Stress Relief

14: Confrontations and How To Avoid Them

Something felt off.

Ever since he got to school, he felt that something was off. "Chase, you okay man?" He looked up at Diego next to him. He's gotten a haircut recently, so he now sported a fade with the longer of the tight ringlets at the very top of the head. Sleek, but not flashy. Actually quite simple. He had of say it fit him.

Chase nodded and smiled. "Yeah, why?" He should be fine right? Maybe it was the test giving him the jitters. Yeah, it had to be the test.

Shaking his head, D shrugged. "Nothing, you're just quiet." He ate a fork full of pasta, focusing back on Carson's rant about the Pokémon cards he got yesterday.

"Anyways I was eating dinner right? And ripping the package open and I'm there like "yeah I'm just gonna get another blastoise, and guess what I pull out?"

Anthony glanced up, uninterested. "Your dick?"

Carson narrowed his eyes fiercely as everyone had an immature giggle. "Uh-first of all; fuck you." Anthony gave him the bird and kept eating. "Second of all; I pulled, the one. The only; Xerneas." Matt's jaw dropped, his chewed up food having yet been swallowed. Carson met his shocked gaze and his grin grew ten times in size. "I know right?!"

Chase smiled at the interaction. Looking over at Diego though, he kept noticing him glance at Jase's empty seat. "He's getting help on history." Diego looked up with a surprised raise in his slitted brow. "You're not that slick y'know." He stated smugly.

With an eye roll he picked at his food, trying to get a noodle on each prong. "I don't know what to do. He's probably not even interested." His brows furrows and Chase scoffed, grabbing his attention.

"Dude, you're a gentleman. And in case you haven't noticed he ogles you every single practice." Diego snorted, brushing him off.

Taking the bite he sighed. "He looks up to me is all. That's all I'm ever gonna be to him."

"Don't talk like that, you don't know what'll happen." Diego gave him a doubtful side-eye. "Excuse me-"

"Can we just-not talk about it?" He ran his hand over his hair, the conversation of the others muffling their own. "Please, I don't want to think about it."

Chase didn't want to, truthfully, but he agreed for Diego's sake. "Okay."

He seemed to relax once he did, rolling his shoulders. "What do you mean you don't like Pokémon?!" Carson exclaimed, catching their attention. His astonished face directed at Anthony.

The brunette shrugged, confused and noticeably a little annoyed. "What? It's just a card game."

"It is not "just a card game" you heathen!" His voice cracked as he spoke. Clearing his throat he sat back down. "Just because you're uncultured doesn't mean you get to shit on an artistic masterpiece."

"Yeah sure, whatever." As he was bringing his fork to his mouth he flinched, glaring at Alex who looked unbothered.

Diego snorted and continued eating. Meanwhile Chase glanced at his phone for the dozenth time. Elijah hasn't texted him anything, he would if something happened right? What if something did happen and he didn't let him know? No that wouldn't happen, he's reiterated twice how he can always come to them if he's being bothered, especially by someone in the football team.

"So," Diego started, "you were late to my house yesterday, what's that about?"

"Oh um." Like a flashing image he remembered Elijah taking his jacket off at Diego's place, and the countless amount of scars underneath his arms. If he had to guess, there may have been twenty on each. Things wouldn't get that bad again right? "Elijah was stressing about Kayden so I took him to the clearing to chill out." He remembered the disgusting slither of the snake on his head, and the smile on Elijah's face as he showed it to him. "I guess I lost track of time."