Habits Of My Heart

Chapter 16

Bailey enjoyed himself the whole day, they had all gone out for ice cream later- all of them being Bailey with Tristan and Adrian and his friends. He'd never really spent that much time around straight athletic boys but it was surprisingly fun and he found himself laughing almost all the time.

By the time he got back to the dorm he was exhausted, and he fell back on his bed, sighing.

"Did you have a nice time?" Adrian asked.

Bailey nodded, "Yeah, you guys are really fun, you know?"

Adrian laughed, "It was nice spending time all together, and getting to know Tristan, he's really cool. I didn't realise how much I missed being with him."

"Wait, you used to hang out?" Bailey asked, sitting up in his bed.

"Yeah, we did." Adrian said, "When he came here first he was my roommate. Not for long, of course. He got into the football team immediately so we kind of clicked and became friends, but never too close. It didn't take long for him to come out as gay to us, and the boys on the team didn't like it. They wanted him gone. They even went to principle and said that he shouldn't have a roommate because it's uncomfortable."

He sighed and leaned back on his elbows, "Our principle must be pretty homophobic because he didn't listen to anything I had to say. He got me a new room and kicked him off the team. He might have even been one of our best."

"Why don't you get him back on the team? You're captain after all." Bailey said.

"I guess it's possible." Adrian said, "But that was also two years ago, he was good for a fifteen year old but I don't know... If he hasn't had a chance to play in that time..."

"Tristan goes out every night when there's nobody there and practices alone for two hours." Bailey said, "That's why he's always sleepy in class, he goes to sleep so late."

Adrian's eyes widened, "Wow." he said, "When? What time?"

Bailey shrugged, "Around 11."

Adrian looked at the clock on the wall, "Is he going today?"

"Probably, why?" Bailey said, also glancing at the clock, seeing it was 10:45 pm, "You planning on joining?"

"Maybe, would that be okay?"

Bailey beamed, "I think he'd love it."

"No, I mean you. Will you be okay?" Adrian said, and then blushed, realising how that sounds.

"Oh." Bailey blushed as well, and hid his face, "I should be fine. I can sleep on my own, you know."

"But you get night terrors." Adrian said, "When I'm not with you, you wake up in a cold sweat."

"I-I know, but it should be okay." Bailey said, "I'll be alright, it's only a couple of hours anyway, then you'll be in the room and-"

"Yeah, I'll come lay with you." Adrian decided, standing up.

"What? I didn't mean that! I just-" he exclaimed, flustered.

"Bailey, I sleep better with you too. It's a win-win situation." Adrian said, smirking a little.

"Oh! O-okay then." Bailey squeaked out, and Adrian walked towards him and bent down, pulling his cheek.

"Cutie." he said, leaving Bailey dumb-founded, blinking at him.

"Please never pull my cheeks again." he said, "I'm not a baby."

"Right, sorry." Adrian said, and took off his shirt to put on his football jersey. Bailey watched in awe, looking at the muscles of his back move as he reached forward for his shirt and put it over his head. He turned around and Bailey was still looking.