“Ahhh, you little shit! What was that for?” Sam asked, jumping up annoyed and pouting.

“That’s for holding out on dating information, and then for doing dirty things with your hands while talking about Leo.” He smiled cheerfully at his idiot best friend.

Sam nodded. “Okay.”

“You know what... all right, I deserved that.” He smiled cheekily.

He shook his head vigorously up and down. “I was a douche...”

“But I did good right?” He asked happily. Max watched his friend who at that moment reminded Max of an idiot puppy.

Max smiled, rolled his eyes and patted Sam lightly on the back. “Yeah, you’re the best stalker ever Sam. You can write it down on your resume as a helpful life skill.”

“Be proud of your amazing stalker skills, it’s a priceless life skill,”

“I have instructed you well. Now go free into the world and do your stalking.” Max snickered and leaned back in his chair, smiling and humoring Sam.

Sam’s face fell, his eyebrows bunched together in annoyance again.

He opened his mouth, but Max laughed, interrupting what he was about to say.

“Come on, I’ll treat you to lunch... Anything you want at all,” Max said, getting up and dragging his friend up with him. He put both hands behind Sam and started pushing his friend who didn’t protest easily forward towards the lineup for food.

“Anything...?”

“Hey, I’m not super-rich, so don’t break the bank,” Max said, stopping pushing, to glare with humor at Sam.

“Nice!” Sam pumped his fist enthusiastically once into the air as if he had won and walked with his friend.

“And you are so rich.”

Max gave Sam a look. “That’s my parents, not me... And they don’t feed you out of my wallet, I do.” Max said dryly.

“Not true! Mama H feeds me all the time... She loves me.” Sam bragged.

Max rolled his eyes. “Call my mom and ask her to feed you then. My wallet and I can get some peace.”

“No, no, it’s okay, I’m fine with even a morsel of anything,” Sam said playfully, pathetically.

Max smacked him and walked away from him a quaint satisfied grin on his face. He reached the line first and stood there before looking back at Sam.

Sam fell back a little from the force of Max leaving him. And then walked cheerfully up to Max in the lineup.

Sam’s face lit up with an idea and his eyes gleamed playfully as he caught up with Max and stood next to him. Max watched him carefully.

“Hey, if I am the best stalker ever, does that make you my stalker enabler?” Sam asked cheekily.

“Or maybe my stalker employer?”

Max rolled his eyes, then elbowed Sam in the gut lightly. Sam pretended to be wounded. Max watched his dramatic antics then took a look around him at the other people in line. He flushed, embarrassed.

Sam groaned playfully a few more times before pretending to collapse backward a little while holding his chest.

Max made a single motion to signal he should stop, but at the same time, Sam raised three fingers and slowly turned them sideways.

‘Their old signal? He was calling him out to finish the dual? What am I twelve?’ He scoffed. But then Sam grinned.

“Winner takes all, loser pays for the food and watches them eat.” He stated cheerily.

‘Interesting...’ Max grinned, deviously. And raised an eyebrow in mock question.

Sam licked his lips excitedly, then play growled.

Max left the line and charged lightly at Sam. Sam laughed good-naturedly and ran, dodging in between the tables. Carefully. Other students watched them chase each other. Some smiled, some annoyed with their wrestling and disruption.

✥✥✥

Leo had gone to the cafeteria in hopes that he could catch Max before they both had to return to their respective classes and lectures. He had heard from other people that Sam and Max had been hanging out in there lots the past little while instead of their usual table in the main Canteen.

He had hoped he could finally get up the courage to talk to him for a moment at lunch. If only once today. That’s all he had wanted for all of today.

But when he had been able to spot Max after a moment of searching, he had been messing around lightheartedly with Sam.

And Leo found he was annoyed. Frustrated at seeing it happening with his own eyes.

It was one thing hearing it from friends and other people in the class that Max was really close to that playboy Sam. But it was different seeing it in person.

Of course, he had seen it in the field, but he had thought it seemed all rather normal to goof off with a buddy here or there. Everyone needs a stress releaser sometimes. There was nothing wrong with just kicking back, chilling with friends and having a great time.

But then there were so many people over the past week telling him to be careful of Sam, and this was at least his third time seeing it with his own eyes.

‘How much physical touch must they be doing all the time that there are rumors about the kind of relationship they have across the entire campus?’ He felt agitated.

Then he was annoyed at himself, at his own body that was betraying him. His stomach turned, lurched and swished, his pulse quickened; and he got a sour taste in the back of his throat, as if he had eaten something that had given him a case of bad food poisoning. He hated the way it felt. This feeling.

One that his brain clearly told him was stemming from his annoyance at Sam for being so close to Max.

Touching Max that closely.

Causing dating rumors.

Leo realized he had no right to feel jealous,

‘Ugh, but he did, he really did feel jealous!’ Which frustrated him so thoroughly he turned around and walked out without even grabbing anything to eat.

‘I’ll just eat off-campus’ He thought sourly.

Something wrapped around his arm and Leo froze, turned slowly to stare at the gentle hand that encircled around his arm right above his wrist. He sighed.

Then scowled at his own forgetfulness. He had told Evan to meet him here so Evan was probably wondering what the hell he was doing leaving before grabbing food or even a spot to sit.,

‘Leo tried hard not to be annoyed with Evan but obviously if he was leaving the cafeteria that meant he needed to follow him. Not stop him and talk here. Jeez.’

“Come on Evan, I’m annoyed, don’t play.” He slapped the hand away. And it fell away gently.

“Oh, why?”

“Are you in a bad mood today?... Did something happen?” Came a concerned voice from behind him. One that was so clearly not Evan’s, but Max’s very soft baritone.

Leo whipped back around to stare at Max annoyed.

Max was standing there, practically glowing and dripping beautiful.

And it made Leo so frustrated with himself because despite being angry at what he had just seen.

‘When he had no right to be angry over it. And he knew it.’

He also couldn’t stop his heart from betraying him with his own sped up reaction. Nor could he stop the shiver that ran through his spine. Or the elated feeling he got when his brain pointed out that Max had not only felt comfortable enough with him to recognize, and pick him out of the crowd but also to bravely, come and stop him.

Max grinned at him sweetly unaware of his thoughts.

Leo held in a groan, as he reeled feeling like he had definitely been hit by a bus. Because if anyone asked him his soul had left his body.

‘Why did his own brain and body have to betray him right now? He was trying to be jealous! God!’