It was hard for Brad to avoid Harvey during the following days. They shared more than one class, they both had to practice and play on the same football team, and Harvey just wasn't the type to catch a hint. When it came to his friends, he always sought them out regardless. Even if Brad acted distant or cold, Harvey was still there to bump shoulders with and pass the time. Brad was still very much bothered by Sabrina Spellman's peculiar behavior and the night at the Slicery had not been a first-time event.

It seemed Sabrina was always hurrying and literally running to different places all the time. She would be nervous, out of breath, as if she had something to hide and Brad didn't like that at all. Half of what he ever heard her say was some excuse to either Harvey or a teacher. What kind of game was she playing? Or rather, what kind of ulterior lifestyle was she living? She would be seen in one place one minute and then in a totally different place the next. No woman on earth could possibly move that fast! The strange excuses, weird diversions, and even weirder family members made absolutely no sense. It was frustrating for Brad that this girl had Harvey wrapped around her finger like a lock of her hair. Messing with Harvey, toying with his good nature and Harvey, in his sweet oblivious manner, just took it all like a champ. He rarely questioned her about anything. Why? Brad thought to himself. Why let her get away with her bullshit?

"I hate it, too."

Brad snapped his head up at the sound of Harvey's voice. He stared into those smiling eyes for a moment too long then quickly asked, "What?"

"Your locker, man, I hate mine, too. It always gets stuck like yours but I eventually get it open. If I kick it. Twice."

Brad chuckled, a bit nervous at getting caught off guard. He hadn't realized he was taking his anger out on the locker door.

"Yeah, I do hate it. Makes me late for class all the time."

"It's cool. We got 2 minutes. Hey, did you see Grizzly Terror 4 is coming out this weekend?" He smirked at Brad, waiting for a response.

"Uh-Nah, I didn't see that. Really? This weekend for sure?"

"Yeah, man, I've been waiting for it so we can go watch it together."

Brad's skin tingled and he could feel goosebumps on his arms. He knew it wouldn't be a date by any means but just the thought, the small inkling, that it could be was enough to excite him. He inhaled sharply and nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds great. I would love to go."

"Sweet! I'll see what Sabrina's doing Saturday and we can all go," he replied. It took everything in Brad to stifle the irritated groan bubbling in his throat. Did she have to accompany him everywhere? Couldn't Harvey do anything by himself?

"Yeah, uh, sounds good..." Brad lied.

"Great!" Brad finished grabbing his biology book and they both headed for class.

Biology was a bust, as was every other class until the day ended. Brad couldn't concentrate or focus so his classes were a jumbled blur of teachers rattling on about who knows what as he sat there, imagining all the different scenarios in which Harvey would dump Sabrina. He could put his foot down, say he's had enough of her strange antics. He could push her aside and tell her how Brad is The One for him and only Brad... The latter made his heart flutter a bit. He inhaled shakily and relaxed into his desk chair. If only...

The shrill bell signaling the end of class brought him out of his daze. He quickly grabbed his things and shoved it all into his backpack while students blew past him ready to go home.

Just as he went through the front doors of the school, he happened upon Harvey and Sabrina parting ways.

"See you tomorrow, Harvey!" she smiled, her white teeth on display, and blue eyes twinkling. Harvey waved at her, his face completely smitten, which Brad obviously noticed as he cringed inwardly. He was going to avoid him but Harvey called out to him.

"Hey, Brad, wait up!"

"Hey", Brad replied, stopping for a moment and adjusting his backpack.

"You wanna study with me tonight? I was gonna ask Sabrina but she has to visit some family with her aunts. Some kind of wierd Spellman tradition she said." Harvey chuckled, scratching his head as he seemed confused but nonetheless accepting. Wierd is fucking right, Brad thought to himself.

"Yeah, no problem, bud. I got a test coming up Friday, anyway. We can go to my place," he offered. Brad's father was working late so it would be a great chance to be alone.

"All right! Let's go!" Harvey nodded excitedly. The strands of his hair shone under the afternoon sun, and the short sleeves of his black tee just barely fit over his muscles. Brad took a mental picture and saved it for later.

