I sighed and shut my locker, feeling exhausted. I had barely slept at all last night, and I was just glad it was Friday now.
I began to head towards the main lobby and paused when I saw Alex. He was leaning against the wall, staring down at his feet.
“Hey Alex,” I said, going over to him.
He jumped in surprise and glanced up at me, his face instantly heating up. He nodded a greeting at me.
“Why are you just standing here alone?” I asked curiously.
“I’m waiting for Collin and Josh. You should go before they get here. I don’t want Collin to yell at you,” he mumbled nervously.
“I’m not afraid of Collin,” I lied casually. “I want to talk to you, so I’m staying right here.”
Alex blushed harder. “Then…let’s go to the junior hallway. They won’t be there,” he said, his eyes darting around the hallway we were in to make sure they weren’t in sight.
A little relieved, I nodded and we walked to the junior hallway together. After making sure the coast was clear, I relaxed.
“So…how old are you anyways? What grade are you in?” I asked. He looked and acted like he should’ve been in the fifth grade, but he was obviously older than that.
“I’m 14. I’m a freshman,” he said, beginning to twirl his hair around his finger again. I had a feeling he did that whenever he got nervous. “You’re a senior, like my brother.”
I nodded. “I am,” I said, trying to think of something to say. How was I supposed to hold a conversation with a kid that barely spoke?
“And you’re always hanging out with Gage Allen and Gav Drake,” he said, still not meeting my eyes.
I nodded again. “They’re my best friends,” I said with a small smile. “Who do you hang out with?”
“Collin and Josh,” he mumbled.
“Well, yea. But who else?” I asked. Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t ever seen Alex with anyone other than Collin and Josh.
“No one else,” he said, so silent that I barely heard him. “Just Collin and Josh.”
I frowned, suddenly feeling bad for him. I couldn’t even imagine not having any friends. Poor guy.
“Well, I’ll be your friend,” I offered with a shrug and a small smile.
Alex looked up in shock. “Why?” he whispered. I had a feeling he wasn’t used to people being nice to him.
I shrugged at him. “Because you seem nice, and I want to be friends with you,” I said, smiling wider. “If you’re okay with that.”
He nodded, blushing like crazy. Aw, he was adorable! I just wanted to cuddle him and ruffle his hair! Collin was so lucky to have such a cute little brother.
The bell rang and we both jumped in surprise. I sighed and shoved my hands in my pockets, glancing down the hallway.
“I better get going so that I’m not late to class. I’ll see you in gym Alex,” I said.
He nodded again. “Yea. See you in gym T-Travis,” he said shyly.
“Aw, you can just call me Trav. Most people do,” I said.
“Okay Trav,” he said, his face heating up again. He dropped his head and gave me a small wave before hurrying away, probably to find Collin and Josh.
“Jeez, he’s so damn shy,” I mumbled to myself before heading to class.
“Trav!”
I spun to face Rose as she hurried towards me. She stopped in front of me and eyed me carefully before sighing.
“I heard from Gage that Gav is going to ask me today. What do you think I should say?” she asked, blushing slightly.
“I think you should say yes. Gav is a great guy, and he would make anybody happy,” I said honestly.
Disappointment flashed across her face so fast I almost missed it. But then she was giving me a small smile and nodding.
“Okay Trav. And hey, good luck finding a boy to go to senior ball with. Anyone would be lucky to go with you,” she said before turning and walking away towards her first period class.
Confused, I went to class. When gym class rolled around, I walked with Gav to the locker rooms. I hadn’t asked Gav about him and Rose yet. I was too scared that he would tell me he was going to ask her out today.
“Hey Trav…I’m going to ask Rose out today,” he said as he pulled his shirt off.
Damn.
“Awesome,” I said with a weak smile. “She’ll say yes for sure Gav.”
“But if you fuck her, I’m going to kill you,” Gage said, popping out of nowhere and tugging his shirt off. He raised an eyebrow at me and motioned to my shirt. “Well? Take it off. We all have to change.”
