False Start (Boyxboy)

40: ONCE UPON A LIE

     ANSWER YOUR PHONE

Alarmed by the seeming aggression to the note, I fumbled for the cell phone in my back pocket, waking up the screen.  But only the time appeared. I didn't have any missed notifications.

"What does it say?" Hiro implored.

I shoved the unfolded paper plane toward him. "It's Keiji's handwriting." Then I mouthed, "I told him I couldn't hang out with anyone today.  I think he's pissed."

With wide eyes and ducked heads we swept our surroundings, until someone mimicked the vibration of a phone from behind the shelf closest to us. I pushed out my chair and hesitantly rose up onto my toes.

Much to my chagrin, Keiji and Toyomi the tiny transgressor were sitting at a desk there. My best friend had the thumb and pinky of his casted hand stretched out beside one ear, donning a smug smile.

"Hello?"

Masking my guilt, I lifted up my own finger phone. "Hey, dude!"

Yo rolled his eyes at us. "You two are so lame."

"Can we come over, bro?" Keiji cackled, unabashed. 

I glanced back at Hiro, who just crossed his arms at me. The black sheep. Neither of these guys were on good terms with him, but what choice did I have?

"Yeah, come on over."

"Sweet! We'll be there in five. Seconds."

We wagged our shaka signs at each other and then "hung up". I slumped back into my chair, braving Hiro's fierce gaze, and made my apprehension clear to him with a wrinkle of my nose.

As our teammates lugged themselves to our table, I wondered what they'd overheard. We hadn't said anything bad about them, right? I stiffened, half-expecting Kei to call me out on my bluff.

"Making progress?" was what he asked instead, and I searched for any hint of animosity in his eyes. There was none.

"A little." My voice trembled. "Are you two getting ready for testing?"

"Unfortunately." Yo rested a knee on the edge of the desk. "I haven't seen you in weeks. You look different."

"Me? I probably just need a hair cut."

Everyone studied me for a moment.

"...What?"

Hiro narrowed his eyes. "No, he's right. Something's definitely different about you now."

Keiji and I shared a look that no one else knew the meaning of.

"Hmm... It's a good thing, though," Yo encouraged. "Don't cut your hair. It makes you look older."

"Yeah, it probably helped you land the girl," Hiro quipped.

I raised my hands in defense. "Ah, let's not--"

"Ooh, you got a girlfriend?" Yo teased, leaning forward.

While I racked my brain for a reply, he dug into his front pocket and retrieved a tube of chapstick. Keiji patted the tabletop.

"Yo, pass it here."

He said it like I'd asked for the liquor bottle under the gazebo at camp.  Toyomi complied, rolling it across the table before he'd even used it himself.  A lot of people carried around chapstick, especially this time of year, but it had always felt like Keiji's thing to me.  That jealous part of me felt like Yo was copying him, like a little sidekick.  My blood boiled when Keiji popped off the top and smoothed some across his lips.  A second-hand kiss.