Against expectations

Chapter 3: you wanna move in with me

The next day, Bruce walked through the school hallways, his mind already racing with ideas. After their conversation yesterday, he'd come up with a plan to make this whole "fake dating" thing as convincing as possible. But it would mean bringing Vance closer to his world, closer to the people in his life — something that both excited and terrified him.

He spotted Finney, Griffin, and Billy hanging out by their lockers and made his way over. It felt good to talk to his friends about regular things for a bit. They were his anchor, keeping him grounded amidst all the chaos he was about to stir up.

"Hey, Finney," Bruce greeted, giving his friend a grin.

Finney smiled back, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. "Hey, man. What's up?"

Bruce shrugged casually, leaning against the lockers. "Not much. Just thinking about the game tomorrow. We're up against Westside High, so it's gonna be tough."

Griffin snorted, crossing his arms. "You'll crush them, Bruce. You always do."

"Yeah," Billy chimed in, flashing a mischievous grin. "They don't stand a chance. You've got that whole 'unstoppable pitcher' thing going on."

Bruce laughed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, but it's a team effort, you know? Can't win without all you guys cheering me on."

They shared a laugh, and for a moment, everything felt normal. He loved hanging out with these guys — they were his friends, his support. But in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the thought of the plan he'd discussed with Vance.

"By the way," Bruce started, trying to sound nonchalant, "you guys coming to the game?"

"Of course," Finney replied, giving him a firm nod. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Yeah, man," Billy agreed, elbowing Bruce playfully. "We're all gonna be there."

Bruce felt a pang of relief. Knowing his friends would be there made the idea of having Vance come along a little less intimidating. Maybe they'd just think it was cool he'd made a new friend. Or at least, that's what he hoped.

After hanging out with his friends for a bit, Bruce checked his watch. It was time to meet Vance at their agreed spot behind the school, near the bleachers. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. This was the part he was most nervous about — introducing Vance to the idea of coming to his baseball game and, if he agreed, even staying for dinner afterward. It was a lot to ask, but Bruce figured the more convincing they could be, the better.

When he rounded the corner, he spotted Vance waiting, leaning against the wall with his usual cool, indifferent expression.

"Hey," Bruce greeted, smiling a little.

Vance nodded, glancing over at him. "What's up?"

"So... I was thinking about our plan," Bruce began, scratching the back of his neck. "I've got a game tomorrow, and my dad always shows up for them. If you come to the game, it'll make it more believable, you know? Like... if he sees us hanging out after the game or something."

Vance raised an eyebrow, studying Bruce with a look of mild curiosity. "A baseball game, huh? Not really my scene, but... I can make an appearance."

Bruce felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Great! And, uh... there's one more thing. I was wondering if... maybe you'd come over for dinner afterward? My dad would see us together, and it'd make it harder for him to ignore, you know?"

Vance considered this for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Dinner with your family?"

Bruce bit his lip, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Yeah. I mean, it's up to you, but... it'd help sell the whole thing."