It was a warm spring day, the two prefects had escaped from their respective houses to study together in Mr. Tamerlane's garden. One of the only remaining calm centres on campus, between the Stuart's fits over their coffee machines breaking from over-use, the Hanover's strange study tactics (that included a screaming Spencer and a blushing Merril), and the Windsors general insanity that was only dimmed by Kurt and David's wrath.
Charlie lounged against the stone bench looking at the hedge in front of him, his face slightly screwed up with concentration as he answered the questions Justin was asking him from where he was laying sprawled face down on the bench.
"What did the green light in The Great Gatsby represent?" Chaz huffed "Well it's not go. Money maybe? Or jealousy?"
Justin nodded before realizing his friend couldn't see him "Yes, that's it, and where did you get go from?" Chaz rolled his eyes, "The Tweedles were watching me do homework the other day and they decided the green light meant go before pulling me away for a Nerf battle."
Justin laughed shaking his head looking at his friend out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but admire his profile in this light with him leaning against the bench. "It's a wonder they pass classes, do they ever sit still to study?"
"You'd be surprised, they are probably holed up with Reed and Dwight right now studying away." Justin shook his head not quite believing it.
"Okay next question, How does Tom's dilemma in The Glass Menagerie reflect William's own life?"
"I can't believe they expect us to remember the author's lives as well, um, Williams also had a sister who had slight mental disabilities and Laura's introverted nature that Tom struggled with was something that Williams himself had."
Justin checked over the notes "Almost, his mother was also very similar to Amanda, and the characters attended the same school Williams did"
Charlie rolled his eyes "I give up, it's not even important, why do we have to remember all this? Can we take a break now?"
"Sure." Justin slid off the bench to sit beside his friend. They sat in a comfortable silence neither really having anything to say until Charlie broke it.
"Hey man, you know how school is about to end"
"Don't remind me" Justin let his head fall back on the bench. He still hadn't fulfilled the requirements his parent's had put in place for him for a wife, and little did the boy beside him know it, but it was ALL HIS FAULT.
"No listen okay? I just want to thank-you for being an awesome friend okay? You're great. Without you I'm pretty sure Dalton would have blown up, especially since Wright can be next to useless."
Justin cringed when he was reminded of his title of friend. "Same to you Chaz" he patted him on the shoulder before turning away.
They did only have 2 more weeks and it was coming closer to the end everyday. Could he really continue on without Chaz knowing forever? He bit his lip, he was going to do it.
"Hey Chaz"
Chaz opened his eyes from where he was lazily resting his head against the bench.
Justin got up walking across the sidewalk to a rosebush. "I want to tell you something too.." Chaz watched him curiously expecting him to walk towards the dark pink roses.
His eyes widened however when he realized he was walking to the red roses. He sat up watching his friend closely as he broke a single rose off the branch and walked back over.
Justin stopped in front of him shifting nervously. "Here, this can mean a few things; Respect, "Job Well Done", Congratulations, Beauty…and Love. I guess here it means all of those. A single red rose means "I love you"."
He sat down in front of his Chaz his arm out offering the rose to him biting his lip, as he waited.
Chaz reached an arm out cautiously and took the rose examining it, then he carefully set the rose down on the bench and leaned forward. Justin barely breathed not sure if he was going to punch him or kiss him and then Oh…
Well that definitely was not a punch. Justin kissed him back slowly, passionately, with all of the pent up emotions that he had been holding in since he realized.
"Same to you Justin."