The Little Mistakes (boyxboy)

Chapter 14

I was nervous as hell. I was sitting at a table in the art room right in front of today’s detention supervisor’s desk. I didn’t know what was going on--what this afternoon was going to be like. I’d seen Rikert three times today, in the hall, at lunch, and then during gym class.

Each time, he avoided me like I had some airborne disease. He wouldn’t look at me either. I did hear his friends saying crap about me when we were running laps. Rikert didn’t say anything to them and just ran off ahead of them, which was very surprising.

I was tapping my foot a mile a minute under the desk. I scratched anxiously at the skin around my fingernails on both of my hands. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only person in here today. There were two girls sitting together at the table to my right. Another girl sitting with a guy at my left. Two guys were right behind me, and the extra spot at my table was empty. Clearly, nobody wanted to associate with me. I guessed that had to do with the fact that they all knew I was gay now.

Not a single person was talking to anyone else in the room. The teacher, I think he taught history, was standing at the open doorway, waiting for stragglers. I checked the clock for the millionth time. There were still three minutes until detention started. Then we’d be here for two hours, until four thirty-five. Patrick was supposed to pick me up and take me home afterwards so I could get ready for tonight’s dinner.

At the last second, I saw Rikert slink cockily past the teacher and stride across the room. I watched out of the corner of my eye. He scanned the people and curled his lip a little in distaste. Nobody paid any attention to him. Nobody except me, of course. I was watching his every move. Just as the teacher shut the door, Rikert pulled out the chair at my side and carefully sat down.

I stared at the spot in front of me on the table. I thought he was a jerk and everything, but I did like him. I kind of liked the way he carried himself, so over-confident at times. Since I wasn’t sure what he was going to do, I just stayed quiet and avoided looking at him.

My plan was ruined, though, when he bumped me on the arm with his elbow. I glanced up at him, blank-faced. He smirked.

“Happy birthday, Caise.”

My eyebrows raised a millimeter in surprise. Then I furrowed it a little. “How did you know it was my birthday?”

He shrugged and looked at me. “Heard Patrick and Aria talking about dinner. Eighteen, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, why?”

He licked his lips subtly, the action drawing my attention anyway. “You’re legal now,” was all he said in a quiet whisper so nobody else could hear him besides me.

I swallowed thickly. I felt the tips of my ears burn in embarrassment. I looked away from him and dug my nails into the palms of my hands. This kid did weird things to me. He brushed me off rudely and then he’d say things like that. I just didn’t understand him. And I kind of really liked it.

“Boys, shut up,” the teacher said to us, sitting down in his own seat.

We didn’t say anything else to each other. I didn’t know what to say anyway. This whole situation was messed up. So I just dropped my head onto my hands, slouching over the table to pretend I never heard Rikert.

And just like that, barely a minute later, Rikert moved his hand down underneath the table. I jumped slightly. I glanced around but everybody was doing their own thing--reading, staring into space, attempting to sleep without getting caught. And there was Rikert, casually tapping his fingers lightly across the top of my thigh while he kept a neutral face and stared at the front of the room.

He was cruel. An absolute asshat was what he was. I knew he was just trying to wind me up, and I hated to admit that it was working just a bit. I couldn’t just yell at him or slap at him until he stopped touching me. Because then people would take notice. I would be freaking mortified and Rikert would probably hate me for it. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want him to hate me. I just didn’t want him to do this in public.

So instead, all I could do was try and jerk my leg away from him, being as quiet as possible. His fingers were light as they flitted across the material of my tight jeans. He wouldn’t quit, getting my blood boiling in two different ways. One of them was definitely not school appropriate.

I moved my leg again, to no avail, and accidentally put my foot down a little louder. No one looked except for the teacher. He looked up at me for a brief second, glaring and giving me a warning look. I smiled apologetically and he went back to what he was doing.

