Within the Lines

20.

Two weeks went by in peace and with a lot of talking and making out.

Atticus refused to kiss me when we were home with Dad and Chiara, but that was the only taboo. Everything else seemed to be fair game. On the way to the gym (Atticus insisted I could still train my upper body, even with a busted ankle), at the park, he even surprised me in school by pulling me into a quiet corner. 

Atticus learned to answer inquiries and comments about our budding 'friendship' from Chiara without blushing and sputtering incoherent sentences under his breath. 

Miraculously enough, I learned more about football. I sketched certain recurring moments in the game rapidly from my seat in the stands, and later Atticus pointed out what they were doing at that moment, based on the position of the players in my sketches. 

Between making out, painting and sketching, having an excuse not to exercise too much with my busted ankle, and a fun daily life in school with Becky, Jonah, Atticus, and the others as friends, I had found my equilibrium. 

There was balance in the universe. Unfortunately, one brief glance at history shows us that balance is just not something people do. Me included. 

It was human nature to want too much and get overconfident. 

Atticus being a lot more adventurous than I'd expected with where he wanted to make out, it also made me want to be bold. And perfect opportunity for that came knocking on the door one day after football training. Atticus had to speak with the coach, aka my dad, after practice. I waited for him outside so we could drive home together.

But as I watched other players trickling out of the school building while Atticus wasn't done with his conversation yet, I suddenly realised he was so late we'd be alone if I went back to the locker rooms.  

With a grin and nothing except bad intentions, I snuck back inside. I found Atticus' bag in one of the locker rooms, and waited next to it, feeling giddy. 

It took Atticus ten more minutes to finally come walking through the door. And when he did, I was more than ready. 

Atticus' eyes widened in surprise when I was suddenly in front of him as he entered. 

"Kade—" he stared, but I cut him off with a kiss. 

If Atticus had protested, I would've immediately stopped. But all he did was wrap his arms around me and deepen our kiss, and I was literally living one of my dreams. 

Right up until the point I wasn't when the door opened again and we were no longer along. I immediately broke our kiss, but it was already too late. 

He saw. He being Corey. A wide-eyed Corey who literally dropped his bag on the floor, just like his jaw dropped. 

"Oh fuck!" he loudly announced his presence, and Atticus and I jumped away from each other. 

Well, actually Atticus jumped. I forgot I couldn't currently jump and instead tripped and fell backward on the bench. 

"Oh fuck!" I hissed as well, as a stabbing ache shot through my ankle. 

"Oh fuck," Atticus agreed with the two of us, his eyes even wider than Corey's. 

Corey just stood there in shock. Then he violently shook his head. "Uh, excuse me. I didn't want to interrupt. I just forgot my—my you know. Hair stuff."  He picked up his bag and sped past us, on his way to the showers.

Atticus' hands were buried in his hair, and with one quick glance I realised his brain had completely flatlined. He wasn't going to help me out here.  

"Corey!" I sped after the guy as quickly as I could limping. "Corey!" 

Corey, who was standing in the shower area turned and cleared his throat nervously. "Uh, yeah?" 

"It's... uh..."

I'd followed him, but I couldn't come up with anything to say. 

"It's not what it looks like?" I eventually brought out.  

Corey's eyebrows raised. 

I chuckled, not really thinking the situation was funny, but it just came out. "Yeah, okay. Long shot. Lines like that aren't goin' to work when you and your boyfriend are explorin' each other's tonsils right in front of someone, huh?"

Atticus had followed me to the shower area, and made a choking sound. He was nailed to the ground next to me. Kind of like how some people were only capable of following instructions when they were in shock, he was only capable of following the conversation. 

Corey scratched his neck, eyes darting away from us. He shifted his weight from his one leg to the other. "Y'know it's none of my business anyway what you guys do together and uh. Yeah."

"Can you at least keep your mouth shut until after football season?" Atticus pleaded. He'd finally seemed to have found his voice. 

Corey's gaze still ping-ponged everywhere instead of at either of us. "Yeah, I mean, yeah," he said. "Of course, man. You're my friend, I don't snitch. And it wouldn't be good for the team. I mean, it probably doesn't matter. But they'll tease you. Other guys, not our guys." 

Atticus winced, and so did I. I wasn't sure, but it seemed like Corey was referring to the guy who said it was like incest during football camp. 

"Corey," I started slowly. "You realise Atticus and I are not at all related, right? Heck, we didn't know each other before our parents decided to remarry. It's honestly not that strange." 

Corey's nose scrunched up for a moment. "If you have to explain why it's not strange, it kinda is," he stated bluntly, and unfortunately it kinda made sense. 

After all, it it wasn't at all strange and we agreed with that one hundred percent, why were Atticus and I not openly dating? We knew it was odd. Everyone knew it was a bit odd, even the more liberal minded people who'd tell us 'good for you!'

"Just don't say anything," Atticus insisted again. 

"Yeah," Corey said. "I got it the first time." Then he tilted his head to the side confused, and finally looked at Atticus. "Wait. I thought you liked Jonah?" 

"What? No," Atticus replied. "He's a friend. Kinda. I guess." 

"Would've been a lot easier if you did like him. Damn." Corey's suspicious gaze lingered on Atticus for a bit longer, then shifted to me. "Aight, I'm just gonna go and pretend I saw nothing, okay?"

"Thank you, Corey," I said. 

"Thanks," Atticus muttered. 

Corey left the locker room with his 'hair stuff' which apparently was his shampoo, just like he promised. The door fell closed behind him, and Atticus' shoulders jolted up at the sound. 

He was so tense. When I touched his shoulder, the muscles twitched under my fingertips. 

"He ain't gonna tell anyone, he said so," I tried to comfort Atticus, knowing it was only a small consolation. 

"I know, it's fine," Atticus replied, attempting a smile. 

Key word: attempt. I knew this wasn't fine to him. 

"Come on, let's get out of here," I said, reaching for Atticus' hand and grateful he let me hold it and guide him outside. "It'll be okay." 

I gave his hand a squeeze, hoping I wasn't telling lies, Corey would keep his word, and things would be okay.