I Love You. (But Not Really)

Five

OKAY i know i disappeared for a million years but things have been busy and stressful and i haven't had motivation or time
so here's this!! it's a relatively quick one and it just spans how their relationship has developed and how dumb vic is

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"You're scared," Kellin remarked, looking at me over his glass. His lips curled inwards in the faint ghost of a smirk and he sat back in his chair in a smug way.

He was acting strangely tonight, as if he'd taken a shot of confidence before we'd arrived.

"I'm not scared," I replied, instinctively looking down at the bowl of breadsticks that were on the table. I knew that the mic was in there and that somewhere, Ella and Marina were listening in on our whole conversation.

"You're," Kellin said, sitting forward, "scared."

"I'm not," I said a little more forcefully than I meant to. Why was he acting like this all of a sudden? Was he trying to get us caught or something?

"Nobody's bothered about us here," Kellin drawled on. "They chose a gay-friendly restaurant."

I wondered if Kellin was actually angry at me. Maybe he was mad because I was acting really shy about the fact that he and I were here together. Maybe he thought I was embarrassed by him.

"I know that," I said a little awkwardly. "I'm not upset."

I made a point of reaching across the table and clasping his hand. He rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand in two slow strokes before he withdrew his hand from mine.
I tried not to let that rejection sting as much as it did.

"What's going on with you?" I asked softly, looking at him.

He glanced up at me, his eyes suddenly portraying something I'd never seen in them before.

"Nothing's up," he said in a low tone. "I think I'm just a bit moody. Sorry, I shouldn't have been so hostile with you."

Suddenly he loosened up, dropping his shoulders and letting out a breath. "I'm just... annoyed at something."

"What?" I asked him.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter. I'll be better in a few minutes."

"No, tell me."

"Vic it's nothing, really. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"I don't mind that you snapped, just tell me why."

Kellin shook his head, looking down at my hands instead of into my eyes. I could feel his irritation as if it were radiating off of his body into my own.

"Tell me." I demanded.

Kellin pointed a single long finger at the breadsticks and raised his eyebrows at me. I sighed, knowing that he couldn't tell me now but also at the fact that he had found an excuse.

He indicated to me that he was going to start lying.

"It's just that you and Jaime seem pretty close again," he said to me. "And I just-"

"I told you," I snapped, annoyed at both him for not telling me but also for this ridiculous lie we had to spin. "That Jaime is just my friend."

Kellin looked relieved that I had carried him. "But it's just he looked really handsy today and I can't help but-"

"Handsy how?" I said absentmindedly, paying only half attention to whatever Kellin was saying now.

"Well I mean I did catch you in your bed with him towering over you," Kellin mumbled slowly.