Back to You Ch. 02

Hey Guys! Here's another chapter of my new series. Thanks for all the great feedback on Chapter 1, I'm so happy it was well received. If you can't already tell, this one is a bit of a slow burn. These characters are still reacquainting themselves after all these years, so you know the build-up will be worth it. Let me know what you think- any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

*****

Chapter 2: Those goddamn butterflies.

Oliver ran over to the bleachers as the coach blew the whistle for a water break. It was late afternoon with the sun now crouched between the passing clouds. Drenched in sweat and overcast sun, he could hear his heartbeat pounding at full volume. Oliver pulled at the red velcro-vest and his white undershirt, desperately trying to cool off. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his phone to text Matt, "We should be finished here in the next half hour, you still good with picking me up?"

Matt replied a minute later, "Okay cool. Working on an essay in the Library- I'll meet you then." Oliver stuck the phone back in his bag and ran off to the field. The last half hour of practice was killer, without Oliver stumbling over his feet, nearly crashing into the astroturf more times than he'd like to admit. He just couldn't focus. Last night, on the short walk back home, he couldn't help but feel at ease. He'd missed being with Matt and his family, but there was something about that familiarity that terrified him. What if he was setting himself up for history to repeat itself? He shook off those thoughts the same way he shook off the dust from a particularly bad fall.

Matt strolled out of the Library, swinging his back pack over his shoulders as he closed the doors behind him. It was ten 'til 3:30 when Matt got to the parking lot. He looked around, seeing only scattered cars throughout. Leaning against the hood, he patiently waited, taking in the remnants of the afternoon sun with the breeze blowing through the open zipper of his sweater.

After a few minutes, Matt saw Oliver leaving the field with a duffle bag swung over his shoulder. He bit down on his lip as his daydream walked his way. As Oliver walked over, Matt couldn't help but notice his sweat-drenched shirt as it clung to every crease of his body. Oliver flashed a wide smile as he got closer with his duffle bag and loose gym shorts swinging about.

At only a few feet away, Oliver shouted out, "Hope you weren't waiting long!"

Matt shook his head, leaning back against the hood of his Four Runner, "Only about five minutes. I couldn't spend another second writing about the New Deal."

Oliver replied, closing in on Matt, "Did you get it done?"

Matt lowered his eyes, seeing Oliver's hard nipples piercing through his shirt. "Nah, I got..." He cleared his throat, "Distracted." Shaking those thoughts away, he asked, "Dude what the heck? You're dripping."

Oliver frowned, "Yeah sorry about that man- I didn't wanna keep you waiting too long. Would've been another twenty minutes if I took a shower in there."

Matt rolled his eyes, "It's cool dude." He emphasized, "But you're not getting in my car like that. I just got it detailed on Saturday after Katie practically made it rain cream soda."

Oliver flashed that infamous smile, trying to win Matt over, but it was no use. He sighed, "Okay fine." Reaching into the bag and pulling out a clean shirt, Oliver offered, "Here, I can sit on this. I usually just use the towels in the locker room, so this is the best I can do."

Unsatisfied, Matt persisted, "You're still drenched dude!"

Oliver immediately reached for his shirt, pulling it off in a shrug, "There. You happy now?" Matt's jaw dropped at the sight of his half-naked friend before him. Oliver stood there with his broad shoulders practically stretching to both ends of the parking lot. Matt did his best not to stare as small droplets of sweat ran down the crease of Oliver's cut body before dropping to the floor. To hell with his clean car, Matt only cared about one thing.

As if breaking him out of his trance, Oliver teased, oblivious to Matt's gawking, "Geez, not even a proper date and you already got me taking my clothes off." Matt laughed, brushing off the slight hint of flirtation in that comment. Oliver laughed as he got into the car, leaning forward slightly so that his back didn't touch the seat.

Matt didn't realize how long they had been sitting there, let alone the fact that he hadn't turned on the car. Oliver looked over at him, asking, "Uh dude. Are we gonna get going or are you just gonna stare at me all afternoon?"

Mat shook his hands, waking himself up from the fantasy he was building up. He looked over, this time at Oliver's eyes. Embarrassed, he offered, "I'm sorry." He lowered his voice to nearly a whisper, "It's just- when did you get so...ripped?" The question escaped his mouth before his brain could even process. But it was too late to take it back. It was already out there in the open, along with the awkwardness he assumed would follow.

