The week had been dragging on for someone who longed for the arrival of Friday.
Theodore believed that having been honest from the beginning was the best way to avoid trouble, since Gabriel walked away from him until the day the teacher had passed the work.
From what he could see, Gabriel had been close to Sadie Mckenzie and the school volleyball team. As expected his popularity grew as his athletic talent was honed by the coach.
The transferred pupil shone like the sun in the summer, under the clear eyes of Theodore. The brightness was so much that it could only be admired from afar.
It was somewhat disappointing, Theodore admitted, not having been able to develop a good friendship with the alpha. But it was way better than putting up with him and Nicolas fighting like they did in the cafeteria two weeks ago.
It seemed that his routine had returned to normal until a certain teacher joined Theodore and Gabriel as a duo to do the job. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the blond had asked the question that had surrounded his thoughts in the last days and the answer had made him somewhat nervous.
No. No, not nervous.
Hopeful.
Gabriel had said he did not feel uncomfortable with his sexual orientation or his class.
The lack of reaction as if he had no interest in the matter had made Theodore's heart race. A handsome boy like that, popular athletic and an alpha, talked to you normally without caring about the rumours.
There's no way I wouldn't be happy about that.
For this reason Theodore eagerly awaited the arrival of Friday.
Unfortunately he had not been able to talk to Gabriel nor about the work. Every time he went to the volleyball court to deliver a report requested by Nicolas, he realized that the team trained intensively.
On Thursday, Theodore almost died when he reached the end of training and saw the boys taking off their sweaty shirts. Didn't have time to take a good look, for the shame on his face had caused him to look away before someone would implicate him.
But he was able to see a little.
A little... Wow. Gabriel had strong arms and a flat belly.
― What do you want to do in the vacant class?
Waking up from the daydreams, Theodore blinked a few times to remember that he was facing backwards talking to Nicolas. Shaking his head to dispel the thought of a certain shirtless person, he had opened a slightly false smile to disguise.
― Why, do you have training?
— The physical education teacher has already heard about the vacant class and wants to take the time to train. ― Grumbled Nicolas lying in his wallet lazily.
The embarrassed smile slowly disappeared.
He had imagined that Gabriel also could not escape from the grip of the coach, in that case. A slight sadness embraced him in thinking that things would not work out as well as he hoped.
He had watched Gabriel all week and his intuition practically screamed that the alpha would not be able to devote time to him to do the activity. Even if they had divided and it was only necessary to put together their answer sheets, Theodore wanted, and a lot, that they meet in the library as expected.
But Gabriel had not come.
On Friday they would meet in the library before school. Theodore waited anxiously and was frustrated. Although he still hoped they would talk in the classroom, but Gabriel had arrived late and had not even looked him in the face. So he took advantage of the distraction from class to do the rest of the work. At least they could get some grade if they delivered.
― Will you need my help? ― He was questioning the omega wanting to push away my own thoughts.
― No, we're playing with a team we already know. And it's just a friendly.
― Um... then I'll go to the library.
― You're reading Twilight, aren't you?
Theodore blushes violently averting his gaze in an obvious response, resulting in a sigh from his best friend.
― At least you'll be occupying your mind with something. I'll meet you at the library at the end of practice then.
When the signal rang informing the class exchange schedule, Theodore's classmates soon spread out across the school yard. He was the only one to stay inside the building, waiting for the path to be empty to calmly follow the corridors.
Not that he was running away from somewhere, not really. Just that walking to the library in silence was pleasurable. Theodore always longed for the books he would like to read between the shelves, wondering what the world would be that would invade the reading of the day.
He hoped that the school had gotten some copies of the new vampire series. It was a success that only among the girls, of which Theodore was unable to ignore.
Now, a girl falling in love with a vampire. The story had to be fantastic! It was something new and exciting, since love and danger go hand in hand.
Wherever there was a chance to follow romances, Theodore was there. Faced with such excitement, he had come to jump on his way.
And when the librarian had pointed to the bookcase on which the new copies were kept, Theodore lacked to shout with emotion. Lucky for him, they were at the back of the library.
Drumming his fingers through the brochures, his clear eyes quickly read the titles until they found the new copy.
― What a huge book! ― Exclaimed the boy to look at the size of the book and compare it with the other two previous.
He had not wasted time, he sat there on the floor even with his back leaning against the shelf. He had opened the first pages of the book and began to plunge into the world of fantasy.
Unlike the protagonist, Theodore did not imagine being able to love a vampire. Even knowing that he would strive not to feed on human blood, that he was good, Theodore could not not feel afraid of having his life at risk constantly.
He would die in the first battle. End of story. Here lies Theodore Moss.
However, if all the danger were taken away... well the romance would be interesting. A popular boy for staying away from the others. A mysterious aura that surrounded him, involving ancient legends of the city. A strong man to the point of plucking a tree from the root..
Well, that would be exaggerated, Theodore imagined.
