Loud And Clear (boyxboy)

An Exercise In Stubbornness

AN: Another chapter! I'm having so much fun writing this. Thank you all for reading <3

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Lucas paused on the threshold, feet half in, half out.

He hadn't planned what he was going to say. Only that he would come here because, unfortunately, Lucas had no clue where William's house was.

Someone cleared his throat loudly behind Lucas and he realized that he was blocking the way into the restaurant.

Lucas stumbled out of the way, still unsure whether he should go in or not, but too late. William's mom dropped the plate of cookies she was holding when she saw Lucas.

He winced as two cookies rolled off the plate and then off of the counter.

"Lucas!" she said. She wasn't smiling and happy like last time though. There was a definite frown between her brows, bags under her eyes and a new air of worry swarming her.

"Yo," Lucas said and cringed. He didn't think he'd ever said that before. Why now seemed like the right time to start, was beyond him.

Ms. Hunt just stared though before turning and helping the man Lucas had been blocking out. Lucas glanced around the restaurant, sightlessly taking in the people at tables eating lunch, aware that Ms. Hunt was shooting him furtive glances all the while.

The second the man had paid, she turned to him.

"I didn't expect to see you," she said uneasily. "Is everything okay?"

Lucas tried to say yes but the word wouldn't come out and so he just stood there, staring helplessly.

Her expression saddened a modicum more.

"Is this about William?" she asked.

"I want to talk to him," Lucas blurted. "He's not returning any of my messages and he won't see me or speak to me."

Her expression softened with sympathy and she slid the plate of cookies across the counter.

"Here, have some," she said.

Lucas stepped up to the counter numbly and reached for a cookie. He shoved one in his mouth, not even tasting and then reached for another, suddenly unable to meet her gaze which was so much like her son's.

"I miss him," he mumbled, blinking furiously. "And he doesn't want to see me. What if he never wants to see me?"

The thought is so utterly depressing that all Lucas can do is put another cookie in his mouth in hopes that he can choke down the painful lump forming in his throat.

"I mean--I don't get it, he tried so hard to convince me he likes me and then takes off the morning after we hook up--"

Lucas clapped a hand to his mouth, eyes wide as they flew to meet Ms. Hunt's.

Her jaw slowly dropped open with shock, wide eyes staring at Lucas and he had the dreaded realization that he might have outed the other boy.

Lucas swallowed.

"Don't worry!" he said. "It was only oral!"

Her brows shot up so high that Lucas couldn't see them under her bangs.

"I mean--"

Lucas glanced around, at a loss. The other patrons were watching the scene blatantly. A couple sniggered in the corner.

Lucas bit his lip, wondering where along the way he'd learned to speak without thinking or volume control.

With a steadying breath, he turned back to face Ms. Hunt.