Fanboy (boyxboy)

"I have this theory."

Bryce got to his locker that morning, heart stopping for a moment when he saw the homemade signs with glitter taped up with balloons. A second later he realized they were taped to Nick's locker and his breakfast threatened to come back up. Homecoming was two weeks away and, of course, someone wanted to take Nick. Bryce was still standing there staring at the sign and trying to figure out how Preston had gotten into their school to decorate Nick's locker before anyone else got there when Clay walked up.

"So amateur. Everyone knows the surprise is the best part," Clay clucked his tongue. "Speaking of which, how do I look?"

"Great, except for the part where your face looks the way it does," Bryce knew he was being petty and didn't care. "Good thing Ashley's into community service."

"I know, right? Maybe she'll let me see her-"

"Go away," Bryce interrupted before Clay could rub it in that he was going to have a date to Homecoming and Bryce was going to be sitting at home, by himself. Would anyone even remember Homecoming fell on his birthday this year? Probably not.

"You're right, she'll be here any minute. Gotta run!"

Bryce was tempted to follow Clay so he could take a video for their parents, just so he could pretend he had something better to do than stand there at his own locker with the horrible, public reminder that he'd made the biggest mistake of his life. His feet just wouldn't move. Not even when he saw Nick coming down the hall.

Nick's reaction was so cute that Bryce's heart broke all over again. What wouldn't he give to be the reason Nick looked so excited? Nick looked at him, as if he expected Bryce to say something. Maybe he thought Bryce was in on it? After another few seconds, Nick's smile faded.

"This is kind of humiliating," Nick pulled a balloon down. "So extra."

"Right? Well, um, congrats or whatever," Bryce walked away, deciding that he would go take that video after all.

"Wait, Bryce," Nick protested.

"Sorry, I have to help Clay," Bryce didn't look back.

He got to Ashley's locker with just enough time to get his phone out and ask the kids nearby to keep talking but not to get in the way of the video. The whole thing went perfectly.

When Ashley opened her locker it was crammed full of balloons. She knew right away what to do and started popping them. Glitter and confetti spilled everywhere until she got to the last balloon and found Clay's invitation to go to Homecoming with him. When she turned around, Clay was waiting with a big bouquet of pink carnations. Of course she kissed him and Bryce got Clay's surprised look on the video before he stopped recording. He sent it to his parents and Clay.

Dad: did she say yes??????????

Bryce: obvs

Pops: cutest. thing. ever.

Pops: im adding Dax + B

Dad: add Roe and Jeff too

Bryce turned his phone on do not disturb while his parents added the rest of the family to the text. They all texted for the next few hours, completely oblivious to the fact that he was in class and would be in so much trouble if he looked at his phone every time one of them said something. Naturally no one seemed to remember he was the one who started the whole conversation in the first place.

"Hey, did you see Clay's homecoming proposal went viral?" Isa caught up to Bryce after school that day.

"It wasn't that creative," Bryce rolled his eyes. "That's so typical."

"Right? There have already been way better ones here," Isa shook his head. "I totally get why you keep your IG private now."

"Not a lot of people do," Bryce smiled.