The night had settled comfortably over the campus, the sky clear and sprinkled with stars. The soft hum of distant chatter and occasional laughter from dorms created a calming backdrop. Maya led the way to the small ice cream stall near the quad, humming a cheerful tune. Leon followed, still dripping slightly from the dunk tank incident earlier, while Richard walked beside him, calm and collected as always.
"Okay, flavors," Maya announced, pointing at the menu above the stall. "Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry… or, my personal favorite, cookies and cream!"
Leon groaned softly. "Why do I feel like everything today is a test?"
Richard's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Because, in a way, it is."
Leon's stomach twisted. Of course he would say that. Calm and smug, like he planned it all along.
Maya turned toward them, cheerful. "You two are acting so weird tonight. Leon, Richard… are you hiding something from me?"
Leon's face burned. "We're not—"
"Nothing!" Richard cut in softly, eyes fixed on Leon just a moment too long, and Leon felt his breath hitch.
Maya giggled, oblivious to the tension. "Right. Nothing. Well, whatever. I want cookies and cream," she said, placing her order.
Leon followed suit, trying to ignore the strange heat rising in his chest every time Richard stood beside him.
While waiting for their ice cream, a small group of students rushed past, accidentally bumping into Leon. His cup wobbled precariously in his hand.
"Careful!" Leon shouted, trying to steady it, but the tip of the cup tilted, spilling a bit of melted ice cream onto his shirt.
"Oh no!" Maya exclaimed, covering her mouth. "Leon! You're—"
"Relax," Richard said, leaning closer. His hand reached toward Leon's shirt, brushing it lightly to help clean the mess. The contact was fleeting but enough to send Leon's chest twisting painfully.
"I—I can handle it," Leon stammered, stepping back slightly, though he didn't want to. His heart was hammering, uncooperative and wild.
Richard's gaze softened just a fraction. "I know you can. But I'm helping anyway."
Leon swallowed hard. Why does this feel… different?
Maya, oblivious, laughed. "Wow, you two are ridiculous. Even cleaning up ice cream turns into a competition!"
Leon's face flushed crimson. "It's not a competition!"
Richard's lips curved into a small, teasing smirk. "It's never not a competition with you."
Leon clenched his fists, but couldn't look away. Why does he make everything sound like a challenge?
The ice cream arrived at last. Maya took a big bite, humming in delight. Leon followed quickly, trying to regain composure. Richard, as usual, ate calmly, taking slow, deliberate bites, eyes occasionally flicking toward Leon.
Leon's chest twisted every time their eyes met. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. The tension between them was suffocating, thick enough to taste.
"Leon," Richard said softly, voice low, almost teasing, "you've been on edge all evening. What's really bothering you?"
Leon's face burned. "I'm not… I'm fine!"
Richard smirked faintly. "You're not. You never are when I'm around."
Leon's hands trembled slightly, though he tried to hide it by clutching his ice cream cup tighter. "You're impossible!"
Richard leaned just a fraction closer, voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe. But so are you. And I like it."
Leon's heart skipped a beat. Did he just—?
Before he could respond, Maya laughed loudly, oblivious. "Whoa! Did you just hear that? You two are flirting!"
Leon's face went red as a tomato. "We are not!"
Richard's smirk widened faintly. "Perhaps you're right… perhaps not."
Leon wanted to protest, but the words stuck in his throat. He felt trapped—between embarrassment, anger, and something that made his chest pound uncontrollably.
For a brief, charged silence, they stared at each other. The air between them felt electric. Every movement, every glance carried weight. Leon's mind raced, trying to process the unfamiliar pull he felt toward Richard.
Maya, still unaware, finished her ice cream and tugged Leon gently. "Come on, let's walk a little before it melts!"
Leon glanced at Richard, who met his gaze with a faint, unreadable smirk. The unspoken tension lingered, heavy and thrilling.
Leon's chest tightened painfully. This… this isn't just rivalry anymore. It's… something else.
Richard's calm presence, that faint smirk, the way he had leaned close and spoken—everything had shifted.
Maya skipped ahead, humming, leaving Leon and Richard walking side by side. Neither spoke, but every step was charged, every glance weighted, and Leon realized the truth he had been avoiding.
The challenge wasn't the relay, the dunk tank, or the cleanup.
It was Richard.
And ignoring the pull—or pretending it didn't exist—was suddenly impossible.