The librarian glared from the counter, her sharp eyes narrowing at the commotion. Stuart sheepishly bent to take off his shoes. "Sorry," he muttered.
His gaze shifted to Caleb—healthy, beautiful Caleb. Should I just apologize? he thought. I ditched him for the tryouts. Yeah, smooth move, Stuart. He took a deep breath, willing his nerves to settle as he approached the table.
Gently, he pulled out the chair. Caleb's eyes flickered up from the open book, just for a second, before returning to the page.
"I ditched tryouts," Stuart whispered.
"Should I be proud of that?" Caleb said, his tone flat, eyes still locked on the book.
Stuart fidgeted in his chair, leaning closer to catch a glimpse of the title. "What are you reading?"
"Biology," Caleb replied curtly.
"Screw biology. You should learn computer science," Stuart said, tugging playfully at the book's edge.
That got Caleb's attention. His head shot up, eyes sharp and questioning. He leaned back, crossing his arms. "What's your problem? You ditch this session for tryouts, then show up like nothing happened?"
Stuart shrugged, his smile faltering. "Lucky our moms are best friends, huh?"
Before Caleb could respond, a soft vibration buzzed from his phone. He glanced at the screen and picked up the call.
"Hey," Caleb said, his brows knitting together as the voice on the other end rose in distress.
"Really? That's awful," Caleb murmured, his tone softening. He listened intently, occasionally nodding.
"No, no, it's okay. It happens. You shouldn't get a taxi—it's rush hour," Caleb said, his voice tinged with concern. "I'll just see you tomorrow, okay?"
The call ended, and Caleb set his phone down, his expression unreadable.
"Who was that?" Stuart asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
"Austin. Why?"
"Nothing," Stuart muttered, though his clenched jaw betrayed his irritation. Rising abruptly, he made his way to the counter, his mind swirling.
Austin. That lunatic.
Images from the future flooded his mind: a bustling café, the gentle laughter of a child, and Caleb sitting too close to Austin. The audacity—divorced with a kid and still chasing Caleb. His fists tightened as a bitter thought crept in.
I wouldn't mind if that plane crash happened again.
Shaking the memory away, Stuart exhaled sharply. Lucky Caleb rejected him.
The register clicked open, and the librarian slid the change across the counter on top of a notebook and pen.
Stuart turned, ready to head back to the table, but a figure brushed past him.
Austin.
Tall as the shelves, back drenched in sweat, and pushing up his dictionary-thick glasses like a professor at a marathon. Stuart's lips twisted. I don't know what Caleb sees in him.
Good-looking? Stuart sized him up. Meh. Average at best. His gaze lingered on Austin's nervous fidgeting. Okay, maybe he's smart. And yeah, money—son of a pilot, so no shock there.
Stuart strode back in long, deliberate strides, his annoyance mounting as he noticed how Caleb's guarded expression softened when Austin sat down. It was a look he hadn't seen in years—one that fumed him.
"Hey," Stuart said, pulling a chair noisily and perching on the edge of the table like he owned the place.
Austin flinched, clearly startled. "Oh," he said, glancing nervously at Stuart before turning back to Caleb, as if Stuart didn't exist.
Caleb barely hid his irritation, his gaze darting between them.
"I was thinking of taking accounts next year," Austin said, his voice soft and tentative.
Did he just ignore me? Stuart's jaw tightened. The audacity.
"I'm taking accounts too," Stuart blurted, forcing his way into the conversation.
Caleb's lips twitched, and then he snorted—a dry, sharp laugh that felt like a slap.
"You?" Caleb said, leaning back in his chair with a raised brow. "Accounts? You."
"What's so funny about that?" Stuart snapped, his voice a touch louder than intended.
Caleb's smirk widened, his tone mocking. "You can't even pass algebra. You don't even know calculus. And now you think you're going into accounting?" He shook his head, his disdain clear.
Stuart flushed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the table. What the hell, Caleb?
Austin shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing between the two of them. "Um, I—I should probably…"
"No, stay," Caleb said, his voice softening instantly, as though Stuart wasn't there.
Stuart swallowed hard, his chest tightening as he looked between them. You have no idea, Caleb. None.
As the hours dragged on, the three of them studied in relative silence, punctuated only by the sound of flipping pages, scribbling pens, and occasional questions tossed across the table.
Stuart couldn't help but notice a pair of eyes drifting in his direction every so often. Caleb? He thought, daring a glance. Wow, it'd be nice if he actually acknowledged my effort for once.
A small smile tugged at Stuart's lips as he jotted down notes, his chest swelling with a flicker of pride.
But when he raised his head again, his focus wandered. He found himself staring at Caleb—studying Caleb. The way his brow furrowed in concentration, the slight pout of his lips as he chewed on the end of his pen.
Caleb paused, sensing the attention, and turned toward Stuart.
Stuart immediately ducked back into his notebook, cheeks burning.
Time passed, the tension gradually easing as they debated formulas.
"I think this is the formula we should use," Austin said, tapping the edge of the book with his pen. "It's asking for different coordinates."
