Colors

Three

I saw him again after school the next day.

I might have faked a stomach ache so I could leave school early and spend more time with my mystery red boy...

He was really nice, even if he was a little closed off at times.

"So... Do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah."

"How many?"

"One."

It was always one word responses like this when I asked about his family or friends. I was beginning to wonder if he had any. After a little while, I just stopped asking about them.

I saw him again the next day. And the day after that, and after that. I always made it home in time to see Alex, but it almost felt as though I was on a constant countdown until I could see my red boy again. We'd learned a lot about each other in those days, though I guess that's what happens when you spend hours with someone.

I knew that his name was Mitch, and he was really funny. Of course there was the whole not talking about his family thing, but otherwise he was pretty open. I knew that he was a great singer, he had the sweetest laugh in the world, his favourite singer was Beyoncé (someone I'd never heard about, but I had to get the opportunity to hear her some time soon) and a lot more about his world.

It was hard to learn about his personal life since he held so much back, but we just clicked anyway. It was so easy to talk to him about the things we loved and spend hours with him without even noticing. I wanted to try and stay out one night but I knew that wouldn't end well for either of us. So I went back home, wishing him a good night and watching him disappear into the sunset.

This continued for weeks. We didn't even talk most of the time, we just sat there and watched the world go by, sometimes sitting close to each other and sometimes not. I'd even started to take my homework with me because I didn't have time to do it otherwise and he helped me. He's really good at math, actually.

"Hey, Scott?" I was sitting in my room with Alex one night, since he was staying over.

"What's up, Allie?" I laid down on my bed and turned my head to look at him.

"I... I need your help. There's a guy." He whispered and I sat up straight, immediately giving him all of my attention. There hasn't been 'a guy' in years, and back then Alex was head over heels for this guy.

"No, you can't leave me alone! Carrie Underwood and I will be heartbroken..." I smirked and he laughed, and soon we were both laying down and laughing together, clutching our stomach's tightly as tears stained our cheeks. I wasn't even sure what was so funny, but I think that's what made it so much better. We needed a good laugh.

"Sorry, sorry. Back to the point. Spill your secrets to Scottie." I referred to myself in second person and pretended to pull out a notepad to write things down.

"You're a dork... But do you know that kid Jake in our class? Sits directly in front of us in math? He's really cute and funny? Kind of flamboyant sometimes?"

"Yeah? I've never talked to him before, but he seems really nice. Is he this mystery boy?" I poked Alex in the side and he squirmed away, laughing and shaking his head.

"No! I meant that Jake introduced me to this friend of his after school and oh my god he's so cute. His name is Ryan and he has the nicest jawline I've ever seen. He's kind of short and skinny with big sapphire eyes and really nice eyebrows... Scott? Are you listening?"

I looked up at him quickly, trying to pretend that I hadn't been daydreaming about Mitch, nodding and smiling at him. "Ooh, he sounds really cute. What are you going to do about the whole 'gay is wrong' thing?" I asked, half joking and half worried about my best friend. I didn't want him getting himself into danger over a boy, but I also didn't want to risk his happiness because of some stupid rules.

"I don't know. Well we'd definitely keep it quiet. But I don't know how I'd sneak him around my parents and how I'll sneak around his parents. But I really like him and I don't want it to be this dumb place that messes us up." He gritted his teeth and I rubbed his knee calmingly, sighing softly.

"That sucks man, I'm really sorry. I'll help however I can." I hugged him and he smiled, so I silently got up and went to the television and put on 'The Wizard Of Oz' it was apparently remastered so that the characters and settings were blue but it was still Alex's favourite film.

We both messed around and sang along as we watched, Alex crying at some parts as I held him.

"You're a mess." I looked at him once the film was over and he laughed softly, wiping his eyes

"I really am..." He nodded and I kissed the top of his head before the doorbell rang, signaling that the pizza we'd ordered had arrived finally.

We both jumped up and raced to the front door. Alex forgot that he was wearing socks on hardwood flooring and couldn't stop, slamming into the door and laughing before we opened it.

Damn. The pizza guy was cute. I mean, no. Scott, stop it. He looked a lot like Mitch, but of course he was blue. And taller. And kind of annoying. And probably straight. Wait... Was Mitch straight? I made a mental note to ask him before Alex and I paid for the pizza and we went back inside. Both of us just collapsed on the couch and ate as much food as we could before we felt ready to explode.

"Scotty, you seen any hotties recently?" Alex raised an eyebrow and smirked, poking my chest a bit.

"Nah, not really..." I lied. I shared almost everything with Alex. Mitch was my secret. That was okay, right?

"Okay, don't tell me." Alex huffed and crossed his arms.

"Honest there's no one! What makes you think there's a boy?" I asked and looked at him skeptically, raising one of my non-existent eyebrows.

"Please. You've been walking around like you've seen the face of God himself."

"I've just been feeling good this week."

"Mhm... Okay."

"Shut up." I laughed and shoved his shoulder, which ended with the both of us wrestling on my bed. Obviously that was enough to distract him, both of us falling asleep happily after we'd calmed down.

I felt bad for not telling Alex, but I would do it eventually, right?