When we were Wallflowers

Chapter 22: Reassurance

I thought I published this last night, but apparently not? Thanks to @Lana_1012 for pointing out that it hadn't uploaded, wouldn't have noticed without you xx

Ezra and Brent didn't speak for the next few days.

There was an undefined tension between them. Not the angry sort of tension that keeps you at a very safe distance away from the other person. Nor the awkward sort of tension that keeps you away from the other because, god how weird would it be if they actually talked, yikes.

No. Neither the former or latter or anything in between.

It was the sort of tension that was formed between two friends that both knew they had done and said some things they really regretted and wanted nothing more than to go to the other and say: "Hey bro, I'm really sorry." The undeniable and desperate need to reconcile with Evans other being the driving force to keep them apart.

To Brent, he feared that he had pushed Ezra too far. Delved too deep into what was his business and now believed that the best thing for Ezra was to give him space. So he tried to do exactly that.

Ezra needed space from Brent.

Which was relatively hard to give him when they were dating a pair of best friends that spent more time with each other than their significant others. Like seriously, did Colby and Finley really need to do everything together. Their friendship was so girl-like, they followed each other to the bathrooms and didn't even need to ask the other to follow the other, they already knew they were going together. It was a lovely friendship to be fair, girls and these two guys were really onto something.

Of course, this caused the problem that every time Colby and Finley would go have lunch together (they never talked about it, they just knew the other was going to be there), they would bring their significant others. Ezra wasn't even trying to hide his affection for Colby anymore, he would go out of his way to see Colby in between breaks now and was all for public displays of affection. It was like he'd switched a flick over night and now he couldn't care what people thought.

But what would his dad think? Was that still a problem? Was Ezra okay?

No, Brent! His nosiness was what had got him into this mess in the first place. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

So no matter how many times Brent noticed Ezra looking more tired that usual, he gave him space. Even when Ezra wore the same outfit multiple times in a row and that outfit was looking dirtier by the day, Brent gave him space. Even when Brent noticed that Ezra's car was staying way too late after school, Brent gave him...

No, screw that.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Asked Finley as they sat in the football bleachers the school had. It had become a bit of a regular spot for them. Especially since Finley had quit the football club. Finley would now sit on the bleachers, watch the practice that Brent would be in then the two would stay and chat for a bit, after Brent had showered -no one wanted a stinky boyfriend- and got changed.

"Yes. We can't just not talk forever. Plus... I just need to know if he's alright."

Finley sighed and leaned against Brent's shoulder. "I get why you're worried. I mean, it's nice that he's all over Colby now, a little gross but nice. But it's weird, right? How quickly he changed. Either Cupid caught him in a drive by or something's gone on."

"No, it is weird. If he's not okay, I'll offer my help and if he tells me to back off because I keep overstepping my boundaries then I'll do just that."

"I'm not going to be able to change your mind, am I?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so." Finley stood up from his seat and placed his hands on either side of Brent's head, he leaned down and kissed him. "Well, go get him, tiger. You can tell me how everything goes later."