Enemies with benefits

Chapter 16: Best Friends Forever?

Colby did everything in his power to be the best fucking friend Ezra Dickinson has ever had.

Ezra needed change for the vending machine. Boom! Colby was there. Ezra forgot to do his homework. Boom! Colby's got his back. Ezra was late to class. Boom! Colby's already made an excuse for him.

Colby was trying super hard to build something between himself and Ezra, but for some reason Ezra was so skittish around him.

It was like Colby had some sort of virus because Ezra was avoiding him like the plague. The main thing Colby noticed was that Ezra would never be alone with Colby.

The day after they'd decided to just be friends, they ended up in the library alone together after school since they still had detention. To say it was awkward, would be putting it lightly. Colby talked about anything and everything trying to get a response out of Ezra but nothing was working. Colby talked about football to school to even going as far as to talk about Joanna and Sophie; which he did not want to do but desperate times call for desperate measures. Ezra would just hum or say 'really' as a responsive. It was like he was a million miles away even though he was sitting right in front of Colby. Still as handsome as ever (if not a little pale and a bit tired looking) but Colby didn't get annoyed over that anymore, nope, he decided to enjoy the view instead.

"So, you going to Brent's party on Saturday?" Colby asked hoping that talking about a party would liven Ezra up a bit.

Ezra didn't look up from his book that he'd been trying to write chemistry notes in but kept getting distracted. "Yeah." Was all Ezra said in response.

"Cool, cool. You gonna drink at it?"

"Absolutely." Ezra murmured under his breath.

Did that mean Ezra was stressed about something or an alcoholic? No way he could be stressed about Colby, right? After all, he'd been trying to make their friendship as none stressful as possible.

Colby began to panic and fret over the possibility that he was the source of Ezra's stress. That would explain Ezra's blatant discomfort to be around Colby. Was it the kiss they had in the library? Did Colby annoy Ezra? Did Ezra not actually want to be friends and was now stressed because Colby had been too dense to notice that Ezra was kindly trying to tell him to piss off? There were too many possibilities for Colby to think about. He thought that being friends with Ezra would be easier than what they were before; but now it seems sex was simpler.

Colby decided to try and ask whether he was being a bother.

Ezra stared out the library window, his eyes glazed over in thought. Tentatively, Colby reached across the table that separated them and placed a gentle hand on Ezra's arm. Without even asking, he got the answer to his question.

Ezra pulled away from Colby's touch as if it had burned him. His eyes came alive but looked wild and frantic like he was checking to see if anyone was watching.

"What are you doing?" Ezra demanded. His voice was loud and just as panicked as his eyes. The librarian shushed him from somewhere in the maze of books.

Colby was not expecting that kind of reaction and it hurt slightly. "I was just trying to ask you a question?"

Ezra's hand was firmly clasped over where Colby had touched him, he seemed to be calming down a bit now but his eyes kept checking for something. "Well- What were you going to ask?"

"It doesn't matter now." It really didn't, that reaction was enough for Colby to get the hint that Ezra had no desire to be friends with him. Only a couple weeks ago, that answer wouldn't have bothered Colby at all as he had felt the same, but now...