"So, when are you going to tell him?"
"Tell who what?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Jude Adams Foster."
"See, the funny thing is that I'm not." Jude sighed, finally turning to face the girl.
Obviously power walking away wasn't an option, considering Taylor had kept his pace while simultaneously continuing her interrogation.
"Oh?" Taylor cocked an eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip. "Is that so?"
"Yep. I have no clue—"
"I'm talking about the obvious crush that you, Jude Adams Foster, have on your best friend Connor Stevens! I'm talking about—"
"Taylor!" Jude yelped, cheeks going pink, as he practically dropped his backpack in his haste to cover the shouting girl's mouth with his hand.
The girl grinned beneath the hand, before yanking it away by the striped sleeve.
"You could have just stopped playing dumb."
"I wasn't—"
"Nice nails, by the way."
Jude slipped both hands into his hoodie pockets, his cheeks darkening, and Taylor frowned at the boy.
"Hey.", she called softly, and when he didn't respond she repeated herself, more forcefully. Jude blinked brown eyes at her.
"I meant it.", she smiled. "They look nice. Did you do them yourself?"
"My sister did." he admitted, still refusing to reveal his hands.
Taylor hummed, deciding to let Jude off the hook about his crush for now...but that didn't mean she had to let Connor off the hook about his crush, now did it?
"What are you grinning about?"
"Nothing.", she snickered. "Just feel like having a quick chat with Connor."
"Taylor, don't—"
"I'm not going to tell him anything!", she cried in an offended tone, pausing just long enough for Jude's shoulders to sag in relief before adding:
"Much."
"Taylor!"
But the girl had already turned on her heal, speeding away in search of Connor.
"Connor!"
"Oh my God." Connor practically sighed. "Taylor, I've been looking for you everywhere."
The girl stopped short. "You've been looking for me?"
"Yep.", he murmured, pulling a book out of his locker. "Listen, I need your help."
"Boy advice?"
Connor almost dropped his books, and Taylor didn't even try to hide her smirk. With his cheeks dusted a light pink, the boy's eyes blinked rapidly at his friend, before he began to sputter.
"W-what? Why would I-I mean, who says that I-I-I—"
"Not sure I quite understand, dude." She laughed. "Do you need advice or—"
"I don't like Jude!", he blurted, before the tips of his ears began turning red. "I-I mean, I do, but not like that! I—"
"Connor.", Taylor interrupted, "I'm not really in the mood to listen to your denial. Which is exactly what this is, by the way—"
"No! I, uh—"
"Mhm, sure Connor. We'll talk about your crush on Jude, later."
"I don't—! I mean, I'm not—"
"Right.", Taylor sighed. "Now, the help you need from me?"
Connor huffed, shutting his locker. "Right. So, listen—"
"I am, Connor. It's you and Jude who aren't—"
"Anyway!", Connor cried, beginning to leave the lockers as Taylor followed suit. "My dad's having this big party this Saturday."
"No, he's not." The girl laughed. "You are. Remember? You invited the whole baseball team, tons of girls, but for some reason didn't invite Jude."
Silence.
"Jude, who's still patiently waiting for an invitation, by the way." She chuckled.
Silence.
Suddenly, she snickered. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think your dad was throwing the whole freaking party. I mean—"
All laughter stopped abruptly, and Taylor went cold.
"Connor? Please, don't tell me—"
"He thinks if I have this stupid party, I'll want to stop hanging out with Jude."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"If...if I bring a date, Jude's invited." Connor groaned. "Dad promised me. So, will you go as my date? Please?"
Taylor eyes went from watery to mischievous in matter of seconds.
"Why, of course, Con."
"Shit. You called me Con."
"On one condition."
The boy crossed his arms and glared at the smirking girl. "What?"
"My dad has this hilarious book of pickup lines."
"Okay?"
"Use at least one pickup line a day, and I'll go with you."
"Is that it?"
"Ha. You wish." She snorted. "You're using them on Jude."
