LUCIANA BATES 👛

CHAPTER 5: SHIP THE BOYS.

♦️ JUST FRIENDS ♦️

"Ugh, my head hurts like crazy." I said in a raspy voice as I sat up from the bed. I blinked a couple of times as my head hurt so much and my vision was blurry. "Where are my shoes?" I asked myself as I looked around the house and noticed it wasn't familiar. "Where am I?" I wiped my eyes and looked around to see Katherine and Tae also on the bed and asleep.

"Guys?" I called softly, moving them but they wouldn't bulge.

Were they dead?

I felt like shit. Like I had been shot in the brain and somehow survived it without going to the doctor?

I do not remember how we even got here, or what happened after the dance and the-

My eyes widen once I remembered what happened on the dance floor.

We kissed.

We all kissed.

Last night, the feeling...I mean, I didn't feel that anymore, but I still remember how it felt. Almost like I was floating, I could feel everything at once. The feeling of Tae's hand on my body gave me some sort of shockwave? And when I kissed Katherine, it felt like a power surge. Is that what methamphetamine does to you?

It's....not so bad.

But the aftermath?

Oh the aftermath.

I grabbed my head with both hands and groaned. Then it came again, the flash of me kissing Tae and me kissing Katherine and my eyes widen.

"Oh my God." I got up from the bed and looked down at my friends who were still asleep. I quickly put on my shoes and wore them before silently leaving the room, I gently closed the door trying to make sure it doesn't make any sound and when I turned, I came in contact with a figure.

I gasped in fear and stumbled, clutching chest. 

"Sorry, sorry! I did not mean to scare you." Tony said.

I took in a deep breath and gave a small nod. "No, it's....it's fine." I said while my head banged. "Sorry, I didn't know—how....wait, we are at your house?"

Tony chuckled. "Yeah. You all asses were drunk and high as fuck, so I took y'all to mine cause there was no way I was letting three irresponsible teenagers drive."

"Shit."

So much for i will be sober.

"I am so sorry we bothered you."

"Oh, that's fine. Y'all seem like good kids and plus Tae is a good friend so why not?" He shrugged.

Tony's hair was tied in a rough morning bun, he had a blue singlet on and a grey sweatpants while holding a cup of....something.

This man was really hot and his beard were....oh my God, what was I doing?

"Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Yes please, and some aspirin for my headache. Please tell me you have something."

"Of course. Come with me." He said with a smile and turned, walking away.

I followed him to his kitchen. His apartment was quite nice and neat, he had paintings on his walls and it did look like he lived alone.

"No boyfriend?" I found myself asking.

"Nope." He replied as he began pouring me a cup of coffee.

"Girlfriend?" I cocked my brow at him.

Tony chuckled. "No anything." He said.  "Want me to make you breakfast?"

"Uh, you don't have to."

"Oh please, I love cooking so it's not gonna be a bother like you think."

I smiled. 

"Allergic to anything?"

"Just garlic."

"Ah, a vampire, I see."

I chuckled. "If I had a penny for every time someone made that joke, I would be kardashian rich by now." 

Tony snickered. "I'll make you some eggs then."

"Thanks."

I sat on the stool next to the counter and rested my hands on it. "Your place is really nice and again, I am really sorry about this whole....thing. They said they could hold their alcohol and all three of us went dead drunk." I said and he laughed.

"It happens." He said as he handed me a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," I said softly as I took the cup from him.

"I've had to climb in through someone's mirror with them on my back to put their drunk self in their room so as not to wake their parents." He said and gave me two tablets of aspirin.

"Why?" I asked before taking it from him and muttering a thank you.

"They were teenagers too, and they weren't supposed to be out drinking like...every teenager."

"I mean, you are a bartender, not like—their....butler? I mean, not to sound like an asshole, it's more of a why did you do that for them?"

"Well, I knew one of their friends, she is like the female version of Tae, and she used to leave me big tips so." Tony said as he broke some eggs into a small bowl.

"A teenager? That sounds weird."

"Yeah. But well, she's rich and it was all just friendship anyways, she's a minor." He scoffed as he began mixing them together with some ingredients he poured in.

"Right." I nodded. "So, she's like Tae, huh?" I asked as I took a sip from the coffee.

"Yeah, but also a bitch." He said with a smile.

"Oh! So like Katherine."

Tony paused and the nodded. "Something like that."

"And I'm guessing this happened in your hometown?"

"Mmhmm." He nodded, smiling as if reliving the memory.

"So, how do you find this town then?" I asked him, taking the aspirin and sipping from the coffee to swallow it, and his coffee was really good.

Tony rested on the kitchen sink and shrugged slightly. "It's....peaceful. I like it here, it's that town a lot of people would want to grow old in?"

"This town?"

"Mmhmm, some people seem to never want to leave it or only dream about it but never do, which they would regret anyways, later in life." He said with furrowed brows.

"You mean me."

"I didn't call names," he chortled. "I don't even know you."

"Mmhmm."

"The point is; it's a beautiful town to come to, and what this town has in common with my own town is that there is a lot of rich people." He turned back to the gas and turned it on low heat, placing a pan on it and pouring some oil in it.

