Told You They'd Freak

10- Secret Admirer (Pt. 3)

"Hunt!"

"Hunter!"

"Captain!"

Sebastian was running here and there, cursing his tired legs for not having carried him faster to see where his best friend had disappeared. No matter how many names he called him with (he had even tried 'Potato Head'), he was always met with silence answering his call.

Hunter was finally located, brooding on the very bleachers that Sebastian had found the first note on. The former Warbler captain hesitantly reached out a nervous hand. "Hunt?" he softly called. 

Hunter sighed, the only indication to acknowledge his presence. That was enough, and Sebastian sat down beside him, joining him in the silence. A few moments thus flowed by.

"I've never seen you so mad before," Sebastian finally said softly, his concern seeping beyond his furrowed eyebrows and piercing gaze. Hunter's shoulders sagged.

"What happened, Hunt?" Sebastian prodded again. This time, Hunter did open his mouth, although his gaze refused to meet his friend's.

"I have always been confident," he began, which surprised his roommate greatly. He had expected a direct, clipped answer, like always. He nodded for Hunter to continue, which he did. "I always knew where I was stepping, I knew my strengths, my weaknesses- everything. But this place swayed me, and I stumbled. The captaincy swayed me, and I tripped."

He inhaled sharply. "You swayed me, and I fell into the ravine."

Sebastian tilted his head. Hunter still wasn't making sense.

"But I was always sure, fighting against the world," Hunter picked back up. "But these days... it's becoming tough. I'm tired, but I don't want to stop. Yet, now I have to compete against a poet too."

Saying so, he huffed and stood up heavily. "See you at the dorms. I'll be waiting for your reply."

Sebastian was more confused than ever. Reply? What reply?

-------

Barry pinched the bridge of his nose. "Honestly, I wonder how you can have such a thick skull and still come out on top in the examinations."

Sebastian replayed the speech out loud. Barry groaned.

"You managed to memorise each word he said but still couldn't figure out what it meant?" he exclaimed. "I'm supposed to be the dumb nerd here!"

"Not since you started dating, no," Sebastian paused his thinking. "You went ahead and grew up before me."

"Don't think I don't know about the number of casual relationships you used to have," Barry retorted. Sebastian hastily covered his mouth. "That was a whole year and a half ago!" he hissed.

Barry removed his brother's hand, chuckling. "I'm not going to help you out. Seriously. I don't even know how I can help you anymore. The answer is staring at you in the face, dancing in pyjamas. God, you even have dilated pupils every time you talk about him! I'm off!"

And Barry too fled to reach the Smythe mansion before his twin could protest.

------- 

hunter looked back up at the clock. 11 PM. Four hours after he had seen Sebastian moving into an empty classroom to talk to Barry.

Yes, he knew he had been vague in his confession, but Sebastian ought to have figured it out by now. Did that mean that his reply was 'no'?

He flopped back down on his bed, letting out a defeated sigh.

He was startled back up with the crashing sound of the dorm room door being thrown open.

"You absolute ass!" Sebastian shouted. Hunter looked at him in shock.