On the Edge of Love (CarlxAlan)

Chapter Seven: Carl

Ok guys I'm back on my grind. Let's pump this story out

The crowd roared as the home team scored another touchdown, but I barely noticed. I stood near the railing at the top of the bleachers, pretending I cared about the game when really, I was just trying to keep my head above water.

I didn't sit with my usual group tonight. Too many questions. Too much energy. I didn't have it in me to play along with the excitement everyone else seemed to feel.

Instead, I kept to myself, letting the noise blur into the background as I scanned the field, trying not to look for him.

But of course, my eyes found Alan anyway.

He was near the fifty-yard line, standing with Alli and her friends. Her hand rested lightly on his arm, and he was smiling, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. They were talking—well, she was talking, animatedly, while he nodded along. From up here, I couldn't hear what they were saying, but something about his posture felt... off. Tense.

I told myself to stop staring. I'd been doing that too much lately. But something about the way he kept glancing away from Alli, toward the field or the crowd, made it hard to look away.

I turned back to the game, gripping the cold metal railing until my knuckles ached. Whatever was going on with Alan wasn't my business. He was happy, right? He had Alli. She made him laugh, and she always seemed to know what to say. They made sense together.

And yet...

A loud cheer erupted from the stands, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced toward the field, trying to focus, but my eyes drifted back to where Alan and Alli stood—just in time to see him step back, shaking his head.

My chest tightened.

Alli's face fell. She said something, reaching for his arm, but he pulled away again. His shoulders were stiff, his head tilted slightly down like he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

He was breaking up with her.

I didn't mean to stare, but I couldn't help it. Alli's voice rose—still too far away for me to hear, but sharp enough that a few people nearby glanced over. Alan said something, his hands moving in a placating gesture, but whatever it was didn't seem to help. Alli looked like she might cry.

Before I could process what I was seeing, Alan turned and walked away. His strides were quick, purposeful, like he couldn't get out of there fast enough. Alli stood frozen for a moment, then stormed off in the opposite direction, her friends hurrying after her.

I felt like I was rooted to the spot. My mind raced with questions, but none of them had answers. What had happened between them? Why now? And why did the whole thing leave me feeling... unsettled?

The rain started about ten minutes later—just a light drizzle at first, barely noticeable under the stadium lights. Most people didn't seem to care, but I took it as an excuse to leave the bleachers. I wandered down toward the edge of the parking lot, where it was quieter.

That's when I saw him.

Alan was leaning against his truck, his hoodie pulled up over his head as the rain started coming down harder. He was staring at the ground, his hands shoved into his pockets. He looked... frustrated. Sad, maybe.

For a second, I thought about turning around. He probably wanted to be alone. But something about the way he was standing—like the weight of the world was pressing down on him—made me hesitate.

Before I could overthink it, I walked over.

"Hey," I said quietly, stopping a few feet away.

Alan looked up, startled, then relaxed when he saw it was me. "Oh. Hey."

"You okay?" I asked, though the answer was obvious.

He shrugged, looking away. "Yeah. Just... needed some air."

The rain was picking up, soaking through my shirt. I could feel it sticking to my skin, the cold biting at my chest, but I didn't move.

"You, uh..." I hesitated, not sure how to phrase it. "You and Alli looked like you were—"

"We broke up," he said bluntly, cutting me off.

"Oh." I blinked, caught off guard. "I'm sorry."

Alan shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh. "Don't be. It was my call."

I wanted to ask why, but I wasn't sure I had the right. Instead, I leaned against the truck beside him, trying to think of something to say.

"You wanna talk about it?" I asked after a moment.

He hesitated, then shook his head again. "Not really."

The rain was coming down harder now, but neither of us made a move to leave. My shirt was soaked through, clinging to my skin, and I noticed his hoodie was starting to do the same. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, and for a second, it felt like the world went still.

Alan was looking at me—really looking at me. His light brown eyes were intense, searching, like he was trying to figure something out.

My chest felt tight.

"What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head, but he didn't look away. "Nothing. Just... I don't know."

There was something in his tone, something in the way he was looking at me, that sent my thoughts spiraling. Had he broken up with Alli because of me? Was that even possible?

No. That didn't make sense.

But then why was he staring at me like that?

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, loud enough that I was sure he could hear it too. The rain was freezing now, and I knew my shirt had gone completely see-through. My skin prickled with the cold, but all I could think about was the way Alan's gaze kept flickering down, then back up to meet mine.

Something shifted in the air between us, something I couldn't explain but didn't want to ignore.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned in and kissed him.