Shartdropper

Chapter 4 - Thinking of You

Again.

Again, again, again.

"This isn't like you, Damian." He heard voices behind him, but blocked them all out. Everything was too loud. Just shut- Damian opened his mouth to shout a slur out of habit, but quickly silenced himself.

Again, again, again.

He rammed his foot into the ball angrily.

Why can't I get it right? He cursed internally. The match was in 2 days, and he really needed to step up his game in order to have a chance to beat SUS.

Damian gazed at the bleeding sky. Streaks of scarlet and yellow were splashed against a blue canvas. He scanned the horizon, only to be jumpscared by the sun staring back at him.

"Hey," A warm, familiar voice pierced through his clouded mind. Damian turned, refocusing back into the real world. Jamie.

"Are you okay?" the fruity boy asked. "You haven't been responding to us, we were calling for you."

"Now you ask me if I'm okay?" Damian felt a boiling ball of rage growing. "What about when you and Kayden were pining for each other? What about the chocolates? Didn't you consider my feelings then? You..." He took a moment to recollect his thoughts and calm down.

Jamie was taken aback.

"No, it's not like that, I already told you," Jamie assured him.

His words went into Damian's head and came out the other side.

"I thought we had something going on, Jamie," he said coldly, walking away.

"We're not dating!" Jamie yelled after him, but to no avail. "Wait, practice isn't even over yet..!"

But Damian didn't seem to hear it.

------

Two hours had passed since soccer practice. Jamie paced around his room, occasionally glancing at his phone. His math worksheet was splayed across the table, barely touched.

Sigh, he leaned against the wall. What should I do... The fruity boy really didn't want to ruin his "friendship" with Damian. However, Damian wouldn't believe him if he tried to cover up his situation with Kayden. Besides, he didn't even want to commit to a relationship with either of them yet.

Jamie finally caved and turned on his phone. He opened (Dimbycord) and instinctively navigated towards Kayden's profile.

------

"So let me get this straight..."

"I'm not straight."

Kayden ignored the other boy's comment.

"You want to act like we broke up in front of Damian..." Kayden cringed at the thought. "...to make him believe we aren't dating?"

"Yes..?" Jamie replied nervously. "I don't have any better ideas, so-"

"Why can't he know that we're in a relationship?" Kayden shot back.

"Um... we're not... right?"

Kayden paused. So that's what you think of this? He really is hopeless... Or perhaps I haven't made myself clear.

"...Kayden?"

"Yeah, yeah... I'll help," Kayden replied idly.

"Thanks so much. Damian would never let it go otherwise... I really don't want him to be mad at us..."

"Alright. See you at school." Kayden ended the call, deep in thought. Was he really going to let Jamie get closer to another boy? Things were going so well between them; he was so close to securing the bag and winning the fruity boy over. The only factor that could possibly interfere was Damian.

Oh, don't forget that math is due tomorrow, Kayden texted to Jamie. Although, given Kayden's nature, he probably hadn't even started it. At this unholy hour, there was no way he would be able to finish it. But Kayden had more important things to worry about. For example, how he could get Damian out of the picture.

Kayden trudged towards the bathroom, flicking on the light. He stared at his weary self. I have to make this work.

He filled a cup with water and gripped his toothbrush dramatically. I won't lose Jamie. I can't afford to.