Heart and Soul [bxb]

Chapter Forty-Three

*There is mild sexual content ahead*

Johnny had ultimately agreed to go out with Lydia for two reasons.

First, because he had never really minded spending time with his sister. Second, because he needed to keep his mind off Carter, his boyfriend, having dinner and spending time with his ex and paper-perfect match, Melanie Jones, with her high GPA, and flawless reputation, and beautiful skin, and gorgeous fucking dark curls.

He didn't want to be jealous. He wasn't the jealous type. Though, as Lydia so kindly reminded him, he had never had anyone to be jealous about before. Let alone a guy who walked their school hallways like a god among his devotees.

Johnny knew Carter was attractive and that people noticed that. He also knew Carter, despite not a natural attention seeker, had a tendency to draw his peers' admiration. As cliche as it may be, guys wanted to be around him and girls tried their luck whenever an opportunity presented.

It wasn't just because he was the quarterback, or the captain of the football team. It wasn't his looks or his personality in its own either. It was the whole picture.

And Johnny knew all this because, as embarrassing as it may be and as much as he'd hate to admit it out loud, he had been among the masses before, feeling exactly the same. Somehow, hearing Carter say he wanted to be with Johnny in that way-label and all-had changed things.

All this attention Carter was used to receiving, which Johnny had always noticed, bothered him now. It was stupid, but it was there. He wanted to be able to pry Carter away from all those curious eyes. Remove his name from the lips of excited, gossiping mouths. And, most of all, pull him away from the girl he'd dated for a full year in the past, so Johnny could keep him to himself.

Luckily, Lydia, however annoying she might be, was a voice of wisdom to balance his insecurities. She convinced him most of his thoughts were unreasonable and borderline stalker-y.

On Saturday, Carter called to ask to come over. Johnny's parents were home, but Carter said it was okay because he just wanted to talk. That's all they could do, since Johnny's parents asked them to keep the door open anyway.

They watched Peaky Blinders for most of the afternoon and, just before he left, Carter casually let slip that he had told Mel about them the night before.

Johnny couldn't quite explain the feeling that brought out in him. He still tried though, when Lydia came into his room afterwards to pull some details out of him.

They texted back and forth all morning, on Sunday. Mostly Johnny's stupid Physics memes, which Carter seemed to find hilarious. And Johnny really couldn't begin to describe the thrill that stirred in his chest.

Carter stopped texting after lunch, which was fine because they didn't have to be constantly communicating. They didn't before. Johnny was never needy before. But around three o'clock, he started to get bored. So he picked up the phone and tried to call Carter. It just rang until Johnny gave up.

A little dismayed, he walked from his desk to his bed, with his reading glasses still on, which he had forgotten were on his face. Still bored, he took a picture of himself, looking every bit the part, and sent it to Carter on Instagram with the caption 'bored out of my mind'.

If Carter wasn't checking his phone, he wouldn't see it, but Johnny didn't care.

Ten minutes of silence later, Johnny called again. This time, Carter answered after two beeps.

"Nice of you to pick up," Johnny mused.

"Sorry, I was in the shower," Carter said from the other side of the line. "What's up?"