You Can't Choose (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Twenty Four

You'd think that two people who had a date planned in just over twenty four hours would be all over one another, but thankfully, Henry was giving Collier time to think.

When the golden eyed boy had entered school, his eyes had immediately fallen to Henry's form down the hallway. Blue eyes looked back, expressionlessly as if Henry had been expecting him to enter just then. Collier held his gaze, unsure of how they would be acting towards one another before their date Friday night.

Part of him had wanted Henry to just walk up to him right then and there and kiss him in the hallway- though another surprisingly (or maybe it wasn't actually all the surprising) large part of him wanted Henry to just kiss him all the time.

Another part of Collier had wanted Henry to just pretend like he hadn't even noticed him and spent the entire day acting as if they didn't know one another.

But Henry, somehow perfectly understanding exactly what Collier needed- even though Collier himself didn't understand- smiled softly at him, acknowledging his existence before dropping his eyes back to Emerson and Sarah.

Sarah then caught his eye and waved him over, but Cole had just shook his head and set off towards the art room, hoping to see Jake during first hour to apologize once more.

But Jake hadn't been in first hour and now Collier was more sure of it than anything. Jake Oliver was avoiding him. Rightfully so, perhaps, but Cole still didn't like it much.

Over the past few weeks, Jake had become one of Collier's friends, a constant in his life that he hadn't realized he was relying on until he wasn't there anymore and art class became quiet once more.

Going to language arts had almost been a relief- almost, since Cole had to see Henry again which caused his nerves to jump in his stomach and make him feel sick.

Once again, Henry handled it perfectly.

His eyes focused on Collier and his face softened, but he didn't say or do anything- or not to Cole at least. His conversation with Emerson continued.

Collier's shoulders relaxed and he hurried to his seat, ignoring Henry's gaze and instead focusing on Ian, who was watching him approach.

"What is it?" Cole asked, dropping his backpack on the floor and clumsily jumping over his chair to sit in it. To do something with his hands, feeling a bit nervous with both Henry and Ian staring at him, Collier withdrew a paintbrush from his left pocket.

He had stolen it from the school's art supplies with Monroe's permission- it had been his favorite paint brush for the last three years and since he was a senior the both agreed he should just take it.

"So I talked to Jake," Ian said so suddenly that Collier's fidgeting faltered and his brush slipped through his fingers toward the floor.

Henry moved quickly, his desk creaking as he did so, and caught the brush an inch before it touched the floor. Cole looked back to see the boy gripping the right side of his desk with tight fingers and leaning so far off to the left side it was a wonder the whole thing wasn't tipping over.

And then he was sitting up straight again and holding the paintbrush out to Cole and his dark blue eyes slid over to Emerson and his lips parted in order to continue his conversation with his best friend.

Collier took the brush from his fingers without a word, his face feeling very hot as he did so, and turned to look at Ian once more. The boy's eyes were raised and he was eyeing Henry with a sort of appreciation that made Cole a bit mad, even though he had no right to be.

Besides, Collier reminded himself, Ian's in love with his boyfriend. There's no harm in looking.

"And," Cole began and Ian's eyes flicked back to his quickly. It was obvious that Collier had caught him, but Ian seemed really unconcerned with this. "What did Jake have to say?" Cole came up with another question before Ian could answer the first one. "Jake's here? At school?"