Of Lies and Lips (BoyxBoy)

15- Carter Vanroy

"Is Jordan sick or something?" Emerson was asking him as they walked into school. It was Monday, so Carter was already in a bitter mood (especially after Caroline had forced him to spend the whole weekend with her which involved many trips to her modeling agency and him just sitting around for hours) and then Emerson's car had to break down and no one but Carter would answer their phone.

"Why would you think that?" Carter grumbled, not sounding the least bit concerned when in reality the idea of anything being wrong with Jordan put him even more on edge.

"Because," Emerson said, "he hasn't really been himself. I mean, I know he's sleeping with Ian and all, but he's been shooting down everyone who makes a move on him. Does that sound like Jordan to you?"

The topic of Jordan and Ian was annoying to Carter, especially since Ian had sworn that Jordan wanted him and then went off and dated him for himself- but you don't care about that. "It doesn't," Carter admitted, "but maybe Jordan's committed. We've never seen him like that before". Emerson snorted.

"Committed".

Carter shrugged, disliking the word himself. "Henry said that he saw them out to dinner last week and they were laughing and stuff. Maybe Jordan finally found someone".

"And how do you feel about that?" Emerson asked immediately.

Carter's response was quick and practiced. "I feel happy for him".

Emerson snorted. "I bet you have to say that".

"Why would that be?" Carter asked monotone.

"Because you've been ditching him for Caroline all the time". Carter turned to look at Emerson, but the junior was staring straight ahead at something down the hall. "You have to be happy that he found someone he wants to spend more time with than you".

This statement did not make Carter happy, and he grit his teeth, turning to looking in the same direction as Emerson and scowling at the sight of Ian and Jordan at the seniors locker.

"Ah," Emerson said, and when Carter looked back at him, the younger boy was watching him with amused eyes. "Or maybe your girlfriend's been driving you insane so you want to spend more time with Jordan but now he's busy all the time".

"Henry," Carter groaned, saying the name of the only person he had been complaining about his girlfriend to. Emerson's eyebrows raised.

"No. I can just see it. She's also incredibly controlling and you should have realized this before you tried to date her".

"I'm not trying to date her," Carter pointed out. "I am dating her".

"Do you want to be?" Emerson asked, and Carter swallowed heavily. They were approaching his locker, and a feeling of relief flooded him when he saw that Caroline was not yet there. She typically waited for him every morning.

"I've always wanted to be with her," Carter said with a sigh as they stopped before his locker and his finger began to work the com.

"But what about now".

"Just because it's a little different than I thought it would be doesn't mean that I don't have feelings for her still," Carter explained, speaking quickly. It occurred to him then that a week ago he had thought he loved the girl, and now all he could say was he still had feelings for her... and not all of them were good ones.

He did want to be with Caroline. Yes she was clingy and controlling, but she was also great company. It was just that he didn't want her to be his company all the time. Only some of the time.