Public Displays of Affection (boyxboy)

Parties - Chapter Twelve

It was safe to say that Jared was officially ignoring him. That was a good thing, really. It made it easier for Travis, who had no experience ignoring people himself. Let Jared to the hard part. 

It was good. Great actually, the way that Jared pretended he was invisible. It was a good thing that he could sit next to Travis in class with no problem, finishing all of his work and taking notes and seemingly deaf to the way that Travis would clear his throat, attempting to get Jared's attention. 

It wasn't really that he wanted Jared's attention but whenever Jared was like this over the years, it was all Travis could do to try to bother him. It was like an itch that he had to scratch and every time Jared managed so easily to ignore him it got harder to reach.

And more annoying.

For a few days he managed to brush it off. Even did his best to ignore Jared back, like he had been trying to do from the start. And then, suddenly it was all a little too annoying to accept.

 In English, Travis took his usual seat next to Jared and blatantly ignored their teacher, swiveling in his seat to face Jared, glaring daggers into the side of his face.

Jared knew he was doing it. His cheeks slowly flushed that rosy pink. Eventually, his neck began to match the color too and before Travis knew it, he was trailing his gaze over the splotchy shapes that decorated Jared's collar and hid under his shirt.

"Travis, eyes to the front please," Mrs. McAllen said, making him jump, his attention sharply drawn to the front of the room.

His heart was racing as she gave him an annoyed frown and turned back to the board.

Travis watched her for a minute while his heart rate slowed back down to normal and then scribbled an angry note onto a scrap of paper.

We were never even dating. Why do you fucking care if I go out with Lana? 

He scrunched up the note and slid it onto Jared's desk. He watched Jared out the corner of his eye, aware of every shift and move and breath his neighbor took.

He hoped Jared got mad. He wanted to get in a fight. At least then, Jared wouldn't be ignoring him anymore.

But then, Jared moved his hand out, swiftly, like he was swatting away a fly and knocked the note easily onto the floor.

Travis was so mad that his whole body was trembling by the time the bell rang. 

At lunch Lana came over to sit with him and his friends and Travis, pulled her onto his lap the second she arrived, laughing loudly at every stupid joke that was said and hoping that Jared was watching.

When Travis did chance a glance in Jared's direction, he was buried in his calculus book, studying. Like Travis wasn't even there. 

When the bell rang, he felt weirdly wired. Like he'd drank a whole jug of coffee and hadn't slept in days. He wanted to do something. 

He found Jared by his locker and without thinking, slammed the door shut, nearly taking Jared's hand with it.

Jared gasped and his gaze shot to Travis', shocked and all Travis could think when their eyes met was finally.

The hall had gone silent and only when Jared darted a glance passed him, did Travis remember that his friends were there. They had followed him out of the cafeteria. 

Jared swallowed and turned back to his locker, face flushed again. He pulled the door open, dismissing Travis and Travis wanted to shout.

Instead, he pushed Jared.