Oliver lowered his lips to a faint pout, impressed at Matt's honesty. He replied, "Thanks dude.", still holding onto a bit of self-consciousness. He continued, "ever since I started working out regularly, I've being seeing results."

Matt put the car in drive, thankful that Oliver didn't pounce on his comment with offense. Looking left and right before pulling onto the street, he asked, "So no more of Mrs. M's famous 'Triple layered chocolate cake'?"

Oliver replied quickly, leaving no room for hesitation, "Dude. I've been known to kick back an entire one of those cakes by myself."

Matt pointed to him as if trying to pin point a memory on the tip of his tongue, "Wasn't it your 11th birthday when your mom totally railed on you for taking a bite of your cake before we even sang?"

Ollie laughed back, "I think she was more pissed at the fact that I didn't even cut a slice- I just dug a spoon directly in, then went straight for my mouth." He threw his hands up, mimicking the surprised look on his face from all those years ago. Matt watched as the seatbelt, once held apart by Oliver's steady hand, pulled back, clinging to his defined chest. He bit down on his lip, jealous.

***

Matt followed Oliver through the front door of his house, remembering to slip off his shoes in the process. The room was unnervingly quiet, with only the sound of speeding cars piercing through the drywall. Looking around, he couldn't help but feel as though the house seemed a lot less lively than it used to be. Matt loved coming over here as a kid- Ollie's house offered much needed respite from the insanity that was his infant sister and her steady screams. The house, once filled with the sounds of football games playing on the TV with Ollie's dad stretched across his recliner were only rivalled by the timer going off at the stove, telling Mrs. Morrison that her latest baked creation was done. Looking at the family portrait hanging just above the fireplace, Matt knew the reason for the newfound stillness.

Oliver opened the fridge, pouring himself a glass of water as he asked, "Yo dude, just help yourself if you're hungry. My mom just got back from a business trip so the pantry's stacked."

Matt's eyes widened at the sight of the fully stocked pantry. Reaching for a familiar bag, he ripped it open, "Oh my god, I forgot about these!" He crunched down on the small rice crackers, licking his lips at the taste of seaweed and salt. Stuffing more into his mouth, he commented, "You know I've tried, but I couldn't find these anywhere!"

Oliver reached his hand in, grabbing a fistful of crackers, "Special delivery all the way from Tokyo- now quit finishing all my favorite ones!"

Matt laughed, swallowing the last of it. Tossing the empty bag in the trash, Oliver called out, "Hey, I'm just gonna run up and take a shower. We can start working when I'm done."

Matt nodded, popping open a soda from the fridge as Oliver headed up the stairs. He stood there for a few moments, trying to cool himself down. He shook his head, still a bit embarrassed that Oliver caught him staring. He hoped that Oliver's carefree attitude saw past his true intentions. Regardless, he had to tread carefully. He had already lost Oliver once at his own accord- he couldn't let it happen twice.

Finishing his soda, Matt grabbed his backpack and headed up the stairs. He looked around the long hallway, finding remnants of his childhood: from the cracks in the drywall from his and Oliver's rounds of catch to the etchings on the window in bright permanent marker that Mrs. Morrison just couldn't remove. He found his way to Oliver's room, stepping inside with caution to find his friend. The steam escaping from the half-open bathroom door and the sound of running water, gave him his answer. Matt called out, "Hey dude, I decided to come up. Didn't wanna freak you out."

Oliver shouted out in a muffled voice, "Haha thanks for the heads up. Make yourself comfortable, man. I'll be right out."

Taking a seat at Oliver's desk, Matt felt like he was stepping into his world. He looked around at the trinkets and souvenirs scattered all through the mahogany counter, each with its own story- some that he knew, some that he didn't. At the end of it all, he just wanted to be in Oliver's life again- in whatever capacity that would be.

Hearing the water shut off, Matt shuffled in his seat, turning slightly so he had his back turned to the bathroom door. He heard Oliver's footsteps a few feet away, "Hey- hope you don't mind. I forgot to bring my clothes in there."

Matt nodded from behind, refusing to look over at Oliver as he entered the room. He replied, "Do your thing, man" as he stared into the popcorn walls as if it were the most interesting thing he'd seen all day. Now under different circumstances, this situation would be brushed off. But as Matt sat there with his back turned to his best friend getting dressed behind him, he knew better than to look.

