Chapter 7:
Tristan and Miles had got used to how they worked now. It had been a couple of weeks since they had first spent the night together. The first morning after, Miles had woken up adjusting to how it felt being the little spoon as Tris breathed steadily on the back of his neck. He'd felt a sudden urge to run, but he'd fought it, and now it didn't surprise him anymore. At school, they kept up their best friend charade, not that it was really a charade, they just were more than that too now. They stole touches when they could, met up during their spares for a secret makeout session, and then would go back to their classes playing it cool. No one knew, most people didn't even have a clue. Miles was pretty sure that Winston had clocked on, but he hadn't said anything. He had noticed his eyes watching them every now and then though, trying to work out whether his suspicions were right. Miles couldn't lie, he was quite happy that Chewy hadn't bombarded him with accusations and had just let him be. Even if it was because he didn't want to get involved in any trouble that might be to come, right now, it gave him some peace of mind to know he was allowed to make his own choices on this one.
They still hadn't gone any further than jerking each other off, but Miles had got used to Tristan waking up in his bed. After school they would both head their separate ways, and then a bit later on Tristan would come over to his, they would hang out for most of the evening and just enjoy each other's company, and then all of a sudden the atmosphere would change, and it wouldn't take long for them to take things upstairs. The secrecy worked for both of them, it stopped the inevitable questions, they didn't have to answer to anyone except each other, and that was how they liked it.
Miles had now taken to hating waking up in the mornings, Tris would stay over nearly every other night. He hated having to untangle himself from Tristan's long arms, which always seemed to find a way of winding themselves around him during the night, keeping him close. He was so warm. The only time Miles ever thought Tristan looked delicate was when he was asleep. He wasn't able to put on that fake confidence he always wore like armour, with his blonde hair messy, usually decked out in Miles's hoody and joggers, he looked vulnerable. Miles liked the fact that Tris trusted him enough to let him see him like that. It felt intimate. He was a lucky fucker that no one ever came in to his room, he wasn't ready yet to deal with his families reactions to the boy sleeping in his bed. Especially if he was then going to explain that they were practically a couple.
'Yo, Hollingsworth, I hear there's a party going on at yours tonight?' came a familiar voice, jogging him back to the cold reality of the Maths lesson he was stuck in. Once his brain realised whose voice it was, he was already annoyed.
'Yeah, but last time I checked you weren't invited Novak.' Miles shot back, turning his head to find Zig leaning across his desk trying to get his attention.
'Maya invited me.' Zig smirked, full of glee thinking he had got one up on him. If only he knew the truth. Miles and Maya were cool, sort of. They weren't exactly talking, but the vibe between them wasn't too frosty which Miles was happy about. He couldn't pretend he was overjoyed about the idea of Zig in his house, but he didn't need to give Maya another reason to argue with him.
'Whatever.' Miles grumbled, more pissed off at the fact that for some reason Tristan hadn't turned up for school today, he'd also not replied to any of Miles's fourteen texts that he had sent so far. Miles made a mental note to tell him that you can only play hard to get when you're not actually seeing the person you're interested in.
'See you there.' Zig grinned before leaning back in his chair and going back to whatever he was doing on his phone under the desk.
The party was in preparation for Miles's birthday which was in a few days. He was pretty sure that the whole school was planning on turning up, not for his company or to wish him a good birthday, he knew that. A huge house with a pool, about twenty rooms to sneak off to, an unlimited supply of booze and a surround sound music system was pretty much the place to be if you went to Degrassi. He had even cleared it with his dad, who hadn't taken much convincing, an excuse for him to fuck off for the weekend and get away from dealing with his eldest son had been gladly welcomed, birthday or no birthday. As a result Miles had made sure that pretty much everyone knew that his house was open for business tonight.
Suddenly though he was distracted by a knock at the classroom door.
'Hey Miss, I know I'm late, but can I still come in?'
It was Tris. Miles felt his heart jump, and when he actually laid eyes on him, he wasn't sure whether he was seeing right. Tristan had dyed his hair. It was dark. It made him look so white and his blue eyes didn't look blue anymore they looked like ice. It was sexy and as usual Tris made it work. It took Miles a few seconds to realise that his jaw was practically on the floor, and he quickly tried to put his eyes back his head as their teacher beckoned for him to come in.
