Chain Reaction 3.1.23: Incorrigible Puppy

Michael

     I've tried calling Ivy a few more times over the next few weeks. As expected, she never calls me back. I don't leave a message every time--but probably more than I should.

     One day, I was walking down by the lake, and I saw her. She saw me. She stopped what she was doing, gave me an 'eat dung' look, turned about-face, and walked away. I let her go.

     But I did leave another message on her phone.

     Winter hasn't been easy for me. I've finished unscrambling everything for Aunt Em, and Uncle Alex says he plans on employing me in future for some unknown purpose. He claims he wants to finish writing a book about all his experiences. In the meantime, they provide me with financial help--as if I'm still doing work for them even though I'm not.

    So, in essence, I have too much time on my hands. I occasionally find myself at the spa.

      When what to my wondering eyes should appear--Ivy! I grin. I think I'll get a foot massage today. My impish grin still in place, I walk into the room.

     She sees me and utters an 'oh no' under her breath.

     I pretend to be surprised. "Ivy! Well, what a coincidence."

    "You know, Mike, part of your SimTuber charm is that you are a terrible actor."

     "Part of my 'charm'? Why, thank you, Ivy." The lady massaging Ivy's hand lets out a tiny giggle.

     "Ugh. Why are you here? Are you stalking me?"

     "In perfect honesty, no. I like this spa." I see the other spa attendant walking up to me, looking like she'd rather do anything but work today. I ask her for a foot massage. She wordlessly points to the chair.

     I feel like the only person who is pleased by my presence is the lady massaging Ivy's hand. Since I suspect that Ivy expects me to keep talking and annoy her, I stay quiet. For now.

     But she doesn't. "So what's the matter? Darrin not keeping you busy enough?"

     I pretend to think. "Darrin... Darrin... Hm. Where have I heard that name before?"

     The other masseuse bites her lip to stop the laughing.

     "Oh yeah! That Darrin!" I lean forward and loudly whisper to the lady giving me my foot rub, "Darrin is my ex-boyfriend." She doesn't care, and now she looks super-annoyed since I probably flashed her. Oh well. I'm not shy. I once again speak to Ivy, "Well, if you'd listened to my messages, you'd know he and I never got back together. In fact, the whole thing makes me furious. Um, 'drives me up the wall.'" I use her catch phrase.

     "Well, good. You deserve it."

     "Aw, well, that's not very nice, Ivy."

     "I warned you. You shouldn't have gone chasing after him."

     "You're absolutely right. Which is why now I'm chasing after you."

     "Fat lot good it'll do you." Out of the corner of my eye, I see her pinked cheeks belying her nonchalance about the whole thing.

     I can't stop my relaxed sigh. I can pretend it's all because of the massage, but truly, it was that blush. I can and will get Ivy back. Part of me wonders why I'm trying, why am I not going after someone else entirely, but the other half knows it's because I was really starting to like Ivy during the short time we dated. That, and I'm probably a bit stubborn.

    I smile, looking forward to getting her back. "So do you have any plans after this?"

    "If I do, it's none of your concern."

    "I'm only asking because I'm bored."

    "Again, not my problem."

    "Do you have any suggestions?"

    "Yeah. Go jump off a cliff." She stands up, finished.

    And I decide to change gears.

     I imagine I'm speaking these words right into her ear, my voice lower and infinitely more serious. "Ivy, you are quite possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and I know that if I give up on you, it would be one of the biggest mistakes I could ever make. I realized where I messed up, and I don't want to live the rest of my life without you. I wish you would give me another chance to be the kind of man you need."

    The lady that was once massaging Ivy's hand sits slowly down in her chair, and I see in my peripherals how she stares at me with wide eyes. I wonder if anyone's ever said anything like that to her. She then looks at Ivy like if Ivy walks out of here after that, she's going to string her up. The lady massaging my feet decides she's finished, and she drops my foot to the floor. 'Go get her,' she mouths to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy a stack of romance novels, probably their preferred reading material when they don't have any clients.

    I stand up, ready to chase after Ivy if she walks out of here, but she doesn't.

     "Why do you do this to me?"

     "What am I doing?" I want to know specifically what she's talking about.

     "The calls. The texts. The messages. I told you not to."

