3. Travis Phoebe (ManxMan)

•Travis 4.

I sat in the middle of art class, completely lost in my own head. I stared at the canvas feeling defeated at the monstrosity I had gotten down with paint.

"You've gotten better." I shook my head leaning back in my chair. Kellan sat beside me staring at my art.

"What am I supposed to do with this!?"

The backdrop was painted in blood, the bright contrast of the naked man leaning over another was exactly what I had dreamt of the night before. Nobody could tell who they were but I knew. From the arch of the smaller male leaning against a counter and the taller man against him. Raphael had definately done something to me and it showed

"Gift it to me so I may feel joy from the art of us." Kellan smirked, shooting me a wink and I rolled my eyes sighing.

"You can have it. I'm done. I'm never painting again."

"Wait- seriously!?" His bright spring green eyes twinkled. "Thanks man. Wait, are you sure? You love painting."

"I have a feeling I'll be painting nonsense for a while so I may as well quit."

"This is far from nonsense." He chuckled his hand tapping my shoulder. "This is obviously our future, you know, we could speed it up." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Kellan, you being my cousin has no bounds for why I say this." I sighed turning to him. "I am not sleeping with you." He whined then and stomped his feet. The other classmates looked back at us and I shook my head.

"But, Trav! I could make you v-" his words broke apart as the intercom spoke of our bell being broken suddenly. I thanked the interference because everything he was saying only served to remind me of Raphael.

We gathered our things for the next class and moved classes. I spotted Regina who glanced towards me, offering a small smile. I walked over to her boldly and folded my arms over my chest.

"Are you done being cold?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She was rummaging through her locker, greeting some of our shared friends.

"It's been a minute. Ready to tell me what exactly you've been salty about?"

She pursed her lips, her usually kind brown eyes were dim and she offered me a small smile, tucking her chin length brown hair behind her multiple pierced ear. She shrugged then, the beauty mark on the top of her lip moving as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"I'd feel better knowing why that is?"

"I was worried about you, is all... vampires don't really have a good track record when it comes to casters, last I checked." She shrugged and I sighed.

"I should have called. I'm sorry."

"It's whatever. I'm just glad you're safe."

She hocked her arm with mine and I smiled, taking her hand and squeezing.

"Next time just talk to me about what you don't feel comfortable with,yeah? I mean, not that you can stop me, but atleast allow me to assure you."

She gave me a wide smile then and nodded. "Sure. Now, let's go get our asses kicked by math, yes?"

I chuckled before we went to class. After school I walked out with my friends, they were making plans for a party this weekend and I laughed as Kellan and Kenya argued about where it should be and what snacks each person could bring. Kathryn left with her girlfriend then. Trent pat my arm, offering me a smile in all the talking, I saw the mild hurt as he spotted Kathryn and Meghan.

In the middle of that chaos I felt my smile drop when I saw him. Leaning over his white SUV, Raphael looked like someone out of a magazine. He took his sunglasses off, his smile bright and handsome and I pursed my lips.

Regina inhaled deeply and growled before narrowing her eyes at me.

"Are you two together now?"

"No," I sighed, squeezing Trent hand and walked over to the man, folding my arms over my chest I stared him up at down.

"Not to assume you are here for me, b-"

"I am."

"-okay, why?"

"I'm picking you up from school, why else?" He pushed off the car and I looked around at the students curiously watching our exchange.

"This is unacceptable."

"Is accepting a car ride from me, really that bad?" He chuckled running his hand over the nape of his neck.

"Extremely, especially because I don't get the angle." I frowned as he stared at the ground, he pulled at my heart strings with he pathetic sweet act.

"I just wanted to see you again. After the other day I just..." He sighed and shrugged. "I wanted to make sure there weren't any hard feelings."

"Travis?"

I turned to my brother who smirked raising his brow, his beautifully unique yellowed blue eyes glinting in the sunlight. Damnit.

"I'll be right there." I turned to Raphael. "Don't do this again." I poked his chest then and turned to go to my brother who wiggled his eyebrows. "Shut up."

"I said nothing."

Regina licked her teeth and looked away from me. Girl really did not like Raphael. I pulled Trent over to our car and looked over to see Raphael watching me. I whined at everyone being on my case, they probably weren't but it felt like too many people were concerned with me suddenly.

"So..." Trent began as we drove home. "Is he like a boyfriend or something?"

"Do not make it more than what it was."

"And what was that?"

"Nothing." Trent chuckled.

"Hardly seemed like nothing." I sighed. "I'm not trying to act like I get what it was, but, seems to me you regret not getting in his car."

I leaned my head onto the window of the car and sighed.

"He wants to sleep with me." I stated and Trent hummed.

"And you don't?"

"I do!" I groaned and face palmed. "But I can't."

"Why not?"

"It's...risky."

"In what sense? I mean, last I checked, you weren't the conservative type."

"I'm not, I just..." I rubbed my face with a growl. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I thought it was nothing?"

"It is!" He laughed at me. "I just... He wants me to be his boyfriend... I can't sleep with him if he wants something like that."

"Ahh, now I get it." He pulled up in front of the pack house and I pouted. "Well, the Travis I know is all about life being to short to regret anything. If you don't want to don't, just don't let yourself regret it later."

"Is this you convincing me to go for it?" I narrowed my eyes at him and took his hand. "What were you promised?" He laughed his deep laugh and I pouted.

"Nobody promised me nothing, but now that you mention it, I should get something from someone."

I shook my head then and we got out the car heading for the front door, I took my brother's hand and stared him in the eye, narrowing my own.

"Don't tell Claude."

He grinned and zipped his mouth before going ahead of me. I nodded my head then.

I can't sleep with him because he wants more. No matter what he does, I will not give in. For both our sakes.

A/N
Written: 15 August 2020