17: Drawings

Gavin

"Are you okay?" Madeline asked, followed by coach Grayson and Lester. Casper joined and it was a whole scene.

"I'm fine just lost focus for a good second," I got up with the help of Casper and Lester. I dragged myself to the bench to sit next to Noah until my face recovered some of its senses. It felt like it was on fire.

"If you start to feel worse, go to the nurse without checking with me," coach told me before heading back to the field.

Noah sighed. "Gotta love the benches, huh,"

"Are you okay?" the words didn't come out of Noah. To my left appeared Zane, looking concerned and guilty at the same time.

A blush took over my ears as I realised that he knew.

He knew I wanted him to see me.

He knew I was focused on him instead of the game. His face said it all.

"It's my fault, isn't it?"

I shook my head. "I wouldn't call it your fault, it's me who lost my train of thought and didn't see the ball coming,"

"I saw you," Zane interrupted. "You were looking at where I was sitting. I'm sorry. I went to fetch a bottle of water, then you were hit and everyone was around you so I didn't want to, you know,"

My face reddened further. I wasn't a shy person but with Zane I was a blushing mess.

"Don't be embarrassed," he added. My eyes were looking everywhere but on him. "I kinda was looking at you too," he extended his arm, offering the sketchbook he had earlier.

I examined the paper smeared with all sorts of graphite. It was a rough sketch of someone wearing our gym outfit, but it had #4, which meant it was me. The face wasn't clear enough, but I could tell it resembled me. "Oh my," was the only thing I could muster.

It had a little bit of the gym scenery here and there, until it reached the centre where I stood.

His eyes were trailed on me, seeking answers to questions that were never asked. He didn't need to say anything for me to know what's going on in his head.

"I love it," I said admirably. "I love it so much,"

A rare smile appeared on his face. He really didn't smile that much, which was a waste because it was breathtaking. "I'm glad you do. It's yours,"

"What?" I gasped, "No, of course not,"

"But I made it for you," he interjected. I couldn't take it. I'd literally look at anything but it for days, and that couldn't be good to my mental state.

"I love it but I can't take it,"

"Who's being a stubborn hot head now?" He was starting to get agitated and I didn't want that.

"It's a drawing of me. I rather have a drawing of you," the words slipped before I could catch them.

His eyes went wide with amusement at my flustered behaviour. I hated what he did to me. I wasn't the flustered mess he made me appear to be. "I mean not that I want a drawing of you because that wouldn't be, uhh, I don't know, you know? And it would be kinda weird because you know we're just friends and we should-"

Suddenly I froze into a moment in time where my body and soul were two different entities attached by my lips against his.

He pulled away momentarily, looking around to see if he had garnered any unwanted attention. We did cause a few eyes to turn our way, but hell if I cared. I missed his kisses badly.

"I didn't mean to expose you like this," he apologised, shying away from my eyes.

"If you think I care about any of the students right now you're dead wrong," I spoke hoarsely. "except, well, Noah Grayson because he's right behind me,"

"You bet he is," Noah whispered to the back of my head. "Good job, by the way,"

"Thanks," I whispered back.

Zane was still seated next to me, seemingly unfazed by what happened. I felt bad for him. He got bullied for his race and religion; I didn't want him to get bullied for kissing boys.

"You know how to make a boy speechless, Zane,"

"Your friend is sending daggers our way," he slapped my thigh when I tried to look, "Are you stupid? She'll know we're talking about her," And the Zane I knew was back.

"Shit, yeah,"

"I'm sorry," Zane said lastly and rushed out of the gymnasium, leaving behind nothing but a graphite sketch of me on the field.

I grabbed the sketch and hurried after him. "Tell Coach I went to the nurse," I told Noah, who gave me a mere thumbs up.

I left the gym to be hit immediately with fresh air and a long hallway. Zane was rounding the  corner. I followed him right to art class.

"What do you want, Gavin?" he let out an exasperated sigh.

"You can't kiss me, apologise, then leave,"

"I can do what I want," he spat, then suddenly seemed to calm down, "You're right,"

"What's wrong?"

He looked at me, and for a second I felt like he might cry. Zane didn't cry. He had too many walls around him to let out a cry in front of someone.

"I wasn't thinking. I possibly outed you to the whole school. You make it hard to think when you're around." he stretched out his arms in frustration, "We're here, in art class, a full on game is playing in the gym, the fumes of paint are overpowering, and all I can think about is you,"

I saw the opportunity and took him in an embrace. "If being outed to the school would earn me a kiss from you, I'd burn the whole closet down to ashes,"

Then I pulled away, then he kissed my lips once more, then he took the drawing from my hand. "I'll take care of this, and I'll remember you," he gave it a look over, "Seems like I'm always remembering people in drawings,"

"Hopefully I'll only remain a good memory,"

We started out of the room, "Hopefully you never become a memory,"

"What has gotten into you today?" I elbowed him lightly.

"I don't know, I feel mushy," he shoved me playfully.

"I like this Zane,"

"He's always here when he's not annoyed by you,"

"You're always annoyed by me?" I feigned hurt.

He paused in his tracks. "No I don't-"

I kissed him.

"I like this method of saying shut up." he breathed out.

There was no one around us. I grabbed him by his shirt, fixed him against the wall, and let my mouth claim his. Willingly and completely, we kissed till we were out of breath.

-

The hum of the car was the white noise to our silence. I offered to drive him home, and he only said no four times before agreeing to let me.

"Will you attend the spring formal with me?" I broke our silence with the question I've been dying to ask. "I mean, if you want to go, I never really asked you if you're going, that too with a boy-"

"If kissing you wouldn't crash us, I would've shut you up,"

"I can pull over,"

He smacked my arm. "I don't think I can go with you, though,"

My face fell immediately, despite expecting his rejection.

"I need to check my other three dates if they'll accept a fourth,"

I laughed. "I seriously hope you're joking,"

"Gavin, right now, with you looking like you are, and smelling like you do, I'd go anywhere with you."

I pulled over.

A/N: vote and comment or so help me.

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