More Than Friends (boyxboy)

Chapter 10: Back row

"If I feel like the moment is right,  I'm gonna take it."

☆

They had known each other all their lives, probably inside and out, but right in that moment, something between them felt new, undiscovered, well at least for Bay. 

The current short bus ride to the cinema had been the most intense experience Bay had ever felt. Sitting next to Archie. The thought that his lifelong friend could possibly feel the same way. That he may have those same feelings he had. Bay looks to his left at the male, who was scrolling on his phone. "I'm looking forward to this." He smiles at Archie's profile with the other not even looking up as he replies. 

"Yeah, it's supposed to be a good film. We should try to get a back row seat." 

"Back row?" Bay's eyes widen at the prospect of it. It was all well and good that he had admitted to himself that he had a feeling for his friend, but was he ready for what that may imply? Do you not think, perhaps near the middle?" He suggests. Maybe this could give him time to get his head around what Archie was subtly suggesting. 

He glances up from his phone to look at Bay. He sees the panic in his eyes and smiles as he places a reassuring ruffle to his hair. "Bay, we're seventeen stop acting innocent. We have an opportunity to kiss in the back row. No one will be watching." 

Bay begins to fiddle with his fingers as he looks down at them. "It just seems a bit sudden, that's all..."

"But what?" Bay removes his hand. He shrugs his shoulders. "If I feel the moment is right, I'm gonna take it." 

"But what if I don't want to?  You need to ask me for permission."

Archie just laughs at Bay's remark. "Bay I don't need your permission to kiss Lena." 

"Lena?" Bay feels his heart drop to the floor. "You want to kiss Lena?"

"Of course! Who else would I mean?" Archie furrows his brow. "We're meeting Lena and her friend. Y'know, the one you got along with on the bus yesterday. Her name is Jojo." 

"Oh… right." Bay forces a chuckle. "Great!" Bay knew he and Jojo may get along. But that's besides the point. How could he have been so stupid as to think Archie could see him as anything other than a friend. How could he have even been so foolish as to think that?" 

"They're here already." Archie gets up from the seat as the bus pulls into the stop outside the cinema complex. He turns to see Bay still sat, unmoving. "C'mon. They're just girls. They won't bite."

"I know, I know." Bay reluctantly gets up and follows his friend who seems to be on a mission as he takes big strides down the bus aisle. They are soon on solid ground and face to face with the two females. 

"I didn't think you would show." Archie tries to suppress his overjoyment as he kicks a random stone on the ground as a distraction. 

"Why not? I like superheroes." Lena says as she grabs onto one of the straps of her backpack. 

"Great." Archie replies as they begin to walk off together, forgetting the two friends they had brought with them. 

"Jojo right?" Bay gives off a weak smile, but she just pushes her tongue into her cheek as she looks at Lena, happily chatting away to Archie. 

"I'm not interested." She says, not even giving him the time of day as she walks in the direction of the cinema. It leaves him standing there. A whirlwind of emotions consumes him. He wasn't interested in her either, but also didn't want to watch what may unfold with Lena and Archie. Bay just wanted to turn around and go home, but true to form, he puts one foot in front of the other because as always, he would follow Archie anywhere.

***

"Mark, over here!" The call from one of his friends from the group calls him over. A mixture of girls and boys. All seemingly pairing up into couples with the boy in question the additional extra. "You need to get yourself a girl." Gus says as he lets one of his arms drape over the female he had paired up with. 

"What? And limit my options?" He laughs as he takes a seat in the back row, right next to the exit. He pops a piece of popcorn into his mouth and stares at the screen, advertising local businesses, with the sound of a song he didn't know playing on the quiet. Just a usual Saturday with his friends. He sees more people from school enter the place. Some kids from his year. One of the boys seemed to look at Mark and his friends before talking to the girl next to him as they settle on a seat halfway down. 

"Isn't that the new girl?" Gus questions, leaning across to Mark a little as he watches them sit down. 

"How should I know?" Mark looks at Gus with a shrug.

"Come on. You must know her. She's Lena Henderson. She would totally give you a run for your money." Gus laughs. "I hate to admit that a newbie is attractive...  in a weird way, but she is." 

"Hey, I am here!" Gus gets a slap from the girl he was supposedly with. 

"I was thinking for him, I swear!' Gus insists. "They could get together."

It makes Mark laugh. "That is why I'm single. Besides, it looks like she is with someone." Mark gestures to the people in question with a popcorn filled hand before shovelling them into his mouth like the cookie monster. But Mark isn't really interested in the Lena girl or whoever she was sitting next to. No. He was far more intrigued by the friends who had accompanied them. Well, one of them, at least.  Bayley Brennon. The kid who had helped him sharpen up on his maths. 

Mark sees him glance his way, before quickly turning around. He had stayed true to his word to keep his distance. Mark's friends were none the wiser about the tutoring sessions. It felt a little bittersweet. He had enjoyed the time with the nerdish boy.

"What are you smiling at?" Gus sees the curl to Mark's lips. "You like her, don't you."

Mark just turns and throws a handful of popcorn at him. In truth, Mark didn't like anyone. Not in a romance kind of way... did he?