"He's straight, Charlie." Taos words distracted Romeo from his test, looking over to glance at Charlie scrolling through his messages with Nick. "Like, you only need to glance at him to see that he's a heterosexual."

Romeo rolled his eyes. "Don't feed into that stereotype, Tao."

"That would be like looking at you and assuming you weren't completely straight." Tao cringed in his direction. "With your rugby team and manly sitting position."

Romeo glared. "How do you know? I could be closeted. Don't assume my sexuality."

Issac stiffed a laugh from the other side of Charlie.

"Issac, back me up." Charlie looked toward the reading boy.

"About Romeo being closeted or about Nick being straight?" he gave a curious look in his direction.

"He's not cl- i'm done." Tao squeezed the bridge of his nose in annoyance, Romeo grinned, poking him in the side.

"The Nick thing." Charlie tried to plead with him.

"Ginormous heterosexual." he nodded in confirmation.

"Masculine guys can be gay." Charlie defended the unhealthy stereotype.

"I told you I could be closeted." Romeo whisper shouted at Tao.

"Romeo, are you closeted?" he faced him completely with risen eyebrows.

He reddened i'm the face. "Well, no. But, that's beyond the point i'm trying to make."

"Bisexual people exist." Charlie defended Nick once again with a look of knowingness. He hesitated, the boys waited. "I know he's straight. He told me."

"You straight up asked if he was?" Romeo leaned against Tao with a gapping look. "Pun intended."

"Not exactly." Charlie shook his head.

"So, you need to get over him." Tao brought the conversation back to his original statement.

"You're doing great, Charlie!" Romeo called toward the boy, watching him stand on the side lines. He was cut off by being tackled, Tao winced.

"Up you go." Nick took his hand to help him up. "Unexpected tackle there."

"My fault, trying to keep an eye on him." they looked toward Charlie. "He's a gentle little one. Fragile. Don't want him breaking any bones."

"From the side lines?" Nick almost laughed as he looked his way. "I've been practicing with him. He's gotten a lot better, just needs to work in that tackle a bit more."

"Enough with the chit-chat!" Couch Singh called out to the boys, making them separate.

As Romeo was running toward his spot on the field, he slowed down when he caught sight of Imogen walked from the girls school, heading through the fence at Truham. It was after hours, meaning she wouldn't get in trouble. But, what could she be doing here? He watched her closely, almost expecting her to look his way.

Only, she had when Romeos moment of weakness had him tackled from behind and face planting on the ground.

"Some hit you took." a feminine voice rung when Romeo was headed for his car, nursing an ice back to the side of his face. He looked back, falling still at the sight of Imogen waiting behind the gate.

"Oh, that? Nah." he shook his head, removing the ice. "Didn't ven feel it."

She gave him a little grin, walking forward. Her face was flushed. Romeo nodded. "Something happen?"

"I was just wondering...sorry, I don't mean to be rude." she laughed at herself, forceful. "It's just, my Sister won't be off for a while..."

"Oh." his eyes widened in realization. "Pemberly can drive you home again."

"Are you sure?" Imogen smiled thankfully.

"Yeah." his voice cracked, he wanted to die. "You're barley out of our way."

"Okay." her face lit up. "Thank you."

"Your sister is meant to pick you up each day?" he followed behind her closely as they headed for the black car.

"Yes but she's on a wonky work schedule right now." she said honestly. "So, it's either wait or take the bus."

"Not a fan of the bus either." Romeo latched onto the door, pulling it open for her. As she got in, he shut it and circled to get into the other side. Just as the other time, they'd hadn't spoken much, but the silence hadn't been awkward. Only comfortable.

"Oh! Where've you been?" Tao scoffed when Romeo finally showed up at their after school plans. "New friends?"

"Psh." Romeo fell onto the floor, wrapping an arm around him. "You wish."

"I truly do." he nodded his head, but hasn't shrugged his arm off. "Tell Charlie to get over him. You know him. Tell him how straight he is."

"God, please don't make him go into the closeted rant again." Charlie begged with a head shake. "I barley made it through the first time."

"What's it matter if he's got a little crush on a straight boy, anyways? He's had plenty of crushes on me and then he moves on." Romeo shrugged his shoulders.

"It was one time, in the course of one week when it was only the two of us!" Charlie defended himself. "I should have never told you."

"Why? It boosted my confidence tremendously." the curly hair boy gapped, reaching his hand from behind Tao to rub Charlie's head. "I love knowing I can pull both genders."

"Oh my god, be quiet." Elle huffed after all the talking, looking at Charlie. "What do you want?"

"Do you know a girl called Tara Jones?" Tao exhaled for him, slowly.

Elle gave a questionable look. "Yeah."

"You you ask her if she likes Nick Nelson?" Issac smiled hopefully.

"Nick Nelson?" Elle gapped at Charlie. "You might as well give up right now. He's the straightest person i've ever seen."

"Thank you!" Tao tossed a hand her way.

"Straight passing people do not equal straightness!" Romeo announced loudly, sure someone down stairs heard. "I'm straight passing, and I could be closeted."

"Not again!" Charlie held his forehead.

"You aren't closeted. You literally said you weren't." Tao gapped at him in annoyance.

"My entire point is that I COULD be." he tilted his head to the side. "Heavy on the could, less heavy on the straightness."

"Please stop saying straightness." Charlie begged.

"I don't know Tara that well. I can't just go up to her and ask her who she fancies." Elle brought the conversation back to the original statement so Charlie knew she wasn't on board. "And i'm busy being the cool, mysterious new girl who everyone wants to hang out with."

"I'm fine. I'm honestly fine." Charlie spoke up as he looked at each of them. "I'm just being an idiot."

His little face made Romeo gush, giving Elle a pleading look to get the sadness out of Charlie's eyes. Elle rolled her eyes dramatically. "Okay. Look, if and only if I get the chance, i'll ask her."

"Thank you!" Charlie grinned as he stood up quickly, wrapping his arms around her.

"I make no promises!" Elle pointed out as Issac joined in on the hug.

"Aw, are we being affectionate today? I've been waiting for this!" Romeo got up, nearly falling over Taos legs as he sat on Elle's lap and hugged the group. She gave Tao a knowing look as their eyes all glanced back at him. He sighed loudly, rolling his eyes, but standing to join their hug.

•

kylie speaks

sweetest little friend group
i've ever known!