After a brisk walk through town, they made it to Brad's two-story home. They settled in upstairs in his room and after a few attempts to study, the conversation eventually turned to their social lives.

"You should totally ask her out!" Harvey urged.

"Nah, I gotta focus on football. I don't need some chick whining about how I'm always at practice"

"True but we don't practice everyday."

"Yeah but look at Damien. Coach lost it when he missed a few practices cause of that Amanda shit. And for what? They broke up like just last week," Brad argued.

Harvey smirked and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. I was just thinking you deserve to be happy with somebody like how I'm happy with Sabrina."

Brad pursed his lips, suppressing a groan of disapproval. He nodded his head as if to say I know what you mean but inwardly he was screaming in frustration. It was a beautiful sentiment for his best friend to care so much but, damn it, Harvey didn't realize his sappy remarks were like stones against Brad's glass heart. He shifted uncomfortably on his bed.

"Uh- I'm gonna go to the restroom real quick, I'll be back."

Brad strode over to his hallway bathroom and hurriedly slammed the door. He needed a break from the books, from the girl talk, from Harvey Kinkle being literally a foot away from him on his own bed. He gripped the edges of the sink and watched as the blood left his knuckles. He exhaled slowly though flared nostrils and stared up at the mirror, at his short black hair, his blemish-free brown skin, and thick eyebrows. He wasn't bad looking. A ton of girls had asked him out ever since he came back to Westbridge. They batted their gloppy, spidery lashes at him, smiled their sickly glossy lips, and did their best to get close to him or "accidentally" bump into him. Those false, cutesy acts did nothing for him. He wondered if Sabrina did the same to Harvey. Did she playfully touch his arm when they spoke? Did she lightly brush her tits against him to get his attention? O no, not pure and innocent Sabrina Spellman... Maybe she conned her way into his life, manipulated him, like some sort of wierd magic--

"Hey, sorry, are you almost done? I really gotta go!" Harvey's sudden knock and urgent pleading knocked Brad out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, hold up." He turned the faucet on, ran his hands through the cold water for just a second, then hastily dried them on the towel he had draped over the side rack. He smoothed his hair back a bit then opened the door.

"All yours, Kinkle."

That night, Brad let his imagination run wild as he always did. Scenes of heartfelt confessions and passionate love-making were running rampant tonight.

Harvey. Why can't you just fucking see...

He sighed, clenching his eyes and throwing his arm over his face. He was lying back on his bed, the same bed Harvey sat on a few hours earlier. They mostly goofed off instead of really studying but he didnt care. Brad swore he could smell his scent in the comforter still, a fresh, almost woodsy, scent. He thought about the body wash Harvey used. Maybe he could ask him. Then, maybe he could gift him a bottle of it for his birthday or Christmas. Make him a small gift basket. Body wash, cologne, his favorite snacks--

"Fuck!", he uttered and annoyedly shifted onto his side. As if. He could never do that, he could never get the guts to do something so brazen. A gift like that would be too sentimental, too heartfelt and what if Harvey looked at him funny?

His birthday wasn't even close, what the hell was he thinking about gifts for anyway?

Brad stared at the beige wall and again turned to his imagination and conjured up images of Harvey, shirtless, smiling, begging Brad to just touch him, anywhere and everywhere. He shifted onto his back again on the bed and moved his hand down to the waistband of his red boxers. His hand grasped his warm cock and balls together, making him moan softly. He stroked swiftly, already getting hard so fast. It was Harvey. This is what you do to me. I'm so hard for you. He pretended it was Harvey's hand expertly gliding up his shaft, rubbing the tip with his thumb, kissing Brad's shoulder then his chest, his wet tongue all over his nipples, the cool air making them harder, the rough kisses that followed and Harvey staring into his eyes, staring into his soul and demanding him to come.

...In just moments, he finished. He never lasted long when it came to Harvey. Brad wiped himself off with a dirty shirt then went to bed, satisfied and yet unfulfilled.