𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲 • 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

chapter six

bruce collects all his things and puts them in his bag — he was grateful the week was finally over. he slings his bag over his shoulder and leaves the classroom. he looks down at his feet, letting his thoughts wander. he was glad he didn't have anymore classes until next week. he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "hey." he turns around. he was expecting to see vance, but it was someone else. he turned to face a tall boy. he had short brown hair and blue eyes. he didn't recognize him. "hi?" bruce replies. he steps to the side so he's not in the way of other people walking. the boy steps with him. "hey." he repeats. "i'm asher— we have a couple classes together?"
    bruce didnt recognize him at all, but nodded anyway. asher swallows. "right, uhm, i was wondering—" he starts, but he was cut off. "who's this? bruce wasn't sure when vance had made his way over to them. vance slid his arm around bruce's waist, causing bruce to  blush furiously. "ah- uhm, you said your name was asher?-" asher nods, a scowl crossing his face. "yeah, whatever." vance looks up at bruce. "what was that about?" he knew exactly what it was about, but he wouldn't mention that." bruce shrugs. "i'm not sure- i've never seen him before." vance hums in reply he lets go of him, but only so he could lace his fingers with bruce's.
"well, anyways, you got any plans?"he starts walking, swinging their hands — as usual. bruce pauses, then shakes his head. "nope." vance smiles. "good."
"good?" bruce questions, to which vance nods. "good." bruce sighs, earning a chuckle from vance. "i want to take you somewhere." those words made bruce's mind race. he wanted to take him somewhere? like, as a date? no, no- he shouldn't get ahead of himself, it was probably just a friendly thing. right? he didnt want it to be a friend thing. vance had been telling him something, but he hadn't exactly been listening. he shook his thoughts away, trying to focus back on what vance was saying. "do you have a car?" he shot bruce a questioning look. "ah- not exactly.."
     vance frowns. "well shit— i collected that you did-" he pauses. "i guess i probably should've asked.." bruce rolls his eyes. "yes, you should've- anyways, yes, i have a car. i just dont get it until i go home for my birthday—" he pauses. "so i guess i dont have it, but technically i own it!" vance seems to have ignored everything except for 'go home'. "you aren't from around here?" bruce looks at him, then shakes his head. "no, i'm from denver." vance tilts his head to the side. "i could see that, yeah. that makes sense." bruce wasn't sure how to take that, but he decided to take it as a compliment. "i lived there for a while, actually." vance states. "anyways, we're getting off topic." he shakes his head. "we'll catch a bus." and with that, he was off — dragging bruce with him.
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    bruce was surprised when he saw they were nearing a roller skating rink. that just didn't seem like vance's kind of thing, he thought. but maybe he didn't exactly know what vance's things were. vance hurriedly walks up to the door, putting a stop to bruce's train of thought. "here we are!" he smiles, looking at bruce. "i didn't assume you were much of a roller skater." he looks at vance, tilting his head. a light blush spreads across vance's cheeks, bruce couldnt miss it, but he didn't mention it. "ah— i just.." he trails off, thinking. "seemed like somethin' you'd like." he offers a smile, that wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either. "lets just head inside!"
    they head inside, and bruce couldnt help but notice all the signs with 'couples night' written in big letters. couples night? he follows behind vance to the counter. had he done this on purpose? or did it just happen that he choose tonight? bruce couldn't decide, but he found himself getting more and more flustered the more he thought about it. vance got their skates, he turns and hands bruce his. they headed over to a bench to sit down and get their skates on. bruce sits down and starts putting them on. he swallows thickly. "did you, uhm, did you know it was couples night?" vance visibly tenses, his cheeks turning an obvious red. "w-what? what do you mean?" he looks around the building, confusion building on his face. "oh- that's- uhm, that's crazy- i didn't know-"
    he entirely avoids bruce's gaze. "we can, uh, we could leave if you want—" he starts, but bruce cuts him off. "nono!" bruce clears his throat, he hadnt meant to jump at declining leaving that fast. "uh, you already paid and stuff.." now it was bruce turn to have red decorate his cheeks. vance couldn't help a soft smile, causing a matching one to spread across bruce's lips. he couldn't help it, vance's smile was contagious. "lets just go skate; yeah?" vance offers, to which bruce quickly agreed. "i've actually, uh, i've never done this before—" vance says quickly before they got in the ring. "really? never?" vance shakes his head, a sudden nervousness washing over him. bruce offers a comforting smile, taking vance's hand in his own. "don't worry, i'll help you- it isn't that hard anyway." he led him onto the rink, taking both of vance's hands in his own.
    vance looks at bruce, their eyes meeting. bruce looked absolutely beautiful. vance thought. he had a happy smile on his face, the lighting made him look perfect. vance was pretty sure bruce was the prettiest boy ever. he swallows thickly — he could've sworn the world around them literally slowed down. in that moment, it felt like they were the only people in the world. no one else, just them. no one to interrupt. vance felt like his heart was quite literally about to jump out of his chest, and he was sure his cheeks were bright red. his stomach was doing flip-flops. he was not used to this. no one ever made him feel this way — until bruce came along. he wasn't sure if he hated or loved bruce for that. but he did know one thing, this was perfect. bruce was perfect.
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word count: 1,077
WHEN IS IT MY TURN.