Dear All,

From this chapter you will start to read longer chapters, even more detailed and with more interaction as all the characters have been introduced in a way or another.

I have added more of Aleksandr's POV as it is very important. On this note, I know some readers don't enjoy to go through different POVs from the main protagonists (yes of course, Sasha is one of the main protagonists, but I mean something else), but this is how I write and considered I like to have other interact more and provide us with more insight and different angles, I do add other POVs. It may not suit everyone, but what can I say? I realized there is no writing style, author or book suiting every single person 😊

Our Travis and Aleksandr are facing quite the mess in their minds and not only there, but let's see how it will play out and how outside factors will help or not in this.

The chosen quote is to somehow applaud Jasper's effort and leap in going to look for Travis, as it's true: getting out of our comfort zone can be dangerous or not, you simply don't always know where the new road takes you.

I really hope you will enjoy this chapter and I will be looking forward to reading your comments and messages and see your votes ^^ Thank you very much for the wonderful support and love you always give to my stories, you dear all are absolutely fantastic, as Travis would say.

So far, how do you like our two main protagonists? What about our Jasper or Sasha's friends?

Just to make it clear once more: Aleksandr's name can be shortened as Sasha (it's a Russian name!) but also as Alex in here. So please, don't get confused as I already saw in some comments; Aleksandr, Sasha and Alex are the same and only person 😊

And now, happy and magic reading to you!

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to," by JRR Tolkien in 'The Lord of the Rings'

TRAVIS POV:

It turned out being around Jasper was easy and pleasant, for he had such a good and generous heart you wouldn't believe it. Once you would manage to make him pass his awful shyness and introversion, you would discover a very sweet and funny guy, easygoing and with a nice taste for music, since he liked many of the groups I did listen to. Fantastic, someone who would finally understand me and be ready to hear me singing those songs. I could work on his dressing style, though, even if it obviously wasn't my business and I wouldn't step over a certain line.

Of course, I was not a busybody and pushing moron who had to mind people's business and impose his own view, but he surely wore clothes too loose, and I was sure he had a nice body, so why hiding it? His face was terribly cute and handsome in his own way, not to mention his smile. I bet he had many guys interested in him, but I could also bet he wouldn't notice it. Ok, I was going to be a tiny teeny bit pushy, but that was what Jasper needed. He needed to break out free for a few moments in his days and not just when he was skateboarding with his friends in the streets of New York. He was sort of controlled and suppressed by his family, especially by his mother, which I think explained his stuttering when nervous and his sort of tick in repeating certain words.

Jasper explained they had great and sort of pressing expectations on him, and they were constantly reminding him that. Which caused him even more stress and to fail on several occasions, for the pressure was really too much to take. You couldn't force someone else nature and completely turn it inside out. I was glad he felt free to confide in me when it came to this, because I understood it very well; my father used to be a gigantic control-freak who tried to tame my mother's very independent side and who would use his hands when I defied him, even if I were a kid only. My mother would pretty much bite his head off and after the second time, she filed him for divorce and left him rot there. But Jasper had different problems, for his father never dared to hit him. No, he simply ignored him, and his mother treated him in the coldest possible way, at least this much I gathered by talking with him.

I wonder what his mother would think of me...she would probably hate me at first sight, considered what I heard from him. He was truly great to put up with all that stuff, such as watching his manners and whether he sat straight enough or not even during breakfast. Hell, mom and I sometimes on weekends had breakfast in the living room over the couch still in our pajamas, lazily watching something on the TV.

Jasper sure was a sweet bean and cinnamon roll (even if I avoided them just as a devil avoids holy water, because you know, extra calories, not needed kind of carbs and such), and what I particularly liked about him was his timid and considerate nature, he was so afraid to bother or disturb other people that at first he didn't even dare to send me a message or call, even though he really wanted to. I had to tell him to do it, as I didn't mind it one bit and I already considered him as a friend. So, very slowly, he melted and opened up with me, relaxing and seeing he could normally interact with me.

A friend.

I didn't even remember last time I had something remotely close to a friend, a kind and real friend like Jasper slowly and quite surprisingly became. Years passed since I could think of any, without doubts, and it never really ended well, or simply we lost ourselves taking different paths. It must be said I also got backstabbed many times, somehow thickening my weariness and making me see that even being alone was fine. No need to be necessary in the company of people not caring about me just not to be alone, which in my opinion wasn't good. And last time...he wasn't even a friend; he was something more...but let's drop it for now. I was in no mood to review those moments.

It was nice to be around Jasper, he was amusing and he clearly enjoyed my company, confessing that talking to me made him feel better, less stressed and oppressed, and amazingly he didn't mind my cursing, my big and somewhat cocky ego, my caustic sarcasm (and I was proud to say he was beginning to pick some for himself, which would only do good to him) and all my weirdness things, which I was sure of possessing in a good deal amount, my quirkiness, my being openly gay in quite a loud way. He didn't mind the fact I spoke fast, while on the contrary he was calmer and he had that effect on me, making me feel at ease, not in need to watch my back.

Therefore, days had passed since the Monday when he came to the library looking for me, introducing himself in that super adorable and cute way. The Monday when Aleksandr spoke to me for the first time on his own. And pretty much, the last time. As it was the last time that he paid attention to me in class. I had no idea what happened and what made him change so much. After that day he clearly began to avoid me. At first, we barely exchanged a quick "Hi" or "Hey" and that was it, but then, not even that and it seemed to avert his eyes from mine.

The whole situation really got into my mind and made me much more restless that I liked to admit to myself. In the past days, I damn hoped in a chance to start a dialogue, a stupid conversation even about the freaking weather or how hot he was every single day, or anything with him, but that chance never presented itself and I was beginning to worry that it would never come. He was much colder and more distant than before, as if something or someone bothered him, and I wondered if that someone was maybe me. I sighed silently and waited at the entrance of the library.

