48. SWEATER

When I woke up T was no longer in my arms. Confused, I sat up only to find him looking through my clothes.

"What are you doing?" I laughed.

T looked up at me. "Nothing." He said, continuing his search through my closet.

I frowned and shook my head.

After a while T finally pulled out an old sweater of mine. He smiled at it. Then he peered at me.

"What is it?" I chuckled.

"Just wish I could wear this to school." He said quietly.

A big smile covered my face. "Why?"

"It's what you wore when you kissed me at camp." T said shyly.

I laughed. "You remember what I wear?"

"No." T said defensively. Then he laughed in defeat.

"Loser." I threw a pillow at him. "Dork."

Timothy smirked. He hugged the sweater close to him.

What the fuck was this guy's deal? There's no reason to be this adorable all the time! Like, it's not hard to act disgusting or normal, just once but no!

"You can wear it if you want. I doubt anyone saw it. And it's pretty generic, so."

"Really?" Timothy's eyes lit up.

"Yes." I chuckled shaking my head.

T looked extremely happy.

"Come here." I said.

He crawled over the sheets and met my lips. I felt his tongue graze my lip.

"Boys!" Joe called from the hallway. We immediately pulled away from each other right before he opened the door.

"Oh good! You're up!" Joe said relieved. "I came in an hour ago and you were both fast asleep. You looked so cute all curled up together like that!" Joe fawned.

For a moment I worried he had the wrong idea (which was actually the right idea) but then I realized he watched us like we were new born puppies. If he thought I was regularly boning his son he probably wouldn't be so delighted.

"Now, get to school, okay? I'll be back a little later from work. Bye now!"

"Bye!" Timothy and I said in unison.

When we heard the front door close we kissed again as if nothing had happened.

✪

It was a misty, frosty morning. The air felt crisp as I made my way out of the house. T and I may or may not have missed first period because.. Well, because of my sex drive.

We were both wearing knit hats and gloves and scarves cause it was that time again. Summer was way over.

Timothy pulled the door shut behind him and the second he attempted to make his first proper step outside he slipped on the ice covered ground. Thankfully (because of my sexy, manly football reflexes) I caught him in my arms before he hit the ground and pulled him back up.

"Klutz."

I hardly gave him a chance to fall again. I lifted him up in my arms and carried him to my car. I put him on the hood. He cringed at the cold.

"Those shoes are gonna kill you." I said, staring at his all stars.

"I don't have other shoes."

Of course he doesn't. I sighed, giving him a hopeless look.

"I can't carry you all day."

"It's okay. I'll just get Allie and Blade to look out for me." T smirked.

I almost rolled my eyes hearing Blade's name. "You're still hanging out with that guy?"

"Yeah. He's my friend." Timothy chuckled lightly. His nose and cheeks were red from the cold. I pulled his hat further down so it covered his eyes, making him chuckle.

"I don't like him." I said.

"I can tell." T pushed the hat back. "Why not?" He asked.

"He likes you."

T laughed. "Blade? He doesn't. Trust me."

"Something tells me you wouldn't know if someone liked you cause you have serious tunnel vision. It's obvious, Timothy."

"I don't even know if he's gay. He seems pretty straight to me."

"Did Fangs seem straight to you?"

Timothy sighed and looked away. "I don't know why you always bring him up."

"Is that a problem? You're still talking to him, right?"

Timothy looked confused for a moment. "Sometimes." He shrugged.

He studied my face. "As friends, Josh."

"Okay, well how would you feel if I was friends with an ex?"

T shrugged again. "Fine. I wouldn't mind. If you're just friends then it shouldn't matter."

"That's easy for you to say."

"Why are you getting so upset?" Timothy grabbed my arm. He looked me deep in the eyes. I could never stand my ground when he gave me that look.

"Are you insecure or something?" He didn't say it in a judgmental way. In fact, he spoke those words in the most honest, gentle way but I still felt the need to defend myself.

"No." I said firmly.

"Josh, I don't like Charlie anymore. And Blade is just a friend. Promise." T said, his eyes urgent.

"I'll stop talking to Charlie if that's what you want."

I looked away. I felt embarrassed.

Stop seeing right through me.

Timothy kissed my cheek and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm wearing your sweater, remember?"

That made me smile and soon I couldn't be angry anymore.

✪

"Yo," I said to my friends as I walked into the English classroom.

"Sup." Some of them answered.

"Dude, where've you been? You missed like two periods."

I shrugged.

Can't exactly say fucking my boyfriend and whining at him and still keep my rep up, you know?

Timothy came in exactly then, two minutes after me, like we'd discussed.

His eyes inevitably shot toward me the moment he came in. He had the tiniest little smirk on his mouth.

I was smiling back. I didn't even realize. And my eyes followed him to the back of the class.

"Uh, overslept." I mumbled absently.

"Sure man. Whatever." Dave smacked my shoulder, taking me right back to reality.

I met his gaze. His eyes looked suspicious, inquisitive.

"What are you smiling about?" Dave chuckled.

"Uh- nothing. Nothing, man."

"It's a girl isn't it?" Dave smirked.

I looked away cause there was no right answer here.

The truth, being with a guy: Gay. The lie, being single: Gayer.

And well, if I made up a fictional girl things would only get messier. At last I settled on:

"Maybe. Maybe not." I smirked and shrugged, eliciting an interested 'Oooh' from my friends.

I glanced at Timothy and he looked extremely amused. He was almost laughing. That little...

I tried to hide my smile.

"Isn't that your sweater?" Dave asked, wiping the smile right off my face.

The blood drained from my face. "What?" I asked panicked.

"The one that emo's wearing. That's your sweater."

There was a short moment where my friends all gave me confused looks. Some of them even looked disgusted.

"Dude, what are you talking about? It's the same one but it's not mine. Do you think I'd let him wear my shit? Come on." I scoffed.

Most of the guys agreed mindlessly. Dave kept staring at me and then back at Timothy but he said nothing.

Finally Mr. Hammock came in. I sighed of relief.

"Yes! I am back again!" He announced as if anyone would be glad to see him. Most of us groaned.

"I am back to teach you about true art once more! The English tongue!" He declared theatrically.

I frowned.

"More like the gay tongue." Taylor said. All my friends laughed. So did I but not because it was actually funny.

Hammock gave us group assignments and I was with my crew sadly enough.

When class was over I wanted to get out of the classroom as soon as possible. As did T apparently. But when he walked by, Dave slammed his books to the floor.

It made my heart sink. I wanted to help him so bad and to yell at Dave but I knew I couldn't do anything.

Coward.

I followed after Dave and my friends.

I was beating myself up. I felt like a terrible boyfriend just letting people treat him this way.

Dammit, I love him. I don't want this!

"Interesting that that's his own sweater. Cause it smelled like you." Dave murmured. No one else heard.

"So what?" I growled. "We stay at the same house! Our clothes are bound to smell similar. What the fuck do you care anyway?! Get off my back!" I pushed Dave into the lockers and left. When I was out of sight I went back to the classroom to help Timothy but the room was empty.