My Boyfriend's Girlfriend

twelve

"So, she kissed you?"

"At this point, I don't know if it even happened or not."

I watched Rhys's eyes widen in shock as I caught him up to speed. Albeit, omitting the part about the weekend-long boner being our doing, of course.

"So, let me get this straight." He paused to chuckle, which earned an eye roll from me. "You guys are essentially plotting revenge based off a teen movie, and somehow Tessa got you high," I held up a finger to interrupt, but he continued. "And then kissed you."

I groaned and rolled my eyes so hard, I shook my head. "Yes, Rhys. Tessa kissed me. Right now, I'm wishing it was just a fever dream or something."

"And you're telling me this because I'm your token queer friend." Rhys studied my face. I let out a stressed sigh and sat down on the bleachers.

It was currently half past five, and we were out on the football field alone. After hearing Danny gloat with one of the other guys about someone other than me, I had texted him to tell him I couldn't do dinner, and I'd see him tomorrow. I never got a text back, which was odd, but had ran into Rhys on my race out of the locker rooms. Or, more like bumped into him and broke down crying when he asked what was wrong. Which, was how I found myself with a tear-soaked face on a Thursday afternoon.

"Are we even friends, Rhys? I don't think I know the first thing about you."

Truthfully, we'd never been close. The only time I'd ever had a one on one conversation with him was right after he'd ended things with his ex. He had shown up at lunch for the first time that week, and we'd had about sixty seconds to ourselves, while the rest of the people who inhabited our table were getting their lunches, including Danny getting mine for me.

I watched Rhys closely as he sat down next to me. His eyes scanned the field in front of us for a moment, until his gaze dropped to his squeaky-clean Nikes. What it was about boys and their shoes, I'd never know. I watched as he kicked at a lone leaf that had found its way onto the bleachers. "I don't know, I kind of thought we were friends."

"I mean...you're my cheating boyfriend's best friend." I said with a low laugh.

"I'm not so sure about that anymore." He said, and it sounded like there was pain behind his words. "Can I be honest with you?" Rhys looked at me, and I could see the vulnerability in his eyes. I'd opened up to him, did he think he had to return the favor?

"Of course."

He took a deep breath before speaking. "Danny and I haven't been as close for the last few years. He is one of the least accepting people I've ever known." He said, turning away from me to look back at his shoes. His fingers toyed with the hem of his athletic shorts. "He was the very last person I ever came out to." Rhys admitted. I didn't know what to say, or if there was even room for me to say anything, so I let him continue.

"I knew I liked guys a long time ago. It was normal for me, almost as soon as I noticed girls, I also noticed my attraction to guys. I didn't really have a crush on anyone, contrary to popular belief, but I just knew. And the only reason I waited so long to explore my options was because of Danny." He paused for a moment, taking a breath.

"I met Steve freshman year, right before I ended things with Stacy. I waited six months to make a public move, after Danny didn't talk to me for weeks. He only accepted me because he realized I could still kick his ass any day." He choked back the last bit about Danny shutting him out. When he didn't say anything more, I slid my arm under his, intertwining them. I squeezed his hand lightly to comfort him. "When Steve and I told people, Danny got weird again. It hasn't been the same since."