Black And White

Hundred Thirteen

Scott marched into Avi's classroom, immediately saying hello to a bunch of other people in there. 

Avi was making a paper airplane out of his homework, but dropped it when Scott walked over. "Hey, Kid. You're supposed to be out of here already. Change your mind about the trip?"

"Nah. We're leaving as soon as I'm done here. I wanted to say goodbye to you guys one more time, and bring you this."

Avi grinned at the coffee. "No shit? That's mine?"

Scott offered it to him with a grin of his own. "Of course." He then smacked Avi's arm. "I'm gonna miss ya, buddy. And Alex will too, I think."

"Oh will you cool it with that shit? It's up to him whether he wants to be with me or not, and so far it's looking like he doesn't."

"What the Hell makes you think that? He's all over you all the time. Just waiting for your dumb ass to make a move."

Avi looked up from the coffee. "He told you that?"

"Kinda. So make a move. Solve all your problems."

Avi huffed a little. "You can't say that to me when he's about to leave for four days!" 

"Sure I can. Come back to the car with me, and 'say goodbye'. Hows that?"

Avi nodded quickly, and began walking to follow him out, after he'd set his coffee down somewhere safe.

*

The instant Scott and Avi walked out the front door of the school, Alex spotted them, and then looked behind him at Kirstie. "Hey, does my hair look okay?"

Kirstie met his eyes and then tilted her head a little. "Yeah, looks great. Why?"

"No reason."

Avi then tapped on Alex's window, and waved for him to get out of the car. Alex nervously met Scott's eyes as Scott walked around to sit in the driver's seat, but Scott only winked at him. 

Alex got out of the car and closed the door. "Oh, hey."

"Hey. Uh. Listen. I know you and I are at this weird point in our friendship or relationship or whatever it is. But just... Would it be okay if I texted you while you're gone? I just wanna... Get to know you better or whatever, and..."

"Yeah that's fine." Alex gave him a small smile, only mildly upset that Avi was seeing him in his comfy road-trip clothes.

Avi didn't seem bothered at all though, scanning Alex's work out shorts and his tank top. "Hey... Alex?"

"Yeah?"

Avi met his eyes then, and there was something mysterious in them that Alex couldn't decipher. But it looked almost dangerous. "You gotta promise me you'll look out for him."

More accurately, he looked dangerous. "What are you--?"

"I know he acts tough; And he is. But you just... Look out for his mental health, would you? He pretends it doesn't bother him, and pretends he's unaffected by asshole fucking people. But he isn't."

Alex nodded slowly. "I'll do the best I can."

"And if fucking Rick comes near him again, you'd best take his head off. Ya understand?"

Alex nodded once, more sharply.

Avi looked him up and down again. "And, uh... One more thing?"

Alex just nodded, hoping that would be enough to prompt him to finish. 

"I don't wanna go four whole days away from you without a kiss first."