"Travis!" Jasper twitted as he jumped on my back. See? Wasn't he fantastic and super adorable? I managed to make him become more carefree and natural, and that was the sweetest thing ever. Also, his presence helped me slightly forget about what bothered my mind.

"Jasper, cutie, how you are today?" I asked as I turned around to hug him when he hopped down, for I was a rather physical person and I didn't mind contact, if I liked the person and felt close enough.

"Please, not with the cutie thing again," he protested, but not very convincingly, so I smiled at him.

"But you're cute and very sweet," I explained in a matter of fact tone, surprising him with a kiss on his check, to which he adorably blushed. He so wasn't used to this, but he didn't mind it at all and thus, I didn't stop from showing him my affection.

"How come I am cute, and you are hot?" He joked as we went to step into the library, where we would have our lunch together quietly talking.

"What can I say, Jas, that's me, fantastic Travis for you," I replied sketching a quick bow while I winked and stuck out my tongue.

"Oh my God, Travis, do you have a tongue piercing?" He asked very much surprised with wide eyes and staring at me as if he had seen something wonderful.

"Uhm, yes I do have a tongue piercing, why?"

"That's so...in a guy, I mean, I really like it, boy, you're a constant surprise."

I leaned closer to him, my face looking at his, and we were a very few inches apart, which allowed me to see he was blushing once more. But he wasn't blushing because he had a crush on me, just simply due to the fact he was very shy about sex talking. And well, way to go with me, for I was the complete opposite.

"Yeah, it's a complete turn on, I know. Plus, if you know how to use it well with your boyfriend or partner, well...you know what I mean," I let it drop there on purpose and flashed a rather naughty grin.

"Uhm...yep, that I-I thought, but well, not sure I could say it as you did," he admitted with a smile, for then staring at me quite intently, with a rather pensive expression. "Travis, what do you do to have such a fit and perfectly shaped body?" He asked, gesturing and indicating my body from head to toe, blushing yet again, his dark chocolate eyes somehow reflecting the same shy light. How cute he was! I ruffled his hair and refrained from hugging him again, because I knew I could be very overwhelming sometimes and I sure didn't want to freak him out.

"Thank you, cutie. Well, it's quite simple actually: I dance."

Yeah, it wasn't something I made very clear at first with him and also with others, but I didn't even know the reason for that. Dancing was my life, my love and my true passion. I took classical ballet classes and not I specialized in modern dance, yet still dedicating myself to the more classic side. I loved it with all myself and I dedicated to it almost all my free time, for I followed classes of long hours of training and practice after school. It was tiring, I won't even lie about that, but it was nothing compared to what I felt whenever I danced and learned a new choreography.

"For dancing do you mean ballet?" His eyes widened in even more surprise and I nodded.

"Well, at the moment I am concentrating a lot on modern dancing, but yes of course, classical ballet as well." I performed a three-rotation pirouette and he widened his beautiful eyes even more, for then clapping at me. Good thing we still weren't inside the library, for we had lingered outside still talking.

"You must be very good and talented at that, right? Because what you just performed was stunning and you always walk with a certain air, uhm, how can I say? You look very elegant and graceful. I believe my mother would like me walking like you probably, but not so sure. Boy, I never understood how she wants me walking around." He sighed out slightly down as he thought about his mother and then shook his head, giving me a quite perplexed look. "Did I sound too gay?"

I just laughed my ass off at his question, for he asked that to the right person: there was no such thing as too gay, at least in my book. Jasper was too damn cute and adorable for his own good and I could see why some stupid morons took advantage of that. He was too kind, but let's not get it wrong, because I had the impression, he was kind yes, but not a coward. I had a feeling Jasper would be someone standing beside his friends no matter what, a very rare trait in people, something I pretty much never found in my previous friends or boyfriends or whatever they were.

But seriously, too gay? Did he have a good look at me?

"Nah, Jas, that's totally OK and with me, nothing is too gay, believe me. You will see with time. And thank you for the stunning, my teacher says I am very talented," I replied with a wink, for I had a big flaw and that was being quite vain and cocky at times when it concerned my passions. But hey, people could either bite or kiss my ass. Or just ignore me.

"Do you think it would be possible to come see you one day during practice?" I was then the one looking at him very much surprised.

What did he just ask? His question really took me aback big time. I mean, nobody aside my mother ever seemed curious or interested in that, or even just asked to see me dancing, and Jasper, who I met only short ago, already did. I was so happy we met! He thought I had been like his guarding angel, he confessed a few days ago, for he said I was making his life in school completely different; but the exact same applied to him! He was my super guarding cutie and the idea alone made smile. I cracked an even wider Cheshire Cat grin and nodded, taking his hands in mine and squeezing them truly happy.

"Of course, you can cutie! Whenever you want, just let me know when you have time and we'll organize it and you know what?" He shook his head, his dimples showing on his face and his eyes shining brightly. "You must show me how hot you are when you do skateboard, 'cause I am sure as hell you are." He mumbled something I didn't hear, possibly saying he wasn't anything like that, but Jasper really had to understand and see his true potential in pretty much every-fucking-thing. "So, what do you say?" I asked enthusiastically and for a couple of seconds he just stared at me blinking his eyes. Did I speak too fast? That might have been possible, and I just chuckled there, making him do the same.

"Sure, Travis, I'd like that very much! Thank you! You know, nobody ever cared about my passion for skateboarding, saying it's just a waste of time," he explained, his enthusiasm quickly lowering as he probably thought about his mother. And I was right. "Mother says I should do something more useful and adequate to our status, and she proposed violin classes or...or...uhm, I-I don't even remember, but I'm clumsy with that and I had to give up, making her very upset." His shoulders curved with the weight of that and of his sudden changed mood. "It seems I can never really please her or be a good son, as she would wish me to be."

