Page 24 of Cross the Line

“Earth to Alec.”

Alec plasters on a smile that he doesn’t feel. “You don’t have to help if you don’t want to. I can call Antonio and see if one of his tíos can help.”

“You weren’t listening to me at all, were you?” Theo is smiling at Alec, and he isn’t sure if that makes things better or worse because he’s not drunk this time, but he’s still looking at Alec like he did last night and Alec is so confused and so gay for this beautiful man that it physically hurts.

“Sorry, no.”

“It’s alright, I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your mind. Jason said you always get nervous before move-in day.”

Alec grits his teeth so hard he’s surprised he doesn’t crack a tooth. Fucking Jason and his big fucking mouth. Having big brothers is the worst sometimes. “It’s nothing,” Alec shrugs, hoping to brush it off.

“It’s a big deal, I get it. I remember being in college and that last year. The pressure of finishing classes and getting ready to go out into the world. It’s normal to be nervous.”

“I’m not,” Alec lies because it’s easier than admitting the truth.

“Alright,” Theo concedes. “I’m sure you’re excited. You’re a senior now. Living the dream of being a star athlete and all that. Must be exhausting being young and talented.”

“You forgot gorgeous,” Alec reminds him, perking up. This is exactly the kind of teasing he loves, the kind that Theo has never engaged in with him before. It gives Alec hope.

“I don’t think anyone would forget you’re gorgeous, Alexander.”

The praise goes right to Alec’s head and heart, but he can’t let that show so he settles for more bravado, which is always the safest option.

“I am the full package,” Alec smirks, on cloud fucking nine.

“I’m sure you’ll break lots of hearts this year, kiddo.”

And there, with one little stupid word, Alec’s cloud goes poof and fizzles into nothingness.

“So what’s the plan for today?” Theo asks, thankfully unaware of the power he holds.

“Moving,” Alec replies, settling into smartass territory where things are safe and familiar.

Theo’s mouth turns up at the corner, but he says nothing.

Never able to handle silence unless it’s of his own choosing, Alec rambles. “Antonio got the keys from the RA this morning, so he went by to open the place up, air out the rooms. Hunter and Logan are supposed to come over to the apartment and meet us. You and I will make the first car load with the kitchen essentials, and then Riley’s going to meet us with his pickup truck to start moving the bigger pieces.”

He waits for Theo to ask why Alec needs help from him when there are three fit college guys available but he doesn’t, instead shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking on his heels. It’s the same way he used to do when he was sixteen and nervous. Alec can’t imagine what there is to be nervous about now. Maybe he didn’t really want to be here and didn’t know how to say it. Theo is the kind of guy who honors commitments, even if he doesn’t want to. He’s reliable and honest and whether he wants to be here or not, he told Alec he would, so he is.

The thought sparks a wave of guilt. Maybe Alec should push the subject and offer Theo one more chance to get out of this all-day ordeal, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Come Monday, he’s back in the grind of full-time training. Another two weeks and he’s going to have a full course load to manage on top of practice and games. The odds of him running into Theo will be slim to none, and Alec’s going to be a selfish asshole, and take this time, knowing it’s likely the only one he will get.

Given the chance, Alec will take what he can get from Theo. Not just because he’s stupidly in love with him, but because he genuinely likes him as a friend. Everything about Theo’s calm, steady demeanor makes Alec feel happy and safe and grounded. It’s hard to separate the romantic love from the platonic, all of it twisted together in one inseparable mess. However you want to describe it, all that really matters is that Alec loves Theodore James.

There’s been a Theo-shaped hole in Alec’s heart since the day Theo started to pull away, and it doesn’t matter that his love will never be returned, because he doesn’t expect it to. He just wants to see Theo happy and spend some time with him. He wants one day. Surely he can have this.

“When you said everything was in your parents’ garage, I didn’t realize you meant that literally.”

“Mom was very distraught to have to sacrifice parking her baby in the driveway instead of the garage, but once I found out we got the apartment this year, I started getting ready.”

Theo whistles and Alec tries to look at it from an outsider's point of view. Standing in front of the open garage door, he supposes he can see exactly why it looks overwhelming. There are two love seats that Alec snagged from a senior moving out last year at a killer price, before he even knew whether they’d get this apartment, a fairly large dining table with matching chairs his parents picked up at Ikea and built while he was in Mexico, a still boxed up 70” television, which was Alec’s big birthday gift request from his parents, a squashy green armchair of dubious origin, several Ikea bookshelves that also mysteriously appeared while he was gone, and more than half a dozen boxes all packed full and neatly labeled with bathroom and kitchen essentials that Alec finished up last week. There’s also all of Alec’s personal belongings including a massive storage tote with all of his soccer gear, two suitcases full of clothing and multiple boxes of bedding and room decor.

“Wait, you bought everything in here?”

Theo’s tone is unreadable and Alec hesitates, trying to decide how to answer. He knows this looks like a lot. It is a lot.

“It’s not a big deal. Antonio’s family is already stretching themselves thin to pay for his schooling since he didn’t get a full ride like I did, which is bullshit because he’s just as good, you know? So I started getting stuff so he wouldn’t need anything besides his clothes. Then once I started, well, I thought Riley would be moving in with us too, but Riley’s parents have a lot of kids, and Riley already works two jobs plus school and the last thing he needed to do was spend his savings on this stuff, you know?” Alec cuts himself off, taking a steadying breath and trying not to panic at what he just realized. Antonio and Riley don’t know and he intends to keep it that way. “Look, don't tell them. I don’t want them to think it’s charity because it’s not. As far as everyone knows, my parents spoil me, and that’s the way I’d like the story to stay.”

“I won’t say a word,” Theo promises, gaze fixed squarely on Alec, who squirms under the attention. Theo hasn’t looked at him like this in so long.

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