The Truth of the Able

V

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[warning: smut]

Zeke sat back in his seat, the movie pretty much over at this point. Ezra and Josiah gave him an odd look. They assumed he went to the bathroom to get Oliver, but were puzzled as to why he hadn't come back with him. "Where's he?" Ezra whispered concerned.

Zeke just shrugged his shoulders, not looking away from the rolling credits. He couldn't be bothered to answer fully.

Josiah stood to his feet, Ezra following suit. They grabbed their trash and waited for Zeke to stand up but he didn't. He didn't even realize the lights in the theatre had turned on. He had too much on his mind to comprehend anything. He was just rejected in the bathroom of a movie theatre by the only person he's ever liked in his life. Maybe it was a good thing that they didn't know if they were mates or not, because if his mate had rejected him it would've literally killed him.

He fucked up his only chance. Maybe if he had waited a little longer, let Oliver realize his feelings for him on his own, he wouldn't be heartbroken.

Zeke had been crushing on Oliver since middle school. They met when Oliver was injured during PE and Zeke had to take him to the nurse. He wasn't crying or mad, he was completely calm and still kept a pretty smile on his angelic face, and Zeke admired him for that. After that day, they remained friends. Zeke knew of his feelings the second he lay Oliver on the nurse's bed, but never realized the intensity of it until a couple months after when he practically shook in anger because of the way someone had bumped into him.

He scolded himself nearly everyday for falling for someone that wasn't his mate. He told himself all of his life not to get into a relationship, to stay a virgin, and to base his life solely on his mate. He broke all the rules when he dated and lost his virginity in ninth grade to some girl named Rachel Barblin (whom he later discovered only dated him to get closer to Josiah). Now, here he was, pining over someone who wasn't even a wolf. Pining over someone who doesn't want him. Maybe it was easier for Josiah because he's an alpha, or because Ezra is human. But it won't be that easy for Zeke.

Zeke came back to when the screen officially turned black and the custodians began to enter the room. He stood from the comfortable chair, cleaning up his own trash and heading out of the dark theatre. He walked slowly, the shoes on his feet suddenly becoming the most entertaining part of his day as he avoided the eyes of every other movie-goer. As soon as he pressed into the door to push it open, a soft, "Zeke." was heard behind him, near the ticket booth. He turned around to see Josiah and Ezra with a concerned stare, and Oliver with a look of sadness and desperation.

"Huh?" was all he could muster. His voice didn't sound quite like itself, it sounded like he was holding back tears and – okay, maybe he was.

"You're kind of my ride." Josiah chuckled. Zeke laughed back, however, it lacked any actual humor.

Zeke figured he was being a debby-downer, so he sucked up his sadness and placed an (appearingly) genuine smile on his face. "Hey, if you guys want to head back to mine, you can. You don't have to go home just yet, it's still kinda early."

"Oh, that's too much to ask of you." Oliver whispered.

"I insist. Stay the night if you'd like."

"You sure there's room, bro?" Josiah questioned.

"I mean, the baby is taking over the second guest room, and you know the first one is yours. I can share my room if you want to share yours." Zeke shrugged and, okay, maybe he was being a little selfish. He just wanted a reason so Oliver didn't leave him. He wanted to be near him for as long as possible before their friendship was officially demolished by his own wrongdoings.