A/N: I just want to give a little thanks to everyone who's been reading so far! We've been working hard on this and although we have our obstacles with it, we're trying our best to get lots written! Please enjoy! :)

-Carter

Matt's POV

The next day wasn't that bad. Well, okay, that's a lie. It started out just fine, though. I woke up first for once and saw Mello asleep, holding me close with his face in my chest. I smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Hey, Mells," I said quietly. "Time to wake up." I got no response. "Mello," I said a little louder. He groaned just a little bit. I ran a hand through his hair. "Time to wake up, okay?" He slowly blinked his eyes open. "Morning, sleepyhead," I teased.

Mello leaned up towards me and kissed me. Then he sat up and whispered, "Good morning," seductively. He used his index finger to trace invisible lines connecting the hickeys he made last night as he grinned. I felt my face turn a little red.

Mello looked back up at me and asked, "What time is it?"

"I dunno," I said. I looked up to check the clock and my eyes grew wide. "Eight-thirty?!"

Mello stood up and shouted, "W-what?!"

I can't believe we both slept in! Damn it. I got up and we both rushed to get ready for the day. Once we were ready, we ran out into the halls, books in hand, running to class.

Never run into a classroom, tired as hell, looking like you just ran a marathon with your boyfriend if you're already late to class. Because then, you hear someone say things like, "Damn, Matt. We know you're a little excited to have someone like Mello, but try to save the 'activities' for the weekend when it's not a school night." Then everyone in the room will start to laugh their asses off at you and you'll feel incredibly stupid.

I looked down at the floor, biting my lip nervously and clenching my fists. At least they weren't messing with Mello, right..?

"Mello, Matt," the teacher said, expectantly. "Would you two like to explain why you're thirty-five minutes late to my class?"

"... W-we..." I stuttered.

"What was that?"

I looked up at the teacher and spoke loudly enough for others to hear. "I'm sorry, Ms. Jones. We slept in."

"Oooohhh," some of the kids said. One of them said, "So it's true, then!" I looked back down at the floor and clenched my fists again as everyone started laughing for the second time. I wished I could have said or done something, but with Mello around for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to stop them. A small part of me wished he'd say something, but I knew that he didn't want to be getting in trouble for a bunch of jerks. The teacher snapped at the students.

"Everyone, get back to work now! Mello, Matt, take your seats and do the math lessons assigned to you on page 124."

"Yes, ma'am," we both replied.

I kept my head down as we both as we made our way over to our desks. I sat down with Mello at the desk to my right and opened my book to the correct page. I couldn't concentrate because of all the whispering, though. After a while, I heard a "psst." I looked up to see that same girl from yesterday.

"So, why'd you stop?" She said, not even bothering to lower her voice. Guess Ms. Jones stopped caring. Wait, stop? Huh?

"Stop what?" I said back.

"Yesterday when you were gonna punch Danny in the face..." So that was his name.

"Uhm..." I started awkwardly. I looked over at Mello who was giving me a "what the hell" look. I looked back over at the girl and shrugged. "I dunno..." I finally said. "I just... stopped."

"Kay," she said. "So, how old are you anyways?"

"... Fourteen.."

"What? And you were gonna fight Danny? He's, like, sixteen."

"And? Doesn't matter how old he is. He sure didn't look that tough..." I couldn't stop myself from saying that last part although I wanted to.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She said, furrowing a blonde brow at me.

"Just that... when I was about to... hit him, he looked all scared, even though I'm only 14."

"I get it," she said. "Well, don't let him bother you too much okay?"

"Uhm... right. No offense, but why are you being so nice to me? I barely know you and I thought that maybe he was your friend."

She rolled her eyes. "He's just my ex, that's it. And I'm being nice because it's the right thing to do, right?" She offered a sweet little smile. It was contagious and I actually found myself smiling back at her. "And besides, I think you and Mello look so cute together!"

I blushed. "W-why?"

She shrugged. "You just are."

"Uh... right."

Nothing really happened after that. I'll admit though, that girl did make me feel a little better. I felt a tad guilty about not bothering to learn her name though. Mello gave her a weird look at some point and I'm glad she didn't notice it.

Once classes were over, I decided to go out for a smoke. I gave Mello a quick kiss before leaving our room to go outside. I was in a good mood, even if people were talking about us.

During my little smoke break, it was me and Olson. Jake was, of course, still in trouble and K wasn't feeling well. Not much really happened. Olson offered to buy me another pack of cigarettes and I accepted. After going inside, I went to the common room where I found Near stacking tarot cards into a big wall as he sat in a corner. I went over to him and sat down right in front of him.

We didn't really say anything. I just sat there and watched Near as he continued stacking cards. After a while, someone approached us. It was Mark. Oh great, just fucking great. He looked down at us, wearing a smug grin

"Hey, Matt," he said. "Don't think I've ever seen you around here before."

I rolled my eyes and went back to watching Near. "I live here, dumbass. How would I not turn up in the common room every once in a while?"

He was quiet for a moment. "True. But what are you doing with this... freak?" I knew he was referring to Near.