"What?", he cried, his cheeks heating up. "Are you absolutely insane?"
"Yes.", she admitted, completely straight faced.
"You're not funny."
"On the contrary.", she said, beginning to walk away. "I'm a riot."
"Taylor, you can't just—"
"Class starts in five minutes!", she called over her shoulder. "I'm not going to be late, just because you're having a meltdown."
"Taylor, wait! I can't—"
"I'll text you a few next period."
And then she was gone.
Connor groaned loudly as he began to walk towards his math classroom. Jude would be really hurt if he wasn't invited to this dumb party, and it's not like he could actually explain why he didn't get invited without...explaining other things, that would be far more embarrassing to explain. So, pickup lines it was, then. He could do this. He could—
Bing.
The boy rummaged through his front backpack pocket, before sliding out his iPhone. Taylor had texted him at least five pickup lines, and absolutely none of them were anything but humiliatingly cheesy.
Connor Stevens was a dead man.
Jude Adams Foster was a dead man.
It was right before lunch, and Jude was taking books out of his locker...then putting them back...then picking them up, again...and so on. What else was he supposed to do? Connor was standing a few lockers down from him, and blushing like crazy, and staring at him. Obviously his best friend had something to say, so he couldn't just leave. Jude was hoping he was about to (finally!) get invited to this huge party that the whole grade was buzzing about.
At first, he had thought that perhaps Connor didn't want him to come to the party, but Taylor had assured Jude that his best friend was simply nervous about asking him. Though, Taylor was probably just teasing him. Again.
After sliding his math book back into his locker and picking up his science one for the twelfth time in a row—he had been counting—Jude looked straight at his blushing best friend and smiled shyly. Connor's blush increased ten-fold, and Jude bit his bottom lip. Maybe he had done something wrong? Suddenly, Connor was marching straight up to him, a determined look etched onto his face, before stopping in front of Jude.
"Connor?"
"Do you have a Band-Aid?", Connor squeaked out, before clearing his throat and looking at the boy expectantly.
"Uh, I'm not sure. I could—"
"Because I just scraped my knee falling for you."
Jude blinked. Then, he blinked again. And one more time.
"Connor? Did you just—"
"You look cold."
"What?"
"Want to use me as a blanket?"
Jude's cheeks burned red in a blush. "What?"
"Are you a parking ticket?"
And now Connor was grinning as Jude blushed and sputtered.
"I, uh—"
"Because you've got fine written all over you.", Connor said, making a show of looking Jude up and down.
Jude's blush began traveling down his neck just as the bell rang.
"See 'ya.", Connor winked at his friend, before quickly walking towards their science classroom.
"So, I take it the pickup lines went well?"
Connor grinned down at his phone, texting back a quick, "What makes you think that?", before speeding down the hallway to knock on his parents' bedroom door.
"Probably the fact that Jude blushed every time u even so much as glanced at him during science."
Rly?, Connor texted back. Is that all? Connor knocked lightly on the white, wooden door.
"Fine, u caught me. Jude is literally on the phone with me right now. He's going absolutely crazy over what happened.
Crazy in a good way or a bad way?
"Just a minute, Connor! God, why are you even up this late?", his father groaned from inside his room.
"Dude, he just started going on about ur eyes. Pretty sure it's in a good way.
Connor couldn't keep his smile down, as his father creaked out of bed.
Does he like me?
Adam Stevens swung open his bedroom door, glaring down at his son, his glare softening upon seeing Connor's smile.
"What was so important that I needed to be woken up in the middle of the night?"
"I forgot to tell you that Taylor's coming as my date."
His father chuckled.
"So, Jude can come now, right?"
The chuckles stopped and Connor winced. Crap. He had been so dizzy with happiness, he had forgotten that—
"Uh, Taylor's been begging me to invite him. It's really hard to say 'no' when she pouts."
If Taylor had heard Connor accusing her of something like pouting then he would probably be sporting a black eye the next day.
The chuckles were back.
"Son, a woman's pout is her most terrifying weapon."
