[I edited the last chapter. You might want to read it again.]
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Flashback Saturday afternoon
"You're not him."
A cold monotone voice welcomed him when he reached the Cafe they agreed to meet. He ignored it and sat in front of him and studied his face.
'He really seemed like an empty shell.'
Lucas stands up and leaves. He follows him thinking of what to do next.
'I actually went here without a plan. I have to hurry up, Gray will be done soon.'
"Lucas." He tried to call to no avail leaving him no choice but to grab him on his wrist in attempt to stop him from walking. Lucas flinches and backs away.
'There, an expression.'
"I'll pretend I never see that." Castle says as he look at Lucas rubbing his wrist that he just held. He is wearing a green jacket amidst the heat.
"What do you want?" Still, in monotone he asked.
"Who are you?"
'Why is Gray so curious about you?' He can't seem to utter what's on his mind so his mouth hanged open for a second before closing it again, unable to continue.
"Where is he?"
Castle sighs. "What do you want from him? You suddenly changed like that, and for what reason?"
"I was always like this."
For a brief second, he felt like he saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes, though he weren't so sure about it.
"Do you like him?"
"Yes."
-
"Castle!"
A loud voice interrupted him from talking. He blinked twice and saw that he's still at the cafeteria, eating with his soccer friends.
"What's wrong? You haven't touched your food." Marcus, one of his friend asked, almost shouting because of the noise around the place.
He shakes in head as an answer and continued eating.
"Anyway, where's Gray? Why aren't you with him?"
"He went to eat with a friend." It almost tasted bitter saying that word but he refrain from showing it.
He chuckled. "Wow. Gray's really friendly, huh? To thinks that he left his best friend for a friend! Are you okay?"
"You idiot. I don't even own him."
"At least! I would feel hurt if he do that to me. How dare you be with someone else and leave me behind." The group roared into laughs but he remained quiet.
"It doesn't really matter to me. It was my decision to leave them."
"Aren't you a martyr?" Another laugh echoes through. He grins and smacks his head to stop from going on.
"I don't have to be with him 24/7, you idiot."
"Whatever you say. Anyway, have you heard..."
Castle felt like someone staring at him so he glances up and looks around only to see a bunch of students flocking the cafeteria.
'I must be imagining things.' He shakes his head and eats again.
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Flashback Saturday
"I know it's not true."
"What do you know about it?"
"Whatever it is that you want to achieved, stop it right now. He has gone through a lot already, don't add on to it."
"I asked you, what do you know about it? For you to tell about how I feel. Who are you to say that?"
"Then why are you doing this?"
"And you? Why are you doing this?"
-
"You're here already?" Castle asked when he saw Gray sitting on his chair. He nodded and went on with his drawings.
"You seem to really like that drawing, huh?"
"Yeah. It gives me a piece of mind."
"Something bothering you?"
Gray shake his head. "No. It's just lately I've been thinking about a lot of things."
"That's rare."
"Tsk."
He grinned at his reaction. "About Lucas?"
Gray went quiet and Castle thought he hit a bullseye.
'He' s so easy to read.'
"I really can' t figure him out."
"You know, you need to stop that. He's not a puzzle that needs to be figured out. Let him be. He will open up when he wants to. Forcing him like that won't do you any good."
"I guess you were right. I just can't help it."
"It's your curiosity with him that leads you to this. If only you just leave him alone..."
Gray stops drawing and stares at him.
"What?"
"I got a feeling that you don't like him."
"Ha? What made you say that?"
"You seemed so hostile with him. You weren't like that with others."
Castle sighs. "It's not that I don't like him. I was just confused about him. The way his attitude seemed to change, don't you find it confusing?"
"I do." Gray's eyes seems to follow someone so he turns around and sees Lucas heading towards his seat. And just like his usual routine, he stares at the window and shuts himself off to everyone else. "He's really confusing me."
"But... He didn't ignore you, right? You went to eat with him."
"And he left me soon after." He continues drawing again. "I really don't know. The more I think about it, the more it gets confusing. Maybe you were right. I just need to let him be. Maybe I am really forceful towards him."
"Just give him time, Gray. Who knows? Maybe that's what he needs." He proceeded to pat his shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
He secretly glances at Lucas only to find him already staring at him.
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[My apologies for the late upload. I got sick.]