Chapter 59: Nudge

"Sylvester PoV

I timidly vacuumed our dorm space, the low hum of the machine filling the otherwise quiet air. As I maneuvered around the furniture, my eyes drifted toward Drew's room. Should I ask if he wanted me to vacuum his room? 

I hesitated, the thought of intruding on his space making me second-guess myself. Drew was usually pretty nonchalant outside of the court, but I didn't want to overstep. After all, what if he preferred a bit of mess? 

With a sigh, I switched off the vacuum, the sudden silence making the room feel oddly empty.

I knocked on the door.

"Come in," Drew said, his voice sounded a little strained. Was he working out?

I opened the door and saw a shirtless Drew doing pushups on the carpeted floor. His muscles flexed with each movement, a rhythm that seemed almost effortless. I felt a rush of embarrassment for intruding on his workout.

"Oh, uh, sorry!" I stammered, quickly averting my gaze. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

Drew paused, pushing himself up and sitting back on his heels. "Nah, it's cool. I was just getting a quick workout in before heading out. What's up?"

I shifted my weight awkwardly, the vacuum still humming softly in the background. "I was just vacuuming our common area and thought I'd check if you wanted me to do yours too."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm good," Drew replied, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow. "I try to keep things neat in here. Just a bit of dust on the floor, nothing major."

I scanned the room, taking in the organized space. His clothes were neatly folded, books stacked in tidy piles, and the bed was made with military precision. "Yeah, I can see that," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "Your room looks great."

Drew chuckled, his more easy-going demeanor today making me feel a bit more relaxed. "I guess it's just how I am. I can't concentrate with clutter everywhere."

"I totally get that," I said, feeling a little self-conscious about my own messy habits. Drew really was incredible. I might've been taller than him, but he still had a better body for basketball than I did.

"Uh, can you please stop staring," Drew said, his voice a bit annoyed.

I laughed nervously. "Sorry, I was just admiring how hard you work."

He lowered his body close to the floor. "Well, can't expect to be the best if I don't work for it."

I smiled, feeling like working out too. "Say, want to eat something? I'm gonna make breakfast."

"Make whatever you want, just make sure it has no garlic."

Seemed Drew really disliked garlic. He didn't like it when I put it in my spaghetti. I snickered mentally. Maybe he was a vampire or something.

"Fine. Do bread sticks sound good?"

I'd rather not eat too many carbs," Drew replied, his brow furrowing slightly.

"You and Wilt sure are strict with your diets," I said, shaking my head as I recalled Wilt's aversion to anything remotely unhealthy. "He wouldn't even touch bread or sugary drinks at the cat cafe. But I swear, he has a secret love for pancakes."

Drew chuckled lightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Pancakes are alright, but I definitely prefer waffles."

"Waffles it is then! I can make them crispy and add some fruit on the side so it's not all carbs," I suggested, feeling a surge of motivation.

"Sounds good. Just make sure they're crispy," he replied, his tone casual.

"Got it! Crispy waffles coming right up," I said, heading to the kitchen.

I gathered the ingredients: flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, and a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavor. Mixing the batter felt familiar and calming, each stir reminding me of simpler times.

Once the batter was ready, I preheated the waffle iron, excitement bubbling inside me. I could already imagine the smell of freshly made waffles filling the air. 

As I poured the batter onto the hot iron, the satisfying sizzle made me smile. I watched as the waffles cooked, the steam rising as they began to puff up.

"Hey, Drew! How many waffles do you want?" I called out, glancing toward his room.

"Two should be fine," he answered, his voice steady.

"Two it is!" I replied, finishing up the last waffle and plating everything with a flourish. I topped the waffles with a few fresh strawberries and blueberries, their vibrant colors brightening the dish.

"Breakfast is ready!" I announced, placing the plate on the table.

Drew emerged from his room, still shirtless and slightly sweaty from his workout. His muscles glistened in the light, giving him an athletic appearance as he walked over. He glanced at the stack of waffles, his expression neutral but appreciative. "Those look decent," he said as he approached. 

I sighed. "Clean yourself up and put on a shirt. It's, um, kind of distracting," I stammered, my cheeks warming slightly.

Drew raised an eyebrow at me, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Distracting, huh? You gay or something?"

I lowered my head. "N-No." Truth be told, I was bi, but I didn't want to tell him that, it would make him feel awkward.

Drew chuckled lightly, and I could hear the teasing tone in his voice. "Just checking. You know, it's okay if you are. It wouldn't change anything. That said, I can tell you do like girls. Well, Natasha at least."

"I-I don't like her! We're just friends." I sighed. She was nice to me, but she probably liked Wilt or Loxus.

Drew leaned back against the table. "Alright, just friends." He snickered. "But you can't blame me for thinking you might be into her. You look at her with sparkly eyes."

"Yeah, but it's not like that," I insisted. "We just... get along. She's cool, you know?" I could feel my cheeks heating up again, and I desperately wanted to change the subject. 

