The Break Up Plan (BoyxBoy)

The Break Up Plan

I swept into history class with eye bags the size of craters. Turns out that deciding you were going to ruin your best friend's relationship didn't help you sleep well at night.

I kept tossing and turning, confused as to how I'd split them up. And even though I'd spent 60 long minutes on that facetime trying to get Tyler and Colby to agree, I still wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do.

Maybe I should just let time run its course and watch them split on their own. It sure would ease the guilt.

I was still going back and forth on the decision when I walked up to my favorite desk. It was my most familiar, consistent, beloved chair in the whole classroom and I found it stolen. That ugly, crinkly, glorious chair was stolen by a random stranger.

Frowning, I slipped into the desk to the left of my usual seat. It was further from the fan than I'd like, and now the random stranger was sitting between Rin and I.

"Good morning," random stranger smiled, politely stretching a hand out. "My name's James."

Scratch that, handsome stranger. Handsome and British. My brain latched onto the accent like an octopus and I struggled to keep my expression normal as I shook his hand.

"I'm Elliot but everyone calls me Elly," I replied.

Since we were now in a mutual conversation, I could stare freely. In seconds, I took in his short blond hair, round jaw, and crooked smile. James shifted back, seeming ready to end the conversation there, but I was too curious. It wasn't every day I met a UK man.

"You new here?"

"Is it that obvious?" he chuckled.

"Kind of. We're almost at the end of the semester and I think I would have heard about a British guy in my class."

That set him off laughing and god, even his laugh was British. It was posh and lively with a deep base that carried across the room.

"My mom got a promotion she couldn't pass up so here I am," he shrugged. Then, his expression grew mischievous, a teasing look appearing. "I just hope North American high schools aren't as horrible as they seem in the movies."

"Oh no, they're way worse," I laughed. After a moment of adorable confusion where he wasn't sure if I was telling the truth or not, James laughed along. Maybe it was just me babying the foreign student, but there was something endearing about the new guy. I felt the urge to take him under my wing.

"But, having friends can help."

James quirked a brow but I just kept grinning in his face. I would know by the end of this conversation if the two of us would actually make good friends. It all came down to if he could tolerate my brand of humor.

"Is that an offer?" he asked.

"Yeah, why not?"

From the way he was smiling, it seemed like British James was ready to accept.

"So exactly where'd you use to live . . . "

The words faded out, my brain hung up on the new presence behind James's head. With his arms crossed and eyes impossibly dark, Rin stared James down.

"You're in his seat."

When James flapped his mouth open and closed like a fish, utterly confused, Rin nodded to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

"It's all good. You can switch now."

The occasional sound of desks dragging across the floor was the only thing filling the silence. I felt bad that James had to deal with Rin's random mean streak. I also felt horrible for not noticing when Rin entered the room in the first place. If I did, I could have prevented the awkward meeting. I also might have eased the scowl that's now become stuck to Rin's lips.