Good Lord, I felt like slapping that woman in the way there and back, and again and a third time to make sure she would get it. She reminded me of the man who fathered me way too much and it wasn't a good thing; I knew she wasn't as aggressive as he was, and never laid a finger on Jasper, but there were different ways of mishandling a person, and she was constantly criticizing him, taking him down and making him doubt himself, while Jasper in truth was a fantastic and extraordinary person and she should have considered herself very lucky for having such a son. Ugh...I shook my head to cool my temper, because I was in no place to do what I ardently wished for.

"I'm sorry to hear this, Jas, but please don't think about her now, alright? If she ever upsets you so much, you can stay at my place as long as you wish, because I am sure mom will have nothing against it. Hell, I'm sure she'll love you at first," I said and meaning it completely. "And I also tried violin, but yeah, it never was my thing. I prefer the piano, though. We can try that together sometimes, if you want." I winked at him and his smile once more reached up to his ears, making me feel better. "And don't let her say your passion for skateboarding is stupid, alright? Does she even know some skateboarders are super famous?"

"I-I, well uhm, I don't think she would exactly care about that..." So, it really was the pressure of his super stuck-up and insufferable mother that made him stutter and repeat words like that.

"Never mind that, I do care and that must count for something, no?" He giggled at me and nodded. "Let's go to the library and find our usual spot, alright? We can talk more there, and I can show some pictures my dancing teacher took during practice, if you want."

"Sure!"

Therefore, we ate our lunch at the library and talked very quietly for another while, me showing photos and some short videos Natalia took of me, seeing how that seemed to impress Jasper very much. After a while, something I really loved about him, each of us went to our own world: I read a book and he watched some videos on his phone about skateboarding, having told me he was trying to find a way to complete a new sequence of tricks. One day I must really see him doing that, because my guts told me he was very talented. While we did our own things, we shared the earphones of my I-pod and listened to "American Idiot" by Green Day.

Yeah of course, I had a huge thing for them and for punk or punk-rock or melodic-punk music in general. I mean, I loved The Clash and the Sex Pistols, because in my fantastic opinion they were absolutely great. And my opinions sometimes were law; at least in my own crazy-Travis wonderland world.

My phone vibrated against my ass and I took it out from my jeans' back pocket, seeing it was a message from Natalia. That was weird, I hope everything was OK with her.

"Travis, I am sorry, but today practice is cancelled, because my fever went up too much."

I shook my head, realizing what that meant for her; I was sorry about practice being cancelled, even though it just meant I would do something at home, but mostly I felt sorry and worried for her. By saying her fever went up signified she was probably burning in bed and I hope she was taking care of herself; yesterday she didn't feel well at all, but she obviously insisted anyway to stay there and dance until very late, for we finished later than usual. I told her to go home and rest, but nothing. I knew she didn't completely trust her assistants to look after her students, because she was a perfectionist and pretty much a control-freak, but not in any bad or aggressive way. Hell, she was so bossy and damn stubborn sometimes, for I doubt even hitting her with a hammer would do any good. I actually suspected her head would crack the hammer.

"I'm sorry about that and I hope u feel better soon. Let me know if u need anything, K? BTW, what did I say yesterday? Take very good care now!" I knew where she lived and she invited me at her place countless times, so if she needed anything, I would gladly bring it to her. But I doubted she would take the offer, considered her nature and personality.

"Thank you, but don't worry. Tomorrow I will be fine and back to my usual self." She was probably mentally cursing and kicking her fever, and then I read what she wrote twice. Tomorrow? Was she insane or what?

"Hell no, u must rest ur pretty ass tomorrow! Don't worry about us, because u know I'll do training at home or arrange it somehow." I hope that made her feel a bit better and convince her to take it easier. Seriously, tomorrow? She was insane, because knowing her as well as I did, cancelling practice meant her fever was probably around or over 104 °F. Fuck practice tomorrow, I say. We would take care of ourselves. I looked at her reply and I smiled, seeing she finally got it.

"Travis, you are a pain sometimes. But you're right this time, so see you on Friday and be ready for then." Her message made me sweat already, foreseeing what pretty much awaited me. Oh whatever, I had nothing to complain because the harder the training the better I felt.

"I am a sexy pain ^0^ But fantastic, do take care, kisses to you XOX"

I put my phone on the table, shaking my head at it, still thinking about her, and I saw Jasper looking at me with quite a comically confused face. His hair was an adorable dark hazel mess as usual, but more styled this time. He was so good looking that I was sure he had many guys and girls after him, but I never noticed anything in this school, and maybe because he was so quiet and mostly spent time alone. I wondered who would be his type? Or maybe I was being presumptuous, and he was seeing someone already outside school, even if somehow, I wasn't sure about it. Well, I would ask him soon.

"What happened? You were shaking your head and mumbling to yourself," he explained as he placed his phone down on the table and smiled.

Oh. Was I mumbling to myself like that? Great, way to go Travis in making people around you find you even more weird than they already thought I was. Oh whatever. I tended to do that sometimes and I rarely realized I was doing it in front of people. Obviously, it wasn't a lie when I said I had many weird things and oddities.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize I was doing it," I said, but Jasper just shook his head, not really caring about it. "That was my dance teacher texting me she's sick and thus, cancelling our daily practice for a couple of days. I think on Friday she will make us regret her absence in these two days, because she'll kick our asses and make us sweat blood." I wasn't even kidding, for she was a strict and very demanding teacher, wanting to pull perfection out of us, but it worked amazingly with me, as it pushed me to do more and more, better and better. I liked challenges, making things spicier and more exciting at times. Jasper nodded at my words, and then an idea flashed in my mind.

