Some Sugar and Honey (Boy X Boy)

Chapter 23 - Fickle

     It happened again, and I really wasn't prepared. Because I misunderstood how Maddox wanted to handle those things, people talking about me like that, I got angry at him. Not only that, but he nearly got into a fight with a classmate because he was so worked up.

     This whole thing just felt like it was getting worse and worse. I could only hope that this situation would help clear things up, make things easier to understand between us so this wouldn't happen again. Only if this didn't cause us to go our separate ways first.

     The words he spoke then, pierced straight through me like a big shard of ice. I started sucking on my bottom lip as I looked at his face. He was serious.

     "M-mmaddox I-"

     "I'm no good for you, ya know?" He chuckled. He sighed as he crossed his arms. "You really shouldn't give me anymore chances- oof!"

     Without thinking I roughly grabbed a hold of his shoulders. We both stood there, in silence. His wide eyes looking at me in surprise, and mine doing the same. Roughly, I let him go, suddenly falling back, but managing to catch my balance.

     "A-aah I..." I tried to think, quick. I needed an excuse. "I-I... It's just..." I turned away, hoping he wouldn't see how bad my blush was probably getting. "I... I like having you around..." Unintentionally I started biting my cheek. He was infecting me I guess. 

     Maddox sighed as he rubbed his shoulder. "Damon, I'm really no good, ya know?"

     "B-but you even said! You s-said you had a reason for acting like you did!" I stopped suddenly, realizing I probably sounded like a girlfriend trying to convince her boyfriend not to break up with her. How embarrassing...

     "I-I mean... you'd be alone and all... right? You don't sound... very interested in making friends with anyone so..."

     I heard a soft chuckle from him, his face lighting up slightly as he put a chubby fist to his cheek. "Is that really what worries you?"

     My heart thumped as he said this. "You sure you aren't just gonna miss not being able to even try and touch this?" he chuckled as he pat his belly roughly, my chest tingling and a fluttery feeling filling my belly. I could only stutter small sounds as I tried to avoid looking at him.

     "Th-that's not... not it..." I mumbled anxiously, throwing both my arms behind my neck, trying to keep my face from his view.

     I could hear him laughing louder at my reaction. Suddenly, I heard a voice call to us.

     "Strohl! Givens?" 

     We both turned. Mr. Risner was walking down the hall, the other boys from PE following behind. I took a quick look at the clock that hung from the wall just a few feet from us. There were about six minutes until class was over.

     "S-sorry." I apologized. "It's just--"

     "We had a bit of a falling out with some of the guys." Maddox broke in. "Didn't wanna start anything so we figured it'd be better to wait out here until class was over." He shrugged.

     Mr. Risner shook his head. "Not something you can do when PE starts for real guys. Come to me if anything like that happens again." He tossed us a glare before going to unlock the locker room door. I awkwardly glanced over to Maddox who let out a snort, before shrugging.

     When we made it to the locker rooms I focused mostly on trying to memorize my lock combination. After everything that happened I was feeling really uncomfortable and wanted a distraction. I noticed how some of the guys would look back at us, and then return to their conversations. I was becoming very paranoid.