The Tuxedo Man (boyxboy)[Wattys 2016]

Chapter 39 - Wish I Stayed

[Photo: Tommy Alford. Video: Wish I Stayed - Ellie Goulding]

It's normally too early in the morning to deal with shit when it's a school day, but today Max drove me by a Starbucks and I got my Hot, Venti Green Tea Frappé, so everything's all good. 

It's no wonder that Dylan didn't show up at my gate when I was heading out. 

It's been made clear to me that he's mad, with that anger being directed to me. He hasn't texted nor called me in the days that followed our talk, nor did he want to hang out with me in the remaining time we both have before he leaves. I don't know what's happened to this relationship, but I guess we're still technically together. There wasn't any formal talk about separation. 

I don't know what to do when he leaves, but I'll make sure that I do everything to keep the two of us strong. I don't want to lose him, that's decided, but doing so won't be any easy task. 

I've been in a fair share of long distance flings, needless to say that none of them ever worked out, knowing that Dylan's my first boyfriend. Long distance has become a thing that just doesn't work with me, putting a Braydon in a long distance relationship wouldn't be such a good idea. The miles that keep you apart take their toll on you day by day, soon enough you'll be wanting out, which is what I've been fearing.

Ruth had slouched her back to the back of the chair, her phone placed on her table as she blankly looks at it. I throw my Starbucks cup in a trash bin nearby before taking the seat beside her, placing my bag on the floor.

"I'm stuck." She says, her expression unchanged. 

I raise an eyebrow. ". . . to the chair?" 

"No." She blinks, shaking her head. "I'm stuck in a situation."

"What situation?"

"Tommy wants to hang out later." 

I widen my eyes, jumping in my seat as I held on to the edges of my desk. "What?" 

She rolls her eyes, oh look she's doing it, too. Has she been rolling her eyes for a long time, now? "Don't make me repeat what I said." 

"Why are you so awkward when it comes to guys?" I chuckle, reaching down to grab my English book. "You're the one who keeps complaining that you're single." 

"I didn't know that it would be this hard!" She argues. "I've never really considered how the whole thing before the relationship works." 

"The chase?" I smirk. 

"How the fuck did Dylan pull that shit on you?" 

"It took him almost a month before the two of us finally got together." I tell her, noticing the other students beginning to enter the classroom, Jordan cocking his chin as he sees me, walking over to one of the seats behind Ruth and I. Turns out, Jordan's also a huge Greek Mythology nerd, just like Ruth. "He just took me on dates, letting things between the two of us straighten out and he finally made the grand move, asking me to dance with him which- I guess, was the start of our relationship." 

I turn to my back, acknowledging the fist-bump that Jordan was asking for. "It's not easy." I tell Ruth with a huff. "Nothing in a relationship is easy, but it's totally worth it." 

The expression on her face has changed, now she looks horrified. "Don't overthink it." I chuckle, rolling my eyes. "It could just be a casual hang-out." 

The teacher walks in the classroom, closing the door behind her as the room quiets down.

_ . _

The school had somehow decided to give us a free period today because the professor was sick. They'd usually bring us a substitute but now, I guess because the school year is nearing the end, we all got to just hang out by the soccer field, sitting down on the grass as the class was disassembled into smaller circles, Ella, Mason and I forming one in the opposite place of where the Great Bang had formed.