Once the class came to an end, Aeiou started gathering his things. When he stood up and looked to his side, he saw Zed already standing beside him, blocking his way.
When their eyes met, the air between them froze in an instant.
Aeiou blinked twice. Zed stared at him with furrowed brows and sharp eyes.
Zed barely moved on his chair from the last two periods. He did nothing nor bothered to raise his hand once his name was called on the attendance by the teacher and just stayed silent.
A deep and crisp voice sounded next, "Let's eat outside."
Aeiou gulped, he tried to hide his anxiousness with a sly, "What if I don't want to?"
But Zed didn't say anything and turned his back. Aeiou found himself trailing behind the prince on the hallways without protest.
Aeiou scracthed his head, "What is it? Are you okay?"
"No."
Aeiou went silent. Damn... If he founds out about Tori, it's gonna be a problem!
In the hallway and until the pathway outside, the prince took the lead and stayed silent, contradicting to what he usually do when they walk together; he'd hang his arm around Aeiou's neck lile pulling him in a hug in front of other students as they walk side to side.
°°°
The conversation was no better on foot compared in the car, Aeiou, while looking at the tinted window, rubbed his fingers against his palm roughly while Zed was driving with his eyes straight on the road.
Aeiou summoned his courage and hid his anxiousness with a cold voice, "Hey. Just tell me what bone you have to pick with me." Aeiou moved his eyes to Zed.
Zed inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for one second before pasting his orbs on the road again. "We can talk after I drive."
Aeiou nodded and looked at the car's window again, thinking to himself, He never shut me off of conversations like this. Even though Aeiou is not scared of Zed, he still couldn't stop himself from getting anxious of getting caught.
On one hand, he had promised a date with Tori, so the girl would stop bothering him. On the other hand, Hansel, Zed's bestfriend, confessed to him. Both were revelations that would surely drive Zed crazy as he got two love virals from different genders, one is the ex girlfriend and the other is his own bestfriend.
Aeiou didn't want Zed to know any of the two problems he currently have now.
Weighing his options, Aeiou still couldn't think of a way to avoid this. Aeiou thought of options for so long that the car stopped under a mahogany tree without him knowing for a minute.
Aeiou gazed at the window and saw countless stalls stationed not far away from them. And once he trailed the smoke that raised to the cloud, he met the gloomy weather. It seemed like it would be a heavy downpour soon. Suddenly, seeing the sky was gray, Aeiou felt cold, and the last thing he would feel cold, was now freezing, his hand. He realized, Zed did not held his hand the whole trip.
"Aeiou..." A deep and cold voice came from his side.
Aeiou immediately turned his head to Zed. "Hmm?"
Zed looked for Aeiou's hand and finally reached for it, but he did not look at Aeiou's face. He kept his eyes on Aeiou's eyes.
Zed fiddled his fingers on Aeiou's palm and then slid his slender fingers on Aeiou's margins. He held it lightly before he said, "Tell me, everything about you and Hansel," while still looking at Aeiou's hand.
Hearing that, Aeiou's head hurts. He gulped and leaned his back on the chair. So he did sense what was between me and Hansel.
"Judging by your reaction, there really is something between you two," Zed said in his emotionless voice.
"Hansel confessed to me yesterday."
Silence.
"Is that why you're bothered since this morning?" Zed casually asked.
Aeiou closed his eyes. No. I was bithered by something else. Tori. She wants a final date with me. "Yes." Aeiou lied, but Aeiou's tone was strong. As if he was saying the truth and the truth only.
A deep frustrated sigh came out of Zed's mouth, "We just made our feelings clear today. So did you turn him down yesterday?"
Aeiou looked at Zed. "I wasn't really able to answer him because I was stunned. But if I could have, I would just say your name to him right after his confession. And I'm sure he will understand what that means."
Zed looked at Aeiou for a long while without words. His eyes emotionless, like two calm lakes. Then, after five seconds, those lakes started overflowing with tears.
Zed grabbed Aeiou into a hug and broke into tears. "That was really beautiful. It's like you gave my name another meaning."
Aeiou was stunned for a second, but he quickly nodded and hugged Zed back tightly, pulling the big guy over to him more. "Zed."
"Hmm?"
"I love you. Whatever I do, I do it for us."
"I love you too. But what do you mean..?"
"Nothing. I know that this might seem something I wouldn't say but just know that no matter how much I seem to be pissed when I'm around you, I love you the most. I would rather die alone than be with someone else other than you."
"Where are all these words coming from...?"
"From my heart. He rarely speak to anyone but to you."
Zed chuckled handsomely. "Really? Hi, heart. Nice to finally meet you."
°°°
The two decided to eat something on the car as they made their way back to school.
Holding a cup of egg waffles with sauce on his right hand and a sharp stick on the other, Aeiou said, "It's a surprise your rich ass could eat street foods." Aeiou said while they were inside the car. He used the stick to pierce through the egg waffle and brought it close to his lips to blew some air on it, and when it's cold, he brought the egg close to Zed's mouth. "Open your mouth. Ahh."
