Young boys in Love

When I first saw Josh, I didn’t think anything different. He was another new guy who’d joined at the beginning of the term and that was that. He soon fitted in and had a group of friends. He was tall (6 ft 3) and pale with brown hair and hazel eyes. I on the other hand was 5 ft 10 with a golden tan and black hair.

A week passed without anything extraordinary happening. One afternoon it was break time and I was reading quietly on the grass. A shadow appeared over me and I saw Josh standing with a football.

‘Do you want to play football with us? We’re a man down from two complete teams.’

I kinda wanted to be left alone and was about to tell him bluntly when I noticed his expression – he looked almost concerned. I eased up a bit.

‘No thanks I’m fine just reading today.’ I said.

In return, he shrugged and smiled, walking off with the ball. I watched him walk off and noticed how defined he was around the face and as soon as I began to get absorbed into my book again, I was surprised by Josh once more who came back, this time without a ball.

‘How come you’re not playing?’ I asked.

‘Oh they had an extra player when I got back so there was one too many instead so I volunteered to sit out. I don’t mind really. I play a lot anyway.’

I smiled at the thought that he’d come to sit with me and we began chatting about football and the day and how he had settled in. Soon break was over and we headed back and I began thinking how much I actually liked Josh and liked hanging out with him.

We didn’t really talk for the next few days but I couldn’t help seeing him in a different way. I sneaked glances at him and once more we got talking at lunch. I realised I wanted him for a friend. We hung out more and more and he would sneak a glance at me too during class and then turn away when I looked at him. We would go home together on the train and often we would go to his house.

One week Josh and I had gone to my house. We were exhausted after playing football in the afternoon at school in a match and came back to chill out. We went to my room where there was an Xbox. All afternoon I couldn’t help but think how good he looked in his sports kit and I felt myself every time getting stiffer when the thought arose. That afternoon was soon to change dramatically.

“I’m tired.” He said with his eyes closed and his arms sprawled out on my bed. “Do you mind if I take a nap?”

“I guess you can if you want, but do you really mean to tell me that you came all the way over here just to take a nap?” I said.

“No I came here to be with you.”

“I guess this means you don’t want to play, right?” I asked.

“I was kind of thinking we could do something else.” He said as a smile spread across his face.

“What?” I asked.

He opened his eyes and turned his head towards me and began rubbing his fingers over his chest.