actions speak louder than words {karlnap}

chapter 18

(Karl POV)

It's like he's seen a ghost.

I give Nick a small wave and a sheepish smile. A few people begin to turn their heads to see what he's looking at, and I duck my head in embarrassment. I also don't need people seeing me. I'm just grateful our friends are on the same side of the bleachers as me, so they won't see me across the gym. 

Coach Luke calls for him, and I glance back up to seem him smiling softly at me. He waves before jogging towards the jump ball. 

For the rest of the game, he seems smilier. He keeps glancing up at me, like he's not sure I'm really here. He waves a few times, and I see a few freshman girls in front of me wave back every time. 

You wish. 

Though I guess I can't really talk.

A pit of guilt and regret grows in my gut as the buzzer goes off. I stand quickly and hurry out of the court. I pause at the door and turn to see Nick staring at me. I smile and wave before nodding my head. He gives me a thumbs up before a tall boy with light brown hair jogs over to him. I guess that's Ranboo. 

Okay, a tall person then. 

I duck out of the room, and cower near the exit for the changing rooms. I pull out my phone to DM Keith. 

Me: games over. i'm waiting to talk to him. might be awhile. 

Keith: Okay, no prob. Who won?

Me: we did, obviously. 18-5.

Keith: GG

I roll my eyes and pocket my phone as everyone spills out into the hallways. Most people make for the exits, but around 50 people still loiter in the hall, mostly parents. But I zero in on my friends, two new boys with them. Must be Ranboo's friends. I almost go over, but it's best if no one knows I'm here. I stay put, shifting deeper into the shadows so they don't notice me. 

(Nick POV)

I've never moved through a change room faster. 

Probably not a good thing, but it's fine. I'm 50% sure I was hallucinating on the court, and I need to be 100% sure I wasn't. 

I burst out of the change room within 15 minutes, hair damp from a one minute shower. I begin to look around, but a hand wraps around my wrist. I'm pulled against the wall before I can react. But then he's in front of me, cupping my jaw and smiling.

"Hi," he whispers. 

"Holy fuck," I mumble before throwing my arms around him. His arms snake around my upper middle, and he leans into me, pushing me against the wall again. "Oh my god, you're here."

He laughs into my shoulder. "I'm here," he says quietly. "I'm here."

He pulls away, and it's my turn to cup his jaw. I chuckle in disbelief, drinking in every feature in his face. He's really here. I pull him back down, wrapping my arms around his neck now. "Oh my god," I say again. "Fuck, I missed you."

"I missed you too," he whispers. 

"Wait, why are you here?" I ask, pulling away. "Are you okay? Did something happen? Did the college kick you out or something?"

He forces a smile. "No, no," he says. "Um... can- I w- I need to talk to you," he says, stammering. "Like... soon. Now, really."

Why is everyone saying this to me now? First Mom, now Karl?

I nod, fear sinking into my skin, seeping into my veins. "Yeah," I say. "Yeah, of course. I need to tell my mom to go home without me then. And I want to say hi to the guys. Wanna come?"

He shakes his head hesitantly. "It's better that they don't know I'm here," he whispers. "I'll, uh... I can meet you in the Haven?"

I try to smile, but it's hard when something's clearly wrong, and he isn't telling me what. 

"Yeah, okay," I say. "I'll be 10 minutes."

He nods before pressing a quick kiss to my lips. I almost grab his hoodie and pull him back, desperate to kiss him again. But he disappears into the crowd in the direction of the Haven. 

I pick my bag up off the floor where it must've fallen when Karl grabbed me. Sighing, I swing it over my shoulder and go off to find Mom.

(Karl POV)

I wander down the dark halls, the din of the crowd dissipating the farther I go. Walls are lined with lockers and collages of the graduates over the years. I find my year, and take a picture of it because why not? 

I keep going, and soon the only sounds that fill my ears are my footsteps echoing off the lockers and the thick beating of my heart. And it's now that I realize, I'm terrified. How do I tell him? How do I say that he just kissed lips that have kissed another? How do I tell him I went out with another guy, just like he feared? How do I tell him I was disloyal, after everything he's done for me?

How do I tell him how awful a person I am?

I can't lose him.

"Fuck," I whisper, burying my head in my hands. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

(Nick POV)

"Was that Karl a few minutes ago?" Skeppy asks.

Tubbo gasps. "He's here? Can we meet him?"

I shake my head. "No, he's not here," I lie. "Unfortuantely." I roll my eyes. 

Dream giggles. "Well, good game, man!" he says, wrapping me in one of his bear hugs. "First win of several this season! Your balls were on fire!"

Pause. "Excuse me?" I ask, smiling. 

"Isn't there a cream for that?" Bad asks. 

There's a solid three seconds of silence before we all burst out laughing. Dream releases me to let out a loud tea-kettle wheeze, which earns him some concerned looks from some parents and Tubbo and Tommy. George looks like he doesn't want to be associated with us anymore, all though he, too, is laughing. 

"What did I miss?" Ranboo asks, walking up to us. 

"Dream just said Sapnap's balls were on fire-" Tubbo starts. 

"-and then Bad said 'isn't there a cream for that'," Tommy finishes. 

I swear the three of them share the same seven braincells, because they always sync up like that. It's ridiculous. 

Though Ranboo did say that Tommy and Tubbo have been best friends since birth, basically, having been from the UK, and they met Ranboo when they moved here in grade two. 

Anyways. 

Ranboo nods. "Our balls were on fire," they say. 

I give them a fist, and they bump it. "Amen," I say. 

We all laugh again.

Word Count 1103 

~A/N~

you people seemed to want the next chaper so here you go

btw the next chapter is gonna be angsty. im not too good at angst, so idk how angsty itll be, but you have been warned

drink some water <3