Second Chance Mates

-45- 🌹 Look The Other Way

"I just wanna make you feel okay, but all you do is look the other way. I can't tell you how much I wish I didn't wanna stay. I just kinda wish you were gay."
~Billie Eilish, 'wish you were gay'

~~~

*Third Person POV*

Kai splutters, gaping at the TV screen. That's the third round in a row he's lost, which is severely starting to affect his ego as a video game expert.

"Where did you learn that combo move?!" Kai shouts accusingly at the boy to his left.

Xander grins, pulling his legs to his chest. "I've been practicing."

Huffing, Kai throws his controller down. "Whatever. I'm just having an off day."

"Or maybe you're just a sore loser."

Kai sticks his tongue out at Xander, who blushes cutely. The Omega quickly looks away, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. Since he's eighteen, Kai already knows that Xander isn't his mate, which means he shouldn't have feelings for the boy. But Kai can't help the butterflies that arise whenever Xander does something adorable.

Which is basically all the time.

Ugh, crushes are the worst.

Kai's phone chimes in his pocket. He pulls it out and looks at the screen, grinning widely when he sees who it is.

"Who texted you?" Xander curiously tries to peek at Kai's phone.

"A friend," Kai shrugs, pretending that his heart rate isn't accelerating from having Xander so close.

"A girl?"

"No."

"A guy?" Xander asks quietly. Kai pauses, and shakes his head.

"It's Frankie."

"Who's that?"

"An old friend of mine. I met them in middle school, but they moved away. Frankie told me recently that their family is moving back soon though."

Xander blinks, trying to process what Kai just said. While he's heard of people who prefer the pronoun they, he's never met someone like that before. But beyond that, Xander can't help the slight jealousy that rises up while hearing Kai talk about someone else.

"Are you guys very close?" Xander shyly prods, and Kai's lips twitch up in a smile.

"We used to be," Kai answers him. "Frankie was the only other Omega I knew, so it was easy becoming friends. I was really sad when they moved."

Xander chews on his bottom lip; the burning question on the tip of his tongue. He wants to ask it so badly, but he knows he shouldn't.

Do you have feelings for Frankie?

Pursuing his lips, Xander shakes away the question and picks up the controller again. "Another round?"

Kai glances at the clock. "Didn't you say your sister was coming by soon?"

Xander hums and nods his head. As the youngest Grey sibling, Xander has always been babied by his brothers and sister. Even though he assured his family countless times that he's safe with Kai, Lia still insisted on stopping by to check on them. It annoyed Xander only a little, but he would never say anything about it to Lia. He knows his sister is doing it out of love.

"Shit, we played right through lunch!" Kai exclaims, scrambling to the kitchen. Xander giggles at his best friend, watching the Omega dig through the fridge for something to eat. "How's leftover pizza?"