Two of a Kind

Chapter 6

For the next two months, me and Sebastian did everything together.  A few times I even went over to his house.  His parents seemed nice, but they were almost never home.  Sebastian also had an older sister name Cheyenne.  She was in high school and mostly hung out with her boyfriend.

Over time, me and Sebastian had gotten significantly closer.  We went over to each other's houses nearly everyday.  We went over my house the most often though.  I learned that he was thinking of trying out for this youth soccer team this spring, but he said he wasn't sure.  I told him I would join too if he did.  I thought it would be really fun.  Of course we still had a couple days before sign-up to decide whether we wanted to or not.

School had just ended for the day, and I was waiting outside his school gate.  For the last month or so, we started meeting up at his school to walk home together.  His school was only a 20 minute walk from my school, and he got out 30 minutes after I did.  So the wait at his school gate was never too long.  Plus, the direction of my house was closer to his school anyways.  We both lived a few blocks from one another, so it all worked out for the most part.

Today, we were going to my house to study together.  Even though I was a grade above Sebastian, he was still much better at math than me.  I was better at Russian, so we helped each other with those classes.  Sebastian's school requires him to learn one language.  He chose Russian.  It was either that, Spanish, or German.  Sebastian said he didn't really want to learn German and Spanish was what everyone went for because it was easy.  I tried telling him that Russian would be hard for an English speaker to learn, but he seemed adamant to learn it.  To be honest, I think he was just getting tired of coming over my house and not understanding anything that my parents say.  My parents do speak English, but usually only when talking to other people.  At home they almost completely talk in Russian unless addressing Sebastian directly.

Just then the bell rang and an influx of kids came out of the doors and into the front school yard.  Making his way over to me was Sebastian.  I would be lying if I didn't say I had developed a crush on him over these last two months.  It was hard for me to not like him.  I just liked the way he talked, the way he always matched his clothes.  Gosh, I even liked the little quirks he had.

I was pretty sure that my mom already knew that I liked him, with all the hints she gave.  I think she lives to embarrass me.  My dad...well I don't even think he knows I'm gay.  Or if he does, he never shows any signs of knowing.

I wasn't quite sure if Sebastian knew though.  I don't even know if he felt the same way about me.  Ever since he asked about it the first time, he never brought it up again.  He did seem to be more touchy-feely with me, but for all I know he could be like that with everyone.  He is very shy and emotional, so it wouldn't be all that unlikely.

At my house, we worked on my math homework first and then moved on to his Russian homework.  I was really proud of the progress we made.  I was able to learn the quadratic formula for the most part, and Sebastian was making a lot of progress in Russian.  Currently, he was learning how to have simple conversations such as asking for directions or greeting people.  He was really quick at picking it up, and I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the year he would at least be able to understand half of what my parents were saying.  I think he really liked having me help him, because having someone who's native language is Russian is infinitely better than some textbook.

As I was helping him, I kept looking over at him as he stared at his paper laughing at a joke I said.  I couldn't stop thinking about whether I should tell him I like him or not.  I had been thinking about it for awhile now, but I didn't want to ruin our friendship.  I don't think Sebastian would stop being friends with me if he didn't like me that way.  He wasn't that kind of person.  But I didn't want things to be awkward between us.

I decided though that I couldn't hold it in any longer.  If I didn't ask him now, I was afraid I may never have the courage to ask him again.

"Hey Sebastian."  He set his pencil down and turned his head to look at me.

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"  I started working up a slight sweat.

"Sure.  You know you can tell me anything.  We're best friends."  He sat up and got this worried look on his face.

I looked at the ground away from his eyes.  "You promise you won't get mad?"

"Whatever it is, I promise I won't get mad."  He looked dead at me.

"Well...lately I've been feeling kinda weird."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...it's just every time I'm around you I get these butterflies in my stomach.  And just seeing you whenever your happy makes me happy...i-it's just...I like you.  I really, really like you.  I don't even know why I'm telling you this.  You're probably all grossed out now and..."

"Jamie!"  I looked up quickly and saw Sebastian looking at me and blushing.  "S-stop...you got it all wrong!  I'm not grossed out at all.  I-I actually like you a lot too.  I wanted to tell you, but I didn't think you would like me the same way."

"W-what?  What are you talking about?  I've literally liked you since the first day I met you.  What isn't there to like about you."  I looked Sebastian in the eyes, inching closer and closer.

He froze, realizing what was happening.  We closed our eyes as our lips met.  It wasn't a heavy kiss or anything.  It was simple, and chaste.  The kiss was a sign of our inexperience and our youth.  We pulled away, and I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"So..." Sebastian said.

"So..." I replied.

"I guess it's getting kind of late."  Sebastian looked out the window.  "I better get home before my parents get mad."

"Y-yeah," I said still a little bit stunned from our kiss.

Sebastian got up and gathered his stuff.  As he was about to leave he said, "I r-really enjoyed hanging out with you Jamie.  I-I'll t-text you later."  I could tell he was nervous cause he was starting to stutter.

"I liked hanging out with you too," I replied.  "Talk to you later," I smiled.

Sebastian blushed and hurried out of the room.  I heard the front door shut as I sat there.  I was the happiest I had been in a long time.