Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 96: Tension

Chapter 96: Tension

Chris stood sentry outside the bathroom, his mind a swirling vortex of thoughts and emotions. The silence of the hallway was palpable, interrupted only by the faint hum of the ventilation system and distant laughter filtering through the walls, which came from the other dorm residents. His back was against the bathroom, giving Sky as much privacy as he’d need.

Chris’s thoughts were consumed by the recent intense encounter with Sky and the subsequent exchange between them.

After his confirmation earlier, he got off Sky and offered his hand for Sky to take it to help him up, dusting off like what had happened between them wasn’t serious.

What he wanted was for Sky to be as comfortable with him as he could get, but now doubt lingered in his mind, wondering if he had overdone it.

However, Sky had slowly slid his hand into Chris’s, chuckling in embarrassment as he did so.

None of them had commented on it as they both prepared for the shower.

After Sky picked up his things and also a few clothes to change into, Chris did the same, picking a few clothes too so that Sky wouldn’t feel awkward. And just as he had promised, he stood outside, standing guard, while he showered in the last cubicle.

In the midst of Chris’s internal maelstrom, his attention was drawn to a figure approaching his direction, and from all indications from the things he carried with him, it was clear that he wanted to shower.

Chris raised a brow at him.

Because why the hell did he want to shower at this time of the night when he should be asleep?

The boy was a lot shorter than Chris. And even though Chris was a freshman and didn’t exactly feel like one—at least that was what he believed about himself—it wasn’t difficult to sense the ’freshman’ vibe written all over this guy.

The boy hesitated when he saw him, wariness clouding his vision as their eyes met.

Chris could tell that right now he looked like those jocks waiting in the bathroom to bully weak students. So he quickly arranged his features into a casual smile, attempting to ease the boy’s mind.

"You really want to shower by this time?" Chris quipped like a concerned friend.

The boy’s gaze flickered between Chris and the bathroom door, the tension high. After a beat of hesitation, he shook his head and executed an about-face, departing down the hallway to wherever he had come from.

Chris watched his hurried retreat, a mixture of understanding and amusement flickering within him. He chuckled to himself just as he heard Sky behind him say, "You can be a bully when you want to."

That drew his attention, and he turned to look at Sky, not sure when he finished showering and even changed. His hair was damp, and he had his towel draped over his head. Just how lost in his thoughts had he been earlier?

Quickly regaining his composure, Chris offered Sky a playful smile. "Done with your refreshing shower, spa buddy?"

Sky’s lips curled in a half-smile, his expression less guarded than before. "Yeah, I’ve just returned from the invigorating waterfall."

Chris chuckled, the tension in the air dissipating slightly. "Well, a shower is always a perfect way to unwind."

He didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but only after saying it did it sound like it was an ambiguous statement.

As he waited, time seemed to stretch, each second carrying a thousand unspoken words. All the while, his gaze was fixed on him.

"You are staring," Sky called his attention to it.

Busted.

"So... how did you know if you weren’t looking at me?" He shot back, and Sky snickered with a proud look.

"Would you like me to stand guard for you too?" Sky offered, but Chris shook his head.

"You should go dry your hair before you catch a cold."

Sky hesitated. He seemed to want to return the favour. But he nodded and left the bathroom for the room.

Under the warm shower, Chris’s mind drifted, reflecting on the delicate dance of emotions he had shared with Sky. There was a blend of anxiety and excitement within him, uncertainty mingling with hope. Their brief encounter had offered a glimpse into the depths of Sky’s feelings, revealing more than he had initially expected. But how to go forward from this point was something he wasn’t yet sure about.

A comfortable silence fell between them, the tension of their previous encounter replaced by an unspoken camaraderie. As they chatted about the day’s events, the awkwardness that had lingered seemed to fade away, replaced by a sense of normalcy. Chris couldn’t help but notice the genuine warmth in Sky’s demeanour, evidence of the trust they had cultivated over time.

Once he was done with his shower, he also dressed there and draped his towel over his head, just like Sky had done.

He hesitated outside the door before he eventually opened it and stepped in.

He noticed Sky was seated on his reading table, blowdrying his hair with one hand while the other was busy with his phone. However, when Chris entered, he looked at him briefly before he shut the screen and dropped his phone.

As if it were the most natural thing to do, Chris went behind him and took the dryer from him, helping him blow-dry his hair instead. Sky did not object and just sat there, letting him do it, and Chris shamelessly ran his hair through Sky’s locs occasionally with the excuse of finger combing it.

No words were said between them, even after he was done. When Chris was about to drop the dryer and turn to go fix himself, Sky stood up, firmly held him by the shoulder, and directed him to sit on the chair he had sat on. Then, just like Chris had done, he wordlessly began to blowdry his hair too. But as much as Chris wished he would also run his fingers over it, Sky didn’t. Instead, he called his attention to something, "Why’s your hair colour like this?"

"Like... it looks reddish kinda. Like a dark red for some and also at the root."

Oh!!!

Well, how was he going to explain that?

Simple.

The truth.

"I dyed my hair." He confessed honestly.

"You mean you had it dyed red??"

"My hair is kinda like a darkish red."

Sky put the dryer down at once, and Chris turned to find Sky staring at him in confusion.

"So your eye colour is blue, and your hair is also not black?"

Chris nodded.

"Are you... trying to hide from someone here?" Sky asked in concern, making Chris snicker.

"Believe me, it’s none of what you are thinking. I just wanted a different look, and that was why I did it."

Sky looked like he didn’t completely believe him, but he nodded and returned to drying his hair.

When he was done, they both returned to their different beds and lay quietly on them. Chris turned off the lights, but they could still see each other faintly from the night light filtering in through the window.

Chris kept his gaze on Sky when silence settled between them. Up until Sky also looked at him, and he noticed a contemplative look on his face. Chris’s heart raced as he wondered what Sky was thinking. He had a hunch that their encounter had shaken Sky as much as it had affected him, but they had both been tiptoeing around it.

"Earlier..." Sky started talking.

Oh no! This wasn’t happening...

"I—"

"You know we both are fond of messing around, right?" Chris interrupted. He could guess what was bothering Sky.

Whether or not he liked boys wasn’t the issue. Whether or not he even knew he liked boys was not the point.

Sky cared about his reputation.

He had a homophobic parent.

He had a fiancée.

"Whatever happens in our dorm stays in our dorm."

He was making it sound even more messed up than it already was.

Sky’s expression remained neutral, but Chris detected a flicker of something beneath the surface—relief, perhaps?

"I probably should apologize for taking it too far with you—"

"That... wasn’t what I was going to say," Chris said, cutting him off. "But don’t worry, you can forget about it."

That wasn’t it? Then what did he want to say?

Chris was very curious.

"I’m curious."

"I will ask you another time," Sky said to him before turning his back to him and properly draping the covers around his body.

Chris looked at his back. Why did he feel sad for him when he didn’t even know what was wrong with him?

Chris wondered, wishing he could at least share some of his burdens with him.

Not sure if Sky was awake or not, he whispered into the dimly lit room, his voice carrying sincerity. "Sky, I want you to know that I’ll be your friend. And you can share whatever it is that troubles you." He was quiet for a moment before adding, "And I will never cross any boundaries that will make you uncomfortable. You can always trust me. Just like you did on that night."

The night Sky had been drugged and had called him out.

Chris was about to turn to the other side when Sky’s voice came in a soft murmur as he replied, "I know, Chris."

And then added, "Thank you."