A/N: And it's here, sorry for posting infrequently, lmao. As per usual, I didn't fully edit but meh. Still set during their junior year, we'll be back to our usual Haruto and Ollie banter next chapter.

Ollie's POV

It was the week before Homecoming, and the football boys were far crankier than all the girls during their menstrual cycle put together. Not only were they practicing like crazy so they could win the game on our turf, a few top-tier scouts were rumored to show up at our game. It's believed they were coming to check out our opposing team's star player, but if our team won, it would likely put a lot of our varsity team in their list of candidates.

With that said, I spent most of my week with the GSA club, student council committees, and occasionally helping the theatre department with the decorations for spirit week and setting up the banners for the big game. The football team was lost in their own world, mindlessly going on and on about plays, and strategies, so I found myself sitting with the other cliques I belonged to, if you will. Besides, Benji was still playing his weird cold shoulder game with me, and I accepted that Mason was more or less my new chauffeur.

Of course, it wasn't just the football team and pms-ing ladies that were cranky; I was, in fact, feeling my crankiest given that the student council wanted us to decorate all of Monday afternoon to ensure that school spirit was everywhere on campus. Was it totally excessive and basically child labor? Oh, a hundred percent. How sweet of them to provide us some delicious Famous Amos cookies to hold us over during a practical four hour shift with no breaks at all.

All in the name for school spirit and pride, I guess. The only bright side was that this whole week was football practice, and Mason still insisted on driving me, so I didn't have to wait for their practice to be over at the town square sitting at a coffee shop by myself for hours. But who am I kidding, I enjoyed sitting at those high stools there, regardless if I looked like an utter loser by myself. At least it was air-conditioned, and I had access to actual food and beverages instead of stale cookies and warm Capri-Suns.

After painstakingly decorating over twenty banners and hanging paper garland in the main halls, the GSA and theatre club were spent, taking an unwarranted break with our stale cookies and warm juice. We were in charge of hanging the posters throughout campus and being the stereotypical dramatic people we were; we weren't looking forward to being out in the hot sun to post these around.

"I'll take Eva and Maya and post these near the main office," I announced, wanting to remain in the building. A few of the others groaned, but our short dark-haired secretary of the GSA club, Harvey, gripped my arm.

"Actually, I could use some help if that's alright?" Harvey looked up, a paint smear just above his eyebrow. "I think they wanted this one down by the field, but it's one of the longer ones."

Without much thought behind it, I nodded, grabbing the rope and tape. "By the locker rooms? Or on the field?"

"The locker rooms. It's the first thing you see when the other team pulls up."

"Got it." I followed Harvey to the lower campus, grabbing the other end of the folded poster as Harvey's shorter stature struggled to keep it from dragging on the ground. "So Little Shop, yeah?"

He nearly tripped on his own feet as he turned toward me. "Yeah, Mrs. Stroud said she knew a guy with the giant plant puppet from another school. I'm surprised we aren't doing an easier musical, one with more females and less set design."

"Well, it's better than doing one everyone else is doing; I think three of the schools nearby are all doing Into the Woods."

Harvey pouted. "I'd rather do that one, but that has more male leads anyways."

"You auditioning for Seymour?" I asked before dropping the tape and other supplies unceremoniously on the ground outside the locker rooms.

He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "I guess Mrs. Stroud already wanted me to, but I don't know...it seems kind of difficult to sing."

I laughed; Harvey was probably the most capable of anybody in the theatre department to belt out Seymour's songs, he even outshined most of our female leads, but his humility was something everyone loved about him. "You'll do fine, Harv. I feel bad for whoever has to man the puppet and voice it."

"Yeah, the only one that has that deep of a voice is a techie; I don't think he'd be very keen on voicing or singing the other male lead."

"I can't wait to see it."

Harvey let out a nervous sigh before holding up the poster. I got to work securing it with the rope as Harvey held it up for me. "I don't know; I'm fairly nervous for the kiss scene if I am Seymour, obviously."

"Oh, right. With Audrey? It should be fine."

"Well, even with the other shows, Stroud never wanted us actually to kiss on stage, but she's hinting that she wants an actual one for that duet. I honestly haven't...kissed anyone. Not with any guy or girl."

