Perfect Places

Chapter Three

A/N: I literally hate this chapter and I know that it's way too short but just bear with me. I have a plan and it's going to make everyone who reads this want to die. Also the song for this one is The Drug In Me Is You by Falling In Reverse because I'm an emo shit. Doesn't fit the chapter but oh well, since when has anything been right about this book.

Sexual frustration. Colby was almost 100% sure that that was all he felt when he looked at Sam. Well, maybe closer to 90%. Or 70%. The point was, it was sexual frustration, and that was it. He was sure of it. After all, Colby had only started thinking about his best friend as more than a friend after he stuck his tongue down his throat. He hadn't even dreamt about being with Sam in a romantic way before that. Well, not that often, at least. Yes, it had crossed his mind a couple of times over the years. But didn't everyone do that? If someone had told Colby that Sam, along with Elton, Corey, and all of the other guys he knew had, at someone point, considered grabbing him by the waist and kissing him on the mouth, he wouldn't have been surprised whatsoever. Okay, maybe a little bit with Aaron, but that was because Aaron didn't seem like he wanted anything to do with anyone. It was nothing personal. In fact, if someone had told him, Colby might have even been flattered.

And look, now you're thinking about kissing all of the guys you know on the mouth. Doesn't that seem even a little bit out of the ordinary to you? Even a little bit... gay?

Colby pushed the thought away. So what if he was gay? He wasn't, but so what if he was? Gay people were cool. He didn't really know any, to his knowledge, but he wasn't against it, and, judging by his thoughts, he might even be partial to it.

Oh, shut up Colby. You're straight.

Colby sighed inwardly at himself, and tried to focus on what Brennen was saying. Something about the video and how they couldn't even properly do it?... Colby wasn't paying attention. His mind was totally elsewhere, caught up in the minutia of his sexuality and the situation with Sam. That was probably why he didn't notice Brennen repeatedly saying his name and staring at him.

"Colby. Colby. Colby. Colby!" Brennen slapped Colby's arm with feeling, and Colby blinked, giving Brennen a startled look.

"Hey... um, what were you saying again?" Colby inquired, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling awkwardly at Brennen, wondering just how big of an idiot he appeared to be.

Brennen tsked at him, reminding him unpleasantly of Corey, and pursed his lips. "I was saying that I have no idea why you want me to do this video with you." He said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, uh, why is that?" Colby asked nervously, beginning to think that he probably should've checked the video plans before calling Brennen. He had no idea what they were supposed to be doing, and now he knew that Brennen definitely knew that he didn't know. This was officially very awkward. Had he suddenly become the king of ruining relationships?

"Because," Brennen said, in an almost pitying voice. "Your video plan says that you're supposed to film this super anticipated exploration video for your shared channel. I get this feeling that I'm not supposed to be here." He gave Colby a meaningful look.

"Oh..." Was all Colby managed, and he made a show of snatching the binder of video plans from Brennen and flipping through it with vigor. "Um... yeah, I dunno dude." He glanced back up at Brennen, desperately attempting to convey his innocence through his eyes. "I mean, it was Sam's idea, so I really don't know... maybe he got the wrong week?"

"Sooooo, this was Sam's idea!" Brennen looked satisfied, as if this somehow explained everything, which concerned Colby, who didn't see how Brennen's involvement with the video being Sam's idea had anything to do with anything. He was started to worry that he was missing something very obvious.