Arya came over an hour ago and we were just chilling on my couch, watching TV and drinking Dr. Pepper or beer.

She had been coming over to my apartment whenever she wasn't in class, at her Bharatanatyam lessons, doing school work or in the presence of Mr. Gupta and Tejal. Anything to get away from Aarav, who I hadn't run into ever since the gas station incident.

        I was grateful for that.

        "Thanks for this, Darian," Arya said after bringing her beer down from her lips. "It means a lot to me that you're here."

        "Don't even mention it." I placed my arm behind the couch as I sat comfortably. "I appreciate you trusting me and letting me know what's going on. There's also something I'll like to tell you." Her focus switched from her beer to me. "You trusted me enough to tell me something so personal, so I can do the same."

        "What is it?" A smirk took over Arya's face. "Don't tell me you have some kinky fetish."

        I chuckled. "Not quite." She brought her beer up to drink. "I'm gay."

        Arya paused, her eyes glued to me for a couple seconds before she brought her drink down. "I'm not surprised."

        "What?" My head snapped in her direction. "How?"

        "Puh-lease." Arya placed her drink on the table so she could face me. "Darian, you're the perfect example of a gay man passing off as straight and being a douchebag because he can't accept his sexuality." I gaped at her, not believing what I was hearing. "Plus, you were way too obsessed with Kenji in middle school to be straight."

        "I was not!"

"Obsessed" was a little harsh.

        "Yes, you were," she said. "Everything was Kenji, Kenji, Kenji. It was annoying as fuck."

        I wasn't that obvious about my feelings.

        Was I?

        "Trust me, Darian," Arya went on, "if we didn't live in such a hetero-normative world, everyone would have known you had a crush on Kenji."

        "How do you know I like Kenji?"

        I never told this chick.

        Arya narrowed her eyes with pursed lips. "Darian, you just told me you're gay, and you were obsessed with Kenji in middle school. It's called putting two and two together. Duh." My mouth stayed opened, still in disbelief. "Don't worry, I never had it in the forefront of my mind that you were gay, but now that you've told me, I'm not surprised."

        I leaned back some more in the couch. "Well, here's something you won't expect. Kenji and I are talking."

        "Ah," Arya said with a bob of her head. "So Kenji is gay, too."

        "No," I said. "I don't know what that guy is, but he likes me, and that's all I care about."

        Arya rolled her eyes. "I always knew you two had a thing for each other, but I was hoping you'll snap out of it."

        I frowned. "Just because you have beef with Kenji doesn't mean I do."

        "Last I heard from Aaron, you had the most beef with him junior year."

        My frowned deepened. I didn't want to be reminded of that awful time in both of our lives. I felt like an ass for it. I would always feel that way, and it sucked that I couldn't take any of it back.

        I texted Aaron earlier for him to come over since Arya was here. I was trying to help my boy out. Maybe I shouldn't have since he had such a big mouth.

        "I'm gonna use the bathroom." Arya stood up and walked confidently to the restroom as if she didn't say anything.

        As soon as the bathroom door closed, my doorbell rang, and I sighed as I got up on my feet. Unless it was Kenji, I didn't want to move. However, I still trudged to the door and opened it. I was whiplashed to see Clay in front of me, grinning like a fool.

        The hell?

        I walked for this dude.

        Even though we hung out and all, that didn't mean I was cool with Clay.

        Every time I saw his face, I couldn't help but imagine him sucking Kenji off or Kenji sucking him off. I didn't want to envision that shit.

        "Hey, Darian," Clay said as he walked in, patting my shoulder on the way. I closed the door behind him, and he turned around to face me, his grin never faltering. "What's up?"

        I shrugged. "Nothing much."

        I wasn't going to tell him Arya was here. I didn't plan on him staying long enough to find out.

        "Oh..." Clay glanced around the apartment, and his eyes stopped on the Dr. Pepper and beer. He grinned back at me. "Are you hiding company or are those two drinks yours?"

        "Why does it concern you?" My voice and expression lacked emotion, making Clay's grin waver.

        "Okay..." Clay's eyes continued to scan my apartment.

        I furrowed my brows together. "Clay," I said making him return his gaze to me, "why are you here? Or are you only interested in scooping out my apartment?"

        "Scooping out would be pretty cool, too." He chuckled, but my expression remained passive. Clay's face dropped, and he cleared his throat. "I thought I should stop by. We might as well become acquainted with each other again since you and Kenji are now a 'thing.'" I cocked my head to the side. "He told us you guys aren't official yet, but it's only a matter of time. Might as well get used to being around each other again."

        "We're not friends, Clay," I said. "I'm with Kenji, not you."

        The muscles in his face tensed. "I know..."

