Hearsay

"Y'know I don't think Aaron's bi in any way. He has never been with a woman or talked about any. Well except for Renee but I count her as a beard so she doesn't exist." Aubrey was getting too comfortable. It's like when Zayn asked that one question the pipe was open and it couldn't close. The two were paired up for a project and Aubrey was chatting more about his friend's love life than the topic they were given. He didn't want to say anything but it was getting annoying and he just wanted all this to be over. He was hardly listening to him and continuing to jot down notes. "Are you listening?"

"No." Zayn said not looking at him. "I'm not really interested in this y'know."

"That's boring. I thought I finally found someone I can gossip to." Aubrey pouted. He didn't really wanna hear about Aaron. He felt somewhat jealous now that he knows about his and Saintclair's relationship. "Do you know he bottoms? When I found out they were a thing I saw Aaron top-'' Zayn threw the binder with his notes at Aubrey hitting him directly in the mouth.

"I. Said. I'm. Not. Interested." Aubrey nodded, quieting down and taking a look into the binder.

"This is boring." Aubrey closed the binder and sulked in his seat while Zayn was sifting through some text books. "This might be useful information for you."

"Where?" Zayn said, trying to pay Aubrey no mind. Next time he will be informing his teacher he couldn't work with Aubrey. He was a major distraction.

"Idk, like if you decide to you know." Aubrey made a gesture that made Zayn gag in the full Library. What the fuck? "I don't know if you're interested in that but like some guys experiment. Like Chantelle. He doesn't identify but I know he's been with tons of guys."

"Speculation." He knew there were rumors but things can be made up. It's not like it's possible but Zayn never paid attention to the guy to know if it was true.

"It's not, Why do you think I got that black eye from Chantelle last year. It wasn't because I was peeping on him with a girl, I would never. It's because I caught him with a guy." Zayn wasn't going to believe anything Aubrey was saying. It all sounded like something he suspected and was making rumors about. It was what he was known for since he belonged to the worst people at school called the chronicles.

The Chronicles was started by Saintclair Aadams and Renee Welsh. They started it with the intention of causing a stir at school. There were many different versions of this that came before them but what they did stuck out. Anything and Everything that went down will be photographed, videoed and posted by them on their instagram account. Many other people joined but Aubrey was the only other known member since his mouth never shut.

"Don't believe you." Zayn repeated and continued to work on his due project. Aubrey became visibly angered at that He didn't believe the things he was telling him because of what he believed in.

"I'm not making this up. These are facts. I am choosing to tell you even if I can receive another black eye and you say speculation like this is court. The lgbt+ at our school exist even if they're in the closet or unspecified." Zayn rolled his eyes and graveled in his reality. "You'd be surprised." Aubrey opened his textbook and decided to take notes and participate in his assignment.

He thought about what Aubrey was impling. He knew his closeted unsure reality but couldn't imagine it on others. He was pretty sure Aubrey was just playing with his mind at the moment but this was something he began thinking about. Aubrey was right.

Zayn could tell Aubrey's creepy eyes were on him. Admiring his features to see what Aaron and Zayn's flings see, down to his freckles and moles and acne and accompanying them. It was obvious from how Aubrey was gazing at him. Zayn looked away not wanting to meet his gaze. He was trying to get out of here as fast as possible.

"You know...." Aubrey trailed dancing his fingers across the table. "You don't add much to conversation but you're hot."

Zayn muttered under his breath "I know." But didn't even spare a glance at the intrigued Aubrey. "If I was in the mood I would respond to your poor attempt at flirting." Zayn added. Aubrey wanted to shrivel up in his seat but that would weaken his confidence. "To save you from embarrassment, let's wrap this up quickly." Aubrey awkwardly nods in response.

The two continue to write their report on the topic they are given while trying to ignore each other.

"Zayn, have you ever thought about dick?" Zayn choked on his saliva hearing Aubrey ask him such a vulgar question in the library. Zayn audibly gagged, alerting nearby students and staff. Aubrey smiled in his direction while Zayn was catching himself from his reaction.

