As the virtual conversation continued, Alex allowed himself to relax entirely and simply enjoy talking with Skylar. Though he wouldn't ever admit such a thing out loud or utter a word to anyone, he'd found the male to be cute, attractive, and intriguing. Getting to know him as a friend was more than he could have hoped for. When Skylar's next message came through, Alex was quick to read it, pausing in surprise. What? He couldn't ignore the way his chest seemed to warm at that. It wasn't often he found himself on the receiving end of such compliments from people he was actually interested in. He threw a quick glance toward the door as if worried his parents or sister would come barging in to catch him engaging in this kind of conversation. When no parents or sister appeared he returned his eyes back to his phone. "Thanks, you aren't too bad looking yourself." It was a bold sentence for a variety of reason and yet Alex found himself, against his better judgement, actually hitting the send button.

After sending the bold message Skylar grew a bit nervous. Knowing there was a chance that Alex could react not too well to the compliment it scared Sky a bit. It scared him mainly because if the guy he was working with didn't like it, Sky would have to see him almost every day. Skylar heart pounded once he received the new message from the boy and his response kind of surprised him. Not too bad looking? "Thank you." Sky typed but didn't send it. He wanted to add more but didn't know what to add. After a moment of thinking he continued to type, "Also, what day shall we bathe the horses? I am thinking sometime this week." He pressed send and breathed in deeply.

Alex rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one of his arms. He kept his gaze on his screen, feeling a hint of worry and uncertainty tighten his chest and settle in his stomach. What was he doing? He knew better than to engage in conversations like this. It wasn't like it'd go anywhere, he could let it. His parents, god they'd be so mad and disappointed. Just thinking about it made him feel sick to his stomach. He didn't think it'd be too far-fetched to think that they'd disown him. He chewed at his lip and debated whether or not to delete the message. He was just about to do so when he received another message from Skylar. He paused before looking down at it and seeing the words of thanks. When the second half of the message came in he read it swiftly before relaxing slightly. "I get out a little early on Wednesday, we can bathe them then?" He answered after a moment of thought, greatly relieved by the change of topic.

Skylar set his phone down as he looked over at Chris. "You staying the night because I'm probably going to sleep soon," Skylar said as he changed his position, moving onto his side. "Sure, I'm too tired to go home anyway," Chris answered as he put his phone down and got more comfortable. "Okay." Skylar then said as he flipped over. He grabbed the remote off his nightstand and turned his TV volume down a bit, as well as the brightness. Once he was done with that he turned off his LED lights so now there was just a soft glow of his TV. He then picked his phone back up to respond one last time before the night was over. "Okay that sounds good to me, imma head to bed now. I'll see ya tmr goodnight." Skylar texted. Once he sent it he immediately turned his phone off and set it on his nightstand.

Alex moved out of his messages and onto TikTok as he awaited Skylar's response. He still felt a trickle of worry and unease, but the warmth and dare he say happiness and enjoyment he was getting from his conversation with Skylar were stronger. He figured that he could manage to talk his way out of any real trouble if his parents were to see the current messages between him and his coworker. When he received another text from Skylar, he was quick to pull up his messages and read it. "Alright, see you tomorrow." He pressed send, paused, and chewed his lip before going to type up one final message. "Goodnight." He added and pressed send before he could second guess himself. With that, he set his phone down before moving to stand.

"Goodnight man," Skylar said as he got in a more comfortable sleeping position and closed his eyes. "Yeah goodnight," Chris said, already having his eyes shut. Sky's mind grew full of thoughts and they just kept coming and going. He couldn't help but think about the conversation that he and Alex had. He wondered if some things he said were a mistake or maybe he was just overthinking the whole thing. He focused his hearing on the words being spoken from the tv, drowning out all inside thoughts. Finally, after 30 minutes he drifted off to sleep.

Double post

With his conversation having come to a close Alex left his phone on his bed and moved toward the bathroom. He made a quick stop to grab his pajamas before proceeding to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and as the water warmed he began undressing, tossing each piece of clothing into the laundry basket as he stripped. Having shed all of his clothes he moved beneath the warm water of the shower and began washing the day away. Once he'd finished washing up, he stepped out of the shower and dried himself off before pulling on his pajamas. He moved to the mirror that hung above the sink and looked at his reflection for a brief moment before he proceeded to do his nightly routine, brushing his teeth and applying his skincare products. When he finished with that he returned to his bedroom. Grabbing his phone from where he'd left it on the bed he changed the alarm to 5:00 am. Since he hadn't finished his homework he'd need the extra time to get it done before school. After doing so he set his phone down and climbed into bed.

`

It hadn't taken Alex very long to fall asleep and his night had been a restful one. So when his alarm went off the next morning he was quick to wake, though remained somewhat groggy as he grabbed his phone and turned off the alarm. Sitting up in bed he lifted his arms and stretched before moving to get up. He made a quick stop by the bathroom to relieve himself before returning to his room and sitting down at his desk to begin on the remaining homework he hadn't finished the night before.

As Sky and Chris laid there in Sky's bed, Sky was quick to jolt up. " Shit I gotta take a shower, I forgot last night. It will be quick because we have school in like 30 minutes." Sky said as he quickly got up. He rummaged very quickly through his drawers and pulled out a comfy outfit for the day. He grabbed grey sweatpants and a black tank top. He also grabbed a hoodie for when he was at school but when he got to the farm it would be too hot since the weather called for it to be hotter than the day before. Skylar gathered all his clothes and made his way to his bathroom. He took his clothes off pretty quickly and hopped in the shower. It took him about 20 minutes to finish up in the shower, per usual, even if he tried doing quickly it always ended up being 20 minutes or longer. Once he got out he put on the clothes he had picked for the day and did his usual skincare in the morning. He made it back to his room and put his dirty clothes in a laundry basket placed in one of the corners of his room. He then went to his vanity where he kept most of his personal care stuff and put some hair serum in his hair before brushing it out. He decided to put his hair in a braid for the day. He didn't care if it was girly, he liked the way it looked plus it would be out of his face. He quickly put his hair in a braid and by the time he was done it was time to go so he got up and grabbed his bag. Chris was already ready and outside waiting for him by that time. Sky put on his shoes and left and they both started their journey to school.

The soft glow of the desk lamp illuminated the room as Alex delved into the intricate dance of words on the pages of his essay. The passage of time became irrelevant as creativity flowed, weaving a narrative that satisfied the demands of his literature class. Nearly eight pages, front and back, adorned with ink and ideas, spoke of an hour well spent in the pursuit of academic excellence. As the literary masterpiece neared completion, Alex glanced at the clock, realizing the demands of the impending day required his attention. Setting aside the essay, he shifted his focus to the practicalities of dressing for school.

`

A wardrobe of simplicity awaited him, a black t-shirt paired with dark blue jeans and complemented by black socks. The ensemble, a testament to the efficiency that defined his morning routine, bore the subtle touches of personal style. The addition of a watch and a casual run of his hand through his hair added a finishing touch to the understated yet confident look. With his backpack slung over his shoulders, the weight of knowledge and assignments neatly arranged within, Alex made his way to the kitchen. A slice of toast, a brief pause to savor the simplicity of the morning ritual and he was ready to embark on the journey to school.

`

The familiar route of locking the door behind him marked the transition from the haven of home to the bustling world beyond. The morning air greeted him as he stepped outside, the promise of a new day lingering in the atmosphere. A sense of purpose accompanied him as he strolled towards school, the anticipation of learning and connection resonating in the steps that carried him forward.