Population 801

Kellin and Vic had been hanging out an exceptional amount since their agreement a month ago to attempt a friendship. Vic would never admit it, but he was growing attached to the pale small town boy. Unlike Kellin, Vic had come to terms with his sexuality while still in middle school. Growing up in San Diego- a fairly large city with a fairly large gay communtiy- may have contributed to that. Regardless, he refused to make a move on Kellin until Kellin made it clear that he was, infact, homosexual.

Kellin on the other hand was beginning to understand what was going on with himself. He was developing a crush Vic. A hardcore cheesy movie crush. The kind of crush where his smile gave Kellin butterflies and the twinkle in his eye made Kellin's heart swell and it was as if Vic had suddenly hung the moon. Kellin couldn't think of anywhere that he would rather be than at Vic's side all day every day. Kellin though, much like Vic, refused to bring his feelings to Vic's attention until he was sure that Vic felt the same way.

So the past month continued just like that, both boys bottling up their emotions for fear of rejection. Typical. What did you really expect though in a small town like Denning? Everything was predictable. Now was a moment just like the rest, both boys sitting next to each other and resisting the urge to grab the others' hand or bump shoulders. They were seated inside due to the fresh blanket of snow on the Michigan turf. Kellin and Vic were awkwardly sitting next to eachother while Jack, Justin, Gabe, and Jesse talked about some football game.

"What are you doing?" Vic asked Kellin, who had been sitting at the table silently observing everyone.

"Capturing." He replied.

"Capturing? You don't even have your video camera out."

"I know. Some moments can't be captured with the camera, though. This is perfect. I'm here with my best friends and my new best friend and I'm happy. The camera won't be able to tell that I'm happy in a few years, but I'll be able to look back and remember this." Kellin explained. He liked to do this sometimes, just completely absorb a moment instead of filming it. He stored it in the memory card in his mind.

"Anything specific your capturing?" Vic asked, trying to see if Kellin was thinking anything specific of him at the moment.

"Well... there's the piece of food in Jesse's teeth," he said causing them both to laugh, "and the way Jack keeps stabbing the cafeteria food because it's not actually edible. Then there's Justin who won't stop bouncing his leg because of the Red Bull he had for breakfast. And you can see how angry it's making Gabe because he keeps chewing on his lip and he only does that when he's frustrated." As if on cue Gabe slammed his hand down on Justin's thigh and started yelling at him. "And then there's you."

"What about me?" Vic asked blushing slightly.

"Well, there's the way that your eyes look because of the cafeteria lights- they're still brown, but they get little golden specks when the light hits them. Then there's the spot of dirt you have right-" Kellin reached up and wiped away a spot on Vic's left cheekbone," there. Plus the way that you're cheeks flushed when I touched you." Kellin chuckled at the even more prominent blush creeping on Vic's face. "And how you have this one piece of hair that never does what you want it to do even when you try to hide it with a beanie." Kellin pulled on the piece of hair lightly, causing Vic's face to twist and both of them to laugh.

"Cough Cough" Jesse said, rather than did, in attempt to drag the boys back to reality. Both of them blushed at awkwardly laughed while looking at their friends confused faces. "Anyways... You guys excited for the Fink Rink Match?"

"Fink Rink Match?" Vic asked confusedly, looking around the table at everyone's shocked faces.

"You haven't heard of it yet?!" Justin asked. "It's only the BIGGEST." Justin kicked back his chair, "BADDEST." He jumped up on the lunch table. "MOST INSANE hockey match in the history of this whole god damn town!" Gabe pushed him back off the table and he calmed down a bit, all of them laughing at his ridiculous outburst.

"It's just a hockey game." Gabe said calmly. "Every year for the past... What year is this? I don't know like 47 years there's a hockey game on Fink lake. All the seniors go and split into teams and basically brutally beat each other while pretending to be interested in a puck."

"And we've never been able to participate until this year!" Justin said excitedly. "You're gonna do it right, Vic?"

"I don't know guys... I uh, I have to go. I'll see you guys later." He hastily stood up and left, flashing Kellin a sympathetic smile. Kellin said his goodbyes as well and followed Vic out the cafeteria.

"Vic, wait up!" He screamed after him. Vic turned around and looked at Kellin with eyes that looked, worried? "What's wrong? You look upset."

"I'm not upset, Kellin! I'm just... It's that game... You don't have to participate right?"

"Well of course you don't have to but..." Kellin thought carefully before picking his next few words, "I really want you to."

"And I'd love to, Kels, but... I'm from San Diego... Hockey isn't really our thing down there." Vic awkwardly looked away from Kellin and turned towards his locker that they had just arrived at.

"Oh my gosh." Kellin said finally realizing the problem. "You don't know how to skate, do you?! No it totally makes sense, I mean, people in San Diego they don't skate they like surf and shit right? Is that it?"

Vic awkwardly nodded at Kellin, avoiding eye contact. "Everyone here has been skating for ever, it seems, and I've never stepped foot on ice before. I'd look ridiculously stupid."

"Well.... What if I teach you?" Kellin smirked at him. Vic immediatly shook his head.

"No, Kellin. You have enough to do and I'm a bad learner-"

"But I'm a great teacher! And I have nothing to do! Please, Vic? I want to!" Kellin said grabbing Vic's book for him. Vic reached for it behind his back. "You can have this when you agree to let me teach you."

"Come on Kellin that's so immature." Vic reached for it but Kellin moved quickly to the side. "Kellin! You're being ridiculous."

"Just say yes! Just let me teach you how to play! You don't even have to play in the match!"

"I don't want to make you do that, though, Kellin!" He said reaching for the book again. "Ugh! Fine! You can teach me how to skate and play hockey or whatever it is that you had in mind! Okay? Now just give me my book so we can go to class!"

"Nah, you're still gonna have to work for it." He smiled up at the tan boy in front of him. Before Kellin saw it coming, Vic lunged and engulfed Kellin in his arm. It was almost like an awkward hug. The really awkward part though was when their faces collided and their lips touched for a split second. Kellin felt instant butterflies and his blood flowed through his veins a zillion times faster than it should have. It wasn't really a kiss, but it was contact, and that was enough to send both boys into an awkward dream state. Vic quickly pulled back, his book in hand, and walked away down the hallway.

Kellin, on the other hand, sat in the hallway and tried to think of how in the world he could make that happen again.