It Starts Here / 𝗯𝘅𝗯 (✓)

10.5: Waffles and terrible friends

CHAPTER TEN AND A HALF
Seventeen (and a half) years old

Despite liking Nathan—a lot—Felix does not bring him up when he is with Ares. He barely even does it when Ares is at risk of hearing it.

Sometimes, Keyomii brings up Nathan and they'll talk about his art pieces like painting is so much more beautiful than writing ever could be (or whatever), but Felix is always quick to change the subject. Ares always acts like he doesn't see Felix glancing his way to see if he noticed their conversation.

So, Ares knows it's because of him and even though Felix would never say it outright to him, Teddy isn't as empathetic.

"Let him talk about his boyfriend," she hisses one time when they're the last two standing in the cafeteria.

"I'm not the one stopping him," Ares hisses back even though he knows it's a lie and leaves before he can see her roll her eyes at him again.

Because Ares knows that even if he doesn't mean to be, he is. He feels like a dick about it, but sometimes he feels lucky that Felix has chosen not to talk about Nathan when he's around. He doesn't think he is that good at hiding his feelings and he doesn't want Felix to hate him more than he already does.

So, Felix doesn't bring up Nathan and Ares doesn't either. It's an unspoken arrangement they have made that simultaneously heals and destroys Ares on behalf of Felix.

"Do you have work tomorrow?" Ares asks on the bus four Fridays after the night he told Felix that he doesn't like his boyfriend.

It's easy to tell when Felix shares a shift with Nathan. There's always a subtle hint of excitement when he speaks about going to work even if it's a Saturday and he has to stay late to close. Today is one of those days.

Felix hums and looks out the window to hide his face, Ares guesses. His smile is reflected in the glass. Ares looks the other way.

"Cool," he says, even though it isn't and he doesn't feel cool about it.

It's days after when Ares enters the cafeteria and finds Sara and Keyomii at another table than usual. Freddy is there too, talking with Sara past Keyomii who's sitting in between them which Ares knows is another one of her pet peeves. To his surprise, she doesn't slap Freddy's hand away when he reaches past her to take a grape from Sara's lunchbox. 

Ares sits down across from them. "Why are we at this table today?"

Keyomii glares at the table occupied by another group of students. "Freshmen stole it from us."

"It's not our table," Sara says and Keyomii looks at her like she wants to say she's wrong, but knows that she's right. "It's technically not unfair."

"Still," she grumbles.

"I like this table," Freddy chimes in, taking another grape. 

Keyomii blinks. "Bigger reason to get our last one back."

"Where's Felix?" Ares asks. "Did he mistake the freshmen for us?"

"He's with Nathan," Keyomii says before pushing Freddy's arm away when he reaches for another grape. Props to her, Ares thinks, because she doesn't even sound angry when she says, "Probably in one of the art rooms—can you please stay still for a second—thanks. Teddy told us."

Ares eyes the table. "Where's Teddy then?"

"Said she was gonna try and find an empty classroom to sleep in," Sara replies, giving Freddy a handful of grapes behind Keyomii's back when she checks her phone. "She said she didn't feel like eating lunch."