"You're telling me.", he muttered, before letting his dad get back to sleep.
Well, that reply took a while., Connor mused, flopping onto his bed.
"u didn't ask it right."
Connor furrowed his eyebrows. Ask what right?
"ur question. u didn't ask it right."
Connor turned so that he was laying on his stomach, and stretched his arms out in front of him. What in the world was Taylor—?
And then it struck him. Cheeks burning, he turned on his side and began tapping away at the screen.
Fine. Does Jude like me back?
"Finally admitted it, did u?"
Connor snorted.
Yeah because u made me!
"Details, details."
"I told Jude ur crazy abt him btw."
Taylor u didn't!
"I totally did. Just now."
Connor felt his heart stop.
"Chill out. He didn't believe me."
His heart resumed beating.
That's so not funny.
"Well, you know what is?"
What?
Five seconds later, Connor's phone began blaring out Not Enough by Carousel. He heard Adam groan, as he quickly slid the screen and pressed the phone to his ear.
"Wait, you actually answered?"
"I just wanted my phone to stop ringing.", Connor snapped at Taylor's voice.
"And you do realize you could have just sent it to voicemail."
"I wasn't thinking, okay?"
"Obviously—"
"Hey, guys?", Jude's voice asked, and Connor's heart sped up.
"Can I talk too, or...?"
"Sorry.", Taylor said timidly.
Connor scoffed at her through the phone. "You're way nicer to Jude!"
"Am not!"
"She's really not.", Jude agreed. "It's just that I'm so much more adorable, that she—"
"Hey!", Connor protested, smiling happily as Jude laughed.
"Just because you're cute and all, doesn't me—"
"You think I'm cute?", Jude whispered.
"I, uh. Crap.", Connor ran a hand through his hair, before nervously trying, "You're the one who said it?"
"I said that I was adorable.", Jude said, and Connor could freaking hear his grin.
Connor groaned. "What? Nothing to add, Taylor?"
"Taylor?"
"I...guess she hung up.", Jude decided, before snickering. "So, about this 'thinking I'm cute' thing—"
"You're invited to my party, by the way.", Connor interjected. "Totally forgot."
"Really?"
Jude had said the word so full of hope and joy, that Connor felt immensely guilty for not inviting him earlier.
"Of course, Jude."
"Sorry. It's just I thought that you maybe didn't want me there..."
"You have no idea how much I want you at my party.", Connor said passionately, before blushing pink.
"Oh.", Jude squeaked out.
"Connor, can I ask you something?"
"Do you work at Starbucks?", Connor interrupted quickly.
"What?"
"Because I like you a latte!", he blurted through the phone, before hanging up.
Connor buried his face into a pillow, before letting out a groan.
Bing.
The boy unlocked his phone.
"Smooth."
Connor gasped in outrage, sitting up immediately.
u were still on the phone?
"Never hung up, lover boy."
u suck Taylor
"At least i didn't tell any1 that i like them 'a latte' :p"
Connor threw his phone on the floor, before once again burying his face in a pillow.
"Hey, can we talk?"
Connor and Taylor shared a confused glance, before returning their attention to Jude.
"Of course.", Connor smiled, though it faltered as Jude nervously bit his lip.
"Uh, actually I meant in private. Taylor, could you—"
"Crap. I just remembered!", Connor feigned remorse, before Taylor could leave.
"The baseball team has a mandatory team meeting in, like, five minutes. Sorry."
Taylor snorted. "On a Friday right before lunch?"
"Yes.", Connor glared at her. "And I really should be going. Now."
"What? No, wait!", Jude cried, reaching for Connor's sleeve. "Please, Connor, why have you been—"
Connor interrupted the frantic boy by leaning in close to whisper in his ear, "If I were a stop light, I'd turn red every time you passed by, just so I could stare at you a bit longer."
Jude's mouth dropped open, a blush forming, as Connor used his friend's dazed state to begin walking away. Jude refocused at Taylor's snicker, and called out to the retreating boy.
