Tangled Love

Is This a Date?

Garrett was sitting on his bed fresh out of the shower after a punishing soccer practice. He had Cal's contact on his screen as he typed and erased so many different messages until he gave up and decided to get the nerve to just call the boy. He's been sitting there for ten minutes.
"Come on Laughlin, you're a man calling a friend. What is there to be so stressed over, you call Bram all the damn time. This is nothing different." Garrett grumbled too himself with a huff, he nodded then hit send before his brain could register what he'd done.

It was ringing, oh shit what is the reason I'm even calling? Garrett furrowed his brows about to hang up and throw his phone when the ringing stopped.

Cal: Hello?

Garrett: Oh.. Hey. It's me. It's Garrett. Laughlin.

Idiot, he knows who you are.

Cal: Hello Me Garrett Laughlin.

He could hear the smile in Cal's teasing voice.

Garrett: So are you like busy tomorrow? It's Saturday and Bram has some family thing-- Uh! Not that I'm using you to fill the empty space of Bram. I just wanted to hang out...

Smooth.

He heard a small laugh,

Cal: Sounds nice, meet me in the Town Center. I need to pick up a gift for my mom's birthday. Say, about noon?

Garrett: Awesome. Yeah, see you then.

Cal: See you then. Captain.

Garrett could still hear that teasing tone. He smiled and hung up letting out a deep breath. Why was that so hard?

The next morning Garrett spend way too much time getting ready. This wasn't a date, Cal is a boy. And even if it were a date with a girl, shopping in the Town Center wasn't exactly the most ideal date.
He settled with some ripped black jeans and his soccer jersey because he's real original. He left his hair a bit messy because it was no use trying to fix it anyway.

Cal had sent him a text to let him know he was on his way and he'd be by the fountain. Once Garrett arrived he lost his breath. Cal looked so much different than in school, he was in all black but somehow looked stunning at the same time. ((AN: The photo attached is Cal's outfit))

He smiled seeing Garrett and waved to him, "Hey." Garrett said softly as he walked up to the fountain. "Hi, glad you made it. After I find my mom a gift we can get some food." Cal said with his sweet accent. "Sounds good. I can never pass up food." Garrett smiled glancing at Cal's clothes. "Yeah, I know. I don't dress like this in school because I just don't want the unwanted attention it brings. In public, no one cares because they're busy doing they're own thing. In high school, everyone tries to find something to talk about everyone." Cal shrugged fixing his sweater. "Oh no, I think you look stunning really. I wish you would dress to school like that- um. I mean, because you'd totally make everyone jealous..' Garrett was experiencing word vomit for the first time, he has never had that happen before where he couldn't just shut up and stop digging himself deeper into the awkwardness.

"Thank you..." Cal's smile was genuine but small, he looked up at Garrett then turned away with a small blush trying to get those pesky thoughts to go away before they got any worse. Golden Rule: Don't fall for straight boys. You know this Calvin stop it. Cal thought too himself as he walked down the sidewalk along the strip of shops. Garrett was so... Garrett in his jersey and torn jeans. He smiled to himself like an inside joke.

"What?" Garrett picked up on it, oops. "Nothing, um this is her favorite shop here," Cal said turning sharply to avoid being questioned farther.
It didn't take him long to find a gift for his mother, he paid then headed out to the sidewalk. "Hey, I drove here, did you?" Garrett said softly. "No, I live down the street," Cal replied. "We can get in my ride and go get some grub." Oh so very Garrett. "Sure." Cal couldn't hold in his giggle at the dorky boy. Don't fall for straight guys. He furrowed his brows slightly at the thought and quickened his step to catch up with Garretts longer strides. He was exactly a foot taller than Cal, he was sure of it.