     "And I believe I told you that I was going to keep trying. Honestly, Ivy. Haven't I learned my lesson? Don't you believe in giving someone a second chance?" The two other ladies pretend to be busy with straightening up their workspace, but I know they're listening intently to our conversation. "I was hurt, but it was probably karma because I also wound up hurting you."

     She puts her hands over her face. When they pull back, she's wiping under her eyes.

      "And after all those horrible things he said to me. I can't believe you went back to him. I'm not going to be anyone's second choice, Mike."
      "You're not my second choice. I made a mistake." Yeah. Big mistake. I still can't believe how cold Darrin was that following morning.

     I catch her eyes. "There's a bar next door. We could go grab a few drinks. And talk. I'll even let you chew me out if you would agree to just spend a little time with me."
     "Mike, you are the most incorrigible... puppy!" She tries not to laugh at herself and fails. "Fine! Go get some clothes on, and I'll meet you at the front door."
     "Yes, ma'am." I grin then dash to the men's changing room, where I frantically get dressed, scared she'll pull a disappearing act if I take too long.
    I don't. And she doesn't. And we walk into the snow to the bar.

     Once at the bar, she talks incessantly. I take it as a good sign because she'd once told me that typically means she's nervous. My only distraction from her pretty face is the people calling drink orders out between us. I think we need to get away from the bar proper.

      She suddenly gets quiet and closes her eyes. "I've been talking your ear off. Sorry."
      "No, it's fine. Believe me. My only complaint is that sometimes I have trouble hearing you. It's getting nothing but more crowded around here." I turn my head and look up. "They look like they have a second floor, a mezzanine of sorts. We could go sit up there. I'll bet it's quieter."
     She glances up there. "Yeah. But that's where people usually go to make out."
     I chuckle. "And...?"
     She does nothing but blink at me. We're finished with our drinks, so I take her hand and have her follow me up the stairs.

     "Well, this is cozy," she says, looking around.
     "Yeah. Plenty of room to stttrreeeeetccchhh."

     "Really, Mike?" She knew exactly what I was doing, but I don't care.
     "Yes." I gaze upon her flawless skin, wishing I could run my lips against her cheek.
     "I never said I we were getting back together. Yet you're taking liberties anyway."
     "Yeah." I do lean forward and lightly do what I wished to do, kissing her occasionally.
     "And now you seem to think we're going to make out."
     "Uh huh."

     At last. At long last, I'm kissing Ivy again. She kisses me back, but she's more cautious about it. I don't mind. I don't really blame her. But as the kiss goes on, I lean more into her, taking her sweet mouth. It's all I can do to keep my hands in neutral territory.
    "Mm!" She tries to talk, but I won't let up. It's only when she pushes on my chest while backing her head up at the same time do our lips separate.

     "Mike, we still need to talk."
     "Mhm." It's not that I don't agree with her. It's just her lips are calling me.
     I kiss her again, but she once more pushes me back. "And we can't do that if we're kissing."
     "Okay." I compromise with her neck, smelling her hair, bringing my nose just behind her ear. I breathe in again. "So talk," I say before slowly kissing her down to her collarbone. I don't have to be kissing her lips. Oh so much more of her I haven't kissed yet.
     Her breathing is heavy. "You're not making it easy for me."
     "I never said I would." I grin. I am having a superiorly hard time keeping my hands under control.
     I'd keep going, but the honest pleading in her voice makes me pause, "Mike, please."

     "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"
     "It's more that I have some questions."
     "Okay. What do you need to know?" I only had the one drink, but it's enough to make me just a little fuzzy. Super-relaxed.
     "Are you completely finished with Darrin?"
     "Most definitely, yes." Darrin's an as*hole.
     "Is Darrin completely finished with you?"
     "I hope so. I told him under no uncertain terms that I wanted him out of my life. I told him I'd file a restraining order if I had to." I reach up and stroke her cheek with my finger. "Forget about that as*hole."
     "You filed a restraining order?"
     "No. I said I would if I had to. I haven't seen him, and I don't care to ever again."
     "So if I date you again, he's not going to come back into the picture. Right?"
     "Not if I can help it."
     "Because, Mike, that hurt."
     "I'm so sorry. Give me another chance to make it up to you." I hold her chin and lightly kiss her.
     "Mike, your eyes are my kyrptonite. I worry you know this."
     I smile. "I guess it's all part of being an incorrigible puppy." I lick her cheek like a dog, and she squeals an 'ew.' I laugh. "So is that a yes?"
     "That's an agreement for a test run."
     "I'll take it."

