The Other Side [boyxboy]

The Other Side {8}

                Taliesin only had to jab me in the kidney once during math, which earned him a dirty look. By the time class was over, I was relieved to just go home.

                "Here," I said, handing Taliesin his bottle back as we left the classroom together.

                He tucked it in his bag. "Want more tomorrow?"

                "You don't have to bring me tea," I said. "I can make my own."

                "So that's a Gabriel way of saying 'Yes Taliesin, bring me more tea tomorrow'," he said.

                "I can make my own," I repeated. But damn, it had been good, and I wouldn't say no if he brought me more.

                "Got it, got it," he said, snickering. "You're too easy to read sometimes, you know?"

                "You're frustrating as hell except when you're pissed," I said.

                "Me? Frustrating?" He gave me an appalled look. "How dare you. I am an open book of feelings. Never has a man been frustrated by me before. Or a woman, for that matter. Or anyone identifying as anything, for even more of that matter. Or a dog. Maybe a cat or two, but they're whiny bastards."

                "Alright, I get it," I said, trying not to laugh. "But you are frustrating. I hope you know that."

                "I'm not the one falling asleep in class and passing out in gym. That's frustrating," he said.

                Kayden stepped up next to Taliesin and matched our pace. "Taliesin, Kaya is looking for you. Marshall has something to tell us." He didn't look pleased about that. "I hope it's that he's going to stop being a whiny bastard."

                "Well, you always say he's a pussy," Taliesin said, and laughed at his own dumb joke.

                "He is," Kayden said. "Are you coming or not?"

                "In a minute," Taliesin said. "I'm walking with Gabe. He's telling me how easy-going I am."

                "Frustrating," I corrected.

                "I see we agree on something," Kayden said.

                "Hey, how about we don't team up against me, hm?" Taliesin said. "Run along, Kay. I'll catch up in a little."

                "Fine. But you know if you leave me alone with him too long, I'll just upset him, and then you'll have to hear him complain about it," Kayden said.

                "Kaya will keep you from destroying Marshall's poor feelings. Run along," Taliesin said, waving him away.

                Kayden disappeared into the crowd of students. I glanced at Taliesin, my throat burning with questions. When had he chosen them over us? Why had he chosen them over us?

                "He's trouble," I said, hating myself as soon as the words left my mouth. Stupid. Of course Taliesin knew Kayden was trouble. The two had been suspended after getting in a fight with three other students. That's the whole reason their schedules had been switched back.

                "He's not a bad person," Taliesin said, and his fierce tone surprised me. "We're always told to stand up for what we believe in, even if we're standing alone. That's Kayden. When everyone else sits down and pretends not to notice something wrong, he stands up and calls it out. That's why he's labeled 'trouble'."