A Hint of Color (boyxboy)

Chapter 2

"Let me live again, let life come find me wanting.
Spring must strike again against the shield of winter.
Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me,
Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again."

Jake hums along to Undertow as we sit on the carpet in his living room.

I called him Jake at some point the second time we hung out and he didn't seem to mind, so it stuck.

Since then, we've hung out a few more times. He's pretty nice and cool, but he seems kind of tense most of the time. I don't know why, since he seems to enjoy hanging out with me.

His parents both work so I haven't seen them yet, but Clara is around and she doesn't seem to like me for some reason. Jake says she's just being a brat. Usually, she's out on the patio working on her tan, so she doesn't bother us.

I look over at him and catch him watching me. Maybe it's just me being hopeful, but I think he's checked me out a few times.

"Your hair isn't really that color, right?" he asks me suddenly.

I shake my head.

"What is it really? And why'd you dye it?"

"My hair is naturally pretty dark, but not this black," I tell him. "I dyed it because I felt like it."

"And your lip piercing?"

"Felt like it."

He chuckles. "Trying to make a statement or something?"

"Not particularly. I just like the way it looks."

"That'll get your ass kicked, though," he mutters. "If you looked like this at Mapleton, well--"

"I don't give a shit what people think," I say sharply.

Jake is quiet for a moment. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad. You're just so different from..."

"From who you usually hang out with?" I ask. "Different from your old friends?" It's not like I need a reminder. Every time we hang out I wonder how the two of us ended up becoming friends. I wonder when he'll tire of me.

"Yes," he replies.

I sigh and start to stand up, but Jake catches my arm.

"Hey," he says, making me sit again. "It's not a bad thing. I think you're interesting. Your whole look, it... suits you."

Jake looks sincere, so I relax and find myself blushing as he watches me.

"Really, you look great."

Damn, even when I think he's being judgemental like his sister, he wins me over.

"So do you," I say, causing him to chuckle. "I didn't expect someone like you to turn out to be my type."

"What?" Jake immediately stops smiling and stares at me. "Your type?"

I shake my head, feeling awkward. Why did I say that? "Sorry, I guess I thought we've been... hitting it off, or something." Shit.

Several very tense seconds pass until finally, Jake says something. "We have been, haven't we?" I can't read his expression. Suddenly, the sound of the sliding door catches our attention and Clara walks through. She makes her way towards the hallway, rolling her eyes when she notices us.

"You should probably go," Jake says softly. He looks uncomfortable and avoids my eyes.

"Great," I sigh. "I messed up our friendship." Wouldn't be the first time this happened. I should've learned by now.