Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews! They literally mean SOOO MUCH to me! Especially since I thought no one would read this story haha! Anyway, thank you all so much, and here is chapter two! *smiley face*

Thank you to Amanda (Mandirulez) for editing this chapter (and every chapter that I ever write). You're amazing!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for Brad.

Days flew by and turned into weeks, and before Brad knew it, September was almost over. School wasn't as bad this year, or so it seemed.

Brad was getting used to being overly friendly with Alec—and hearing Camille whine about it afterwards—to the point that he almost thought it could work. Alec had still not made a move with any girls around the school yet and it really made Brad wonder. Sometimes, Alec almost seemed to reciprocate Brad's careful smiles and it made Brad's heart stutter in his chest. It made him think that maybe, just maybe, he was right. Maybe Alec did like him. Maybe.

Brad didn't like it when Alec got paired up with the new kid for their history project, he didn't like it at all. First of all, this kid was hot. Like, really hot. And if Alec was actually gay… then being paired up with a really hot guy would not be ideal—for Brad, anyway. And second of all… the new kid was definitely gay. Like, no question. He had sparkles around his eyes and in his hair. If that didn't scream GAY, then Brad did know what did.

To make matters worse, this kid obviously had a thing for Alec. It would be hard to miss the way his eyes followed Alec every time they were in class, he way he would smile when Alec did something cute, which happened a lot. It might not be obvious to the rest of the class like it was to Brad, but Brad was well versed in the art of crushing on Alec from afar, so it would be practically impossible for him to miss it.

Camille told him not to worry about it, because Sparkle Boy was obviously not Alec's type, but that was easier said than done.

It was easier when they were on the soccer field and they had practice time with just the two of them. It didn't happen as often as it used to, but Brad was still grateful for the time he gets.

After one practice in particular, Coach took them aside and told them that there were scouts coming that specifically wanted to take a look at the two of them and that there was a chance that they might play professional ball together. Brad didn't know what to say, so he let Alec do all the talking. He was so happy, he thought his brain might melt. Brad. Alec was really happy too and that made Brad even happier, if that was even possible. Their next game was canceled, but that news went in one ear and out the other, because Brad was too overjoyed to care about it.

When Brad told Camille, she hugged him tightly and took him out for drinks to celebrate. Brad didn't know if he'd ever been happier. All he wanted was to play soccer and now he might get to play soccer with Alec. It was too much.

Camille seemed happy for him. For once she wasn't complaining about how much Brad liked Alec, or how he just needed to tell him, and he was glad. It seemed like Camille was finally warming up to the idea that Alec might actually like Brad, believing it even, and it made Brad hopeful. He felt even more hopeful when Camille brought up the subject of Alec without a word of it from Brad.

"I think you should tell him," she said softly. "I really do."

"I know you do," Brad said, rolling his eyes.

"No, I mean it. I think he likes you."

Brad is floored by these words and he didn't know what to think of them. "You do?"

"I do. The way he looks at you sometimes… I just, I can feel it."

Brad smiled lazily at her, feeling his drinks catching up to him. "We'll see."

"Yes, we will, Bradley. Yes, we will."

Brad's confidence was building day by day, until he saw Sparkle Boy talking to Dan, the first boy Brad had ever kissed and whom he'd dated for a few months before Dan had broken it off.

"Camille!" he whispered, tugging at her sleeve until she looked. Camille paled.

"Why is he talking to Dan?" she asked.

"I don't know, obviously," Brad said, trying his best to watch the two of them as discreetly as possible as he pretended to be going through the contents of Camille's locker.

After a couple more seconds, Sparkle Boy walked away with an odd expression on his face and it took Brad about two seconds to dart over to Dan.

"What were you two talking about?" he asked quietly, glancing around nervously to make sure no one was listening.

"Nothing," Dan says too quickly.

"Dan," Brad urges.

"He was asking about Alec and—" Dan said.

"What about Alec?"

"God," Dan said sadly. "You're still hung up on him? I thought after everything that happened with us, you'd have gotten over that."

"I'm not—"

"I can see it all over your face, so there's no use denying it," Dan shook his head sadly. "Nothing's changed, I see."

"It's not like that, I just—what did that kid want to know?"

"I don't think you want to know," Dan said, sidestepping around Brad. "See you around."

Brad cringed. This conversation felt eerily similar to the one he had had with Dan the day Dan had broken up with him. Dan had accused him of having feelings for Alec and, when Brad didn't deny it, broken up with him because of it. Brad couldn't blame him, really. He would have broken up with Dan if Dan had been in love with somebody else too.

When Brad met up with Camille in her room after class, Camille told him that she had convinced Dan to tell her what he knew. Brad wasn't sure he wanted to know what that meant, but he was grateful for it either way.

Apparently, Sparkle Boy—or Magnus, as Camille called him—had been asking Dan if Brad had feelings for Alec, and like the little bitch he was, Dan had told him that yes, Brad did like Alec.

Camille seemed to think this was a very bad thing, because she had seen Alec and Magnus hanging out recently, and she thought he might tell Alec. Brad felt hollow. That stupid Sparkle Boy had better not tell Alec. He would ruin everything!

When Camille's roommate came back to the room, Brad left quickly, noticing that it was Alec's new red haired friend—the one from the scholarship program. God, Brad just could not escape Alec or things that had to do with Alec.

The rest of the week, Alec acted weird every time Brad came near him, and it made Brad want to scream. And kill Dan. Maybe both.