"Hey, seeing my afternoon is partially free, considering I promised I will train at home, do you want to hang out with me? We could spend some time together and do something. My mom is coming to pick me up today and we can go to my place! You will love mom and she will love you without doubts, and well, she was asking about you, so what do you say?" Now I was suddenly excited at the idea, almost jumping on the chair, sure as hell mom was going to adore Jasper and wanting to adopt him almost, and I could spend an afternoon with a friend like him.

"Will your mother really be fine with that? Are you sure I will not intrude or impose myself..." He was so polite that he made me chuckle, but I stopped him.

"Hell yeah, she is super cool, and I just invited you, which means you will not impose or any other non-sense you can think of. She will be fine with that, believe me. What about your parents? Will your mother be OK with this?" This actually was the real and most important question, granted what I heard about her.

"Oh well...you see, they don't care that much what I do during day, as long as I do something good and useful and I don't get into troubles or-or, well you understood how my mother is. I must try to keep very good grades, so you know, I have to study a lot for that." I felt like suffocating just hearing that little, but I also thought I could help him with studying or so, if he ever needed it or wanted it. He fidgeted with the phone nervously, looking up at the ceiling of the room and I felt like hugging him tightly, but I refrained from that, letting him finish what he had to say. "You see, my father is always at work, not exactly knowing much about me and uhm, mother has many other things to attend, such events, clubs or I-I don't even know." He had a sad tone and I really felt bad for him. I wished I could do something to cheer him up.

"My mom is also always very busy, spending many hours at the office or preparing for court cases and such," I tried to say in order to lighten his mood, but I think he understood she was a completely different kind of parent. "Today she has some free time and offered to pick me up from school, and that's because tomorrow she's leaving for a business trip."

"Then I would intrude, and you should spend time with her and..." I stopped his cute and super considered rambling.

"Freaking nonsense, cutie, don't worry about that, it's not the first time she leaves for a business trip. So, just come!" I cheered, almost jumping up and about to do something that would make us get kicked out of the library, so I cooled it down. Somehow.

"Alright, then, and thank you," he replied with a timid smile, blushing at my quite contagious and crazy enthusiasm and, in that moment, we both heard the bell signaling lunch was over already. Since I met Jasper, lunch time passed in a blink and I found myself looking forward to it for the next day. So, we smiled at each other, having agreed on our afternoon's plan and then, it was time to go back.

"See you later, OK? I will meet you at my locker, you know where that is, right?"

"Sure thing, Travis, see you later," he replied with a much more relaxed smile and waved at me as he walked to his next class.

Students were rushing in the corridors, talking to each other, laughing and giggling, making comments about their next class, and in that moment, I felt truly happy I met Jasper. However, as I walked minding my own business, someone hit my shoulder quite harshly and in the obvious intent to hurt me, for then trying pushing me against the nearest wall; but I managed to keep my balance and avoid the wall. If we were hosting a quiz, I would give the audience three chances to guess the right answer about who had just done that:

1. A damn mono-fried-neuron of a jockass.

2. A fucking idiot with brain issues pretty much just wasting space.

3. A wimp that enjoyed bullying kids way smaller than him.

All of them, says the audience? Damn right, everybody wins! Because they were all right and it obviously was John Collins, whose surname I learnt from Aleksandr and that unfortunately, I couldn't forget, just as it seemed he couldn't let me be and just forget about what happened weeks ago.

"Watch where you go, fag," he spat at me with a vicious tone of voice and I honestly couldn't imagine why he had so much hatred against me, but one thing irritated me quite a lot, and that was his use of words, repeating always the same and not even bothering to be creative. I swear, his vocabulary was extremely lame and limited.

"Don't you know any other word, asshole?" I replied in kind, calling him just as he deserved to be called, and even tuning it down, because I could spare him about ten minutes of insults if he let me. But it wasn't the issue here, which was the fact I ticked him off with my smartass reply.

Way to go Travis to keep it cool. Didn't you want to maintain a low and safe profile in school, walking under the radar like a shadow? But well, it wasn't my fault if I flipped and replied, because the likes of him just enraged me. There is no fucking way I'd let them, or him in this case, push me around and think he was intimidating or scaring me. No. Fucking. Way. Sure, the way he glared at me made me feel very uncomfortable, but I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of seeing that.

At my reply and my obvious challenge, he tensed and widened his eyes, as if unsure I had just spoken back. What was he expecting? Me apologizing and running away with the tail between my legs? Dream of that, moron. I will say it again: he was terribly dumb and not in any good way, not wanting to insult real and good dumb people. What a waste of space he was.

Seeing he didn't have anything to say back at me, I tried to walk away, but he grabbed my arm with such a strong grip that made me cringe. What the hell was wrong with this guy? Brain issues, that was much clear to me but still. I pulled my arm away, as his touch was disgusting as fuck and I didn't like his glare nor the feeling of his hand on me.

"Hands off, moron," I snarled very much annoyed.

I wasn't afraid of him alone, for I believed he didn't represent a real challenge or threat, even if being bigger than me. I definitely was not a masochist, though; mom took me to Krav Maga lessons, no shitting, because she wanted me to be able to defend myself and handle potential troubles. She followed the same classes with me, not to mention she always carried around the pepper-spray in her purse. Hell, it had been an amazing idea all considered, and it helped me out many times, saving my ass each of those times, for I clearly was a magnet for troubles. But I had no idea why that was the case, for I swear I always tried to mind my own business.

So yeah, him alone was fine. The real problem began when it was three people or more. In that case, it was a huge fucking problem. But right then, it was only him and in the middle of a school corridor, with many other students going around. Oh well, not that they would lift a finger to help, but whatever. I could take care of myself just fine.

