Esteban's Muse

Chapter one: New class

A new school year started today. Esteban was going to be in a new class where he didn't know many people. Luckily, he wasn't alone. 

His best friend, whom he had known since seventh grade was with him. Loris had slept over tonight so that they could go to school together. Esteban loved when Loris slept over. Every time it was relaxing. First, they played video games, then they ate and in  the evening, they watched a movie in his bed, huddled together. 

When the movie was over, they — like so often — ended up cuddling, and since it's nice, they just sleep in this position. Esteban got this weird feeling in his stomach, but that was probably the nerves for the following day.

It was exciting. When they entered the class, nobody they knew was there. Instead, there was a friend group he'd seen around already, but he hadn't spoken to them yet. 

Loris walked straight to their usual spot: the last bench on the side of the door. He quickly followed him and put down his backpack. 

Just when they sat down, a gorgeous tall guy with dark, curly hair  and the most defined jaw Esteban had ever seen walked in confidently. He couldn't help but stare at the guy and wonder how he'd never seen him before. 

Only then did he notice the girl who was with him. Suddenly, a weird sense of disappointment settled in his midsection.  

"Man, what's taking Leo and Giorgio so long?" Loris asked, "They should be here by now."

"You know them—" Esteban finally drew away his brown orbs from the beautiful guy — "they are probably eating in the canteen. Leo has to eat his six eggs every morning."

"Trueeeee, but they should move their asses here now. Argh" The half-Italian guy whined, but Esteban wasn't listening anymore, because the beautiful guy turned around and looked him in the eyes. His breath hitched and his heart started to flutter. The guy had the most beautiful green orbs he'd ever seen. He was breathtakingly gorgeous. 

Wait. He was straight, wasn't he? Well, this guy seems to make him have the textbook symptoms of being in love, so maybe that means that he was attracted to guys as well? Eh, that's fine, as long as it's this stunning entity.

The guy turned away again, and Esteban already missed the warmth his body was filled with when he looked at him. To see what got his man's attention, he followed his gaze, and landed on a guy who just entered the classroom together with three girls. Carolina was one of them. He always got along with her, she had been in his class for as long as Loris.

An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he remembered who looked at the guy accompanying Carolina. Jealously, he watched as the guys' eyes met. They seemed to recognise each other, but neither made a move. Huh. The newly entered boy was medium-height, had brown hair and glasses, which looked unfairly good on him. 

Suddenly, he remembered he wasn't alone and quickly glanced at Loris, who -fortunately- didn't seem to have realised what had happened, since he was engrossed in a Brawl Stars game.

A strong ring filled the school. The first bell. Lessons would start in five minutes. He'd finally know the name of the beautiful guy. 

The door opened once more and finally Leo and Giorgio entered, together with what appeared to be the rest of the class. He recognised some. There was Julie, who went to primary school with him, and her best friend, Millie, he thought her name was. 

"Man, there's Emma," Loris muttered. "She lives across the street from my grandpa" He motioned to a Latina girl, who entered with another girl.

"Guyssss, what's up?" Giorgio had a big smile on his face as he made a beeline to their desks. "Eyy, good to see you as well!" We stood up and gave the two guys bro hugs. 

"I just won another trophy in Brawl Stars you guys!" 

"Woah man, school hasn't even started yet and you're already in the lead for this school year? I'm not sure that counts" Leo said, pulling up one eyebrow.

Esteban had almost forgotten about their annual game, in which they each tried to win as many trophies during school and would see in the end who got the most and thus got bragging rights for the whole year until the next winner was crowned. 

"Nah, I was just warming up. I'll win again this year, you're no competition for me, you know that."

"Suree, keep on dreaming my man, I beat you last night!"

"Pff, I let you win—" but Loris didn't get any further, because the door opened once more and a man entered. He was probably around forty years old, and Esteban guessed that he was their homeroom teacher. 

He put his brown bag —which just screamed teacher— onto his desk while everybody quickly sat down somewhere. Unfortunately, the pretty guy sat in the first row, basically as far away as possible from Esteban. Leo and Giorgio sat down two rows behind the guy— how lucky.

"Good morning!" The man said, "My name is Mr. Freis. I am your homeroom teacher, and I'll be teaching you physics".

Esteban looked at Loris. He had such beautiful eyelashes. They curved up perfectly, were long and dark, they were, all in all, accenting his big blue orbs in a way that made girls start playing with their hair. Truly, they didn't leave Esteban completely unaffected either, but that was normal, right? 

It wasn't weird finding your best friend breathtaking every time the sun shines on his face and hits his eyes just right in order for them to set butterflies free in your stomach, and so that his blonde curls reflect the light and partly let it shine through to make him look like he freshly descended from the Olympus.

And his lips, the bottom one being bitten on by his teeth because he was concentrating on his game. They would look so good if it were his teeth biting the bottom one and not Loris' own. Wait—what?

Esteban woke up from his little daydream session. "—ame, your age, your hobbies, and why you decided on a C class," he heard his teacher say. He guessed they had to present themselves.

Something stirred in his stomach when he realised that he'd soon know the mystery guy's name. "We'll start with you, okay?" Friesing looked at the guy. Yes! Jackpot! His hands clung to his seat in anticipation. 

"Okay, eh, hi, my name is Flavio, I'm 16, I like to cook and swim, and, err, I decided on a C because I want to study medicine, and therefore the science section was the one that appealed most to me," the guy, Flavio —what a beautiful name—, had a voice that settled deep in Esteban's chest. Shit, he'd really fallen for the guy that quick.