“Rory!” I said, skipping over to him.

                “What?” he grumbled, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

                I pouted and reached out, smacking his face. “Look at me when I talk to you!”

                “Evan, you are so obnoxious!” he snapped, opening his eyes to glare at me.

                “I want to talk to Sebastian today. Help me figure out how to get him alone,” I said, ignoring whatever he had just said. I was more important than him. My problems came first.

                “Gee Evan, I wonder if you could, oh I don’t know, ASK HIM IF YOU CAN TALK TO HIM IN PRIVATE!” Rory cried in irritation.

                “You do not have to raise your voice,” I said sternly. “Inside voices, please.”

                Rory rubbed his temples and shook his head at me. “I hate you so much,” he groaned. “I don’t know why I put up with you.”

                The bell rang and I grabbed Rory’s hand, dragging him with me towards the lockers. I released his hand as I reached my locker.

                Rory slumped against the locker next to me and I glanced at him curiously. “Aren’t you going to go to your locker?” I asked curiously.

                Rory shook his head, watching me put in my combination. “No,” he said.

                “But you’re still wearing your jacket and it’s really hot in the school,” I said, noticing that he was even starting to sweat a little.

                “I’m cold,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll put it in my locker if I get too warm.”

                I shrugged and pulled my locker open. I exchanged a few books before shutting my locker and turning to head to class. My eyes widened a little and I jumped behind Rory in terror as my eyes landed on Jason and Kyle, who had already been watching me carefully.

                “Come on. I’m not being late to class just because you’re afraid of a couple of assholes,” Rory said impatiently, dragging me down the hall.

                Jason and Kyle watched me as we passed by them. Jason dragged his finger across his throat, indicating that they were going to kill me next time they caught me without Rory.

                Psh, what babies! Not trying to kill me just because I was with Rory! Man, I was glad I wasn’t a pathetic coward like them!

                We made our way to class. When lunch rolled around, I went to my locker and put in my combination. I pulled my locker open and grabbed my lunch, my arm trembling slightly.

                I was finally going to ask Sebastian how he felt about me. What if he didn’t like me? I understand that I’m Evan Sudlow and I’m sexy and amazing, but Sebastian was straight, and that was just the harsh reality of the situation.

                Or, at least, I had thought he was straight. Until he, ya know, started grinded on me in the locker room.

                “Well, look who doesn’t have his best friend around to protect him.”

                My eyes widened as Jason’s voice reached my ears. I slammed my locker and turned to run, slamming right into Jason.

                He grabbed me and smirked down at me. “Hey there faggot,” he said pleasantly, shoving me over to Kyle, who gripped my arms tightly.

                “I don’t like the word faggot,” I said. “Or the word mustard. But we’ll focus on faggot right now since you didn’t actually say mustard. Gah, what an awful word. Mustard.”

                “Shut up,” Jason said.

                I shut up instantly and he smirked. He cracked his knuckles and stepped towards me. “We didn’t get to finish our little conversation last time since Amsel interrupted us,” he said.

                “And he’s going to interrupt you again.”

                “Sebastian!” I cried, relief flooding through me.

                He calmly walked over to us and shoved Kyle off of me. “I told you not to do this to Evan again,” he said flatly.

                That’s right Sebastian. Protect me like the good boyfriend you are! Even thought you don’t know you’re my boyfriend yet. But that’s okay!

                “Why do you keep protecting him Amsel? He’s a fucking faggot!” Jason said angrily.

                “Such vulgarity,” Sebastian said, shaking his head at Jason. “I really hate that word. And I’m starting to really hate you.”

                Sebastian stepped forward and Jason nervously took a step back. Jason was by no means short or weak. He was quite tall and muscular looking. But Sebastian matched his height, was much more muscular than him, and was much, much more intimidating. I would not want to piss Sebastian Amsel off.

                “I don’t have patience for people like you and Kyle. You don’t want to make me mad. Believe me when I say you don’t want to be on my bad side,” Sebastian snarled, a dangerous grin on his face.

                Even I shrank back nervously. Note to self: Never make Sebastian mad. Ever.

                Aw, who am I kidding? He couldn’t get mad at me. I was too cute and lovable for that.

                “You two are going to leave Evan alone. Do you hear me?” Sebastian asked, grabbing a fistful of Jason’s shirt and getting right in his face as he spoke.

