In a Split Second || BOYxBOYxBOY ✔️

13

a/n: literally nobody reads, votes or comments on this so I cba being speedy with this story >.<

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The air outside the library was crisp, a light breeze rustling the leaves on the nearby trees as Alex and Luke stepped onto the campus walkway. The sun had just begun to set, casting an orange glow over everything, giving the scene a soft, warm hue. Alex shoved his hands into his black jacket pockets, the silence between them stretching. He kept his gaze forward, but every so often, he could feel Luke glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"So, this burger place you were talking about," Alex started, trying to break the quiet, "it's close, right?"

Luke smiled and nodded quickly. "Yeah, just a few minutes away. It's nothing fancy, just some good burgers. Figured we could keep it low-key."

"Right, low-key," Alex echoed.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed by the idea of keeping things casual. Luke had said it wasn't anything fancy, and yet... there was something about this that felt different. It was just two guys grabbing a burger after studying, but it also wasn't just that, was it?

As they walked, their steps falling into sync, Alex couldn't help but feel the tension between them. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was charged, as if both of them were aware of something simmering beneath the surface, yet neither of them were quite ready to acknowledge it. They still hadn't spoken about the kiss... or Abigail... or their looks and touches.

Alex had never been in a relationship or a situationship with anyone before, so he was basically overthinking everything. Is this what usually happened when two people started to flirt and like each other? He didn't know. It was weird.

They soon reached the small burger joint just off-campus. It wasn't crowded, but the warm, cozy atmosphere and the smell of grilled meat welcomed them in like a comfortable hug. The place had dim lighting and booths lined along the walls, each with dark wooden tables and red leather seats. It was the kind of place you'd expect to find late-night study sessions or friends hanging out, exactly the kind of low-key spot Luke had promised.

Luke motioned to a booth near the back, and Alex followed him, sliding into the seat across from him. They grabbed the laminated menus from the side of the table, though Alex barely glanced at his, feeling far too aware of Luke sitting just a few feet away.

Luke flipped his menu open casually, his eyes scanning the options. "I always go for the bacon cheeseburger here. It's a classic. You?"

Alex shrugged, glancing down at the menu, but none of the words were registering. His brain was buzzing too much to focus on food. "Uh, I dunno. I'll probably get the same."

"Solid choice," Luke said, his dashing smile and striking ocean eyes making Alex's stomach flip.

After placing their orders with the waiter, there was a brief lull in conversation. Alex fiddled with the edge of his napkin, unsure of what to say. His mind kept wandering back to the question that had been nagging at him since they left the library: What was this? A friendly hangout? A study break? Or... something else?

"So..." Luke leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. His eyes were locked on Alex, and there was a flicker of something in his gaze that made Alex's pulse quicken. "How's your day been, really? I feel like we didn't get a chance to actually talk back there."

Alex blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. It was becoming personal. More soft. More... intimate? He didn't know. But it definitely wasn't friendly. It was more. "Oh, uh... it was fine. Classes were a bit long. Mondays, you know?"