Starstruck (the Idea of Always)

Zondag 10:27

Ralph looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"So? Resolutions?"

"Oh that's right," Milan turned back toward Lucas excitedly.

Lucas raised his hands, shrugging defensively.

"I don't know, maybe like..." he trailed off, looking around, as though a resolution was going to come through the vent in the ceiling. "Do better in school?"

"That works," Ralph said, cutting him slack.

Lucas gave him a fake glare and grabbed his coffee cup, holding it up with both hands to feel the warmth. He saw people coming toward the booth in his peripheral vision and looked over.
His eyes went automatically to Jens, who was looking at him as well.

"Hey," Milan said, shifting closer to Ralph to make space. Moyo sat next to him, sliding his cup across the table. Moyo and Aaron both quirked their chins up at Lucas, who did the same back. Jens dropped his backpack next to the booth and slid in next to Lucas. His leg pressed against Lucas's and Lucas could feel his face become warm. Jens bumped his elbow against Lucas's casually.

"All's good?" Jens asked, looking at him as he moved so Robbe could come in next to him.

"Yeah, hey." Lucas glanced up at Ralph, who was watching as Aaron loudly pulled a chair over to the booth, and then looked back at Jens.

Jens gave him an understanding look and looked away to watch Aaron like the others. He pulled his leg away slightly and the side of Lucas's leg became cold.

"Bro," Robbe said as Aaron sat down. "You couldn't have been any quieter?"

Aaron shrugged.

"Do you guys have any resolutions?" Milan asked, looking from Aaron to Robbe. They all said, "Uhh..."

Lucas laughed quietly. Moyo looked at him and said, "He asked you too?"

"Yeah."

"And?" Jens questioned, looking into his eyes. He had a small smile on his face and his eyes looked soft.

"I said school."

"That's mine, too," Jens said, looking at Milan.

"Same," Robbe added. Aaron nodded as he tried to take a sip from his coffee, and Moyo nodded, looking at Milan as well.

"That doesn't count!" Ralph said, leaning over the table to look at all of them.

"I think it does," Lucas said, pulling himself up to adjust his sitting to he could look at the rest of them as well. As he settled back down, he turned in his seat, placing his right leg over Jens's left. Jens glanced at him and smiled quickly, looking back at the guys (specifically Aaron, who had burned himself on the coffee, muttering expletives as he held his mouth).

As they all laughed and shook their heads at him, Lucas lifted his mug and took a sip. Jens moved his hand down under the table, leaning forward and holding himself up on his other arm, and placed his hand on Lucas's knee, squeezing gently twice. Lucas smiled into his cup.

"You guys are going to the party, right?" Moyo asked, looking at Milan and Ralph and then Lucas, eyebrows raised hopefully.

"That one at the club?" Milan asked.

"That's very vague so I'm going to say yes."

"Okay, Moyo," Milan said, lifting his hand up like he was going to lecture him.

"The one Zoë posted about," Robbe said before he could.

"Yeah, we are," Milan said, elbowing Moyo before putting his hand back down. Moyo giggled and pushed his shoulder into Milan.

"Nice, nice, nice," Jens said, brushing his thumb back and forth over Lucas's knee.

JENS
He brushed his thumb on Lucas's knee and tried not to look over at him. It was hard not to, though, he looked so pretty. He was holding his coffee cup up to his face with both hands, taking occasional sips. He looked like he belonged in a commercial for holiday candles.

"So what are you guys doing today?" Aaron asked, looking at Milan and Ralph.

"Uhm, what are we doing..." Milan trailed off and looked at Ralph like he was trying to remember.

"You're the tour guide, I have no idea," Ralph said.

"Oh! Taking the train into Brussels. Shopping maybe?" Milan looked Lucas for confirmation and Jens took this as an opportunity to turn his head in Lucas's direction.

Lucas shrugged his shoulders, looking from Milan to Jens quickly and then back to Milan.

"Sure," he said like he was asking a question.

"Actually speaking of which, we should probably go, we don't want to miss the early train." Milan reached under the table, leaning into Moyo for a second so he could find his jacket. Out of the corner of his eye, Jens saw Lucas sigh and lift his mug up to drain it. Jens looked at him without turning his head and smiled as Lucas set his cup back on the table.

Moyo pulled himself out of the booth, letting Milan and Ralph come out behind him.

"You can leave your cup, I'll take it up when we're done," he said, squeezing Lucas's knee again.

"Thanks," Lucas leaned closer to Jens, reaching out under the table and sliding his hand over Jens's shortly, weaving their fingers together for a second before letting go and lifting his leg off of Jens's.

Robbe quickly stood up (he had been taking a sip of his coffee, not realizing he had to move so Lucas could get out) and Jens followed, letting Lucas come out as he grabbed and lifted his bag.

As Milan and Ralph said their goodbyes to Moyo did Aaron, Lucas held his hand out for Robbe and Robbe slapped his hand against his, nodding and saying, "See you later," not really moving his mouth.

"You okay?" Jens asked Robbe, who started sliding back into the booth.

"Yeah, I burnt my tongue."

Jens scoffed and turned to Lucas.

"Of course he did," he said, holding his own hand out. Lucas did the same as he did with Robbe, his hand lingering a little longer. Jens gave him the quickest, subtlest wink he could, and Lucas's mouth grew into a smile.

"I'll see you at the party?" Jens asked.

"Yeah, for sure."

Milan leaned across the table to press a quick kiss to Robbe's forehead (Robbe made a disgruntled sound like a middle schooler being kissed by his mom in public), and Jens slid into the booth as they walked away.

He saw Lucas glance back toward them before they were out of sight, and he smiled.