Conflicted Eyes, Confusing Feelings | Complete

f o r t y - t w o

Trying to keep the chapter shorter (medium-length) for those (like me) who can't stick to one thing for too long

* * *

Never let your best friends get too lonely ... keep disturbing them

* * *

Just then, Carter walked in.

Easily sauntering to the counter, he began chatting it up with the cashier, no doubt to place his order. He looked around for a bit whilst he waited for his order to be processed, and that's how he and Xander ended up locking eyes.

Xander tensed up.

He glared daggers while Carter froze up, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

Sensing Xander's shifted disposition, Sage looked up at him. He followed Xander's gaze and in no time he caught on. His eyes widened.

"Carter!"

Carter pivoted, finding his way out of the establishment in record time. By that time, Xander had already released Sage, and was out of the booth.

Needless to say, Xander wasn't a linebacker for nothing. He caught up to Carter outside seconds later.

Roughly gripping his shirt by the hood, Xander hauled Carter back and shoved him onto a car parked nearby. Without sparing a second, Xander aggressively slammed Carter against the car, and with fists tightly clenched at his collar, Xander pinned Carter in place with a bout of unexpected strength. Combined with Xander's height advantage and furious scowl etched onto his face, Carter obviously wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"What thefück, Carter?"

"Get off!" Carter yelled back, struggling against Xander's menacing hold. "Don't touch me, you asshole!"

"Stop!" Sage cried, hurrying over to stop Xander before he could launch his clenched first into Carter's face. Xander didn't react to Sage's touch at first. It was only when Sage cried his name again did he slightly loosen his hold on Carter, and that's what caused redhead to free himself of his attacker's menacing grip.

The ominous silence drifting between them gave rise to the nauseous feeling of butterflies reawakening in Sage's stomach. It was the familiar feeling of impending dread, the same kind he suffered with during the period his diary was exposed.

The tension between the two older guys was palpable. Apart from it being able to be cut it with a knife, it left Sage unable to speak.

A few minutes dragged on where nobody said anything.

Xander, however, was the one to break it.

"Look, ..." he ended up trailing off, clueless as to how he should approach the matter. Carter insolently crossed his arms, staring back at him.

"So you like dudes now, huh?" Carter said. "You're gay."

"Cart-"

He didn't finish.

"Pfft..."

Seconds later, Carter was spasming with loud roars of laughter.

Though clueless for a few seconds, Xander realized what exactly was happening. He was seconds away from launching at Carter again.