chapter 4

"Hey what's wrong with you, your face is enough to give a child nightmares, Josh said as they were walked down the hallway.

"Gym," Alex answered.

"I don't see why you're complaining, you're so good at sports but never participate in them, plus who wouldn't want to see hot girls all sweaty."

Alex didn’t hesitate to smack Josh. It was times like those he wished the other was all talk no show but it was all talk and proof to show. As unbelievable as it was, Josh was quite the lady’s man. Unbelievable really. What did they see in such a pervert? Sure, the cooking was good but was that enough to attract girls the way he did?

"Well, there's nothing I can do for ya, you'll just have to grow balls, "Josh said right before he entered his classroom, escaping another smack directed his way. Just a bit and he could’ve got him. He really was one lucky bastard.

The bringer of hell and worse, rang, piercing Alex’s ear drums. He just had to be right under the goddamn thing. He sighed, knowing it was the start of the worst period known to man. 

Alex entered the changing room where many guys were screaming their brains out, hollering like they were at some sports match. Some even standing on top of the not so steady looking benches. Alex navigated his way through the many topless bodies before making way to a locker. He quickly changed and was out on the field in the record time of a few minutes.

He was one of the first on the field, other than him and the coach was Xavier and the other two whose names he has yet to learn. The coach was marking down whatever he was when he looked up the time. He sighed, massaging his temples.

“Since you’re the first here, just pair up and begin rounds,” He said, moving his finger between them. Alex was genuinely confused on how the pair up worked and also maybe didn’t want to pair up with any of them. Not that he had any mal intent towards them, quite the opposite really.

All three looked like they could run marathons and barely break a sweat and he wasn’t ready to have one of them as his partner for the rest of year. Especially not Xavier who towered over the rest. Its only now that they stood fairly closer that he could really see how much taller the dude was. He was tall.

“Meyers, I know you’re not an idiot,” The coach said, tapping his pen on his clipboard. Alex who’d unintentionally spaced out, realized that the other two had already started the laps, leaving him and Xavier standing there. More so Xavier waiting for him to snap out of it.

Without a word, they began their laps, Alex keeping his mouth shut. He wasn’t ready to get detention for causing trouble.

The two continued their laps in silence, Alex quickly cooling down from finding hundreds of ways to cuss the teacher. He was finally much aware of the silence between the two and with no one else on the field other than the other two who were way ahead, made it ten times more awkward. Even when others started showing up, they weren’t allowed to run the warm up laps.

Well serves them right for taking their sweet time

Was he still feeling a bit salty from the teacher? Maybe. Was taking it out on others satisfying? Hell yeah and it got him thinking about anything other than the awkwardness between him and Xavier. He was positive though, that he was the only that could feel it.

He would sneak a side glance every now and then and how in god’s name isn’t he sweating?

Alex was already beading everywhere, now out of breath but this guy was completely normal as if they hadn’t just run hundreds of rounds around the big ass field. If it wasn’t for the fact that Xavier was his partner, he would’ve already taken a break but his pride felt challenged. He didn’t want to look like some prissy that couldn’t handle a bit of running.

It was really tempting though. Well fuck, he had asthma so he had an excuse.

Slowing to a stop, Alex tried to steady his breathing, wiping his brow. He was at his limit, fuck pride. If he hadn’t stopped just then, he most likely would have been wheezing on the ground.

Xavier had also stopped, turning to gaze at him who was finding it much harder to catch his breath. His heart speeding just as fast.

“Is he ok?” A female voice came from behind him and for some unknown reason, his body just froze. From the corner of his eye could he see the two walking to them, also looking they hadn’t just run laps.

Fucking called it.

Now that he was under the spotlight of the three, he wished he hadn’t stopped running. At least if he passed out then he wouldn’t be aware of their gazes.

Clearing his throat, Alex turned to them, “Yeah, I’m good. Just out of breath.”

Standing in between all three of them, did he feel much smaller.  

“Are you sure?” Xavier asked this time, his gaze so intense, Alex had gone and lost his breath again. He could barely look away yet it hurt to continue looking.

“Oi, get over here,” the teacher shouted, getting all four of them to snap their heads in his direction. Behind him, dozens of kids squatting away. They made their way to the teacher, Alex silently thanking him for having such perfect timing.

They made it to the bleachers, Alex seating himself, watching as twenty sum’ almost adults did squats like little children.

“This will teach you to come earlier.”

Alex was tempted to laugh in their faces but chose not to a dick, at least this time. As if a round of squats would get thick heads to understand.

“Hey,” the same female voice came, this time just right beside him. He looked to his side, the three all still there.

“Oh, uh. Hey,” Alex managed barely. They came out of nowhere; he could’ve sworn he’d left them behind.

“I’m Amber by the way, this is Bianca and it seems you’ve already met Xavier,” the girl who’s now identified herself as Amber said. He looked to the other who had the wild red hair. She nodded her head lightly, Alex mimicking her actions. Then his gaze locked with Xavier and for some reason, a warm feeling came hugging his insides.

He quickly looked away, now stumped of words. Come on, think of something to say

“So, why’d you choose this school?” Alex asked, Amber giggling. Did he say anything funny? Or was his question dumb.

“No reason really, we just picked randomly,” Amber answered. She had a really friendly smile and it was really the only thing keeping Alex from trying to remove himself from their presence. Bianca was staring him, her gaze like a serpent, whilst Xavier had no emotion in his features making him looking cold.

Amber on the other hand was like a different breed from them, really. She tilted her head, her raven hair spilling off her shoulders. “Are you sure you’re alright, you look pretty tense?”

Oh so they do notice.

Of course, he’d be tense when two out of three were giving him gazes far from welcoming. Why were they even speaking to him in the first place? Once upon a days ago, they barely paid any notice to his presence, well except for that time in the hall, but that didn’t count, yet here they were being all friendly. Well atleast one of them

“I’m fine, I just have a weak constitution,” He said. The second he did, its like a switch had been flipped. Bianca’s gaze fell and she walked away, Amber standing. “Oh, I see, well make sure to take care of yourself.”

And like that the two left and if it weren’t for Xavier being his partner, probably would have left as well. Alex was going to question if he said something wrong but remembered. These guys are weird, why should he care? It's impossible to not care at all and he did still wonder if he said something wrong.

The teacher eventually finished punishing the rest of the class and the period continued. Since so much time had been wasted, a simple game of soccer had been instructed. After two games, the period ended which meant it was time to go burn his eyes with the sight of other naked guys.

“Meyers, you and your partner pack up everything,” The teacher ordered and it wasn’t an exaggeration to say Alex was ready to hug the man.

Everyone left the field and the two were left behind. They both went to picking all the cones and other equipment. Alex made sure to take the time and after keeping them in the store room, the two made it back into the school building.

Its not until they were in the changing room did the realization hit him.

Him and Xavier would be left alone in the open showers together.