Drew took a bite of his waffle, his expression thoughtful. "Fair enough. Just don't keep looking at her so bashfully or she might start to think otherwise."

I gulped. I didn't want that! "I promise I'm not looking at her like that! I just... I don't know. She's nice to me, and we talk. That's all it is."

Drew raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Sure, sure. Just remember, if you keep blushing every time she walks by, you're going to give her the wrong idea."

"Can we please talk about something else?" I said, half-laughing, half-exasperated.

"Like what?"

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pants pocket. I took it out and saw it was from Wilt, he was inviting Natasha and me to see a movie at his dorm room. Loxus wanted to see an action flick.

"What's that?" Drew asked, glancing at my phone.

"It's from Wilt," I said, trying to keep my voice casual as I opened the message. "He's inviting Natasha and me to watch a movie at his dorm. Loxus wants to see an action flick."

Drew leaned over to peek at my screen, his expression shifting slightly. I could sense a hint of disappointment in his eyes, but he quickly masked it. "Oh, cool."

"Yeah, I guess," I said, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety.

Drew shrugged, his posture slightly more rigid than before.

"Are you okay?" I asked, picking up on the shift in his mood. "You seem a bit... off."

"I'm fine," he replied quickly, wiping his hands on his shorts and looking away. "Just didn't realize you guys were hanging out without me. That's all."

I felt a pang of guilt. "You're welcome to join, you know. I can text Wilt and let him know."

"Nah, it's cool. I've got stuff to do," Drew said, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, I'd probably just ruin the gathering. Wilt, Natasha, and Loxus are still not exactly fond of me after how I treated you the other day."

"Come on, it wasn't that bad," I said, a bit defensively. "They know you didn't mean it."

"Doesn't matter. I still messed up," he replied, his voice low. "I don't want to make things awkward for you."

I smiled.

"What?" he snapped, his brow furrowed.

"You admitted to messing up."

He crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled. "I know that people think I'm perfect or act like I'm stuck up, but I'm not."

"I knoe the former isn't true, but you do act pretty stuck up from time to time."

He looked at me, surprised.

I covered my mouth. Argh, why did I just say that aloud?

He smiled. "About time you say how you actually feel."

"Sorry, I didn't want to offend you or anything."

Drew shrugged, a hint of a smile still on his face. "You didn't. I appreciate the honesty. It's refreshing, really."

"Okay, but that doesn't mean you get to act all high and mighty all the time," I said, crossing my arms back at him. "You should try to act a little more like you are now, you know?"

"Point taken," he replied, nodding thoughtfully. "I guess I can come off that way. But it's just how I've always been, especially on the court. I think it spills over into my everyday life."

"Fair enough," I said, feeling a bit more at ease. "But you don't have to worry about proving anything to anyone here. We're just trying to be friends."

"Yeah, I know, and I appreciate that."

I started texting Wilt.

"What are you doing?" Drew asked, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Telling Wilt to expect the both of us in the afternoon."

Drew stood up and tried to take my phone from me. "I said I was fine not going!"

I pulled the phone away, my heart racing. "Come on, Drew! It's just a movie. I don't want you to feel left out!"

"Yeah, well, I don't want to crash your little hangout with Natasha and the guys!" he shot back, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I'll just be the awkward guy in the corner, eating popcorn and not contributing to the conversation."

I rolled my eyes. "You're acting like you're going to walk in there wearing a clown suit or something. It's just a movie night!"

"Trust me, I'll find a way to make it awkward," he replied, crossing his arms.

I laughed. "Come on, Wilt will gladly accept you."

He sighed. "And rub it in my face."

Drew really was too prideful...

Just then, my phone dinged, and I glanced down to see Wilt's response lighting up the screen. 'Awesome! Just be sure to bring some snacks. We don't have enough for all five of us.'

I smiled and sent him a reply.

"What did he say?" Drew asked, raising an eyebrow.

 "He said they don't have enough snacks for all five of us, so we should bring some."

Drew's expression shifted slightly, his brow furrowing. "So what? You think I'm just going to show up and be the awkward guy?"

"Drew, you're not going to be awkward. You're just overthinking it," I said, trying to reassure him. "It's just a movie night with friends."

He crossed his arms, clearly unconvinced. "Yeah, right. I'll be the one sitting in the corner, avoiding eye contact while you all enjoy the movie."

"Seriously, you're being a bit dramatic," I replied, shaking my head. "You're not going to ruin anything. Just be yourself."

"Being myself is what got me in trouble last time," he muttered, looking away. "I don't want to make things weird again."

I sighed, knowing I had to break through his stubbornness. "Look, they're not going to hold a grudge forever. Just show up, and I promise it'll be fine. You might even enjoy it."

Drew sighed and finished his last waffle. "Fine, fine, but if things get too much for me, i'm bailing."

I smiled. "Deal!"