Roomies (boyxboy)

A Short Interlude

Pic Above:  Miranda

A Short Interlude

A week ago.....

Diego slammed his hands on the lunch table.

"I need to talk to you, Ryan!" he seethed.

Ryan glanced up. Miranda put her hand on his knee, frowning. All the kids at the table immediately silenced.

This was the area where their group hung out, the kids who were on student government, who organized the environmental club, the kids who all had second homes in Tahoe and Hawaii, straight A's, upwardly mobile. Stanford bound. Everyone looked casual, jeans and tshirts, but the jeans were 400 dollar name brands, the backpacks designer label. Clean, rich, woke. Best of the best. Cream of the crop.

It wasn't Diego's brown skin that was out of place. More than a few of Miranda's crew were POC. It was the snarl on his face that set him apart. And the anger in his voice. But Diego gave zero shits about the way they stared at him.

"Nope, I'm eating lunch. I'm busy." Ryan grabbed Miranda's hand and placed it on the table. Diego snorted.

"Dude, it's cool with me. I can spew our business in front of your cute girlfriend, no problems. She might be pretty interested."

Ryan gave Diego a black look. "Fine." he replied tersely. "I'll be right back," he said to Miranda softly and followed Diego around the corner, and out to the field. No one hung out here at lunch. They were alone. The chatter of kids at lunch seemed far away.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Ryan spit.

"Where. Is. Cameron.?!!" Diego stepped forward until he was right up in Ryan's face.

Ryan pushed him back, hard. "How the fuck should I know? I'm not his keeper."

"No." Diego barked. "But you are his fucking boyfriend. Why the hell isn't he at school? Is he sick? What the fuck is wrong with him."

Ryan leaped forward, instantly livid, the last week's confusion, anger and pain boiling up and out. He grabbed Diego's shirt. Diego didn't even flinch. "I'm NOT his boyfriend! We are NOT together. I'm with Miranda. I'm NOT gay." His face was red, twisted with feeling.

Diego pried Ryan's hand off his shirt, and wiped the spit off his face. "Dude, I don't fucking care whatever you want to call yourself. I'm not a fucking idiot. I saw you. You kissed him in the hall before school. I heard you guys making out in the bathroom. I SAW you together with him. The way you looked at him, you are in deep with that angel."

"Shut. Up. you don't know anything." Ryan seethed, trembling.

"You hate who you are? Whatever. I don't care. But if you hurt that boy, that sweet fucking innocent boy, I will come for you. Where the hell is he?"

"I don't fucking know! He's not my boyfriend! He's fucking with Nate. He chose Nate! Go and ask that fucker!" Tears streamed down Ryan's face even as he yelled at Diego.

"Dude you are so dumb. Nate? Nope. You are such a fucking idiot." Diego laughed. "Whatever, like I said. You can live in whatever screwed up drama you want. You're not with him? Even better. Is he ok? That's all I want to know."

"He's living with Coach and his husband. That's all I know." Ryan turned around, wiped his face and walked away. "Don't talk to me again."

Diego watched Ryan leave. Smirked. Put his hand to his lips and called out, "Go back to your girlfriend. Have fun in that closet!" And turned towards the PE building.

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Coach sat back in his chair. "And you are again?"

"Diego Alvarez. I'm a friend of Cameron's. Ryan says he's staying with you. I just want to make sure he's ok."

Diego did his best to keep the worry out of his voice. "He hasn't been at school for a long time. Is he sick?"

He fingered the chain around his neck.

"Diego? Ok, well Diego, I can tell you Cameron's staying with me. He hasn't been feeling well, but hopefully he'll be in school soon. I'll let him know you asked about him."

Diego stood up, putting out his hand. "Naw. Naw. That's cool. As long as he's ok. Don't bug him about me. Good to know he's ok." He pushed out the door in a hurry.

Coach sighed. At least Cameron had some friends here who worried about him. He looked at the door, then went back to work.

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Author's Note:   Wow. Cameron has lots of "friends." He is a sweetie, that's why.