Our eyes locked.

Chapter 25. The incoming opening night.

Chapter 25. The incoming opening night.

***
The realisation of my feelings for Xander stayed with me for the remaining two days of that school week, as did the awkwardness of the moment on the field. So I tried to avoid unnecessary one-to-one time with him, instead inviting others out with us whenever he suggested.

I know he found it odd, how close we were compared to how far I distanced myself from him, and even though it had only been a week since the field run in, it felt weird to not be next to him all the time.

"What's your problem?" I remembered the way he pulled me to the side of the hallway after I moved away from him when I felt my hand accidentally brush against his.

"What are you talking about?" I played dumb and smiled, hoping we wouldn't see through it.

"You won't even look at me, Andy. I don't get what's crawled up your arse" He argued.

"Nothing has" I shrugged my shoulders.

"Is this about last week? Because I still don't understand why  you up and left so quickly"

"You don't understand?" I rhetorically asked and he shook his head.

I scoffed and smiled to myself.

Of course he didn't understand.

I suddenly felt stupid for thinking he would notice our moment, stupid for thinking he might actually feel the same way. So I couldn't help but get defensive, even when I didn't mean to.

"What's funny?" He looked at me.

"Nothing Xander" I sighed, smiling, "Absolutely nothing. I have to go, see you" I quickly walked off.

The thought of him not realising what had almost happened between us last week made me want to yell, and I don't know why, but it just did.

I'm sure the rest of the group picked up on it, especially Hudson, Will and Carter. Whenever I chose to move away from Xander, Hudson would throw him a questioning look and more often than not, Xander would just shrug his shoulders- I assume he had gotten used to it. Will and Carter tried to bring up my friendship with Xander multiple times, both of them attempting to get me to tell them the truth, though I denied all the accusations they threw my way.

"So you're sure that the awkwardness between the two of you is nothing?" Will spoke, throwing packets of popcorn at Carter and I who were currently sitting in his room.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you" I smiled in denial.

"You know we can read you like a book, right?" Carter kicked me lightly.

"I know" I waved her feet away from me, laughing. "I just don't see why me distancing myself has to be a big deal. You know what Xanders like" I suppressed the swelling feeling I got in my stomach as I spoke negatively about him.

"I know, but that was before we all got close" Carter began.

"And I know I'm not always his biggest fan, but we've developed a friendship, and Carter gets along with him really well" Will explained.

"I know, and I'm not saying he isn't my friend. I'm just saying he isn't anything more than that" I opened my packet of popcorn, staring at the film that none of us were paying attention to.

I ignored the urge to text him and willed myself to stop thinking about what he could be doing.

"You know we support you no matter what, right?" Carter asked and Will nodded his head in agreement with her.