Hello everyone! I'm truly sorry for the delay! Thank you to all the readers -hugs- you guys keep me alive! Also, thank you to my editor LaRascasse for the ideas that ended my writer's block and for looking over my work. Please enjoy.
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Max took his seat across the aisle of Cameron's desk. The only good thing about history class was they actually got to sit near each other. Cameron denied it, but they sometimes passed notes like girls. The last thing he wanted or needed was something that made him look more girly. Max seemed back to his usual self since what happened with Alex and Leon. Cameron worried that Max might overact and he knew of Max's past actions to people who did rude things to Alex. However, he had to understand Leon never meant to scare Alex.
"Is he okay?" Cameron stood next to Max's desk.
"Yeah, he just freaked out for a moment, but Alex is fine." Max sighed with exasperation.
"You sound tired." Cameron kneeled with his head and arms on the desk.
"I just don't want him to deal with the crap from home at school. This is the one place he could escape and I don't want him to have anxiety attacks here."
"Max... I know you want to protect him but..."
"Enough about that shit. Alex is okay now, so let's stop talking about it." Max waved his hand as if trying to get rid of the situation.
"So how are you and your new lover boy?" Max changed the subject and glanced at Leon, a few seats ahead of him, talking to some friends.
"Me and my lover 'man', because he's all man, are doing great," Cameron's eyes shifted down, "But..." Max waited for him to finish.
"But?"
"You should've seen when John came up to us. He didn't say much, but he royally pissed off Leon. When we went to another hallway, he punched a locker; he even left a dent."
"So are you saying he's crazy like the Hulk?" Max laughed.
"No, you jerk! I'm saying has a secret side to him..."
"Are you scared of that side? What if he does something to you?" Max's face turned serious.
Cameron didn't respond; he didn't know what he should say. In truth, he was scared of Leon's hidden temper. He saw the look and hatred in Leon's eyes for John, and Cameron shuttered remembering. However, Cameron knew that his boyfriend would never hurt him.
"Yeah, you don't want to be close to me. I could seriously hurt you."
Cameron and Max lifted their heads to see Leon standing with his arms crossed. Cameron stood.
"I-I didn't mean it that way at all, Leon!" Cameron stuttered. Leon glanced at Max.
"Don't look at me for an apology." Max said, calmly as ever, with his head in his hand.
"Max!"
"What? Cameron, you want me to say sorry for worrying about your well-being? Yeah, right."
Max stood and moved in front of Leon. Their soon-to-be confrontation did not go unnoticed by the others in the room. Some of the other students in the classroom turned their heads to see what could happen. Both Leon and Max were well-known in the school. That being said, they were also known for not backing down from fights. Though Leon and Max were far from delinquents, their tough guy exteriors were backed by their bodies and strength.
"You guys, please..." Cameron's concern showed clearly on his face.
"Leon." One of Leon's friends, Jamie, walked over to the guys. "Don't."
Jamie looked like the prime example of a frat boy: short hair that was spiked in the front, a good sized build, and dark brown eyes. His older brother and Leon's older brother knew each other in high school, and as a result, they became very good friends.
Leon's hands clenched tightly. Max looked determine to return anything Leon threw at him.
"Fight! Fight!" Someone in the class yelled.
"Come on!" Another egged on.
Max and Leon continued to stare in each other's eyes, clearly waiting for the other to make a move. Everyone (with their full attention toward Leon and Max) could see the dangerous feeling passing between them. Cameron felt a cold shiver run down his spine and wished he never said anything.
"Leon, control yourself. Do you think it's ok to start something here? Especially with Max?"
Jamie's voice of reason seemed to get through to him. Leon broke eye contact with Max and finally realized the situation he started. Just then, the teacher entered the classroom, oblivious to what happened.
"Why is everyone standing? Take your seats, students."
The students groaned and sat begrudgingly into their seats. Leon mumbled some sort of apology and quickly moved back to his desk. Jamie shook his head and gave a sympathetic smile to Max before walking away. Cameron felt lost during the whole confrontation; what made him feel terrible was that he didn't know how to calm Leon down or how to apologize.
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"I can't believe that happened." Cameron opened his locker.
"I wish he would've hit me." Max leaned against the lockers, disappointed. "That was my perfect chance to hit the pretty boy."
"Max! Stop, please. I don't want my best friend and boyfriend to fight!" Cameron slammed his locker.
