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“Hey, are you busy right now?” Sven walks in standing behind Tan as he sits on the computer in the yearbook committee room.
“You mean as I’m editing these pictures right now for the yearbook?” Tan asks sarcastically “not at all what’s up?” He stops what he’s doing and turns to Sven “woah you’re really sweaty” he makes fun of him
“It’s a mix of working out and nerves” Tan watches as the sweat glistens down his arms, and the muscle shirt he’s wearing covers nothing.
“Nerves?” They walk out of the room and stand closer
“I’m freaking out about tonight” Sven whispers
“Why? You’ve played a bunch of games before”
“This one’s different people are gonna be watching”
“Like they usually do?”
“No Tan I mean the scouts they’re coming and I don’t think I’m ready”
“Sven since you became captain of JV they’ve won almost every game, you single-handedly turned those losers around” Sven chuckles at Tan calling his teammate losers, “and I know you’re ready with all those practices and literally carrying a basketball everywhere you go, there’s no way you won’t win.”
Sven smiles feeling himself calming down “thanks, Tan.”
“Did you just need to hear me say how good you are?” Tan asks smiling
“Yes I’m freaking out and it helps”
“Then I’ll make you a deal, every chance I get before and during the game, I’ll personally tell you or text you how good I think you are.”
“You’re the best” Sven hugs him and normally the feel of someone else’s sweat on him would make Tan lose his mind, but he has a crush on Sven so the sweat doesn’t bother him. “I’m glad you’re gonna be here tonight” Sven pulls away and they’re unable to stop smiling at each other. Sven walks away and as he’s walking Tan takes his phone out and texts Sven
You’re gonna win tonight.
Getting the text Sven turns back to him grinning, Tan watches as he replies you’re my good luck charm. “Um” Tan reads the text then looks back up at Sven surprised but Sven’s gone.
“Read that!” Tan practically throws his phone at Erica rushing back into the room
She catches the phone and looks down at the text “shit dude” she looks at Tan
“What does that mean?” He panics
“It means you’re his good luck charm stupid” she hands him his phone
“What’s happening?”
Erica laughs “Tan you and Sven have been spending a lot of time together lately, and you like him right? So what’s the problem? He’s obviously into you.”
The problem is Harris, Tan’s secret that he himself doesn’t know how he’s still keeping. How can Sven like him now that he’s very interested in Harris? Tan thought that maybe if he focused on Harris his feelings for Sven would go away but if anything they’re growing, and now with this text, what is Tan to think?
Unable to focus on anything else the rest of the day Tan walks to the gym with Erica about to meet up with Ronnie and Lin. So far he’s sent Sven three texts but he’s only replied to the first one.
“Let me get this straight” Lin starts as Tan and Erica sit next to them “you get a text saying what?”
“You’re my good luck charm” Tan sits down
“And he’s freaking out?” Lin looks at Erica
“Yep, for a reason I do not know Tanner’s freaking out because Sven the boy he likes told him he was his good luck charm.”
They all sit and Lin stares at Tan “what?” Tan asks noticing
“They don’t know do they?” She raises an eyebrow at him
“Know what?” Ronnie asks
“Yeah know what Tan?”
Looking at them Tan truly has no idea what they’re talking about “we’re gonna act stupid ok I’ll tell them. Tan met someone last weekend and he won’t talk about it.” Lin explains
Erica and Ronnie gasps and they all stare at Tan who’s sitting in the middle of 3 pairs of angry eyes.
“Met someone?”
“Explain” Ronnie demands
Trying to figure out how to lie about this Tan starts “it’s no one you guys know, it was a one-time thing that never ever happened again. Please don’t ask any more questions.”
“What’s his name?” Erica asks
“What does he look like?” Lin asks after Erica
“And why are you withholding information from us?” Ronnie asks last
“I literally said no more questions. I’m gonna be honest with you guys because I love you all and you deserve the truth, I can’t answer any of those questions or any other ones you have!” He really can’t
“Then it’s a lie” Ronnie challenges “if he can’t tell us what he looks like at least, then it’s obviously made up”
“Yeah you never shut up about what guys look like” Lin agrees
“It’s always Sven’s muscles are so visible through that tight shirt, or he’s freeballing so hard in those sweatpants today” Erica mocks him.
Tan gets annoyed “all right everybody shut up, yes it’s a lie I made it up” he lies
“Told you!” Ronnie yells thinking she’s right.
“Great so can we please focus on the game that’s about to start?” Tan ends the conversation.
The ball bounces on the court and everyone’s jaw is dropped “oh my god” Lin reacts as she, Ronnie, Erica, and Tan stand simultaneously
“What the fuck!” Erica yells
“And there it is Knoxville high, after an almost undefeated season the Knoxville Eagles close out with a loss.”
The buzzer stops and Tan watches as Sven disappointingly walks back to his seat. After sending him 7 messages of how good he’s going to do tonight the team loses.
Everyone empties the gym leaving “what do we do?” Lin asks as they stand in the parking lot
They all look at Tan who’s too lost worried about Sven “I don’t know why are you asking me?”
“Because you helped him plan his party” Lin answers
“A victory party for a game we just lost” Ronnie adds.
“Obviously it’s canceled, you guys go home I’m gonna wait for-” as Tan is talking everyone’s phone makes a sound getting a group text My house! Party’s still on! Everyone in the parking lot cheers jumping in their cars. Tan and the girls all look back up at each other “guess not.”
“Guess we’re heading to Sven’s,” Ronnie says
“You guys go I’m gonna wait for him.”