        "No, you don't," I said. "You think you can just bring yourself back into my life just because Kenji is now in it? A couple nights of hanging out and a mutual friend, and you suddenly think we can be bff's again?"

        Clay slit his eyes. "What's your problem, Darian?"

        "I don't have a problem," I lied.

        "Yes, you do." He took a step forward, studying me. "You've always had a problem with me for some reason. Ever since middle school. You'll keep your distance and when we are together, you'll be snappy and mean. Even now, when Kenji says you're trying to leave behind your old ways, you're still being aloof towards me. What did I do?"

        "Nothing."

        I was getting tired of this conversation.

        "Bullshit!" Clay got in my face, and I sent him a sideways glance.

        "Personal space."

        "No," Clay barked, challenging me with his eyes.

        "Clay, back off," I said through gritted teeth.

        He didn't even flinch, and he held his own. If my anger wasn't so strong, I would have been proud of the balls he showed.

        "I'm not getting out of your face until you tell me what's up," he said. "I'm tired of your shit. If you have a problem with me, at least grow some balls and tell me why."

        "Clay..." I warned him one last time.

        "Darian..." He challenged again.

        "You don't want to get out of my face because you wanna suck me off, too?" I asked.

        Clay jerked his head back as if I just slapped him. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

        I inhaled slowly at his ignorance. He and Kenji did all those things in middle school, and he was being oblivious. Or he was lying to my face, which pissed me off more.

        "Now, it's your turn to cut the bullshit!" I moved in on him, leaving only a few inches between us.

        "You're crazy." Clay snorted. "I seriously don't know what you're talking about."

        I groaned into my fists out of annoyance. That was it. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Cut the crap, Clay! I know about you and Kenji's little 'fling' in middle school." His eyes went round, but he quickly tried to mask it. "And don't you dare try denying it. I saw you two with my own eyes. I know it wasn't just a one-time thing either. You two snuck off together too often for it to only happen once."

        "Darian..."

        "Don't even," I said, cutting him off with my hand. "I don't wanna hear it. I know about it, and I'm finally calling you out on it."

        "That's what this is about?" Clay asked. "You see me as a threat to you and Kenji, just like Rosalyn was a threat?" I glared at him harder, pissed that he was partially right. "You've been an ass to me this whole time because you think I'm going to take Kenji away from you?"

        "Stop trying to analyze me!" I hollered, throwing my arms up. "What the hell are you? A psychologist?!"

         "No, I just have a brain!" Clay shouted back. "I don't want Kenji like that. I'm straight. I have a few 'tendencies,' but I like girls. Alissa specifically." He smirked, pissing me off more. "I'm not gonna take your man. You can have him because I have my ride or die chick, Alissa." That didn't put me at ease. It only irked me further. "Man, you're funny." Clay patted my arm, smiling again. "Glad that's cleared up. How cute." He fake-pouted at me. "Darian thinks I'm going to steal his boyfriend."

        "Man, shut the fuck up!"

        Clay laughed, thinking I was joking.

        Did my face look funny or was this guy dumber than Aaron?

        "Chill." He raised his hands up. "Man, I still can't believe it." He shook his head. "I would have never expected you to be gay, especially for Kenji of all people." I clenched my fists. "Not only that, but you're afraid of me taking him from you." Clay was cracking up. "This is too funny."

        "Do you think I'm fucking joking?!" I yelled in his face. "I don't like you!" Clay's expression dropped. "I stopped liking you after I saw him jerking you off! Get it through your dumb skull!" I jabbed two fingers into his forehead to emphasize my last point.

        "That was in the past, Darian," he said. "That was more than four years ago. We were horny teenage boys just discovering sex and our bodies, and our luck was running low with the ladies and—"

         "I said shut the fuck up!" I interrupted him. "I don't need no back story on how this shit started."

        "Darian—"

        "All I care about is that it happened." I shot daggers at him. "I don't care what you say. At the end of the day, you touched Kenji. I don't care if you have Alissa. I don't care if it was four years ago. I don't care of Kenji is closer to me. I don't fucking care. Get out of my damn apartment."

        There. I said it. I had wanted to say that for years.

        I leaned back, holding eye contact with him as I waited for him to follow my instructions.

        "You know what," Clay said after some time, "you and Arya deserve each other. You're both assholes and don't deserve company from anyone. We don't need you. Fuck you, Darian."

         I smirked. "Why don't you do it? As long as you aren't fucking Kenji."

        He squinted his eyes. "When you become less of an insecure little bitch, then you have a shot with me." He walked past me, making sure to bump into my shoulder.

        Clay grew balls.

        I didn't glance back as he violently opened my door and slammed it behind him. I stood there, not believing that it happened. I was relieved I got it off my chest, but at the same time, guilt consumed me.

         I didn't know why though. Clay deserved it.