"Yes my own and how it feels to women." Aubrey rolled his eyes since that wasn't the response he was looking for. He wanted a reaction not sarcasm, and that was only the beginning of this conversation. He took a sip of his drink and looked up at the ceiling. Zayn was embarrassed to be asked such a question but didn't want to show it too much. "Why would you even ask me that?" Aubrey shrugged, giving no answer. "I literally already said I'm perfectly straight."

"So is pasta til wet. Wait until you meet the right chef who'd have you boiling and frotting." Zayn didn't like that innuendo and flashed his peer over the table a disgusted look. Aubrey chuckled at the boy's reaction, he couldn't keep up with his jokes anymore. "I feel every guy has at least imagined how it might be with a guy."

"Never crossed my mind." Here Zayn was lying to himself. He was thinking about Christian and Aaron very frequently lately.

"Not even, head?"

"Aubrey I don't like where this conversation is heading." Zayn muttered, palming his face. He was uncomfortable with his reality and how normal this was for Aubrey. He wanted to be somewhere else. Aubrey seemed oblivious to Zayn's discomfort.

"Eh, I was just feeling you out to give Aaron a heads up on whether or not he had a chance but you're giving straight answers and I'm looking for curious, I wanna play with the gay type of answers." What, This was an interrogation? He was throwing things out there as bait? What the hell? Zayn was definitely done with this conversation and session.

"This conversation is over." Zayn grabbed up all his belongings and shoved them in his backpack while mean-mugging Aubrey who was just bemusedly smiling at him which irked him.

"See ya tomorrow because we're not done yet." Aubrey said as Zayn made his way out of the library. He was annoyed, more annoyed than when he entered the library earlier.

Zayn walked down the hall and saw Lorel chatting with a familiar face he didn't want to see right now. He was aware of Lorel and Harry's relationship but didn't think cutting him off would make Lorel do the same.

"You dumped me cuz he and I are on bad terms, What the fuck does that have to do with what me and you have Lorel?" Harry asked while tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. Lorel pulled away from him disgusted by the gesture.

"Loyalty, I'm a loyal friend and if you can talk about Zayn behind his back, imagine what kind of courtesy you show me." Lorel gritted at Harry. Zayn loved that he had that in Lorel, that she would always stick with him.

"Guess this is another instance of you choosing him over me. I see how it is." Harry relayed passively.

"It's not like that." She defended herself but that was getting nowhere with Harry.

"But it feels that way." Harry stormed off leaving Lorel behind who thought about his words. Zayn didn't want to make things awkward for the girl and took off in the next direction.

Zayn busily walked into the cafeteria hall that he only had an half an hour in since he used some of it fraternizing with Aubrey. He took his seat next to Daniela who was busily typing away on her phone. Christian stared at Zayn like he had something on mind to mention to him but couldn't find the words.

"Chris you okay, You have been burning holes into the background of Zayn." Christian snapped out of his daze and widely stared at Daniela confused.

"What? Oh...just...thinking I guess." Daniela raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. Lorel entered the cafeteria and took a seat next to her friends flashing them all with suspicion and Aaron soon followed

"Oh okay, anyways have you heard?"

"What?" They all said one after the next.

"I'm hosting a small get together this weekend. Please come." They all knew small was far from itty bitty 15+ to a lot of people he maybe wouldn't recognize. He didn't want to be reminded of the Ebany Walker disaster but here it was back in his head. Zayn wasn't too keen on attending any parties after that and he knew Aaron was also her close friend so they would cross paths and he couldn't risk it.

"I think I'll pass. I'm tired from the week already. Maybe next time." His friends knew this was an excuse to not relive his last party but they really wanted him to go.

"Please for me, for us Zayn." Lorel pleaded but it didn't phase Zayn who shook his head. This was something he had to think about before answering.