The Boy I Love

Chemistry

I manage to avoid Vick's questioning, and thankfully my workout idea pays off: my match is over in almost twenty seconds. Longer than usual, but still pretty good. Coach Turner asks if I know why it took longer, and I tell him I didn't get a good sleep. He tells me to make sure I do, tonight, and I tell him I have every intention of doing so.

I work out again after my match, and accidentally miss Leo's, so I make a mental note to apologize later, since I think he came to mine. I continue working out, mostly to exhaust myself, until about half an hour to dinner, when I go back to my room to shower. Leo's absent, which is a little disappointing, but probably for the best, considering the fact that I was checking him out earlier.

By the time it's eight o'clock, I'm thoroughly exhausted, and quite certain that I'll have no trouble at all sleeping like a log for at least eight hours straight.

I watch a movie with the guys, which goes until nine thirty, at which point I decide I should go back to my room to go to sleep. The guys agree (Nick tells me I look like the Walking Dead) so I head back to my room.

Leo is sitting on his bed, reading. He looks up, crinkles at the corners of his eyes already there. "Hey, Tyler. Going to turn in early?"

"I think so." Even though my body feels much more energized now that he's in the same room as me. He's changed (unfortunately. Those jeans were nice) and the room smells clean, so I'm assuming he showered.

"Alright. Turn off the lights whenever you're ready."

"Thanks." I grab my pyjamas and go into the bathroom. When I come out, I turn the lights off, then go back towards my bed. Leo's slouched a little more than before, and he has his book partially hidden under the covers. The sheets are glowing a little, indicating that he has his flashlight out. I'm suddenly very curious as to what he's reading all the time, so I go over to the side of his bed. He looks up at me curiously. I'm caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze for a moment- his eyes are beautiful.

"Tyler?"

"Sorry, just... what book are you reading?"

The corners of his eyes crinkle and he pats the side of his bed. I sit, probably a little closer to him than I should.

He pulls his book out from under his covers and inserts his bookmark before showing me the cover. It's the Chemistry 30 textbook. I look back at him, a little confused.

"You're reading a textbook?"

He nods. "I don't want to fall behind during this tournament."

"Ah, I see. So is this voluntary, or assigned?"

He averts his eyes shyly. "Voluntary. I really like chemistry. And textbooks are from the school, so they're free."

"Are you planning on going into chemistry?"

He shrugs, looking back up at me. "I would if I got the chance. But... I don't know. It's... really hard to say, at this point. What about you? Hoping to be a pro wrestler?"

I grin a little. "I mean, I don't think I'd mind that. But I haven't thought about it a whole ton. I like living in the moment."

"But what about the future? Don't you still have to worry about that?"

I shrug. "I don't think about it that much. Just as much as I need to for school. CALM and all that."

He's smiling again, now. "You don't seem like the kind of guy to worry about many things. At all."

"Hard to argue that." Well, except when it comes to my attraction to Leo. I do worry about that- but why? One of us will probably get beaten before we have to face each other, and either way, it wouldn't be devastating. It might be a little awkward if he's not interested, because we're roommates, but I'm not some wild animal. I can control myself. I lean a little closer to him. "Leo?"