                “Yea Sebastian. Loud and clear,” Jason said, fear in his eyes.

                Sebastian dragged Jason over to me and grabbed Kyle’s shirt as well. Kyle gulped in fear. Sebastian forced them to face me and smiled pleasantly.

                “Now apologize to Evan,” he said.

                “Sorry Evan,” Jason and Kyle choked out at the same time.

                Sebastian released them and shoved them backwards. “Get out of my sight. Don’t let me see you bothering Evan again. Next time I won’t be so nice about it,” he said, that dangerous grin back on his face.

                The two bullies scrambled down the hallway together and disappeared out of sight. Sebastian chuckled and turned to me.

                “Are you alright?” he asked.

                I nodded at him. Sebastian bent down and picked up my lunch, which I must have dropped when they grabbed me. I barely remembered dropping it.  

                Sebastian straightened up and handed it to me, offering me that breathtaking smile of his. “Let’s go to lunch. I’m starving,” he said.

                “Wait!” I said as he turned to leave. I suddenly remembered that I had to talk to him, and now was the perfect chance. We were alone together. “I have to talk to you Sebastian!”

                Sebastian turned to with a knowing look in his eyes. He already knew what I wanted to talk to him about.

                He smirked and stepped close to me. He gently stroked my cheek and I found myself getting lost in his beautiful eyes.

                “Can’t it wait until after lunch, Evan? I’m really hungry,” he said.

                No, no, no! Evan, do NOT give in! I needed to talk to him and figure everything out right now. God only knows when I’d get Sebastian alone again to talk to him.

                “No…I really need to…talk…about…” I struggled, fishing around my brain as I continued to drown in his eyes.

                “Talk about what?” he asked, his hot breath on my neck making me shiver.

                Hm. What did I have to talk to him about again? How sexy he was? How he should just get the hell inside me already? How much I wanted his d-

                “So, lunch then?” he asked.

                “I…guess,” I said.

                Sebastian turned and I watched his ass as he strut down the hall towards the cafeteria. He paused and turned back to me curiously.

                “Aren’t you coming?” he asked.

                “I will be with the image of that ass in my mind tonight,” I mumbled.

                “What was that?”

                “I said yea.”

                I hurried to catch up to him. As we entered the cafeteria, I suddenly remembered what I had to talk to him about.

                Hey! Sebastian tricked me by distracting me with his eyes! No fair. That’s cheating, Sebby. That’s right. Since he cheated, I was going to call him Sebby from now on.

                “Why are you pouting?” Sebastian asked, glancing at me as we headed towards our table.

                “I’m mad at you Sebby,” I said simply.

                His lips twitched a little and I had to hold back my smug look. Now I knew how to really irritate him.

                “You’ve never called me that before,” he said, trying to remain pleasant and casual.

                “I like the sound of it. I think I’m going to start calling you Sebby from now on,” I said with a shrug.

                “I would prefer it if you didn’t,” Sebastian said, very slight irritation slipping into his voice.

                “Why not Sebby?” I asked innocently.

                “I don’t like to be called Sebby. It’s not my name. My name is Sebastian,” he said as we reached the table and sat down together.

                “Uh-oh. Evan’s pissing Sebastian off,” Murphy said in amusement.

                “I’m not pissed,” Sebastian said calmly. “I’m just trying to remind Evan that my name is not Sebby. I don’t like to be called Sebby.”

                “Well, come on Sebby. Let’s go get slushies,” Murphy said, standing up and snickering.

                Sebastian pouted, looking absolutely adorable, and stood up as well. He smacked Murphy in the arm and grumbled at him as they walked away from the table.

                “I bet Sebastian would love to know that Evan is just your nickname,” Rory said.

                “Hush up Rory,” I whined. “Now, I need to find a way to get Sebastian alone. Help me out here.”

                Rory rolled his eyes at me. “Tell him your dad needs both of you to help him move some stuff around his room. Get Sebastian alone in the empty classroom in the English hall. The one that’s a few away from your dad’s room.”

                “You’re a genius!” I said joyfully, flinging my arms around him.

                Rory sighed and pat my back. “Yea, yea, yea.”

                Sebastian and Murphy returned. I waited until Sebastian was done eating before turning my attention to him.