Meanwhile, Rikert was struggling to fight the smirk on his face. I pulled my leg, bringing my knees together, hoping he would stop touching me. The only thing that accomplished was him grabbing tighter to me and slipping his hand to the inside of my thigh and climbing higher.

I felt a stirring in my stomach and panicked internally. If he didn’t let up, I was going to be hard in no time. That was not acceptable. Rikert stopped moving his fingers, but he squeezed my thigh. The sensation was painfully sweet. I glared at him and mouthed for him to leave me alone. He just grinned at me. I glanced around and made sure that no one was looking. Then I slipped one of my own hands down and grabbed his hand and pried it off.

As soon as I was free, I stood quickly. Trying to nonchalantly cover my crotch. After a brief argument, I convinced the teacher to let me go to the bathroom. The only thing that made him relent was me telling him I felt like I was going to throw up. The real reason was far from that, but there was no way I could say that.

I fled from the room, hearing Rikert chuckle after me. I swore I was going to kill him later. I went to the bathroom, walking awkwardly with my current condition. I stood in there for a good five minutes, thinking of disgusting things and splashing water over my face. I cursed myself and that annoying boy under my breath the whole time until I was finally ready to go back to the room.

When I got there, I noticed that both the boys behind mine and Rikert’s table were sleeping. I think one of them was even drooling. The two girls gave me funny looks. Then I heard them whisper Kieran’s name. I bit my lip. People were just so damn shallow these days. They could at least have the decency to gossip about me when they weren’t five feet away.

I sat down, frustrated and angry. I scooted my chair as far from Rikert as possible. I did not need a repeat of what had gone on before. All I wanted was to get through the next hour and forty minutes so I could go home. I didn’t even care that Patrick would yell at me and tell me how stupid I was the whole way. Anything was better than having someone you liked be so cruel in public.

*******

“Do you want a ride?” Rikert asked me after Friday’s detention.

I had spent the entire time ignoring him. I even sat next to some other random kid this time. He was quiet and weird but I didn’t care. At least Rikert wouldn’t be able to mess with me. I had also ignored him, sending nasty looks his way whenever I saw him around school during the day.

Even though it was the same way he’d treated me the day before, I could tell that it pissed him off. The fact that he was playing at double standards like that made me mad. It wasn’t fair that he got to act like that when I apparently wasn’t.

I glanced at him as I walked down the hall. “No.”

“What’s your problem?” he asked.

I snorted. “Seriously?” He just gave me an expectant look. “You are my problem.”

Rikert grabbed onto my wrist and yanked me into a deserted hallway. The entire school was probably deserted, though. Now that detention was over, I was sure everyone had left. It was probably only janitors who were still lurking the halls.

I struggled against Rikert’s hold. He pushed me roughly against the wall, pinning me in place. He was so close that all I could smell was his cologne. His breath hit my face, disorienting me. I wanted to shiver, but with his body pressed against mine, I couldn’t even do that.

“Get off me,” I said, sounding unconvincing even to my own ears.

“You want me to move?” he asked, taunting me. I nodded, looking away from him. He brought his lips close, I could feel them brushing mine as he spoke. “It doesn’t really seem like you mean that.”

I felt cold despite the heat of his body on mine. The hair on the back of my neck was standing on end. I knew I had goosebumps on my arms as well. I didn’t say anything, didn’t trust myself.

Rikert closed the tiny span of distance and crushed his lips onto mine. The back of my head stung as the action caused it to slam against the brick wall. I tried not to pay attention to that, just relished in the taste of Rikert’s mouth. He pressed his lower half into me and I jerked against the wall, shocked.

I whimpered into his mouth as his tongue worked its way deep into mine. He bit my lip, making my brain go fuzzy from the sudden pain of it. Rikert kept kissing me, making my legs go to jello. I was sure that if Rikert wasn’t shoving me harshly against the wall, I’d have fallen to the ground by now.

I was struggling to breathe as Rikert’s hands pinched at my waist. The lack of oxygen was making me dizzy, but I couldn’t stop myself from kissing him. I couldn’t bring myself to make him stop and let go of me. I was enjoying it far too much.

