Popular Ch. 03

"Actually it wasn't, Lexie. While all the other kids were playing on the swings or playing kickball, I was exploring all kinds of fun and exciting worlds." Hayden said with a small smile. "I thought it was stupid to be rolling around in the dirt when I could be fighting pirates or exploring outer space for alien life. Of course when I got to high school all of that caught up with me. Everyone had their little cliques of friends and I was the shy, kinda overweight smart kid." Hayden's face turned down in a sad frown. "They weren't the nicest of kids, but then again kids can be cruel no matter what the situation."

"I know that all too well." Lexie added with a sad smile of her own. "I was called a thousand things in elementary school since I wasn't like all the other little girls. It's tough as hell to deal with."

"How did you deal with it?" Hayden quietly asked.

"I turned to Leo, actually. He had become my best friend, and it was because of him that I was able to deal with everything." Lexie replied. "How did you deal with it?"

"At first I just ignored it. I figured that people would get bored and would eventually leave me alone." Hayden answered as memories passed through his mind. "Of course that wasn't the case. I finally just got fed up with it and decided that I was going to change. I started working out and getting into shape. I made sure to do things though that didn't require anyone but me. I got into swimming and running. I didn't want to have to deal with anyone else."

"And you started dancing. I remember you mentioning that last night." Lexie said.

"Yeah I did, and like you, I have a pretty natural rhythm so it was fun." Hayden answered her. "By my senior year in high school I had gotten into really good shape, which meant most of my clothes didn't fit anymore. So my parents made sure to update my wardrobe the summer before my senior year. I went back to school like a brand new person. They couldn't even believe it was me."

"Was that a good thing?" Lexie asked.

"At first I thought it was." Hayden glanced at Lexie and smiled. "Suddenly everyone wanted to be my friend or to hang out with me. I had a lot of fun, at first, but then I realized that they only wanted to be my friend because of how I looked. They really didn't want to get to know me or really be my friend. They just wanted to be seen with the new hot guy."

"That's fucked up." Lexie's voice showed the anger she felt. She glanced over at Hayden and something clicked in her head. "Those clothes you were wearing...they were the clothes you had before you started working out. You had those on here because you didn't want people to see what was underneath them. You wanted to be judged on what was inside of you, not what you looked liked."

"Yeah." Hayden replied with a sigh. "That lasted all of two days."

"What made you decide to change your plan?" Lexie asked curiously. It didn't make sense to her that he would go through all of that, and then suddenly decided to change course.

"It was Noah actually." Hayden replied with a grin as he remembered their conversation. "He was nice enough to point out that the three of you are kinda like the popular clique here on campus. I didn't want to embarrass you guys or have people talk about the dorky guy that was hanging out with you."

"When did Noah talk to you? You hung out with all of us and I never heard him mention it?" Lexie contained all of her anger deep inside of her. She didn't want Hayden to know she was upset because she didn't want to him to think it was his fault.

"He caught up with me right before I got back to my dorm after I left the Court yesterday afternoon." Hayden's smile faltered a bit.

Lexie was going to kill Noah. Her mind had already begun to formulate a plan on how to do it and where to hide the body. She couldn't believe that Noah would stoop so low. She was going to have a very, very long talk with him. Lexie reached over and placed a hand on Hayden's shoulder.

"Noah can be a bit too pompous and materialistic for his own good." Lexie squeezed Hayden's shoulder and smiled at him. "I want you to know, and this is the truth, that it doesn't matter what you look like or what clothes you wear. We want to be your friend, not because of the guy that danced with me last night, but because of the sweet guy that we had lunch with yesterday. Leo and I are NOT concerned with what other people think. You could have came out with us last night in exactly what you had on earlier in the day."

"Then why did Noah come to talk to me?" Hayden was confused.

"I don't know, buddy, but I can guarantee you that I am going to find out." Lexie was definitely going to find out. Noah had just better hope that he lives through the questioning. "Hayden, you were cute yesterday and you're still cute today. I want you to be comfortable, though. You be whoever it is you want to be, and I'm still going to be your friend."

"That's what I was getting from Leo last night." Hayden's eyes became blurry. He wasn't used to having people wanting to be his friend without there being strings attached. The fact that Leo and Lexie welcomed him just for being him was a bit much for him to handle. "I don't know what to say. This is just…just new to me."

