My Bubblegum King - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

"What's your favorite?" Diego asked, staring at the glass that had the entire ice cream flavors sold at the shop enclosed in it.
"Double chocolate fudge," I replied without thinking about it. "You?"
"I like a lot of them," he said, turning to smile at me. "I think the only one I've tried that I don't like is the Pecan Ice cream. What the hell?"
I chuckled, feeling a little de ja vu. "Let me guess, just like you like a lot of bubblegum flavours?"
"Exactly," he blew a green bubble out from the mint gum he had in his mouth to emphasize his point.
"Mmhm," I nodded, remembering Sebastian and his Strawberry flavor addiction. "You're like the same and yet, the opposite of my boyfriend."
Diego stayed quiet watching the ice cream guy serve to the people that were here before us. I pouted, stuffing my fingers into my pocket and wondering if I said anything wrong. Yeesh maybe guys don't talk to other guys about their boyfriends. Diego cleared his throat and I turned to look at him, he had a small smile on. "The same and opposite? You'd have to be a little more clearer Freshman."
So I didn't fuck up?
"Uh, like you both like chewing gums so much but he more like sticks to one particular flavor for everything. Literally everything," I was fighting my smile from taking over my face.
"Everything?" Diego took a step closer in the line and I do too. "What blessed flavor is that?"
"Strawberry," I said without a pause, then chuckle. "I think he loves Strawberry flavor more than anything else in the world. Even me, maybe."
Diego shook his head, "I can't imagine sticking to one flavor of gum every single time. I'd get sick of it."
"Me too," I said but I'm still smiling. "I really don't know how he does it. It should get boring and lose it's thrill but for him it doesn't. It's insane."
It got to our turn and Diego ordered for us three scoops each, my taste and mint chocolate for him. He hands me mine and we go take a sit at two long red leather stools with an equally long round table. "Yeah but it kinda says a lot about him though."
"What?"
"Um, just from this he sounds like the kind of guy that's like really committed to things. Like when he's in, he's in. He sounds like someone who doesn't give up easily and who would be there for you through thick and thin."
I blushed, I blushed so bad it felt like I was about to burst into flames. "Y-yeah h-he's totally like that."
"Lucky you," Diego's deep voice breaks me out of my daydream blush state and I look at him to see him looking at me. It doesn't even surprise me and I think it's then I notice that he always does that. He always looks at me like that.
"Yeah, lucky me."
Diego smiles and looks away, taking a big spoon of ice cream and shoving into his mouth. Then he winces and drops the spoon, holding his head, I burst into laughter. "Shouldn't have done that."
"No shit," I laughed.
He chuckled, "I really needed my brain to freeze. Maybe then it'll start working again."
"It stopped working?"
He nodded, "I think so."
I just blinked at him, "why then?"
He shrugged, "I don't really know."
"Weirdo," I shook my head to myself, eating out my ice cream and loving every spoon.
"Tell me more about your boyfriend."
That took me off guard, "what? Why?"
Diego shrugged again, "I mean, I could live vicariously through you and your epic love story."
I smile, leaning closer to him. "I never told you it was epic."
"You did," he leaned in too. "In many words and colors."
I blushed and looked down at the table for a second, "liar."
Diego tapped his ice cream spoon on my nose, rubbing ice cream on me. "Are you telling me or not?"
"Diego!"
He laughed, "come on, I'm waiting."
"Okay fine," I wiped the ice cream off my nose. "But on one condition, a story for a story."
"How?"
"You also tell me about your girlfriend," I say, then pause. "Or boyfriend or any person." I don't know why I added that but saying just girlfriend didn't fit completely out loud. I mean all this time I've always seen Diego as a straight guy but then saying it out loud felt like I've been deceiving myself all this while. There's no way he's completely straight not with the way he-- I froze. Don't complete that thought.
Diego bit his lip, "um, I don't have a person."
I swallowed, "uh, okay yeah." Snap back to yourself. "Wait, yes, you don't have a person now but there's no way you've been single all your life."
Diego laughed, "why is there no way for that?"
"Because," I searched for the words. "There's just no way a guy like you haven't had someone that you've liked or someone that has loved you with all their heart."
Diego kept his eyes on me, "There certainly is a way Paxton."