“Maybe you should come with us, let him have some time alone” Lin suggests
Tan thinks for a second looking back at the school “ok and I can help until he shows up.”
Everyone drives to Sven’s house and Tan does help, he and the girls set everything up and get the party started. Walking around making sure everything is in order, it’s been 45 minutes into the party and you can’t even tell the team lost tonight. Worried about Sven Tan keeps his eyes on the door waiting for him to come.
“A beer for my BFF” Lin walks up to Tan who’s standing across the room staring at the front door
“Thanks” Tan takes it “where’s Munch and Cat?” Nicknames for Ronnie and Erica… long story.
“They’re dancing” Lin points to the dance floor
“Why aren’t you?” He turns to Lin
“Because I saw you standing here staring at the door like it’s come to life or something. He’s lost games before Tan it’s fine”
“Yeah but this one was important Lin he was supposed to win.”
“Well it can’t be all on him, he wasn’t the only one playing so…” Lin drinks her beer. Noticing how impatient Tan is getting Lin changes the conversation to get him to stop thinking about Sven “guess who spoke to me while I was grabbing our beers?”
“Who?”
“Cyrus” she grins “he was all sup, Lin? And I just melted in my jeans Tan”
“Why don’t you ask him out, Lin? You obviously like him”
“Umm, a million reasons! Starting with rejection, what if he rejects me?”
“Lin rejection is just a second chance at something probably better,” Tan says to her “stop being scared because of rejection.”
“Easy for you to say, Tan, we can’t all look Instagram model ready when we roll out of bed like you do.” Tan rolls his eyes drinking his beer “and you’re the one to talk, why don’t you ask Sven out?”
“Sven and I are different I can’t just ask him out we don’t know what he is”
“Yes we do last year at Sofia’s party there was a rumor Sofia walked in on him making out with Eli.”
“That rumor was bullshit Sven would never make out with Eli.” As they stand talking about Sven the front door opens and in walks Sven “he’s here” Tan gasps. “I’m gonna go see how he’s doing” he turns to Lin
“Tan wait look” looking over Tan sees a girl walking in with him, they both don’t recognize her “who is she?” They stare really hard
“I don’t know I don’t think she goes to our school. Fucking great more competition because the ones at school weren’t enough” Tan walks away.
The night progresses and Tan avoids Sven but what he didn’t notice was Sven’s been hiding in his room since he and the team got here.
“I’ll make you a deal” Lin walks up to Tan as he pouts in a corner “if you go find Sven and talk to him, I’ll talk to Cyrus”
“Why?”
“Because I know you both probably look like you right now and you two are the only ones that can cheer each other up, and also it’ll give me a reason to talk to Cyrus. Deal?”
Sighing “fine, I’ll go find him but if he’s with no name weird face I’m not talking to him.”
“You named her already?” Lin laughs
Tan chuckles “she has a weird face right? I’m not making that up”
“Yeah no that face looks jacked up. Go find Sven and thank me later” she grins then walks away.
Walking around his house Tan doesn’t see him anywhere but he found no name weird face drinking with other people. Going upstairs Tan walks to his room knocking on the shut door, not being able to hear a reply because of the loud music Tan walks in.
Spotting Sven laying in his bed staring at the ceiling while he throws and catches a ball in the air “you look like I could use some company” Tan jokes terribly.
“What?” Sven stops throwing the ball looking at Tan.
Tan walks closer to the bed standing on the empty side, they look at each other “your house is full of people downstairs but you’re up here sulking. What’s the matter, Gregg Sulkin?”
“Who’s Gregg Sulkin?”
Gasping Tan absentmindedly lays down next to him “oh my god Sven I have to teach you about everything. Gregg Sulkin is a really hot British actor that-” noticing he’s highjacking Sven’s sulking time Tan stops then says “you know what? This isn’t about Gregg Sulkin, it’s about the game isn’t it?”
Sighing disappointedly “we were supposed to win I don’t know what happened”
“I do, Tommy got selfish and started hogging the ball”
“You noticed that too?! When I brought it up to the coach tonight he just shut me down.”
“Tommy is a terrible captain you should be captain”
“I am captain”
“Of JV which makes-“
“No sense because I’m just as good as varsity” Sven finishes his sentence, “you say that a lot, and I had my reasons for choosing JV.”
“You wanted to help them I know”
“But instead I abandoned them for a game we didn’t even win” he stares at the ceiling getting sadder.
“That’s not true you didn’t abandon anyone, this was an opportunity and from where I was watching that game didn’t defy your abilities. You scored the most points Tommy didn’t come close.”
“Then why didn’t any scouts talk to me? They came to see our team win and we lost, there goes my chance of going to a half decent school.”
This is the saddest Tan’s ever seen Sven and whatever he’s saying isn’t helping so he doesn’t know what to say or do “I must be a shitty good luck charm then.”
“No, you’re not” they both look at each other “you’re probably the reason I scored so many points, thank you again for all the messages they really helped.”
“That’s me helpful Tan”
“You’re more than that” the look on his face changes and before Tan can notice, Sven’s lips were already on his.
Shocking the crap out of Tan, Tan falls off the bed then quickly stands up “I’m ok!”
“I’m so sorry” Sven moves closer about to help
“No don’t be sorry I climbed in your bed. I’m gonna go make sure no one’s dead downstairs, you take as long as you need.”
Rushing out of the room Tan leans behind the shut door, standing in the hall he panics before rushing away.
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