I held back my smirk, knowing he'd probably think I was teasing him. "It just takes practice, Harv. That's what rehearsals are for; you'll be great."

After securing the other side and making sure the banner was level, I stepped away to make sure it looked alright. My perfectionist self wouldn't hear the end of it if someone remarked on it being crooked. "Thanks, Oliver. It's just it feels weird to kiss the ladies in rehearsal. I mean, they assured me it was fine, but I just feel gross about it."

"Cause it's a female?"

He shrugged. "I feel bad for them like I'm faking straight for their sake of a show. If it were a straight Seymour, then it would feel more authentic I guess?"

Patting my hand on his back, "theatre is all about acting a part, Harv. You've had years of experience in shows. You'll do fine."

"I really should practice then, I guess," he responded, a weird look in his eyes as he looked up at me. He scooted closer, his arm brushing mine as he turned towards me.

"Hm?" His hand gently grazed my chin as he looked up at me with those doe eyes. He quickly shut them as we made eye contact before jutting his lips forward, them clashing against my own so quickly that I barely had time to process. He had kissed me.

As rude as it sounded, I could tell he hadn't been lying; this was most definitely his first attempt at a real kiss, as his lips smashed against mine. They were shut tightly, no attempt at using his tongue, and I found it rather adorable had it not been for his lips bruising mine. His eyes were still shut as I heard a couple of the football members yelling about something from the other side of the locker room building.

Hearing the familiar sound of cleats on the pavement, I blinked up to see none other than Benji, Mason, and a couple of the other players behind them, a scowl marring Benji's face.

"Benji, it's fine, alright." I held my hands out in front of me, hoping he wouldn't take those frustrations out of Harvey. Although he hadn't been coming to my aid over little disputes, all I could see was Benji going after Harvey's harmless little kiss. But much to my dismay, Benji gripped my arm harshly, getting in my face, with a glare that sent a shiver down my spine. I had never been the subject of this intense glare before.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

It was true that I don't usually kiss people in public; I could count the number of kisses I had on one hand, but it was a simple kiss, one that if Harvey had slightly better timing, none would have even seen. It wasn't even a big deal.

"It was just a kiss, Benj. What does it matter?" I mean, Harvey's kiss wasn't the greatest of kisses, but if he were going for Audrey's toxic boyfriend, Orin, he'd nail the role of being a bit too forceful. But I could see how his adorable and sweet disposition fit the character of Seymour; after all, I did tell him he could use the practice. But that's beside the point.

"You aren't like this, aren't like this guy." He jabbed a thumb at Harvey, who just stared in shock, using one hand to brace himself against the wall as well. "You don't kiss boys."

Oh, he meant that, did he?

"So what if I am gay? What does it matter when you've been ignoring me. Some friend you are." I scoffed, shoving at his forceful grip.

"Just knock it off," he sneered. "My friend wouldn't act like this."

"Newsflash, I've been like this since the beginning, asshole. Friends wouldn't ignore this shit out of each other, and friends wouldn't act out like this over a simple fucking kiss either, Benj," I shot back, trying to get my arm out of his painful grip. I groaned, saying under my breath, "seriously, you're acting like your father."

I barely had time to apologize for the insensitive remark, regretting it immediately just as his open hand whipped back with such force and speed that I didn't have time to flinch or blink. My head jerked to the side as his slap reverberated through my entire spine, the force nearly knocking me off balance if it hadn't been for the wall behind me.

A few members of his football team sucked in a breath; one even swore before going silent. Not even a slight breeze or bird could be heard as my head remained lowered to the side; the shock of his hand and what it had meant made my heart sink. What in the world had just happened?

Benji had never hit me before, even when we were kids during playtime. If he had so much as bumped into my shoulder, he'd apologize like he broke a bone. I hadn't meant to call him out for that, grateful I hadn't said it aloud for the others to hear, especially when that had been a secret. He had heard all about my parent's divorce, and he had told me all about his father's aggressive drinking habits. But for him to slap me? He had hurt my feelings first, too. He was ignoring his childhood best friend, forgetting to text him about picking up and dropping them up or even simply inviting them to a party. Was this even the same Benji anymore?

