Crystal High

Behind closed doors

The next morning, Andrew woke up with a smile on his face, still feeling the rush of excitement from the previous night. He grabbed his phone and texted Jacob, unable to wait any longer to talk to him.

"Hey, are you awake?" he typed, his heart racing with anticipation.

A few seconds later, Jacob replied. "Yeah, I'm up. What's up?"

Andrew took a deep breath before replying. "I just wanted to say, last night was amazing. I can't stop thinking about you."

Jacob's reply was almost immediate. "Me too. I can't believe we waited this long to kiss."

Andrew felt a surge of happiness at Jacob's words. He realized that he was not alone in his feelings, and that Jacob felt the same way.

"Can we see each other again today?" he typed, hoping that Jacob would say yes.

"Definitely. Let's meet up at the park in an hour," Jacob replied.

Andrew smiled and jumped out of bed, eager to see Jacob again. He quickly got dressed and headed out, feeling like he was on top of the world.

Andrew arrived at school, feeling excited to see Jacob later, but as he walked down the hall, he noticed that people were staring at him. He heard whispers and murmurs as he passed by, and he couldn't help but feel like something was off.

He soon found out the reason for the strange looks and whispers. Nikita had spread nasty rumors about him, claiming that he was gay and had made a pass at her.

Andrew was stunned. He had never even spoken to Nikita, let alone made any advances towards her. He felt angry and frustrated that someone would spread such lies about him.

He tried to ignore the stares and whispers, but it was difficult. He felt like everyone was judging him, and he couldn't help but wonder how Jacob would react to the rumors.

Finally, he decided to confront Nikita and put an end to the lies once and for all. He approached her in the hallway, feeling a mix of anger and fear.

"What the hell is your problem?" he demanded. "Why are you spreading lies about me?"

Nikita just laughed. "Oh please, like anyone would believe that a loser like you could ever get with someone like me. I'm just trying to make you look bad, and it's working."

Andrew felt a surge of anger at Nikita's words. He wanted to punch her in the face, but he knew that would only make things worse. Instead, he took a deep breath and walked away, feeling defeated.

He knew that he would have to deal with the rumors for a while, but he was determined not to let them bring him down. He would stand strong and hold his head up high, no matter what anyone said or thought about him.

And with that determination, Andrew headed to his classes, ready to face whatever challenges the day would bring.

As the day went on, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling of unease caused by Nikita's rumors. But just as he was about to leave school, he was approached by Charlotte.

"Hey, Andrew," she said, her tone surprisingly friendly. "I just wanted to talk to you for a second."

Andrew was hesitant, but he decided to hear her out. "Okay, what's up?"

"I just wanted to say that I don't believe the rumors about you and Nikita. I know that she's been spreading lies about you, and I wanted to apologize for anything I might have said or done to make things worse."

Andrew was surprised by Charlotte's words. He had never expected her to stand up for him, especially after how she had treated him in the past. "Thanks, Charlotte," he said. "I appreciate that."

Charlotte smiled. "No problem. I just wanted to make things right. And hey, if you ever need someone to talk to or hang out with, just let me know. I could use a new friend."

Andrew smiled back, feeling grateful for Charlotte's change of heart. He realized that people could surprise him, and that maybe things weren't as bad as he had thought.

As he walked away, he heard Charlotte confront Nikita about the rumors, telling her that she didn't appreciate her spreading lies about Andrew. Andrew felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing that he had someone on his side.

Despite the rumors circulating around school, Andrew was determined to not let it ruin his plans with Jacob. He met up with Jacob at the park, feeling relieved to see him and to have a chance to forget about the drama for a while.

"Hey," Jacob said, smiling at Andrew as he approached.

"Hey," Andrew replied, feeling his heart skip a beat at the sight of Jacob.

They sat down on a bench, enjoying the sunshine and the fresh air. They talked about their interests, their hopes and dreams, and everything in between. Andrew felt like he could talk to Jacob about anything, and that Jacob truly understood him.

As they talked, they held hands, their fingers intertwined. Andrew felt a sense of comfort and safety in Jacob's touch, like he could be himself without fear of judgment.

As the sun began to set, Jacob turned to Andrew and said, "I know things have been tough at school, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. Whatever happens, I've got your back."

Andrew felt his heart swell with emotion. "Thanks, Jacob. That means a lot to me."

They shared a kiss, their lips meeting in a passionate embrace. Andrew felt a rush of warmth and happiness, knowing that he had found someone who cared for him deeply.

As they parted, Jacob took Andrew's hand and said, "Let's get out of here. I know a place where we can be alone and just enjoy each other's company."

Andrew nodded, feeling excited at the prospect of spending more time with Jacob. He stood up, and Jacob wrapped his arm around him, pulling him close.

As Andrew and Jacob were walking towards their destination, a mysterious pale man approached them. Jacob looked at the man and said, "Travis, what are you doing here?"

Travis fixed his gaze on Jacob and said in a stern tone, "You missed the meeting, Jacob. You know what happens when you don't show up."

Jacob looked uncomfortable and responded, "I'm sorry, Travis. I had some things to take care of."

Travis didn't seem satisfied with Jacob's explanation. He leaned in closer and said, "This isn't just about you, Jacob. You have responsibilities, and you can't just ignore them because you're busy."

Andrew watched the exchange with a growing sense of unease. He had never heard Jacob talk about any meetings before, let alone someone named Travis.

Jacob looked at Andrew, sensing his confusion. He turned back to Travis and said, "Travis, this is my friend Andrew. He doesn't know about any of this. Can we talk about this later?"

Travis's eyes flickered towards Andrew, and for a moment, Andrew thought he saw a hint of recognition in them. Travis nodded and said, "Fine. But don't forget, Jacob. We need you at the next meeting."

And with that, Travis turned and walked away, leaving Andrew and Jacob standing in the park, feeling shaken.

"What was that all about?" Andrew asked, his voice shaking with nerves.

Jacob looked at him and said, "It's nothing. Just some old business that I have to take care of."

But Andrew could tell that there was more to the story than Jacob was letting on. He felt a sense of dread, like he had stumbled into something dangerous.

As they walked towards their destination, Andrew couldn't help but wonder what kind of secret life Jacob was leading. And what kind of danger it might put them in.