• three new characters are introduced in this chapter; one of them inspired from a close friend at school ;) •

Chapter Ten: Friends:

The bell rang as Leo opened the door to the small cafe.

The place was small and had a vintage look to it. There was books lining up the shelves leaning against the walls, as well as them being scattered on tables. Two of the tables had different board games on them and another two had cards on them. The cafe was completely empty and quiet.

Leo looked at Nick nervously. "Do you like it?"

Nick smiled at him. "It's amazing."

Instead of Nick blushing, Leo was. "Sorry, it's-- it's just this place is sort of my special place I found when I first moved here. I come here a lot to chill and think. It's one of the few places I can truly and completely be myself. You know?"

Nick didn't know. It seemed that one way or another he was always hiding some part of himself away.

Leo wasn't finished. "And I thought... this could maybe be our special place."

Before Nick could reply a boy with green dip died blonde. "Leo! You're here earlier than usual. Shouldn't you be at school or somethin'?" The boys eyes turned to Nick. "And who's your friend?"

"I should be, but I skipped. And this is Nick. Nick, this is Scott"

Scott waved wildly at Nick. "Hiya."

"Hey." Nick mumbled.

Leo cleared his throat and Scott looked at Leo once again and Nick could finally breathe now the attention was off him. "The usual times two?" he asked.

"Sure thing." he said as he pulled out a chair. "After you my gentleman." Leo bowed slightly and Nick giggled taking a seat in the chair Nick had pulled out for him.

***

Believe it or not, Nick and Leo had spent the past five hours in the small cafe--- reading over eachothers shoulders, playing board games or a game of cards and lets not forget the hand holding and the kissing.

The tiny bell rung again, and a blonde haired girl walked through a handbag swung over her shoulder.

The girls eyes landed on Nick and she squealed. "Your back!"

Leo rolled his eyes in a playful manner. "Aren't I always?"

She looked at Nick and squealed again. "and this must be the boy you were talking about. You were right, he is a handsome one. Hi Nick, I'm Jade."

Nick blushed at the compliment.

"Anyway, you coming to the bonfire later on tonight?"

***

Nick knew there was no way in convincing his parents in letting him go out.

"But it's a school night." he could almost imagine his mum saying.

So when Leo asked him if he wanted to go to the bonfire Nick said no.

But that was fine.

Nick had lots of homework to do anyway.

***

Leo laughed along with strangers. Most people in Leo's position would have called the small crowd around him friends, but he didn't know anything about the people he was with now.

Sure, Scott was constantly dying the tips of his hair different colours and Jade loved going to the skate rink and scouting for hot boys and girls.

The only person Leo sort of considered a friend was Oran.

First glance at Oran and you'd probably mistake him as the good-stay-in-school-type, you know, the one given the 'most likely to achieve in life' award and was constantly doing the right thing? But he was so much more than that.

Leo related to Oran–even though they were quite different–and maybe that's why he liked his company so much. Oran was the guy who seemed like he always knew what to say, even if he didn't. He was the guy who stuck up for his friends, even if they were being melts. He was the guy who you could say your mind to and he wouldn't judge, even if he thought it was wrong.

Leo made Oran seem like a soppy fool the way he described him. But again, he was so much more than that.

Leo knew Oran before moving to town. They followed each other on Instagram and had a couple of chats here and there.

Infact Oran was the first person who knew that Leo was gay. If it wasn't for him, Leo would probably still be in the closet hiding behind everything and never coming out.

Maybe Leo would even consider Oran his best friend? Leo had never really had one before but he was sure Oran was as close as he'd ever get to one.

"Hey mate! You daydreaming about Nick again?" Jade giggled, drunk or high, it was hard to tell.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Pass me a beer will you?"

• ugh i hate this chapter but ppl have been DMing me to update and someone commented today and i felt bad so here u go lmao

comment ur thoughts and what u want to see in the next/future chapter! (it would rlly help me write :)) •