I snorted. "Tell me about it. It's so weird being poor in a town like this." I said and he laughed.

"Yeah."

"And half of them are douchebags." He said as he took out some slice bread and placed them in a toaster.

"Exactly." He agreed. "So, it's a town to make some money, a town for people to settle down after an adventurous life. But for people like you? It's gives a certain hunger to want to see what is outside."   He poured the eggs into the pan and then I couldn't see what he was doing as all I saw was his broad beautiful back.

I nodded, responding to what he had said. "Yeah, you are right. I would like to be out of here and....maybe be myself. I don't feel like I can be me here."

"I understand." He said, offering me a small smile. "So you see," he turned off the gas once the eggs were ready and placed it in a plate. "My job doesn't exactly suffer because the clubs? You get tipped a lot if you are hot."

The toaster sang in its soprano key and he took out the toasts and placed them next to the eggs and placed it before me.

"Ah! That explains why you are mostly shirtless."

Tony sighed. "What can I say? The girls and the gays love me." He said and I snickered.

I gazed down at my plate, taken aback by the exquisite presentation of the eggs. A delicate garnish, perhaps a sprig of parsley or a edible flower, added a touch of elegance. I looked up at Tony, impressed. "This is just eggs but Jesus, Tony, it looks incredible."

Tony shrugged modestly. "I'm a master of my craft. Try it and tell me what you think."

I chuckled, picked up my fork, and savored a bite of the egg. As I chewed, my eyes widened in delight. "Oh my, Tony," I exclaimed, the flavors dancing on my palate. "This is amazing! What are you? A chef or something?"

Tony shrugged. "I just enjoy cooking. My mother was a chef so I learned a lot from her growing up and then added to my own knowledge."

"I think I only want your eggs now."

Tony beamed. "Sure you do."

I took another bite of the eggs and then the toast. 

"So, what about you?" Tony sipped from his cup.

"What about me?" I sipped from mine.

"Any boyfriend?"

I pouted. "Um, no."

"Why?"

"I'm not....into dating right now." I shrugged. "I'm just....you know? Focusing on myself and school and all that stuff."

"You bloody liar." Another voice said.

I turned rapidly and saw Katherine approaching us, she looked like she had somehow managed to escape an alternate universe. She slumped on the stool beside me with a tired sigh and looked up at Tony.

"Coffee?" He asked her.

"Please." She said in response, and he nodded and began pouring her a cup. "The only reason Vincent here is not in a relationship is because he wants someone else who doesn't want him."

"Katherine." I elbowed her gently.

"Whaaat?"

"That is not true." I shook my head, looking back at Tony. "She's still high from last night."

"And why isn't Vincent going for that person?" Tony asked her, ignoring me as he handed her the coffee.

"Because he's straight and his best friend." She said and looked at me to see I was glaring at her. Relax, I'm not mentioning names, besides Tony is like a nobody to us, he doesn't know him." She said and looked at Tony. "No shade."

"I'll get back to—you on that." Tony said, not knowing if to be offended. "But you,." Tony turned to me with a small frown. "Of all the gay people in this town, you fall—for a straight one?"

"Vincent fell for a straight man?" A voice asked from the hallway and we all turned again.

"Oh God." I smacked my forehead.

"Good-morning!" Tony smiled at him.

"So, who is this boy?"

"His best friend apparently." Tony answered.

"TONY!!" Katherine and I screamed at him.

"I-" Tony looked scared. "Sorry? Was I n-not supposed to say?"

"This is why I don't like straight men." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"You're the one who spilled!" I said and Tony nodded.

"Yeah, to someone who doesn't know shit about us. He's a bartender, it's like talking to a bartender. He, on the other hand chorused it to Tae, who knows at least one percent of our lives thanks to school."

I turned to Tony. "She does have a point."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tae spoke as he walked over to us. "You have feelings for your best-friend? Oh MY GOD! You have feelings for Julian?!!" He asked in a loud voice and then winced in pain. "Ow!" He held his head. "Oh, I need me some aspirin."

Katherine looked at me and I glared, she brought her cup close to her mouth and sipped her coffee loudly. "Blame Tony not me."

Tae made his way to the us and sat at my right, he looked at Tony and Tony nodded as if getting the idea.

"Coffee, I know. Aspirin, Vincent?"

I nodded and took out two tablets, handing it to him. "Thanks," Tae muttered as he took it from me and then the coffee from Tony.

"So, how the fuck did you fall for a straight man?" Tae asked, after swallowing the pills.

"Uh, so, I'm gonna have to go get ready for work." Tony said, awkwardly.

I frowned. "I thought you only bartended, you gossip."

"Some days like today, I clean rich women's pools."

"How much do I pay you to clean Vincent's pool?" Tae asked, wiggling his brows at Tony who looked at him in disgust.

"I am twenty five."

"I am seventeen, Tae."

"He is a minor."

The three of us said at the same time and Tae sighed. "Sorry, I was just trying to be of help." He said and looked at me, and I instantly smacked the back of his head.

"Ow!! Vince! My head hurts!" He cried.

"Then stop talking!" I told him, while Tony laughed.

"We'll get ready and get out of your hair." Katherine said.

