Something Like a Savior (BoyxBoy)

A1C1 - Dollar Store New York City

"I just want to rip my hair out!" Caleb pulled intensely at the sides of his middle part, like trying to pull out the thousands of strands of hair on his head would help the situation. Caleb eventually let go, tore his hands away from his head, and let his tightened fists uncurl. He stared down at the warm red hands and noticed that in between the folds, there were some of his hair strands laced in there.

"This is so annoying!" Caleb slammed his head down on the floor where his literature homework laid right below him. "I don't understand it at all!"

"This is why you have your amazing best friend, Jo, to help you with homework!" Jo grasped at the top of Caleb's hair and pulled his head up.

"Now why were Marie's curtains blue?"

"Cause they're blue? I don't freakin know!"

"There's not a single critical thought going through your head, is there?" Jo sighs.

"You don't have to keep reminding me I'm dumb." Caleb rolls on his back and covers his eyes with his elbow.

The impending doom of homework being due the next morning while also being a perfectionist who wants not one missing assignment, somehow and miraculously a straight A student, and yet still a very clueless boy was weighing on Caleb's shoulders.

His parents want not one single bad grade, and yes, they do consider anything below an A- a bad grade, so Caleb had spent many nights prior with Jo to finish the assignment on time. Just to not get grounded.

Because of his parents, Caleb has this overwhelming compulsion to be perfect. Even if he can't quite fit to the definition, he shoves the tight shoe on and doesn't complain.
Cause at the end of the day, he just craves the validation from them.

"My school life is over... I'm going to get grounded and I won't be able to see you or anyone again..." Caleb groaned, kicking his legs furiously on the floor.

"It's not that bad, so just have to use that noodle in your head."

Caleb let his arm down, giving Jo a look of 'I'm tired of this.'

"Yeah I'm not sure you have one in there either. Time for plan B." Jo cracked her knuckles.

"Hey!" Caleb sat up and turned to Jo with mild anger. "And what 'Plan B' anyway?"

"I do all the work in favor of anything I want." Jo smiled triumphantly and picked up her notebook.

Caleb thought it over on his head. Since Jo is offering to do his work, that means he could spend more time scouting the yearbook for another potential person for their group.

It has been getting just the slightest bit more boring with just the two. Small awkward pauses when they talk, almost like there's a severed destined connection that needs one more person to really patch it up.

"Sure, but only because I get to look at dudes in the yearbook." Caleb shook hands with Jo.

"Always looking for a guy." Jo smiled and walked to the bedroom door. "You're so gay, Caleb Navarro."

"Like you last week when you saw the new girl?"

"Shut. Up. I told you not to bring that up!"

"Whatever, just leave already, JoJo Siwa."

"WOW."

Caleb smiled to himself and watched as Jo left his driveway, flipping him off from the ground floor. Good friends never get offended of jokes rooted deep in their connection.

Caleb picked up the small mess the two made, bowls, books, pens, and plastic cups. He stacked the dishes up and walked cautiously down the stairs, not wanting to drop the bowl with the cups of soda all over his mom's new carpet that she just put on the stairs.