Winner Takes It All

Chapter 6

Leo had done his best to ignore Xavier after the weird yoga, really, he had. Except for all his talents of ignoring people, Xavier had the exceptional skill of getting under his skin. So much so that Leo eventually caved and reluctantly agreed to meet up.

It was a wonder Leo didn't walk around with a glowing halo hovering over his head, he was practically a saint.

"Football. Your game plan to help me get your brother's attention is football."

Xavier looked quite unimpressed at Leo's master plan. Leo kicked his shoes up onto the couch, ignoring the glare Xavier levelled him.

"Yeah," Leo deadpanned. "Liam is obsessed. You have to know everything about it for him to even think about you twice."

Xavier rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I can't be bothered to study football just for your brother."

Leo narrowed his eyes at Xavier. "I thought you wanted me to help you."

"I meant help me by convincing him to go on a date with me," Xavier argued.

Anger filled Leo's veins. "Tons of people want to date my brother just to fuck him. I'm not helping you if you don't show me you're willing to put in effort."

"Whatever."

"What do you mean "whatever"? Leo imitates crudely. "I thought you liked him?"

Xavier scoffs. "Like him? I'm not a school-girl in 7th grade."

"Why do you want to do this anyways?" Leo asked suddenly.

Xavier glares at Leo. "I don't owe you any answers. I don't even know why you're here."

Leo's blood boils with humiliation. How dare Xavier say that like he thinks Leo is desperate to be here. As though Leo has been begging to hang out with him.

"You know what? Forget it," Leo snapped, "I don't even know why I came here in the first place."

Xavier laughs coldly. "Fine! Back out of our stupid deal - it was your stupid idea anyways!"

Leo doesn't know what comes over him but he's enraged and he sticks a finger angrily into Xavier's chest. "I know your type," Leo hissed. "You just want what you can't have and you can't stand the idea that my brother doesn't want you. I'm done with this."

Xavier stared at him for a moment, his eyes boring into Leo's like he could see straight into his soul. "I think you're just jealous," he said slowly, menacingly.

"What did you say?" Leo asked, deadly quiet, his heart thudding traitorously. Xavier was just making a guess, he didn't know. He couldn't know.

But Xavier seemed to sense that he had found a weakness. "I think you're not helping me because you're jealous. I think this was all a little ploy to get my attention and you can't stand the fact that I want your brother and not you."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Leo hissed, "Not everything is about you!"

But he's not entirely wrong is he, that voice in the back of his head whispered. Leo didn't want Xavier to want him, he just didn't want Xavier to want his brother. And there it was again. That growing, rotting sickness inside of him.

Xavier scoffed and crossed his arms. "Maybe. Maybe I'm wrong. But maybe I'm right and you just can't handle the fact that I'd never be interested in you in a million years."

"What a coincidence because I'd never be interested in you in a million years," Leo snapped back at him but for some stupid reason Xavier's words still stung. Was it really that impossible to want him? Was he really so unattractive? Really so boring that there wasn't even the smallest part of Xavier that was interested in him, not even for a moment?

"Whatever," Xavier huffed in dismissal.

There was a moment of silence as they stood there unsure of where to go from there.

"I'm sorry," Xavier sighed eventually. "Please help me."

Leo thought of his reaction earlier. Of the thoughts that sometimes slipped into his mind and the growing bitterness in his blood. "Fine. I'll help."

And that was how it all started.