Coby & Alex [REWRITTEN] | OC

Chapter 5

(Tw: mild self harm, sexual mentions, homophobia, bullying and harassment)

It's 11 am on Tuesday morning, and the kiss between Alex and Coby occurred a week ago. The moment has been lingering in their minds ever since. Coby has been avoiding Alex like the plague, and leaving him feeling frustrated and abandoned.

Alex spots Coby walking briskly across the university quad, his head down, eyes avoiding contact with anyone who might try to engage with him. Alex intercepts him, stepping into his path.

"Coby," Alex says, his voice cutting through the morning air. "We need to talk. Now."

Coby stops abruptly, his eyes widening with surprise and then narrowing with a mixture of annoyance and fear. "Alex, I can't do this right now," he responds, glancing around looking for an escape route.

"Yes, you can. And you will," Alex insists. "You've been avoiding me for a week. What's going on?"

Coby sighs, shoving his hands into his pockets and avoiding eye contact with Alex. "I've been busy, alright? Classes, training, you know how it is."

"Bullshit!" Alex snaps. "You've been avoiding me and I deserve to know why."

Coby's shoulders stiffen, his jaw tightening. "Look, it's not a big deal. You're overreacting. I just need some space."

"Space? You've been completely ignoring me. What's really going on?"

Coby's eyes dart around, searching for an excuse. "Nothing. Just... I've had a lot on my mind. Personal stuff."

Alex takes a step closer, his voice dropping to a softer tone. "We kissed, Coby. And now you're acting like it never happened. Can we at least talk about it?"

Coby's face flushes with frustration. "I told you, it's personal. I don't want to talk about it, okay?" He manages to push his way past Alex and tries to walk away. Alex turns around and grabs his arm quickly. There is a subtle silence between them.

"Answer me... Did I go too far?" Alex asks out loud, beginning to tear up. "If so, I'm really sorry... I just thought there was something between us. But I guess I got the wrong idea..."

Coby hesitates, looking down at Alex's hand on his arm. His expression softens for a moment, then hardens again. "It's not that simple, Alex. It's not about you..."

"Then what is it about?" Alex presses. "You can't keep running away from this."

Coby finally looks Alex in the eyes, his own filled with guilt and turmoil that Alex can't decipher. "I'm not ready to talk about it and I probably won't ever be."

Alex's grip loosens, and he lets his hand fall to his side. "I don't understand, Coby."

Coby's voice drops to a near whisper, his tone desperate. "You don't get it, Alex. This is something I've been dealing with for a long time. It's not just about the kiss."

"Then help me understand," Alex pleads. "We can figure it out together. Whatever it is, you don't have to go through it alone."

Coby shakes his head, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I'm scared, Alex. I'm scared of what people will think, of how my life might change."

Alex takes a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Coby, I care about you. And I'm not going anywhere. But you can't keep shutting me out. If you're scared, tell me. Let me help you."

Coby's resolve seems to waver, his defences starting to crumble. "I don't know how to deal with this, Alex. I've been pretending for so long. I'm not ready to face it."