Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 74: Damned Friendzone

Chapter 74: Damned Friendzone

Chris was very sleepy; however, he could not sleep. He occasionally stroked Sky’s hair or pat him on the back whenever he released any kind of sound to show that he was uncomfortable.

Would he have done the same for anyone else?

The answer was no.

Of course, he would have saved the person too, but whether the person liked it or not, he would have sent them to the hospital irrespective of their decision because he did not like to be bothered. He wouldn’t sacrifice his sleep, go half naked in public, carry someone heavy on his back, walk into a dark bathroom to help them, not mind stepping on their vomit, cleaning off the vomit from the floor, washing and drying their hair, cuddling them throughout the night, and most importantly, be happy to do all this.

This wasn’t only because he wanted to sleep with the guy.

He didn’t want to admit it, but it seemed like that shit had happened.

He had a crush.

That was nasty!

The realization made his heart race.

He didn’t want this.

He hadn’t planned for it.

How? Why?

Sky was everything he didn’t want. Not his looks, though. Sky was his type there. But for the rest, Chris didn’t agree with them. So HOW THE HELL did he end up having a stupid crush on him?

He had come here with a clear decision to stay away from boys and girls.

And especially from someone like Sky. Who was, first of all, not gay. Who could easily flirt with others like it was nothing. Who had homophobic family members. Who cared more about what people thought than what he wanted.

Chris was the opposite of all of that.

He could freely and openly like whomever he wanted. If wasn’t flirty. Okay... maybe sometimes, but he wasn’t exactly that type. If he didn’t like or want someone around him, he was very clear with his actions. The people he cared about weren’t homophobic and always supported him. And he didn’t give two shits about what people thought about him.

So you see how different he was from Sky?

And yet he just had to stupidly like the guy more than normal.

"It’s... fast," Sky whispered, snapping him back to reality.

He was a bit startled to hear the voice since he had assumed Sky was asleep.

"Your heartbeat," Sky added quietly.

"Why are you still awake? Do you feel pain anywhere?" Chris asked.

"I should be asking you that. Why aren’t you asleep?" He added softly. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

He was referring to the cuddle.

"No," Chris answered, his voice also soft. For emphasis, he pulled Sky closer with his hand on the boy’s back, and Sky snuggled even closer, breathing deeply.

"I’m sorry."

Sky said again.

"You sure like to apologize. I already told you it’s fine." Chris reminded him.

"I meant with Ash."

Oh...

Chris remembered how angry he had been when Sky tried to stop him from punching Ash. Remembering that right now left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"We don’t have to talk about it."

He didn’t want to talk about Ash. Because it would ruin his night.

"His family unfortunately has a strong backing in this state," Sky said, not letting the topic die like he wanted.

"There are only a few things I cannot help you with, and getting into trouble with him is one of them."

So that was it?

No wonder the idiot had been smug and even dared threaten him. Now he wished he had given him a good beating before leaving. That would have left him satisfied.

"However, seeing you punch him like that was satisfying. He deserved every bit of it." Sky added, and from his tone, he indeed sounded satisfied.

Chris remembered how Sky had shunned Ash that day before the race. He remembered how uninterested Sky had been when Ash met them earlier and also the rude tone Sky had spoken to Ash with back then in the room.

"If you do not like him, why did you go to his party?" He could not help but ask.

This meant he was also indirectly asking about the deal between him, Ash, and Rain.

There was a long silence before Sky answered the question.

"He... promised to pay me. I only went there for the money."

"Money? Like... paid you to attend?"

Sky nodded against his body.

"What’s the point? Is it like to pull a crowd? He is pretty popular, isn’t he? I mean, there were a whole lot of people cheering for him that day, and his party was strictly by invitation."

"He still wanted me there. He likes to stay relevant in this town, and staying relevant here means involving me."

"But why? Don’t you already have enough money?" Chris asked, not liking the thought of him going to the party of someone like that and even getting back this sick all because of some money, which he could guess wasn’t even a huge amount. Besides, he already had income flowing in from the pub, right?

"Is there anything like enough money?" Sky asked quietly before adding in a calm but serious tone.

"My family isn’t exactly rich. Both Rain and I are adults. We are kind of comfortable because we are still students. But soon, we’ll be out. We need money for a lot of things. A whole lot. I do not want to burden my family. And we just started the pub. It would take a while to yield the fruits of it."

Chris was speechless.

He didn’t know this.

He wouldn’t have known this either if Sky wasn’t in a vulnerable state and willing to share some personal things with him.

"Don’t tell me you do not always come to the dorm room because you are working part-time?" Chris asked, dreading the answer.

When Sky didn’t answer, it was enough of an answer for him.

WHAT THE HELL?!

"Then why do you keep trying to spoil me and offering to buy me things when you don’t even have enough?" He asked in disbelief. Not that he meant it as an insult, but he just could not wrap his head around it.

"Can’t you already tell?" Sky asked, pulling back to look him in the eyes again.

Chris didn’t like this position. Well, he did like it, but he also didn’t like it.

Because it brought them close. He could look into his vulnerable eyes, and with only one lazy eye movement down, his gaze would fall on his lips.

"What?" Chris asked, his voice coming out even quieter than he had intended.

"I like you," Sky said, and before Chris’s heart started beating irregularly, Sky finished.

"I always knew you’d make a good friend. And I wasn’t wrong." He smiled at Chris.

Oh...

Good friend.

That damned friendzone again.

Twice in one night.

But he reminded himself that it was what he wanted.

"You don’t have to do any of that," Chris told him. "I can take care of myself. And you should too."

"That’s what I’m already doing. I’m taking care of you."

"No." Chris laughed. "Not me. I mean, take care of yourself too."

"But you are new here." He protested.

"I’m not a kid. I’m a 20-year-old adult." Chris reminded him sternly.

"So you finally said it." Sky giggled, leaving him confused.

"What?"

"I’m 20 too. What’s your month?" Sky asked, his voice still gentle.

Oh shit!

"I won’t tell you!" Chris was firm with his decision. Why had he slipped like that?

"You already started. Just say it—" Sky paused and shut his eyes, making Chris look at him in alarm.

"Is something wrong?" Chris asked and was just about to sit up when Sky held him down and shook his head.

"I... felt nauseous for a second, but I’m fine." He said that and returned to cuddling Chris like it was the most natural thing.

This time, he draped a hand over Chris’s waist, getting comfortable. Meanwhile, Chris was stiff. His body, you perv. Not ahem...

"Your friend... did he really come here for you?" Sky asked from nowhere, causing Chris to raise a brow even though Sky couldn’t see his face.

"Why are you asking?"

"He was making out with Ash," Sky whispered as though it were some secret, but Chris reminded him and pointed it out. "We both saw that."

But then he realized that Sky was heading somewhere with this.

"That means... he is gay," Sky said.

"Well, he could have been anything else but sure. Why?"

"Does he like you?"

Chris wasn’t sure why Sky was asking, but he answered plainly. "He has a boyfriend."

"Oh..."

"What?"

"He was quite clingy with you. I thought he liked you."

"You are quite clingy now; does that mean you like me?" Chris asked lightly.

"I am not always clingy. Tonight is an emergency. And your warmth is amazing." Sky retorted weakly.

"Such a cute thing to say." Chris joked, although he was tempted to let him know that he enjoyed his warmth too, but nah. Sky didn’t need to know that.

There was a long silence before Sky’s voice came again: "Thank you, Chris."

And then he fell asleep.