"You're not used to friends caring about you, are you?" Lexie's voice was soft and gentle. She could easily see what Leo had been talking about that morning. Hayden had been hurt very badly. She could see the tears that threatened to spill down his face, and her heart went out to her new friend. Lexie moved over and slid her arm around Hayden's shoulders. "It'll take some time to get used to the idea, but I'm pretty sure you're gonna find out that we'll grow on ya."

Hayden tensed when he felt Lexie's arm slide around his shoulders, but he allowed himself to relax. He even slid an arm around her waist and enjoyed the company for a few moments. Maybe things could turn out all right, and maybe last night wasn't as big of a mistake as he thought.

"You make it sound like you're a fungus." Hayden said with a small chuckle.

"We can be pretty contagious." Lexie laughed along with Hayden. She thought maybe putting her arm around him was too much too fast, but he had thankfully relaxed and put his arm around her in return. "Though I like to think we put the fun in fungus."

"Ok, that just was bad." Hayden's laughter echoed through the air.

"Well, excuse me, sir, that you don't enjoy my punny attitude." Lexie pouted at Hayden. "If you think that was bad, just wait until Leo gets on a roll."

"I'm sure it can't get any worse." Hayden grinned at Lexie.

"Oh really?" Lexie gave Hayden an evil look. She quickly moved her arm off of his shoulder and pinched his side. Hayden's body jerked and he chuckled, but he gave her a glare. Lexie's face broke out in an evil grin. "Is someone ticklish?"

"No!" Hayden wasn't very convincing.

Lexie lunged towards him and began to tickle the sides of his body. Hayden yelped and tried to back away, but Lexie had knocked him to the ground. He tried to defend himself, but her hands were just too fast. In a matter of a few seconds she had him laughing so hard he thought he was going to wet his pants.

"Say uncle!" Lexie had straddled his stomach and paused in her tickling attack. Hayden shook his head and she began to tickle him again. "Say uncle!"

In a desperate attempt to catch his breath Hayden quickly shifted his body, which caused Lexie to fall off of him. He quickly moved on top of Lexie and began to tickle her back. Her laughing and screams filled the air. Hayden quickly grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head.

"Say uncle!" He said with a grin as he looked down at her.

"Aunt!" Lexie exclaimed with a laugh.

"That was close, but not close enough." Hayden reached down and began to tickle her again.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

The laughter immediately stopped and Hayden and Lexie glanced up to find Noah standing beside them. The situation could have been funny, except for the fact that Noah had sounded, and definitely looked, pissed off. Hayden quickly moved off of Lexie and tried to explain.

"We were just talking, and then she started tickling me, well attacking me really and…" Hayden hadn't meant to start rambling, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want Noah to think he had been making a pass at his girlfriend.

"I guess we should have warned you about that." Noah's face broke out in a smile. He was pissed off at first, but he quickly realized it was a playful situation. This could work out to his benefit because most of the people walking around the Court had to have seen their goofing off. People would definitely know that Hayden was part of their group now. His chances of winning the bet were increasing by the minute. "I'm sorry if I sounded upset. I had just expected to find Leo here, and was surprised to find it was you, Hayden. The two of them are constantly going at it, but I'm glad to see you're having fun."

"I don't know if I'd call practically pissing my pants fun, but it was interesting to say the least." Hayden stuck his tongue out at Lexie. He was so relieved that Noah wasn't upset. "I'll be better prepared next time."

"That's what you think." Lexie grinned at him. "The next time I strike it will be when you least expect it."

"I guess I'm just going to have to constantly be on alert then." Hayden laughed. "Then again, I might be the one to strike first."

"I'm not scared of you…much." As Lexie said the last word her voice was barely able to be heard. Hayden's laughter bubbled from his throat. "I'll make sure to have Leo around next time. He'll back me up."

"What am I backing you up for this time, twin?" Leo stepped from the back of the tree. "I heard Hayden's laughter and figured I would see what so funny." He grinned at his twin. Their plan had obviously worked.

"Hayden had started tickling me, and I was left completely defenseless." Lexie pouted and glared at Hayden.