"Wait, what? You can't just—"
"He's too far down the hall, Jude.", Taylor interjected, sympathetically. "He can't hear you."
Jude groaned, opening his locker to retrieve his bagged lunch.
Why haven't you texted me anymore pickup lines?
"Are you really texting, right now?", his mother groaned, rubbing her temples.
"Sorry.", Connor apologized, sliding his phone into his back pocket.
He continued to blow up the red balloon in his hand.
Bing.
"You have got to be kidding me.", his mother shrieked, as he pulled out his phone. "I can't work like this."
Adam growled as his wife dramatically stormed up their carpeted stairs. Connor smiled apologetically at his father.
"It's Taylor?", Connor tried.
His father only sighed, continuing to tie balloons, and Connor decided that it was his dad's permission.
"I'm all out."
Where r u?
"No, doofus. I'm out of pickup lines."
How r u out of pickup lines?! i used like five!
"That is getting pretty annoying, son."
"Sorry.", Connor said, glancing at his phone. "We're almost done."
"My dad took his book back. Guess he needed it. Srry."
What am i supposed to do now?
"Connor. Stevens."
"I'm just going to call her.", Connor declared, practically running off to his room.
"What am I supposed to do, now?", she heard Connor hiss.
Taylor rolled her eyes, and was rewarded with being stabbed in the cornea.
"Mom!"
"Well, I told you to hold still.", the woman said, reapplying the mascara.
"Wait. Am I on speaker?"
"I always put you and Jude on speaker.", Taylor said, dismissively. "My whole family ships hashtag Jonnor, now."
"Did you just—"
"Combine the first letter of Jude's name and the last five letters of yours in order to create a ship name, which I in turn made into a hashtag?", Taylor asked in one breath, closing both eyes in order to let her mother apply eye shadow. "Yes. Yes, I did."
"I'm not even going to try and comprehend that.", Connor snorted through her phone speakers.
"Dully noted."
"Listen, what am I going to do with no more pickup lines?"
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you actually like using pickup lines on Jude.", Taylor paused as lip stain was applied to both lips.
"And since I do, in fact, know better", Taylor continued. "Let's just cut straight to the chase."
"Bloat.", her mother demanded, pressing a napkin up to her mouth.
"What are you guys even doing?"
"Getting ready for your party.", Taylor responded. "Done avoiding the conversation?"
Silence.
"Con, he's your best friend.", Taylor said lightly. "Just tell him how you feel, like a normal person. You don't need pickup lines for that."
"What if he doesn't feel the same way, Taylor?"
"Oh, Connor.", she sighed, shaking a nail polish vial.
"I'm serious!"
"Just trust me on this one, okay?"
Silence.
"Can't you just try?"
Silence.
"For God's sake, Connor! Fine!", she shouted at the phone, unscrewing the nail polish. "I'll give you the stupid pickup lines book, if you try! Deal?"
"You had it this whole time?!"
"You were using them to make Jude flustered—don't you dare deny it, Connor Stevens—but then you would turn around and avoid the poor boy when he tried to confront you about your feelings!"
Connor huffed through the phone, as Taylor began painting her nails, smiling at her mom in thanks as the woman left her room.
"It was for your own good, Connor."
"Whatever."
"So, do you want the book or not?"
"Yes!", Connor's voice cried. "Yes, I want the dumb book!"
"And?"
"And...", the boy sighed through her speakers. "I'll tell Jude that I like him."
"Tonight."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Are you crazy?"
"You know.", Taylor said, dipping the brush back into the vial. "I'm pretty sure we covered that already."
"You want me to tell Jude how I feel at my party tonight."
"Yep."
"You want me to get rejected at my party tonight."
"Connor, you won't—"
"You don't know that!"
Funny thing is, Taylor muttered to herself, I totally do.
"I'll come early to bring you the book. When people start coming in, I'll distract then with some stupid party game. Then, you march Jude straight up to your room. Capice?"