In the end what mattered to him was that he fell in love with a man who seemed weak when he was strong. Strong enough to protect him. Oh, surely that idea pleased Theodore.
His cheeks even blushed when he imagined himself in the arms of a faceless but strong fellow. His treacherous mind had soon tried to rescue the sight of a certain shirtless alpha, imagining the same embracing Theodore from behind...
― It seems an interesting reading ― Frightened with his voice low but close, Theodore had hit his head on the shelf ― Are you okay?
― I'm fine, it was just a scare.
Theodore raised his clear eyes and found Gabriel leaning on his knees, staring at him worried about his outstretched hand to touch his head. Standing in the last row of bookshelves near the window, the glare of the sun and the flowing white curtain created an angelic scene around the new student.
Oh, right. He looked like an angel, not a vampire.
Averting his eyes feeling his cheeks burn in blush, Theodore groped the ground until he found the book. The opened quickly looking for the page where he had stopped reading.
― Shouldn't be in training?
― Maybe I should, but I decided to look for you.
Lifting his head quickly, Theodore noticed that Gabriel sat next to him on the floor maintaining a certain closeness between them. Going to the side and increasing the distance, Theodore returned to face the book in hand.
He was still upset about your absence earlier.
― Why? Need something?
― We have a history job to do, don't we? We're a duo.
Blinking a few times Theodore agreed with his head then. With a confused countenance, and slightly indecisive, the blonde handed him the whispered words.
― I already did.
Gabriel's brown eyes widened in surprise.
― You mean your share, right?
― I mean, I answered every question.
Crossing his legs, Gabriel turned to Theodore.
― But we shared the work.
Ah, he had his eyebrows arched. He certainly looked angry. Theodore felt his heart racing with fear. Not afraid of Gabriel, but afraid to have irritated him.
― No problem, you seemed busy with the team.
He heard him sigh heavily. Theodore lowered his eyes to the book, rereading the same line a few times. Until he had given up and let himself be carried away by curiosity, looking at Gabriel out of the corner of his eye.
The alpha had his head leaning against the shelf, and his mood was somewhat difficult to interpret.
Would it have been bad for him to have done all the activity?
― Would you mind if we reviewed it? I'm not too happy to know that you did it all yourself.
Theodore was inevitably surprised by that. His fingers pressed the book at the same time that his heart was racing wildly. Turning his face again to Gabriel, he couldn't hide his surprise.
Would it be the first time that some boy, other than Nicolas, who would not leave all the duty on his back just to avoid him? Aside from that thought that had been around him all morning, he was completely upset.
― Can we?
― Ahn? Ah... Yes. But... the material is in the class.
― I'll get it. I'll change my uniform.
Gabriel had not allowed the other boy to answer him, so he got up and left the library.
Left behind, Theodore marked the page of the book with his index finger laying his forehead on his knees hugging his legs.
― That is very unfair...
His heart was pounding.
He was anxious.
When he finally believed he had managed to avoid a problem, Gabriel acted out of context. When he thought that the transferred student had met with the group itself and understood the limiting line, he decided to overcome.
Why were he talking to Theodore?
Come on, because of work.
Why were you worried that Theodore had done his duty all alone?
Why, for being kind and polite.
That was very unfair.
Rising from the ground to the round tables in another room of the library, Theodore sought the furthest. Dragging the chair and sitting there, he waited for the return of his classmate.
Laying his head on his arms, covering part of his face he could not control the blush of his face. Even blinking his eyes, the image of Gabriel wearing the physical education uniform crouching in front of him, with his hand outstretched and the worried look appeared in his mind making his heart race desperate.
He was hoping that wouldn't happen.
For a few minutes Theodore had prayed to heaven that it would not happen. Not to that person.
― Okay, here it is. I'm sorry I messed with your stuff.
Blinking slowly, Theodore listened to Gabriel's voice carefully, memorizing his tone and his words. Lifting his head and getting ready in the chair, he smiled the best way he could.
― It's all right, can we get started?
Pulling out his notebook and history book, Theodore had fanned the pages and handed the exercise sheets to his classmate. He avoided as much as possible to look at it or pay attention to any of its movements. He had even dragged his chair increasing the distance between them, fearing that his heart would betray him.
Theodore really wanted to fall in love.
He was eager to live love in high school.
But he wouldn't allow himself to be charmed by Gabriel.
― It's too far.
Theodore froze. He had not looked at him, nor breathed quietly. Forcing himself to open a masked smile, he continued to stare at the history book.
― The book? S-Sorry, I'll leave it there ― Theodore had said pushing the book to the middle of the table, ideal for both read.
― No. You're too far away.
Gabriel had pulled Theodore's chair close to him, shortening the entire distance between them. When clear eyes and rosy cheeks were directed at him with surprise, the alpha boy just smiled gently.
― If we stay too far away we'll have to speak loudly in the library, won't we?
Swallowing hard, Theodore hoped that in no way would he fall in love with the transfer student.