"Hey, I can't control what he starts, but I can damn well finish it. I don't mind beating his face." Max smiled at the though, while Cameron rolled his eyes.
"Max—" Cameron began to scold his friend.
"What's going on?" Alex stepped to the side of Max.
"Nothing. Don't worry about it, Alex." Max slid his arm around Alex's shoulders and slightly shook Alex side to side.
"Oh no, I don't think so. Alex," Cameron grabbed Alex's arm, pulling him away from Max, "You need to hear what your great friend did right in the middle of class." Cameron pulled Alex and started walking to class.
"What do you mean Cameron?" Alex looked back at Max following them. "Maxi?" Alex looked at Max with confusion.
"Don't listen to him, Alex! He's insane!"
When they got to class, Cameron headed straight to their usual table. He gratefully eyed the same substitute from yesterday, playing on his phone and yelling about some red bird. Cameron stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed Leon and Jamie sat across from Kat and Kim. The red head giggled from what Jamie said, moving her head in Cameron's direction. She waved Cameron, Alex, and Max over with enthusiasm. Max pushed Cameron forward.
"Hey, did you hear? Our teacher is out on maternity leave! We're gonna have that substitute for at least a week!" Kat grinned excitedly. "And our Kimmy sneaked in here!" Kat patted Kim's knee.
"I have a free period anyway. The teachers don't care what I do as long as I don't cause any trouble." Kim suddenly narrowed her eyes at Kat. "Katherine, if your hand goes any higher on my thigh, we're going to have problems." Kat immediately removed her hand, while the others at the table laughed.
Cameron's eyes immediately focused on Leon, "T-that's great, having a substitute and Kim here."
He saw Jamie elbow his friend. Leon got up from the stool and pulled Cameron to the side.
"I'm sorry for the way I acted. I didn't mean for it to go down like that. I completely overreacted." Leon shoved his hands in his pockets out of embarrassment. "I don't want you to see me as some crazy, ill-tempered guy."
"I know you're not like that at all, Leon. I don't view you like that. I was happy that you defended me when John said things to us, but it was a little unexpected to see you like that. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bad-mouth you or anything like that. I also want you and Max to get along."
"Then don't you think he owes me an apology, too?" Max interrupted. Cameron rolled his eyes and turned to Max. It was Kim's turn to elbow her friend standing next to her.
"Shush, will you!" Kim reprimanded with her hands on her hips.
"Ow!" Max's arm came over his stomach.
Jamie laughed whole heartedly. "You guys are fun to hang out with, but I'm gonna head back to the guys." Jamie placed a hand in Leon's shoulder and walked to another table. As Jamie passed by, Alex's eyes followed him. Jamie noticed Alex staring and smiled. Jamie looked Alex up and down; he winked before walking back to his table. Alex felt his face turn hot and he knew he was blushing. He was happy to see no one noticed their little encounter as everyone's attention turned to Cameron and Leon.
"I'm going too. I certainly can't ignore my friends, even if you're hot." Leon smirked and kissed Cameron's cheek. Cameron's eyes gleamed at the attention as Kim squealed at the open affection. Leon smiled and turned to Max.
"I'm sorry." Leon held out his hand.
"Yeah, yeah." Max made a 'shooing' hand motion.
Despite this action, Leon knew Max accepted his apology. Leon nodded. As he turned he whispered in Cameron's ear, "Maybe later I can think of a better way to make it up to you." Cameron blushed at Leon's words and pushed Leon towards his friends.
"Good-bye, pervert." Cameron laughed. Leon waved to everyone and walked to his table.
Now that things settled down, Alex remembered that Cameron talked about Max doing something. Since Leon apologized to Max, Alex became suspicious that Max wasn't completely innocent in the matter.
"What did you do Max?" Alex narrowed his eyes towards Max.
"Why, nothing, my dear friend." Max replied innocently. Alex stared at Max, calling his bluff.
"Ok, ok." Max conceded. "I may have antagonized Leon, just a little." Max put his hand up with his index finger and thumb close together.
Alex quickly turned away from Max and took the stool closest to the wall. He pulled Cameron to sit next to him. Alex never once looked at Max.
"Ooh, someone's in trouble." Kat smiled.
"Oh come on, Alex!" Max pleaded. "It's not my fault!"
"I doubt that. You love to cause trouble." Alex turned his eyes away from Max and started to talk with Cameron. "I'm sorry about him Cameron, he never learns."