"You are a cocky and really annoying fag; do you know that?" Was he for real? Had he snorted something that burned his last remaining neuron? It probably ran away itself out of desperation.

"And you are an annoying and mental jockass," I hissed back. "Is this easy enough for you to understand?"

Jerks like him really got on my nerves in a way that I couldn't even properly describe, and they brought out the arrogant bastard in me, not to mention they made me want slapping their faces. I had to deal with too many of them in my life and I was about to be fucking fed up with that. I hadn't done anything to deserve that.

I didn't wait for any sort of answer or reaction and I just walked away, pushing my shoulders back and straighter than usual, showing off I couldn't care less. But the truth was that feeling his stare on me lifted the hairs on my neck and made me shiver. If he dared to follow and try something else, the hell with keeping a low profile. He would be the one in need for a new one. However, lucky me, he didn't do anything more and I could take a breath and try to forget about it.

I had met many like him in the past, twisted idiots only good with empty threats and insults, bullying smaller and defenseless kids. What was I saying? This one here wasn't even good with words, given his peanut size brain. Probably he felt good only with his group of dimwits, who must have matching brains. I was ready to bet they also all had very small dicks, which possibly explained their attitudes and need to look so tough.

My mind pushed those thoughts far, far away, actually it deleted them, for thinking about their dicks was rather disgusting and not the best way I wanted to use my imagination and time. So, to clean my mind up, I indulged on Aleksandr's sinfully handsome face and body, imagining his hands on me and that, sure as hell, made the trick. I got horny, but at least I forgot about the other things.

Right then, I really wanted just to see Jasper and hang out with him in my place, to chill out and have fun after such day, spending the afternoon with a good friend.

ALEKSANDR POV:

Good thing Derek and River were there with me, or else that piece of crap named Collins would have been done for sure. I saw him with Travis, the way he snatched his arm and laid his hands on him, triggering my temper in a very dangerous way, and so I was about to walk over there and punch his useless face. For some reason seeing him treating Travis like that enraged me like a madman and I felt my blood boiling again, after I had finally managed to calm down in the past days. Which hadn't been easy at all and meant not talking to him.

I was well aware of having behaved like a jerk with him, no longer talking to him or even normally greeting, but it was for the best, considered the mood in which I was. There was no need to give a show and make him see that. And anyway, we weren't in any real close terms, fuck no, but at least we exchanged greetings and we did some small talking, and in fact I wanted to know more about him, and this drove me nuts the entire week. I desired talking to him more than anything else, and, at the same time, something blocked me.

In the past days, I was like a crazy beast inside the hockey rink and I had to apologize to my teammates a few times for my extra aggressive attitudes. Last week I almost knocked two of them out. Shit. I was lucky they didn't care at all, taking it just as very good and rough practice, thinking in this way they would get more used to harsh exchanges. Sure, they respected me as captain and very well knew how I played, so they didn't complain and just kept going, but I still apologized and tried to calm down. It wasn't their fault I was being an idiot and I couldn't figure things out.

Therefore, seeing how I behaved around and knowing about my anger issue, I judged the best solution was avoiding him while still fuming with rage and annoyance, because I had no idea what I might have done or said. Not to him of course, but in general, and the fact that the entire situation was fucking confusing me, that I didn't understand what was wrong with my reactions, got me even more angry.

It wasn't easy, because we kept meeting at the lockers or in the corridors and even during the only class we shared, seeing him sometimes glancing at my way, not understanding what was going on with me. What a bad joke this entire matter was. We almost never talked before, never really having normally met or such, and when we saw each other in school, I noticed something bothered him about me, which without any doubt were my manners and mood. Travis couldn't understand why I behaved like a glacial jerk once more and if that could make him feel better, neither could I.

The mental and preposterous thing was that in a way I was also mad at him, because since he bumped into me, I got a fucking mess in my mind and I had no one else but him to blame. Him and his damn ripped jeans showing his perfect skin and sparking an imagination I never knew I possessed, imagining ripping them off from him, grabbing his ass and maybe give it a good smack, because after what he told Derek about liking it rough and wild, God...that haunted both my dreams and my present time. What the hell was that? I never had such ideas or kinks. Sure, who didn't like sex, my buddy Dima would say nobody didn't like it, but it never was anything that amazing as everyone bragged about, and recently I avoided it, because I didn't feel like having meaningless sex.

But Travis and his ripped jeans stirred something in me I never knew I had, and the other day, thinking about them and him in particular, at the way he looked at me once in class, playing with something he had in his mouth, well fuck, I jerked off while I showered. And this was definitely not normal for someone like me, especially if related to a guy. It's not like I could talk about this matter with my friends, not even with River; it was just too personal and rather embarrassing.

He kept wearing those goddamn skinny jeans that perfectly wrapped around his ass, which was a freaking hot ass, perfectly rounded and firm, possibly also very tight and made to be bitten. Lord! What the hell was wrong with me? I was checking out a guy's ass and found it attractive. No, not simply attractive but fucking hot and perfectly round. Travis himself was damn attractive, with his ripped jeans that exposed parts of his flesh, his tight shirts or sweaters revealing his slender yet very defined muscles, his fluid and confident walk, his smooth white hair, which he touched with his long fingers that would definitely feel amazing on my skin. His ink-black eyes, staring at me for a moment, boring into my icy ones, then shifting away, something passing in them very quickly. His scent mixed with his cologne wrapping around my sense whenever we met at the lockers, his proximity rendering me unable to focus for a couple of seconds, just staring at his ass. Shit.

