Noticing You (BoyxBoy)

Twenty-Three

"He let it happen."

"He was dealing with internalized homophobia at the time. I can't blame him." Isaac said, a little quieter but loud enough Andrew could hear too.

Jess's eyes widened and his head snapped over to Andrew. "You- you were... You're gay?"

"Uh." Andrew shifted uncomfortable under the boy's watchful gaze. "I'm- I'm not sure what I am. I just know there's a distinct possibility I like guys."

"He's got a little crush on Marco." Isaac whispered in Jess's ear. At the feeling of Isaac's breath on his ear he blushed. Isaac loved the way the tips of his ears turned red when he blushed.

Jess took a moment to process what Isaac said and then he burst out laughing. Isaac watched with a smile of content even if he had no idea what was so funny. Jess just had a pretty laugh so he smiled. Andrew was confused.

"Oh my God, that's perfect!"

"Wha-what?" Andrew finally managed to say something and Jess looked at him with half closed eyes and a goofy smile.

"A while back, before Wyatt really started fucking with Marco, I overheard him talking to Ki in Algebra. They were talking about a scrawny kid that wanted to join the baseball team, Marco, and were basically just picking fun. Well, Wyatt said the guy's gotta be a fag because he watched him check you out and then proceeded to say you were the lease likely to turn. Apparently you fucking a dude was never gonna happen. Hence why this situation is so cemdic to me."

Andrew's face showed that he realized the joke now. Zack chuckled quietly to himself. He briefly remembered Jess mentioning something about that conversation he had overheard.

"Damn. You think he was actually checking me out or were they exaggerating?" Andrew's cheeks were tinted slightly as he asked. Isaac chuckled at the hopefulness in his tone.

"I wouldn't know." Jess said with a shrug. Afterwards he must've decided he was done with the conversation because he leaned his head back against Isaac's shoulder.

Zack slid one of his hands up to rub Jess's side and smiled when the boy let out a little sigh of content. His other arm stayed securely around the boy's waist. When Isasc finally averted his eyes back to Andrew, the boy was giving them both a small smile.

"You guys are cute."

Jess hummed and Isaac smiled. "Thanks."

Isaac and Andrew fell into easy conversation then. Jess didn't contribute but he was resting his head on Isaac and listening. On occasion Isaac would whisper in his ear to make sure he was okay and he would hum in response.

After a little pause Andrew said something that seemed to be floating in the back of his mind the whole time. "Has anyone really given you a lot of shit about it?"

Jess seemed interested suddenly, looking up the best he could without moving from his comfortable spot. Isaac just shrugged one shoulder, careful not to move the one Jess was using as a pillow. He didn’t want to disturb Jess too much. "Not really. Just whispers and some glares. You know how they are, don't want to outright say anything."

"Yeah." Andrew nodded.

"Mason said people will probably calm down after a couple days. He said that not very many people actually care they just like to talk about the new drama." Jess cut in for the first time.

Andrew looked a little surprised. "You talk to Mason?"

"I did today. Ethan shouldered me in class and he called him out for being a dick and then sat by me. I've talked to Tally lots of times but never Mason until today."