Boarding School Boyfriends

Chapter Eighteen

"But Mu-um!" Woody complains into the phone as they stand outside the local fish and chip shop, all five of them gathered around and trying to hear the conversation. "That's not fair. You can't expect me to pick two out of four! And besides, they're really quiet, you won't even know they're here!" 

Charlie scoffs at the comment- they are not quiet. Even Will laughs quietly at the inaccuracy of the comment.

"Okay. Okay. So, you'll pick us up on Saturday morning? Okay, great. Thanks, Mum! Love you!" Woody hangs up the phone with a victorious smile on his face. He turns around and smirks at the other boys. "Success!" 

The small group cheer with the knowledge they don't have to go to their own homes now. As a matter of fact, Kyle isn't even sure how he got in on all of this, but here he is regardless.

As they start to head away from the chip shop and to a destination unknown, Kyle hangs back a little bit, so he is next to Will. The others are laughing together at the front. 

"You alright?" He asks the boy, keeping his voice low so they don't draw any attention towards themselves. He's noticed how weirded out Will looks about the entire situation, although he doesn't blame him much.

In turn, the other boy nods, keeping his eyes cast down and at the pavement beneath them. "Yeah," he says, "Just... I find it weird that I'm not actually going to be at school for half-term this time. I'm not going to be alone." 

Alone. For the past few years, that's the word that Will has thought of himself as. He didn't really have any friends until Woody came along- and that was only about a year before that. He hates the fact he has been alone all of this time, but that won't stop him from appreciating what he has now.

Kyle nods in understanding- he wishes he had paid more attention to Will before-hand. He hadn't actually noticed him- he had swanned around school pretentiously, being the centre of his own universe. 

"I'm looking forward to it," Kyle smiles at him, trying to make him a bit more optimistic. "I'm sure it'll be great, anyway." 

"I think it will, too. And hopefully, Charlie won't die," he chuckles, which makes Kyle laugh, too. Charlie turns around, cocking an eyebrow.

"Even though I didn't hear the most of that sentence, I did hear that part," he tells them with a smirk on his face. "And quite frankly, Farquard, I'm actually planning on losing a leg this time." 

"You guys are the cutest," Woody tells Dan and Kyle as they sit on a hill not very far from the school, sitting in front of the others. The sun is setting in the distance, and the couple sit next to each other, Dan's head on Kyle's shoulder, their silhouettes contrasting against the bright orange of the sky. 

"Shut up," Kyle laughs, resting his head against Dan's own head. In the grass, their hands are entwined. Woody quickly snaps a picture of them.

"I mean it. I ship the shit out of it." He comments, smiling at them.

"Why don't you just marry them?" Charlie laughs, plucking a handful of grass from the ground and throwing it at Woody, who does the same in return.

"Well, actually, I'll have you know that I have my eyes on a very good looking girl, thank you very much. And she likes me back," he grins, his voice full of pride and cockiness. 

"Oh, I'm flattered! But unfortunately, I'm not a girl." Charlie says, "If you really like me, Woods, you should have just told me," he puckers his lips, which makes the group laugh.

"I love you, Charlie, but she's stolen my heart," he smiles, a lovesick smile.  "Her name is Chrissy." 

Will stares at Woody, "Wait... So... Chrissy... And Chris?" He says, making Woody sheepishly nod. Will bursts into laughter, tears forming in his eyes. Even Dan and Kyle laugh.

"It's not that funny!" Woody shakes his head, but a smile tugs at his lips. "And, besides, I don't know what you two are laughing at. At least our ship name will not be something insanely stupid- like CHRIS! Not Dyle..." 

"Oh my God, you've thought about their ship name," Charlie giggles, beginning to get the hiccups. "You really do ship them both." 

"Well, look at them!" Woody gestures to the pair, who, whilst red in the face, are crying with laughter.

"You know, Dan, I could live with our ship name being Dyle..." He says with a smile on his face, winking at the boy. He leans over and kisses him. "I love you." 

"Didn't you show him that you loved him last night?"Will asks, raising his eyebrows in a suggested manner at the other two. "Even I heard it." 

Kyle and Dan remain on the hill long after the sun has set and the other three have gone back to the school. They watch the planes as they leave them behind to go to better places, staring up at the stars and pointing out constellations.

"I always remember Orion's belt," Kyle tells Dan quietly, pointing at the three stars, "Because it's the only one I could ever see when I was younger." 

A chilly breeze blows past and the clouds that were on the sidelines of the picture begin to float over the stars, blocking them from view.

"Stars are cool," Dan yawns, slightly disappointed that there is now no chance they will be able to see any shooting stars.  "They're so far away..." 

Kyle turns his head so he's looking at Dan. "My star is right next to me." 

"That's fucking gay and cringey." Dan frowns, but his cheeks heat up so much he's afraid they may produce light. He continues to stare up at the clouds above.

Kyle just laughs, still watching him. He loves every little thing about him. "You're gay." 

"That's true. You got me there." He says, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "Shit." 

"What, you only just realised you're gay or something?" Kyle laughs at his boyfriend, who shakes his head. 

"No you idiot, it's raining."