Slapshots {BOYXBOY}✔

Chapter Twenty-Two {Feel}

Henry and I spent the day together after that. Both of us just trying to relax, or I was. As I was sitting in Henry's fenced backyard on a pool chair, Henry was running around inside trying to get ready for his visit with his mom.

Apparently, they were going really well, he would go once a day for forty-five minutes and they would spend their time together either playing cards or just talking. Which is more then what they've ever done before. In my history of coming to the Oswald house, I saw Henry's mother have an actual conversation with him a total of maybe five times. Give or take.

"What time is the visit?" I asked walking back into Henry's house, seeing him shove a piece of toast into his mouth. Gracefully he swallowed before speaking.

"In an hour. We should leave now so I have time to drop you off at your car." Why is it that when he spoke about us parting ways, my stomach sank and my chest felt heavy. I checked my phone seeing another six messages from Harmony, and one from Liam, asking me what I was doing. I texted him back while walking with Henry to his car making plans with Liam for after Henry left so that I didn't have to focus so much on what was going on in my life. Or at least, I'd hope he would be a distraction.

The ride to my car was short and silent. I wanted to speak up, ask him how he was, hold his hand, do... something. But I couldn't. Even though it felt so right, it also felt so wrong. I didn't know where we stood together, I didn't know how he felt about all this. Sure he made it seem like it was all okay. But he never outright said he wanted anything to do with me. Heck for all I knew this was the last time we'd be together and I was going to fail all my classes, hockey would be bust because I wouldn't be able to be on the team with failing grades, my parents were in denial of anything being wrong with me so I'd never get the help I need, and soon I'd be living on the streets downtown sharing my pillow with a hairy guy named Bob who likes to lick toes.

"Wait, what?"

"What?" I looked over to Herny with wide eyes.

"Who's Bob and why is he licking your toes?"

Shit. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."

Henry laughed. "Now that's even stranger."

We pulled up beside my car and I looked at Henry, still laughing a bit as he put his car in park and looked at me. "I'm sorry you broke up with your girlfriend." He mumbled, looking down at his seat. I sighed, taking his chin in my hand, making him look up at me.

"You. Are. Not. The reason. We. Broke up." I kissed his lips. "Now stop that. Text me later, okay?"

With a nod and a smile, I pulled back from Henry, fishing my keys from my pocket and getting out of the car. Waving he left the school parking lot and I went to my car texting Liam again before driving away.

I met up with Liam at the cafe on the main road. McCafe. With Abdul, Karim, and Brody for some burgers and milkshakes.

It felt normal. All the thoughts rushing through my head making me feel like I wasn't who I was two weeks ago. Sure I still wasn't smart or anything like that. But I was different. I was a boy, who kissed a boy, and who liked it. And I was almost sure nobody at this table could say they're doing the same things.

I mean, sure they could be. But between the five of us, I doubt anyone was going to out themselves.

Abdul was sitting with his legs crossed under the table trying to figure out an app on his phone, his bushy black hair curled in an almost poof at the front of his head and shorter in the back, his bushy brows furrowed as he tried to figure it out. Karim, dressed as sharp as ever had short black hair that was usually spiked at the front but right now was just flat with no product, he was the richer kid in the group, with the flashy watches and name brand clothes. He always had his eyebrows shaped with a little line through them and an earring in his ear.

Brody sat beside me munching down his second big mac, claiming he hadn't eaten since yesterdays lunch and was going to die from starvation if he didn't eat soon.

And Liam, well he was across from me with his head on a flat hand, eye browns pinched as he looked towards me, making me feel uncomfortable.

"Can I help you, Mr. Payne?"

Liam's brows pinched more as his face screwed up. "First of all. Fuck you. Second of all." He fixed his face, the rest of the boys at the table turning their attention to us. "When were you going to tell us you and Harm called it quits?"

Oh. "Oh." I rubbed the bac of my neck awkwardly. News travels fast. "How'd you hear about that. It only happened last night."

"Harmony called Midge at like, two in the morning." Midge was Liam's younger sister, only by a year, she and Harmony were in a bunch of clubs together and became really good friends, I'm not surprised she'd called her last night.

"I didn't realize I was supposed to announce it." I shrugged. "It's not a big deal. Everyone knew it wasn't going to work out."

"Yeah, but homie girl is on fire," Abdul said with a big grin.

"Homegirl." Karim corrected.

"Yeah, Yeah. Whatever."

"What happened?" Brody asked, before taking a sip of his coke.

"Nothing." I lied. "I just wasn't feeling it anymore."

And it was the truth. I was far from feeling anything for Harmony anymore. It was sad, because yes, we did have good times together. But the only thing I wanted to feel now was the lips of a nerdy teenager who taught me, French.