'No problem Mr. Milligan, the principal informed me that you would be late.' She smiled kindly, and Tris took his seat in the classroom, ignoring the stares that were coming from all corners of the room. Miles wasn't sure whether he liked that, he found his fist clenching in annoyance that everyone was just enjoying the fucking view, the view that was pretty much meant for his eyes only. But he managed to shake it off as dwelling on what Tris had been doing with their principal seemed a bit more important.
On the sly, Miles pulled out his phone and sent Tristan his fifteenth text of the day.
'Hey, why you been with Simpson?' he messaged. He watched as Tristan pulled out his phone, and seemed to debate over what to send back, as he tapped away at a response.
'Tell you later.'
Miles chucked his phone loosely back in his bag, finding himself clock watching for the last ten minutes of the lesson, and when he wasn't clock watching he was admiring Tristan's new edgy hair. Miles got the feeling there were bigger things to be thinking about at the moment though, there was something about how Tris appeared despite his new look. He had this expression on his face that made Miles feel worried, he was just staring out into space, not scrawling away in his notebook like he usually did in class. He had his arms wrapped around himself, like he was trying to hold something in.
When the bell went, Miles headed straight for Tristan's desk.
'Hey, you alright?' Miles asked.
When Tris glanced up at him, Miles knew that nothing was alright. Tristan had this look on his face that said if there was a roof available, he'd jump off it without a second thought.
'Can we go somewhere?' Tristan murmured and Miles knew what that meant. They needed to be alone, even though they still had another lesson before lunch.
'Greenhouse?' Miles offered, knowing that lately that had become their spot, for a whole variety of reasons.
Tristan just nodded, chucking his unopened bag over his shoulder, and following him out of the classroom, ready to bunk.
As people milled off to their different classrooms, Miles led the way outside, after making sure there was no one around he turned to Tristan who was drifting expressionless behind him. All of a sudden the dark hair didn't look hot anymore, it looked like it was draining the blood from Tris's face.
'What's wrong?' Miles pushed, concerned.
'It's Grant.' Was all Tristan managed before he leant against the wall and sank down, legs seemingly unable to hold him up anymore.
Anger flowed through Miles's body, he should have worked that one out the second their maths teacher had mentioned Tristan being with Principal Simpson. That fucker Yates had screwed Tristan's head up enough. Miles had never asked for the details about them two, he really didn't want to know. All he needed to know was that his lover had been mentally and physically abused by someone who they were supposed to be able to trust.
'What about him?' Miles replied tentatively.
'He's told them the truth about us, he's told them everything.' Tristan managed, not meeting Miles's eyes.
'They want me to go to court and testify.'
'You can do that.' Miles said, trying his best to be supportive.
'But I don't want to. I thought it was real, it felt real.'
'It wasn't real Tris, he was our teacher.' Miles answered, frustrated that after everything Tris still believed that the twisted affair they had had was how love was meant to feel.
'He took advantage of you.'
'No he didn't.' Tristan fought back, meeting his eyes fiercely.
'I wanted it.'
Miles couldn't help how that knocked him for six. He knew that Tristan had never really had a proper fully functional relationship, and he didn't even have one now. Even though Miles was trying his best. All that time that Tris had been seduced by their fucking teacher, he'd been stressing over his trivial drama with Maya and he hadn't even considered what might be going on with his best friend.
'Yeah? Well what do you want now?' Miles retaliated, the guilt making him react the only way he knew how, heatedly.
'Well I don't want to argue with you.' Tristan said, his tone full of attitude as he pushed himself back on to his feet, finding some fire from somewhere. Not prepared to have to deal with Miles making yet another situation about him.
'M'not arguing, just trying to make you see sense.' He responded sulkily.
'Miles please don't pretend like you understand okay? You don't know what it's like, you get to have anyone who takes your fancy. It doesn't work like that for me, no one had ever made me feel, special, like that.'
Miles didn't understand, wasn't what they had better than some sordid tryst with someone twice your age? Why couldn't Tristan see Yates for exactly what he was? What was he even trying to say, was he saying that he didn't make him feel special? Because considering that a few weeks ago he'd never even properly kissed a guy, it wasn't like he hadn't tried. Wasn't what they had supposed to be real?
'Fine. I'll see you at the party.' Miles retorted and even though he knew he was being selfish, he couldn't help it. Then before knew where he was going, he found himself walking away from Tristan, the only fucking direction he didn't want to go.