"No rush. I'll be out of here in like ten minutes. Y'all take your time, there are new toothbrushes in the dresser in the room you all slept in. You know where to keep the key Tae when y'all leave." He said and pointed at him.

"Mmhmm." Tae muttered, his hand in his hair.

"How do you....just trust a bunch of teenagers so much?" I asked him.

"I don't. But Tae is rich, so I can always get a penthouse if he burns down mine, which I keep praying for." He said with a wink, dropped his empty cup in the sink and walked away.

"That gold digger." Tae scoffed.

"At least he told you what he wanted." Katherine shrugged.

"How come you didn't have any aspirin?" I asked her.

"When you are wicked, alcohol is nothing." She replied.

"Now," I turned to Tae. "You have slept here how many times?"

Tae shrugged. "Two? Three?"

"Why are you sleeping at a....wait, did you have sex with him?" Katherine asked.

I gasped. "How old are you? Aren't you like a minor and he an adult?"

"Relax, Betty and Veronica."

I frowned and looked at Katherine, who also did the same.

"Tony is just a friend of mine, and I have slept over because I keep getting black out drunk."

"Why?" Katherine asked.

"Sometimes you just need a drink to forget certain people, and then you have way too much and end up on his sofa or guest room." He shrugged and drank his coffee. "So, no, I haven't slept with Tony. He's hot though."

I nodded. "He is."

"No lies were told." Katherine agreed.

"Now, you." Tae turned to me. "Julian Decker."

"Oh my God." I covered my face in shame. "I didn't mean to fall for him, okay? I-It just happened."

"I'm not even surprised. I'm just mad that every movie slash show, one always falls for the best friend and then you had to go and be stupid enough to fall in that cliché script and fall for Julian! A straight male."

"Emphasis on straight." Katherine said.

I sighed. "Can you blame me? He's hot and I grew up with him, he is just....everything I could ever want in a boyfriend. I know I am really stupid for falling for Julian, my best friend and a straight man, but I am trying to unfall for him okay? It's just...hard."

"How do you know he's everything you want in a man, when you ain't even been with other men? Let me rephrase," she rose a ringer. "Been with gay men."

"How are you gonna get over your feelings for Julian if you get to see him everyday?" Tae asked the very important question.

"And more importantly, how do you explain to him that you are pulling away because you love him and are trying to get over that, when you are not even out to him?" Katherine added.

I looked at both of them. "These are all....rhetorical, right?"

"I am gonna go take a quick shower and get out of here." Katherine said as she dropped her empty cup and walked out of the kitchen.

"You gonna be okay?" Tae asked me.

I turned to him. "I don't know. I can't exactly say."

"You'll be okay."

"How do you get over people you fall in love with?" I asked him.

Tae snorted. "By not falling in love with them." He said and ruffled my hair. "Now, what would you like to eat so I can order it for you?"

"How about we all go to The Weeping Willow instead?"

"That, is not a bad idea." Tae said, his smile warm and pretty. "I'll go look more a little alive." He said as he got off the stool and began to leave, while I chuckled.

"And hey," he turned to me. "I'm glad you came out with us last night." He said and I flashed him a small smile as he gulped down his coffee.

"I'm glad you guys kidnapped me to a club."

"You are welcome, babes." He winked.

I stayed there, staring at my cup of almost finished coffee with a smile.

I was.....happy.

♦️ JUST FRIENDS ♦️

"Good morning!!" I greeted as I walked into Julian's house, looking fresh, clean and not smelling like alcohol or Maddy, was that what the drug I took last night was called? Maddy? Anyways, I can't remember.

"Vincent!!" Olivia screamed once she saw me, she ran over to me and gave me a hug, while i threw my bag on the couch.

"Hi!!!" I hugged her back, and when she pulled away, we did our very own friendship handshake.

I giggled afterwards. "I have missed you like crazzzzy." Olivia said and I pouted.

"I missed you so much too!"

"And I'm like super mad at you because how did you let Julian have the kinda friends he has?" She asked, turning to me with folded arms and an irritated look.

"Hey! What can I say? I am not in control of his life and besides they are all bunch of losers, so  I care less about them."

"There is one called Ken. That is a very stupid name." She said and I laughed.

"Why? There are a lot of kens."

"And they are not memorable cause they are not supposed to be."

"Well, ouch."

"He is so lucky to have you."

"Thank you. He is just stupid enough to not realise that."

"He's a man, he's dumb." She said and I frowned.

"I am a man."

"Mmhmm, but like.....not his kinda man." She said and I frowned. "You are like a ma, but not his kind of man? Does that make any sense?"

Not his kind of man? Yeah, cause he's straight.

"I think so?" I laughed awkwardly.

"Vincent. How are you?" Mrs. Decker asked once she saw me, a big smile on her face.  She was wearing a white fitted, knee length dress with black sleeves and high heels.

"Symone. Hi!" I smiled at her.  She didn't like me calling her Ms. Decker, or Ms. Symone. It was almost like the elders of this generation did not like to be respected.

"It is so nice to see you." She said as she walked over to me and gave me a hug. "I have missed seeing your face around you."

"I know, I apologise. We've just been....busy."

