TRAVIS

I waved my teammates goodbye before heading for the school parking lot.

"Invite him to the game. I don't want him to be suspicious."

I sighed remembering Sam's words. I was I supposed to talk to someone who had practically ignored me throughout yesterday and today. I bit my lip thinking back to Sam's plan. She wanted me to make him fall for me, but I can't help thinking it's happening the other way around.

"Travis! There you are!" I heard Sky scream from across the parking lot making me turn her way. She was beside her red Ford waiting to pick me up.

The guys had planned this hang in a place quite close to Sky's place, which was pretty far from mine, so I decided to follow her home to cut the journey in half.

"Hey," I said when came within earshot of her car.

"What took you so long? Alex and I have been waiting here like forever," She said, rolling her eyes as she opened the door to the driver's sit.

Alex? I thought, raising a brow.

"Are you just going to stand there?" a voice said from within the car. Looking closer, I saw Alex balanced in the passenger seat, book in hand. I shook my head, opening the back door before getting in.

The ride was quiet, well until Alex tuned to radio to a station where Adam Lambert's 'Your entertainment' was playing. I shook my head smirking to myself.

"We're here," Sky said, bringing the car to a stop. It was a regular white duplex identical to the rest of the estate.

We got out and headed to her home, it was just like Sky normal on the outside and not so normal on the inside. Alex walked about the living room, observing the small statues and relief works hanging on the walls and tables.

"My dad's a bit of a collector," Sky said, shrugging as I felt the ancient looking curtains with my hand.

"He has good taste, is this an akuaba doll from Ghana?" Alex asked, squatting to take a look at the ugly legless figurine on a side table.

"Yeah, there are a bunch of those everywhere, they're supposed to bring prosperity and fertility..." Sky trailed, approaching Alex before squatting beside him.

I turned away a bit disturbed by their closeness. Did Sky like him that way? Somehow the thought alone made me paranoid.

"Travis, do you want something too?" Sky said, making me snap out of my thoughts.

"Err... what?" I asked, releasing the curtain that was still in my hands.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Sky asked getting up. Her red curly hair was behind an Alice band today. She also had camouflage high waist trousers with a plain white crop top.

"Sure, a coke I guess..." I trailed, walking toward the TV balancing on a wooden stool adorned with abstract designs.

"You know coke affects the male reproductive system," Alex said, getting up to approach the TV which I was still trying to figure out.

"Here," Alex said, pressing a button I felt so stupid for missing now.

"Okay, I'll go get that, and maybe warm up some leftovers. My mum will be back in about three hours or so," Sky informed us as she walked out the living room.

My gaze averted to Alex, who was now sitting on a single sofa reading a book he'd retrieved from the bookshelf.

"So..." I trailed, sitting on the sofa. Alex just flipped another page of the book, ignoring me.

"You can't act like it didn't happen," I said, annoyed. Was he going to act like he didn't kiss me forever?

"Like what didn't happen?" Alex asked, dropping his book. I mentally slapped myself at his pretense.

"You know, last Friday. You kissed me," I said, looking straight at him.

"Oh, that," Alex said, opening his book up again.

"So, you're okay with it? Why did you do it?" I asked, annoyed at how casually he was taking it.

"Of course I am, and I was just checking if you were a tad horny," Alex said not taking his eyes off the book he was reading.

"So that's it? It's not okay to jump someone against their will?"

"Well, you didn't look or sound so unwilling. In fact, if I remember vividly the only reason I did it was because you were staring at me like I was a hot dog or something," Alex said, yawning as he looked down at his watch.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. He was sort of right. I stayed quiet gazing at Alex then at the kitchen, the sound of the TV giving an odd tonal background. What was taking Sky so long?

"What's making you fidget so much?" Alex asked, a smile creeping to the side of his mouth.

"Nothing," I said, turning away at the feeling of my cheeks heating up.

"You've heard the saying 'Ask and you shall receive' haven't you?" Alex asked, making me raise a brow in question.

"Have you?" Alex asked, flipping to another page of the book. I nodded, a little mad at myself for giving into his game.

"Then why aren't you asking?" he said looking up at me.

"Asking for what?" I said, looking down, suddenly finding my trouser lint so interesting. I couldn't look at Alex too much, his presence alone gave me an odd feeling.

"You know what I'm talking about," Alex sighed as Sky walked in with a tray of drinks.

"Sorry I took so long," she said, dropping the drink on the center table before heading towards Alex with a sprite. She sat on the armrest of the chair, her hip casually brushing Alex's side.

I looked away as the familiar feeling of jealousy raised its tiny head again. If it weren't for me Sky wouldn't be talking to Alex. Alex should be closer to me, not her.

They made small talk with me for a while until Sky's mum walked in. She looked like the plum shorter version of Sky, Her hair was wilder but at least she kept it behind a bandanna.

"Mum you know Travis," Sky said, making me wave to her mum.

"And this is Alex, Alex my mother." Sky introduced.

"I've heard a lot about you," Sky's mother said, raising her purple rimmed glasses to inspect Alex.

"I'm sure of it, your daughter happens to be talkative," Alex said, making Sky's mum laugh. Sky pulled on an offended frown and gave Alex a little shove.

"Are you kids staying for dinner?" Her mum asked, walking towards the kitchen door.

"Alex is, some friends are coming to pick Travis up in about an hour and a half," Sky said. Sky's mum nodded leaving the room.

"Travis do you mind staying alone, I want to show Alex something up in my room," Sky said, pulling Alex of the sofa and out the room. I rolled my eyes, turning my gaze to the TV.

*

What's taking them so long? I thought, opening my eyes. I've been out on the sofa for the past thirty to forty minutes. I could hear Sky's laughter from above. It was competing with the low buzz of the television.