I shook my head negativity, refusing to believe it. "Unless you've lived in Mars all your life until now, there's no way. You're smart, good looking, nice eyes and totally lovable." I paused hearing myself say all those things that I totally meant, I swallowed. "I mean that on an innocent level of course. Don't let it get to your head."
Diego nodded seriously, "I won't and maybe you're right but then maybe everybody meets someone like me before me." He looked down at his cup, almost empty now. "I'm not that special freshman. Honestly, maybe you're the only one who sees me like that. I'm not that lovable."
"You're kidding right?" I scoffed, fixing him a look. "I've known you for weeks now. You are."
"What if," he leaned in again. "That just the part of me I need you to see?"
"Need?"
He slowly shrugs, "you might just be my clean slate."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, a bit confused and my hand reached for his, I don't know why. It could be because his eyes looked different now. Clear and with a sprinkle of sadness. "What could you possibly need a clean slate for?"
Diego looked at my hand on his and I blinked, almost retracting my hand away but he held me, stopping me from moving away. "T-tell me about your boyfriend, Paxty."
I sighed, deciding to leave it. "Pick one already, freshman or Paxty?"
He smirked, "I like both."
"Of course," I rolled my eyes, taking my hand away because no matter how comfortable it was, it didn't feel right or natural. "And I told you, a story for a story."
"Fine," he rolled his eyes too. "I had a guy in school."
I laughed then stupidly winked, because I'm quirky like that. "So you're gay."
Diego scoffed, slowly moving his eyes from his cup to my eyes. "Like you didn't know already."
"I didn't," I said and I myself wasn't sure if I was lying or not.
"Whatever," he licked off his ice cream spoon. "So, um, charm prince?"
"Crown prince," I corrected.
"Is he royalty?"
"To me he is," I blushed remembering the first time I saw Sebastian. "He's everything to me. When I first saw him, junior year, he looked like he didn't belong there. And that's in a good way, he still doesn't look like he belongs with mere mortals. He's name Sebastian Crown, he's Gemini and he's favorite flavor is Strawberry."
I talked and talked about Sebastian, I even told Diego about our dramatic junior year where we were kidnapped and he almost died for me. I told him about Spencer and about Barry. And I told him about Ryder and Landon and more about Sebastian. I've never really talked to anyone about Sebastian before, not like this. Of course Ryder and I talk about him but she's been there since day one of our meeting, she's basically lived through the drama I have and she knew him. Same goes for Landon and Sim is just not that person you gush about your boyfriend too. Neither are my parents or my junior brother who happens to be dating a guy too. It was very different with Diego, I found out I could talk about Sebastian forever and not run out of what to say. Who knew?!
"Okay that's enough," I said, laughing to and with myself. "My face hurts from smiling and talking and with the way you're looking at me I am not sure you're hearing a thing I'm saying.
Diego smirked, "how am I looking at you?"
"Like you're not hearing a thing I'm saying," I said and when he looked disappointed at me, I stick my tongue out to him.
"You can't blame me, talking about your boyfriend you look..." He drawled and stopped, sighing and running a hand down his face. "My dreadful turn."
"Whoop whoop," I hyped, hitting my palms on the table. Beautiful... Call me cocky or what but I just knew Diego was about to say I look beautiful. I could practically hear it from his eyes and as much as I love a compliment any day, I was glad he didn't say it although he didn't need to and the weird part is I think he knew that too.
"So I had this guy in school, he was small and cute and honestly I don't know why he liked me because I was a jerk," when I gave him a look, he gave me one right back. "I was, really. Um... I did bad things Paxton."
"Like what? Axe murder someone?" I joked, I didn't like seeing Diego sad and that realization was taking me by surprise.
Diego wasn't finding me funny though, whatever was bothering him was more than a silly joke could wipe away. "Maybe if I did I wouldn't feel so bad."
"If you don't want to share—"
"No, I would," He cut me off. Then gave off a small smile. "I weirdly want you to know."
I blushed, "okay. I'm here with two working ears.'
"Sure," Diego gulped, hitting his spoon on the table. "I uh, I bullied. I- I bullied people like me. Like us."
I swallowed, I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't expecting anything even.
