Chapter 11
"What do mean Nick can't sing with me ?" Jeff blinked in disbelief at Wes, who was flipping through the Warbler Book of Law; a compilation in the late 1970's dictating every rule, code, tradition and practice involved in maintaining the Warbler Way. The Chinese boy sat own on the couch next to the boys. He pointed to the passage and read it aloud, "Rule No. 83; 'Awarded solos are to be preformed by one current Warbler member...' one Warbler."
"Oh, come on," Nick moaned, "It's not like we're asking for another solo..."
"Rules are rules," Wes dismissed, closing the book gently, "I'm sorry guys, but it's Warbler law."
"Stupid ancient book full of stupid ancient rules." Jeff muttered angrily when the two boys arrived back their dorm room. Jeff flopped dejectedly onto his bed, whereas Nick sheepishly took off his blazer, hung it in the closet with an unnecessary amount of care. The brunette turned back to his dorm mate, sitting nervously on the edge of his own bed. Nick wrung his fingers awkwardly, trying to find the right words to say.
"Jeff, could we, I mean, we should, um, talk... about what happened this weekend, you know... in the pool house..." Nick stammered, "You know, we...uh, the..."
"The kiss?" Jeff finished, his voice completely phased. Nick's mouth was bone dry, he nodded, "Yeah, that. I just wanted to..." Jeff rolled off the far side of his bed, stepping over to their dresser for no reason other than to get away from the subject at hand. He lowered his head and crossed his arms in discomfort, "I don't... let's just, move on, okay? We'll just pretend like it never happened."
It a time like this, Nick knew he needed to remain silent. Not to risk ruining everything he had with Jeff with one conversation. But his mouth had other ideas...
"No."
The moment the word escaped his lips, the whole atmosphere of the room changed, suddenly becoming painfully still and silent. Jeff raised his head to him, confused and shocked but his burst of bluntness. "It happened, Jeff. We need to talk about it." Nick's tone was nothing short of desperate. The brunette eased off his bed, standing just a few paces behind Jeff, who turned to face him, "Nick, there's nothing to talk about. It just kind of happened. It meant nothing."
"It meant something to me." Nick said just above a whisper. Jeff's breath hitched. His head raised as Nick's head ducked. Cautiously, Nick inched closer to the blonde, and continued with his confession, "I don't want to act like it never happened, Jeff. When you kissed me... it felt...so...right. I felt like maybe you felt something too, something that I've felt for a long time now. You mean everything to me, Jeff. And I need to know if I mean anything to you." Nick's eyes were misty, he wasn't used to bearing his soul like this. Admission was not something he did well.
Nick held his eyes down, feeling the waves of the vulnerable numbness course through him. He just stood there in the silence, willing that the ground below him would open and swallow him whole. He just stood there in the silence, waiting for any kind of reaction from but at the same time, terrified, for he knew that answer would be rejection. He just stood there in the silence, trying desperately to hold himself together. He just stood there in the silence, feeling the whole world stop dead in its tracks, prolonging this unwanted moment. He just stood there in the silence, until Jeff touched his arm.
Nick slowly opened his teary eyes just enough to see Jeff's fingers gingerly gazed over his arm. They didn't stop. Tantalizingly slow, Jeff's hand traveled up Nick's arm, over the curve of his shoulder, up his neck, to cupping the side of the brunette's face. He gently forced Nick to look up at him. Tearful brown met shocked hazel. Jeff's eyes burrowed into Nick's soul, send rivers of fear scratching down his spine.
Jeff silently pressed his lips against Nick's, to which the shorter boy responded instantly, pulling Jeff closer by the blonde's hip. The kiss was soft and tender, but quickly sped up, becoming hotter, more desperate. Each boy committed to memory the way that their mouths molded perfectly together, the flutter that erupted in their stomachs. Jeff broke the kiss for a brief second to whisper, "You're everything, Nick." Another long, needy kiss. "I want everything. I want you." Jeff held Nick's face with both of his hands, their chests panting, their lips swollen and bruised from furious contact. "I want us."
Nick's heart pounded against his chest like a jack hammer. A blur of overwhelming joy, disbelief and need swept through him again. He pounced back onto Jeff's mouth, throwing his arms Jeff's chest. Jeff ran the tip of his tongue along Nick's bottom lip. Once the entrance was granted, their danced together, exploring every crevasse of the others mouth. Feeling every curve, every cell, everything.
For that's what they were now. Everything.
It wasn't the sunlight that woke Nick, it was the sound of his cell phone buzzing. Groggily, Nick reached for the vibrating device, bringing it to his ear and answering with a yawn.
"Hello?"
"Hey Nicky. I'm so call you so early," his mother's voice came from the other end of the phone. She sounded oddly cheerful despite being up so early. Nick slowly sat up.
"It's fine, Mom. But Jeff still asleep, so I'm going to have to be quiet." Nick glanced over to the sleeping blonde boy in the other bed. He looked like a porcelain doll when he slept; curled up, face relaxed, blonde hair falling over his eye delicately.
"Well, I hope I'll try to keep it down, but this is important. I have some news."
"You got a promotion?" Nick guessed.
"Better." Charlotte gushed, Nick practically see the tears in her eyes, "Derrick and I are getting married."
Oooooh, my forecast says there's trouble on the Derrick front. And Nick and Jeff just getting together and the Parent's Night Concert just around the corner, something tells me lightning is about to strike.
Anyways, thanks for waiting for me. I know I haven't updated in like a month, so I'm putting myself on a schedule.
From now on, every other Friday will be my Downtown Man day. Maybe every third if it's a long one. Hopefully that will help.
ANNOYING REMINDER ALERT!
I love hearing from you guys, your reviews are what make me want to write more so please, leave your thought in the little review box and write me an essay about how much you love me! Okay, that's a bit narcissistic, so how about just your opinion on the chapter?
Less Than 36!
Love Always,
~ELC