It wasn't until Matt heard the closet door close that he swung around to find his friend dressed in a simple cotton t-shirt and loose-fitting gym shorts. Oliver hopped onto his bed, rubbing his hands and bare feet against the microfiber blanket beneath him. Oliver looked comfortable to Matt, relaxed even. He leaned back onto the headboard, offering, "Why you all the way over there? There's plenty of room here", as he rubbed the space next to him.

Matt got up and walked towards the bed, "I keep forgetting this ain't the twin bed that we used to pile up on." He took a seat next to Oliver, leaning back with his hands behind his head, mimicking his position.

Oliver took a few seconds to respond, adding in, "Yeah, those were the days." After a few laughs, the room fell silent. Matt rested into the memory foam mattress, feeling weightless as he rubbed up against the soft blanket, replacing the cool texture with his heat. But the comfortable serenity that Matt felt was met with a deafening anxiousness on Oliver's end. The boy grew nervous as he mentally prepared himself to break the ice he froze over between them. He could feel his body start to sweat through the clean shirt as he gathered enough courage to ask, simply, "Hey Matt?"

Matt kept his eyes closed as he replied, "Yeah Ollie?"

Oliver nervously continued, "Is it cool if I ask you something?"

Matt turned to Ollie, opening his eyes, "Yeah man. What's on your mind?"

Oliver explained, "The other day, you told me that you stopped talking to me cause you were scared of how I'd react to you discovering who you are." Matt propped himself up, facing Oliver with a timid look in his eyes. He went on, "I just can't help but wonder if maybe you shut me out for another reason- like maybe there was something else you felt you couldn't tell me at the time."

Matt felt the weight of worry drop down on him as he watched Oliver slowly put together the puzzle he left scattered all those years ago. This moment: the time when Oliver would discover the truth, haunted him for years. He felt his heart start to race, wondering if Ollie could hear it too.

Matt asked, plainly, "What other reason would there be?" He needed to act like he didn't know where this was headed. He wanted Oliver to figure this out without his guidance.

Oliver turned, crossing his legs over each other so that he was facing Matt directly. Matt felt himself being pierced with Oliver's deep brown eyes. They focused on him, as if demanding the truth, "Did you have feelings for me back then?"

Matt's mouth went dry. He was cornered by Oliver's gaze and though he'd practiced his response a million times over, he answered in a shaking voice, "Yes. Yes, I did." He knew better than to lie, but he still didn't know how Oliver would react. He was taken back to those days when he would catch himself staring at Ollie longer than he should. He remembered that stupid smile that crept up his face when the boy would call his name. Even his touch, his goddamn touch, sent shivers up Matt's then small frame in ways the young boy couldn't understand. He brought himself back to today and shaking his head, realized that none of those things changed.

Oliver fell silent for a minute, processing all those years of wondering why. He had always been angry with Matt for leaving, and he had convinced himself for so long that no excuse could have been understandable. But he didn't know if he would've had the courage to face that truth, had he been in his shoes. Oliver broke the uncomfortable silence in a shaking voice, "Do- do you still have feelings for me?"

Matt let out a breath, preparing his words for the deep dive he was about to pursue. "Here goes nothing", he thought to himself. He caught Oliver's glance and focused on it, needing him to listen to everything he had to say. He answered confidently, "Yes", not wanting to leave any room for misinterpretation. As if starting off the long monologue he planned out in his head, he went on, "I didn't plan on falling for you Ollie, I really didn't. I tried everything I could, but the closer we got, the more strongly I felt towards you. I may not have known a lot back then, but I knew that I liked you." He took in a breath, "You were the best person I knew." His voice trailed off as if trying to back down, but he continued, "You still are."

Matt finished that sentence and looked up to see Oliver looking at him. His warm brown eyes shined back at him, bathing in the fleeting afternoon sunlight. But they weren't full of anger or confusion like Matt expected. The expression could only be described as focused. He examined the boy in front of him: from his fixed gaze to the slight quiver of his lips as if he was trying to find the words that already escaped him. He decided to take his chance, slowly closing the gap between them. He kept his eyes on Oliver, cautioning himself for any slight sign of resistance or hesitation. But as the space between their lips went from inches to mere centimeters, Matt had yet to see any warning signs. So he continued on, gently pressing his lips against Oliver's like he was dipping a foot into unknown waters. Matt savored his taste, feeling Oliver's plump lips against his. It lasted only seconds as Matt slowly pulled himself off. The sweetness of Oliver's lips was met with a numbing bitterness that he had gone too far.

