Geek in the Pink.Chapter Three

8 MONTHS LATER

My time with Mello had taught me a lot.

Like that I need to keep him and Near away from each other.

And I also learned that Mello likes chocolate.

A lot.

He also never whined. He bitched. Or take it until he passed out or whatever.

For example, in the first few days of the month it had started to snow bad.

As in, blizzard bad.

And he had insisted on buying this special limited time chocolate that he apparently didn't know was on the market until the last day.

So we sneaked out at around eight. Of course he would choose a freezing cold time.

We had been walking for at least an hour. I didn't have the best sense of direction.

I assumed we were close, because I could see lights ahead. I knew it was cold but Mello would have said something about me being a baby so I kept quiet. Mello, on the other hand hadn't said anything. He was usually bitching by then.

I heard a small thud and looked over my shoulder. And there was Mello, unconscious, in the three foot snow.

At first I thought he was fooling, but when he refused to get up after a few minutes I panicked. Like any normal person would do if their best friend passed out.

Of course, nobody else was around to see and or hear me, so I would have to carry the boy.

This, I was not looking forward to.

It turned out he probably only weighed ninety pounds, so it was fairly easy.

Roger was not pleased when I tried to sneak back in carrying a possibly dead orphan.

But obviously he was fine, apart from a week long cold.

Because Mello can't die. Because he's...Mello.

It was Saturday. And I had never been more bored in my entire life. So I took this chance to do something. I found Charlee and dragged her to our room and sat her down.

“So...why are we here again?” Charlee asked.

“You are the best at coming up with things to do?” I suggested. She raised an eyebrow at me.

“Well I do have a game we could play,”

“Okay, what is it?”

“Truth or dare.” Oh Mello was going to love this. I grinned.

“Sure, who wants to go first?”

“What? Who said that I wanted to play?” Mello whined.

“I did.” I said.

“I'll go, truth or dare Matt?” Charlee cut in.

“Dare.” I heard Mello sigh.

“I dare you...to go in the air vents and stay there for at least thirty minutes.”

“Pff,” I said. “I need a boost, Mels.” He sighed again and stood up. We got the louver off and he locked his fingers together.

“Go.” he said. I jumped up and shoved myself into the vent. He put the louver back and it was pretty dark. I heard Charlee speak again.

“Well, since he's up there...truth or dare, Mello?” I decided to keep listening.

“Truth.”

“Who do you like?” I smirked. I'd asked him that for months and he wouldn't tell me.

“No one.” he answered.

“You're lying.”

“What? No I'm not!”

“Fine, whatever. But now you have to do a dare.”

“Fine, I will.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“Okay I'll just ask now...” The vent shifted.

“Goo--”

“Quit it. Okay...henh,” that sounded evil. “I dare you to tell me who you like.”

“Damn it, Charlee,” I tried to keep from laughing.

“C'mon! You can't pass up a dare! You're Mello!”

“Ugh...fine. But I swear to God, Charlee; if you tell anyone--”

“Chill, Mello. Of course I wouldn't tell anyone.”

“Not even Matt.” Well too late for that.

“Okay, okay. Just spill!” she urged.

“And...you can't like...you know...hate me for it. Not like I care, though.” I heard her chuckle.

“Mello, calm down. I won't tell, I won't be mean, and I won't do whatever it is I could do that might hurt you in any way. Pinkie swear.” There was a short silence after.

“Okay...it's...” He mumbled something.

“What was that?” I remembered the night when he got to see my eye colour.

“I like...HIM...okay?” My smile might as well have melted.

“Who's 'HIM'?”

“M...Matt.” It was then that the vent collapsed. Wow. The ceiling is thin. The vent crashed to the floor, as did I and I heard Charlee shriek.

“Matt?” I noted Mello's footsteps getting closer. I felt the metal shift and it rolled over to reveal my most likely dismembered body.

“H-how long was th-that?” I asked. Mello sniggered and Charlee got up to help me. But then Roger came in. I watched as he surveyed the room.

“Charlee, please step outside for a moment.” Charlee nodded and slipped away. “What on earth did you two do?!” he asked.

“Ridding ourselves of boredom?” I suggested.

“I have had enough of both of you!” he yelled. I cringed. “Mello! I want your stuff out of here by dinner. Move down to room...2-63.” ...Oh fu-that's Clyde's room!

“N-no! I'll move instead,” I said. I must have been bleeding somewhere, because I was getting dizzy.

“I don't care who goes, just one of you needs to!” And with that, Roger left. We sat in silence. I felt dizzier but was thinking about what Mello had said. He liked me? As in...'like like'?

My vision started to blur.

“Matt?!” Did he really...

- - -

I woke up to a severe pain in my lower back and left shoulder. Instantly I could tell where I was; Shika's room. Why? I do not know. But she always seems to stick her nose into my business. She probably likes me. Wait...Mello. Did he really like me? I guess I had never found girls attractive, and my only girlfriend was Charlee, for about a week. But I was pretty sure I wasn't gay...wasn't I? I can see why Mello wouldn't tell me this, but how did I feel? I could always confront him about it but he may get mad. I could wait until he tells me himself, but what if he doesn't? Did I want him to? I blushed as I thought about this stupid situation. What if I talked to Charlee about it...? That might work!

“Matt!” the high-pitched voice belonging to Shika rang through the room. “You're awake! Want some water?” She fluffed my pillow and adjusted my blanket. Before I answered she skip/walked out of the room. I smiled at her randomness. But, now what? Where was Mello?

Almost as if reading my mind, he walked in, wiping his hands on his loose pants and shirt.

He looked stressed and tired. He looked up and I saw that his eyes were half-lidded.

“Matt!” he walked faster over to me.

“Yepp, that's me.” I said absently. He effortlessly rolled his eyes.

“Do you even know how long you were out?” Uh...

“No, I don't.”

“Two. Freakin'. Days.” he informed. Really?

“Hm,”

“Matt,” he knelt down. Was he blushing? “I-I'm glad you're okay,” he said. He wrapped his arms around me and I blinked.

“Thanks...” He unwrapped his arms. We were both blushing by now.

“So...”

“I heard what you said.” I blurted.

“Wh-what?” Oops...