I think I made my point clear enough about the mess in my mind and concerning my dick.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

And then of course, that bastard Collins had to awaken my annoyance and very explosive anger by being the asshole he usually was, by daring to touch Travis in such way, looking at him with eyes I didn't like one bit, not understanding what he had in mind, why he kept following his steps and behave like that with him. Yeah, he was a hopeless piece of crap, but there still was something unsettling in the way he glared at Travis. I made a step in their direction, in need to get there and square things with Collins, but River grabbed my arm.

"Sasha," he calmly called me, yet his grip on me was quite firm.

"What?" I barked at him, feeling my skin prickling for the annoyance coursing inside of me.

Derek shot me a look as if he meant to say I really needed to get a leash or something like that, and he might have been right, but I couldn't care less in that specific moment.

"He can handle himself pretty well, I can see," River whispered in my ear, and I froze there on the spot, my eyes slowly going to look at him. What did he just say? How did he even...? Ah shit, of course he had figured it out already. For a split of a second I almost forgot I was right before Mr. sharp-smartass-I-can-read-your-mind in combination with Mr. spit-it-out-you-have-no-secrets-with-me.

"Yeah, dude, we can clearly see he has fangs and claws and knows how to take care of himself. No need to splatter the corridors with Collin's brains," Derek partially joke, patting my shoulder and grinning at me, happy he had just caught me in such way. I broke from my shock and rolled my eyes at them, inhaling deeply and exhaling a few times, because they were right. Still, I was feeling uneasy and I didn't like that one tiny bit.

All of this wasn't me; it never was before and now...arghh, I groaned out and walked away even more pissed off than before, grunting something back at my friends.

"I don't know what you are talking about." River, being the very patient and perceptive one, simply shrugged his shoulders and followed me, while Derek snorted out but kept his mouth shut, realizing it wasn't the best time for one of his jokes or remarks.

At the present time, there wasn't much I could do, at least until I figured out this mess and calmed down a bit, until I could normally talk to him. One thing I was going to do, though, and that was keeping an extra eye on Collins.

And, on Travis, of course. Which all considered wasn't going to be something very hard and difficult for me to do.

TRAVIS POV:

School was finally over, yes! I just really wanted to go home, relax and mess around with Jasper. But well, of course not in that way. Hell, he was absolutely cute and adorable, very good looking, too, and with a nice fit body, a face that was meant to be covered in sweet kisses, but he was not my type. He was too kitten-fur-of-ball like and innocent looking for me, plus my ideal type of man was someone like...damn, right. Exactly like Aleksandr Lebedev, who incarnated and personified everything I could ask for physically and possibly sexually speaking.

Why wasn't he speaking to me? What had I done to deserve such cold and glacial attitudes? Nothing. Yet, I couldn't be mad at him, just somehow disappointed we no longer talked.

I lightly smacked my forehead against the door of my locker. It was frustrating. I wanted him so much.

"Damn it," I cursed under my breath, once more not realizing I wasn't alone.

"Is everything OK, Travis?" A cheerful voice asked me from behind and I exhaled silently. I honestly had to stop doing this.

I turned around to see Derek standing there with an amused and very friendly grin, and Aleksandr was there, too, with clenched jaw and storming eyes, directly drilling into mine, lips also set in a hard line, lips that for the past nights I dreamed of kissing until my head spun. Our glances locked together for a very intense moment and my heart skipped a beat, while my breathing stuck in my throat. He had that kind of wild and commanding sort of hotness, so insanely and devastatingly handsome that I felt sucked in by his powerful presence.

A shiver caused by the strength of his glacial gaze travelled down my body and almost made me quiver there in front of him, but I controlled it. Or perhaps I should have described it as burning gaze. I broke away from the daze and looked back at Derek.

"Yeah, everything is fantastic as usual," I said apparently casually, but with a not subtle note of sarcasm directed at Aleksandr, which either Derek didn't grasp or decided to ignore. The object of my obsession though didn't miss it, though, because his expression grew even harder than before.

"You haven't joined us for lunch yet, why is that? I was waiting for you, dude," he said as he studied me, his voice obviously showing his very good mood.

Was he always this cheerful and sort of pushy? Not that I did mind it much to be honest but being under Aleksandr' gaze made me sort of shy and uneasy, knowing he definitely didn't share his friend's wish to have lunch with me. I dared another look at him and didn't seem very pleased with his friend's question, just as I suspected, eyeing Derek as if about to punch him. Something must have bitten his ass, because he really was in a super pissed mood, more than usual if anyone asked me.

"Well, sorry Derek, I had some things to do, so maybe some other day, OK?" Better to give him something, rather than nothing, for he gave me the impression of being someone who wouldn't give up easily. And I was right.

"Guys, here I am, sorry I'm late," another guy emerged from behind Aleksandr and sweet Lord, was he huge and very good looking. He had a big bag and a hockey stick in his hand, thus I quickly assumed he also played hockey with Aleksandr and the other guys sharing a class with me. Was the entire team composed by guys like them? Huge, bulky, tall and freaking handsome? Err, more like hot. Ok, he wasn't as mouthwatering and devastatingly, sinfully hot as Aleksandr, he didn't make my blood rush southward, still he was good looking and had quite a strong body you could see even while wearing clothes.

He had naturally very blonde short hair that he kept it arranged and spiked right in the middle of his head, shaved shorter at the sides and somehow combed more to one side, showing he cared about his looks. Strong and square jaw, prominent chin, crystal blue eyes and a playful, very open smile plastered on his soft-looking lips. Even his eyebrows were blonde, maybe of a lsightly darker shade of his hair, making me guess at first that he was a natural one. He immediately gave off vibes of an easygoing and laid-back guy, possibly very friendly.

The blonde big guy and Aleksandr began to talk in a language I didn't understand, which I could only guess being Russian, for I knew my hot dream was. So, was the other one Russian, too?

