(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)

Jake doesn't like the way everyone starts pointing at him and gossiping after Brain pulled that show with his lackeys. It continues the next day as well as he walks toward the school building. Even people who are not in his class point at him and whisper behind the back of their hands when they see him.

He wonders if he can change his section. All this attention is not helping at all. And he's positive it won't stop as long as he's in the same class as Brian. Taking a deep breath, he enters the classroom. Everyone starts whispering at once.

Damn this shit. 

"Jaaaaaake!" Willie wails and throws himself over him. "Why didn't you tell me before leaving yesterday?"

Jake relaxes. Thank God for this bubbly guy. The tension in Jake's posture almost disappears. "I thought you went back to sleep," he says.

"Of course I didn't! Who sleeps that early? I thought we were going to eat dinner together," complains Willie. 

"I don't want to intrude," Jake shakes his head. "I'm already grateful enough that your mom hired me at such a short notice."

"Mom already loves you, you know," says Willie. "She just loves tall people."

"She must hate you then," Jake grins.

"5'6" ISN'T THAT SHORT! IT'S DECENT!" Willie shouts.

"Are you sure you're it?" Jake inquires with high doubt.

"I think we need to break the friendship," grumbles Willie. 

Jake laughs and headlocks the sulky boy. "Don't be mad, let's go I'll get you coffee," he offers.

"We'll be late if we leave now," Willie says but doesn't complain.

"Not if we hurry," says Jake. "Let's see how fast you can run, 5'4"." 

"Ohh you're so on," smirks Willie, pushes free and breaks into a run.

Chuckling, Jake follows. 

And Brian watches the whole thing with clenched fists. He doesn't understand why he's so angry though. He doesn't know what he expected to happen today after how he clearly got back at the boys on behalf of Jake. But he definitely expected some sort of recognition. Jake, on the other hand, didn't look like he even remembers Brian exists. And when did he get so close with that nobody to already visit his home, receive his mom's "love for tall boys"? It's freaking day-3 of his arrival, for god's sake. 

Brian feels disappointed and bitter and angry as he watches the empty chair in front of him. 

Jake continues acting as if there isn't a particular boy sitting behind him, staring at him so intently that he feels it physically when he comes back after getting coffee with Willie. Nothing good is going to come from getting involved with Brian Chase, if the incidents of his first 2 days in this new school aren't proof enough, Jake doesn't know what else can be. So he decides to stay clear of anything that has any sort of remote connection with Brian. 

Receiving a massive blow to his ego at Jake's disregard of him, Brian doesn't initiate any interaction with Jake, too. The break arrives without any scene. As soon as the bell rings, Brian stands up with a loud bang of his chair and storms out of the classroom.

"What's wrong with him again?" Willie wonders who, along with others in the class, had gone still when Brian stood up. 

Jake doesn't respond to that. "Let's go, I'm hungry," he says quietly.

They take Winter with them on the way and all three have a quick lunch. 

"Want to hangout in the field today?" asks Willie. 

"Sure. But I'll go use the washroom first," replies Jake. 

"We'll wait here," Winter tells him. 

Jake gives her a small smile and hurries to the nearest washroom. However, his steps halt when he takes in the scene inside the washroom. 

Brian has his arms wrapped around some girl, and is passionately making out with her. 

Jake wants to kick this moronic bastard. He just had to use the washroom for this. Such a cliche shit.

Brian's eyes open when he hears the door open and for a second his movements freeze. But he recovers just as soon and deepens the kiss. 

Collecting his patience, Jake heads to one of the toilets and slams the door shut behind him. For whatever reason, this act makes Brian satisfied. He was in such a bad mood that he didn't stop Gia when she threw herself on him but all of it was worth it. Jake's reaction was so funny Brian almost laughed over the kiss. Speaking of which, Gia doesn't even pause with the noise and keeps moving and pressing herself against him, pulling him closer. But he's so distracted by the guy that's probably taking a shit right now. He starts feeling self conscious. Won't it look weird if Jake walks out to find them in the same position?

Meanwhile Jake is all collected when he exits the toilet and washes his hands. Brian didn't show much but Jake still caught the flustered look in his eyes upon his arrival. For whatever reason, Jake wants him to feel more embarassed, so much so that he'll never lay a finger on a girl in the school premises again. 

Brian watches with annoyance as Jake takes his time to wash his hands. First, he rinses the hands well. Then he takes a lot of handwash and keeps rubbing. After rinsing he takes more handwash and cleans again. Then he starts to slowly dry the hands with tissue as if it's his mission to take 50 minutes to wash his freaking hands. Brian wants to strangle him. 

"What's wrong, Rian?" Gia asks. "Aren't you feeling like it, baby?" 

Jake snorts. He throws away the tissue, his hands cleaner than they have been in decades, and turns around to leave. He has done enough for one day and is satisfied. 

"What's so funny?" Brian calls with a growl. He untangles himself from the girl. 

Shit. Jake didn't think Brian would fight in the middle of his thing. But Jake can't back off. He won't. "What happened?" He asks, turning around. "Can't I take amusement in your thing? Rian?" 

This son of a-- "You just HAVE TO be a shit all of the time, don't you?" 

Jake shrugs. "Nobody said you had to choose the toilet for your sudden heat." 

Brian reddens and advances in fury, his fist raised. "You total--"

But Jake has had enough of receiving the first blow. He dodges the punch and lands his own one straight over Brian's mouth. Hello to swollen lip again. 

"You really think I'll let you hit me first again?" Jake asks to on-the-floor Brian. He turns to leave.

Brian glowers at his back and tackles him down at once. As Jake falls, he hits his head hard on the floor and curses in pain. Brian sits up over him and raises his hand for the reply hit. But as he stares down at the boy who's clearly in pain, he stops. 

It takes Jake a few seconds to focus in front of him and he meets Brian's eyes. They stare at already too familiar faces of each other for a moment. Brian takes a deep breath and lowers his hand. Instead, he grabs Jake's throat and inches closer to his face. 

"Stop provoking me, Flynn," he says in a quiet voice. 

Jake has a thousand comebacks to that but Brian's too close. He can smell girl's perfume on him. And a mixture of other things he already knows from their earlier interactions. Because of the bent head, a lock of black curl falls over his left eye. Jake suddenly feels a desire to push it away, to feel the round, black thing between his fingers. They look soft and smooth. Jake has black hair too but his are straight as stick and hard as rod. Brian also takes in Jake's features from this close. Both feel a jolt when his eyes land on Jake's lips. They look so soft and so full, Brian wants to....

Shit.

The door to the washroom flies open and there stand the twins. 

"YOU TWO ARE FIGHTING AGAIN!?" shrieks Winter. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

Willie opens his mouth but splutters when he sees a terrified Gia standing there with half her bra exposed. Winter doesn't notice yet. 

"SEE? I TOLD YOU SOMETHING WAS WRONG!" she tells her brother. 

Brian and Jake have already stood up on their feet by then, both looking anywhere but at each other. 

"Brian," says Winter.

Brian looks at her blankly.

"I know you didn't make them do it but Jake has been beaten up so bad by your friends. I saw his face pale just because of breathing many times," she says. "Aren't you satisfied enough? Can't you just let him be?" 

Brian's eyes narrow but he doesn't reply. 

Winter walks to Jake. "Are you okay?" 

He nods. 

She holds his hand. "Let's go." Together, the twins take Jake away. 

Brian watches the locked hands scene with a scoff.

Who's SHE now?