"My room. Are you absolutely in—"
"Don't.", Taylor snapped, annoyed. "Say it. Again."
"You do realize that when you bring someone up into your bedroom that it usually means—"
"I know what it means, Connor.", she sighed, reapplying polish. "That's kind of the point."
"You think we're going to kiss.", Connor stated in pure disbelief.
"I think you two might start to make out.", Taylor quipped back, honestly. "It's just a precaution."
"Oh my God."
Taylor huffed. "You're telling me."
"Taylor, I don't think—"
"Goodbye, Connor.", she sang out, lightly tapping the screen with her non-painted finger, ending the call.
"It hasn't even been an hour yet, and people are already starting up Spin the Bottle.", Jude laughed nervously, as a circle began forming.
"Let's go somewhere else in the house.", Connor suggested, and Jude gaped at him.
"You're ditching your own party?"
"I'm not ditching. I'm just—"
"Leaving without anyone noticing?", Jude teased. "Ditching."
"Whatever.", Connor scoffed, trying to hide his grin. "I'm leaving before the game escalates to Seven Minutes in Heaven."
Jude almost gagged, latching onto Connor's hand without thinking. "Let's get out of here."
Connor blinked, and Jude followed the other boy's gaze to their locked hands, before turning pink. Though when he attempted to remove his hand, Connor simply turned his palm and interlaced his fingers with Jude's painted ones. Jude's blush had darkened significantly, and Connor smiled at him.
"Yeah. Let's."
"Have you seen Connor?", Adam asked the girl, who had created the circle but had also avoided sitting in it.
Taylor quickly shook her head. "Haven't seen him, sorry. He probably just went to the bathroom."
"Nah. He's totally upstairs.", an exceptionally pretty ginger girl countered.
"Or.", Taylor glared at her. "He's in the bathroom."
"Sorry.", she said, sounding anything but. "I'm just pretty sure that I saw him go up there with Jude—"
"With who?", Adam hissed, and Taylor began running for the stairs in an attempt to warn the boys of—
"Holdin' hands and everything.", the girl giggled, as Adam growled and Taylor doubled her speed.
"Listen, Jude, there's something I really have to tell you.", Connor breathed out, sitting on his bed as Jude dropped down beside him.
"Me, first.", the boy pleaded, and Connor bit his lip, but nodded.
"Connor...did it hurt?"
"Did...did what hurt?"
"When you fell from Heaven?"
"I-you—!", Connor sputtered. "W-what?"
"Do you have a map?"
"I—"
"Because I'm getting lost in your eyes."
"Jude—"
"I don't have a library card."
"Um."
"But I can still check you out, right?"
Connor's body couldn't decide if it wanted to laugh or blush, so it did both.
"Jude, are you flirting with me?"
"Is it working?", Jude teased, ignoring his own blush.
"Yeah.", Connor said shyly, looking straight into the other boy's eyes. "It kind of is."
"I, uh.", Jude said, not able to break eye contact. "I wanted to repay you for all the pickup lines."
Connor unconsciously moved closer to boy, there legs now pressed against one another's.
"You liked them?", he whispered, licking his bottom lip.
Jude followed the movement before quickly flicking his eyes back up to meet Connor's gaze. Connor swallowed.
"I liked them a lot.", Jude whispered back. "But. But why—"
"I wanted to pick you up.", Connor smiled lightly, not quite sure he was joking.
"Oh."
"Did it work?", Connor asked softly, deciding he hadn't been joking. "Did I pick you up?"
Jude had no idea when their noses had moved so close together, so that he could see every freckle dusting lightly across the bridge of Connor's.
"Did you pick me up?", Jude breathed out, not startled for some reason when he felt Connor nose's brush against his own. "I'm not quite sure, yet."
Jude's heart began to speed up, and the two boys were so close that Connor could also feel it.
"You okay?", he whispered, despite the fact that he knew exactly why Jude's heart was racing.
"A little out of breath.", Jude answered honestly.
"Here.", Connor purred. "Have mine."
