Leo sighed and wondered if he should go out there. Half of him was frantic because he had been followed around by Sam like a lost begging puppy every time his classes were out for the past few days, While part of him thought it was cute that he was trying so very hard to figure out why it was that Leo didn’t like him.

‘In truth, it wasn’t that he didn’t like him, it was the fact that he felt inferior to him. Which made him want to hide.’

Leo sighed and decided going out was better than staying in here until he left. And besides, so what if Evan was busy with something else? He could say no just as good as Evan could... ‘Couldn’t he?’

Leo picked up his bag and walked out of the room, then waited for the onslaught that was the hyper puppy, Sam.

Nothing happened, he made it out of his room unscathed.

‘Sure, Leo couldn’t even look up to see if he was there.’ But that was because he was bound and determined to stare defeated, down at his feet as that seemed to make Sam feel a bit guilty about bothering him. All he had to do was look tired and Sam normally was calmer. Gentler, with him.

‘1... 2... 3...’ A hand fell on his shoulder and Leo let out a little sigh of disappointment. For a second he thought he had lucked out and Sam hadn’t come at all.

“What is it, I already told you I don’t hate you... I don’t even dislike you. I like you okay, in fact, let’s be friends... Just...”

“You do?” A soft voice interrupted, calmly, with interest.

Leo’s face shot up, and he froze. The hand on his shoulder was Max’s, and he stood there a soft smile on his face.

The light from outside the hall was setting and its warm burning pink hue fell across Max’s skin lightening it as if he were in some magazine photoshoot.

‘Why was this spring so sunny? Why was the weather perfect, the mood perfect? Why was the entire world working hard to set just the right background for stopping his heart?’

This was Canada. It was known for its bad weather so why was everything working so perfect and making him want to hide in a shell.

Leo sucked in a breath, his voice cut off and caught in his own words.

“Do you really like me, Leo? Can we really be friends?” Max asked softly, his voice gentle.

“I really want to, if you want to...” He stated, eagerly.

“I thought... I had done something wrong. Sam came back saying you were angry at both of us...”

“I was so confused. I didn’t know what I had done. But I wanted to fix it, so I kept sending Sam back to try to invite you out to hang out. Originally it was like a week in advance that I was asking to hang out with you... but I have time free tomorrow... Sorry, there is literally no advance warning. It’s been hard to talk to you for the past week.”

“I really wanted you to hang out on my free day.”

“But with just me!” Max added quickly.

“I know you don’t like Sam now, that’s why you were angry right?”

“I don’t know why you don’t like him, well, I mean most people don’t find him nearly as abrasive as I do sometimes. So I get it....” He paused.

“Ahhh,” Max chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck softly.

“But, I hope that someday you guys might sort it out... because he is my best friend.” Max flushed as he realized he was talking about an uncertain future as if it were certain.

“I also want to be friends with you like that, too. Because I like you too, Leo.” Max breathed, still holding onto Leo’s shoulder.

Leo stared at Max dumbfounded. ‘First, he was frozen, unsure of what to do because it was Max, not Sam.’

‘But then... then Max just, what poured his feelings out like that, smacking him in the face with his perfect articulations!’ Leo’s heart was beating in his chest and he felt like his blood was on fire where Max had touched him.

But also his brain was trying to make him at least pretend to be human instead of a turtle. And his mouth worked trying to explain. ‘Explain that he didn’t hate either of them, but that he was jealous and just wanted Max for himself. Wanted to be his friend too... More than friends. How he wanted Max to touch him again as he had before.’

‘How he wanted to feel his lips on his, how he couldn’t think of anything else most of the time.’ And now that he was confronted with his heart beating out of his chest, sweaty palms and clammy mouth, frozen brain and complete and utter lack in comprehending any human language at all. He had to admit it to himself. ‘He liked Max. He definitely, really liked Max, and wanted to tell him as much.’

But his body and mind betrayed him and he nodded with his mouth open like a fish instead.

Max smiled. “So you want to come and maybe, hang out... With just me... Tomorrow?” Max asked gently.

Leo tried to think of something great to say something catchy. ‘Like, see you then... Sounds great... Call me, text me... You have my digits... Catch you tomorrow.’

But instead, he blurted out. “Sure... It’s a date.”

Leo’s brain processed what he said, and he looked up to see Max’s face, which stared at him with an odd look in his eyes.

“Oh, you know, because tomorrow is a date... Of the year.” Leo added then chuckled nervously.

“Like every... Other... Date of the year.” He finished lamely and looked down at the ground, while mentally beating himself up for the slip of his tongue.

Max chuckled. “You know, you’re really cute when you get nervous Leo...” He said sweetly.

Leo flushed. ‘Why did he like that a grown man was calling him cute? Was he supposed to be getting pleasure from that? Because DAMN IT! He was.’

“It’s a date then okay...” Max said softly, placing what Leo had to assume he thought was a reassuring hand on his shoulder. But in reality, it made him feel even more like a turtle than he normally did.

“You can’t back out!” Max said energetically.

“I’ll maybe call you a few times tomorrow to make sure you don’t change your mind, okay,” Max said while walking away from him, his face beaming happily.

Leo nodded and smiled softly, still blushing. Then turned and started down the hall.