My Boy

Chapter 5: Blurred Lines

The days following Trevor and Riley's breakup passed in a blur of shared silences and unspoken understanding. Jamie found himself by Trevor's side more often than not, filling the void left by Riley's absence.

On a crisp Wednesday morning, Jamie arrived at school to find Trevor already at his locker, eyes rimmed with dark circles.

"Rough night?" Jamie asked softly, leaning against the adjacent locker.

Trevor nodded, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about... you know."

Jamie's hand twitched, wanting to reach out and comfort his friend. Instead, he said, "Want to skip first period? We could go for a drive, clear your head."

Trevor's lips quirked in a small smile. "You're a bad influence, Jay. But yeah, let's do it."

As they walked towards the parking lot, Jamie spotted Riley across the hallway. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she quickly looked away, huddling closer to Sophie. The awkwardness was palpable, and Jamie felt Trevor tense beside him.

"Come on," Jamie murmured, gently steering Trevor towards the exit. "Let's get out of here."
They drove in comfortable silence, the radio playing softly in the background. Jamie snuck glances at Trevor, noting the way the morning sunlight caught in his hair, the strong line of his jaw. He forced himself to look back at the road, his hands tightening on the steering wheel.
That afternoon, their friend group gathered at their usual lunch table. The dynamics had shifted noticeably. Raph and Tristan sat with Riley and Sophie at one end, while Alex joined Jamie and Trevor at the other. The conversation was stilted, everyone hyper-aware of the elephant in the room.

"So," Alex said, clearly trying to break the tension, "anyone up for a movie night this weekend?"

"Sounds good," Trevor replied, his voice lacking its usual enthusiasm.

Jamie felt a pang in his chest. He bumped his shoulder against Trevor's, a silent show of support. Trevor looked at him, gratitude clear in his eyes, and Jamie felt warmth spread through his body.

As the week progressed, Jamie and Trevor fell into a new routine. They'd spend afternoons at Trevor's house, ostensibly studying but mostly just keeping each other company. On Friday evening, they sprawled on Trevor's bed, textbooks forgotten as they talked about everything and nothing.

"You know," Trevor said, rolling onto his side to face Jamie, "I don't think I've thanked you properly for being here for me."

Jamie mirrored his position, their faces just inches apart. "You don't have to thank me, Trev. That's what best friends are for."

"Yeah, but still." Trevor's voice was soft, his eyes intense. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Jay."

The air between them seemed to thicken. Jamie was acutely aware of every point where their bodies almost touched, of the warmth of Trevor's breath on his face. His heart hammered in his chest as Trevor's gaze dropped to his lips.

Time seemed to slow as Trevor leaned in, closing the distance between them. Jamie's eyes fluttered closed, his breath catching in his throat.
Their lips were a hairsbreadth apart when a sharp knock on the door made them jump apart.
"Trevor? Jamie? I brought you boys some snacks," Trevor's mom called through the door.
"Thanks, Mom!" Trevor called back, his voice slightly higher than usual. "We'll be down in a bit."

As Trevor's mom's footsteps faded away, the boys looked at each other, a mix of shock and something else in their eyes.

"I... uh..." Trevor started, but Jamie cut him off.
"It's okay," he said quickly, even as his heart ached. "We should probably get back to studying."

Trevor nodded, but the tension in the room remained. As they halfheartedly returned to their books, Jamie's mind raced. What had almost happened? And what did it mean?

The rest of the evening passed in a haze of awkward glances and careful distances. When Jamie finally left, the goodbye at the door was stiff, neither quite meeting the other's eyes.
As Jamie lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, his phone buzzed with a text from Trevor:
"Hey. Sorry things got weird earlier. Can we hang out tomorrow? Just us?"

Jamie's heart skipped a beat as he typed his reply: "Sure. Your place or mine?"

Trevor's response came quickly: "Let's go for a hike. That spot we used to go to as kids. Meet you at 10?"

"Sounds perfect," Jamie texted back, a mixture of excitement and nervousness swirling in his stomach.

As he set his alarm and tried to sleep, Jamie couldn't help but wonder what tomorrow would bring. The almost-kiss played on repeat in his mind, Trevor's closeness, the look in his eyes. Something had shifted between them, and Jamie wasn't sure if he was terrified or thrilled.

Whatever happened tomorrow, one thing was clear: things between him and Trevor would never be the same again.