T w e n t y f o u r

Sam gazed up at the school stage, eyes wide and cheeks flushed with absolute bliss as he watched Felix sway and move to the music he and his band were playing. There was sweat on his brow, sliding down to his neck and making his top stick to him in all the right places, his usually straightened hair curling out from the humidity.

Ellen was grinning at the only audience member in the auditorium, hands wrapped around the mic as she sang her heart out into the empty room, filling every corner. She gave a side eye at Felix, winking and nodding towards the love-sick boy in the front row, a stupid grin on his face and the moon in his eyes. Felix flipped her off in the seconds he had a pause, expertly going back into the rhythm.

Sam hadn't returned since the day he was caught to watch them, maybe sometimes creeped outside the doors to listen without actually going in, too scared and embarrassed since neither Ellen or Felix had brought it up – hell, even the goth crew Sam had managed to hang about with on more than one occasion with Felix never mentioned it – but he knew they still remembered, if Ellen's smirks in his direction were any indication every time their band was mentioned, and he knew for a fact that they had realised just who exactly was the first one to like and save their newest songs on soundcloud.

Having the username skater4lyf wasn't exactly his stealthiest job of a disguise, he realised.

Still, on that particular Wednesday Felix had crowded him at the end of sixth period, hand on the wall beside his head and leaning in way too close, reminding Sam of their first actual encounters, but a lot more problematic, and asked him if he wanted to watch them practice.

"Really?" Sam blinked, Felix's tall shadow across his face as he leaned in.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it, Sam," Felix rolled his eyes. Sam chuckled nervously, refusing to stare at the glint of Felix's snakebites, anywhere but there.

Sam ended up going, obviously. Even if he didn't want to, it was hard to resist anything Felix asked of him. Sam was a mess.

"Enjoy that, snapback?" Ellen called over once they had finished their set and Sam had stopped clapping like a maniac, even causing Vlad to look pleased with himself and he rarely showed any emotion except deep anger. She moved towards the edge of the stage, thick soled boots thudding against the floor. She crouched down before rocking onto her butt, her dress spilling onto the floor.

"That was amazing," Sam gushed, moving towards her until putting out his hand to help her down as she jumped. His eyes lit up and body brimming with energy. "Like, the music is weird." Ellen frowned. "But it's good just..."

"Nah, I get it," she bared her white teeth, straightening out her dress. "You're more interested in whose in the band rather than what they are playing."

Sam went red from head to toe, but didn't deny it, a pleased smile on his lips.

"Ellen," Vlad called over. "Put away your shit!" He indicated to the mic still on its stand.

"V," Ellen put out her hand with attitude," I'm in the middle of a conversation."

"I swear to fuck Ellen, get your ass up here and put that away."

Ellen gave a guttering sound at the back of her throat. "He's the bane of my life."

"Ellen," he warned, looking up from where he was packing up his equipment.

"I'm coming, Jesus," she whipped back, sticking out her tongue. "Sorry I couldn't go more in depth with my teasing of you, Sam dearest."

Sam pursed his lips," no complaints here." Ellen laughed, and sauntered up the steps of the stage towards the mic just as Felix past her, adjusting the case on his shoulder.

"Ready?" he said as he approached, looking better than Sam had ever seen him.

Sam just stared at him, trying to process the words while being distracted by the tightness of his shirt. "Buh- what?"

Felix just chuckled, sliding his pale fingers around Sam's wrist and pulling him towards the exit on the left. "C'mon."

Sam let himself be dragged, daring not to look behind him to where Ellen was, knowing just the look she would be sporting towards them. No doubt he'd get relentlessly teased about it when he saw her again. Felix's hands were cold but it felt as though the touch was searing into Sam's skin, coursing through his veins and into his blood until it roared. Although they'd been spending more and more time together Sam couldn't get used to it, couldn't believe what was happening.

"Uh..." Sam managed, "don't you usually get a ride off of Vlad?"

Felix looked back at him, as the school halls lit automatically to their presence. Censored lights. "How do you know that?" He asked, and Sam snapped his mouth shut, trying to look as unsuspicious as possible. "Actually... I don't want to know, don't answer that. Yeah, usually, but... you know."

Sam didn't know, he couldn't make sense of it. Not now that Felix's hand was still wrapped around his wrist, moving down as if onto his palm. His mind was reeling and his legs were weak.

He made a vague incoherent noise anyway, hoping Felix didn't catch on. They left the building, meeting with the cool, sharp autumn air. It was then Felix dropped his hand, Sam tried not to look too disappointed, missing the way Felix's ears turned red in the dim light.

"How is it you're allowed to use the auditorium after hours anyway?" Sam asked, stepping into a sync walk beside Felix. They walked into a silent world, the only sound being single cars in the distance, birds that still hadn't took off for the winter and the soft roll of the wind in the air brushing through the trees and swirling around their feet and into the grass.

Felix lifted a hand and brushed it through his blonde hair, outing his dark roots on display. He looked at Sam, eyes glinting just as much as his piercings even in the shadows of the evening. "Mr. Lourdes has a soft spot for us." Mr Lourdes was the music teacher, head of the department.

He hated Sam.

"He hates me," Sam said, making Felix huff out of breathe of amused air.

"Yeah..." he looked at Sam. "He has mentioned that... a couple of times. To be fair, you did wreck his cello."

"It doesn't even get used, it sits in a corner!" Sam defended himself. "And Jake was the one that pushed me into it. It was not my fault."

Felix let out a thoughtful hum, eyes still on him." I heard you were trying to balance on two computer chairs and went head first into it."

Sam flushed. "That may have also been part of it."

Felix laughed, kicking him lightly on the ankle, telling him how typical it was. While Sam complained how the music teacher still wasn't over it despite it being almost five years since the incident, and how he had been immature and stupid, completely ignoring how Felix tried to cut him off saying he still was.

"I'm immature?" Sam cried, thrusting hand to his own chest, looking at Felix incredulously. "Whose the one shoving people up against walls because he thought I was trying to get into his best friend."

There was a visible wince from Felix, a passing moment of regret until it was replace with a smirk. "I remember someone not being entirely opposed to being pushed around."

Sam gaped at him, cheeks filling with heat and a fire igniting in his stomach. He looked away, not trusting himself to look at Felix, muttering under his breath at how fucking unfair this all was. But not denying it either. Felix chuckled at him.

"Listen," Felix said just as they were about to part ways, his head was ducked and hands securely in his jacket pockets as he slowed. Sam turned to him until they were facing one another. "I was just wondering if you want to, maybe..."

"Yes?" Sam asked, moving closer eagerly, not wanting to miss this, not wanting to misinterpret whatever Felix was about to say. He was sure, so sure what was coming. He was ready for it, his heart soared and the blood picked up heat again.

And then Felix shook his head, chains clanging on his clothes as he did so. "Never mind," he muttered. "It doesn't matter. I'll see you tomorrow yeah?" He waved feebly, turning on his heels and retreating down the street, leaving Sam in disappointment.

"Bye," he said weakly, turning down the street towards his own house, head hung low. Maybe it wasn't what he was thinking. Felix was straight to the point, always said what he meant. Maybe it was just nothing. "Damn it," he hissed, yanking his board out from under his arm with shaky hands and clattering it to the ground and took off.

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a/n: angst and stupidity yet again, sorry not sorry guys. probably won't be updating again this week. Loads of work. Update when I can. 

again, mistakes will proably be present bc I am trash. 

Love ya xx