Their lips had just pressed together, when Jude was roughly pushed off the bed.
"Wha—?"
"Here.", Taylor hissed at the boy on the floor, throwing her phone at him. "Pretend to text."
"Uh.", said Jude, blinking dazed. "O-okay."
"Taylor?", Connor furrowed his eyebrow. "What—"
"Shut up.", she hissed again, before pulling him towards her and kissing him fiercely.
Jude swore that he felt his heart crack. That's supposed to be me kissing him like that.
Adam Stevens practically flew into the room, stopping short at the kissing duo on the bed. His scowl slowly transitioned into a smile, and he chuckled before looking down at Jude.
"Aren't they just amazing together?", he laughed, beginning to depart from his son's room.
Upon hearing his father's voice, Connor had begun kissing back just as intensely. Jude felt the crack travel all the way to the center, before splitting his heart in two.
"Some kiss, guys."
"Oh, shut up, Jude.", Taylor gasped for air. "You know damn well I only did it for Connor's dad."
"He kissed you back."
Connor's face fell, and he felt crushed by the weight of his guilt.
"Calm down, Eeyore.", Taylor rolled her eyes. "He only kissed back when he knew his dad was in the room."
"Jude.", Connor whispered, broken, and Jude turned away.
"For God's sake, what soap opera are you two auditioning for?" Taylor cried. "You two pecked already. I saw it. You two were still each other's first kiss."
"But.", Jude tried. "But—"
"But what, Jude?", Taylor sighed. "It should have been you making out with him? I get it—"
"No, you don't!", Jude let out, tears beginning to fall. He just couldn't explain to them the caving in his chest and the sudden loss of happiness—
"Oh my God.", Taylor whispered. "Jude...Jude, we broke your heart, didn't we?"
"Jude, I'm so sorry.", Connor moaned, pulling the crying boy into his arms.
"You guys looked so in love.", the boy sobbed.
"I know.", Connor soothed, rubbing his back.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
Connor blinked, suddenly releasing the boy. "You're right."
Jude swiped at his eyes with his sleeves. "W-what?"
"It was supposed to happen like this."
And with that, Connor dipped Jude down as if they were doing the tango.
"C-Connor?", Jude squeaked, hanging onto the strong arms holding him for dear life. "What—"
Connor pressed his lips against Jude's, sliding their noses together. Jude moaned, stirring to life, as Connor pulled the boy closer to his chest. Jude's lips slid against Connor's, and he gasped when the boy bit down on his bottom lip, lightly. Upon opening his mouth to gasp, Connor slid his tongue lightly against the bottom row of Jude's teeth, before letting it enter Jude's mouth. Jude moaned into Connor's mouth and began battling with his tongue—
"You know!", Taylor suddenly shrieked, causing Connor to pull away, breathing heavily. "I-I think I'll leave you two, alone."
"Good.", Jude huffed. "Idea."
As soon as Taylor had fled the room, Connor and Jude broke into identical smiles, their noses rubbing against one another's, letting out nervous, giddy, laughter. Connor leaned slightly down and pecked Jude on the nose, traveling down to peck him on the mouth.
"We should, uh, go somewhere tomorrow.", Connor said, suddenly, tightening the arms wrapped around Jude's waist.
"Like where?"
"Well, I like eating food, you like eating food.", Connor bit his bottom lip. "Want to...go watch each other eat food?"
"Are you—", Jude burst into light giggles. "Are you asking me out on a date, Connor Stevens?"
"Please say yes."
"Yes.", Jude said obediently, pecking Connor on the lips.
"Sweet.", Connor sighed, dropping his head onto the other boy's shoulder.
"We should probably go downstairs."
"Can we just stay like this?", Connor whined. "Just for a little while longer?"
"We can stay like this for as long as you like."
Connor lifted his head, staring straight into Jude's eyes, and he whispered, "Forever?"
Jude hummed, knowing good and well Connor wasn't talking about standing in the room.
"Forever."
~Fin~