Black And White

Hundred Seventy Six

Mitch was walking through the parking lot with a soda in his hand, Scott's arm around his waist when he got the phone call.

"Hi, Allie what's--?"

Scott looked down at him, smiling fondly before looking away.

"Oh my God. You're serious? Where are you right now?"

Scott looked down again, watching Mitch more carefully this time.

"We're on our way. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"

Scott waited until he hung up before speaking. "What was that? Alex okay?"

"He's fine. But... He and Avi are boyfriends now. And apparently it was Avi that had the balls to ask, so. We're going to find Alex so he can tell us the story."

Scott stared at him for a second longer. "Really..? Holy fucking shit..."

"I'm both excited and kind of nervous for them... I really hope they work out."

"Don't be nervous, babe. If it's meant to be, it will."

Mitch stepped away from Scott so the hand would fall from his waist, thus allowing Mitch to grab it to swing their hands as they walked. "Okay."

*

"He literally just asked, like really abruptly." Alex smiled a little and looked away. "I can still picture the look on his face..."

Mitch grabbed onto his forearm with both of his hands. "That's so exciting! Congratulations!"

Avi's voice came out of nowhere-- Mitch didn't even think Avi was aware that there was a drama room in the school-- when he walked up behind them. "Excuse me, Mitch, please take your hands off of my boyfriend."

Mitch flinched away, a smile spreading onto his face. "Not a problem!" 

Scott was in the middle of giving Avi a high five, saying something softly to him with a smirk on his face. 

Mitch wandered over to him out of curiosity. "Hi boyfriend, let our 'friend boyfriends' hang out with each other."

Scott winked at him, and then whispered something else to Avi, to which Avi laughed and then walked away. 

Mitch couldn't help but wonder. "What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, babe." He reached out to take Mitch's hand. "Can I have a sip of that soda?"

Mitch offered it to him. "Don't do that to me, I wanna know what's funny."

"Just an inside thing, babe."

"But I wanna know."

"It's not a big deal, Cutie. It's... Kinda something that's not gonna be funny to you, because you're a nice person."

Mitch's smile faded slightly. "Did you say something mean? About Alex?"

"No, no, just... Mitchie." He sighed in defeat. "Fine, you win. All I said was that now Avi's gonna tap ass on the regular, so I'll get him more strawberry lube."

"Oh, that's not so-- Wait, are you calling Alex a slut?"

"No, Mitch. I'm not."

"Oh... Okay. Well... Okay."

"Don't be upset with me, please. It was just a joke."

"I'm not upset. You and Avi just have a different sense of humor."

"I know. That's why I didn't wanna tell you."

Kirstie suddenly bumped into them. "Oh my God! Where's Alex?! Has he lost his mind?!'

Scott pointed across the room, and then looked over at Alex when she did. "I think his mind is intact, but..."

Kirstie pushed the two apart just to stand in between them and shout across the room. "Alex, what are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!"

Alex flinched, and turned quickly, his hand in Avi's. "Oh, hi Kirstie!"

She rushed over there. "What the Hell is that? What are you doing?"

Alex looked perplexed. "What do you..?"

"You're dating him now? Even after how he treated you? Are you kidding me?"

"We're working on--"

"No, Alex. He's been hurting you. Did he blackmail you into this somehow?"

Avi stepped up then, his facial features dangerous looking. "Are you kidding me?"

Scott let go of Mitch's hand just to rush over, putting a hand on Kirstie's shoulder as he walked by. "Guys, don't do this. They're two consenting adults, and they can do whatever they want. It's Alex's choice to say yes, as well as Avi's."

Kirstie turned halfway to look at him. "You and I both know how Avi acts sometimes. You're gonna let Alex be in a relationship with that?"

Scott squinted at her. "Kirstin... I would greatly appreciate if you wouldn't talk like an asshole about my best friend."

"But he--"

"His relationship is his business. Alex's relationship, is Alex's business. The only person that you need to defend is yourself. Leave them alone."

"How can you say that? I thought you were on board with Avi being an--"

Avi snapped too. "Don't put words in his mouth."

Mitch grabbed Scott's wrist. "Honey, don't get involved in this." He said softly. 

Scott didn't look, and spoke at the same volume he'd been speaking previously. "She's attacking my friend and his relationship."

"Only because--"

"Don't you dare jump onto Kirstie's side." Scott stared at him for a second, and then leaned down to kiss him. "You're right though... Not our fight."

Avi squinted at Kirstie. "Not yours either."

She returned his look. "I'm doing this for Alex. Because he's too kind and timid to do it himself."

*

Mitch and Alex sat beside each other awkwardly in math class, not sharing any words unless they had to. 

When the homework was passed out and they were given time to work, Alex finally looked over at him. "Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not. I'm very happy for you, Alex. I know how much you like him."

"And... I know he's tough to deal with sometimes, and... But so is Scott. And you two get along just fine."

"That's because I stand up to him and tell him to knock it off, Alex. If you want your relationship to work, you're gonna have to step up and make him earn your companionship."

"I understand that... And I'm trying. But usually I'll tell him to stop, and then he'll say something right back to me, and then I let it go because I don't wanna argue."

The teacher suddenly cleared her throat, standing off to the side of them. "That doesn't sound like math talk to me."

Mitch turned quickly. "I apologize, Ma'am." And then he put his head down to work on his paper. 

After the teacher walked away, Mitch checked his phone subtly and was not surprised to see that Scott had texted him a few times. 

Hottie Scottie- Avi's real beat up about what Kirstie said. 

Hottie Scottie- Make sure to ask how Alex is feelin so you can tell me about it later.

And then a third message came in while Mitch was reading the previous two. 

Hottie Scottie- Oh also btw I love you and I miss you and I want to kiss you real bad and do other stuff 2 :)

Mitch smiled at his phone, glancing up at the teacher once more before looking back down to message back that he loved him too. 

**