his head and saves the contact to his phone.

I feel a strange fluttering in my stomach at the sight of his cute little blush, and it confuses me. As far as I know, I'm straight... A stray thought crosses my mind, 'maybe Cam was right...and Sydney's rubbing off on me' but I quickly banish it with a shake of my head. Seriously, I'm not homophobic, and I don't want to start now.

I think of my past girlfriends, and I still feel my stomach twist. So it's not like I don't like girls anymore... But then I glance over at Sydney and my face heats up.

I open my mouth to ask him, then close it as the bell rings. My face burns brighter as everyone gets up. Honestly, what was I thinking anyway? Asking the only gay boy at school about my sexuality sounds so wrong, and I'm glad I didn't get to do it.

"Hey, Tam," I'm jolted out of my thoughts when Cam peeks his head inside of the classroom. "You coming?"

I recall that we share the next class, and nod, hastily gathering up my things and shuffling to the door behind a couple other kids I don't remember the names of.

I'm suddenly incredibly aware of Sydney's presence behind me, one hand on my shoulder.

Why my shoulder? Is there something on me? Besides him, of course. Dammit, Timothy, get yourself together.

"You okay?" Sydney asks me quietly, sending shivers up and down my spine when I feel his warm breath on my ear.

"Yeah," I nod, turning my head and smiling reassuringly.

He frowns, but pulls away and doesn't follow me as Cam grabs my arm and drags me down the hall in the opposite direction. I glance behind me and see him with his back turned, though he turns slightly and we meet eyes for a brief moment.

The moment lasts way longer than most moments do.

But then he smiles and turns back to face down the hallway, breaking the eye contact.

"Dude, what's up with you?" Cam asks, nudging me in my side. "Your face is all pink."

"Oh," I touch my cheek with one hand self-consciously. "Yeah, I'm just cold."

"Hm," Cam squints at me, but doesn't pursue the subject any further.

Lunchtime rolls around slowly, but this time I don't waste any time looking around, since Cam makes sure to wave me over as soon as he sees me step outside.

Though I do cast a glance over at where Sydney and Tai (I asked what his name was yesterday) sit together, chatting. Sydney smiles at me when he sees me looking at him, and I grin back.

Tai sees this exchange and elbows Sydney in the ribs, muttering something behind a palm. Sydney's face falls slightly, and he looks down at his water bottle.

I frown, but by then I'm already sitting down at Cam's group.

"Yo, dude," William, (but everyone calls him Liam) claps me on the shoulder as I adjust my legs underneath me. "You good? You look all spacy."

"Don't tell me someone's got a crush-" Ream grins and places his hands on his cheeks, squishing his face until his lips pucker. "Awww."

"Who's the lucky girl?" Cam asks, tilting his head and biting into his sandwich.

My face flushes, but I shake my head and pull out my yogurt from my bag. "I never said I had a crush on anyone."

"Yeah, but it's obvious enough," Ream rolls his eyes. "Seriously, bro, you're like an open book."

"Yeah, we barely know you but we know you," Liam nods. "You know?"

"I do," I wince. Am I really that easy to read? "But—"

"Come on, man, there's no way you aren't crushing on someone," Ream laughs. "You've got the biggest simp face right now."

I take a spoonful of yogurt and aim it at him like a catapult. Ream gasps and scoots away, out of my firing range.

"Quit it... or else," I threaten playfully, then shove the spoonful into my mouth. I prepare another spoonful, but don't lift it up yet.

"We aren't even being that bad, though!" Liam whines. "We just wanna know!"

"Is it Jasmine?" Ream asks after a second, as if he's making sure I won't fire at him. "She's pretty hot."

"Oo, oo," Liam raises one hand like a little kid. "What about Sarah?"

"Bro!" Ream slaps him across the back of his head, and Liam laughs and ducks. "That's my sister!"

"I was kidding!" Liam bats him away.

"What about Sydney?" Cam asks after a moment.

There's silence that makes me want to spit out the bite of yogurt I just put into my mouth.

"Dude," Ream frowns. "Sydney Summers?"

"Sydney Summers," Cam nods, watching me as I struggle to swallow my yogurt.

"Tam isn't a fag," Liam shakes his head, but then he looks at me and tilts his head. "Right?"

"Honestly, man," I cough. "I never said I was anything or into anyone. Just cuz I hang out with someone doesn't mean I like them."

Ream nods, apparently relieved. "Yeah. See? Anyways, if you are, let me know if I'm as handsome as all the ladies say."

I fake a gag. "Oh, ew. No way, man. You look like a walking abortion ad."

"Shut up," Ream laughs and shakes his head.

"That was a good one!" Liam says approvingly, patting my back and chuckling.

"Bro," Ream's eyes widen, finally getting the joke as he thinks about it again. "That's fuckin' cold."

"I know," I grin. I'm playing it cool, but I'm secretly cheering that I got to use the insult I saw online a few years ago.

The rest of lunchtime is mostly just Liam asking for more insults and Ream wheezing when I say them very seriously to him. Cam is suspiciously quiet, but I don't think much of it.