When they got in Garrett's car, soft classical music came on the radio which just threw Cal off completely. "I won't judge the way you dress if you don't judge my music," Garrett grumbled pulling out of the parking lot. "So it seems we both have some hidden pages beneath our covers huh?" Cal smiled warmly looking out the window, he couldn't help but stare at the reflection of Garrett's hand on the gear shift. His hands were always veiny as if he were stressed but the veins ran up his arms, to his biceps. It must be from working out. The thought made Cal's spine shiver. "So what do you like to eat?" Garrett hummed. "Anything," Cal responded quick and simple. "Wow. I think you and I will get along just fine." The jock smirked chuckling.

They decided on burgers and fries, so they went to a little burger joint a mile out of Creekwood. "Garrett, can I ask about you? Any details about yourself." Cal said sipping his milkshake. "Um, like just random things about me? Well, I have a sister but she's graduated and off doing whatever it is she's doing. We don't have much contact. I have a kitten, his name is Bouncer. If you meet him, you'll know why." Garrett chuckled taking a bite out of his burger that was already almost gone. "What about you? Can I turn some of those pages." He tilted his head slightly. "Sure... I have four siblings, they're all younger than me. Two are twins, so life at home is pretty chaotic and loud but I'm mostly hidden up in my room with my headphones. My parents have a good job, so I guess they figured they could support a big family. Or they just hope one of their kids won't turn out as a complete failure if they have a bunch." Cal shrugged, his eyes darkening slightly. "Oh, I have a guinea pig, his name is Roger. Because I love Captain America." Which is the real reason Cal calls Garrett Captain because Garrett looks exactly like him? Blonde hair, strong jawline...muscles. He's straight. "Cal. You know your music is amazing right? I heard you write all those pieces for plays. I'm forced to go to the plays because Bram has a weird obsession with one of the students. I can't get into that because he doesn't know I know. But my point is, you have a bright future ahead of you. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Garrett smiled at Cal looking into his blue eyes.

Cal blushed slightly looking down so his bangs covered his eyes. "Thank you for that... Sorry I sort of went too far into detail about all that. No one really talks about that stuff with me." Cal cleared his throat slightly. "Hey, everyone has secret pages behind the covers. Not all pages are rainbows and sunshine. Uh- my mom died when I was 11. My dad has been a drunk ever since. He drove my sister away, I'm not surprised she disappeared the second she could." Garrett said rubbing his bicep nervously. "Garrett. You didn't have to tell me any of that.." Cal looked up. "No no, it's fine. I want to get to know you and you should know some shit about me too. I trust you, you took care of me when I was a drunk idiot." He smiled shrugging. "You gonna eat those fries?" Garrett decided to lighten to the topic a bit. "Touch my fries and lose your hands, Laughlin," Cal warned smirking. "Fine by me, I don't need my hands to be a professional soccer player." Garrett chuckled stealing a fry.

After they finished eating, they sat and talked about... Everything for hours until it got dark out so Garrett decided it was time to drive Cal home. He stopped in the parking lot of the giant white house that looked a lot like Bram's. How do all of his friends have so much money? "Garrett. Please know you can call me anytime. If you need an escape from your dad, I'll come pick you up. You're never alone." Cal said so quietly he wasn't sure Garrett heard him. "Thank you. And I will call this time I promise." He smiled moving his hand from the steering wheel to Cal's shoulder. "Can I ask something..." Cal finally got the nerve to say, with the help of Garrett touching him he felt some bravery. "Of course." Is this a date? Cal couldn't get himself to say what he really wanted too, ask the one thing that could have changed everything at that moment. "Why didn't you call me then? After the Halloween party?" Coward. He ignored his thoughts looking out the window. "I guess I thought you were just being nice and didn't actually want some loser jock calling you." Garrett snorted with a shrug. Cal smiled shaking his head as he got out of the car. "Thanks for today... Oh and Garrett?" The blue-eyed boy said with a grin. "Yeah?' Garrett raised a brow starting his car. "You're the Captain loser Jock." The boy smirked winking at him then turned on his heel heading into his house.