Our World

chapter 11: atlas

chapter 11

~atlas~

       The moment I wake up, I reach for my phone to see how many more minutes I have left to sleep before my alarm goes off. My eyes take a few moments to adjust to the sudden brightness of my phone screen and when it does, I see that it's eight forty. 

       I sit up, checking to see if I got the time wrong, but I didn't. My alarm was supposed to go off at seven-thirty. Why didn't it go off? How was I able to sleep in for an extra hour when I'm so used to waking up at seven-thirty for my morning classes?

       I quickly get out of bed, knowing there's no way I'll be able to make it to class on time because. The least I can do is try to get there as soon as I can, even though my professor will still lecture me on being on time.

       Some professors are lenient when it comes to being late. They just continue teaching while a latecomer walks in. Others, not so much.

       I must have been making a lot of noise as I'm getting ready because Ari stirs in bed for a bit before he wakes up and asks, "Atlas, is everything okay?"

       "Yeah, everything's fine." I take off my pyjamas to put on my clothes. "My alarm just didn't go off so I overslept and I have twenty minutes to make it to class, which definitely will not happen because I'd have to wait for the bus and the bus ride to the school more than twenty minutes and--"

       "Atlas," Ari interrupts as he sits up on the bed. "Relax. I'll take you."

       "Really?" 

       "Yes, really." He gets out of bed so he can get ready to drop me off at the university. "You can always wake me up to take you to school if you end up running late."

       "I know." I still hate waking Ari up when he's a university student and works a job just like me. He needs his sleep as much as I do so even though he says he never minds me waking him up for whatever reason, I still hate doing it.

       Even though Ari normally takes his time to get ready before any of his classes, he doesn't take any time since he knows how quick I need to get to the school. He'll most likely be coming back to the apartment to sleep in after dropping me off anyway.

       Once we're both ready, I grab my backpack and double check to make sure I have to right notebook and supplies for my class. I do, thankfully, so the two of us leave and head to the parking garage where Ari's motorcycle is. 

       Ari's able to get me to get school with five minutes to spare, so I don't even have to hurry to my class, especially since he drops me off at the parking area closest to the building where my class is.

       I get off the motorcycle and take off my helmet, handing it to Ari. "Thank you so much," I say.

       Ari takes off his helmet as well so he can see me smiling at him. "You're welcome. Although, there is a way you can thank me when you get back to apartment after your class."

       Like usual, my cheeks burn at Ari's not-so subtle indication of what he wants as a thanks. "Stop that."

       "I'm just teasing you," Ari says. "You're cute when you blush."

       "Thanks," I say sarcastically. I'm glad he thinks I'm cute, but I would appreciate it if he didn't make the effort to make me blush in public, especially when a few people nearby are watching us. 

       I'm not exaggerating. With Ari being the popular and highly wanted guy that he is, a few people who are standing or sitting somewhere on campus nearby can't help but check out Ari, whispering to their friends.

       And I don't know why but this time, I feel a sense of possession over Ari. Maybe it's because of the work dinner while although it hurt a tiny bit to see my parents still act homophobic towards me, it also annoyed me. Despite me telling them over and over again I felt attracted to boys before I even met Ari, they have it engrained in their head that it's all Ari's fault.

       I guess they find it easier to blame Ari than to realize that I was born this way.

       And because I'm more annoyed at my parents than afraid of their reaction, I don't feel too afraid to come out to everyone else. After all, the university doesn't tolerate discrimination at all. If someone, on the off chance, decided to discriminate against me or Ari, the school would handle it.

       Ari, himself, would try to handle it.

       I'm already out at the race track. Why can't I also be out at school without feeling fearful or ashamed? I certainly wouldn't have to worry about the countless amount of times Ari gets asked out. Probably. Some people are shameless, but the numbers would go down drastically. 

       So I gather up all the courage I have to cup Ari's face in my hands and press my lips onto his. He kisses me back until I pull away a few moments later; he has a smile on his face but looks equally as shocked. "I wasn't expecting that," he says.

       "I, uh... I'm not too afraid anymore. I want to be out and happy with you now."

       Ari's shocked expression drops as he fully smiles instead. "I'm glad."

       "So if someone asks for your number, tell them you have a boyfriend."

       "Ooh, possessive Atlas. I like it."

       "I'm... I'm not being possessive. I just... I kissed you in public so you don't have to hide it anymore." I suddenly remember that the whole reason I'm on campus in the first place. "I need to get to class."

       I'm about to leave, but Ari gently grabs my arm and pulls me back in for another kiss. When he pulls away, he smiles again. "I'll pick you up after class."

       I shake my head. "It's okay. I'll just take the bus."

       Ari doesn't take no for an answer and just says, "I'll see you after class," before putting on his helmet and turning his motorcycle back on. He gives me a wave before driving off to head back home.

       I purposefully avoid everyone's stares who witnessed me and Ari kiss as I walk to my class, not liking the eyes on me. But at the same time, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulder. It feels good not to hide my feelings from Ari anymore.

       There's still a minute or two left for class to start by the time I sit down at my usual desk. As I take out my notebook and stationary, Valeria sits down beside me. "Why didn't you tell me that Ari was gay when I asked you for his number?"

       Either word travels very fast, or Valeria was one of the people who witnessed the kiss. Although, I didn't see her outside. She's normally in the classroom no later than five minutes before class starts.

       "Because he's not?" I say.

       "My friend saw you two kiss outside," she says. "So either you two find it normal to kiss your roommate or my friend was just trying to get a rise out of me."

       "Ari's bi."

       "So you two did kiss?"

       "Um... Yes? He's... He's my boyfriend."

       "And you didn't tell me when I asked for his number because?"

       "Because I wasn't out then. I am now."

       "Whatever." Valeria gets up and goes back to the seat she was at before deciding to question me about what her friend witnessed. She seems a bit frustrated, maybe a bit mad to, so I come to the realization that people know I'm dating Ari might just cause a lot of me to hate me, not for being gay but for dating Ari.

       Great.

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at least he had the courage to fully come out <3 and ari will 100% fight anyone who makes atlas feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

as much as i love the names ari and atlas, i kind of wish they both didn't start with a because i'm constantly messing up their names when i'm writing lmao. i have to keep fixing it. one day. one day i won't mess up.