"Come on Miles, he just looked over here, now's your chance."
"Maya I-"
"Stop saying that you can't, just talk to him already."
"Tristan, wait!"
Before Miles even realized what was happening, his feet had carried him halfway across the cafeteria. He stopped, his sudden burst of confidence faltering.
But when Tristan turned around, Miles saw something in Tristan's eyes that he hadn't seen in weeks, hope. His usually cold, guarded glare had softened just a little, and seeing Tristan thaw gave Miles the strength to speak up again.
He took a few steps forward.
"Look I know that I said I would give you space but things just got really messed up and every day I rush to school just to be able to sit next to you and the silence Tris, the silence is killing me. I've sent you like a hundred messages and you never answer and I need you Tris. I know I'm selfish and I don't deserve you but I miss your smile and I miss your voice and I, I miss you."
The words rushed out of him, stumbling over one another, as if he had to get it all out before Tristan left again.
Tristan stared into Miles' eyes, searching for something.
"You say you want me and miss me, and I want to believe you Miles, but what will happen when something else goes wrong and you shut me out again?"
Miles began to protest but Tristan continued, his voice climbing as he spoke.
"What will you just run away to her again? She's obviously a far better choice than me so why would you need me anyways?"
"It's not like that, we're just friends", Miles shouted back as Maya nodded her head fervently behind him.
"Please Tris, I'm so so sorry, and if you let me I'll spend every day proving it to you."
The tension in the cafeteria was thick, most people had already left, with just a few stragglers curiously watching. Maya, Winston, Frankie, and Zoe stood frozen in place, watching with bated breath.
"Why? Why do you even care? Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Miles gave an exasperated sigh.
"Because I love you, you idiot!"
And suddenly the space between the two boys was gone and Tristan had Miles' face in his hands, their lips crashing together. Miles put a hand on the back of Tristan's neck, pulling him even closer, gratefully melting into the kiss that his body had been aching for for so long. Tristan snaked one hand into Miles' hair, resting the other on his shoulder, welding their bodies together, never wanting to let go. The world around them slipped away and in that moment, nothing existed but them. When they finally broke apart, Tristan leaned into Miles, resting his forehead against his, slightly dizzy.
"I love you too", he breathed, his lips brushing up against Miles'.
"Um, guys, I hate to interrupt the moment but the bell rang like 5 minutes ago…"
"Seriously Winston, now is not the time." Frankie scolded him, grabbing her bag as the two of them turned to leave.
"Yeah, um, we really should get going." Maya walked over and pulled a reluctant Zoe out of the room.
"Why do I always have to miss all the fun?" Zoe whined as she and Maya disappeared down the hall.
Miles and Tristan broke away from one another, but Miles grabbed onto Tristan's hand, lacing their fingers together. Tristan looked down hesitantly at their interlocked hands, self-doubt beginning to creep up again.
I'm not good enough.
Tristan shook his head slightly, trying to ignore the biting voice.
"Tris?"
"Yeah?" Tristan met Miles' eyes, his heart melting at the look that Miles was giving him. God how he had missed that look.
"Thank you for giving me a second chance."
"Well, just don't screw it up," Tristan gave him a small smile as they began walking out of the cafeteria and to the greenhouse.