Soccer ~★ bxb romance novel ★~

Chapter 13 ~ Spring Formal

James

The spring formal started at seven in the evening. It was now 6:30, and I was doing final checks, raking my hands through my hair and smoothing my tuxedo. Tonight, I felt good, and I felt like I looked good, and despite my nerves for the formal, I was really excited to go.

I drove myself to the venue, a sailing club with views of the sunset over the ocean, handed over my ticket to the lady at the door, and greeted Coach Andrews. I thanked him for guiding us all through such a great season; he really was an excellent coach.

I poured myself some lemonade at the drinks table, and watched from the corner of the cheaply decorated hall as people filtered in, waiting for Asher and Reece. When they did arrive, I noticed how they were both gleaming, on their best behaviour, politely introducing their dates to me. I complimented each of them on their outfits, and then invited them all to the dance floor.

We danced for so long, jumping up and down, only stopping to grab a drink or listen to speeches over dinner. I was thriving, letting loose, enjoying the girls' company and admiring how happy the boys were.

Until, the slow dance song came on. Everyone partnered up with their dates, and as only a few of us stood on the sidelines to watch, I had never felt more single. I backed off the dance floor and rested against the wall, sending smiles to Asher and Reece as they swirled their dates around.

My mood was beginning to spiral until I noticed the presence of none other than Maximilian beside me. We hadn't spoken in months, not even a smile, even when our teams won the season.

"Where's your date?" I asked coolly, deciding that saying hello was overrated considering the circumstances.

"I never had a date..."

"Why not?"

He didn't answer, looking into my eyes.

"And how come you're alone tonight?" Milten returned the question.

"Bringing him as a date would have been unprofessional," I looked back up to his eyes with a smirk, testing him and trying to read his neutral face. The soft purple lighting that shone over the dance floor reflected like fireworks in his eyes. His suit clung to his lean body and the rosy warmth of lust settled in my chest but rose quickly up to my cheeks. I bit my lip and felt blood rush to my mouth.

Max Milten sighed, as if empathetically, and pushed himself off the wall.

"I'm going to the bathroom," He announced.

"I'll go with you," I saw the confusion in his face "unless you don't want me to-" I added. He shrugged and assured me it was fine.

In the bathroom, the air was thick with some sort of tension. We both washed our hands at the same time. I saw him watching me intently in the mirror and stared back. I had never seen him look so conflicted and he seemed unpredictable. I dried my hands-on paper towel and noticed the deep red of my mouth from biting down on myself. I turned to find Max watching me again. So, I did the same, entranced by the attention.

I totally lost it when he called my name.

"James." He spoke out over the silence, softly but assertively.

I turned to him, saw his pupils dilate, and moved towards him. He put his hand on my shoulder, and dragged it down the collar, all the way to the waistband of my pants.

"Max- you just," I paused and stepped closer to him, "you can't do this to me."

What was going on? His touch sent my mind into chaos.

The pretty boy leaned further into me, and I felt a soft touch on my neck, closing my eyes into it.

His lips on my skin.

Everything blurred and whirled around me, pushed up against the cold bathroom bench top. His lips biting and sucking on my soft spot, leaving bruises and marks everywhere. I stopped him, pulled his face up and connected our lips and flipped us around.

Max's hands were everywhere, all over me, and mine were all over him.

I let out a shaky breath when his hand reached my crotch, and then his lips were on mine again.

I pushed him into a bathroom stall, undid the buttons of his shirt, and kissed my way down his torso. I traced my fingertips over his body, and I could see him struggling to wait.

We hooked up. In the bathroom at the soccer formal.

Once we had finished, I put my clothes back on, delighted to find no one in the bathroom but us. Max stumbled out of the stall, doing up his belt, and then buttoned up his dress shirt.

"Fuck, I don't know what to say..." Milten spoke, looking at me through the mirror. I planted a soft kiss on his cheek, down his neck.

He pulled away. The slight change in his demeanour hit me immediately.

Milten smiled, but not fully, a pitying smile. A smile that made me feel like a fool. But I couldn't go back now, so I shovelled my grave even further. And then I jumped.

"Max I- I think I'm in love with you. I have been for years now."

I stopped and waited.

He nodded slowly, let out a long breath. Max's neck was turning red as he stared down at me.

"James, take it back. Why do you have to make everything so complicated for me? For yourself? Finally I feel some relief, like I can get you out of my head, and suddenly it's love? Why can't you let me go?" Max almost ranted and his hands raced through gestures in the iced air between us.

I winced and my stomach folded.

"I'm just some spectacular fucking burden to you, aren't I? How nice that you can make use of me for once. Until there you go, you're running again." I retaliated. "I'm going to go." I stated, avoiding his face. I couldn't let myself forgive him again. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes but I held them back.

I left the bathroom, said goodbyes to my teammates and friends, and drove home. I sat outside my house with the car engine off, and finally let myself cry.

In the shower I scrubbed at the hickies, trying to remove the shame that they held. I stood in front of the mirror, wiped the fog away and examined my reflection. Water droplets raced down my naked body as I took in the bruises. They were dark and prominent, looking at them sent memories of Max Milten through my mind and embarrassment through my body. They weren't going anywhere for a while.