"You mean Julian's been hanging out with people who are not you, not like they are any fun. They are literally boring white people and then that girlfriend of his, oh my God," Olivia rolled her eyes. "Do not get me started on-"

"Olivia," Symone tilted her head to the side as she stared at her daughter with furrowed brows. "Keep talking and I'll give you childhood trauma."

Olivia scoffed and walked away, muttering something under her breath.

"What was that?" Symone asked.

Olivia turned to her and faked a big smile. "I said, you are the best, mom."

"Aw, thank you." Symone played along.

I laughed. "You all really are the cutest."

Symone smiled. "Thank you. Look, Julian is upstairs, probably still sleeping. He was worried about you shitless last night cause you were supposed to come over and then you weren't answering your phone?"

"Yeah, um, I....I lost my phone, but I got it back now."

"I'm glad you are okay. I made some banana pudding and some homemade meatloaf last night and saved some for you."

"Ooh, just exactly what I need today. Thank you, Symone."

She laughed. "Of course. I have to step out really quick for some meeting, um, if you could please help me watch my house? I'll be back by three?"

"I mean, of course. I'm here."

"Thank you. I only trust you to run this house when I am not here because what if Julian forgets he has a sister and Olivia says nothing cause I gave birth to children I do not understand." She said and I laughed.

"You have nothing to worry about."

"I'll pay you when I get home."

"Oh, you don't have to."

"Please. This is the third time I am asking this of you, love. I should start paying you for that. Thank you, baby boy. I will see you when I get home, everything you could possibly need is in the fridge." She said.

"Got that."

Symone gave me a hug and smiled. "Don't let them order any junk food."

I chuckled. "I won't."

"It is nice to see you, Vinnie. You look really good." She said, patted my cheek gently and then headed out.

"Bye, Olivia! Don't give Vincent any trouble." She said as she stepped out, closing the door behind her.

With a small laugh, I made my way up to Julian's room and pushed the door open without knocking. He indeed was still fast asleep, he wasn't wearing any shirt and had just dark blue coloured briefs on. I dropped my backpack on the chair in his room quietly, and with a sigh went to the windows. I was about to open it when I looked back at him and boy was he beautiful as he slept peacefully.

Julian's room was big, walls painted blue and white. He had his medals and awards on a side of his walls and a picture of himself and I in a small frame on his desk. I smiled once I saw it, and beside it was one of his and his girlfriend.

I grimaced.

I walked over to his bed and knelt in front of him, I watched him with a small smile as he slept. Not to be a creep, but I needed to take in certain moments like this with the man I was in love with, knowing that I could never be with him in that way. It was never enough looking at him, how beautiful he was. I dressed his dreads, taking it off his face to look at his beautiful face properly.

"You are so beautiful," I said softly as my eyes wandered to his lips and God, did I want to kiss this man. I really wanted him to be mine. His skin was spotless and beautiful, his muscles, his ass in those briefs.

I was in love with this boy.

Why did I fall in love with you, Julian?

Suddenly his eyes slowly opened and my heart immediately stopped. He looked at me and I just froze there, suddenly not knowing what to say or do, as I looked into his pretty eyes.

"Um, y-you ugly man, g-get up! It's like past 12!" I stuttered as I finally mentally slapped myself and got up. I walked over to his windows while my heart was on a rollercoaster, beating at an unusual speed.

"You cannot sleep all day."

"Who said so?"

"Me." I said and turned to him "And your mom." I said, placing my hands on my hips.

Julian sighed as he sat up and pushed his dreads backwards. "Freshen up, I'll go set breakfast." I said as he got off the bed and I know I should have been on my way out of his room and downstairs, but I found myself just standing there and looking at him.

At his body.

He began making his way to his bathroom and I just watched. "You don't look like shit." He said, and I chuckled awkwardly with a little frown.

"Why would I look like shit?" I said and he just gave me a look, then smiled.

"'Nothing."

"Anyways, see you downstairs." I said and finally moved, walking out of his room and going down the stairs and to the kitchen.

I took out a small portion of the food Symone made from the fridge to reheat for Julian and Olivia, when Livia appeared.

"Hey!"

"Hey!" I turned to her.

"So," she got on the stool. "Apart from Julian, what other friends do you have?" She asked, sounding curious.

I frowned a bit, curious to why she was asking me that. "Why the sudden interest in my other friends?"

"I just wanna make sure you have other people as friends," she said with a shrug.

"Um, I do." I chuckled. "I'm not a loner."

"Yes you are," she scoffed.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Julian told me you were."

"I—" couldn't find my words as I went speechless.

That ass.

"Maybe I am a loner, but I have friends now." I found myself smiling.

"Good for you." She said and then a tall, shirtless, dark skinned man in grey sweatpants walked towards us, his dreads resting down to his arms.

"Hungry?" I asked him.

"I'll just make myself something." He said as he walked over to the fridge.

I frowned once I noticed the tone in which he had answered me, I looked at Olivia who seemed to have the same frown as I did.

"Uh, I was just heating up the meal your mom made, I'll dish a bit out for you."

"I'll order pizza." He said in a stern voice.

I looked at Olivia again, who shrugged.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yup." He answered, pouring him a glass of milk.

"You don't exactly sound like you are. You sound—mad?"