"Why do I get the feeling that that isn't right?" Leo said with a grin. "I would guess that you attacked poor, unknowing Hayden, and he was forced to defend himself."

"That's exactly what happened." Hayden said nodding his head. "I was sitting here eating an apple, minding my own business, when she leapt from behind the tree and attacked me."

Lexie's jaw dropped as she heard what Hayden said. He looked so innocent, and he made the whole thing sound very believable. Hayden glanced over at her and stuck his tongue out. This caused Lexie to start giggling uncontrollably. She was glad to see that Hayden was warming up to them. Noah reached out his hand to her and helped her to her feet.

Leo was enjoying watching the banter between Hayden and Lexie. It made him feel really good inside to see Hayden opening up and having a good time. He reached out his hand to help Hayden up from the ground. Hayden grasped the offered hand and little bolts of electricity shot up Leo's arm.

Leo stepped forward to help pull Hayden up from the ground, but his foot got caught on one of the tree roots. His body suddenly pitched forward as he lost his balance. Leo fell forward and wasn't able to move fast enough, and his body crashed into Hayden knocking him back onto the ground. The air rushed out of off both of their bodies from the impact.

It took a moment for Leo to clear his head, and when he finally did the reality of the situation hit him full force. Hayden was laid out on the ground underneath of him. Leo's body covered Hayden's and he could feel not only the heat coming off of the body underneath of him, but he felt every muscle and curve of Hayden's body. Every nerve ending in Leo's body shook as the feeling rushed through him. His face was inches away from Hayden's, and Leo found himself staring into the sharpest, bluest eyes he had ever seen.

"We really need to stop meeting like this, Leo." Hayden's amused voice echoed in his ear.

Leo's mind finally betrayed some of his inner feelings as one single thought echoed through his head. What if he didn't want it to stop?

Chapter Five

"Leo, earth to Leo." Hayden said with a chuckle.

Leo could feel Hayden's warm breath wash over his face, and it took a moment for him to regain his senses. He realized that he was still laying on Hayden, and the poor guy couldn't get up. A deep blush covered Leo's face as he quickly stood up and successfully helped Hayden up.

"I'm sorry, Hayden." Leo said with an embarrassed smile. "My mind was gone there for a second. I think it took a second for it to realize that I was on the ground."

"For future reference, Leo, you don't need to knock me to the ground to get my attention. You're attention grabbing on your own without the tackles." Hayden said with a bright smile.

"Do NOT encourage him, Hayden." Noah said with a laugh. "We don't need his head swelling up any more than it already is."

Leo turned his face away from the group for a moment so they wouldn't see the second blush that rushed to his face. If they only knew what which head was swelling from the close contact with Hayden. If Leo had been paying more attention, then he would have realized that Lexie wasn't missing a thing.

"So what's on everyone's game plan today?" Hayden asked as he brushed himself off.

"You two guys are on your own today. I want some alone time with my man." Lexie said with a grin. Leo instantly knew that she was faking the smile, and he was worried about what had Lexie upset. Lexie looped her arm through one of Noah's and began to walk away. "We'll catch up with you two later. Leo, play nice and don't knock Hayden down anymore." She called over her shoulder.

Leo couldn't help but smile at his twin. He was also smiling because Hayden had taken the initiative to ask them what they were up to. Leo was hoping that Hayden was interested in hanging out, and the fact that Lexie gave them some time to hang out without Noah was brilliant.

"I don't have any classes today. So my day is pretty much open." Leo smiled at Hayden. "What about you, buddy?"

"I don't start classes until next week. So my day is totally free." Hayden replied with a smile of his own. It was the type of smile that made Leo's stomach do flip-flops. "Did you want to hang out?"

Hayden hadn't been able to stop the words before they left his mouth. He had planned on just hanging out by himself that day and relaxing. After the question had left his mouth Hayden realized that he did want to hang out with Leo. His talk with Lexie made him very curious about Leo, and Hayden definitely wanted to get to know him better.

"Sure!" Leo was surprised, and certainly pleased, at the invitation. "They set up a climbing wall over at the rec center on campus. Ever do any mountain climbing?"

"I can't say that I have." Hayden chuckled at Leo's enthusiasm. He was like a little kid on Christmas morning. "There's a first time for everything right?"

