Playing For The Other Team [REMAKE]

Chapter 4

"Where's Josh?" Nathan asks when he spots Oliver alone by their lockers. "Late?"

"Sick," Oliver explains with a shrug. "Said he ate something funny and can't walk five feet without puking."

Nathan grimaces. "I didn't need to know that," he mumbles.

"I think it's just him getting caught up in the flu-season."

"Gross nonetheless..." Nathan remembers his plans with Josh, and even though Josh isn't around, there is still an opening in Nathan's schedule. "You on for Bella's after school?"

Oliver thinks about it. "I would, but I'm taking my sister and her friends to the mall later. I've kind of promised." He flashes Nathan an apologetic smile. "Another time? We could all go when Josh's back?" He suggests.

They leave the plans and the topic at that. When Josh isn't around, Nathan and Oliver have the time and space to hold longer and deeper conversations that don't derail into an argument every other minute. They're also perfectly fine with silence.

At the end of the day, they part ways after packing up their bags by their lockers. "See you tomorrow," Oliver says, waving as he leaves.

Nathan offers a wave back and then heads towards the library. He wonders if he should have asked Oliver for book recommendations, but pushes those thoughts away.

Just like the day before, the library lies silent and mostly empty. Nathan flashes Mrs. Wilson a brief smile when he passes her and then starts the search for something eye-catching among the rows of bookshelves.

His eyes dart across the shelves, only glancing at the titles and the glossy white stickers with numbers on the spine of each book as he walks along the back of the library. His gaze wanders each time he passes a desk or a stray student.

He's delighted to find Jonathan there at the very same desk he had been sitting by the day before, and before he can stop himself, he walks up and gives a small wave to try and catch the blond's attention.

"Hey," he whispers, loud enough to be heard but not loud enough to disturb.

But Jonathan jumps in his seat despite Nathan's attempt not to scare him. "Oh," he sighs when he spots Nathan. It's a sigh of relief. "It's just you." Jonathan grips the pen he holds tighter before he turns back to his notebook. "What do you want?"

The smile on Nathan's face slowly fades. Maybe it isn't such a good idea to disturb Jonathan. "I didn't mean to startle you," he says. "Saw you and thought I'd say hi, I guess."

"Well," Jonathan mumbles and glances up at him. "Hi." The greeting isn't rude, but it's not particularly friendly either.

"Is this seat taken?" Nathan asks, pointing at the chair by the next desk.

Jonathan turns and looks at the empty seat. "It's empty," he says. "That usually means that is isn't taken." He resumes his studying and doesn't say anything when Nathan takes the empty seat.

For a while, Nathan pretends to pick his books out. He doesn't know why. It feels weird to sit there and not have anything to do. He could do some reading, but he can't figure out which class he'd need to catch up on.

The book he's got open in front of him lies ignored while he looks at the studying student beside him.

Jonathan is surrounded by books and papers, and the writing in his notebook is somehow both messy and neat. He seems to be having trouble with whatever it is he's reading.

Nathan cranes his neck to try and get a peek at what it might be. "What are you working on?" he asks when he can't make it out without moving closer.