"I'm not." He said and closed the fridge.

"Yes, you do. What's wrong? Did something happen?" I asked and looked at Olivia. "Did something happen?"

"I have no idea what is happening with doucheface."

"I am not in the mood, Livia." He said in an irritated tone and took out his phone, typing out whatever, before putting the phone close to his ear. "Hi. Uh, I'd like to order a pizza."

My frown deepened and I quickly made my way towards him and snatched his phone. "Nope. Sorry." I brought the phone close to my ear as I moved away from him. "Hi. Uh, I'd like to not order anymore, sorry, thank you, have a good day." I said and hung up.

"What was that for?"

"Your mom said to make sure y'all don't order in."

"It's my money, isn't it?"

"Doesn't matter. Now, tell me why your ugly ass is mad this morning? Hung over?"

"We were supposed to hang out yesterday, remember?" He said and began walking away.

I frowned. "Yeah, but I couldn't make it."

"Mmhmm." He said as he began heading for the stairs.

"Wait, are you like mad mad at me?" I asked him as I walked over to him. "I got caught up with something."

"Yeah," he turned to face me. "Lu sent me an Instagram story video from that boy's account, and you could have just texted me to say you weren't coming, I'm not gonna stop you from having friends."

"My phone was snatched out of my hand." I told him.

"I literally cancelled all my plans for you yesterday, only for you to show up today, it kinda sucks that you didn't even think of giving me a heads-up."

"First of all, that boy's name is Tae, and I'm sorry I was not able to send a text, but don't go acting like what I did was...super big, when you do it all the time to me."

"That is not true."

"Really?" I cocked my brow at him, tilting my head to the side. "Because last week you didn't hang out with me cause you were always busy. It was always  "sorry Vincent, I have Xavier", or 'Lu and I have sex planned today',"

"I never said that."

"And this one time that I couldn't show up, you wanna give me that attitude? Talking about you clearing your plans?" I laughed. "Wow. Wow, rich. What if I always cancelled my plans only for you to never show up?"

"We both know that ain't true seeing you barely have any plans, not to talk of cancelling any." He said and I just stared at him.

"Just because I am always home, does not fucking mean I am always in the right headspace to want visitors, Jules." I said, feeling some anger build up. "And  I took my chance last night to go have that fun you always complain about that I don't have. And you fucking have friends, Jules, a lot of them. And I finally have people who are not you, and what? You're mad that I unintentionally did what you been doing to me. Wow."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't have friends, Vincent, I'm just saying—"

"Fuck you, Julian." I said and walked over to the couch were my bag was, I picked it up and turned to him.

"Maybe be happy that I went to a fucking club? And that I was, I don't know happy I did? That I don't have to always be around you, so you don't fucking go complain to your girlfriend about how much of a burden I am."

Julian frowned. "What?"

"And let me tell you one thing," I said, taking a step towards him, pointing a finger at him. "If I could go back in time to change anything, I would fucking go to that club again and not come to you. Nothing, nothing will be changed, you fucking hypocritical dickwad." I said and turned, storming out.

"V-Vince." He called, but I paid him no attention and walked out.

♦️➿♦️

"You....said that?" Katherine asked, and I nodded. 

"Yeah, do you think that was mean?" I asked, biting my nails nervously.

"Um, no?" Katherine laughed. "You fucking stood up for your friends and most importantly, yourself."

"Exactly." Tae said, and pulled me into a hug, kissing my head. "I love that for you, courage the dog." He said and I pushed him away.

"Stop."

We were all at the weeping willow, some french fries on our tables and milkshakes for myself and Tae, while Katherine had a smoothie. Tae had suggested we meet up cause he wanted to hang and mostly because he had something important he wanted to tell us, which he hasn't yet.

Julian had called me about fifteen times since I left his place and let me a bunch of messages that I used every will power of mine not to respond to, I was mad an I was allowed to be mad.

"I know I was wrong not to have texted him, but it also wasn't my fault cause you guys had my phone and he didn't want to understand that, and I just found myself snapping at him. I never would snap at Julian the way I did today, I don't know if maybe I hurt his feelings and-"

"Okay, okay, stop." Tae said, cutting me off. "I know you liked Julian, but you should not forget your own worth while you are stupidly crushing, and you should know when someone does something shitty or says something stupid or hurtful to you, don't just stand and take it, you gotta let them know you are not about that life."

"I agree." Katherine said, and I looked from Tae to her. "Men are dogs, and if you let him treat you like his bitch, you will be his bitch. And trust me, you do not want to be a man's bitch except if you all are in a sub and dom relationship." She said and took a sip from her smoothie.

"She's not lying." Tae said and I frowned.

"How are you both so alike, yet so different." I found myself asking.

"We both have a working brain." Katherine shrugged. "Maybe get you one."

My jaw dropped, while she smirked.

"Katherine! Don't do my boy like that." Tae said, and she laughed.

"Bitch." I chortled.

"I'm just saying. Love will make you act like you don't have some braincells, you don't wanna be that person." Katherine shrugged. "Anyways, Tae." She turned her gaze to him. "You had something to tell us?"

"Hmmph, that's right." I also looked at him, waiting for it.

