Stress Relief

Change of Pace

It was six o'clock in the morning, the birds were singing their good mornings and there was a chill in the air as Halloween began to creep in, only a week away. At least he had an excuse to wear his jacket now.

His leg bounced furiously with distress, his hands on the brink of shaking with the anxious thoughts of all the ways this could go wrong. The only thing keeping him level-headed was the breathing exercises he kept doing. Which, even then he would forget to do them and start to spiral all over again before he remembered what he was there to do.

He was waiting on the football field bleachers for his friends, more specifically Chase, to run out. He was determined to tell him today. The whole truth, everything he went through.

The plan was to ask him if they could go to the clearing after school so they could have some privacy, then, he'd tell him his tragic backstory, as Carson so fittingly nicknamed it.

Then, he'd ask if he might be willing to help him with some...exposure therapy, so to speak. Of course, nothing super sexual since he doubts Chase would want to do anything like that, but just things that involve him being a little...handsy...

"Am I really about to ask Chase if he can touch me?" He asked himself, suddenly wondering if this was even a good idea. Have they even grown comfortable enough with each other to do something like that?

Then, the metal doors swung forth and out came the only football players he ever has, and ever will like. Carson ran out first, looking at him with a big smile of encouragement. It was pretty easy to recognize him seeing as he was miles shorter than the other guys, including himself by a few inches.

One after another he watched his friends enter onto the field, having gotten there early today. Anthony managed to give him a very rare smile, and a nod before Alex set a hand on his shoulder and grabbed his attention. Carson was right, Alex did seem better. He looked a lot more calm around Diego especially. Even going so far as to smile a little. Admittedly it was pretty funny seeing the confused look on his face as he went out on the field. As he watched the threshold of the bleachers, he kept his eyes peeled for a specific number and a specific head of hair.

And like his prayers were answered, a certain blonde came forth. A sight that never got old, and a face that never failed to make his heart jolt the moment it was faced towards him. "Hey." He called out, voice a little quieter than he intended, though despite his volume Chase's head turned on a dime toward him sitting on the first row of white metal, and just like always his heart did a little excited beat.

However, his eyes didn't quite lift and neither did his smile as he greeted him. "Hey." Instantly alarm bells began to go off as he walked over and sat next to him. All he saw was a downward slope as his tone displayed seriousness. "I um, wanted to ask something."

Elijah refrained from biting at his chapped lips so he could speak. "Me too, actually." He laughed a little, hoping to prevent the nervous tension that began to creep in on them. Him, more specifically.

Chase looked surprised, setting his helmet on the ground. "Oh, okay, you first." As he gave him his full and undivided attention, Elijah found himself feeling speechless. Like a spotlight had been cast down upon him, dozens of microphones shoved in his face, with Chase as his audience and somehow, with the topic that was on his mind, that felt scarier than if a thousand people were sitting in front of him at that moment.

"I..." his words fell short, and the fewer words he said, the more he felt his limbs lock up with fear. "I um,"

"Hey, Chase!" He swallowed his words and the two of them looked out at the field, only to find a very confused Jase being given a hand signal of some sort from Matt, who was waving his hand across his neck. He spoke a little out of earshot, and Jase's brows raised. Then he looked back at him and yelled a quick, "Never mind!" Before he threw Matt the football. Elijah was flooded with relief. I gotta pay back Matt back later.