After another minute, Rikert stopped on his own. I wanted his lips back, I wanted his weight back, crushing me like it was before. I wanted it so badly that I actually whined as soon as he’d stepped back. I blushed, embarrassed by my own actions. I couldn’t speak, though.

“How about that ride?” Rikert asked, smirking at me.

I breathed in heavily, panting and feeling the pain in my chest from the effort. “Yeah, sure,” I said, breathily.

“Is that how you ask nicely?” Rikert teased.

I glared at him. “Yeah, sure, please,” I said frostily.

Rikert chuckled. “Good for now,” he commented.

He pulled away from me completely, not even holding my hand any longer. I felt myself sway as he turned his back to me. I clutched at the wall to steady myself. Then when I took a few steps, I stumbled, nearly falling to the floor. Rikert turned just in time and grabbed my arm, his whole hand closing around my forearm.

He stood me up straight and held me there for a minute. “You good?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

I nodded. “I’m fine,” I insisted.

He snorted. “Okay.”

Rikert let go once again and turned on his heels. I hurried after him, feeling like a complete idiot and a fool. I didn’t know what I was doing. All I knew was that everything about him was urging me to follow him. So that was exactly what I did.

We didn’t talk to each other as we exited the building. My eyes went wide upon seeing Kieran’s car parked in front of the curb. I’d forgotten entirely that he was picking me up. That was just how good Rikert was.

Rikert gave me a look. “Go tell him he can leave.”

I hesitated for a second. But then I nodded and ran up to my friend. I leaned on his open passenger’s side window.

“Hey,” I said, breathing a little labored. “You don’t have to drive me today.”

“What?” he asked, crinkling his brows. “But I’m here already. Just get in.”

I shook my head a little. “No, it’s fine. Rikert’s driving me.”

“That’s ridiculous. Why would you go with him?”

I bit my lip. “Don’t worry about it. Next time, yeah?”

Kieran didn’t look impressed. “Oh God, don’t tell me...” My face flushed and I looked away. “Shit, Caise. Come on, the guy’s an asshole. Don’t do this. Just get in the car, I’m taking you home.”

My chest clenched. I was tempted to take his offer. To just blow off Rikert and go with Kieran. But my mind, my body was telling me that I wasn’t allowed. I had to go with Rikert. I couldn’t figure it out, but I knew I just had to. So I stepped away from the car.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “I’ll see you later.”

I ran off before he could stop me. I heard him swearing and yelling after me, though. I felt a twinge guilty, but it was nothing compared to the feeling I got when I saw Rikert smiling at me across the parking lot. I felt the nerves again.

He pointed at the car next to us. “Get in.”

I did as he said and waited for him to walk around to the driver’s side. Once we were both situated and buckled, he started the car. I saw that Kieran was already gone. We started to drive and Rikert turned the radio on at a low volume.

I sat in silence, not wanting to ruin anything by talking. He didn’t ask me how to get to my house. Instead, he drove on in the wrong direction. I was going to ask what he was doing but then I remembered that he lived near Kieran. And that’s why this route seemed familiar to me. I bit my lip. He was clearly taking me to his house.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, unable to keep my thoughts as just that.

Rikert was watching the road. “You’re likeable.”

My eyes widened. I took in the side of his face. The growing stubble that I found there made my mouth nearly water. His face was a dream in itself. I couldn’t believe what was happening could be classified as real. I was suddenly struck with happiness that I’d accepted who I was. Without that, I’d never be in this car with someone who drove me crazy in all the right ways.

“I am?” I finally asked.

He shrugged. “Sort of. I think you are, at least.”

I nearly smiled, but attempted to stop myself. I sort of failed miserably, still not willing to give in. I didn’t want to look so weak in front of Rikert. He was tall, strong, and bright. How could I even come close to comparing with that?

“Thank you,” I muttered.