[SHYAN] skeptics and true believers

ch. 3

Once again, Ryan dreamt of Shane. This time, they sat in a field together staring up at the sky. The world around them was blurry and undefined, with an odd surreal quality to it; it was unclear whether or not the sky above them reflected day or night, held clouds or stars. Unlike the last dream, they weren't on top of each other; instead, they just held hands and sat with one another. It felt just as intimate. There were no wolves or yellow eyes in this dream; just stars and soft grass and Shane. Ryan was content. 

Ryan blinked open his eyes the next morning to the sound of an abrasive alarm and the quiet pattering of rain outside of his window. He sat up, running a hand through his messy black hair and yawning. He leaned forward with his face in his hands. He needed to get this crush under control before it started affecting how he interacted with Shane in real life. 

Shane probably isn't even gay, he was trying to be realistic about it (possibly for the first time in his entire life). He thought back to the feeling of Shane's hand in his from the dream and couldn't help but feel the slightest bit crestfallen at that notion. Ryan groaned and fell back onto the mattress.  Why did everything always have to be so complicated?

He checked his phone before rolling out of the bed, sighing in disappointment when he noticed that his text from last night was still unanswered. Maybe Shane is just sick, Ryan thought unhappily, or maybe he just doesn't like me. 

He shoved aside his gay crisis and climbed into the shower. There were better times to confront his feelings, he mused.   

--

Despite the fact that Ryan had gotten a full night's sleep, he arrived at school in a worse mood than the day before. He hadn't realized that Shane ignoring him would have this much of an effect. Get yourself together, Bergara, Ryan scolded himself mentally for being so easily wounded. 

He walked in the front doors of the school and his eyes immediately fell on Brent and Shane, who were conversing in the front lobby. Ryan would've been lying if he said his heart hadn't jumped when he saw Shane. Speaking of...

Shane looked rough, to put it nicely. His hair was messy and his facial hair unkempt; dark bags resided underneath his eyes and he looked thoroughly tired and disheveled in his wrinkled jean jacket. If it had been anyone else, Ryan would've said they looked like shit.

Except, Shane looked ridiculously hot in his own tousled way; he pulled off the "didn't sleep at all last night" look perfectly. Internally, Ryan groaned. He was so fucked. 

Brent made eye contact with Ryan and waved him over; as he approached, Shane gave him a fatigued smile. His eyes, which were normally a deep brown, were shining amber in the early morning sun. Flecks of gold were present throughout the dark orange color, and Ryan was taken away by how they almost looked ethereal. 

"Earth to Ryan?" Brent said, waving his hand in front of Ryan's face. He blinked and came back to the present, trying to hide his embarrassment. He had literally gotten lost in Shane's eyes, for God's sake. 

"Sorry, I'm just a little tired," He lied, "What's you just say?" 

"I said hello," Shane smiled at him again, and Ryan hoped his face hadn't just turned red with blush, "How was your night?"

Ryan laughed, "I slept like a fucking rock because I didn't get any sleep the night before," He said, glaring at Shane in a joking manner, "Wonder who's fault that is."

Shane rolled his eyes. "I wasn't the one trying to prove the existence of ghosts the whole night." He grinned, "Which, by the way, you still have not managed to do."