I didn't like him anymore. We could never go back to the friendship we had before I found out about his and Kenji's fling.

         It sucked, but that was how things were going to be from now on.

         My eyes finally landed on Arya standing in the hallway with wide eyes. "How much did you hear?" I approached her.

         It took her a couple seconds to respond. "More than enough. Did it really happen?" She walked to meet me halfway. "Where Clay and Kenji really jerking each other off in middle school?" She stopped in front of me with her eyes lighting up. I leaned back, sending her a weird look.

         She looked too excited.

         I wouldn't have been surprised if Arya was one of those girls who were into gay novels and shit like that.

         "Yeah," I finally said.

         "Man..." Arya snickered with a look of disbelief. "So much is going on. So many damn secrets!"

         "Tell me about it," I muttered, and the front door opened.

         Damn Clay. Leaving my door open. Like another idiot I knew.

         I turned around as Arya's gaze moved to the dumbass who entered my apartment uninvited. A blank look crossed my face when I saw Aaron grinning at me and Arya.

         One fool summoned the other.

        "What's up?!" Aaron gave me dap, but I let him do most of the work. I was exhausted with everyone at the moment.

         The only person I cared about being bothered by was Kenji. Before I could smile at the thought of him, Aaron pushed me aside to pull Arya into a bear hug. "Arya!" he shouted while holding her tightly.

        I glared at the idiotic blonde. I wasn't a fucking ragdoll to be pushed around.

        I would have decked the dude in the head but the sight in front of me stopped my assault.

        Aaron buried his face into her neck as she did the same to him, giggling. Aaron was laughing, too, while caressing her sides. It was really sweet, and I almost smiled, but I stopped myself.

         Darian Ansel wasn't mushy on the outside.

        I did enough of that on the inside.

         When the two finally pulled back, we moved onto the couch and sat down with Aaron grabbing a beer for himself and getting comfortable sitting between me and Arya with his dirty-ass shoes on my table. If I wasn't so exhausted and done with everything, I would have given the motherfucker a piece of my mind.

        We watched Catfish, and throughout the show, Aaron was being a little too close to Arya. He always found reasons to touch her, even if it was just rubbing her thigh or playing with her hair. Arya usually wasn't a fan of people touching her, but she didn't resist.

        They looked like a fucking couple. Fuck buddies didn't do this shit.

        I kept an eye on them and when Arya got up to walk to the kitchen, I followed her. Aaron's eyes watched her walk off, and he didn't even pay me any attention.

         Hell. I wouldn't pay me attention either. I wasn't the one getting the fool laid.

         Once Arya and I were in the kitchen, I followed her to the sink and watched her grab a bowl from the drying rack. "Why are you following me like some creep, Darian?" she asked as she took some cereal out of the pantry.

        I watched her pour the cereal into the bowl with a horrified expression. "Cereal so late?" Then something else hit me. "Aren't you drinking beer? Cereal and beer?"

        That sounded nasty as fuck.

        "I can do whatever the hell I want," she said. "You still haven't answered my question. Why're you being creepy?"

        "You and Aaron," I said as she got the milk. "How are things between you guys?"

        Arya shrugged as she poured the milk into the bowl of cereal. "Same old same old. I haven't called for his services in a while, but we're good."

        Services?

        She made him sound like a prostitute.

        "Are you guys more serious now?"

Arya halted her stirring and turned to face me.

        "No," she said with a blank stare, and I sent her a look, not convinced at all. "We're still pretty casual, and if I need a good fuck, I'll call him." Arya smirked and grabbed her bowl. "And I plan on keeping it that way." She bumped her shoulder into mine before turning to walk out of the kitchen with her bowl of cereal.

        I shook my head at the fact that this girl thought she could fool me. I rolled my eyes as I made my way back to the living room couch. As expected, Aaron's hand was on Arya's leg as she sat crisscrossed, munching on her cereal and focusing on the TV.

Girl really liked this show.

        I joined them as if nothing happened, but I snuck a couple peeks their way every now and then. They were never more than three inches apart. Arya was so focused on Catfish, that she didn't realize her beer was finished. Once she realized the bottle was empty, she placed it aside, gaze still forward. Aaron grabbed his beer and brought it to her lips.

Arya gladly drank from it, but her eyes remained on the screen while Aaron's were on her.

Damn. I felt like I was intruding. And it was my fucking apartment.

        They both thought it was just "casual."

        Yeah, right.

        "Casual" my ass.

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* What do you guys think about Arya and Darian's new dynamic? That altercation between Darian and Clay? Secrets being exposed? Aaron and Arya and that last scene?

* I've really been in a Loving a Goon mood lately, so I'm going to take advantage of that.

* Song is "You Are My Enemy" by Hopsin