Why the Straight One? | Book 1 | bxb

Entry 7 - Skittles

"Do you hate skittles?"

"Umm, that's kinda random, but no, I don't. Why would I hate skittles?" Alan grinned, and locked eyes with Elliot.

"Well, because, you can...taste the rainbow!" Elliot had at that precise moment, taken a drink from his cup. He immediately started choking, and laughing at the same time.

Alan started whacking his back, but it seemed like his choking wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Tears stood out in his eyes as he gasped for breath.

Thomas meanwhile, was sitting in his seat, trying to understand what could be so funny.

"Breath, child!" Alan laughed as he continued to whack the poor guy's back. "Don't die on me! You have so much to live for!"

This only made Elliot laugh harder, which was difficult, seeing that he was still choking on his drink.

I was still trying to decide what to do, knowing that Elliot didn't need some one else to whack his back or ask if he was okay. I decided on staying seated and laughing with them. Definitely the best option.

"You s-saw me taking a drink!" He finally gasped out. "How could you do that to me?"

"Forgive me!" Alan threw himself down in front of Elliot, spreading his arms dramatically. "My humor was only meant to bring discomfort to your brother, but never to hurt you, my prince!"

"You are forgiven! Arise and take your place beside me." Elliot wiped the tears from his eyes, and sighed. "I'm exhausted, but that was so good!"

"I know! I'm the best." Elliot laid his head on his shoulder.

"And modest too." I added, to which Alan nodded solemnly.

"Extremely modest. The neck lines of my shirts are always a respectable height." Elliot burst out laughing again, and buried his head in Alan's neck.

Even Thomas managed a smile, and Alan almost jumped out of his seat.

"He smiles! Looks everyone, he smiles!" The unwanted attention brought a faint ting is red to Thomas' cheeks.

"Alex, why are we even here?"

"Because you are supposed to be hanging out with me today." He looked at the laughing teenagers, who were whispering something to each other.

"Okay, but why are you here?"

"Because, these are the people I want to hang out with."

"But why?" His judgmental look said it all. And here I was thinking he was making progress.

"We aren't forcing you to stay. If you can't handle it, you know where the door is." Elliot interrupted his whispered conversation to tell him. "After all, you never come here anyways. Why make today the exception?"

While the rest of it had been playful banter, I caught the bitterness in his last sentence, and wondered how rude Thomas must have been to make Elliot bitter.

"But babe, I want to play Spades, and we need four people." Alan whined.

"You just want him to stay so you can bug him more." I said, and Alan nodded in agreement.

"Of course! So, Thomas, to flee or not to flee, that is the question." Thomas stared at him for a few moments, and Alan's jovial mood dampened slightly.