"Priviet Sasha, kak dielà?" He asked, patting his friend's shoulder and smiling so openly that I almost smiled, too. Derek instead rolled his eyes and I wondered why that was.

"Dima, spasiba, kharashò. Kak tebia?" Aleksandr replied and they continued for more, until Derek stopped that.

"Dudes, I hate when you do that. I don't get a single word and I feel stupid," he said, jumping in the middle of their conversation.

"Suck it, D. Just learn Russian and you'll see how cool that is," the other guy replied and then looked at me with a questioning face, scratching his hair. "Who's that?" He asked to his friends and I went to reply, but Derek anticipated me.

"That's Dmitri, Travis. Another beast from the hockey team, as you can see, and another one enjoying speaking Russian knowing I don't get shit out of that."

"Yeah, I can see, and I have a question: are they all that huge?" I couldn't help myself and the result was that the guy named Dmitri burst out laughing quite loudly, and yeah, his laugh echoed in the whole corridor, having people turning around to look in his direction. I found myself chuckling at that, until my eyes met Aleksandr's stare and I kept quiet.

"You got that right, man," Dmitri answered, mimicking to flex his biceps and it really was hard not to laugh at that. This guy seriously was something. "Nice to meet you, err...wait a moment, what was your name again?

"Travis?" Derek repeated with a defeated tone of voice, massaging his eyes and sighing out. Oh, was the guy's memory bad?

"Right, Travis, sorry man, anyway, nice to meet you," he said once more with a full and warm smile and I replied to that.

"Yeah, don't worry. Same here, Dmitri, nice to meet you."

Well, he was way more friendly than Aleksandr, who stood there as if made of ice, casting me such a dark glare that I cleared my throat trying to cover how that made me feel. All right, it was clear as daylight that he didn't enjoy the fact I met his other friend. Great. Fantastic. I really better keep away from him and give up at this point. But that was a true pity. Aside the fact I wanted to try every possible Kamasutra position with him on a harder and rougher way, his friends seemed funny and very friendly, not to mention all very attractive.

"Travis, sorry that I am a bit late, but the professor kept talking for longer than usual," Jasper called after me, jogging in my direction with a warm and refreshing smile. And a smile automatically formed on my lips, at once feeling in better and more relaxed mood.

"No problem, Jas," I replied. "I am happy to see you," I instinctively said, because that was very much true.

He looked at me confused, seeing I wasn't alone, and then he moved his gaze at the three guys standing right there. I blinked as I saw him literally freezing on the spot, as if a spell had petrified him where he stood. I also realized he grew tense and nervous at once, pretty much paling down in a way that worried me. Err, what was that? I followed the direction of his gaze and met Aleksandr, who had an even darker expression on his face, glaring at us both in a way that made clear how pleased he was about this, minding my sarcasm of course. Oh, well, that explained a lot. Jasper was a year younger and considered their natures – one super shy and quiet, while the other one distant and glacial to strangers, if not hostile straightaway – they obviously never met or interacted.

He never met him directly, and sure as hell, Aleksandr was an intimidating beast whose gaze was about to turn my blood in ice, thus I could only imagine how cutie must have felt. I noticed Jasper gulped down visibly and looked at me even more confused and somehow afraid. I raised an eyebrow confused as well and then I tempted a reassuring smile, trying to think if there was something else behind that, because his reaction had been quite strong. He didn't return the smile and so, it was time to go. I didn't want to make him feel even more uneasy, for he had enough of that at home already.

"Is this your friend, dude?" Derek asked me with a sincere and very welcoming smile.

"It's Travis," I said instinctively. "Travis, dude. Yeah, this is my friend, so please meet Jasper." I gestured towards him, wanting to make it as quick as possible. "Jasper, this is Derek and Aleksandr and...Dmitri, am I right?"

"Right there, man," he replied cheerfully, eyeing cutie with an open smile and wiggling his eyebrows, probably seeing how uncomfortable they made him. Well, how uncomfortable Aleksandr made Jasper.

"Uhm, err, ni-nice t-to m-meet you," he terribly stuttered, almost not looking at them, his face contracted in an expression I never saw before on his cute and always serene face. I bet he was sweating cold and he looked too pale for my taste. Ok, time to go. I didn't want to push him too much, and I was afraid there was something else that maybe rendered him so uneasy and about to run away, aside standing there under the stare Aleksandr was shooting at us, which didn't help one freaking bit. I mean, that made me uncomfortable.

"Well, let's go Jasper," I quietly said, pulling his sleeve and making to leave. He nodded at me, finally seeing the smile on my face and somehow looking calmer. "See you around, guys," I generally said, avoiding that hostile glare.

"See you man!" Said Derek and Dmitri together, the latter one waving at us energetically and grinning, while the former shouted at us to join them for lunch. However, Aleksandr didn't open mouth, keeping silent and cold like ice.

As we all moved to go for our own business going in opposite direction, in the motion of walking, my arm and his brushed together. I shivered, as if a cold electric wave travelled down my back till reaching my legs, snatching my breath away, something knotting in my stomach. As we passed each other, he looked down at me, for he was definitely taller, and it was impossible to read what was on his face. But I didn't miss the way his eyes tried to penetrate mine, the way they lingered on me a moment and how he quickly looked at his arm. Yet, he then walked away still saying nothing and I left together with Jasper, pretending nothing had happened, pretending his eyes hadn't stirred even more emotions in me.

ALEKSANDR POV:

I stayed there watching Travis as he interacted and smiled to that younger kid I had already seen in school and that, in that very moment, I wished to kick in his ass, even if he hadn't done anything wrong. He was actually sweating bullets and staring at us, especially me, as if he had seen a horror movie, stepping closer to Travis as if to seek for comfort and Travis gave it to him by trying to smile and studying his pale face. It wasn't his fault but seeing him there glued to him really triggered something in me I never experienced before.