I got up from the sofa deciding to go up to Sky's room. Walking up the stairs I and through the hallway, I couldn't help notice the light on in the room a little way before Sky's

So, she's back. I thought passing Sky's sister's room with a smile. She'd headed for college last year to study new age art. It's was quite hard to forget a seven-foot girl.

I knocked lightly on Sky's door. Everything went quite then there was some shushing and light movement. I sighed at Sky's silliness.

"Hey! They're not here for you yet?" Sky said opening the door.

"No, They will be in the next thirty or so minutes," I said checking my watch.

"Oh, okay, stay here with Alex I want to help mum out in the kitchen," Sky said, brushing past me. I frowned then looked into Sky's room. I've been here before but it had red wallpapered fur, not sky blue.

"Scared to come in?" Alex asked, making me blink. I almost forgot he was in there.

"No," I said firmly, walking in and almost tripping myself. I heard a light snicker as I found my balance and shut the door. Alex was sprawled on the floor. He didn't have his glasses on and his hair was a mess, sketch pads were scattered around him, one held above his head as he worked on it with a mechanical pencil.

"Well, are you going to ask?" Alex asked, holding the sketchpad on his chest and giving me a small smile. The suddenness of the smile had my heart beating twice as fast.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, acting as calm as I could as I approached him.

"Well, suit yourself," Alex sighed as he continued sketching on the sketchpad. I sat next to him on the floor, not helping the thought that his brown locks made a wonderful contrast with the white carpet. Feeling a bit invasive I looked at what he was drawing. He was doing a sketch of Sky, her eyes closed, her hair wild around her face, and her mouth open in laughter. He was good, even better than Sky.

"Sky did one of me, it's somewhere on the floor," he said, not looking away from what he was doing.

I looked around and spotted it under another sketchpad. I smiled at how like him it was. A side of his mouth was turned up in a cunning smile, his lion mane hair was messy, and I chuckled realizing why his hair was messy in the first person.

"Why won't you ask to kiss me?" Alex asked, making the hair on my neck jump.

"I don't."

"You keep looking at me like you want to, are you afraid?" Alex said chuckling. I got up, feeling my blood boil silently in irritation and want.

"If you leave you won't get an invitation like this ever again, and I'm not going to be blackmailed to do it," Alex said as I turned the knob of the door. He was right. I did want to kiss the smirk off his face, and that look of irritation on his forehead.

"Offer going in one, two..."

What I'm I going to do? Sam said I should stay away from him, that he's doing it on purpose.

"Three, four..."

But I won't be able to do it again.

"Five, six..."

"Wait," I said trying to find some time to think but he just kept counting.

"Nine..."

"Can I kiss you?" I asked under the pressure.

"Why not?" he said, smiling. I watched as he got up and walked towards me with slow strides. I could swear my heart was beating in my throat.

"Lock the door," he said, stopping a few inches in front of me. I obeyed without question then turned back to him.

"Well?" Alex said smiling at me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Opening my eyes, I looked at Alex. The sight of his plush lips made me lick mine in excitement. I let my thumb over his lip looking for a reaction. He just stared at me waiting. I leaned in and he moved back.

"Wait before you do anything let me just set the rules out," Alex said. I groaned a little irritated at his move.

"Okay," I said, balling my hands into fists.

You can do this Travis. You can wait.

"First off no biting..." He trailed nibbling at his lips.

He looked odd, nervous even. My lips twitched in a smile. So he isn't that confident after all.

"No touching private places and no grinding." Alex finished, looking up at me as if he was about to do the most un-enjoyable deed the whole human race has heard of.

"Okay." I agreed, placing my lips on his. Have you ever felt that petrifying excitement or fear that you just can't move? I shivered pressing harder against his lips. It was as if he were a statue, unmoving.

"Kiss back already." I half complained, half moaned. If he wasn't going to play fair I might as well cheat. I jacked the back making him gasp in shock and a mixture of pain. Taking the opening I plunged my tongue into his mouth exploring his warmth.

I kissed him feverishly, ignoring the fact he was, in fact, trying to wiggle away from my grasp.

"Stop making this hard," I whispered against his lips in irritation. This time when I kissed him, he kissed back. Fair enough. I ran my hands through his hair, feeling his softness. He tasted slightly of chocolate, and smelled like baby shampoo. I moaned breaking the kiss to concentrate on his neck.

"Don't..." He blurted whimpering slightly as I nibbled on the soft skin.

"Stop I said no biting!" Alex gasped wiggling. I stopped biting and started sucking lightly on the spot. The feeling of Alex's fingers on my hair sent butterflies flying wildly around my tummy.

"Travis..." He groaned gripping my hair in his hands.

"It's enough," he mumbled trying to break my contact with his skin. I ignored him letting my hands run up and down his sweatered chest before letting them rest in on his slim waist. He kicked at the feel of me nudging at the sweater end.

"Stop, no touching," he moaned, making me sigh against his skin in frustration. Holding on to his waist I had the privilege to look at him. His lips were swollen and quivering, his face was flushed and his eyes wet. The idea that all that was my doing was to be truthful turning me into an elephant in heat, God he makes me want to top him like something from the African Savannah...

I turned at the sound of knocking.

"Guys it's me, open the door! Travis, they're here for you!"

Why now? I thought, sighing before turning to unlock the door.

"Hey, did something happen?" Sky asked, peeping inside. I turned to find Alex curled up on the bed, visibly shaking. Did I do something wrong?

"No..." I trailed, looking back at her before exiting the room and running down the stairs and out into Jonah's pickup truck. I couldn't keep the image of Alex curled up in a ball out of my mind. Did I unintentionally do what Sam asked of me?