“I wouldn’t say everyone likes you. Isn’t that just a pretentious notion?” An unfamiliar voice said from behind Sam.

Sam turned around to see who the low voice that was addressing him belonged to.

A tall guy with long dark brown hair that fell over his one eye, messily. Stood there, his hands shoved into his pockets. His shirt was crinkled, and he was wearing the school uniform minus the tie even though it wasn’t necessary to wear it outside of school events. His pants were not in a much better state than his shirt and the attitude on his face seemed almost as defiant as the wrinkles were to the school’s dress code.

Sam stood fully at attention, and his eyes squinted. He let go of Leo and walked towards the new person.

“Well, I don’t think I have ever met anyone who I haven’t liked so is it wrong to think they would feel the same about me?” Sam said his voice was sweet like honey. His puppy dog eyes lit up with his innocent smile and charm, and he leaned back on his heels as he shoved both his hands in his pockets.

“That’s a really stupid opinion... Maybe there are lots of people who don’t like you, but they just don’t say anything.” The guy said scoffing.

Sam stepped forward and smiled sardonically at him. “Nah, everyone likes me. It’s a fact.” He bragged nonchalantly.

“Watch, I bet I can even make you like me,” Sam said, walking around him in a circle, then stopping once he had reached his start point in front of the man to stare at him challengingly.

He paused, the tension flowed between them, almost jumping with electricity.

Sam slowly removed his hands from his pockets and looped his arm around the guy’s shoulder. He smiled and squeezed the guy’s clavicle playfully.

The guy tapped his foot impatiently glaring snobbishly at Sam, then grabbed Sam’s, hand and removed his arm as if annoyed by its very existence.

Leo moved forward. “Um, Uhh,” he interrupted hesitantly.

“Evan, we should really go study. If we don’t go soon all the seats in the library will be full.” Leo grabbed Evan’s hand, held it and pulled him, dragging Evan behind him.

Evan glared back at Sam, scoffing at him. As if he found him to be entertaining or an idiot.

Sam smiled and waved after them. “Watch I’ll make you like me yet. Both of you!” he said cheerfully, calling after them.

“No, you won’t... Ever!” The guy, Evan yelled back and held up his hand disrespectfully.

Sam smiled and turned around.

He was halfway back to his class area before realizing he had forgotten to ask why Leo wouldn’t talk to Max.

‘Oh well, I’ll catch him next time. It’s another chance to make him like me.’ He thought and walked away happily whistling.

✥✥✥

Leo walked out of his classroom only to see Sam standing there waving at him. Clearly waiting for him. A large smile on his face.

Leo tried not to feel attacked.

But here was Sam again, and he had to ask himself.

‘Was he feeling threatened?’

‘Was this like a tactic? Was he trying to establish his male dominance? Why was he bugging him every day after class like this now?’ It had been days, and Leo was running out of ideas and ways to avoid talking to him.

‘He really, wouldn’t stop trying to talk to him!’ And Leo handled the pressure about as well as a pot with a lid on it.

He felt like he was being smothered.

‘How could he tell him he got it already?’

He knew what he saw. The two of them were obviously super close. He really didn’t want to impede that. ‘Should he tell him? Okay, fine, I won’t step on your turf again. Would he stop bugging him, then?’

‘Did he want to like be friends with Leo suddenly, to like get to know the competition approaching his territory?’ Leo did not understand, but was too bothered to actually ask him and add to that all the, outside of his classroom loitering, he was feeling very put on the spot.

He had just met both of them in person a little while ago. And in reality, their interactions were still. Well, limited was a generous word for it.

‘Nonexistent was more accurate.’ When it came to his and Max’s interactions now.

‘But like with that being the case was it still necessary for Sam to come and show his dominance like this?’

Leo sighed, exasperated with himself now. ‘What kinda fantasies are you making up in your head right now, Leo, between the two of them? Like you don’t even know if they both swing that way.

‘Heck, you don’t even know if you swing that way. Although Evan had certainly suggested he did so many times since high school, and now with this whole Max thing coming to light he was really starting to wonder.’ He sighed.

Sam walked over, but slowed and Leo noticed the sudden arrival of the strong, silent aura next to him.

“Hey, Evan, are you all done, grabbing your extra work?” He asked cheerfully.

“Yeah,” Evan said. His voice betrayed his annoyance and Leo looked up to see Evan was, actually, like for real annoyed.

Evan rarely got annoyed or angry with anyone. He was a pretty gentle soul. Pretty carefree when you got to know him, he was just pretty silent and concentrated more on schooling than making friends. Which automatically made ninety percent of the time he was free, the time he was spending with Leo. Two loners of the world together.

Which meant that any problem he had, he went straight to Evan.

So, last night, Leo had gone straight to him and told him about this mess. About how he had felt then, and now about what he should do. Apparently, Evan wasn’t enjoying the new people attempting to make their way into their tiny two-person circle.

Sam placed a hand in his pocket and walked over nonchalantly.

“Heyyy...” Sam started