random bit I started tonight.
might or might not become a story, we'll see. comments? criticism?
****
This is dumb, Ash thought sourly; all I have to do is ask her. But you don’t even like her, whispered an annoying inner voice, you just want to look normal. So what maybe I do! He eyed the slender brunette again, trying to come up with the right words. The sights and sounds of the Chicago coffee shop distracted him, French vanilla and caramel mocha drifting past his nose. A group of laughing students went by, words jumping into his ears,
“I heard…gay…really? You’re kidding!”
Ash pretended not to hear, briefly wondering whom they were talking about. He often wondered what others found to chatter on about 24/7, but had yet to get an answer.
“Maybe they’re talking about you,” a husky tenor by his ear made Ash whirl around in surprise, “but then maybe they’re talking about me.”
Ash blinked and tried to recover. The voice belonged to a good-looking guy his age. Pitch black hair framed a finely sculpted face and hooded honey colored eyes. The speaker chuckled at Ash’s obvious discomfort. Raising a sarcastic eyebrow, he stuck out a hand, “Kailen, and you are?”
“Ash. How’d you know?” something in those golden eyes threw Ash very much off-balance.
“That you were wondering?” Kailen smirked, “doesn’t everyone?” Ash briefly wondered if there was a hidden meaning to his words. Did he mean he also pondered it, or was it just a generalized statement? Inwardly he frowned, why do I care?
Kailen flopped down on the nearby couch; well-worn leather instantly conforming to his lithe, smoothly muscled form. Ash blushed, realizing he was paying way too much attention to Kailen’s body. The dark-haired teen was watching him with an almost predatory expression.
“So,” Ash made another attempt at sounding coherent and nonchalant, “are you from around here?”
“More or less, yourself?” Kailen’s tone held a hint of amusement. His smile was disarming but the hooded eyes were opaque, hiding whatever secrets lurked inside.
****
This is dumb, Ash thought sourly; all I have to do is ask her. But you don’t even like her, whispered an annoying inner voice, you just want to look normal. So what maybe I do! He eyed the slender brunette again, trying to come up with the right words. The sights and sounds of the Chicago coffee shop distracted him, French vanilla and caramel mocha drifting past his nose. A group of laughing students went by, words jumping into his ears,
“I heard…gay…really? You’re kidding!”
Ash pretended not to hear, briefly wondering whom they were talking about. He often wondered what others found to chatter on about 24/7, but had yet to get an answer.
“Maybe they’re talking about you,” a husky tenor by his ear made Ash whirl around in surprise, “but then maybe they’re talking about me.”
Ash blinked and tried to recover. The voice belonged to a good-looking guy his age. Pitch black hair framed a finely sculpted face and hooded honey colored eyes. The speaker chuckled at Ash’s obvious discomfort. Raising a sarcastic eyebrow, he stuck out a hand, “Kailen, and you are?”
“Ash. How’d you know?” something in those golden eyes threw Ash very much off-balance.
“That you were wondering?” Kailen smirked, “doesn’t everyone?” Ash briefly wondered if there was a hidden meaning to his words. Did he mean he also pondered it, or was it just a generalized statement? Inwardly he frowned, why do I care?
Kailen flopped down on the nearby couch; well-worn leather instantly conforming to his lithe, smoothly muscled form. Ash blushed, realizing he was paying way too much attention to Kailen’s body. The dark-haired teen was watching him with an almost predatory expression.
“So,” Ash made another attempt at sounding coherent and nonchalant, “are you from around here?”
“More or less, yourself?” Kailen’s tone held a hint of amusement. His smile was disarming but the hooded eyes were opaque, hiding whatever secrets lurked inside.