Oliver looked up at Matt, muttering only, "Whoa."

Matt took those words as hesitation. He quickly straightened himself, stammering, "Oliver, I'm-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be that forward." Standing up, he turned, not wanting Oliver to see the mortified look that was tattooed on his face, "I-I'll just go. I'm sorry".

Oliver reached over and grabbed Matt's arm. Pulling him in with a determined voice, he ordered, "Matty, stop!" Oliver got to his feet, standing in front of the taller boy beside him. He examined Matt, as if this was the first time he was actually looking at him in great detail. Matt's cold blue eyes sent a chill down Oliver's spine with a distraught look on his face. But as Matt braced himself for retaliation, Oliver took in a deep breath as he purposely erased the line that separated them.

Oliver reached up, cradling Matt's hard jaw in his palms. He swore they could cut him at the wrong angle. He steadied his grip, pulling Matt's face in closer, ensuring the boy knew his actions were intentional. Then, like Matt's earlier moves, he pulled him in, planting a strong kiss on his lips. Oliver let out a soft breath as he slowly pulled away, still feeling electricity on his lips. He held the back of Matt's head close to him, smiling widely as he spoke in a soft tone, "If you keep running out on me, you're gonna miss out on the best part."

Matt pushed his body into Oliver's, feeling their chests pressed together. He held his hands at Oliver's side, resting his thumbs in the pockets of his shorts. Oliver's hands never left Matt's face, looking intently at the shocked boy before him. Matt asked, still with a trace of hesitation, "Ollie, are you sure about this?"

Oliver nodded, planting a quick kiss onto Matt's lips. Oliver chuckled slightly, licking his lips to savor Matt's taste as he pulled away, "I enjoyed it, Matty. Now quit over-thinking it." He teased as reached, messing up Matt's perfectly combed hair. Matt broke is straight face, flashing a smile at the playfulness. Oliver commented, "This feels.."

Matt added, slightly pinching the patch of skin on Oliver's jaw, "Right." Ollie nodded, pulling Matt in for a final kiss. He looked him in the eye, speaking with confidence, "I like kissing you, Matty. I'm glad we can spend more time together again.

Matt chuckled, sinking into the bed beside Oliver, "God knows how long I wanted to do that."

Oliver leaned into the mattress, resting his hands behind his head. Matt took in his clean scent, cozying up next to the boy, pushing his limits of being too close for comfort. But Oliver welcomed his touch, gathering, "I still can't believe you've been crushing on me all these years."

Matt looked up, barely catching his face through his protruding jaw. "Look Ollie, you tell me the minute this becomes too much for you. I only want this if you want it too."

He reached his arm behind Matt, feeling his heat as he clung onto him and pulled him in closer. He added, "Deal."

Matt changed his tone, "Now that we got that out of the way, I was wondering if you'd let me take you out tomorrow."

Oliver looked down, raising an eyebrow, "You asking me on a date, Stevens?"

Matt bashfully looked over at Oliver's teasing grin, "Yeah I guess I am."

"Well, I'll be damned. I never had someone ask me out before." He joked, "I may have to check my schedule and get back to you."

Matt playfully shoved Oliver's side as he responded, "I'm kidding dude." Oliver leaned, catching Matt's wandering eyes. He admitted to himself that the situation would still take some getting used to. But he knew that being here with Matt made him happy, and he'd give anything to be happy these days. He peered his eyes, clearing his throat of any sense of insincerity, "I would love to go out with you Matt. Pick me up at 6?"

Matt rolled his eyes, "I'm the only one of us with a car at the moment, remember?"

Oliver reached over, messing up Matt's hair, "Keep talking to me like that and the kissing stops." Matt held is tongue, grinning over at Oliver. He'd gladly go the rest of his life without a word if it meant he could keep kissing him.

***

Matt pulled up in his black Four Runner, a couple of minutes before 6. He laughed at himself, curious as to why he left his house so early, only to drive a few houses down. As he put the car in park, he gripped at the steering wheel, feeling the nerves he'd put off the entire day slowly rush back into his bloodstream. Suddenly the collar of his buttoned-up tee constricted at his throat as he readied himself to get down. Stepping onto the pavement, he pulled at the ends of his unzipped jacket, desperately trying to cool the sweat he felt forming on his body. He walked up to the front door, dragging his feet as if his sneakers were full of concrete.