Under The Mask. [Sal X Travis]

Chapter 8: The hang out hour

Travis was waiting at the entrance of the school. School was over now, and he was waiting for the new friends he made. He wasn't expecting to make the people he used to hate as his friends now. He did hate them ever since 7th grade. Or 6th. So he needed to change that. But he had to remember to be home before 5.

[ Travis' POV ]
I was waiting at the entrance of the school. Waiting for, Sal, Larry, Ashley, Todd, and Neil. I wasn't expected to be friends with them. Its weird, in my opinion because, one, I didn't expect to make any friends, and two, its gonna be weird to see Sal as my friend, when I like him. So much. But I wasn't out of my comfort zone yet. I was still unsure about Todd, because he hated me for being homophobic, and Ashley was nearly about to kill me. And Larry was the main one who beaten me up. And Sal...I tried my best to ignore him everywhere I go but he turns up out of nowhere.

But besides the point, I was gonna hang out with them. Not sure for how long but I had a time limit.  As I waited I hear Larry call out my name, "hey Travis!" I looked and he was with Sal. I waved at them, and gave them a small smile. I blushed a little when I saw Sal. "Hey Trav!" Sal called out next. "Where are the others?" I asked since I only saw those two. "Oh, Ashley had to go home early because her parents called her for something. Not sure what it was." I shrugged it off and asked about the other two, "Neil and Todd went to a cafe to spend some time together" Larry said. "So, yeah, its just us three." Sal smiled under his mask, it made me feel warm on the inside for some reason. "Well, where do you both wanna go to hang?" Larry asked me and Sal. I shrugged,  and Sal answered, "what about that park thats like, 9 minutes away from here?"

I looked over at Sal, then to Larry, "ooh the one next to the lake?" Yes, I was confused on what the hell they were talking about but 9 minutes? Thats only..1 minute away from my place. So, I guess I could make it back home before my mom or dad get back. "Yeah, thats the one. We could go there. After all, its close to the apartments. And Travis' place." I looked at Sal and he was smiling. It gave me a warm feeling, "so what do you say Travis?" Sal then said, "yeah, sure" I responded back. I smiled a little. "Alrighty, let's go" Larry began to walk. Me and Sal followed.

-time skip: at the park-

We made it to the park and there were about 3 families there, one of the families had a dog with them. Larry and Sal sat on a picnic table. I guess that's where they always sit because it was on a hill away from the park a little. And it had their names on it. "Take a seat trav," I hear Larry said. I sat across from them on the picnic table. I took out my phone just to see if my parents texted me. Nope, I guess they are sticking with the time they promise. I looked down from the hill.

Oh, did I mention we were under a tree, it had a circular seat around the tree. Anyway, I was just zoning out until faintly I hear the words...You're just like your dad, again. 'Stop. Not now. Please.' I looked down at my bag, which had my knife in it. I tried to ignore the voice but it just kept getting louder and louder.

I was about to get up to leave to go to the bathrooms, but luckily, Larry's loud ass voice interrupted my thoughts. "HEY, ITS THAT LOSER FROM 6TH GRADE!" I went back to reality and saw Larry going up to someone. Looks like someone me and Sal don't know. I looked at Sal and he shrugged. But Larry and the other person just talked. "Hey, you wanna sit over there?" I hear Sal say, he was pointing at the seat under the tree, "um...sure" I say and shrugged. He walked over and I followed. Sal then pat the spot next to me, and I sat there. Me and him were just sitting looking down fromthe hill. "It's kinda beautiful sitting here. And kinda nice. I mean with the cool breeze. And the fall weather. It's just nice. Right?" I was lost into his voice. I then snapped back into reality, "huh? Oh um..yeah..sure, it is."

I was blushing but I was hiding it by putting my knees up to my face. He smiled at me and I smiled softly back at him. He then looked away and was zoning out. I sat my knees down, and looked at his hand. 'It wouldn't be too much to just hold his hand for a little...right?' I sat my hands on the seat and pushed my right hand close to touch Sal's, I was shaking a little, because well..I was afraid how he would react. But as I got closer to hold his hand, Larry came back. "OKAY, I'M BACK BITCHES!" I slid my right hand away from Sal and looked away. "Good to know Larry" I heard Sal say as he laughed. 'God...he always gets away with being cute.' I smiled while I was still looking away. "Hey, you good, Trav?" Larry asked, god...I need to stop zoning out, "huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine" I responded. "Okay. Anyway, Travis, did you do anything special this summer?" Great...now he's asking how I was during summer? "Did anything special happen at the church, home? Anything?" Larry kept on blabbering on.

'He isnt going to stop asking, questions, is he?' I sighed and rolled my eyes, "let's just say my summer was...great." I softly smiled at him. "That's it? Just great?" He then responded, "yeah, that's what you told me last time when I asked" Sal then said. I chuckled a little, "okay, fine. I'll tell you." I didn't tell them much about what's been happening. I've been only telling them some good things happening. We had some similarities. A little. And we all just chatted about our summers and funny moments.

As we were, I just couldn't get Sal's adorable laugh out of my head. After a few minutes, I realized I needed to be home soon. I got up from the spot I was seating at, and Sal then spoke, "hey, where you going?" I looked at him, and I instantly had butterflies form in my stomach, "oh um..well, I need to be home soon...so, I gotta go." Sal then looked sad, because how he was positioned, "awe...really? Well, I guess see you tomorrow?" I nodded at him and I waved Larry off. I then began to walk home.

[ Sal's POV ]
Travis needed to go home and I was kinda sad. I wanted to give him a hug, but that would be weird. As he began to walk off, Larry and I began to talk again. I was glad that me and Travis are now becoming friends. After about 3 years or so. I was happy about it. Maybe too happy. Because lately I've been feeling different. I feel something whenever Travis was around. And it wasn't normal to me to be honest. I would tell Larry but, I'm not sure how he would react. So...I'll just wait until this feeling actually becomes a 24/7 thing.

[1291 words]