My Mistakes: A BxB Story

Harsh Discords and Unpleasing Sharps

Chapter Eleven: Harsh Discords and Unpleasing Sharps

T: Hey Dane. Is this still your number?

Dane glanced at his cell, shocked.

D: Yes. What's up?

T: Are you going to try out for Romeo and Juliet? I guess I'm going to. Matt and Jasper are really on my case. A modern Shakespeare musical. Sounds crazy. Want to practice together?

Dane stared at the words. Contemplating. He really hadn't intended on trying out.

D: Ummm, sure?

T: After school? Your house? I don't have a piano or we could go to mine.

Jeff leaned over, glancing at Dane's phone.

They were in the car, just about to get out and head into school. The last few days, since the party, since Dane sang to Jeff that song, in front of all their friends, things felt weird between them again. Weird in a scary good way. Jeff held Dane a little differently at night. And Dane kissed Jeff more hesitantly, touching their lips together with less passion but more emotion. Jeff wondered if this was truly happening. If what he'd always hoped for, in the back of his heart, locked up tight, was unfolding between them, day by day.

Then these texts.

Dane glanced at his kind of boyfriend, not sure about what to say, but he didn't have to worry too long.

"You going to hang out with him? At the house?" There was a slight edge to his voice.

"Yeah, I guess." He refused to ask if that was okay with Jeff, because Dane was not going to live his life dictated by anyone. He could have anyone over that he wanted.

"Okay," Jeff said, appearing unfazed. But after they got out of the car, he pushed Dane against the door, kissing him hungrily, Dane gasping. Jeff moved his lips to Dane's neck and sucked a huge purple bruise. He walked away from Dane, leaving the other boy flushed and flustered, unable to stand up straight for a few minutes. But eventually Dane pulled himself together, put his hand on his neck for a second, before straightening his mussed up hair and walking as calmly as he could into school.

===

The bell rang signaling lunch. When Dane passed through the classroom door, Jeff was leaning against one of the walls, waiting for him. They walked together towards the lunch spot, and Dane accepted it when Jeff brought their hands together, fingers locking, Jeff's thumb rubbing on Dane's skin.

They separated when they got there, Dane sitting with his friends, Jeff sitting with his. Not like Jamie and Noah, Harrison and Joey, who sat with each other every single day, with no regard for whether their crew needed to witness the constant display of affection. Dane quietly ate his lunch, talking to Alyisha about school stuff, glancing at Jeff from time to time, their eyes meeting occasionally. It was so ... weird, honestly. Like they were starting from square one, rewinding to the beginning of a new relationship despite the fact that they had some version of sex multiple times a day.

Alyisha kept her voice very very quiet, but talked to Dane while she nibbled on her avocado and bacon bagel sandwich.

"Everything going okay?"

Dane frowned. "Yeah. Ummm, but so, Timmy asked to come over this afternoon."

"And you said...."

"I said, yes. Do you think I should have said no?"

"You're together with Jeff right? You guys both agreed to be exclusive, right? No more fuck buddies. You guys are really together?" They both flicked their eyes up to the jocks on the bench. Jeff had Jaden in some kind of head lock with his good arm while Dwight was ticking his twin's boyfriend. Daisy, Kimmie, and Lynne and Jun watched, clearly bored with their antics.