Chapter 16 ✔️

1 month later...

"Christopher!" Luke announced as he struts into the permanently deserted library one afternoon, "I'm taking you out."

"Excuse me?" Chris says, annoyed, and stares up at Luke with an expression of pure defiance.

"It's your birthday soon, isn't it?" Luke jokes, "or am I horribly mistaken? Is there another Chris in this school with a birthday coming up?  Another child genius, turning eighteen?"

"Yeah, in two months, idiot." Chris grimaces, turning his attention back to his work, "And don't call me Christopher."

"Okay, okay!" Luke laughs, hands raised in defense, "Chrissy."

Chris grunts, standing up abruptly and stalking off to lurk in the book shelves. He picks up various books, putting them back then picking them up again. He carries on like that, until Luke, sure enough, follows him and he walks off again, to the windows.

"Come on Chris! Your birthday's in the summer, and you know I go back to London during breaks! Consider it an early birthday gift." Luke pleads.

The younger man rolls his eyes, "I would've been equally as happy with a box of chocolates."

"I'll get you chocolate! And roses! The whole shebang." Luke affirms, then drops his voice slightly lower , "We can call it a date if you want."

Chris glances at him wearily, noticing the earnestly hopeful expression on his face, "And Harvey?"

The englishman's eyebrows knit together, "What about Harvey?" He asks, then his face drops, "Oh my God, you really do think we're fooling around,"

"Well, it's pretty obvious," Chris grumbles, and looks down, embarrassed.

"That's disgusting," Luke turns his face up in distaste, "That would never happen, even if he wanted it to."

"Really?" Chris asks, trying to mask the enthusiastic tone that sneaks into his voice, "And Harvey doesn't want you?"

"Absolutely not." Luke assures him, looking apologetic but feeling thoroughly amused by concept, "Look, let me take you out for your birthday, we can have fun, prematurely celebrate, and then you can apologise for even putting that image in my head. I'm sorry for making you doubt me... And Harvey. He loves you too much to do that to you, I promise."

Chris looks conflicted for a short moment, still not satisfied with the apology, but he might as well get a free meal out of this.

He moves to grab his coat from the cluttered desk, then asks, "Where are you taking me?"

"Wherever you want, Princess."

Chris scowls and storms out of the library, not even bothering to check if Luke was following. He knew he would.

~~~~

"I kinda feel bad." Chris mentions, dragging his feet as he and Luke stop in front of the should-be-white door of his and Harvey's shared apartment. "I didn't realise Harvey was still cut up about Jefferson... I wish he had just told me that that was why he was going out with you."

Luke feels like an asshole. Which is expected considering how Chris has obviously been feeling these past few weeks. Harvey didn't say why he kept hanging out with Chris because Luke himself forbade him. Sure, it was all above board when it was just for the sake of Harvey's mental health. But once the party idea was formed, he couldn't trust Harvey not to accidentally spill the beans. They really should have come up with a good cover story.

Not long now until he can tell Chris the whole truth and hopefully be forgiven.

Chris stares at the now greying paint that peels and chips from the surface, and vaguely thinks that he should get that repainted. He's on a sugar rush, thinking random thoughts. He blames all the chocolate dessert Luke bought him. How could he afford it? The guy must be loaded. Maybe he really is  a prince. Wouldn't that be scandalous.

Luke turns towards him with a knowing smile and an eyebrow raised, causing Chris to focus back on him.

"I'm sure he had good reason. Besides, we have been kind of secretive, it makes sense for you to have been angry, Princess."

Chris is coherent enough to be offended and casts a hateful glare, "Just open the damn door, Jackass."

Luke obliges because, hey, it's the kid's birthday, or it will be soon enough, and unlocks the door using the key that Chris passes to him.

As soon as the younger enters his home, he's hit with a burst of warm air that slaps him in the face. The humidity is unbearable and he goes to switch on the lights, so that he can make his way through the apartment to open a window. But a hand on his shoulder stops him.

"It's okay, I've got it." Luke says and pushes Chris further into the room. It's a little strange, and forceful, but he complies anyway.

Suddenly, the lights turn on and the silence of the room is filled with simultaneous shouts of, 'surprise!'.

The shriek Chris lets out is anything but manly. He looks around his apartment and is shocked to find people emerging from behind curtains, door and tables, all jumping out with excitement. In the corner of his eye, Chris spots Harvey making his way through the crowd and move towards him.

"Did you plan this?" Chris asks, feigning annoyance. At Harvey's smirk, he laughs and rushes over to trap him in a headlock. The two wrestle for a little while, until Harvey pushes Chris off and the younger pulls him into a hug.

"Thanks." Chris mumbles into Harvey's neck, holding him tight against him. "I'm sorry I accused you of being a homewrecker. But I'm still pissed at you for lying."

"It's alright, man. I'm even more sorry. We were acting real shady, even if it was just Luke trying to cheer me up most of the time. . I should have told you a story that didn't sound like we were going to secret sex parties."

"Dude I was so sure that's what was going on!" Luke punches Harvey's shoulder, "Dumbass."

"I'm sorry again. EIther way, I couldn't let one detail get out. This had to run smoothly. Not every day your best friend turns eighteen."

