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Knox rang the doorbell of the Danburry house and tugged at his collar as he waited. He looked around the neighborhood, at the nice houses and the children playing in the yards, the sky beginning to darken. He seriously didn't care to be here. He was only here because the Danburrys were friends of his dad, that was all. He'd make small talk, have some dinner (who was he to turn down food?), and then bolt.
Then the door opened. Knox turned to look at who he expected to be either Joe Danburry or his wife. He was instead met with a brunette boy who looked to be around his age. Now, Knox isn't some pipsqueak. He's actually fairly tall, around 5'11. But this guy freaking towered over him. He was definitely around 6'3 or maybe even taller. The only giveaway that this wasn't a grown man Knox was looking at was the red, white and gold varsity jacket he was wearing.
Woah. Oh wow.
Wait, "Oh wow"??? What the hell did that mean? Why did Knox just catch himself thinking that? What-
"Hey!"
Knox was snapped out of his thoughts by the other boy's voice.
"I asked who the hell are you. You mute or something?"
Oh. So this guy was a fucking asshole. Great.
Before Knox even got the chance to introduce himself, a middle-aged woman, who Knox recognized as Mrs. Danburry, came from behind the other boy, "Chet, dear, who's at the door-?" She saw Knox and her face lit up into one of those 'I'm-the-hostess-and-that's-the-only-reason-I'm-smiling' smiles, "Knox! I'm so glad you could come!"
Knox looked at the boy one more time, taking in his brown hair and brown eyes and tall and muscular frame and-
Wait, since when the hell was Knox so fixated on another guy's appearance?!
Mrs. Danburry's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Oh, where are my manners! Knox," She gestures to the other boy, "This is my son, Chet. Chet, this is Knox Overstreet, he's the son of one of your father's friends, Theodore Overstreet."
The other boy, Chet, looked at Knox once again, seemingly eyeing him up. Knox felt nervous under his gaze and he wasn't sure he liked that.
Knox mentally shook his head and put on his best charming smile, "Pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Danburry."
"Well, don't just stand out here all night, come inside!" Mrs. Danburry ushered Knox inside the house and Knox followed her. He felt Chet's eyes on him as he stepped into the hallway and followed Mrs. Danburry to the dining room. Knox has no clue why but the feeling makes him want to squirm.
Dear God, what was happening to him?!
*****
Dinner went by without a hitch. Knox's dad would be happy with that, but Knox honestly could care less. Right now, as Mr. Danburry was talking about some case he and Knox's father worked on together, Knox's eyes kept searching for the boy. For Chet. Chet Danburry. Knox couldn't help but like that name. He'd never admit it but it was true. It somehow fit him. A lot. He kept thinking about how.. God, how pretty Chet's eyes were...
Wait.
Pretty??
No. No no no no no NO. NO!
Chet wasn't PRETTY. What the hell was wrong with Knox?!
Guys aren't pretty! But Chet is... Gosh, Knox is still stuck on his eyes... NO, SNAP OUT OF IT.
Chet is also a douchebag! A total douchebag!
A pretty one sure, but still a DOUCHEBAG.
GOD, WHY DOES KNOX KEEP THINKING HE'S PRETTY?!
"Knox, dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Danburry's voice snapped Knox out of his crisis and back to reality. That he was sitting at the Danburry's dinner table as a guest.
Knox cleared his throat and looked Mrs. Danburry in the eyes, her brows knitted together in concern, "I'm alright, Mrs. Danburry. Just... Have some stuff on my mind."
Mrs. Danburry looked like she was about to say something, but then Chet came down the stairs, probably from his room. Knox's eyes immediately went to him, like some sort of magnet.
"Mom, dad, I'm taking the car," Chet called, already heading to the front door.
Mr. Danburry cocked an eyebrow as he called to his son, "Where are you going with it?"
Some rustling sounds. Probably Chet getting his jacket.
"I'm taking Chris out!"
"When will you-" Mrs. Danburry was interrupted by the loud shutting of the door, "-Be back," She finished.
Knox hated that he was sad Chet was gone so fast. He didn't even get to properly look at him again.. Knox hated the weird pang he felt in his heart. He didn't actually miss Chet already... Did he?
Mrs. Danburry saw the look on Knox's face, but mistook it for confusion as she explained, "Oh, Chris is Chet's girlfriend!"
....Chet's what.
Mr. Danburry nodded, "Mhm, Chris Noel."
Mrs. Danburry added, "Sweet girl, that Chris. And she's very pretty! Chet's lucky to have a girl like her!"
Knox internally scoffed. Of course. Of course Chet had a girlfriend.
Hang on.
Why was Knox... Upset? Was he upset that a jerk like Chet had gotten a girlfriend before him? Or... No, don't even think about that, Knox!
Knox wasn't jealous. He wasn't. Especially not for those reasons.
He wasn't jealous that Chris got to have Chet. Chet and his brown hair that looked really really soft, and probably smelled nice. Chet and his stupid brown eyes that if he hadn't been glaring at Knox when they first met honestly probably would've been the prettiest eyes Knox had ever seen. Chet and his stupidly muscular arms that probably gave really good hugs and made you feel safe when wrapped around you.
He wasn't jealous. Really!
But Knox knew as he waved goodbye to the Danburrys after dinner and went back to Hager and the car, knew as he entered the dormitory building and went back to his room, knew as he got ready for bed and settled down for the night, knew as he laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling while his roommate slept peacefully, that he was lying to himself.
He put his hands over his face and groaned into his palms.
Fuck. Damn it all.
He wasn't going to be getting Chet Danburry's stupidly pretty and handsome face out of his head anytime soon.
He was so fucking screwed