And what could I do? Just stand there with what probably looked like hostile and very cold eyes, glancing at them unable to say anything, unable to tear my eyes away from Travis, unable to calm myself down and behave civilly, avoiding giving out this ridiculous jerk-like impression about myself. But shit, I couldn't do anything aside staring at them.

He was the kid Travis helped that Monday when Collins made him bump against me, and he had probably found the courage to search for his savior and thank him, becoming friends. Because I sincerely hoped they were just goddamned friends and nothing more and I didn't even know why I was thinking that, since I had no right whatsoever. I clenched my fists as if trying to contain my mounting annoyance and anger, feeling like some untamed beast was pacing inside of me, snarling and biting at everything or everyone daring to approach it.

Sure, Travis could date whoever he wanted, but that didn't mean it was fine with me and the thought drove me even more mad. What the hell was wrong with me? I knew nothing about him, and we weren't friends, not like them, who clearly looked at ease and close with each other. But whose fault was that? Mine and mine only, for I had been the jerk one starting to behave like some idiot no longer talking to him, cutting every sort of interaction and there I stood.

Derek kept inviting him to join us for lunch and to boot it, also Dima had met him now, which meant it was going to be endless for me; even if my buddy wouldn't manage to remember his name, he would sure remember such an extravagant and eye-catching person like Travis, being then influenced by Derek's idiocy and starting to say that yeah, we should invite them both to lunch, because he showed enough friendly disposition also for the small fry there.

God, I sounded ridiculous and I had leave as soon as possible, before saying anything I would regret. Travis solved this situation first, eyeing the younger kid once more and realizing he was about to throw up for how nervous he was, glaring at all of us as if seeing...I had no idea what, but there was a sort of keen dislike in his eyes and I had no idea why it was like that. We never talked or even interacted in the slightest way, so no idea. But I honestly couldn't care less in that moment, for I really had to leave.

Travis quickly greeted all of us, avoiding on purpose to look at me, which ticked me off very badly, and then left, tugging the kids' sleeve and dragging him away, those two idiots of Derek and Dima waving at them. Why the fuck were they doing that? Argh...I had to hit training very soon and later the gym, going to break another personal record in deadlift and more. So, we all walked to our own direction, but I made it to step closer to Travis, our arms touching and brushing together, my eyes claiming his and wanting to penetrate inside of them, reading into his mind. He stared back at me with his lips slightly open, eyes wide locked on me, and he visibly swallowed down, the way his throat moved in the motion somehow very sensual, exactly like everything else in him. I stopped a moment to look more, then trailing my glance on my arm and hand, as if still feeling his touch, what it had moved inside of me, the tightness I felt.

Shit.

We exchanged another look and I marched away, so much annoyed that I heard my blood roaring in my ears, almost melting my veins. My friends asked me what was wrong with me in these days and I barked back nothing was wrong, but they didn't buy it, letting it just go because they knew me well. Dima though had the brilliant idea of making some stupid comment about the kid and how much I scared him, and I almost bit his head off, walking even faster and leaving them behind. They let me be. This wasn't the right time to get answers out of me.

As I reached the lockers room to get ready for a very wild and destroying session of hockey, River was there at his phone and his eyes immediately detected what was with me. He gave me a questioning expression, but I shook my head, for I wasn't in the mood to discuss anything. Hayden also saw me and quickly greeted me, probably wanting to ask something about our gym session planned for later, but he sensed I was in some dark mood, so kept talking to another guy, giving me space.

I thought again about what Travis said that day, about liking it rough and hard, and that kid definitely could not be his type or potential boyfriend. He didn't give me the idea of being someone who would give that round and firm ass the right treatment, while on the other hand...I froze there and savagely punched the locker in front of me, not breaking it just out of sheer luck. I needed to get my shit together and solve this mess. Yeah, I was definitely thinking that I would give his ass the right treatment.

"Sasha?" River asked me, this time placing a calm hand on my shoulder, squeezing it and giving me a look slightly worried. "What has happened?"

"Nothing," I muttered out and with that, I went to change, seeing how my teammates eyed me as if seeing some very dangerous beast, nodding at me their respect and admiration, because that's what I saw on many of their faces. I removed my polo-shirt and cracked my neck and knuckles, rolling my shoulders almost already tasting the adrenaline in my mouth and feeling the cold of the ice on my face. I opened my locker and grabbed my jersey, my fingers folding the fabric strongly, my nose silently inhaling a long breath, exhaling it out even more silently, my heart thundering inside my chest, mirroring my state of mind.

"Today be all ready for a real good and tough training, for I'm in the right mood for that," I said with apparently calm and cold voice, but I was just masking my true emotions. River studied me for a longer moment and then smirked in that way of his, either imagining what was going on after having seen my expression or just savoring the training ahead of us. Maybe both.

All my teammates stared at me in silence for a couple of seconds and then nodded and excitement was evident on their faces. If they played with me and admired me as captain, they knew how things worked and what to expect from me. And all in all, they seemed to like that.

Author's chit-chat:

So dear All, what are your reactions, comments, ideas and impressions on this new chapter? What about my old readers re-reading this edited and improved version? Do you enjoy reading more of Aleksandr but as well of Travis, understanding them more? At least, I hope I am managing to make you understand more of them 😊

Now, why was our cute and super-sweet Jasper so scared? Any guess? We will learn it in a few chapters.

Aren't Aleksandr's friends quite funny? I must say that writing the scenes between them, especially when Dmitri, Derek and Hayden are involved is quite the hilarious experience for me and you will see more of that.

What about River as character? Well, you will see more 😊

Lots of Love, Magic, Hugs & Meows,
-TheWitchAndTheCat-