The phone buzzed on Felix's bedside table, the insistent vibration breaking through the comfortable silence of his morning routine. He glanced at the caller ID – Chris. A smile spread across his face. It had been a few weeks since they'd decided to try this "friends" thing, and while it was still a little awkward, it was undeniably nice.

He answered, "Hey Chris, morning."

"Hey Felix," Chris's voice was warm, a hint of nervousness in the tone. "Listen, I was wondering… maybe we could… uh… hang out this evening?"

Felix's heart did a little flip-flop. "Tonight? Sure, I'd love to."

"Great!" Chris sounded relieved. "I was thinking… maybe we could go to that new ice cream place downtown? They have these crazy, over-the-top sundaes."

Felix chuckled. "Sounds amazing. I'll meet you there around 6?"

"Perfect. See you then."

As he hung up, Felix couldn't help but grin. Ice cream sundaes. Definitely a date.

xx

That evening, Felix arrived at the ice cream parlor a few minutes early. He spotted Chris near the window booth, already nursing a ridiculously large sundae topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and an entire brownie. Chris waved, a mischievous glint in their eyes.

"Wow," Felix exclaimed, sliding into the booth across from him. "That looks… intense."

They spent the next hour laughing, teasing each other about their messy faces, and sharing stories.

"So," Chris began, "how have things been? Have those bullies been bothering you anymore?"

Felix shook his head, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. "Nope, not at all. They got suspended for a while, and I think they finally learned their lesson."

"That's good," Chris said, relief evident in his voice. "You deserve to be happy."

"I am," Felix said, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "I've made some new friends too. Their names are Hyunjin and Minho. They're really cool."

Chris smiled. "That's great to hear. It's good to have friends to lean on. How's Mateo doing? Haven't heard much about him from Lucas either."

Felix looked up, "Oh, Mateo? He's doing great! He's been super busy with school. You know how it is, always studying and working on those crazy projects."

Chris nodded, "Yeah, he's always been a hard worker. Remember how dedicated he was to that science project?" Felix chuckled, "Oh god, yes. We still have that volcano model somewhere in the attic."

After a while, Chris, curious about Felix's parents (because he has never seen them) casually asked, "So, how are your parents doing?" Felix paused, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. "They... they're not with us anymore," he replied softly. Chris, startled, stammered, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"It was a long time ago," he added, his voice steady, "It was a car accident. They... they went out for their anniversary dinner. Never made it home. I was sixteen. We've moved on, of course, but it's always... there."

Chris, deeply regretting his thoughtless question, apologized profusely. Felix, understanding, reassured him, "It's okay, really. It happens."

Chris then steered the conversation back to lighter topics, determined not to let the somber mood linger.

xx

"This is actually really nice," Felix admitted, leaning back in the booth.

Chris smiled. "Yeah, it is." He paused, then added, "You know, I really missed these kinds of evenings with you."

Felix's heart warmed. "Me too."

They finished their sundaes in a comfortable silence, the only sound the occasional clinking of spoons against glass. As they walked out of the ice cream parlor, Chris suggested they walk through the park.

"It's a beautiful night," Chris said, his hand brushing against Felix's arm.

Felix smiled, his hand instinctively reaching out to gently intertwine with his. "It is."

They strolled through the park, the soft glow of the streetlights illuminating their path. The air was cool and crisp, the sound of crickets chirping a gentle background to their conversation.

As they reached the end of the park, they stopped.

"I had a really good time tonight, Felix," Chris said, his eyes searching felix's.

"Me too," Felix replied, his voice husky.

A comfortable silence fell between them. Then, Chris leaned in, his eyes closing. Felix mirrored the movement, their lips meeting softly. It was a tentative kiss, a hesitant exploration, but it was filled with a warmth and longing that neither of them could deny.

Pulling back slightly, Chris looked at Felix, his eyes wide. "Maybe… maybe we should try this again, but… not as friends."

Felix smiled, his heart overflowing with happiness. "I think that might be a very good idea."

And as they walked hand-in-hand out of the park, they both knew that this was just the beginning of their second chance.
_____________________________________

HAHAHAHAHA

-M★