One Long Project

Chapter 20

Dec is trying so damn hard not to care what anyone else says about him and Ant. Everytime someone asks hin about it in the hallway whether or not he's known as 'the boy Mcpartlin is dating' but he just kindly rolls his eyes and heads off to class, because in all reality, he doesn't know the truthful answer to that. He won't admit how much he's still subconsciously hoping that maybe he is the boy Mcpartlin is dating. Would it bring trouble? No doubt. Still, it's hard not to wish the person he's falling for will actually like him back.

Stephen has, once again, reminded hin on countless occasions that this is Ant Mcpartlin they're talking about, and how that's an absolutely ridiculous idea. And Dec usually trusts Stephen, because Stephen is usually right. But in this case, there's something telling him that if anyone is going to understand Ant Mcpartlin, it's Declan. Ant's one bets like this before. Ant has fucked people he didn't like before. Dec knows that. But he's never heard of him going this far to do win a bet.

-

When Dec walks into class on Tuesday, he feels a hand on his back, so he turns around. Before he processes anything, he feels someone's lips on his own, and he kisses back on instinct. It's Ant, of course, and everyone else can see that as well.

Dec pulls away, several shades redder. It's not like he'll get in trouble and that, but it's just the thought of this. The same thing Ant did to him after only a few days of knowing him.

He just sits down, not making eye contact with anyone in the room, trying to pull papers out of his backpack to distract himself.

Once everyone has gone back to there original conversations that they were in, Dec speaks. "What was that for?"

Ant doesn't say a word, just shrugs coolly.

"Ant!"

"There's no reason! Can't a boy kiss his-" Ant pauses for a second, "Friend?"

"Friend. Friends don't kiss in the middle of class, Ant."

"I've kisses my friends before," Ant objects.

"Not randomly in the middle of class. Why in class? Why can't you just wait till we're outside?"

"Then people wouldn't see it," Ant says calmly, leaning back in his chair.

Sometimes, Dec doesn't get why Ant says things so calmly. Also, he doesn't understand Ant's mind process between anything he does. Ever. "Why the hell would we need that?"

Ant stays quiet for a few more seconds, by the tine Dec is about to urge him to answer, the bell rings and Dec isn't willing to talk during class. He keeps flashing Ant dirty looks during class, but he doesn't question it any further.

-

By the end of the day, Dec still has no idea what Ant is doing, but he waits by Ant's locker. It takes Ant a few minutes to show up, but he looks a bit confused.

"Ant," Dec says. "We're going on a date. Come on."

Ant raises an eyebrow but chuckles lightly. "This is a little last minute, don't ya think?"

Dec nods. "Obviously, it is. Do ya have any plans then?"

"Not any that i can think of."

"We're going to the coffee shop across the road. Nothin fancy. But nothing sexual is going to happen. Ya got it? Dec speaks quickly to keep his confidence up. If he waits to long, he may actually realise that he just asked Ant Mcpartlin on a date to coffee shop.

Ant smirks. "You can be pretty dominant when you need to."

"Ant!"

Dec knows that the doubt in Ant's mind is probably the fact that the coffee shop is not a dark place like the cinema, and anyone near by can see them sitting together like that. And anyone who saw that could obviously tell that the two of them are on a date.