Metanoia |BxB|

Chapter Twelve

JASPER

"Are you okay?" Spencer asks when he and Jasper  meet up for breakfast at their usual table.

"Fine, why?" Jasper asks and tucks into the bowl of oatmeal in front of him.

"I don't know. You seem off. You're just really..." Blair trails off and waves his spoon in Jasper's general direction. "Fidgety."

"I'm good. How was your run?" Jasper asks and shoves another spoonful of oats into his mouth.

"Um...it was good." Spencer mumbles. "Blair and I ran a few miles together and then lifted some weights. Okay, seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? You're fucking stuffing your mouth like it's a holiday turkey." Spencer snaps and reaches forward to yank the bowl away from Jasper.

"I was eating that." Jasper states around a full mouth of cinnamon, raisins, and oats.

"You were suffocating yourself with it."

"Hey." Blair greets them both as he sets down his plate of food and slides into the seat next to Jasper. "What's going on?"

"Jasper's drowning himself in gross old people breakfast." Spencer informs and instructs him to chew before carefully sliding the bowl back towards him.

"I was not." Jasper mumbles once he's cleared his mouthful and proceeds to tuck into his food slower this time.

Spencer sends him a calculating look before sighing and turning to Blair.

"How'd your morning lecture go?"

"Pretty decent. Nothing like crunching numbers at eight in the morning. I'm pretty sure Caitlyn in the back row managed to give herself first degree coffee burns again." Blair shrugs and grins when Spencer scoffs.

"Serves her right for ordering a drink with a name longer than my-"

"When's your next class?" Jasper cuts Spencer off before he can finish his sentence, and Spencer only rolls his eyes and mouths the last word to himself bitterly.

"Ten minutes. Just stopped in to get something quick." Blair explains and downs the rest of his coffee quickly before standing up and slinging his bag onto his shoulder.

"We'll see you-" Spencer is in the middle of his farewell when Blair places a hand on Jasper's shoulder and dips down quickly to press his lips to the skin just above his temple.

Jasper's in the middle of taking another spoonful of oats into his mouth when it happens, and he inhales so sharply, he chokes on a few grains and doubles over as he's coughing up a storm.

"I'll see you guys after classes." Blair waves at Spencer and then rushes away, leaving the two students at the table to stare at one another for a long time.

"What the hell just happened?" Spencer breathes out finally and runs a hand through his hair. "Since when is that a thing?"

"It's not a thing." Jasper states stiffly and pushes around the last of his oatmeal awkwardly. "I didn't know that he was going to do that here."

"Here?" Spencer demands and gives him a shocked look. "Here? As opposed to where, exactly?"

"Spence, don't make this weird. I just-"

"I'm not making this weird, I'm just confused, Jas. Last I checked, you wanted nothing to do with the guy and now we're exchanging forehead kisses like this is some cheesy disney movie from the last decade."

"You're making it weird." Jasper states and rubs his forehead. "I just...I don't know. I..."

"Is this because of what Diana said? Because you shouldn't be forcing yourself to do this if it's not what you want, Jas."