A Flutter in Time

Chapter 8 - Unanswered Questions

Sitting in his math class, Etho came to two conclusions:

Math was boring as heck

Doc was acting very weird.

He seemed troubled and shifty and kept glancing Etho's way. Etho chalked it up to him just being sleep deprived, but that theory was quickly thrown out the window when he was the fastest in the class to solve the logarithmic equation that had been drawn on the whiteboard. Sleep deprived people didn't solve math equations. Etho shook the thought out of his head and tried his best to turn his attention to the assignment he was working on. He didn't get very far into it before he heard Doc call his name.

"Etho!"

"Yeah?"

"So I was thinking... Do you wanna come over and hang out with me and Bdubs later today?" Etho smiled.

"Oh! I'd love to! Wait.. I can't. I've got plans with someone..." Doc cocked his head in confusion. Etho had found a note on his doormat that morning saying that E was coming to visit later that day. He couldn't just tell him to wait. Future business was important.

"You do?"

"Yeah..."

"Ok. You could also invite them if ya still want to hang with us?"

"NO- I mean... I don't think they'd like that... they uhhh- have social anxiety?" Etho mentally slapped himself for sounding so unsure. He couldn't tell Doc about E. It was bad enough that Grian knew. Etho still hadn't figured out how Grian had found out, considering they don't talk that often. That was a mystery for another time though. The current issue was Doc.

"Ok... if you say so... are you free another time then?"

"Pretty much always free."

"Ok it's settled! Tomorrow we're all three hanging out." Etho shot Doc a thumbs up and returned to the assignment. Weird.

The rest of the class went pretty normally, aside from the constant watching eyes of Doc being firmly planted on Etho. At one point in time Etho sneezed, and Doc seemed to nearly jump out of his seat, eyes frantic. It was uncomfortable, and eventually Etho had had enough. He turned to Doc, who turned his gaze away to try and pretend he wasn't staring.

"What is up with you today man? Don't think i don't notice you staring daggers through my skull." Doc shifted under Etho's gaze.

"Sorry..."

"Did I do something wrong?" Doc almost fell out of his chair in shock.

"Oh no no no you didn't I swear!"

"What's wrong then? Do I have something on the back of my head?" Doc sighed.

"It's nothing. I'm going to use the bathroom." And with that, Doc stood and left the classroom, leaving Etho infinitely more confused than before.

The rest of the day went by quickly. Etho didn't see Doc at all, not even at lunch. He was worried to say the least. All his worry shifted though when he got home. E was coming at who knows what time and Etho still hadn't asked Bdubs out.

Pacing around his apartment, he pulled his phone and opened Bdubs's contact. He winced when he saw the contact name.

Bdubs (Your new best friend)

Friend felt so wrong after learning that in the future he fell for Bdubs. Etho then realized something else. E had told him that he'd love Bdubs, but he had never said that Bdubs loved him back. Some of E's words from their previous conversation crept into his brain.