"That's the spirit, bro! Let's go see how fast you can climb." Leo saw Hayden turn and pick something off the ground. "Whatcha got there?"

"It's the rest of my apple and the sandwich Lexie brought me. I can't just leave it there. I don't want anyone saying I'm a litterbug." Hayden said with a chuckle.

"Sexy and environment conscious. Tell me why you're single, Hayden." Leo threw his arm over his friend's shoulder as they walked.

"Because I'm waiting for Lexie to wake up and leave Noah." Hayden answered with a laugh.

Leo laughed along with Hayden's joke, but he couldn't help the way his stomach clenched at the words. Leo didn't expect Hayden to be interested in guys, but actually finding it out that he wasn't, was difficult. Without really knowing, there was the hope that Leo had a chance, but that was gone. Besides Hayden wouldn't be ready for a relationship anyways. Lexie was right during their talk that morning. Hayden needed friends right now, not worrying about a relationship. Leo would just have to be content in supplying the friendship.

The two of them chatted and joked with each other as they headed across the campus. It didn't take long for Leo to realize just how special Hayden was. Once he started to let his guard down his personality was able to shine through. Hayden had the ability to make anyone feel comfortable and important. Whether it was the way he looked at someone or if just a casual touch, he made it clear that he was listening and giving his complete attention.

They headed into the rec center and made their way over to the climbing wall. The center was filled with every type of activity imaginable. From the pool tables, swimming pool, and workout rooms, the rec center had a ton of things to do. Leo and Hayden showed their student IDs to the guy working at that station and waited their turn to climb.

"Have you ever done this before?" Hayden asked Leo as he glanced up at the wall. It was definitely a bit intimidating.

"I've never been on this wall before, though I have been on a few climbing walls before." Leo replied with a grin. "Ya scared?"

"I'm a bit nervous." Hayden chuckled. "I just don't want to look stupid."

"I don't think that's possible." Leo mumbled.

"What did ya say, Leo? I didn't catch it." Hayden asked.

"I said you're going to be fine." Leo said with a quick grin. He hadn't planned on saying that out loud, damn it. Engage brain, then activate mouth!

It was finally their turn and the two of started to get into their safety equipment. Leo glanced over and saw how the harness Hayden was wearing accentuated the guy's firm ass. It practically put his ass on display, and Leo had to shake his head slightly to concentrate.

"Some time today would be nice, Leo." Hayden's voice called over to him.

Before Leo could respond something hit his head and covered his face. He pulled the offending item off and realized it was Hayden's shirt. Leo couldn't help how fast his head turned to look at Hayden. His breath caught in his throat, and his heart was racing a million miles per hour.

Hayden's body had practically been on display at the club when his shirt got soaked in sweat, but that was totally different from seeing his actual naked flesh. Hayden was standing almost fifteen feet away from Leo with his hands on hips, and a smile was on his face. The pose seemed to accentuate his chest and stomach muscles.

"Last one to the top buys dinner." As soon as the words left his mouth, Hayden took off towards the wall.

It took a moment for Leo's brain to register what was said because he was too busy watching Hayden's ass muscles flex. He quickly took off towards his side of the wall and started climbing. Hayden might have had a head start, but Leo was used to climbing walls. By the time they reached the midway point they were tied.

Leo had taken a slight lead, and would have won if he hadn't glanced over to see how far Hayden was. Leo could see the sweat that beaded and rolled down his friend's chest. The sight was hot enough for him to lose his grip and slip slightly. That split second was all Hayden needed to take over the lead. Leo tried as hard as he could to race up the wall, but he wasn't able to make up the lost seconds.

"Looks like I owe ya a dinner, Hayden." Leo said with a grin as they took off their climbing gear.

"No, you don't, Leo." Hayden said with a smile. "I had a head start, and besides, I did distract you first. So I'll buy dinner."

The pair headed outside into the warm afternoon sun. It was warm enough to go without a shirt, but Hayden still quickly pulled his shirt on. Leo was disappointed, but he was glad that the distraction was gone.

"Are you asking me out, Mr. Taylor?" Leo glanced over at Hayden and grinned.

"You should be so lucky, Mr. Warner." Hayden replied with a chuckle. "Besides, even if I was, I don't put out until at least the fifth date. So you wouldn't have gotten lucky anyways."