Page 4

That unexpected moment with Conner had left me feeling strange and confused. I had never been the comforting type, yet there I was, offering him a shoulder to lean on. It felt wrong, unnatural even. But the memory of his vulnerable expression and the way he had clung to me haunted my thoughts.

I tried to push it out of my mind, focusing instead on my usual routine and avoiding any interactions that might lead to an awkward situation.

But that damn cheerful smile kept appearing in unexpected places, always causing a weird flutter in my chest. Every time I caught sight of him in the school halls, surrounded by his usual group of friends and laughing loudly, that flutter would return, annoyingly persistent.

I tried to ignore it, attributing it to annoyance or irritation. But deep down, I knew it was something more. A nagging feeling that I couldn’t quite understand or shake off.

There was something about him that drew me in, against my better judgment. His unwavering optimism, his quick smile, the way he seemed to light up a room. It was captivating, irritating, and oddly endearing all at once.

I found myself subconsciously seeking him out in the crowded school halls, my eyes scanning the sea of faces for that familiar cheerful expression. The more I tried to push him out of my mind, the more he seemed to occupy my thoughts.

Every time I brushed past him in the hallway, every time our eyes met and he smiled that damn perfect smile, the flutter in my chest would intensify. I hated it, this strange, inexplicable feeling that seemed to linger stubbornly.

As I weaved through the crowded hallway after class, I spotted Conner standing against his locker, surrounded by a group of popular girls. They were giggling and flirting with him, clearly enjoying the attention from the charming class clown. But I could see Conner’s carefree smile falter as he tried to find an escape route.

One of the girls, a pretty blonde with a sly smile, seemed particularly determined to keep him engaged in conversation. She was leaning against him, resting a hand on his arm, and talking in a loud, flirtatious tone.

"You’re so funny, Conner," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I don’t know how you always make me laugh so much."

Conner chuckled awkwardly, his eyes darting around the hallway, seemingly desperate to find an excuse to leave.

"Thanks," he said, a forced smile on his face. "I’m just always trying to make people happy, you know?"

The girl leaned closer, her hand now tracing an imaginary pattern on his arm. "Oh, you certainly do that," she purred, her gaze lingering on his face. "You make all the girls happy, don’t you?"

I could see Conner getting visibly uncomfortable, his smile becoming strained. He tried to take a step back, but the girl seemed determined to keep him close, her hand now resting on his chest.

"You’re such a charmer," she went on, her voice dropping to a sultry tone. "I bet you have girls falling all over you all the time, don’t you?"

Conner’s discomfort was palpable at this point. He was clearly trying to find a way to extract himself from this awkward situation, but the girl was insistent on keeping him wrapped around her finger.

As I watched the scene unfold, I felt a pang of irritation. Conner’s unease was evident, yet the girl seemed oblivious to his discomfort, continuing her flirtations in a way that bordered on borderline harassment.

I couldn’t stand by and watch him suffer for much longer. With a grumbled curse under my breath, I pushed my way through the crowd toward them.

"Hey, back off," I said gruffly, tapping the girl on the shoulder to get her attention.

She turned to face me, her expression a mix of annoyance and surprise. "Excuse me? Who are you?"

She looked me up and down, a sneer appearing on her face. "His boyfriend, huh? What makes you think you’ve got the right to tell me what to do?"

I gritted my teeth, restraining my frustration. "Because he’s not interested. And he doesn’t need some shallow, attention-seeking girl pawing at him like he owes her something."

She looked between Connor and me, uncertainty flickering across her face. Clearly, this wasn’t the response she had expected.

Connor, meanwhile, was struggling to contain a mix of surprise, confusion, and amusement. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, a hint of an appreciative smile on his lips.

"Yeah, we’re... we’re together," I repeated, my voice gruff but firm. I tried to project an air of nonchalance, as if this was an established fact.

The girl blinked rapidly, her jaw hanging slightly open in surprise.

"But... I didn’t know he was gay," she sputtered, her eyes shifting between me and Connor with a bewildered expression.

"It’s not exactly a secret," I retorted dryly, trying to maintain an air of indifference.

Connor, still a bit disoriented, found his voice again and interjected hastily. "Yeah, we... we’ve been together for a while."

The girl looked at us in silence for a moment before finally registering the situation. Her eyes flickered between us, a mix of confusion and disappointment etched on her face. "Oh... I see," she said feebly.

Realizing that she had been thwarted, she muttered a half-hearted farewell, shot one last glance at Connor, and slunk away, disappearing into the throngs of students.

Connor let out a sigh audible with relief as the girl disappeared from sight. He looked at me, his expression a mix of surprise and gratitude. "Thanks, man. I totally would’ve been stuck in that conversation for ages if you hadn’t stepped in."

I shrugged, playing it down as if it were no big deal. "Nah, I couldn’t watch you suffering any longer. Those girls were pretty relentless."

Connor chuckled, running a hand through his already messy hair. "You’re not wrong about that. They tend to get a bit handsy when they’re trying to flirt."

A moment of silence passed as we stood side by side, the commotion from the hallway slowly subsiding. Connor’s earlier discomfort had given way to a small smile, his gaze fixed on me.