On Thursday, Brad decided it was time to say something to Alec—try to put his mind at ease, even if he had to lie, because he couldn't let this one thing ruin everything. He couldn't.

Once all the rest of the team and Coach were inside in the locker room, Brad watched Alec for a minute as he kicked the ball around the field, waiting for the rest of the team to get out, as usual. But eventually, Brad decided to talk to him.

"Alec!" he called, approaching him quickly. He needed to talk to him quickly, before the rest of the team made it out of the locker rooms.

Alec didn't turn and Brad called again and again. Shit. Alec must be ignoring him.

Brad reached out and put a hand on Alec's shoulder, cringing when Alec flinched away. He definitely knows.

Brad pulled his hand away quickly. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Alec asked, twirling the ball in his hands and not meeting Brad's eyes. Brad felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach. He should have known Alec wouldn't want to talk to him anymore.

"You've been acting kind of weird this week," Brad said carefully, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. "I understand if you're frustrated about the game being pushed back. We all are. But I don't want you to—"

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me," Alec said, his voice hard. There was something behind his eyes that made Brad think that maybe there actually was something wrong, other than what Magnus had possibly told him. Brad hadn't talked with Alec about his family recently or about his panic attacks and he really might have something going on. Brad immediately felt guilty for assuming that Alec's behavior was solely based on him, when there could easily be bigger things going on.

"You really don't have to pull that with me, Alec." You can tell me anything, he wanted to add, but he couldn't make the words come out. It felt too intimate, too much… but god, did he want to.

"I'm not upset about the game, I swear," Alec said, confirming to Brad that there really was something going on. And that made Brad feel like shit. Here he was, worried about himself, and what Alec thought of him when Alec was going through something difficult all by himself. Brad had just been too wrapped up in his own emotions recently to notice.

"Whatever's going on with you… you can tell me, okay? That's what friends are for," Brad said.

Alec looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped himself, and Brad didn't know what else to say. Alec was staring at him with those big blue eyes, looking nervous and uncertain, and Brad couldn't push down the swell of emotions that came bubbling up into his mind and heart. The way Alec was looking at him… it was like he already knew. He knew and now Brad had nothing to lose. He could see his choice before him, clear as day. He could choose to take the leap, tell Alec how he felt and pray to god that he felt the same way, or he could walk away, and hope that their friendship wouldn't be destroyed if he left it alone.

It wasn't much of a choice at all.

"Fuck that," he said, steeling himself for what he was about to say, and the rejection that could very well be near. "Alec, I need to tell you something. Something that I should have told you a long time ago."

Alec's expression didn't change, but Brad saw his eyes widen. He knew what was coming.

Brad could see Camille in the back of his mind, urging him forward and begging him not to chicken out. For the first time, he wasn't going to.

"I like you. A lot. And I have for a really long time," Brad said. His heart was hammering against his ribs and he was fairly certain they were going to crack soon. "I was too scared to tell you because I didn't know how you would react. I know you feel the same way, Alec. I know it," he said, pleading with Alec that it would be true. He needed it to be true.

Alec looked shocked, but not horrified—which made it seem better. He was staring at Brad like... like he wasn't sure how to feel. Almost like he was relieved and scared all at once. And it made Brad hope that maybe he really was gay and maybe there was a chance. Maybe.

And then Brad did something stupid. He knew it was stupid when he started leaning in and he knew it was stupid when their lips connected.

But he didn't think he could bring himself to regret it. At least, not until Alec shoved him away. He shoved Brad so hard that he stumbled backward, tripping over his legs and falling to the ground.

He stared down at Alec in complete horror, praying that the earth would swallow him up, or maybe he could get struck by lightning and die, although, the probability of that happening was not high, considering there wasn't a cloud in sight.

"I-I'm sorry," Brad wheezed, running a shaky hand through his hair. "Don't be mad," he pleaded.

And Alec didn't look mad, per say… he did, however, look confused. Confused and overwhelmed and maybe a little bit scared.

"What…" Alec began, seeming to be at a total loss for words.

Brad panicked.

"Alec, I know you're confused, but I promise you that that was not one sided. You can't tell me you don't feel the chemistry between us."

"Brad—"

"Just think about it. Okay? That's all I'm asking." Brad said, backing away. Alec just stared.

Brad clenched his jaw, turned around, and ran.

He ruined it. He had one shot, and he ruined it. God fucking dammit.

He had known it was a long shot from the second the words had tumbled out of his mouth. He had mistaken Alec's kindness for something it wasn't, and he had ruined everything because of it.

How could he have been wrong? All the signs had been there. Alec had never pushed him away when he put his arm around him, he had never given Brad a strange look when Brad let his fingers linger a second too long on Alec's arm or shoulder, he had never been the first one to break eye contact.

He never even went in the fucking locker room. EVER. Brad had thought that that had to mean something. It had to.

It didn't.

It didn't and he should have known, should have been smart enough to know. Even if Alec was gay, that didn't mean he would like Brad. He should have thought about that. He should have thought period.

When Brad arrived at his destination, he banged loudly on the door, trying his best to ignore all the people walking past him, no doubt wondering why one of the two stars of the soccer team was standing in the middle of the hallway nearly crying.

Camille opened the door and Brad could tell instantly that she knew.

"Come here, baby," she said, pulling him into her room and hugging him tightly, kicking the door shut behind them.

It was then that Brad finally allowed his tears to fall.

Please review and let me know what you think of this chapter!

-Hannah xx