Now or Never

Thomas is in his last year of high school. He's captain of the basketball team, pre-emptively invited to all the parties this year, and about to finally ask out his crush, Mia. It's gonna be a great year.
Bailey is his best friend. He's smart, studious and loyal. He's also on the basketball team and he knows Thomas better than anyone.
Oh, and he's in love with Thomas. That ought to make things interesting.

~

"Not funny, Tom."
"Very funny, Bails."
He raises his eyebrows in amusement at the nickname. "Bails?"
"Well what would you call you?" I ask defensively.
"I don't know. Lee?"
"Do you want me to call you Lee?"
"Nah."
"Then that wasn't a very helpful suggestion, was it?"
"It doesn't have to be. I shouldn't have to come up with my own nickname."
"Well how am I supposed to do it?!"
"I came up with yours!"
"It's literally the first syllable of my name. It's not that amazing."
He shrugs nonchalantly. "I don't hear anyone else calling you Tom."
"That's because..." Huh. I actually don't know why that is. I don't let anyone else call me Tom because I have some vague memory of my father calling me Tom, but somehow it's okay when Bailey does it. Because Bailey's nothing like him. He would never leave me.

**This is a spin off of Since Forever but can be read as a stand-alone.