~~~~

By the time the party's in full swing, the room is even hotter than before, and a considerable amount more people have found their way into Harvey and Chris' apartment.

But the one person Harvey hoped to be there hadn't arrived. And he's left sipping his coke and staring longingly at the door.

"What's with him?" Chris shouts in Luke's ear from their spot on the other side of the apartment.

"Who? Harvey?" Chris nods at Luke's reply, "He's waiting for someone." Luke states, nonchalant.

Chis furrows his eyebrows, "What?! Who?"

"Jeff." Luke answers with a smile, watching bemused asHarvey's face light up whenever he think's the star will appear.

"Jeff's here?!" Chris screeches in delight, "Since when?"

"Since he called me and asked me to come." A voice sounds from behind them, it's soft and concerned, and Luke immediately knows it's Jefferson, "Who's he looking for?" The stars asks, referring to the gangly student.

"You, ya dummy." Chris tells him, a smirk invaded his pretty face.

Luke huffs a laugh as Jeff's face scrunches up.

"Doesn't he know I'm here?"

"Obviously not." Luke rolls his eyes, then narrows them at Harvey who's still staring at the door looking like a pathetically lost puppy.

"Listen, Luke... I, uh," Jefferson looks sheepish, and looks at his feet for a moment, "I'm sorry for what I said to you when I though... y'know-"

"It's fine.  I'm sorry too. Your anger was entirely justified." Luke grins, smacking Jeff on the shoulder teasingly. He then looks over to their friend and raises a knowing eyebrow, "You should talk to him."

"You're right," Jeff says, but doesn't move. He feels as if the ground has swallowed his feet, like he's standing in quicksand and sinking faster than his heart can beat.

"Oh my god." Chris exhales, exasperated, and raises a hand to beckon Harvey over, shouting, "Bro! Look who showed up!"

Harvey looks over and has to squint to see that the centre of his infatuation is stood inside of his apartment already.

He gets up abruptly, brushing off the non-existent crumbs from his t-shirt and whispering silent words to himself.

He advances, slowly and carefully, as if afraid that one wrong move could send Jefferson running off like a wild gazelle.

The childstar himself, watches Harvey with patience, studying the earnest look on his face with hope. Hope that Harvey meant it. Hope that it wasn't just for show. Hope that Harvey wanted him just as much as he yearned for Harvey. The past few weeks were spent miserably. Spent wondering how the student was and what he was doing, and whether he thought about him too. Wondering what might've been if he'd been a little more persistent, if Harvey had let him kiss him that day. Not knowing is killing him.

They're feet apart now, inches, and Jefferson doesn't know when Luke and Chris had left, he only knows that they're not there. And that it's just him and Harvey stood face to face with mirrored expressions of frustrated longing.

He smiles.

"Hi."

The End.

A/N:

Or not the end lmao.

Everyone seems to be unsatisfied with this ending so after many months of internal debate, i'll be writing a final chapter which includes to conversation with Harvey and Jeff's reconciliation.

Sorry for anyone who felt disappointed with the ending. I was trying to do an open ended thing, but I don't mind adding another chapter, since it didn't have the effect I'd hoped haha.

Stay tuned,

Serena x