                “My dad texted me. He needs our help moving some stuff around his room,” I said.

                Sebastian shrugged and stood up. “Sure,” he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

                I got up and the two of us left the cafeteria together and began to walk towards the English wing. I kept my eyes peeled for the classroom Rory had mentioned.

                “THERE!” I shrieked joyfully when I saw it.

                I shoved Sebastian into the classroom roughly before slamming the door. I turned to face Sebastian, who had managed to catch his balance on a desk.

                “Evan, if you wanted me alone, you could’ve just asked to talk to me alone,” he pointed out, raising an eyebrow as he straightened himself up.

                “I tried to talk to you in the hall but you used your eyes to cheat!” I whined.

                Sebastian smiled innocently, trying to hide the smug look in his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

                “Liar,” I grumbled.

                But then I realized that he was trying to get me to meet his eyes so that he could do it again. I immediately dropped my gaze down to my feet, determined to get my freaking answer.

                “Please look at me Evan.”

                His voice was close to me, and I realized he had been towards me. I shook my head stubbornly and grabbed his hand before he could grab my chin.

                “Sebastian, tell me right now if you like me or not!” I demanded fiercely.

                “We’re friends, Evan,” Sebastian said curiously.

                “You know that’s not what I mean. Do you have feelings for me, or are you just messing with my head? I won’t look up at you until you answer! You’re not getting away until I have an answer!”

                “I don’t have feelings for you Evan,” he said.

                But I slowly brought my eyes up to meet his quickly. They didn’t hold their usual confidence. There was doubt in them, I was positive of it.

                I stepped forward and, completely surprising me, Sebastian stepped back. I continued to back him up until he was against the wall, suddenly looking nervous and caught off-guard.

                “I don’t have feelings for you!” he repeated, but this time he looked slightly desperate.

                I had never, NEVER, seen Sebastian Amsel look or sound like this before. He always managed to keep his calm composure.

                “I think you do,” I said, grinning a little.

                “I don’t!” he said, trying to sound firm. But it came out shaky.

                Without hesitating, I cupped Sebastian’s face in my hands and crashed my lips to his before he could pull away from me.

                Sebastian didn’t do anything at first, but then he was kissing me back. He wrapped his arms around my neck, pulling me closer to himself.

                I moved my hands from his face to his hair, tangling them in it. It was so, so soft. I pulled his face closer to mine, wanting him.

                Our lips worked together perfectly and naturally. Sebastian bit my bottom lip and I opened my mouth, allowing his tongue in.

                Our tongues battled together fiercely. My hands moved from Sebastian’s hair down to his shirt. They slid up under it and I pressed my body against his, my hands rubbing up and down his smooth chest.

                Sebastian finally broke away from me, his eyes wide and disbelieving. I pulled my hands back to my side reluctantly.

                “Holy shit,” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair, which was still lying perfectly even after I had been gripping it and messing it up.

                He should sell his hair to science. He’d make a ton of money. People would kill to have hair as perfect as Sebastian’s.

                Wait, no! If he sold his hair to science, that meant that he wouldn’t have it anymore! He couldn’t lose his hair!

                “Sebastian, don’t sell your hair to science! It’s not worth it. I’ll lend you money if you’re that poor,” I said in concern.

                Sebastian stared at me, confusion mixing with the disbelief in his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about Evan? I’m not poor and I’m not selling my hair to science.”

                “Oh. Whoops, that was just a scenario in my head,” I said nervously, rubbing the back of my neck. “Never mind then. Carry on.”

                Sebastian began to stroke my cheek, his hand trembling. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine gently before pulling away.

                “Fine,” he groaned. “I admit it. I like you. A lot more than I should.”

                I stared at him, my heart feeling like it was going to burst with joy. Sebastian Amsel liked me. Me!

                I flung myself at him and he caught me and stumbled back, hitting the wall again. He gave me a weak smile and hugged me back with a sigh.

                “You’re such a moron,” he whispered.

                “You love it,” I said with a grin.

                I rested my head on his chest and we stood there together. I had never been so happy in my entire life.

                There was the still the issue of me being in the closet, but I would handle that. There was also the issue that Sebastian and I weren’t officially dating. But…I had a feeling that would change very, very shortly. And I was damn happy about it.