Behind him, I watched as Mason glanced between the two of us. Indeed he'd say something, call Benji out for his action, or try to mitigate it by asking if I was alright. He had done it before when one of the offensive linemen had accidentally stumbled into me. Instead, it felt like another slap to the face as he held his head down, seemingly stuck in place. What the fuck was that about?

Another painful few seconds passed before Harvey pulled my hand in his, whispering something, but I couldn't shake this feeling of hurt. Benji stepped away, his voice wavering like he was the one hurt in all this. "O-Oliver, I-"

I didn't know what hurt worse, the slap or how he used my full first name. But strangely, I think I would've snapped if he had used that silly nickname, the ones we agreed to use since we declared each other best friends in elementary school. He wasn't acting like the best friend I knew, not even acting like a regular friend.

"I didn't-"

"Fuck off," rolled off my tongue so naturally that it startled me. I had only ever said those words to him as a joke before, but this time was real. He didn't get to treat me like that, didn't get to belittle me for something that I thought he knew about me. Even if he hadn't known I was gay, Benji knew better than to make fun of anyone. 

After all, he was always the one to bully the bullies, taking care of those ignorant classmates who thought they were all shit. And yet, now he was starting to look so much like a stereotypical high school bully, a damn hypocrite. So what if I kissed Harvey–well, technically, he kissed me, but still. And to think I thought he was trying to spare me the slightly aggressive kiss Harvey had planted, to think there was still an inkling of the old Benji in there, willing to defend me for even the slightest discomfort. What a naive fool I was.

My hands shook as badly as my knees, the stinging in my cheek still lingering. As Benji took another step forward, I jerked away and grabbed Harvey's hand determinedly. "Let's go, Harvey."

Benji called out, "Ollie-"

Gritting my teeth, I whirled around, Harvey's hand still in mind. "Don't you dare call me that again, Benjamin."

It felt nice to see that hurt in his eyes, too, even if it felt like our once strong friendship was beginning to crumble over some silly little kiss. My eyes burned, the tears I kept holding in threatening to spill out as I practically dragged Harvey away from them, heading straight towards somewhere more private, somewhere we could feel safe. My immediate thought was the GSA club room.

Harvey hadn't said anything the entire way, even if it had been a seven-minute walk from lower campus to upper campus. It wasn't until we had made it into the room and after I shut the door none too gently when sweet Harvey had rambled his apologies.

"I really shouldn't have done that; I'm so sorry." He was shaking nearly as badly as me. "I thought their practice ended later and honestly didn't think that-that they'd be like that since you know...."

"It's fine, Harvey," I sighed, not even sure what to say. Benji was never like this, even when cranky or worried about his stupid football games. "Sorry, you had to witness that."

He shook his head. "Regardless, I shouldn't have kissed you like that, it's just...well, I felt in the moment, and you said that thing about practice and well...yeah. It was dumb, sorry."

For some reason, Harvey was a rambling mess offstage instead of when he got on stage. When the lights and orchestra complimented him, he never missed a line, note, or even dance move. Had I not had a massive crush on someone way out of my league or treated me like shit nowadays, Harvey would've been a great boyfriend, kissing aside. I mean, that could be worked on, as opposed to my crush's apparent homophobic behavior as of late that made me question how I could ever think he'd be interested in the likes of me.

I took a few strides towards the desks in a circle, sitting beside Harvey. "It's fine. I just thought Benji wouldn't have acted like that. Besides, it was a silly little kiss; it wasn't like we were stripping down to our socks or anything."

He blushed before letting out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, a silly kiss."

"No," I reassured, patting his shoulder after hearing the dejectedness in his tone. "It wasn't bad. Like I said, practice, Harv, you'll get there, eventually. I'm sure you'll do fine. Seymour is a timid kisser; it'll be fine."

Timid wasn't what I would call that kiss, but Harvey was like the golden retriever of the drama department, gentle and caring, the star of the show. A bit aloof and a habit of sloppy kisses, from what I heard from his female castmates. Jokes aside, he'd most definitely land the role of Seymour as there was a significant shortage of guys in the department as it is.

"Thanks, you're a good friend, Oliver," he said sheepishly. "And again, sorry about that earlier. I hope your cheek feels better."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," I muttered under my breath as he left the room, leaving me to wallow about what felt like a failing friendship.