The pit in Oscar's stomach began to swell as he walked further from the small café and to his car. Moving to put his key in the ignition, he warily stopped before turning it, "Maybe I shouldn't go, Kim looked kinda disappointed..." he thought.

Looking up he caught his own gaze in the reflection of the rear view mirror. "No, it's fine. She gets it," he told himself decidedly, turning over the engine and driving out of the parking lot.

Oscar tried to bury the nagging feeling of guilt and focus on getting to Noah, but it still rang in the back of his mind. Coming to a halt at a red light, his thoughts couldn't help but go back to Kim.

Zoned out, Oscar didn't even hear the loud and overbearing humming of the pitch-black, ridiculously lifted pick-up truck that had pulled up in the lane beside him.

"I could've told Noah I was busy. I haven't spent much time with Kim lately... But I've been busy. We're all busy. I can't be expected to spend time with everyone... But Kim asked me to hang out first, and I did say yes... But..." his mind ran in pensive circles.

The abrupt vibration of his phone interrupted his daze. Gripping the steering wheel with one hand he lifted himself from his seat to fish it out of his back pocket.

Trying to keep some of his focus on the color of the stoplight, he quickly looked down to swipe open his phone. His attention shifted when he was met with a picture of Noah, smiling wide with his bare shoulders and chest visible and sweat beads on his brow, clearly standing in a park, with playground equipment and sparse trees dotting the background.

Noah: can't wait to see u :)

Oscar's mind stopped in it's tracks and he smiled down at the screen. The truck in the other lane suddenly revs it's engine, taking off, making Oscar look back up to the light, which had turned green.

"Oh shit," he whispered, stamping his foot on the gas.

Oscar eventually reached an area that resembled less of the city, and more of an open field. He parked on the opposite side of the chain-link fence that surrounded the park, and stepped out, taking a second to scan the vast open space.

His eyes fell on the tall, blond figure facing the opposite direction towards a basketball hoop and he feels his heart begin to beat just a little bit faster.

Oscar eagerly makes his way across the grass and around a weathered tennis net, onto a slab of concrete with a single basketball hoop stood at the opposite end. He notices a lump of grey cloth – Noah's hoodie – sitting aside on the ground.

He neared closer to Noah, noticing the sheen of sweat across his back.

Not yet hearing the other boy, Noah stops in front of the hoop, bouncing the ball a few times before shooting it and missing the net. He runs for the ball and Oscar calls after him, "So you called me out here to watch you miss?"

Noah retrieves the ball and walks back laughing, "That was just a warm-up," he answers.

"Ahaha, sure it was," Oscar joked.

His eyes wandered to the obvious bruising on Noah's side, and Oscar got quiet.

Noah spotted this and said, "Os, it's fine."

"Yeah, I know..." Oscar said.

Putting on the biggest smile he could muster, Noah continued.

"Actually, I'm gonna watch you. I said I'd teach you how to shoot," Noah says, tossing the ball to Oscar.

"Right now?" Oscar asks, hesitantly.

"Yeah, why not?" Noah says.

Oscar quickly gives in, "Alright, what do I do?" he asks.

"Okay, for starters, keep your you feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees a little bit," Noah instructs, and Oscar listens.

"And grip the ball like this" he continues, demonstrating. Oscar mimics his movements.

"Good, now just keep your eyes on the net and follow through with the shot."

"Sounds simple enough," Oscar thought to himself. He shoots the ball, jumping slightly, and...

This sent Noah running after the ball. Somewhat embarrassed, Oscar said, "Did I forget to mention I have the hand-eye coordination of one of those fainting goats?"

"No you don't, just try again," Noah said, reassuringly.

"Here," he says, walking behind Oscar. He put his arms around him and guided his hands, showing him how to hold the ball.

Oscar felt Noah's lips graze across the back of his neck and his stomach practically did a flip, but quickly recognizing how cliché he was being, he popped off, "Alright, Patrick Swayze," and chuckled.

Noah lets go, too soon for Oscar's liking to be honest, and stands beside him with his arms crossed.

Oscar goes for the shot and, miraculously, makes it. A wave of genuine relief washes over him and he turns around to face Noah, who's also beaming.

"Nice one," Noah says, stepping closer to him. Oscar brings him in for a quick kiss, his hand falling to Noah's nylon shorts-covered hip. Noah, resting his forehead against the other boy's said, "I really like seeing you happy."

Oscar didn't say anything, but weakly nodded in agreement.

Oscar stepped away and laughed, "I think I might be better at this than you," tossing Noah the ball.

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Noah says, and raises his arms over Oscar's head, effortlessly shooting the ball through the hoop. Oscar looks in the direction of the ball and says, "holy shit."

"Nothing but net baby," he laughs, wrapping his arms around Oscar from behind and planting a kiss on the side of his neck.

"Alright, alright," Oscar says, catching the basketball as it bounces back towards him. "But let's see if you can do that again," and throws it to Noah.

"Bet," Noah says, swiftly banking another shot off the backboard. "I could do this all night," he preens.

"We'll see," Oscar says, before taking off in the direction of the ball, eager to be the one to catch it.