I rolled my eyes and pulled my shirt off, holding my arms out so that Gage could eye fuck my body. He nodded in satisfaction and I pulled my gym shirt on.
We went to the gym and up onto the track to walk. I looked around but didn’t spot Alex anywhere. Huh. He must be running a little late.
“Hi Trav.”
The quiet voice had me yelping and jumping away in shock. I turned to face Alex and slapped a hand over my chest.
“Jeez! I was just looking for you and I didn’t see you. Way to scare me,” I said, my heart slamming wildly.
“You were looking for me?” he asked, his face heating up. I nodded at him.
“Well hello there,” Gage said in surprise. “Care to introduce us all Trav?”
What a pervert.
“Gage, Gav, this is Alex. Alex, this is Gage and Gav,” I said, motioning at my two best friends. Gage was fighting off a smirk as he nodded at Alex.
“Hello Alex Radke, little brother to the biggest homophobic prick to ever walk the earth,” he said cheerfully.
I elbowed him roughly and glared at him. “Stop it!” I said sternly, pointing a threatening finger at him.
“Sorry, sorry,” Gage said, shrugging at us.
“Hi Alex!” Gav said joyfully, waving at him.
“Uh…h-hi,” Alex said nervously, dropping his gaze to his feet. “Nice to meet you both.”
“So, I take it you’re going to walk with us today?” I asked, offering him a reassuring smile. He was so shy and nervous. I just wanted the poor kid to feel comfortable with us.
“If that’s okay,” he mumbled, twirling his hair around his finger.
I nodded happily. “Of course it’s okay! We would love to have you walk with us!”
He looked up at me in surprise, that blush eating him up. Aw, he was so cute I could barely handle it!
“Excuse us for a second Alex,” Gage said, grabbing my hand and yanking me out of ear-shot of Alex and Gav.
“Trav, the kid totally likes you,” he said flatly.
“What?” I asked in surprise. “No he doesn’t! He’s just really nervous and shy.”
“Oh my god. And you call Gav oblivious,” he said, face-palming himself. “Alex. Likes. You. Look, Gav is going to ask Rose out today. So you might as well cry a river, build a bridge, and get the fuck over it. Move on. Go with Alex. Even if you don’t like him right now, you could always develop feelings for him. Invite him as your date to the senior ball! Collin won’t do anything to you because he won’t want to upset Alex.”
“But…I thought you liked Alex,” I said weakly.
Gage sighed impatiently and reached up, slapping me. “You moron! If he likes you, then I want you to go with him. I’ll move on. I’m not in love with the kid. Get him alone, and ask him if he likes you. He’ll admit to it, and you can invite him to the senior ball. Trust me on this Trav. That kid is 100% gay and infatuated with you.”
“But…Alex isn’t Gav. I don’t want to use the poor kid just to get over Gav,” I said quietly. I would feel horrible if I used Alex just to get over Gav.
“Travis Blake, you are so god damned stupid that I can’t handle you sometimes. Just go with Alex. You’ll move on from Gav quickly once you’re with Alex. Gav is straight. Alex isn’t, and neither are you. Put two and two together. Just go with Alex,” he said in annoyance.
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I guess I’ll ask him out,” I said nervously.
Gage nodded in approval. “Good. Get him alone afterschool and ask him out. He’ll handle his brother and Josh. I promise. They’ll try to threaten you, but they won’t actually hurt you.”
Before I could say anything more on the subject, he grabbed me and dragged me back over to Alex. He released my hand and gave Alex an easy grin.
“Sorry about that,” he said.
“Yea, sorry,” I said, offering Alex a smile.
“It’s okay,” he said, still playing with his hair.
“I love your hair Alex. It’s so blond,” I said honestly. He had the blondest hair I had ever seen in my life. It was as if King Midas had touched it.
His face turned so red I thought he might explode. “Uh…thanks T-Trav,” he said, his voice so silent I almost didn’t hear him.
