ghosting

ACT II PART V

They were laying on Steve's bed passing the joint back and forth. Steve was eerily quiet, he usually was when he was high. Xavier was drumming his fingers on his chest to the mixtape he left in Steve's house for when they hung out.

"I think Nancy and I broke up," Steve says quietly.

A part of Xavier is happy to hear that, the one with a hopeless crush, the one with his bestfriend who is falling for Nancy.

"I'm sorry."

It's all he can really say to that. Steve hums as he takes another hit from the joint and passes it back to him. He takes it and turns his head to look at Steve.

Steve was always pretty. He looked even prettier under the moonlight, his hair messy and his eyes rimmed red from the high.

Xavier took a hit and turned to look back at the ceiling.

"What happened?" he asks.

Steve grabs the joint from Xavier and keeps it in his fingers as he speaks.

"She doesn't love me."

It's a quiet admission. As if he could never find himself lovable. A feeling Xavier knew all too well. He turns properly this time to look at the older boy in bed with him.

"Hey," he says softly.

He grabs Steve's face to make him look at him. There's a slight blush on his face that Xavier attributes to the drinks he had earlier, maybe even the high he was on right now.

"Her loss," he says honestly. "She may be.. somewhat of a friend but it is her loss Steve "the hair" Harrington. You're a great guy, you'll find someone who loves you."

Steve stays silent, his lips parted slightly as he nods his head. Xavier removes his hand from his face puts it down by his side and sighs softly. Steve hands him back the joint and between the two of them, they finish it.

-

Waking up after a party always sucks. Xavier wakes up with a headache and sun in the room. He groans as he moves to get away from the sun and hears a small chuckle from the other side of the room.

"Shut it Harrington," he mumbles throwing a pillow at the older boy.

Steve just laughs louder at that. Xavier sighs as he sits up on the bed and glares at the boy in front of him.

"Yeah yeah laugh it up."

"I am. You're so grumpy in the mornings Henderson." Steve replied.

Xavier just flips Steve off and gets off the bed.

"Do you need me to take you to school?" he asks following Xavier.

"Nah, just drop me off at my place. Jonathan is supposed to pick me up."

And Steve does just that. Xavier walks up to his window and sneaks in through there, careful not to disturb his sleeping mother in her room. He changes quickly and looks curiously at the note on his bed.

A note.

..on his bed.

He opens it carefully and smiles softly at the writing.

You left some marks on me, pretty boy. Meet me in the woods during lunch.

-- your boy

He bit his lip as he smiled. Your boy ringing in his mind over and over. He grabbed his backpack and walked to the front door. Jonathan pulled up to his driveway and he got in the car.

"Nance get home ok?" he asks.

"Yeah."

Silence and then.