Learning Curves ✔ (bxb)

Chapter 13

Rowan^^

Michael's POV

It's December, and it's fucking freezing.

It actually snowed quite heavily last night, which added to the cold. It looks pretty I guess, and adds to the Christmas spirit, but that's not for a few weeks.

Speaking of Christmas, the break is coming up. I'm expected to go back and spend the break with my family like I do every year. Not that I don't like spending time with my family, I love my parents deeply. It's just, the fact that I've figured out I like Theo has made me excited and anxious to spend as much time with him as I can, and it's way too soon to ask him to spend the break with me.

I decide to give him a call, hoping he's not busy.

"Hello?" He picks up.

"Hey Theo. It's Michael."

"Oh hi Michael. What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if you were free this Saturday before the Christmas break."

"Um... yeah I think so. Why?"

"Uh... I... I wanted to know if you were free so..." I start mentally panicking. My palms are getting sweaty. "Would you like to come over to bake?"

"What?"

"Would you... want to come over and bake? I'm terrible at baking and you seem really good. Since it's the holiday season and all I was thinking you could teach me how to bake Christmas cookies. I mean, we'd be baking them together and all, but yeah." I ramble nervously.

"Sure. I'd love to. Just let me know the time and your address, okay? I'll see you then." Theo replies before hanging up. I let out a huge breath. He agreed! I mentally fist pump in the air before setting my phone down.

I text him my address and the time before heading over to Joseph's room.

"Hey, just wanted to let you know someone's going to be coming over Saturday at 7:00." I say. He glances up at me.

"Cool. Want me to leave?" He asks. At least he's nice enough to offer.

"No, that's fine. We're going to be using the kitchen though." I say. He just nods and goes back to whatever he was doing previously. I head over to Rowan who's sitting in the living room watching some basketball game.

"Hey, Theo's coming over Saturday. We're baking Christmas cookies, and maybe dinner." I inform him.

"Oh? A date?" Rowan smirks.

"I guess. He doesn't really know it's a date though. So... if you could kindly buzz out of the dorm before 7 pm, that'd be great." I respond.

"Fine fine. Only because I'm a good person." Rowan rolls his eyes.

-

-

When Saturday rolls around, I'm fidgeting with nerves. I head over to the cafe at 5, and stay there until Theo's shift ends. He's dressed in a slightly too large white hoodie and black skinny jeans. 

Cute.

He smiles at me when he's done his shift.

"What's the plan first?" He asks.

"Well, I was thinking we could grab a casual dinner first, and then head over to my house to make cookies?" 

"Yeah, that sounds good. Where did you want to eat?"

"How about this Chinese restaurant about a block from my dorm?" I offer. He nods in agreement and we head over to dinner.

-

-

After dinner, I drive Theo over to my dorm. Rowan texted me a while ago that he was heading to a club with some friends of his, and I assume Joseph is just going to shut himself in his room for the night.

"Is Rowan here?" Theo asks. 

"No, he's gone out clubbing for the night." I say, watching his reaction. He seems indifferent that Rowan wouldn't be joining us, but the fact that he even asked set me on edge. Clearly he's not seeing this as a date. I don't know how I feel about that.

We set to work on making some Christmas cookies. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but Theo seems really at ease in the kitchen. He laughs as I try to beat the mixture with an electric beater but it splatters all over me. 

He genuinely tries to teach me how to make cookies, but for some reason I can't seem to grasp it. Theo finds it amusing though, so at least there's that.

Our cookies come out pretty good. Theo ended up taking care of most of it (although I cut out the shapes). While they baked, Theo and I decided to wash up the dishes and talk about things.

When the cookies are ready, I take them out of the oven and we set to decorating them. Theo is amazing (as usual). Mine... come out not as well. Theo smiles at me and tells me that they're beautiful, so everything is fine.

Just as we're about done our cookie decorating, Rowan comes home.

"You guys both have flour and dough in your hair and all over your clothes." He deadpans. 

"Yeah, I can't bake." I replies. Theo giggled. Why is he so fucking cute?!

"Can I try some?" Rowan asks, peering over at our batch of cookies.

"You can try one. One of the bad ones. Theo are you going home for the Christmas break?" I ask. 

"Uh, yeah. Why?" 

"I was thinking, you can bring some back to your family. The good ones, I mean." I offer. Rowan lets out a snort while munching on one of the bad cookies. I glare at him.

"Oh. Are you sure? What about your family?" 

"They're not big on sweets. Here, I'll pack them up for you." I say, placing the nice cookies delicately into a box.

"Thank you." He smiles softly. Glancing at the time, I realize it's 9:45 already.

"I should go, but thank you for the cookies. I had a lot of fun today." Theo says. I walk him over to the door. Rowan quickly says bye and heads up to his room.

"I'll drive you home." 

"Oh... Thanks. I can always take the bus-"

"It's fine. The buses are more expensive, and what kind of person would I be to make you walk in this freezing weather?"

-

When we reach Theo's dorm, I get out and walk him to his door.

"Thanks for the outing, again. I'm just wondering... why the sudden urge to bake?"

Nervously, I fiddle with the edge of my coat. "Look, Theo. To be completely honest... It was supposed to be a date... but I never ended up telling you." I mumble quietly, glancing at him and seeing his shocked face. Fuck.

"I-I'm sorry. Forget it." I chuckle humourlessly, turning around to head back to my car.

He still stands at his doorstep, stunned, when I get into my car and drive off.