Todos los capítulos de Black Ice: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 20

~TOBY~Days started blending together in a strange new way. Alan kept showing up like it was the most normal thing in the world. I never asked him to, and I still didn’t understand why he did it. Every lunch time he would find me in the cafeteria or some hidden corner and sit with me. At first, it made me nervous. People stared. Whispers followed us. But he didn’t care. He just put his tray down and started talking like we had been friends forever.One afternoon I tried to hide behind the big pillar again with my apple and book. My heart jumped when his shadow fell over the table.“There you are,” Alan said, smiling as he sat down. “I looked everywhere. Why do you always pick the darkest spots?”I kept my eyes on my book. “It’s quiet. Safer.”He pushed a sandwich toward me. “Eat more than an apple today. You’re too skinny. And talk to me. How was your morning?”I took small bites, feeling everyone’s eyes on us. “Normal. Cleaning. You don’t have to sit here. Your friends are looki

~ALAN~The days with Toby were becoming the best part of my life. We spent more time together than I ever planned. Eating lunch, walking around campus, sitting in the library while he pretended to read easy books. His quiet smiles and careful words made me feel warm inside. But at night, when I was alone, strange thoughts started creeping in. Thoughts I didn’t understand. Thoughts about his soft green eyes, his shy laugh, and how safe he looked when he was near me.After another good day together, I went back to my room tired but happy. Toby had laughed at one of my jokes today. A real laugh that made his whole face light up. I fell asleep fast, smiling about it.Then the dream came.In the dream, we were in the locker room after practice. Just me and Toby. The lights were low and soft. He looked up at me with those big eyes, not scared this time. I stepped closer, and he didn’t move away. My hand touched his cheek, gentle like he was made of glass. His skin felt warm and smoot

~TOBY~My janitor shift ended at four on Friday. My back and arms ached from pushing the heavy mop all day, but my head felt a little clearer than usual.The sun was still warm outside the maintenance building. I planned to go straight back to my room, lock the door, and read.Then I saw him.Alan was leaning against his motorcycle. He had his helmet tucked under one arm. The golden afternoon light hit his blond hair.He saw me and smiled. My heart did a flip."Hey, Toby," he said, straightening up. "Perfect timing. Are you done?"I nodded. "Yeah. What are you doing here?"He patted the back seat of his bike. "I want to show you something."I frowned. "What?""It’s Friday. There’s a motorcycle race just outside the city."I stared at him. "A race?""Yeah.""I have books to read," I said. "And chores.""You work every day.""I don't mind.""I do," Alan said.I looked down. "You should go with your friends."Alan let out a dramatic sigh. "My friends don't care about engines."I bit my l

~ ALAN~I rode up to Toby’s dorm building just past eight on Saturday morning. The spare helmet was strapped securely to the back of my seat, and my pulse was racing faster than it usually did before a major game. I wanted today to go well. I wanted him to enjoy himself.When Toby finally stepped through the glass doors of the building, he looked like he was walking toward a firing squad.His face was pale, his shoulders were hitched up to his ears, and his fingers were tangled tightly into the hem of his oversized gray hoodie.I cut the motorcycle engine, kicked down the kickstand, and stood up to meet him.“Hey,” I said gently, keeping my hands seeable and my pose loose to put him at ease.He stopped about five feet away, eyeing the bike like it was a wild animal waiting to pounce. “Hey.”“Look at me, Toby,” I said softly. He flicked his eyes up to mine. “We don’t have to do the practice track today. I’m not going to force you onto a bike by yourself if you’re terrified. We can

~TOBY~I sat on a turned-over plastic bucket in the corner of the third-floor supply closet, with my back against the cold metal shelves.The air smelled of citrus floor cleaner and dust. I pulled my worn leather notebook out of my bag, resting it across my knees.The pages had a lot of thick, hand-written notes, market trends, and money plans for Aaron’s tech startup. I always understood numbers. They were honest and had no hidden reasons like people do.My phone vibrated against my leg, making me jump. Aaron’s name flashed across the screen. I answered quickly, lowering my voice."Hey, Aaron.""Toby! Tell me you're alone right now," Aaron’s voice burst through the speaker, breathless and high-energy. "That pitch revision you sent me on Thursday? The one adjusting the investor burn-rate projections?""Yeah," I said softly, tracing the margin of my notebook. "Did it work?""Did it work? Toby, they were ready to kill the seed funding and walk out the door," Aaron laughed, a sound of ab