Killjoy ; SetoSolace

| 8 |

| 8 | The "L" Word

***

I had decided to spend the rest of the day at Jason's house once school ended. I'd prefer lounging on his couch rather than my own bed at "home" — could you even call it a home at this point? It was more like a place of bricks, stone, and wood; a place of discomfort and, well, fake I suppose. Sometimes I think of Isaac and his mother, their house is more of a home to me.

"Something on your mind?" Jason asked, plopping down next to me.

"Of course, there's always something on my mind. If not, I'd be dead," I replied, slyly. Jason released an obnoxious laugh.

"Yeah, sure. But hey, let me tell you something."

"Sure, what's up?"

"Have you ever fallen in—" I expected him to say mud, but oddly he followed up with: "—the L word?"

"Loser?" I questioned, not really following.

"No," Jason rolled his eyes. "Are you really this oblivious, Seto?"

"Lobster?"

"God, never mind," Jason shook his head with disappointment. "Actually, it's just—"

He took another pause. I was the one to shake my head this time, seeing as he looked quite uncomfortable. Frankly, I did want to hear what he was going to say, but then again by the time he finishes his sentence I'll be bored. "Just?"

"I don't know. I guess Adam and Ty," Jason finally finished, burying his head into his hands.

"What about them? Are they dating or something? I'm not really following, you've known them longer than I have. I've only been at your school for like, what, two or three days?"

"That's not it. I mean I'm completely fine if they fall in love with each other," Jason rolled his eyes, grunting. "It's just—I don't want to be left behind, that's all."

"Yeah right, like you could be left behind," I chuckled.

"Everyone's falling in the L word. It's almost as if all relationships are meant to be, and then there are people who are, well, alone."

"You're only in high school, Jason. It's not the end of the world. You're seventeen, you're going to find someone one day."

"You wouldn't understand, I mean you skipped a grade after all—a sixteen year old as a senior already, I'm turning eighteen soon. I mean you're already liked by most of the people in school, short and cute."

"You're like a mirror image of me."

"Well I'm boring, okay?"

"You're not boring to me, Jason."

"You know Seto—you're quite weird."

I paused for a moment, not really knowing how to follow up with that. "In a bad way?"

"Oh! In a good way," Jason snickered. "You're good company."

I released an exasperated sigh, "You are, too, Starboy."

"The hell? Starboy?" Jason's expression was unreadable, almost as if he was perplexed by what I had said.