Feeling an unexpected wave of boldness, I decided to seize the moment.

"Hey, uh, since I just saved your àss from that clingy girl," I started, my voice slightly gruff, "You mind repaying me with something?"

Connor raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Oh, really? And what exactly would that be?"

I took a deep breath, feeling a flutter of uncertainty in my chest. "Just... go out with me. A proper date. Not just pretending like earlier."

Connor’s eyes widened slightly, surprise visible on his face. A mix of emotions flashed through his expression, from shock to excitement to contemplation.

For a moment, he was silent, his gaze locked on mine as if trying to read the sincerity behind my words. Finally, a slow smile spread across his lips.

"Yeah, sure," he said, his eyes sparkling with a mix of anticipation and amusement. "Why the hell not?"

My heart skipped a beat at his response, a wave of relief and excitement washing over me. I tried to maintain a cool exterior, keeping my voice low and calm.

"Alright, cool," I nodded. "How about this weekend? I’ll plan something."

Connor’s smile widened, a hint of eagerness in his eyes. "Sounds good to me. Can’t promise I won’t try to talk you to death, though."

I rolled my eyes, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "Yeah, I’m counting on it."

As we stood there, the rest of the world seemed to fade away. For that brief moment, it was just the two of us, sharing a secret, and I found myself wondering what the hell I had just gotten myself into.

Connor chuckled, his laughter causing a strange flutter in my stomach. "You’re stuck with me now, pal. Hope you’re ready for some serious sarcasm and excessive use of bad jokes."

I let out a snort, my usual gruff exterior cracking slightly. "Oh, I’m just elated. Can’t wait to drown in a sea of bad puns and endless chatter."

Conner let out a bark of laughter. "Hey, at least you’ll never be bored. I’m a pro at entertaining people."

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my expression stoic, but inside I felt a warmth spreading through my chest. Damn, what was this guy doing to me?

"Yeah, I’m sure you are," I muttered, my voice betraying a hint of amusement. "I’m just worried my eardrums might not survive it."

Conner chuckled, his smile infectious. "Oh, they’ll be fine. I’ll make sure to give them brief respites between my endless rambling."

I tried to keep my usual stoic expression, but Connor’s infectious smile had a way of breaking through my defenses. Despite my efforts to remain serious, a small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of my lips. It wasn't a full-blown grin, but it was there - a subtle sign of my softened demeanor around him.

Connor noticed the change in my expression, his eyes dancing with mischief and satisfaction. "Hey, look at that," he teased, his voice filled with amusement. "I’ve managed to make the grumpy Hunter crack a smile."

I gruffly muttered, trying to downplay the moment, "Don’t get used to it."

But even as I spoke, the smile remained on my lips, betraying my true feelings. It was strange, this effect he had on me. A part of me wanted to cling to my usual aloofness, but another part couldn’t help but be drawn to his magnetic charm.

Connor’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with an infectious joy. "Oh, I’m gonna make it my mission to see that smile more often now. It’s my new goal in life."

As we stood there, the banter between us continuing, an unfamiliar urge suddenly welled up within me. Before I could think twice, I ruffled his hair with a quick, almost affectionate motion.

The action caught both of us off guard, including myself. I froze for a moment, surprised by my own gesture.

Conner’s eyes widened, a mix of surprise and happiness flickering across his face.

"Oh, wow, I didn’t expect that," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "You’re going all soft on me, aren’t you?"

I quickly withdrew my hand, my earlier gruffness returning to my voice. "Shut up. It was just a one-time thing."

Connor chuckled, his smile undeterred by my gruff reply. "Sure, sure. We’ll see about that. I think you’re secretly a big ol’ softie, under all that grouchy exterior."

I rolled my eyes, trying to maintain my usual aloofness, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of my lips again. "Keep dreaming, idiot," I retorted, but there was no bite behind my words.

I let out a grunt, the gruff exterior returning to mask my momentary softness. "Yeah, yeah. I guess I’ll see you on our date."

As I turned to walk away, an unexpected impulse struck me. My gruff demeanor suddenly softened, and before I could stop myself, I leaned down and placed a quick, gentle kiss on his forehead.

As I pulled back, our eyes met for a brief moment. There was a mixture of surprise and happiness in Connor’s eyes, a hint of a blush on his cheeks.

I immediately schooled my expression, the gruffness returning in full force. "Don’t get too excited. And don’t expect me to go around kissing you all the time."

Connor chuckled, his smile widening, clearly amused by my efforts to act tough.

"Right, right. Tough guy Hunter, keeping his aloof exterior intact," he teased, then added with a hint of challenge, "But I think deep down, there’s some mushy, soft-spoken romantic lurking inside you. I just have to bring it out."

With a final glance, I turned away and walked down the hallway, leaving Connor behind with a mixture of surprise and amusement. The events of our conversation replayed in my mind, the memory of the genuine smile that had crept onto my lips still fresh in my mind.

For a brief moment, I had let my guard down, and somehow, I hadn’t minded. Maybe there was some truth to Connor’s words. Maybe beneath my gruff exterior, there was a softer, more vulnerable person lurking.

But I wasn’t ready to confront that just yet.

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