all those broken promises | shyland

Chapter Fourteen

"He's amazing, Drew," Ryland gushed as he stripped his sweater from his body, the back of his t-shirt rising against his back as he tossed the material in his locker, balancing his phone between his left shoulder blade and his cheek. "I know I didn't plan to fall in love after—but, Shane's different. He stopped by yesterday and we drove to the park by my house, and we—" Ryland's grin widened. "I haven't felt this way about somebody in a long time, and it's—"

A pair of hands slid in front of his eyes. "Talking about me, I see." Ryland tried to spin around, but he grinned when a familiar head of hair fell onto his shoulder, the owner pressing kisses into the soft crease of his neck and making Ryland unintentionally end the call he was on. "Good, I wanted your attention."

"You have it," Ryland responded, and it was only when Shane sunk his teeth into the soft skin of his shoulder that he gasped, squirming at the touch until he could turn around to face the beautiful boy. His fingers curled into Shane's sweatshirt and he ran the tip of his forefinger up his boyfriend(?)'s chest, his voice low to make sure nobody around would hear them. "Shane, we can't do that here."

Shane wrapped his fingers around Ryland's. "Ditch with me."

"No," He shook his head, despite how much he wanted to agree. "If we ditch, there's no way Principal Watts is going to let you pass high school. Besides, we have first period together, how bad do you think it's actually going to be?"

"Can I hold you hand under the table?"

Ryland smiled. "I'll think about it. Speaking of, what are we doing for this English thing? You know, we have to present it in two weeks."

"Don't remind me." Shane groaned, letting his head fall against the blue-eyed boy's shoulder. "I think—let's make a seven-minute film of us making out."

Ryland laughed as Shane's lips traveled from his forehead down to his mouth. "I doubt anybody in our class wants to sit through that." Shane frowned and Ryland kissed his cheek. "It's okay, babe – we can make out for as long as you want to."

Shane smirked. "What did you call me?"

"Uh—" Ryland's face paled. "Sorry, I didn't mean—"

"It's okay, babe."

Ryland narrowed his eyes and Shane laughed, pulling him toward their classroom, their fingers laced within each other's so everyone in passing would know they were together. Or, Ryland would think they knew that they were together. In reality, ninety percent of kids walking these halls knew of Shane's status, and half of them figured Shane would be looking for somebody else in a week's time – as he always did.

As they turned into the door of their classroom, their teacher glanced up and raised her eyebrows at one of the boys in the doorway, barely batting an eye at Ryland as he took his chair. "Dawson, I'm surprised you're here on time."

"Don't get used to it."

He slipped in his chair beside Ryland, kicking his feet up on the desk and as promised, laced his hand with Ryland's underneath their desks. "Shane, you have to be nice."

"Whatever you say, babe."

Ryland groaned. "I'm regretting this."

"Please, you love it."

He hated how right Shane was. As Garrett settled in behind them, Shane turned to talk to the shaggy-haired boy, and Ryland raised his eyebrows. He didn't know they had made up, but by the way Garrett laughed at something Shane said, he figured there was something he missed. He knew Garrett and Andrew had gotten together, the fact was written all over the school, but he didn't ask Shane about it. Just because Shane was crawling in his bed now didn't mean he and Garrett were friends.