The Halls of Westwood [BxB]

Chapter 7

Jullian brought the ball to his chest and quickly passed in the general direction of Jayce. He didn't mind basketball, it was actually pretty relaxing to him. But he wasn't necessarily as good at it as Jayce was. Usually, Jullian opted to play soccer since that was something he knew he was good at. Basketball was always a last option sort of deal.

Jayce's hair was growing a bit longer. It wasn't noticeable to anyone who didn't pay attention, but Jullian noticed those things. He found observing was better than talking and luckily for him, Jayce rarely initiated too much conversation. His tightly-wound, twisted black curls were well-tamed and the sides that were once faded were beginning to grow into fuzz.

Jayce was noticeably less tired since his arrival. He was a lot more relaxed too... Unless Markos was in the room, that is. Then he was an aggravated mess that wouldn't shut up about how annoying the boy was. Personally, Jullian didn't mind Markos. He wasn't any more arrogant than the people Jullian grew up around and he was far less ignorant. And if he was being honest, Jullian often enjoyed some of his jokes.

He had tried to do what Sarah had asked and make friends. And he had done that to a point. He could exist side by side with Jayce which was more than he could say for a lot of people. He could exchange quiet conversation with Aiden at lunch. And he could survive who he had renamed his headache; Austin Blake.

Teaching the boy anything was a nightmare. His stay at Westwood had made him believe that all stereotypes were wrong and had little to no truth. Austin had proven him wrong, gay people were horrible at math. In any normal situation, Jullian's temper would have gotten the best of him. He would have yelled at him or given up on teaching him as a whole. Maybe even try starting a fight. But then Austin would give him that stupid fucking smile and he had to power through.

He glanced across the courtyard where the familiar white-haired boy was with Markos and Beau. Well, more they were watching him practice from a bench. Austin's body moved on beat to any imaginary music. Each motion was perfectly timed, perfectly sharp, and technically flawless. He was clearly passionate about what he was doing. He was happy too...

Jullian wasn't sure if he'd consider Austin to be necessarily handsome or cute. He was pretty, but that label didn't describe him completely either. There wasn't just one word that could perfectly describe Austin. He was pretty, flirtatious, eye-catching, and captivating all at once.

He had spikey white hair that he would style some mornings, icy-cold blue eyes that would shamelessly wander, and ashy-pale skin. His lips were plump and tinted the lightest pink and the jeans he wore perfectly hugged his lower body. He had a fondness for cropped shirts that showed off his toned body but today wore a long-sleeved black mesh shirt that left little to the imagination. Austin was undeniably attractive.

Jullian had found guys attractive in the past but his attraction to Austin had caught him by surprise. He was much more... Feminine than the other guys. He usually found himself more drawn to boyish features whereas Austin had managed to present himself in a way that perfectly balanced his boyish and feminine sides. Although he did fit Sarah's criteria for Jullian's type which honestly wasn't too difficult. If he had brought Austin home even as his friend his parents would likely have a heart attack. The thought alone made him chuckle to himself.

He glanced up to see that Jayce had made yet another basket. He wasn't surprised in the slightest due to how much of a perfectionist Jayce was. He had watched him do six extra pages for math until he had perfected his knowledge on the topic. Jullian decided it was a bit obsessive, but he never commented on it. He knew it was always best to keep your mouth shut.

Austin groaned as he collapsed onto the bench next to Markos in exhaustion. His feet ached and he knew if he didn't start taking care of the blisters and cuts forming on them he'd regret it. But he could never find the motivation to do anything therapeutic. So instead he just did enough to keep away any infections.