Conflicted Eyes, Confusing Feelings | Complete

s i x t y - s e v e n

Aye, welcome to another chapter, and Merry Christmas if you celebrate it.

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After I lost you, I admit that I have nothing

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When Xander stormed out of English period that day for a smoke, he hadn't even been watching where he was going, as told by how roughly he collided with someone.

Their books fell, and without acknowledging that nor seeing who it was, Xander was already snapping at them.

"Fücking watch where you're going!"

"Um! I-I'm sorry!"

Upon hearing the apology, Xander paused. And froze.

The blinding smoke of rage cleared from his vision almost instantly, all the anger in his system evaporating from the mere sound of the soft voice. Left with only the raw realization of the predicament he'd found himself in because of his temper, Xander could have punched himself right then and there.

"Sage." he softly breathed. The blond didn't acknowledge the sound of his name. Ducking his head, he did a small bow before falling to his knees, scooping up the A-level Biology textbooks that were knocked out of his hands.

"I-I'm r-really sorry! I'll just--"

Xander knelt alongside him. "Não, fück. It's my fault, yeah? Let me help you."

Before he could, Sage blocked him from reaching the books, frantically shaking his head. "N-no, please. I-I can do it myself."

"Blaze!"

Xander stopped the ball before it had a chance to zip past him again. He made a long pass to a random location, not caring who or where it went.

"H-here, I was actually going to give C-Carter, but since you're here..."

Xander emptily stared down at the small blue shopping bag Sage pulled from his school bag. Inside was an oversized black hoodie, along with a flaxen bear that looked too familiar to not recognize. Sage broke Xander out of his trance as he prodded for him to take it, to which the senior breathed a curse in Portuguese.

He wanted to hate Sage - desperately - for giving them back to him, so casually, with no care nor sympathy whatsoever, but Xander couldn't. He wanted to convince Sage that they were his, or even succumb to his temper and insult him, Xander could do neither. And furthermore, he didn't want to.