The Hills (boyxboy)

Chapter 3

It's wednesday. Clubs are open for signups now. During lunch I slowly make my way over to the track field. Am I sure I want to do this? I mean of course I want to do this, but am I sure I actually can? Hell no.

I see the coach and gulp. This particular man, mr Vernon, really doesn't like me. I failed his PE class last year and it didn't look like he would ever forgive me. My parents thought it was hilarious. Straight A's for academics and an F for PE. How straight are the A's I get though. Oh God Pepper is rubbing off on me, I'm making gay jokes to myself.

As I edge closer towards coach Vernon he looks at me as though I'm worth less than the dirt under his shoes. "What do you want?" he grumbles. "I want to join the track team."

This grabs his attention. He's now looking at me with his eyebrows raised idiotically high. "Give me one reason why we'd want a failure like you." he says eventually. "Because I want to change, for the better." Bribing helps, right? I sure hope so. Coach Vernon scoffs but nods his head a few times. "Alright kid, you're in. Here's a running schedule that should help you get started." He hands me a slip of paper and I accept it. Then I hightail it out of there.

Right before class starts again I find Pepper reading a book under our usual tree. "Did you do it?" She asks. "I did."

All she does is smile, so I take out my lunch and rush it down.

When I get home I finally take a proper look at this running schedule. And it looks like I'm supposed to already get started today. Do I even have any sports clothes? I go upstairs and start digging out my closet. Eventually my search pays of. I am the proud owner of one pair of running shoes, slightly on the small side, and one pair of basketball shorts courtesy of Terrence his room. He probably doesn't remember owning them, so it's fine.

The paper tells me to just put the timer on fifteen minutes and see how long I can survive. So I go outside, set that timer and start running. I did survive the fifteen minutes but I didn't exactly make much speed. Red faced, and still slightly out of breath I trudge back inside. I freeze when I enter the kitchen. Terrence brought Colton over, again. I think the red colour on my cheeks is now out of shame instead of my previous activity. My brother gapes at me.

"Did you just go for a run?" he asks. I nod and look down, then go to the sink for a glass of water.

"Can I join you if you're making this a habit?"

To my surprise it's Colton who asked. Swallowing the water in my mouth is suddenly a lot more difficult than it should be. "Since when are you into sport." my brother sneers back at him. I subtly turn around a bit and look at their faces. Terrence is clearly amused while Colton bears a shy grin. "Well, I'm not, but I do quite enjoy running away from my problems." Colton replies. There's a moment of silence. Then this sort of mix between a snort and a giggle leaves his mouth. It's really unattractive, but somehow it works for him. But who even uses 'quite' in their active speaking vocabulary? What a dork. Suddenly he looks up and we make eye contact.

"So? Can I join?" he asks. I smile ever so slightly. "Sure."

My now empty glass makes a dull 'thunk' upon being set down on the counter and I make way for my room. Behind me I can hear Colton cheer. "I made your grumpy-ass brother smile! I should get a reward. Terry take me out for pizza tomorrow."

"No way in hell am I taking your bitchy fatass out for pizza. Plus you still owe me for last time, when your childish behaviour got us kicked out."

"You suck."

"Not as bad as you."

I close my bedroom door behind me. Their bickering is now too muffled to understand. It's not as cheesy as being teamed up for a school project, but I'll be spending time with Colton from now on. The cheesy school project can never happen anyway since we share no classes. Pepper is going to freak out regardless when I tell her though. I actually feel giddy getting to tell her something like this. God I'm so gay.