"It can wait," he said with a smile. "Let's hang out again tonight."

"Please, I don't want no MDMA or molly, or...whatever other name is there for it."

"methylenedioxymethamphetamine." Katherine said.

"Nobody really calls it that." Tae chimes in. "Katherine is just trying to be a smart ass."

"Oh, I know." I replied while Katherine smiled. "My mom would kill me if she smells that shit on me."

"You're still alive." Tae said.

"Yeah, cause I showered at Tony's."

"Okay, no molly." Tae nodded.

"It's like a Saturday, I should be studying and shit."

"You study all the time, Vincent." Katherine rolled her eyes. "Take the weekend off to have some fun."

I pouted. "I mean—I—, what would we even do?"

"A club." Tae smiled.

"Nah, we did a club last night." Katherine said.

"Maybe we could hang out at one of our houses?" I said with a shrug.

"And do what?" Tae chuckled. "Isn't Xavier throwing a party tomorrow night?" Tae asked.

I frowned in disgust. "Didn't Xavier throw a party like...two weeks ago?"

Katherine shrugged and ate a french fry. "It's Xavier, he's pathetic."

"I hate his fucking guts."

"Me and you both." Katherine said, and we rose our drinks to that.

"Well then, since we all don't like Xavier, then let's go to that failed abortion's party then." Tae smirked.

"He didn't invite me." I told him.

"Me neither." Tae shrugged. "So, it's a crash."

"I have....never crashed a person's party before." I uneasily said.

"How many parties have you been to?" Katherine asked and I just pouted in response.

"Good thing I crash parties." Tae beamed.

"So, Xavier's party it is."

"He's like....homophobic." I grimaced in disgust.

"So is Trump,"

"And my mom." Tae added.

"We are just going there to have some fun, and we'll be out of there afterwards." Katherine shrugged.

"How do you deal with it?" I asked Tae.

"Deal with what?"

"Being openly gay when our school is like homophobic."

Tae shrugged. "I'm rich." He answered. "I hate that that is the answer but it is, and I could land any one of them in jail and ruin their lives. Plus, they are stupid. 'He's not hundred percent gay, so he is sort of one of us,' which makes no sense at all when they say it, so I don't really like to associate myself with the beings at our school." He sighed.

"I have been okay with being by myself. They wanna be friends, I don't." He shrugged. "I don't let anyone have any power over me, plus I'm out, so I have nothing to hide to other people."

"Hmm. Well, I'm not rich, so I'll be in the closet."

"Wow." Katherine blinked a couple times. "It's how that's what you picked out of everything he said."

Now, I'm your normal average gay teenager who has never done anything asides reading to get into college and you know, the normal basic thing an introverted person would do, or a broke person. And then, I had to go pick these two as my friends, actually I didn't pick them, they picked me and I feel like I am gonna be in for a long ride.

If my mother finds out I took molly, she'll probably ship me to an orphanage home in another country, or probably take me to rehab even though there hasn't been a second time. She probably wouldn't take me to rehab cause we poor, so I don't know, but it wouldn't be good.

I have never thought I could ever have and want more fun in my life like this moment. I have never crashed a party before, let alone attended one that isn't Julian's, because I'm at home trying to find out what the electronic structures of high-temperature superconductors at various points on their phase diagrams are, or something else. Even at Julian's, I end up just being in his room like 95% of the party.

Now, what I didn't know at this moment as I ate and laughed with my new friends was that my life was completely about to change, like full on change, and was it a good kind? Well.

"I'm guessing you have what you are gonna wear?" Tae asked me and I nodded.

"Mmhmm. I have the perfect outfit in mind." I said with a grin.

♦️ JUST FRIENDS ♦️
SUNDAY NIGHT

"Are you kidding me?" Tae cocked his brows at me. "This is the perfect outfit you had all planned out?"

"Isn't it like what all the teenagers wear to parties? I even googled it, and they told me to wear something comfortable."

Katherine folded her arms. "You are my friend, Vincent, if you were not, I would tell you you looked amazing."

I looked down at my outfit and at her. "It that bad?" I was wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and a blue jean shirt with white shoes.

"No," Tae shook his head. "It's just really normal and boring, but that's okay, because you my love, you are also normal and boring, for now." He said as he put an arm around my shoulder.

"Fuck you." I elbowed him in the ribs and he moved away.

"Going somewhere?" I heard behind me and I swiftly turned.

Victor was looking at me with furrowed brows, a cup of something that definitely was not water in his hand. That's right. I had forgotten to mention it to Victor that I had a party.

"Hi," Katherine gave him a small wave.

"Oh hey, you're that girl who was on top of him. Hi." He smiled.

"On top of him?" Tae cocked his brow, curiously. "Why was Katherine on top of you?" He asked, whispering in my ear and I pushed him back.

"Uh, so, one sec." I told the guys and walked over to Victor. "Please follow me." I said as we walked to the kitchen. "So, I um, I kinda have.....a party to go to tonight."

Victors brows shot up as he just stared at me with a blank expression. "You have a party?"

"Mmhmm."

I awaited his "no" and speech about mom or something and school but he just laughed.

"Wow. You are finally getting out of his damn house and having a life, I couldn't be more proud."