"He's not a freak," I defended.

"Calm down now, Matty boy. Didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Whatever."

"So, doesn't your little boyfriend hate this kid?"

"... Your point?" What the fuck, was he stalking us now?!

"Bet he doesn't know you're here."

"So?"

"I wonder what your precious little boyfriend would say if he knew you were ditching him to hang out with number one?"

My eyes widened but I said nothing.

"Word spreads fast, as you already know by now. What if he were to find out? Better yet, what if he thought you were cheating?"

I looked up at Mark. "Y-you wouldn't..." I said, my voice trailing off.

"Later, Matt," he said running off.

"Hey-" I started.

"Leave him," Near said, catching my attention. "You are not guilty of such a thing so think nothing of it. You needn't worry."

"..."

"Besides, there is something that I wish to tell you."

"What?"

"First off, am I correct in assuming that you and Mello are, indeed, 'together'?"

"Yeah..."

"And you are not in the least bit concerned?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mello is a rather... passionate person. Passion has a tendency to 'swing both ways'. You may get hurt."

"Hurt? Me? By Mells?"

"Hm, indeed."

"Why would I- what're you trying to say, Near?"

"Nothing at all. I simply want to warn you to be careful."

"Careful of what? Damn it..." I stood up. "You're no better than that asshole, you know that?!"

"Please calm down. You do not wish to make a scene, do you?"

I hesitantly sat back down. "Near," I said. "Are we friends..?"

"I would like to consider you one, yes."

"Then why can't you just be happy for me?"

"Because I just cannot see this lasting very long, Matt. Nor can I see it ending well."

That hurt. I was pissed off now. What the hell! He had no right to say that! No right at all! Mello and I... we would be just fine. Right?

"Matty?" I looked up to see Mello standing a good ten feet away from us, watching us. I doubt he heard our conversation just now. Yet he looked really hurt. Damn it. Mark actually did it.

I stood up. "Mells-"

"You've been here this whole time? And... and with him? Why..?"

"I-" before I could even explain, Mello just ran off. "Mello!"

"Matt," Near said, making me look down at him one last time. He looked up, locking eyes with me before saying, "I do not know if this is an infatuation, obsession, or some form of 'love'. But just please be careful."

I ran off into the halls, trying to catch up to Mello. As I ran, Near's words kept echoing in my head.

"I do not know if this is an infatuation, obsession, or some form of 'love'..."

What was it anyway? Did I just have a crush on him, or...Did I actually love him? I never even stopped to consider it or anything... I'm pretty sure this was much more than a little crush, but... I don't know..

I finally made it to our bedroom and let myself in. Mello was sitting on the window sill, looking outside. I slowly closed the door behind me before making my way over to Mello.

"So, uh, whatcha looking at?" I said nervously. He stayed silent. Whatever he was looking at, he was sending it a death glare. I looked in the same direction to Olson sitting outside, smoking a cigarette.

I looked back up at Mello and said, "Come on, Mells. He's not that ba-" I was cut off when Mello turned his death glare on me. I could now see that his eyes were a little puffy and sort of red. He... couldn't have been crying, right? I looked down at my feet and then back up at Mello. "Mells, you know that it's not what it looks like."

"Then what was that?" Mello snapped.

"It-"

"Because to me, it looks like you'd rather be wasting your time with that robot than with me. Even more, you didn't even tell me..."

"Tell you what, Mells? That I was hanging out with Near? I decided to see him at the last minute after I came back inside!"

"... not what I meant.."

"Then what do you mean, Mello?! I can't read your mind..." I sighed. "And it really isn't what it looks like.."

"Well, Matt? Weren't you just with that albino freak?"

"... yeah, but-"

"Then why didn't you say anything?! How often do you guys hang out, huh?!" What? Was Mello getting.. jealous? It made sense.. sort of. First, it's hanging out with Near every time I went to the library. Then there was ditching him to smoke... my new friends... I'll bet that's why he was giving that girl funny looks, too. My suspicions were confirmed when he said, "Do I... not even exist to you anymore? Ha! I'll bet that's why you'd always go to the library, right?" He was shaking a little. "I'll bet-"

I shut him up by wrapping my arms around him. I just stood there, hugging him. When he tried to push me off, I just held on tighter.

"I would never cheat on you," I said. "And I will never forget you. I can't." He finally relaxed. "Youre too important, Mells. I..."

"Matty?"

"I..." What was I trying to say? That I actually.. loved this crazy chocolate addicted blonde? I... I was... But the thing is, I couldn't get the words out. My throat went dry and I was suddenly afraid and too nervous to let the words come out.

What would Mello think? That it was too soon? That it was okay? That I was just being crazy? I couldn't say it yet... I couldn't.

Instead, I looked at Mello and gently pressed my lips against his, telling him what I couldn't say in words. Maybe he got the message, maybe he didn't. At that moment I didn't care. My eyes slowly closed as I felt his arms wrap around me. He kissed back and we stayed liked that until we needed to catch our breath. All I could think of as I looked into Mello's eyes was, "What do I say now?"

Why did things have to get so complicated?

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