"I was confused and my dad, he didn't seem like someone who'd accept being different. Always talking about how I was his heir and whatnot and my mom— my mom before she died we'd talk about her grandchildren and she playing with them," Diego sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Finding myself out was hard on me, I didn't have my mom anymore, I was confused and I couldn't afford losing my dad too. I blamed him for making me feel the way I did. I blamed him and I bullied him and every other different person I could find." Diego shrugged. "I was a jock so it was easy and blaming him was easy too."
I didn't know what to say. I've heard stories like that but I never thought I'd actually meet someone who was like that. Especially someone like Diego, kind, dog loving Diego.
"Yeah, digest that and hate me."
I scoffed and his green eyes slowly met mine, he looked vulnerable and kinda scared. "Hating you, well, about that. You should have told me this story way back at..." I pretended to think about it. "Sorry can't really bring a scene because even if you told me at the party, I'd still not hate you. We're at a level where we're way past that, Simba."
He smiled, nodding slowly. "What level are we at then?"
"Shed your dirty laundry out and I'd still lick your ear level," I said all in a breathe and when Diego cocked a brow at me, we looked at each other for a five seconds before we burst out laughing.
"Did I just hear a kink, right now?" He asked laughing.
"No," I threw my head back laughing and covering my face. "I'd never lick your ear."
"Awn, why not? Had my hopes up man. I was so looking forward to that."
I chuck my spoon at him, causing him to laugh harder. "I told you less than a minute ago, dick-wad, shut up."
We sobered up and ended up looking at each other until I looked away first. "Point is, I can't hate you now."
Diego sighed, "ever been bullied?"
I rolled my eyes, "I'm small, gay and precious, of course I have been. It was highschool."
Diego winced, "I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's not your fault."
He shook his head, "I always feel it is. I did it and somehow everyone who does represents me and my assholery. Honestly if I could apologize to every bullied person out there, I would."
"Hey asshole, " I called, snapping my fingers at his face. He looked at me again. "It's not your fault, every asshole out their is responsible for his or her own action. You've taken yours and repented, that's good enough."
Diego smiled, "okay well, back to the boyfriend. He kinda saw right through me, you know. He didn't hate me like I wanted him too and one time while I attacked him, he confronted me asking what I wanted from him, I just froze then and when I didn't say anything, he just kissed me, bloodied lip and all."
"Awwn."
He rolled his eyes, "after that we just kinda hit off secretly and I guess it was fun but not exactly enough. By the time I got around to telling my folks, he was gone."
"What happened?" I pouted.
"Nothing, get that face off," he chucked my spoon back to me. "We just ended, he's cool, I'm cool. Everything's cool."
"Okay," I smiled at him.
"Okay," he smiled back.
Diego and I talked about other things and then he drove me back to my dorm before leaving. Watching him leave made me sad and before I knew it, I was bringing out my phone and calling Ryder. It went straight to her voicemail;
"Hey Ry, I need to talk to you. I don't know but I think- I think I need to stop being friends with Diego."
I felt like a douchebag saying it but I sent it before I could change my mind. It wasn't because of the bullying thing, no, far from it. It's just bad timing and I hope that if I go through with it, Diego doesn't think I left because I couldn't take his dirty laundry like I said. It definitely not that, it's the opposite. I feel like I'm too comfortable with him, and I feel like I've been but I didn't notice it. Too comfortable for someone with a boyfriend and it's scary. Yes, Diego hasn't done anything and neither have I but then this feeling whatever it is, it's scary and weird to think of it growing more than this, not when I have Sebastian. I can't do this to Sebastian, even though I'm not doing anything.
I have to end it.
My eyes and heart feels heavy like I'm about to cry and I drag my feet walking into the hostel and placing my phone on my chest. I can't do anything to Sebastian, I love him.
Hearing a voice made me stop in my tracks and I look up, my eyes finding a tall guy standing in front of the dorm, looking at the name above it and nodding to another guy in front of him who walked off a second later. The guy had a hat on, covering his head and some part of his face but I could see his hair peeking out from under it. My heart stopped... I know the shirt and those back muscles. I couldn't even muster up the courage to call his name, I froze not believing my eyes and I was unsurely sure.
Turns out I didn't need to call his name even because he turned around, looking about until his eyes found me. I dropped my grocery back as the familiar eyes met mine, zapping through my body with just a look. He blinked and pulled the hat off, grey blue eyes meeting mine followed by a smile that I wasn't even sure how much I've missed until the moment.
"Sebastian."