perf*ct (boy × boy) ✔

fifteen: casper the ghost

solar clarke's pov

During the morning practice, I was getting more and more convinced that Nicholas was a mediaeval torturer in his previous life. Though, to be fair, it was possible I was provoking that sadistic part of him with snarky comments and answering his glares with various, rather unpleasant expressions.

"Seriously, dude, you've got to make up with Nicholas before you get us both killed." Johnny whined while dragging his feet around the sports field for the third time today. We were late — less than two minutes — and punished accordingly. 

"I have nothing to apologize for." Hell would freeze before I would admit to the false god Nicholas I was wrong.

After three rounds around the sports field, we joined the others in batting practice. I love baseball and that's the reason I'm able to drag my ass in the practice three times a week, when I could otherwise stay in bed for another hour. Yet I wasn't sure how much I loved the sport, when I was forced to run around the field like a circus monkey and paired with the teammates I really couldn't make batting or throwing flow.

"Clarke can clear up today." Nicholas informed the team after the practice. When I groaned, an evil smirk spread on his face. 

"Can you just drop it already?" I scowled at him, seizing him by his shoulder when he was trying to walk past me. Nicholas turned to glare at me, looking like he wanted to take one of the bats and smash it into my skull.

"You punched my brother, so no. Never." Nicholas spat, shoving my hand off him. 

"I already apologized to him, and I wasn't even planning to hit him, so how about yes?" I argued, taking a step towards him until I was invading his personal space. 

"How about no?" Nicholas didn't seem intimidated by it, but instead stepped even closer. "You better start clearing up or you'll be late from class."

If I didn't think his brother was cute, I would have given him that much earned punch right there and then. Yet, I was planning to get to know Nathan better and I had a feeling he wouldn't have appreciated me beating up his brother, so I just held my hands up in defeat.

"I'll get right to it, captain." My tone might have been poisonous, but I smiled at him politely. "But just so that you know, I'm doing this for him, not you."

Nicholas lifted his brows while his eyes went round. He looked like he couldn't believe his ears, that it was impossible a douchebag like me could actually care about Nathan. Then, after he had recovered from his daze, he nodded stiffly and joined his friends that were still waiting nearby. I, on the other hand, hurriedly started the clearing up, so that I wouldn't be late. 

°°°°

Yet, there I was, late from Ms. Delaney's class. Fortunately she just gave me an understanding smile. They had already started forming pairs for some project we would be doing during the class.

I couldn't quite keep the grin off my face when I noticed that Nathan was still standing alone. He had crossed his arms on his chest and was biting his lower lip while nervously glancing around the classroom. 

I started making my way to him across the classroom when a guy whose black clothes hung on his gaunt body loosely got between us. He was already in front of Nathan, which made me scowl, until I realized I wasn't going to give up so easily. I tapped the guy's shoulder, making him turn to face me.

"Sorry, but Nathan is taken." I told him with a tone that suggested he better start walking away. 

"Jealous much?" The guy squeaked. His voice was really thin and he was already getting on my nerves for some reason.

"For this project I mean. He's my pair." I explained quickly, scratching my neck and urging myself not to blush when Nathan's eyes landed on me. I mentally facepalmed myself for losing my cool every time Nathan so much as glanced at me. I could see he was simultaneously relieved to have a familiar face with him to do the assignment and baffled by the way I was behaving.

"I-I think we'll need to do it in a group anyway, there's no one else left." Nathan pointed out and glimpsed at me one more time before taking a seat by one of the desks. I slumped on the seat next to him and narrowed my eyes to the third wheel who sat down opposite of us.

I found out a couple of things during the class. First of all, the most fortunate thing was that the project would last more than one week, giving me the opportunity to get to know Nathan better.

Secondly, we were supposed to read essays and listen to podcasts from an endless list Ms. Delaney gave us. By the end of the project we would be making a video essay based on those topics. Oh, and our third wheel was called Casper, which I found fitting for him.