Next Level

Zack's Point Of View

“What’s your problem Kyle?” I asked him, sounding a lot angrier than I needed to be, but maybe, in a way, my anger was necessary. “I'm sick of all this Kyle! Just because you're not open about your sexuality doesn’t mean that the rest of us can’t be!” I shouted at him, making sure that he got the point I was trying to show him.

“We’ve been through this,” he hissed at me, standing up from his bed and walking towards where I was standing. He shut his bedroom door that I was standing in front of, most likely to stop Zander from hearing all of this. Zander must know though. I haven’t told him anything. I wouldn't do that. But I'm pretty sure he’s sensed the things that Jay and I have about Kyle. Plus, he was bound to hear me shouting just then about sexuality just then. He could easily link all of that together. “I'm not gay,” he insisted in a hushed tone.

Kyle was standing right in front of me and he strangely didn't look to mad. I was angrier than him this time.

I suppose I'm just getting a little bored of his denial stage. On top of that, he was making assumptions about me and Zander. Our relationship isn't like that anymore. It’s just, sometimes, we do play flirt with each other. I doubt either of us truly means any of that though. It’s just a bit of fun for us.

“I didn't call you gay,” I snapped at him. “I'm just fed up of you not accepting homosexuality.”

“I do-”

“No Kyle. I see the looks you give me and Zan. You hate seeing us together even when you know that we’re not together together. You hate seeing all of the friendly flirting we do. You know what Kyle? I honestly think that you enjoy judging us. I'm supposed to be your best friend!” I shouted at him, starting to put in a lot of emotion. It felt good to get all of these thoughts of my chest, even if he just staring at me wide eyed in shock.

“I'm not like that,” he insisted, still shocked by what I just came out with. “Listen, Zack, I'm okay with you and Zan. Completely okay. I just... You ... You said you two weren’t ... It just, er, looked like ...” He let his voice trail off. “I thought you two were... you know?”

“Banging behind your back?” I filled in for him, still sounding mad. The strange thing was that Kyle didn't look like he was losing his tempter. It just seemed like he was getting a little irritated with me. Eventually Kyle nodded.

“Sorta,” he whispered.

“God Ky!” I snapped again. “So you think I’d lie to you? Great.” I took in a deep breath and started to think, just in case I wound up saying something that I’d regret and never be able to take back. “What if, what if we were doing that then?” I asked him quietly. “How’d that make you feel?” All he did was shrug his shoulders. “Betrayed?” I asked before raising an eyebrow and questioning, “or jealous?”

He rolled his eyes at me but I was almost certain that there was a little tint of pink in his cheeks that wasn't there before.

“An answer would be good,” I prompted him.

“J-jealous,” he whispered, sounding and looking ashamed as he moved his glare down to the floor.

My heart fluttered a little. Did he just...? He said he was... Oh my God! Kyle admitted it! He’s jealous of us! Does that mean that he really is...? I'm right?

“O-oh,” I stuttered.

He looked up at me for a moment before quickly dropping his head back down again. I can’t believe this is happening.

“Do you want to talk?” I asked him softly. I wasn't mad anymore. How could I still be annoyed with him? He basically just came out to me.

Wow.

“I don’t know why I like him,” he muttered. “I just do.”

A small blush made its way into my cheeks when I realized what he just said. He said him not you . Part of me always thought that Kyle liked me . He doesn’t though. I mean, he’d tell me now if he did...

That means he’s jealous because of me. He’s jealous of me being with Zander.

“You like Zan?” I asked him quietly.

He nodded, going bright red in his face. My supposedly straight best friends just admitted to having a crush on Zander. Well... I wasn't expecting that. A few years ago, the mere idea of him liking someone male would’ve seemed implausible. But now...

“Aww Kyle,” I cooed and pulled him into a hug.

It didn't feel right though. It was a really tense and awkward hug which led to us pulling apart quickly. God did Kyle look uncomfortable!

“Don't say anything,” he practically begged me. “Not to anyone .”

“I promise Kyle,” I smiled at him. I will keep my word. If he wants this to stay between the two of us, then it can. I’ll wait for him to be ready before anyone else finds out. “No one would care if I told them any of this, but for you, I won’t,” I promised him. “Oh, and just so you know, this whole situation is so cute.”

He blushed again when I said that and brought his hand up to take hold of his neck. Is it wrong that I sort of feel a little proud right now? Sure, Kyle looks really embarrassed and awkward, but still, he’s finally told someone. He’s told me.

“Erm, thanks,” he muttered. “I guess. Can, erm, things stay the way they were before?” he asked me. “You know what I mean...” he sighed. “Just don’t treat me any different over all of this.

“Don't worry about that,” I smirked. “I know you could beat my ass if I tried anything,” I laughed and he smiled a little. He still looked so uncomfortable though...

***

I left Kyle alone to compose himself and to try and think all of this through in his head. Zan was still sat in the lounge, waiting for me to come back in to him again.

“Sorted?” he asked me as I plonked myself down beside him in the chair.

“Yeah,” I told him. “Everything’s good now.”

“And he knows we’re just friends?”

“I told him. I think it’s just weird for him, you know? The whole idea of two of your best guy friends being together-”

“Even though we’re not,” Zan added in.

“Exactly,” I smiled.

“I guess that alright then,” he said, looking up at me and giving one of the cutest smiles I’ve ever seen. “Oh... Zack,” he said in a quiet sounding voice.

“Shoot.”

“Tomorrow at school, am I going to be in trouble?”

Oh Zander. He knows the answer to that. He knows he’s not going to like what he hears either.

“Sorry pal,” I mumbled. “It’s your first time though, maybe they’ll go easy on you.” I wanted to keep him as optimistic as possible. Getting all worked up over this won’t do him any good, especially when I know he doesn’t get much sleep as it is. If he ends up being awake all night worrying about this as well...

“Hope so,” he sighed, leaning into my side and cuddling up beside me. “I think I might be catching something though,” he mumbled.

“Nice try, mate,” I sighed, smiling at his attempt to get off school. It’s not too hard to work out why he said that. “You’ll have to face it sooner or later.”

I heard him mumble something under his breath and let out a small groan. He was too quiet for me to make out exactly what he said, but I laughed anyway.

Zander...