"No, the template the teacher provided makes more sense," Caleb countered, pointing at the textbook with certainty.
Stuart smirked, the hint of a challenge gleaming in his eyes. He casually spun his notebook around and slid it across the table toward them.
Both Caleb and Austin leaned in to read what he'd written.
"You're both wrong," Stuart said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "That's the answer."
Austin blinked, flipping to the back of the book for confirmation. He nodded, lips parting in surprise. "Huh. He's right."
Caleb narrowed his eyes at Stuart, leaning back in his chair with a skeptical huff. "You obviously memorized it."
Stuart raised a brow, his tone cool. "You've had the book the whole time. When would I have the chance to cheat?"
Caleb opened his mouth but was cut off as the librarian approached, her footsteps light but firm.
"Library closes in ten," she said briskly, her gaze shifting between them.
"Okay, thanks," Caleb said, flashing her a polite smile before turning his attention back to the table.
Stuart leaned back, arms crossed, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. Caleb might be unimpressed, but he knew he'd scored a small victory.
As the librarian locked the door behind them, the three of them stepped out into the cool evening air. Caleb and Austin walked ahead, their conversation flowing easily, while Stuart lingered a few steps behind, his thoughts a blur.
This is still a lot to take in, he thought, trailing after them, his gaze flicking absently from their backs to the shadowy stairs they'd just descended. He barely registered their chatter as snippets of their words floated back to him.
"Want a drink? It's on me," Austin said, his tone casual but warm.
Stuart frowned, his mind tugging at something just out of reach. Am I forgetting something? His eyes darted toward the staircase behind them, his footsteps slowing slightly.
"Well, an iced lemon tea sounds nice," Caleb replied, his voice light with a hint of a smile.
Something's missing, Stuart thought, his brows furrowing as his stomach tightened.
"What if they're out?" Austin asked, his voice teasing.
"Then cold cocoa," Caleb said, without missing a beat.
Austin chuckled. "What if that runs out?" he asked, his voice dropping slightly, playful yet pointed.
"You should follow me," he added, a barely-there edge to his words.
That's when it clicked.
Stuart's heart sank as his chest tightened. That's it. He swallowed hard, his steps faltering for a brief second. He's going to ask Caleb out.
As Caleb and Austin made their way to the vending machine in front of the lab, Stuart followed quietly, keeping his distance. He stopped near one of the tall pillars, leaning casually against it while shamelessly eavesdropping.
The machine whirred, followed by the soft clink of coins sliding into place. A thud echoed as the first drink dropped.
"Thanks," Caleb said, his voice polite but neutral.
"Caleb," Austin started, his tone carrying a subtle nervousness.
Stuart's ears perked up. He craned his neck slightly, careful not to make a sound.
There was a faint zip—Austin's bag, maybe? Stuart stiffened, his mind jumping to the worst possible conclusion. Stop. It's not what you think. He wouldn't… not in public.
"I don't know if you would…" Austin continued, his voice trailing off, "…but I don't want to give the wrong idea."
Stuart frowned, trying to piece together what he was hearing.
"Is this private?" Caleb asked, his tone intrigued but cautious. "So, this shouldn't be in anyone else's hands, right?"
What the hell are they talking about? Stuart's chest tightened, and he pressed closer to the pillar, straining to hear.
The shuffle of footsteps pulled his attention back as Caleb and Austin moved past him, drinks in hand. Stuart quickly straightened, pretending to adjust his shoe as they walked by, their conversation fading into the night.
Did I mess up the timeline? Stuart wondered, his thoughts racing.
Then it hit him. A flashback surfaced—a memory of what should have happened. At the top of the stairs, Austin had handed Caleb an envelope and hugged him, in private.
But that moment didn't happen this time.
That changed, Stuart thought, watching their figures grow smaller in the distance. A chill ran down his spine. What else is different? Will it still be there?
Stuart ran to his bike, slipping on his helmet as he did. A quick twist of the ignition and he sped off, the roar of the engine filling the air.
He cut through the neighborhood, passing the familiar small town with its shoplots, nothing had changed—yet he pushed on until he reached it: Caleb's family shop.
Up ahead, Stuart saw Caleb entering the shop—tired, hopeless, dragging his way through the door.
Stuart watched him with teary eyes, his heart aching. He's still stuck in that world, Stuart thought as he saw Caleb lifting large boxes over the freezer.
As the hours ticked by, Stuart sat on his motorcycle, watching Caleb from a distance. He saw Caleb studying by the counter, the fluorescent lights casting a dull glow over him as his parents packed the frozen goods out of the freezer. The movers pulled the racks out of the walls, towing the freezer away from the store.
This is when he started smoking, Stuart thought, staring at Caleb with a fierce determination in his eyes. No, I'm not going to let that happen.
Suddenly, an idea struck him—one that felt like a long shot but could work. His heart raced as he fumbled for his phone, his fingers trembling as he scrolled through the contacts. Finally, he pressed Call.
"Mom," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know this is a big favor..."