“Hey! Get away from my little brother you stupid faggot!”
Collin stormed over and grabbed my shirt roughly, glaring at me in disgust. “I’ll beat the shit out of you,” he snarled, Josh cracking his knuckles and nodding.
“Collin!” Alex said in surprise, grabbing Collin’s arm. “Please put him down!”
“And by please, I think he means ‘Put Travis down or I’ll kick your ass into a different nationality’,” Gage said pleasantly. Gav nodded, watching nervously.
“Shut up fag!” Collin snapped at Gage. He glanced down at Alex. “Was this faggot giving you trouble Alex? I’ll kick his ass for you.”
Alex shook his head wildly, tugging on Collin’s arm desperately. “Please let him go big brother! He’s my…he’s my friend!” he said, his eyes pleading for Collin to understand.
Collin stared at Alex in shock. “Friend? You can’t be friends with a fucking homo, Alex!” he said angrily.
“He can be friends with whoever he wants,” I said, trying to stay calm. “Just because I’m gay, it doesn’t mean I can’t be friends with him. My homosexuality isn’t contagious. I promise.”
“Collin, let him go,” Alex begged as Collin glared at me again. “Please! If you hit Trav…I won’t talk to you anymore! I mean it!”
“What a threat,” Gage groaned, face palming himself.
But Collin stared at Alex in shock, looking a little offended. He slowly released me and shoved me back roughly, shooting me the dirtiest look I had ever received in my life.
“Fuck you,” he cried furiously.
He and Josh stormed away from me. I stared after them before fixing my shirt shakily. Oh my god that boy was terrifying.
“Are you okay?” Alex asked in concern, clearly upset.
I nodded and offered him a reassuring smile. “Yea. I’m fine. It’s okay Alex.”
“Alex, I think you win an award for threat of the year,” Gage said, stepping up next to me. Gav stepped up to the opposite side of me and nodded in agreement.
“Yea, yea! I was shaking in my designer shoes for sure,” he said matter-of-factly.
Alex blushed in embarrassment, going silent as he twirled his hair around his finger. I shot my friends a look to let them know that they weren’t helping the situation.
“Alex! Get over here!” Collin snapped from the opposite side of the track.
“I better go before he gets angrier. I don’t want him to take it out on you guys,” Alex mumbled.
“Okay. Don’t worry about it Alex. I’ll come find you afterschool. I have to talk to you,” I said.
He blushed violently and nodded before scurrying away. I watched him as he caught up with his brother. Collin began to talk to him, almost looking hurt by what Alex had said to him. Jeez, they must be extremely close brothers.
“Mmm, I’m jealous you get to fuck him,” Gage said, sighing and peeling his eyes away from Alex.
“You are so perverted,” I said, shaking my head at him.
“Would it be perverted if I said I wanted to touch you?” Gav asked curiously.
“No Gav. No it wouldn’t.”
“In that case, I want to touch you Trav. I’ll tickle your pickle if you give me a nickel.”
“I only have a dollar.”
“Even better. Stick it between my boobs. They’re so luscious you can’t touch this.” He slapped his hands over his flat chest before snapping at me. “YEA HONEY.”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that,” I said, beginning to walk again.
Gav came over and jumped onto my back. I steadied him before continuing on with Gage following next to us.
“So…afterschool?” Gage asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
I sighed and nodded. “Yea, afterschool,” I confirmed.
I would ask Alex Radke to the senior ball with me afterschool. Gav was straight, and as much as I wanted to be with him, I knew that Gage was right. It was time for me to move on, and I was sure as hell going to attempt to.
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A.N.- Okay, who do you guys want Trav to end up with? :D Like, do you like that he's going after Alex, or do you want him with Gav, or even Gage? ;) And why do you want him with that person? ;D
There's still plenty of chapters to come, so who knows what could happen! Haha, even I don't know how this is going to end yet ;D