Dyed in Your Color

So Chummy

The night before, Xian’s sister had told her, “I want you to know that at any point during or after the auditions, you can still back out. But once everything has been formalized and we’ve begun filming, that’s it. Unless it’s a matter of life and death, we’re all in for the long haul. Are you fine with that?”

Xian had laughed and given Laurel a half-hug. “Big Sis, stop worrying too much,” he’d said. “It’s all gonna be fine. We don’t even know if I’ll really get the part or not.”

When he released her, Laurel had smiled but still looked worried. Before they each went to their own bedrooms, she’d told him, “But you will.”

With the role and the filming occupying his mind, he didn’t have the time to dwell on anything else. Which was just as well, because after learning about Lance’s past, he didn’t want to think about how he was going to face him.

Today, his very first class was one of those he shared with Lance for this semester.

It wasn’t like Xian was consciously looking for him, but as soon as he entered the large lecture hall, his eyes roamed around until they fell on the back of someone’s head. The man was sitting on the leftmost end of the third row of seats from the front. Even though he couldn’t see that man’s face from the entrance at the back of the room, Xian could still tell who it was.

Now that Xian knew what to look for, he found that the air surrounding that guy was unmistakable.

“Are you just going to stand there?” said Chase from behind. “Go in already.”

Without even getting the chance to consider if he should sit with Lance or not, Xian was harried by Chase into sitting at their usual spot near the center.

It was only then that it occurred to Xian—now that Lance had him for a friend, it wasn’t right that he should still be sitting all alone. 

Just as he and Chase had settled in, Xian made a snap decision and stood up again.

“I’m gonna go sit over there.”

“Wha—? You—!”

Wide-eyed, Chase sat there and watched as Xian zeroed in on a certain spot down the hall. When he realized that Xian wasn’t being random and was actually aiming for someone—someone who was known to be quite notorious—his body automatically moved to follow.

“This crazy bastard!”

In order to hide his lingering doubts, Xian put on his most cheerful smile as he approached. 

“Do you always sit in the most obscure spots?” he asked by way of greeting while casually taking the seat next to Lance, uninvited. “No wonder I never noticed you.”

Lance was not usually sensitive to the people around him. He would neither notice nor care whenever he was being looked at or avoided by others. It was all the same to him unless someone downright trespasses into his space. That, he wouldn’t fail to notice, and it was something that he was not in the habit of tolerating.

At least, that was the usual case.

With the hint of a smile, Lance replied to Xian, “Neither do the professors.”

That answer made Xian genuinely laugh, conflicted feelings and all. “Smart.”

At the same time, he heard his brother coming up behind him.

“Hey, you know Chase too, right?” he asked, pointing his thumb at the person without otherwise acknowledging his presence.

Lance lifted his eyes from Xian to look at Chase. 

Chase was taken aback when their gazes met, and even more so when Lance nodded at him in greeting. After that, he could do nothing except nod back stiffly and take the seat on Xian’s other side. 

All the while, he was painfully aware of all the attention being thrown their way, but the two at its epicenter seemed blissfully oblivious.

'When did they even become close?' Chase wondered as he sneaked glances. 'And how come this Lance guy doesn’t seem so scary anymore?'

He now felt stupid for being geared for a fight earlier. He was so sure that Xian had intended to kick a hornet’s nest, perhaps wanting to receive the beating of his life. No matter how much Chase would have liked to see that, he’d never hear the end of it from his father if he didn’t step in to help.

But what the hell was this? 

They’re so chummy.

'Damn Xian and his madness anyway—why do I have to keep getting pulled into it?!'

***

None of the three shared a class for the next period. At the corridor outside the lecture hall, before they all separated, Xian asked Lance, “Where do you usually eat lunch?”

He knew it wasn’t at any of the main cafeterias across campus. Despite Xian’s tunnel vision and selective memory, he was sure he’d have remembered if he’d ever seen Lance eating lunch anywhere.

Lance proved him right when he said, “I always eat at our legacy house.”

“Oh, phooey,” Xian replied, feeling disappointed despite having guessed as much already. “I wanted to have lunch with you again, but I guess I’ll just see you tomorrow if we have another class together.”

As if in confusion, Lance tilted his head to the side by a small degree. “Why can’t we?”

Xian raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

Lance repeated to clarify, “Why can’t we have lunch together?”

“Oh.” Xian had to think about it. “You don’t like eating at the campus cafeterias, do you?”

Being quite honest, Lance shook his head. “I don’t.”

“Right, so I don’t want to force you to eat with us.”

He added in his thoughts, 'And the attention we would draw would be a pain.'

“But…” Lance began, looking at Xian as if he didn’t understand why he had to explain this to him, “We could eat at my place.”

When that sank in, Xian’s eyes widened in obvious delight. “Oh… am I welcome?”

Silent as he met Xian’s shining eyes, Lance nodded.

Finally, Xian smiled. “Great. Then let’s meet at the central park benches later.”

It should be noted that all this while, Chase had not yet left their company. He’d have gone on to think he didn’t exist to them at all if not for how Lance once again took his eyes off of Xian long enough to address him.

“You are welcome to eat as well.”

Feeling cynical, Chase thought, 'Am I? Am I really?'

Aloud, he answered, “Thanks, but I have something on at lunch. You guys have fun.”