I blinked, confused. "Um,"

"Sure. I'll just tell mom you had like some crucial assignment and you are staying at Julian's again, don't worry."

"Aren't you working today, it's a Saturday?"

"I start at 12am, don't worry about me."

"Wait, why do you think I wont be coming home?"

"Cause you didn't Friday night, and I know you weren't at Julian's, so." He shrugged.

"How did you know?"

"Cause Julian called me."

I gulped. "I—I just-"

"It's alright, you don't have to explain." He chuckled. "Just go out with your friends and have fun, and be happy and do your shit, but be careful alright."

I smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

"Of course." He said and I hugged him, I quickly left the kitchen and went to the guys.

"Okay, let's go."

"Oh, and take care of his ass." Victor said to Tae and Katherine.

"We will." Tae replied.

"One more thing," Victor said and I turned to him with a frustrated sigh.

"What is it?"

"How is it your friends look like models and you look like......a teenager."

"Because I am a teenager."

"You dress like Clay Jensen. They are teenagers too, and you look like the maid."

"I told you." Tae said and I glared at him

"Hold on." Victor said and walked up the stairs.

"Your brother is kinda hot." Tae said.

"He is." Katherine agreed.

"Please don't crush on my brother."

"Don't worry, you are way hotter." Tae's hand was back to being around my shoulder.

I tried not to smile.

"Sorry," Victor returned with a leather jacket and some high boots. "Put these on."

"Victor, you don't have to give me your stuff."

"I'm doing it so they don't look bad walking with you, hurry and go change."

Of course.

Katherine was wearing a black leather jumpsuit that had no sleeves and went all the way to her neck, with high black boots, a black shirt on which she didn't button and tied around her stomach. Her makeup flawless and hair down. While Tae was wearing a white flay highwaist pants with a see through shirt, and a white blazer with black boots and black eyeliner.

I see what he meant. They were so extra.

"Asshole." I muttered and began going back to my room to change.

"I'll go with him." Katherine said and followed me.

Up in my room, Katherine had me change my pants to a black one, I changed my shirt to a black one as well, then the leather jacket and the shoes Victor had given me. She took off one of her bracelets which turned out to be a necklace she had rolled a couple times on her hand, and put it around my neck.

"Isn't this like....too much?" I asked her.

"Honestly, it's not even close. But never forget, you are never overdressed, everyone else is just underdressed." She told me. "Now come on, we have a party to crash, if you were out, I'd have done you some eyeliner." She said and opened the door, walking out while I followed behind her. "And walk with confidence, it always makes a person look better in what they wearing." She told me.

I nodded. "Got it." I swallowed.

Walk with confidence, always makes a person look better in what they are wearing.

I had never heard that before, but it made a lot of sense because you don't want your clothes wearing you.

"Aha! Better." Victor smiled. "You don't look like a boring main character from a stupid Netflix show." He said, and I gave him the middle finger.

"You look....wow." Tae said and I smiled.

"Thanks. It's giving emo, but well, Katherine dressed me up, so." I shrugged.

"Now come on guys, I think we've stayed enough, we should go crash this party." Katherine said as she opened the door and began to leave.

"Wait," Victor frowned. "You weren't invited."

I pouted. "Well,"

Victor chuckled. "That is so cool." He said and I grinned.

"Bye loser." I said as I walked out and shut the door behind me.

"You know, you are really handsome, so, don't ever feel like you're not." Tae told me as we made our way to his car.

"Thanks." I replied. "You are not so bad yourself."

"Oh, I know." He said, and dressed his hair.

I laughed.

♦️ JUST FRIENDS ♦️

We arrived at the party sometime around nine thirty, and when we walked in, we kinda got the stares and I am not one for being noticed, being the centre of attention, so it made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable with everything I also had on. I wasn't in the shadows, plus I was with Katherine and Tae, they were never in the shadows.

"Don't look intimidated," Tae whispered to me with a smirk. "Be intimidating." He said.

I have never been to Xavier's house before, I heard you don't exactly show up to his house unless he invites you. His house was neat, pretty actually, looked just like any other rich house.  There were a lot of people here, almost like the entire school had been invited, well the relevant ones who were on Xavier's good book anyways, not the ones he did not care about. Like the nerds, or the ones in music class, or the people pleasers. If you were not a bad bitch, rich, his dogs or minions, you weren't really on his list.

There was a song being played loudly and honestly, I couldn't give a fuck who it was, I was more focused on staying sane at fucking Xavier's party. 

"Let's go get us some drinks." Katherine said as she began walking like she knew the way, and so we followed.

"I don't know which is better, the club or a school party." I said as we made our way to the kitchen.

"I would say the club." Tae replied.

"Definitely." I agreed.

I leaned against the counter, feeling a bit uncomfortable and out of place as I looked around at the familiar and unfamiliar faces, grimacing and judging hard. I know I shouldn't have been, but this is my head and it is okay to admit that I was judging hard as I watched one of the boys slid his hand into the skirt of the blonde girl he was making out with against the wall.

"Loosen up." Tae whispered to me.

"Sorry, I just don't like to be around people I know." I said as Katherine handed me a red cup. "What's in this?"

