In a Split Second || BOYxBOYxBOY ✔️

8

A few days later, Alex found himself pacing back and forth in his bedroom, trying to shake off the tension that had been building up all morning. He had an assignment due by tomorrow night, and though he'd started it a week ago, the pressure of perfecting every detail was getting to him. The closer the deadline loomed, the harder it was to focus, his mind jumping between everything that had ever gone wrong in his life.

He didn't want to spiral, not today. He was determined to stay calm. Every part of him screamed to push himself harder, but instead, Alex decided to take a break. If he could just breathe, just find a moment of peace, maybe he could keep it together long enough to finish the assignment.

He unrolled his yoga mat in the middle of his bedroom floor, pulling up a video on his laptop. Yoga wasn't something he normally did, but over the last few months, he'd started practicing when things got too overwhelming. The slow, deliberate movements helped ground him, the steady rhythm of his breath giving him something to focus on besides the chaos in his mind.

As he moved through the poses, stretching out his arms and focusing on the sensation of the mat beneath his palms, he felt some of the tension begin to melt away. For a brief moment, his mind quieted, and he let himself just be in the moment, no assignment, no Luke, no Ethan.

But just as he was beginning to settle into a sense of calm, a loud knock echoed from the front door, pulling him out of his focus. He froze for a second, staring at the door as if it might go away if he ignored it. The knock came again, followed by a muffled voice.

"Alex, you home?"

It was Sam.

With a sigh, Alex rolled up his yoga mat and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He wasn't sure if he was in the mood for company, especially with his assignment still looming over him, but Sam usually meant well.

He opened the door to find Sam standing there, her face bright with her usual enthusiasm. She was wearing an oversized hoodie and leggings, her hair tied up in a messy bun. "Hey," she greeted, leaning against the doorframe. "Sorry to interrupt but Jess and I are going to the movies with some friends. We wanted to know if you would come along."

Alex blinked at her, surprised by the invitation. Sam wasn't one to usually extend these kinds of invites; she and Jess had their own circle of friends, and Alex had always assumed they just didn't think to include him. The parties were different because they were at the apartment. But this was new. He glanced back at his laptop, where his unfinished assignment still waited.

"I don't know..." he started, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've got this assignment due tomorrow tonight, and I'm kind of stressed about it."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but that's exactly why you should come. You need a break. I know you've been, like, super stressed lately." She waved a hand dismissively. "You'll feel better if you take your mind off it for a couple of hours. Plus, it's some action flick Jess wanted to see, so you don't even have to pay attention to the plot."

Alex hesitated. The idea of going out with Jess, Sam, and a bunch of people he didn't know sounded... exhausting. But at the same time, maybe Sam was right. Maybe a break would help. If he stayed here, he'd just stew in his own stress, and he didn't want to risk getting overwhelmed and giving Ethan an excuse to come out.

"Who else is going?" Alex asked quietly, crossing his arms. He figured he should at least know what he was signing up for.

Sam shrugged. "Just some people from uni. You've met some of them before, I think. No big deal."

He thought about it for another second, weighing his options. If he went, maybe he'd feel better, less like a prisoner to his stress. And worst case, if it was terrible, he could always leave early.