Mending Bridges || Krii7y

1. Be Ready To Be Kissed

Jaren watched the clouds float by and the miniature world below. He could just about make out cars on the highway. His stomach had been unsettled for the entire flight; he wasn't the best flyer. He'd been trying to ignore the sensation by focussing on the fact he would be seeing him mom soon.

He hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving, when he'd flown over from London to spend a couple of weeks with her. It had been seven months and he'd missed her like crazy.

His relationship with his mom had only improved since he'd been away. They'd had some time to repair their relationship before he'd left for college and being away had brought them even closer. Jaren was grateful that they were back like they used to be, before his dad had left.

And he couldn't forget his boyfriend, Oliver. Just thinking his name made Jaren feel warm inside. He'd met Olly when he'd been home for Christmas break in his second year of college. Olly was a barista at a coffee place that Jaren had gone to with Penny to catch up. The pair had been talking in the queue and when they reached the front, Olly had caught Jaren's eye. Their exchange was innocent enough but those green eyes and raven-black hair had Jaren almost head over heels in one interaction. He'd so wanted to ask him out but the fear of the feeling not being reciprocated, or worse, him being offended, had held him back.

When they had left with their drinks, Penny had smiled at him knowingly. "Why didn't you slip him your number?" she'd asked.

"I couldn't. He wasn't interested."

"Jaren, you were both practically undressing each other with your eyes."

"Sure," he'd replied sarcastically. But a part of him had hoped that she was right.

So he'd tried his luck. He'd gone back to where the man worked the next couple of days, just to see him, and each time he'd been so friendly. Jaren couldn't work out if he was being polite or if he was interested in him. He'd thought he'd never find out.

Until Olly walked over just before he left the third day.

"Hey," he'd started with a smile.

Just a smile, but it had Jaren blushing instantly. "Hi."

"This is completely overdue, but I'm Oliver."

He'd offered Jaren a hand, which he'd nervously shaken. Olly's hand had completely engulfed his. It had knotted his stomach.

"Jaren."

"So, Jaren, would you want to hang out sometime?"

Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes. Jaren had felt the smile blossoming on his face and tried to suppress it to not look like a loser. "I would like that," he'd replied calmly. But he knew the shit-eating grin on his face was a traitor to his real feelings.

Olly had returned the smile unabashedly, making Jaren feel better. They'd only had a month together but they'd stayed in contact until Jaren was back for the summer, where their relationship had progressed steadily. He'd missed his boyfriend since Thanksgiving and couldn't wait to see him.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a nudge.

"We're about to land," his friend Jordan informed him excitedly. Here was another person he was grateful for.

He and Jordan had met in their first week of college, as they were living in the same house. Jaren had felt out of place among the Brits but Jordan had befriended him with no hesitation. They had clicked instantly, going out together and even sharing their food. Jordan was fun to be around. Within a few weeks of knowing one another, they were very good friends. They hadn't been close with their other housemates and once that lease was over, the two had moved in together, just the two of them. Jaren was thankful to have made a friend so quickly and to have had that friendship last the whole three years of college. They were such good friends that he'd even let Jordan convince him to fly home with him.