NO Love Club (Boy × Boy) ✔

42) DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.

Cole Walker's POV 

I have no idea what happened during my break from school, but now that I was back everyone was acting weird. It wasn't just the contemplating stares X kept sending my way, but also the insane tension between Wilder and us. By us I mean X, Declan and me. 

The fact that it was a peacetime at home and a war zone at school made me feel like my world had turned upside-down. Not that it had never been exactly peaceful at school with Declan and his temper, but all the same it had always felt like a much needed break from the tension between me and mom.

"Stop coddling me, I still have a pair of working hands and I don't need to be watched over 24/7." I complained, when Declan was yet again trying to push my chair. My backpack was already dangling on his shoulder and I bet he would have carried me as well if I had let him.

"Is that so?" Declan mused, but his gaze lingered on Wilder and he continued pushing my chair.

"Did you guys have some major fight while I was gone?" I whispered, lowering my voice so that Wilder and Noah couldn't hear us. Their gazes followed X, who was walking our way, a beaming smile on his lips. I gave him a quick smile before turning my focus back to Declan.

"No, but I think your answer just walked to us." Declan said, bobbing his head towards X. I expected X to object, but instead he just stared at Declan. I couldn't interpret the look in his eyes, other than that there was wonder in it. Declan elaborated: "They hate that X is hanging out with us."

I just sighed, rolling my eyes. After all, I wasn't a complete moron and I could put two and two together. Of course Wilder didn't like the idea of X with us, but I had a feeling there was so much more to it. The looks X and Wilder changed and the way Wilder glared at Declan had to be more than that. Apparently no one found it important enough to keep me posted. 

"Whatever." I muttered, before tilting my head up to face X again. "Are you sure you want to have lunch with us? Wilder's rage isn't even the worst of it, just wait until you meet the rest of our group.. and by the rest of our group I mean Brandon."

"I think I can manage." X chuckled, following us to the lunch line.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." I shrugged, deciding to let X find out about Brandon and his big mouth on his own account.

"Walker.." Brandon started as soon as we sat down at their table, but halted halfway. I thought he was going to say something about X joining us, but instead a wicked grin spread on his lips and he announced, so loudly half the cafeteria could hear it: "I just realized Walker isn't much of a walker right now." When nobody laughed at his joke, he started to explain: "You know, as you can't walk and all that.."

"Believe me, I know." I pointed out dryly, rolling my eyes at him. Brandon was known to have a terrible sense of humor and an inactive brain to mouth filter, so none of that was news to me. X glanced at me, his eyebrows lifted so high they almost touched his hairline. I shrugged and answered his unspoken question: "Yup, they're always like this."

Only then Brandon seemed to notice X's presence and for a while he stared at him with wide eyes. Next to Brandon, Ruby munched her salad looking like she was about to either facepalm herself or smack Brandon in the face, or both. Lydia, quiet as always, was just waiting for someone else to do the introduction.

Declan was the first to volunteer and he swiftly introduced X to everyone and vice versa. I dug into my lunch, no longer interested in the conversation well enough to let it keep me from filling my grumbling stomach.

"Brandon's gonna want to hear your last name." Lydia pointed out, sending a quick look to X. The blue in her hair had already faded and her dark roots were showing, making me think about how much work bleaching and dying one's hair must be.

When X sent another questioning glance my way, I swallowed the mouthful I had been munching on and explained: "Brandon is a last namer."

"It's Bélizaire." X offered.

"Beli.. uh, what was it again?" Brandon asked, crunching up his face in confusion. When X repeated the name, Brandon shook his head vigorously and decided: "Yeah, I think I'm going to make an exception with you. So, where are you from? France?"

"My dad is from Haiti, but I've lived my whole life here." X's voice was nonchalant, but the way he picked up his fork and averted his eyes to his plate held certain definitiveness.

"We moved here from Busan eleven years ago, but my parents still drag me there twice every year." Brandon said and shrugged, but then let Ruby guide the conversation to some play the drama class was planning on performing at the end of the year. 

It wasn't unusual for me to keep my mouth shut during most of the lunch break, and this time was no exception. While I practically inhaled my meal, I thought about all the things I knew and didn't know about X.

Despite having seen him bawling his eyes out on a garage floor, knowing his road trip plans for the future and having the sound of his breathing imprinted on my mind during those nights in the hospital, I had never stopped to think about where he was from. I hadn't had the nerve to ask him if it had been difficult to leave his friends behind when he moved or what it was like to switch schools on his last year of secondary.

I hadn't asked him where his parents were from, and judging by his reaction to Brandon's question, I doubted I would ask about it anytime soon. I wondered whether people kept assuming he hadn't been born and raised here just because he was black, and how that would feel. 

Each passing day I wanted to get to know X better. I wanted to know about his fears and dreams, but I would have settled with simpler questions as well: did he go to all of Maddie's football matches? What were his favorite bands? Did he like spicy food? Why was he called X?

"What's on your mind?" X asked, bumping his shoulder against mine to gain my attention. For a second or two I considered telling him the truth — "you" — just to see his reaction, but in the end I just shrugged. When X realized he wasn't going to get a better answer, he leaned closer to whisper in my ear: "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay." I gave him a small nod, studying his expression. "After lunch or after school?"

"How long has this been going on?" Brandon's whisper was loud enough to steal our focus from the conversation, and soon enough everyone was staring straight at X and me.

"What do you mean?" I frowned. 

"You two crushing on each other." Brandon announced, pointing at me and X. Declan inhaled the juice he had been sipping and his coughing was loud enough to make the people at the nearby tables turn to look at us.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I could feel my cheeks flushing so violently I didn't even want to know what I looked like. I glanced up at the clock on the wall, clearing my throat. "Hey, look, the class is about to start."

"Yeah, we should get going." X agreed, practically jumping up from his chair. Before we could hear what anyone else had to say about the matter, X and I started making our way out of the cafeteria. Yeah, not suspicious at all..

"After school." X confirmed, grinning sheepishly at me and I couldn't help but return the expression. Declan ran after us the moment after.

"Sooooo, that was smooth. Are we going to talk about it?" He asked, peering at X and me strangely. 

I said, "There's nothing to talk about." at the same time as X ventured, possibly faking at least some of his obliviousness: "About what?"

"Oh for fuck's sake, you two are hopeless." Declan groaned, throwing his hands in the air. For once, he didn't try to push my chair, but guided us to the classroom while shaking his head.

****

Question of the day:
Do you believe in ghosts?

(Me: No, and I like watching supernatural horror movies because they don't scare me. Except the ones with creepy kids, but that has more to do with kids than ghosts..)