Somebody like you (boyxboy)

3. Lost in My Mind

Trevor

We went to our dorm to get our money and phones, and I insisted that Charlie change his clothing.

"Why?"

"You're wearing slacks and it's at least twenty outside."

"They're comfortable," he argued and glared at me disapprovingly. "I don't have shorts anyway." I sighed.

"Then use one of mine - here, these are the tightest I've got, they should fit you nicely. Now strip!" He turned a very discreet shade of pink as I handed him a pair of khaki shorts, and seeing that he had no choice, he put them on. It was adorable.

We followed the grey road that lead to the village in a comfortable silence. A forest stretched along the left side and the smell of dry earth and leaves tingled my nostrils comfortably. The other side was adorned with nice suburban houses in all sizes.

I took off my shirt - noticing how Charlie's eyes instantly flickered to my bare torso - and let the sun caress my skin as I smiled up at the cloudless sky with my eyes closed contentedly.

* * *

We finally arrived at the village centre, a small square with cafés and shops all around. It was crawling with people, but not yet busy.

"We should sit over there," I said and pointed at a café with chairs and tables out front.

"Outside or inside?" Charlie asked.

"Outside of course." We sat down and it didn't take long before a waiter came over with two menus and a jug of water. I took my time looking through the menu, but was ready when the waiter came back.

"Ready to order, boys?" she asked, pen at the ready.

"I'd like some toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice please," I said and beamed up at her. Charlie ordered a sandwich, and the waiter left us with a wink in my direction.

I tried to start a conversation, but when Charlie only answered with single syllables, I gave up and let my head fall backwards, basking in the sun.

It took a while before the food arrived, but when it finally did I could understand why.

"If you manage to eat all this, you are my kind of person," the waiter admitted. The portion was ginormous.

"Just you watch," I said and started to dig in.

When the plate was half empty I started to get nice and full, but managed to force down the rest of it, grinning all the while.

When I finally finished, I looked up and saw Charlie nibble on the half of the sandwich that was left.

"Are you going to finish that?" I asked.

"No," he said drearily, and put the rest of it on my plate.

"I wasn't asking for it, I just meant that you should eat more," I said seriously.

"I'm not hungry," he said and ordered a cappuccino. His tousled hair looked nicely bleached in the sunlight and he looked so at ease, leaning back in his chair carelessly and radiating a deep sort of confidence that seemed to say 'I know I'm better than you without even trying'.

But then my eyes lingered on his face. His skin was just a tad too colourless, there were faint blue rings around his eyes and the corners of his lips were pulled down slightly. His expression was pensive, but I couldn't tell if he looked more sad, calm, or simply tired as he'd woken up so early.

Despite all this, there was no denying that the longer you looked, the more attractive be became.

* * *

Charlie

I took a sip of my coffee and let my head fall back against the pole behind me. I closed my eyes against the sun and let reality slip from a moment.

I pulled the memory out of its safe hiding place and let the feeling consume me as I saw curly locks of strawberry hair bouncing in the sun as the girl danced in front of my inner eye. Her face was spread wide in a silly grin as she looked at me, and I remembered how much joy I took in her laugh, how it made me speechless with sudden emotion, how my eyes got hot with tears that I dried away before she could tell. I had to catch my breath before I lifted her up and twirled us around in the field, again hearing her unguarded burst of laughter, feeling her arms go around my neck and pull me close. She looked at me with big, understanding eyes for a moment I could forget everything, for a moment we were the only two people in the world. And she was so happy, so happy it made me ache.

"Are you all right?" Trevor asked and pulled me back to the now.

"Yes, why?" I quickly unclenched my fists and rubbed my chest like it could make the hurt go away.

"Forget it," he mumbled. "So! What do you usually do when you don't have school?"

"Nothing special. There isn't much to do."

"What were you reading on yesterday, then?" he asked.

"It would bore you."

"Tell me anyway, please." I sighed.

"Advanced physics."

"Wow, really?" I nodded lazily. "Nice. Ok, who's your oldest friend?" I snorted.

"I don't have friends."

"I thought we were friends!" Trevor said, sounding offended.

"In that case; you."

"We met yesterday!" he exclaimed.

"I told you; I don't have friends." The waiter came over with the bill, and Trevor insisted on paying for the both of us.

I led him towards the shop in a pleasant silence, but it didn't last long.

"What about girlfriends? Ever had any of those?" I peered over at him and noticed how the sun made his hair look lighter, like the colour of milk chocolate. I'd never been a big fan of chocolate.

"No."

"Seriously?"

"Does that surprise you? Why would anybody want to be together with me? And more importantly, why would I have any interest in such things?"

"You can't say you haven't had any interest in 'such things'!" Trevor exclaimed. "You must've at least had a crush on someone!"

"No, I really mustn't."

"What do you mean, no? Everybody's had a crush!"

"Well, I'm not everyone."

* * *

Trevor

I was relieved when we finally reached our destination. Charlie had insisted on walking in silence, refusing to answer my feeble attempts at a conversation.

Once I had followed him inside a door, I stopped in my tracks and looked around me with wide eyes.

What in heaven's name...?!

***

A little cliffhanger there for you :)

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