Don't Touch || BOYxBOY ✔️

6

Leo jolted awake on Monday morning, glancing at the clock on his wall to find he had overslept for his 9am lecture. It was nearly 9:45am and if he rushed to campus now, he'd make it in time for the second half of his lecture. Panic surged through him as he hastily threw on some random clothes he found laying on the back of his desk chair. He grabbed his black and white checkered backpack that was full of his heavy business books and raced against the ticking clock to make it to class on time.

As Leo fumbled with his shoelaces, he cursed under his breath, realising he had ignored the multiple alarms he had set the night before when he had gotten home from the bar. The September sun streamed through his bedroom blinds, casting a warm glow that seemed to mock his tardiness.

Snatching a granola bar from the kitchen counter when he got downstairs, Leo quickly bolted out the front door. None of his housemates were around. They had all probably dashed off to class a lot earlier.

The campus buzzed with the usual morning activity, but Leo's mind raced with the impending consequences of his tardiness. He sprinted across the beautifully designed quad, the weight of his backpack bouncing against his back with each hurried step he took. As he approached his usual lecture hall, he noticed the distant echoes of his professor's voice, a signal that he was already deep into the lecture. Leo's heart pounded in his chest as he swung open the lecture hall doors, drawing the attention of his classmates whose eyes were on him in an instant. The professor paused mid-sentence, locking eyes with Leo, who sheepishly mumbled an apology while searching for an empty seat towards the front.

Settling into his chair, Leo's cheeks burned with embarrassment as he started to scribble down some random notes, attempting to catch up on what he had missed. He bounced his knee up and down at a ridiculously loud pace. Leo's breath eventually started to slow down and the embarrassment that he felt lingered in his chest as he tried to regain some kind of composure in the midst of the ongoing lecture. The granola bar that he had grabbed earlier on remained unopened and untouched in his hand.

Throughout the lecture, Leo's mind oscillated between the content being discussed and the pulsating embarrassment he felt. A fellow student leaned over and whispered, "Another late night?" eliciting a few stifled laughs from nearby classmates. Almost like they had their own inside joke. They were all friends, so he didn't mind too much. He just chuckled a little and nodded his head silently.

After what felt like an eternity, the lecture finally concluded. As students filed out, Leo lingered for a moment, contemplating whether to approach the professor. Eventually, he mustered the courage and walked up to the front of the hall, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Professor Anderson, I'm sorry for being late. It won't happen again," Leo stammered.

The professor raised an eyebrow but then softened his expression. "Life happens. Just make sure you catch up on what you missed today. Punctuality is crucial, especially in the business world."

Leo nodded, thanked the kind professor, and exited the lecture hall, feeling a mix of relief and lingering embarrassment. As he navigated through the bustling campus, he couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversations about his tardy entrance from other classmates. He ignored them all, kept his head down and shuffled toward the cafe. He knew where his housemates usually hung out to have lunch so he leisurely walked over to the cafe in the middle of campus. He was starved.

The aroma of coffee and the hum of student chatter provided a welcoming distraction for the raven haired boy who just wanted to go back home, climb into bed again and sleep. Spotting his housemates at a corner table, he plastered a smile on his face and joined them. Everyone was engaged in lively chatter as he inched closer and closer. Sophie was sat next to Aaron. Then it was Rex, Victoria, Jessica and Jessica's boyfriend Liam who had slowly become part of the group.