Tristene is a 17 year-old high schooler who lives in dorm at a boys school. He is a gay who's out of the closet. While his mother and brother had already accepted for who he is. And society wasn't that rough with gays either. You'd even see a gay couple holding hands in public.
And then there's his roommate Jackson.
It's not like he dislike Jackson. No, not at all. But he keeps making his mind go spinning in spirals.
Jackson was kinda...touchy and he tends to pull cheesy jokes on him. And he doesn't understand it when almost everyone from school had known him as gay. So why tease him if he would get the wrong idea?
It was bothering him so much. He contemplated all about it and at some point, he just came up with something so funny.
"Could he have actually like me?" He slapped himself.
Is he stupid? According to Jackson's stories, he dated girls all his life. There's no way that would happen.
But still, Jackson was giving him wrong ideas and it's making him insane. So after wasting his time at class overthinking. He decided to be straightforward for once or else he won't sleep for tonight.
___
After school right when the bell rang, Tristene took his bag and rushed to the boys dormitory building to fulfill his decision. Though he was already sure to do it, when he was already by the stairs, his pace slowed down actually getting nervous now that he's here.
When he reached to his doorstep, he slowly grabbed the doorknob and opened it as he saw Jackson working on his computer with his glasses on.
As expected Jackson still looks very good in glasses. Wait? Glasses? Isn't it his glasses? But still...how is that making him more handsome when he looked like a complete nerd with it.
"Hey Jackson....." he called.
Jackson was alerted as he quickly took off his glasses. "Ah sorry...just borrowing your glasses for a minute."
"Oh it's not a big deal. But I wanted to talk with you about something..." he looked to his left side thinking that Jackson would think of him as weird if he did look at him too long.
"I was wondering why you're...uhm how do I say this... open and touchy-feely...with me? And I'm a little confused," he rubbed his nape nervously.
Jackson stares at Tristene blankly.
Tristene; "What?"
Jackson; "..." He still didn't respond as if he was still thinking what to say.
___
After 5 minutes. Jackson's expression broke and was replaced with a bewildered look. Like he didn't know what he was talking about.
___
"What do you mean? Didn't you know that I like you?" He asked clearly but Tristene chose to be deaf and asked again.
"What?"
"I broke up with my girlfriend last time because of you. Didn't you know that?"
"Uh...w-what? But I.... I don't get...it..." Tristene's voice stammered in panic as he squirmed in the extreme awkward position he was put in. 'This was not part of the plan' he thought, feeling his face heat up.
Jackson stared at Tristene for a long time. It was like adding fuel to the fire. Feeling like he was sweating like the fall he couldn't wait to break the awkward chain reaction, "What? Why are you staring like that?"
Jackson hesitated but he gathered his voice asking, "So you actually didn't know all this time?"
___
Tristene was ambivalent to answer, and he kept rubbing his palms. "Ye-Yes?" his head lowered only having the sight of Jackson's bare foot.
Jackson was at lost for words gazing at him with an unreadable look. Like he sensed it, the cute boy subtly shifts to look to another direction, extremely timid like a bunny hiding behind its bunny ears.
Jackson couldn't help but squint feeling as if he was being baited. Seeing those pink and red ears fuming, he couldn't help but avert his glance thinking it was illegal for ogling at this innocent and quivering, as if it was about to get eaten.
How can someone be so cute?
Struggling his urge to do something so shameless, he supressed himself not to touch the boy's hair with its bowing head like his life depended on it.
Suddenly, he was met by Tristene's teary eyes like it was being bullied. The urge to protect came without awareness, but he felt wrong since that meant he was the bully otherwise.
"You, are you sure?" Tristene says to him. Somehow Jackson couldn't help but chuckle, and he looks at him with a soft look. Caught himself in a crime, he covers his mouth didn't mean to be a horrible person.
'..Is this his first time receiving confession?' he suddenly thought while promising the cute guy he'd punch himself later for laughing. He was just too cute getting all nervous and fidgety like he was the one who just confessed.
____
Tristene was startled at the chuckle sounded like it was holding back. 'Wait is he laughing at me?! What's funny?' thought Tristene feeling attacked but when he was supposed to look angry he found his handsome rommate still staring at him.
His head was forced to shift in reflex once again. 'Why is he staring so much?!'
___
His reaction made Jackson's lip curve as he leaned closer to Tristene's face. Just because it gave him the sign to tease the cute boy.
___
"So what are you gonna do now? I confessed. Is it a no or a yes?" Jackson half-smiled excited to see what its reaction would be.
Tristene looked and didn't expect both of their faces to be so close. His face flushed like the fresh harvested apple in spring without moving an inch trembling in panic.
___
Jackson laughed after looking at Tristene for more than 10 seconds frozen in his stand. Seeing Tristene stiff like a stick as if he would crack if he did was just so cute. He know he was being such a jerk but he just can't help it.
"I was kidding" he laughed but his smirk returned. "But I'm still gonna wait for your yes though."
Tristene was muted and paralyzed in his stand, he stared right at Jackson. Maybe he thought it would work if he stare at him too much like he did to him, but it backfired in an instant. Jackson throwed him a smitten grin, serving as his effective tranquilizer.
What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do?...And, what was he thinking again?
"!", Tristene pushed Jackson to his chest remembering how close they were.
"..So? What do you say?"
"I-I... I was not made for this, I mean, I think my world just crumbled, I mean, excuse me...Ah no, I need time!" he walked to his bed and wrapped himself like a cacoon.
Jackson frowns, 'Is he traumatized about getting confessions?' he randomly guessed. He thought he would get an answer because he made sure he has good brownie points from him.
He worked hard to earn it by acting like a prince, but it's no use if he forces him anyway.
It's fine as long as he wasn't rejected, he could wait.
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