She smiled. "Malt."

"Thanks." I said and was about to take a sip when the smell hit me hard and I pulled the cup away from me. "Katherine! That is not malt!"

"You....really thought that was Malt? Wow." Tae blinked.

"You gotta loosen up, alcohol helps." Katherine said as she took a sip from her own cup and so did Tae.

"It smells like misfortune." I said, sniffing it again and almost throwing up.

"It's not that bad." Tae assured me. "It's just Vodka, and if you like chocolate, you're in luck, it's the flavour." He said with a smile.

"I do like chocolate." I muttered.

"And then trust me, love." He winked and put an arm around me.

I was about to take a huge sip when he stopped me. "Don't gulp it down, it's not Malt." He said and I nodded, and took a sip.

It hit me like I was doing cocaine, do I know what it's like to do cocaine? No. But I assume it's something like this. "Wow." I blinked. "It's....hot!"

"But you taste the chocolate, huh?" Katherine asked.

"Doesn't change the fact that it's hot and tastes like.....ice-cream with drugs in it."

Tae laughed. "You are officially my favourite, sorry Katherine."

She scoffed. "Whatever."

"You all better not start fighting over me, I know I'm amazing but I'm available for you both." I said and Tae chuckled.

"Please, without us, you'd be in the dark trying to find out if Einstein had a bastard child." Katherine said and I frowned.

"You're almost right, but wrong." I told her.

"He'd probably be watching gay porn." Tae said and I instantly turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"Lower your voice, will you? We not the only ones here." I said.

"My voice wasn't loud, Vinnie, you are just paranoid. But, I apologise, Narnia." He said and I rolled my eyes at him, smacking his arm and he laughed.

"Vincent?"

I turned with a smile to the voice calling me and standing some feet away from me was Julian with a confused expression on his face, and my smile slowly disappeared.

"You are...here?" He seemed shocked, honestly a week ago me would be shocked too.

"Why shouldn't he be? It's a party." Katherine shot. "You're here."

"Um, oh! I uh...I was just s-surprised." He stuttered.

"Why? Expecting him to die in his bedroom?" Tae asked, while I just stood there.

This was getting.....tensed.

"Um, no not that." Julian nervously chuckled and looked at me for help, but I just looked away. "Um, if you guys don't mind, can I have a couple minutes to talk to Vince?"

"I do mind." Tae gave him a smile. "We do mind."

"You can say what you wanna say to him," Katherine shrugged. "Here."

"I—"

"Guys," I turned to them. "It's okay, it'll just be a couple minutes."

"Seriously?" Tae gave me a disappointed look.

"I'll be okay." I told him.

"Don't let him gaslight you, that's all men do." He said to me, and I nodded.

"If you say so, love." Katherine said and looked at me. "Come find us when he's done." She said and began to leave, she stopped in-front of Jules and said with a threatening smile.

"Hurt him and I'll hurt you too, it's my field." She said and walked past him, while Tae gave him a look of distain and just walked past him.

"Wow." Julian's brows flew up. "Um, they seem really nice."

"Cause they are."

"And protective of you."

"Because they are. They are my friends," I said, not sparing him a glance.  "What do you want, Decker?"

"You weren't answering my calls or replying my texts." He said and this time I looked at him.

"Gee. I wonder why."

"You've never been mad at me for this long." He said, his voice low. "I'm sorry."

I said nothing.

"I did not mean to be an asshole, I just miss hanging out with you and nothing can excuse me being a dick." He said, not taking his eyes off me. "I miss you."

Now, I was biting my inner cheek because I knew I was gonna betray myself and forgive him. I missed him too, and I really couldn't be mad at him for long. I grew up with this boy, most importantly; I love this boy, and so I was fucking done for.

I looked at him and he had a soft smile on his face, his eyes filled with guilt while I just stared at him. I hated seeing him sad, especially because of me. I was so in love with this boy, and I knew the next thing that was gonna come out my mouth was-

"I forgive you." I said. "I'm not....like...okay, I was mad mad, because you just didn't wanna listen and all I do is listen when it comes to you. And, I cannot exactly stay mad at you for long anyways." I smiled at him.

Julian smiled widely and pulled me into a tight hug. "I'm sorry I was a dick."

"You owe me lunch for like a month."

"Eat the rich, huh?"

"You know." I said with a laugh as we pulled away from each other.

"Besides, Olivia said she would kill me if we breakup as friends."

"And I believe her. She loves me more than you sometimes." I said with a shrug.

"True." He said and looked at my cup. "What are you drinking."

"Chocolate flavoured vodka."

"Ooooouuuu." He grinned. "Look at you."

"Shut up." I smacked his chest.

"You do know this is Xavier's party, right?" Julian asked with a frown.

I sighed. "I know."

"You hate hate his guts."

I sighed again. "I know. I'm crashing his party."

Julian laughed. "This not how to crash a party."

"Well, I don't go to parties, you know that." I shrugged.

"You crash by doing things you shouldn't be doing."

I frowned, confused. "Like what?"

"Dancing. Come on." He said and held my hand, pulling me along with him. My eyes were about to bulge of of their sockets as he pulled me with him.

"Wait—"