After the run had finished, Alexander spent some time in the locker room washing his face, wiping the sweat and grime into the sink below. 

The run had truly exhausted him. Alexander had never put so much of his entire being into something before. It was no surprise to him that, with streams of cool water rushing down his face, he felt particularly refreshed. 

But the high of the run had never fully gone away, as if he gained a burst of energy that would continue to take him through the rest of the day. Perhaps he might even look forward to his pre-calculus class the next block. Alexander chuckled at the thought.

Walking down the hallway, he stopped by his locker to get rid of his gym bag. Once he unlocked his locker, he turned the door and shoved the bag inside. But as he was about to close his locker shut and walk away, a conversation around him piqued his interest.

“I had no idea Byron Yamashita liked guys!” Alexander heard some girls gossiping from behind. Feet frozen in place, Alexander kept his head in the locker as he listened in.

“No way, really?”

“For sure, I heard it from my friend who went to his old school!”

“What a shame… He was my type.”

The more they talked, the more Alexander felt himself growing enraged. What right did they have to talk about him like that? His hand gripped the locker door tightly, his fingers digging into the cool metal underneath. His breathing grew shallow, as if he was letting out a low growl. With how Byron was being talked about behind his back, he couldn’t help but feel disgruntled with indignation for his friend.

Slamming the locker door shut, he turned around and gave the group of girls a piercing glare. Startled by the look on Alexander’s face, the group quickly went their separate ways, dispersing into the crowd who returned to going about their day.

Continuing down the hall, Alexander turned the corner. But as he walked forward, he stopped right in his tracks, seeing Byron in full view leaning against the wall as he stared off into space. Alexander saw how all the colour on Byron’s face had all but vanished. The bravado that was once there was gone, and what was left was a shell of Byron’s being. It looked as if Byron was scared, vulnerable, unsure of what Alexander was going to say to him next.

How long had Byron been standing there? Alexander wondered if he had heard everything. Alexander grabbed Byron’s hand and gripped it, surprised at how cold and clammy his skin was under his palms. Suddenly, Byron jerked his hands away and held them close to his body. Alexander didn’t like how much it stung to be swatted away like that.

“How much did you hear?” Byron asked in a low voice, stuttering. Alexander saw the nervous look in Byron’s eyes, as if his world was falling apart in an instant. Alexander sighed.

“I heard everything,” Alexander admitted. Byron gave him a cold nod.

Byron stared off in the distance as his breathing grew short, just shy of hyperventilation, as if going into a panic. Alexander grabbed Byron’s hand and looked him in the eyes, unwilling to see his new friend spiral. 

“It’s okay,” Alexander said as he shot his best smile at Byron, the earnest look in his eyes shining bright. Still, Byron had a pensive look on his face, as if he had to approach Alexander cautiously.

“Don’t you feel weird about me now?” Byron said, his voice soft and barely audible.

Alexander thought back to his uncle Javier a couple of days prior, the day he first learned about the relationship between his and Byron’s fathers. He thought of how he sneered at his uncle Javier at the thought of him liking his father, and the cold, ridiculing tone in his voice as he told him, “You’re not like that, so of course you wouldn’t.” He shuddered at the words he said back then.

He wondered if he was just so upset at the idea that Kenji Yamashita had a fling with his father years ago, that he simply lashed out at his uncle in turn.

Alexander shook his head. No, he could no longer excuse his actions, especially now that Byron was left standing in front of him, his vulnerability in full view. He cursed at the Alexander Alcantara from that day. He had to change if he were to become a better person, and a better friend to Byron.

“Of course not, Byron. This doesn’t change anything.” Alexander reassured. All of a sudden, Byron wrapped him into a tight embrace, his face nuzzling against Alexander’s shoulders. As the feeling of warmth overtook Alexander’s body, Alexander couldn’t help but blush at the sudden contact.

In turn, Alexander slowly raised his arms and pulled Byron closer into the hug. How he may look be damned, it was more important to make sure that Byron felt seen, affirmed, and valued as his friend.

Click! 

Alexander turned around, letting go of Byron, the sound of a photograph being taken startling him. As he did so, he saw Victor Park staring at them far in the distance, with a look that Alexander couldn’t quite put a name to. Alexander couldn’t think of a reason why Victor had to stare at him so intently, but for all he knew, it wasn’t good.

Ring, ring, ring!

As the bell rang, Alexander told him that he had to go to his pre-calculus class. Byron chuckled and said his goodbyes. 

Then, as Alexander raced towards the classroom, he noticed Victor sitting at his desk staring at him. Alexander sneered as he took his place next to Victor. He dug out his notebook and set it on the desk with a slam, surprising Victor next to him. Alexander huffed. He would have to talk to Victor about what had just happened after all.