Shorts n Sorts

✖︎ [Toby and Cage - The Rejection

-- Toby had finally set himself to do it. Today was the day he would tell Cage how he feels about him. He had what he wanted to say already planned in his head, now all he needed to do was say it.

"Cage?" Toby tapped his shoulder before he left the hallway. He wanted to do it before they went their separate ways, to their next class. After the next was lunch. "I wanna talk to you."

Cage looked at him curiously then nodded. "Okay, what's up?"

Toby pulled him over near where nobody else really was. "So.." He started. "We've been hanging out for a while- and every now and then.. the way you look at me has made my heart stop. I mean-" He tried to find the right words. "I just, I think I like you, Cage.." Toby's voice trailed off when he saw Cage's face.

"Wait," Cage raised an eyebrow. "Are you.. going to ask me out?"

"I was-.." Toby muttered, worried about his reaction even more.

"Oh- okay." He took a breath, as if he'd been holding it for a while. "Well, can I ask you a question?"

Toby paused. "Yah?.."

"So, you know how to hold on to people, right?"

Toby was confused. "Yah?.."

Cage nodded. "Thought so. And.. do you know how to let go?"

His words hurt. Why was he asking these questions?

Toby didn't say anything.

"Thought so." He nodded again, slowly. "I think you should try to learn to-"

Toby cut him off. "You know what? I think you need to shut up now." His voice was firm and calm.. at the moment.

"Uh-" Cage was surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. You can shut up now." Toby glared at him. "If you didn't like me, why couldn't you fucking tell me?"

"That's not how I me-"

"No." Toby, again, cut him off. "I should've known." He shook his head. "Maybe you are the asshole they told me you were. I should've listened to my friends." Then Toby started to storm off.

"Toby-.." Cage didn't know what to do in that moment. "Wait, that's not-"

"No, Cage!" He stopped for a second to look back. "You could have said it to my face. I would so rather you just flat out say that you don't like me. I would rather you tell me instead of leading me on. I honestly don't care how harsh you could have said it, but to me, this is worse." They held eye contact for what seemed like a minute. "I should've listened."

And with that, he left. He left Cage, who was just standing there, not knowing what he should do, or what he should have done.

"I didn't know you-.." He mumbled. "You liked me?."

The minute bell rang, and he started to walk to his next class, his head down as he walked.

"Well shit.."