Enemies with benefits

Chapter 5: Pizza

The pain hadn't subsided by the end of the day. Well, it wasn't really a pain but an unrelenting ache.

Nothing anyone said to him after lunch really went in. The lessons of the teachers and the gossip of the students may as well have not have been said at all. He couldn't bring himself to talk to people either, only ever sitting in silence by himself. Not even Finley could get a crack out of him.

After his last lesson he caught a glimpse of Ezra making his way through the hoards of kids trying to get out of school. His body froze. Please don't let him see me, please don't let him see me. For once, the universe was on Colby's side as Ezra left without even looking in his direction. Just seeing Ezra, filled Colby with so many violent emotions. Emotions he'd only ever felt once and had hoped he'd never have to feel again.

"Wanna grab a pizza?" Finley asked, finally breaking through Colby's daze.

"Huh? I don't know I'm not feeling too great."

"I know you're not ill, man. Like I know you showed the Nurse what you had for breakfast and all but I've known you long enough to know when you're sick and when you're sad. So stop being a little bitch and let's go, man."

Colby smiled at him. "Okay, let's go. But you have to tell me what's up with you and Brent."

"There's nothing up."

"You were flustered."

"I don't get flustered, man."

"Well, you were. So you better tell me why."

"Fine, whatevs. Let's go already. I'm starving, man."

*

Gino's Italiano was the best pizza place in town. Sure, the owner wasn't actually Italian or called Gino, but he was called Greg -which was close enough- and had been to Italy at least once. And sure, they only just passed the health and safety regulations, but for flavour this good, anyone could put up with the mice droppings in the corner and the weirdly coloured sticky spots on the tables.

It was decorated quite typically with the black and white tile floor contrasting with the red walls, covered with pictures of celebrities that didn't even know this place existed.

"So, man. What's happeni-" Finley began to speak. However, Colby wasn't quite ready to talk about himself yet.

"Nope! You first or else you won't tell me. I know how you work."

"Ughhhh Jesus fine. What do you wanna know?"

"What've you got with Brent. I know the straight girls go wild for him but what's up with you?"

"Colby." He paused, placing his hands on the table. A very bold move considering the gross stickiness. "What's the opposite of a straight girl?"

"The opposite of straight is gay and the opposite of girl is boy so a gay boy." He had to take a minute to figure it out, Colby certainly wasn't the sharpest tool in the box. Realisation did hit him eventually though. "Oh my god! Are you gay boy?"

"I am gay boy."

"Oh cool." He said slowly, "So what's up with Brent?" He wasn't even close to being the sharpest tool.

"Jesus Christ, man. I like him. I am gay boy with a crush on hot boy. You understand?"

"Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhh. Bro I've never seen you with a crush before, this is exciting. Have you asked him out yet?"

"As a matter of fact I did." A look of pride was plastered on Finley's face. "He's coming here soon, so tell me about you before he gets here."

"Oh shit. Well, I..." He didn't know where to begin. Did he start with what happened in the shower? That's way too sexual! Or maybe the corridor incident? That's more tame but hard to explain why he did it without the shower. He began to contemplate whether he was secretly a slut. Or maybe tell him about talking to Sophie? No, he only had so much time.