Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 56: Mood swing

Chapter 56: Mood swing

"Does Sato like you?"

Chris looked up at Rachel. That question had come out of nowhere. They had just arrived outside her dorm, where Sky dropped them off.

The car ride had been the most awkward ride of his life. Sky had indeed left his friends behind. He had even thought Rain would at least join them, but he noticed how Rain had glared at Sky when she saw them, and Sky had also ignored her.

They seemed to be on bad terms. He only hoped it wasn’t because she had been the one to tell him about the race. He doubted the siblings would quarrel because of him.

"Why would you think that?" He asked while following her inside.

"I don’t know. He is just... weird?" Rachel pointed out.

That was right. Sky’s behaviour was weird. But he didn’t want to think there was more to it because it seemed like he was like that to other people he cared a little for.

"As much as I like Sato, I never want to ride in the same car as him again. I couldn’t even breathe normally!" She exclaimed.

Chris could not help but laugh. Even he had been uncomfortable. Sky wasn’t an easy person to deal with.

When he insisted he was leaving with Rachel, Sky hadn’t objected and just walked away as usual, leaving them to follow after him.

Chris was exhausted and felt the front seat wouldn’t do it for him. He needed to stretch his legs on the seat for a rub, and he also wanted to do Rachel a favour, so when they got to the car, he opened the front door for Rachel, who raised a questioning brow at him, and then he went to sit at the back.

When he got in, he was faced with another questioning brow arch from Sky, who turned to glare at him briefly before he looked ahead.

That was how the awkward ride started. The atmosphere inside had been so heavy with tension that Rachel could only steal glances at Sky from the passenger seat but could not engage in a conversation with him. He looked pretty and scary.

When Chris sensed this, he tried to break the silence with small talk so Sky could get to know Rachel better, but his attempts fell flat.

Chris awkwardly spoke, "Have you written any other songs aside from the one your band sang the other time?"

He didn’t even know where that came from.

Rachel offered a weak smile, but her eyes remained fixed on Sky as she nervously added, "That was an amazing song!"

Sky’s gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, his face unreadable. The weight of his silence began to suffocate Rachel, who glanced briefly at Chris, asking him to help out.

Chris had never dealt with someone with Sky’s kind of attitude. His mood swings were beginning to frustrate him, and the worst part was that he could not get rid of this guy because whenever he planned on doing that, he would suddenly show up and smile at him or touch him, and he would forget all about his frustrating attitude.

However, one of the good things he noticed about Sky was the fact that he didn’t keep anything in. If he was pissed, he’d tell it and tell the reason why he was. Unfortunately, Sky wasn’t even saying a thing right now. Maybe it was because of Rachel’s presence?

He tried to remember the last thing that happened between them, which probably made him angry. Ah! Sky had bet on him, and they had lost.

That was probably it.

"I can always give you back the money you bet on me." Chris offered.

"Can we just have a quiet ride?" Sky demanded, locking eyes with Chris through the rearview mirror.

Damn! He shouldn’t have agreed to this ride. It seemed like Sky had a kind of mental problem he didn’t know about yet.

He looked at Rachel and noticed she was sitting stiffly and just staring ahead. Now he felt bad for making her sit in the front seat beside him.

When the truck came to a halt outside Rachel’s dorm, Chris didn’t think twice before he got down with Rachel. He didn’t want to continue that ride with him. He could feel the weight of Sky’s hostility lingering in the air.

For a moment, it seemed like Sky wanted to say something to him, but he shut his mouth and revved the engine, speeding away, leaving Rachel and Chris standing there.

That was when Rachel asked.

Did Sato like him?

He didn’t think so.

"He was also giving me the same attitude. So why do you think he likes me?" Chris went back to that question. He, too, was curious.

"Don’t you think he was pissed because I joined you guys and even sat in the front seat beside him?"

"Sky is not that petty." Chris pointed out.

"Are you sure about that? Did you see how he left his friends back there?" She reminded him before she added, "But... he was really worried about you during the game and kept cussing at Ash."

"He was?" Chris asked, a little surprised. "His friends did mention he doesn’t do well with anxiety. I didn’t expect him to even show up."

She nodded. "I have never seen him that nervous before. He looked really relieved when the game ended." Her eyes suddenly shone, and she held his hand as she whispered, "What if he secretly has a crush on you?"

Chris pondered. Nah. He didn’t think so.

"You must be excited!" Rachel said, grinning.

"What? Why?" He asked in confusion.

"Cos this is the first time I am doubting Sky’s sexuality."

He laughed. "It’s not it. I can assure you that Sky is anything but that. If he were, I would have known since the first day, just like I could tell when I saw Henry for the first time."

"How are you so sure?"

Chris remembered all the times they had been in compromising positions, and Sky didn’t flinch.

"Look at me, Rachel. Don’t you think it’s difficult for someone interested in guys to not be interested in me even though I look like this now?"

He asked in a smug tone that made her scoff.

"That ego!"

He laughed again just as they entered her room. He was glad her roommate was the type to not use the dorms often. So he could always relax while he was there.

"What should I order? Pizza? Chinese? Burgers? Italian? Name whatever you want." Rachel asked as she threw herself on her bed and took out her phone.

Chris looked at her suspiciously as he went to sit on her reading table. "Tell me the truth, Rachel. Did you bet on Ash?"

"What?"

"You seem to have a lot of cash to blow right now."

She burst into laughter. "Your parents gave me money, remember? I can’t just keep it with me here."

She sat up and looked at him, asking, "Should we visit the hotel instead? We can—"

"No. Do not let my parents get into your head. I came here to study, and that is what I intend to do, not live a life of luxury."

"Fine!" She said it grumpily as she returned to browse the food catalogue on her phone.

Speaking about Ash right now reminded Chris about the guy, and he decided to inform her about the invitation.

"Ash invited me to his pool party next week."

"What? Ash? Like Ashley? The biker, Ashley?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well, I’m not sure there is another Ash."

"What did you say? What did you tell him? You said yes, right?" She asked, badgering him with questions.

"Told him I may think about it." He said in a casual tone about a party most people would kill to attend.

"Wow, Chris!" She breathed out in envy. "You were really born for this."

She understood what his father had meant when he said, "He is an Owen. He’ll soon realize that he cannot hide it for a long time."

"Born for what?" Chris asked curiously.

"To get all the attention even without trying."

He almost rolled his eyes. "Who is that guy, by the way? Ash."

"Heard he was the number one here before Sky joined the University. He is Emily’s cousin."

Emily’s cousin? So he was the Nephew of the owner of the racing event? No wonder he had been like that.

"Is there anything else special about him? I don’t think he studies here, does he?"

"Nah. He graduated two years ago. Last I heard, he works for his father’s company, but he comes to town once in a while, especially during the racing event."

"If he graduated two years ago, what could have happened between him and Sky that made Sky hostile towards him?" He muttered to himself, but Rachel heard and answered, "Sky? I think I heard they used to be close or something. I don’t know. Why?"

"Nothing." He said quietly.

After today, he had thought it would take a while before he would see Sky again. However, he hadn’t expected to see him that evening.