Zed opened his mouth chewed on the food and spoke with his mouth full, "My mom treats me egg waffles every after school. It's been years since I tasted this." Even though Zed was raised in a very rich family since he was seven-years-old, he still had his roots intact with him.
Aeiou nodded. Then, he dumbly said, "I wonder why we never met each other until the day I moved to your school. Like... We've been living in the same town for year and I haven't really heard of your name."
"You always have your eyes and ears on girls, that's why," Zed said sourly.
"You bet! Instead of watching basketball during sport competitions I go straight to women's sports to watch. But, I can't go straight to women's competition anymore."
"Why?"
"Because I can't go... 'straight'."
The two looked at each other and the atmosphere froze. Then they laughed.
"Maybe you're bi."
"No...? I don't think so. When I look at girls now, I feel like I'm looking at guys."
Zed's brows furrowed. "What does that supposed to mean? Hahahaha!"
"No! I mean now that I saw you I can't get attracted to anyone else!"
Zed quickly turned his head to Aeiou with an even more stunned looked.
Aeiou's eyes widened as he realized what he just said. Aeiou looked to the window in panic.
"Wait really? Only to me?"
"I... We are late for school."
"Why are you suddenly changing the topic? Hahaha! Come here my husband. I love you. I know you're having a hard time expressing your feelings but you're slowly getting there." Zed tapped Aeiou's shoulder gently and gave it a few press before withdrawing it.
Zed raised his slender finger and rub his lips. "Maybe it's destiny that seperate us since we were kids. I'm a bully while you are a loner. If we met earlier than this, we might end up killing each other."
Aeiou chuckled. "I don't think we would be enemies. If we discover we both don't have mothers just like what happened months ago, I bet we will stick together. Truly, if you came earlier when I was still searching for a comrade against those bullies, I might had become your slave who would obey your orders of any kind."
obey your orders of any kind — hearing that, Zed knew Aeiou was seducing him again. Because what else could be the reason why Aeiou suddenly says something like that?
Only one reason. Zed looked at the street and saw the tall gate of their school one hundred meters away. They were now near the school gate, so if Zed tried to jump on Aeiou's seduction, what happened this morning would happen again; Aeiou would go out of the car, leaving Zed with an erection.
Zed gulped and said, "What do you think I should do to Hansel now?" changing the topic.
Aeiou's expression stiffened. "I don't know. I wouldn't really mind if you tell him what's between us. Just say it in a respectful manner tho."
"Fine by me."
°°°
Hansel sat silently on the dried grass under a mahogany tree at school, waiting for the car Aeiou and Zed lounged in earlier. Hansel crossed his arms and scratched his elbows.
What's taking them so long? Hansel asked himself. He raised his elbow and look at his wrist. 9:23 AM, there were only secen minutes left before the recess came to an end. They should be back soon.
They are just eating outside. Eating outside. Hansel told himself. He closed his eyes and tried took deep breaths.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice came in. "Hey..."
Hansel opened his eyes, there was no one in front of him, but suddenly the sky around him was dark, as if he was swallowed by a huge cloud above him. He looked up and a face smiling over him, looking down.
"Hi!"
"Ashton?" Hansel blinked.
"I have been watching you for five minutes now, you okay?" Ashton asked.
Hansel stood from the grass and slapped the dirt off his pants. "Yes. Are you stalking me?"
"I just happened to pass by and saw you sitting here. Then I waited if you will leave but you didn't and you have this... grumpy expression on your face."
Hansel squinted his eyes. He gnashed his teeth silently. This guy had been chasing him since that night that he pretended to be his boyfriend, calling him honeybunch everywhere. "I'm not your girlfriend. Don't treat me like one." was all that Hansel could answer.
Ashton said, "Want to grab something to eat, honey..."
"Stop. I told you I am not your goddamn boyfriend. I only did that out of pity for you."
Ashton blinked twice. "Um..."
"No." Hansel flatly refused. He stood up from the grass and walked to the other direction.
"But can't you at least give me a chance to prove to you that I like you and you might like me as well."
With that, Hansel's feet automatically stopped. He turned his head back and saw Ashton standing still.
"No. When I look at you I feel no attraction."
"Maybe that's the problem, you only look. You don't give me the chance to show the deeper parts of me. I mean, my personality. Can we at least hang out, just one last time and afterwards if you don't like me I will stop."
"Tsk." Hansel weighed his options. "Fine. One last time."
Once they reached the line, Hansel stood in front of Ashton. He would hear the student from behind groaning because of all the pushing, but for some reason... Hansel did not receive any.
The figure protecting him from the shoving, whispered to Hansel's ears, "Hansel."
"What?"
"Once you've moved on from that person that you loved first. I'm always here to wait for you."