perf*ct (boy × boy) ✔

twelve: dreamy eyes

solar clarke's pov

During the weekend I felt like everything was coming up roses on the scale of the life of Solar Clarke. Both my parents had a day off on Saturday, so we watched movies from Netflix and made popcorn. I finished reading Crime and Punishment and opted to read Joseph and His Friend from Bayard Taylor next.

It's also possible I thought about someone I should probably not have thought about more than I care to admit. I grinned like an idiot most of the time. 

On Monday I woke up so early I had time to go running before I'd have to leave for school. The streets were still empty and the air humid after a foggy night. The music was blaring from my earbuds and I prodded my legs to a faster steadier rhythm. I loved mornings like that.

I knew I should have worried about Nicholas, because I'd be forced to see him in just a couple of hours, but somehow I couldn't care less. I wasn't afraid of that smug idiot, even though I knew I probably should have been.

Instead I thought about his brother and how I wanted to become friends with him. I wanted to get to know Nathan better and I was hopeful after the talk we had had in the park.

Whoever said he was difficult to talk to?

When I was at home, I took a quick shower and had breakfast before it was time to face the false god Nicholas and his fury. I was first in the locker room, so I sat down on the bench in front of the lockers and started drowsing my phone lazily. It didn't take long before the room started filling up with my teammates.

"I just saw Nicholas on my way here and, man, I think you should probably run." Johnny whispered a little too loudly, turning the heads of the other teammates who were getting ready for practice. 

I didn't have time to run though — like I was ever going to do that — before Nicholas had marched into the locker room and pulled me up from my collar. He was shorter than me, but by no means lacking strength to do that.

"I told you I would end you if you touched him again." Nicholas snarled, still not letting go of my collar. His eyes were burning with anger and he had a deep frown on his face, making him look more unlike Nathan than ever before.

"Technically I didn't touch him." I shrugged and then gestured towards his friends. "I just saved him from them."

Nicholas glanced at them questioningly, as if to ask them: what the hell is he talking about? But as no one admitted anything, he turned back at me: "Don't be a smartass. You know what I mean. Leave him the fuck alone."

"Like you did at that party?" I pointed out hotly, clenching my fists but reminding myself to stay calm. Then I pushed his hand away from my collar and stomped out of the locker room.

Nicholas called after me, urging me to come back, but I had already told him all I needed to. I knew he wasn't done and that he would give me hell in the practice, but I didn't regret any of the things I had done that night. Expect maybe that mawkish piffle about stars..

°°°°

I was sitting with Kieran and Johnny in the crowded cafeteria. My lunch lay forgotten on the tray while I glanced around to find Nathan. It didn't take long, since all I needed to do was to spot Liam's pink cap and his messy cloud of hair. 

Nathan was hunched over his lunch, paying zero attention to his friends. Not that it mattered, because Audrey Grace and Harper had a fair amount of company from Liam, who wouldn't shut up even for a second. All I wanted to do was to get up and walk to them, but I had no idea what to say or do if I did so.

"Wait a sec. Is that what I think it is?" Johnny gasped, bringing his hand to cover his mouth that was hanging wide open in mock surprise.

"What?" I quickly glanced around. 

"Dreamy eyes?" Johnny continued, now making a face.

"Oh yes, definitely." Kieran agreed and an impish grin spread to his face.

"What are you talking about?" I frowned, looking at them in turns.

"I take it as your date with Sky went well." Kieran wiggled his eyebrows. I found myself wondering for the umpteenth time why I was still friends with these idiots.

"Sky?" Then I realized I didn't actually care to know and continued: "Actually, don't bother. I'm late from chem."

"But the class doesn't start.." I didn't stay to listen to the rest of it.

Nathan had just gotten up from his seat and I was planning to find some non stalkerish way to go talk to him before the lunch break was over. Stumble upon him in a hallway? No, so many variables could go wrong. I might end up tackling him to the floor or, worse, he might realize I did it on purpose. Follow him to..? No, definitely not.

I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting when I rushed to return my tray after him, but I'm certain it wasn't a startled glance of reddened puffy eyes. 

"Uh.. are you okay?" What a stupid question to ask from someone who is clearly not okay, but somehow I found myself asking it anyway.