Through a strange series of encounters, a delinquent high schooler and upright university student find love. *****
No longer interested in clubbing, kissing girls, and committing petty crimes, 18-year-old Riley is trying to find meaning in his dull...
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There was a light tapping on the lab office's door. Eran turned around in his chair to see Riley, and tried to act normal.
"Ah, hey."
"Hey..." Riley glanced at Elias who was sitting at his desk across the room. Elias glanced at the clock.
Eran tugged on Riley's sleeve. "Sit down." Riley pulled up a chair beside Eran and watched the screen as he typed some notes.
After half a minute, Eran felt Riley's finger on his thigh. He momentarily stopped typing to push Riley's hand away. It was not the time or place for this dense kid to be flirting—not physically especially. When they'd gone out the other day, Riley took every opportunity to sneakily touch Eran—his hand, back, thigh... Eran realized how little Riley had touched him before. It made him shiver and if he turned around to look into Riley's sincere, gentle eyes, it'd just make him long to touch Riley back.
Pouting, Riley pulled out a book assigned in class, leaned back, and began to read. After kissing Riley, it was like a fog had been removed from before Eran's eyes. Eran thought, he was probably aware of his feelings for Riley all along—but a reflexive denial had taken over. Looking at him now, having admitted his feelings to them both, he felt those emotions clearly. Riley's profile was attractive. His whole body was attractive.
Why am I thinking these things? Eran wasn't extremely concerned about liking someone of the same sex. After all, it was Riley that he loved; though he couldn't say that if Riley had been a girl, it'd be just the same. Plenty of girls had asked him out, and he always said yes but found no sexual or emotional connection. If a guy had asked him out, he'd probably have said yes as well, but it'd never happened. Had it, would he have fallen in love? Was he actually gay despite never being previously interested in men either? He'd honestly thought love was impossible for him no matter what gender his partner would be. But Riley had changed that.
And honestly, Eran felt glad that Riley wasn't a girl (or woman). Once jealous of Riley's height (well, maybe still a bit jealous), Eran was now drawn to it. Those nights of lying in bed beside Riley, he'd want to curl into the taller one's chest and be wrapped in those arms. 'I'm cold,' he used to think. But that was bull, he now realized. He just wanted to feel safe in someone's arms—in Riley's strong arms, exchanging warmth through their chests. I'm so stupid. I was in denial. Was it being in love that I was afraid of? I'm still somewhat afraid, but I'm determined. He will not leave me. Even if it means I have to tie him to a chain.
"You haven't been typing for a while now," Riley noted, bringing Eran's attention back to the present world. "What are you thinking about?"
Eran stared at Riley, trying to think of some excuse.
Riley mouthed, "Kissing?" and pointed to his lips with a smirk and teasing eyes.
Eran rolled his eyes, glancing at Elias in the process. Luckily, he hadn't seemed to notice.
