BLUE [BXB]

FIVE

   Ethan needed to stop thinking about Vincent.

   The way Vincent made his breath catch in his throat and seemed to never leave his mind couldn't have been normal, and Ethan was well aware of the fact.

   But, in order for that to work, he first needed to stop seeing the other boy. That meant no more lounging around in classrooms after school to watch him paint—even though the sight of him in focus on something so intricate fascinated Ethan—and no more being nice to him, offering him rides out of nowhere.

With caffeine and adrenaline surging through his veins, Ethan was convinced—after a sleepless night—that it would have been easy.

He had forgotten, of course, that the pair went to school together, and, surprisingly enough, shared a fair amount of classes. Ethan was baffled that it took him this long to notice Vincent, but then again, he was pretty easy to miss. In class, at least.

He always sat at the very back, head slumped down on his desk, barely uttering a word the entire class unless otherwise instructed to.

It was only during history class that Ethan realized there was no way his plan was ever going to work.

Mr. Brown didn't really care if his students were paying attention to what he was saying. To him, there were students that wanted to learn and then there were nuisances. He didn't waste his breath on the latter, and rather, preferred to invest his energy into educating those who wanted to be educated.

He did care, however, when the nuisances started to disrupt class, and, in turn, affected his little prodigies. Ethan, of course, didn't think much of what the old redneck had to say.

   At least until it blew up in his face.

   Ethan shared history with Mason, and when those two got together, there was just no controlling them. Ethan really couldn't help the way he started excitedly yapping the minute Mason settled down next to him.

   Mr. Brown didn't mind at first, but then their voices got a little bit too loud, and he still didn't mind, until little Collin Bennett, with all the obnoxiousness he could muster, raised his hand and whined, "I don't understand how you expect any of us to focus if these two testosterone-raging airheads refuse to shut up. It's annoying."

It was almost as if Mr. Brown had been oblivious to the commotion, and Collin's comment made him increasingly aware of it, because he suddenly barred his teeth in a snarl, seething. "Ethan Gray! I've had enough of you! There's an empty chair at the back desk, get your sorry-ass over there. Let's pray Vincent's manners rub off on you!"

   Ethan cursed under his breath. What the fuck the was the big idea? Why was it that he always found himself dealing with him? He didn't believe in fate or any of that shit, but he recounted that if it were to actually exist, and someone really was in charge of planning this cruel turnout of events, it would be unsettling that a so-called almighty creator would find sick satisfaction in making his beings suffer.

At the mention of his name, Vincent perked up, raising his head from its initial position on the table. He stared around confused, almost resembling a puppy, and Ethan found himself fighting to bite back a smile. He looked as if he'd been napping, hair slightly messed up at the top, blue eyes dazed and confused, face flushed, and lips parted with a little bit of drool dripping down the side.

Before he could help it, Ethan's mind rushed to dark, unholy places as his eyes zeroed in on the boy's wet, plump lips. They just looked so kiss-