Look Away (BxB)

Chapter 3

Random Ryker Fact:

When he was in middle school, Ryker once tried to do a german suplex on his big brother, but ended up in the hospital with broken bones instead.

Enjoy~

Ch. 3: How to Nail a First Encounter

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Finnlay's eyes widened in shock. He blinked once, twice. The other three with them halted their conversations, gazing knowingly at each other then to the silent brunette.

Those set of eyes, focused on him, waiting for him to say something. His heart pounded, hazel optics stuck on the green grass, but the feeling of those eyes nerved him even more.

Charlie, upon sensing that the person he just questioned couldn't answer, closed his eyes, opening them after. Finnlay flinched upon feeling a finger gently press the top of his head.

"It's okay if you don't want to answer," Charlie said, pulling his finger away from Finnlay's soft curly chestnut locks.

Ryker turned to the listless male, a confused furrow on his brows.

"Hey Charlie, what the heck is that. . . scopio-something?" He asked. Charlie sighed, straightening his back against the trunk of the tree.

"Scopophobia—the abnormal fear of being stared at," he explained. "It varies from person to person. Some people with this kind of phobia are afraid when strangers stare at them for a long time, and some people are afraid of making eye contact even among friends."

Finnlay pressed his lips together, meekly glancing at the silver-haired male.

"H-How did you know?" He stuttered.

Charlie tilted his head to the side, silver locks falling along ever so softly.

"Hm? Oh, my father is a psychologist," he answered in a matter of fact tone. "I once went to his office and saw this book about phobias. It interested me."

Silence again, and Finnlay did not like it anymore. He chewed on his bottom lip, racking his mind for anything he could say. Within this silence he could feel it—memories of the past rushing in like waves of the ocean.

"He did it."

Just reminiscing on that one line was enough for him to feel his insides stir. He chewed harder on his lip, any second now and it might just draw blood. He didn't want anyone to find out. For years, he had kept it hidden. From his former classmates, the tutors coming in and out of their house. The only person who knew of this secret was his mother, as she already knew of this type of psychological problem while she works as a nurse in the local hospital.

Fortunately for him, Kaiden already sprung into action, swinging his arm on the brunette's shoulder. The once bitter memories invading Finnlay's mind had now vanished, and he felt like he could breathe once again.

"Wow Finn, you are a hell of a guy," he sighed, shaking his head. "But anyway, let's not talk about this kind of thing right now."

Finnlay flashed him a look of gratefulness, to which the dark blonde didn't fail to catch up. Charlie's lips pulled up into that same sweet smile once again.

"I'm sorry if I brought you discomfort, Finnlay," he said, the jumpy male quickly flailing his hands around in dismissal.

"N-No it's fine!" He exclaimed. "That was just. . . the first time anyone noticed. . ."