Rivals : Nothing But Net

Chapter 5

What the hell did I just do? Aadit paced the floor of his bedroom, breathing heavily. Why do I keep on getting myself into the most stupid situations? Trying to calm himself down, he flopped down onto his bed, and closed his eyes. His mind was now rid of any external distractions, and he was able to think clearly. Instead of looking for a solution, though, his mind went to the place where the whole predicament had started.

The impromptu barbecue had gone surprisingly well. He had gotten to know Alexander's parents a little more, and Isaiah and him had gone a full 3 hours without screaming at each other. The entire time, Alexander's younger brother, Johnathan, wore an apathetic expression while lurking in the background. Aadit closely studied his profile, trying to obtain some kind of information from the teen. He was even somewhat hot, in an off-brand Damon Salvatore kind of way, but didn't seem to care about anything people thought about him. This only spurred Aadit's interest, and he wasn't the only curious one. Diya kept on trying to start up a conversation with Johnny, sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn't watching. This would be kind of cute, except for the fact that she looks more desperate than a Karen bribing her child's soccer coach. Still, he didn't try to offer any advice to the girl, amused at her attempts at flirting with the broody, raven-haired kid. At least she was trying, though.

His speculations only distracted Aadit from his own sad "love life", consisting of a variety of pipe dream celebrity fantasy relationships, and one greek-god-esque teenager that lived across the street, who was probably straight. Looking at Alexander, Aadit noticed the way his eyes scrunched up when he laughed, how they practically sparkled under the sunlight, how he wished he could stare into them for the rest of his life. Oh my god, you've turned into a sap!, his mind chided. He looked away from the boy, regretting setting his eyes on him in the first place. Unluckily, he could see Alexander walking straight up to him, feeling a strange sense of deja vu from the first time they met. Aadit fiddled with his Coke can as he smiled at Alex, half excited and half nervous to find out what he had to say.

"I'm so glad that we're able to do this, considering that the two of us are kind of like, friends, now," Alexander said.

"Yeah, definitely! And, it's so great that you're on the basketball team now, so you've kind of found your footing in a new area." Alexander grinned and nodded, but the smile didn't meet his eyes. It was almost like he didn't feel welcome in the new school. Aadit felt bad for the boy, but knew that after a few months in the neighborhood, he would feel right at home. After all, if Alexander wasn't comfortable where he lived, how was he going to get comfortable around Aadit? Alex took a sip from his own soda can, and stole a furtive glance at Isaiah. He looked back at Aadit, and stepped closer to him.

"Actually, I could use a little more help getting situated. Would you, maybe, wanna take a walk around the block with me?" Aadit's heart soared. Time alone with Alexander? On a walk?

"Sure, I guess." He was playing it so cool!

"Hey, mom, could Alexander and I take a small walk around the block? We'll be back in like, 10 minutes." His mother seemed suspicious, but she nodded.

"You'd better not get into any trouble! And be back before it gets dark! And make sure to check both sides of the road before crossing!"

"Yes, mom." Aadit rolled his eyes.

The evening summer air felt refreshing on Aadit's skin as they stepped out of the backyard. Those few hours spent with Isaiah and the two families were suffocating, and taking a few minutes to disengage from the environment was like a breath of fresh air. Also, it didn't hurt to have his crush walking right next to him. They turned a corner, the sun hitting directly into their eyes. Aadit moved to the road, where the trees cast a large shadow on the pavement. Alexander caught up with him, falling into step with the other.