     She's a little more into the kiss this time. I'm so glad.
     A test run. I'll pass the test. I don't care if Darrin comes begging on his knees and sucking my toes; he's never coming back into my life.

Chain Reaction 3.1.22: Friendship Woes

     The late-night DJ attracts a small crowd, and a really cute blonde shows up. Chaz goes up and says something in her ear. Then he does a head movement to Trey, indicating that he should come over.

     It's like a role-reversal. It used to be that Chaz was the most awkward loser around girls, and now, he's playing wingman?
     As usual, Trey is an idiot, pulling out a clump of mistletoe, right in front of everyone.

     But lucky for him, the blonde sees his idiocy as cute. She giggles and leans forward to kiss him. Then she pulls back, and Trey really goes for it.

     It all just makes me miss Kate. She still has that ridiculous curfew, not to mention she really doesn't like hanging out with my friends. She can't stand Trey's antics, and Dirk is typically less-bearable when around Trey. And she says Chaz makes her nervous because he still has a tendency to stare.
     I'm thirsty, so I walk over to the little bar.

     Plus, I'm still dealing with that whole story about what happened when Trey and Chaz went to the sorority house. It's really hard to believe. He had to have been making some of that up, right?
     Right?
     Dirk has walked over here too, maybe thinking I had a good idea. "Well, it looks like Trey is happy." For some reason, I've always seen Dirk as kind of the leader of the group, the 'alpha' if you will. Sure, he can sometimes act like an idiot, but it's usually in order to do something fun. Trey is our actual village idiot. Chaz used to be our 'charity case dork,' but that doesn't look true anymore. Does that make me the charity case? I see myself as the gloomy introvert.
     "Yeah. I guess being an idiot has to work sometime." I glance back at the two of them. I miss Kate. I love her, but why can't she be the kind of girl that's comfortable hanging out with all of us?
     Dirk chuckles. "Yeah, he's a little high voltage, isn't he?" Dirk has been dating Lizette. He doesn't come out and say it, but I think it's starting to bother him how promiscuous she is. I've since learned that that was a fantasy of hers to interrupt a guys' night by having every guy there bang her--what she did at my bonfire party. Something's not right with that girl. And I worry about Dirk. It wasn't true at the bonfire, but I think he's developing feelings for her.

     We get our drinks, and Dirk looks at Trey again. "He needs to get laid."
     "Mhm," I say into my drink.
     "So, how's it going with Kate?"
     I swallow wrong in shock, and I cough into my glass. Dirk pats my back hard, trying to help. I didn't expect him to ask that.
     "Sorry, man. It's just we never see her. I'm, you know, wondering why."
     How do I tell my friend that my girlfriend doesn't like my friends? "Uh... She, uh, she feels like she doesn't fit in." That works.
     He shrugs. "I don't know. We're all so different anyway. I kinda was uh... just wondering cuz... Lizette wants to hang with us, but the idea..."
     "Of she and one of us getting together with her bothers you. Well, maybe not with me."
     He sighs, relieved I get it. "Yes."

     He buries himself in his stupid-looking, frou-frou drink.
     "I wish I knew what to tell you." Maybe find someone besides the town slut?
     He brings his glass back down. "I just thought, you know, if you bring Kate along sometimes, and she's obviously off-limits, maybe I could, you know, get that through to Trey about Lizette?"
     "Why not just tell him?" I pause. "Yeah. You're right. He'd see it as a challenge." I pause again. Since we're having an open moment drowned out by loud music, I have to ask, "Dude, why her?"
     He lets out a frustrated growl. "I don't know! Ugh! She drives me crazy. It's just she's so plumbing hot. And she has serious issues. She's incredibly nice and sweet if placed in the right, private, environment. I wanna help her, but dammit!"
     Looks like woohoo isn't enough for Dirk. I'd warn him to be careful, but I think it's already too late. Movies and musicals and books and plays and everything has been written about men falling in love with whores, and typically, the guy ends up really hurt.
     "I guess I can ask Kate again."
      Another relieved sigh. "Thanks, man."
      He's doomed.

     That conversation with Dirk inspired me, so I pull out my journal. A poem about frustration: it's freeform, and it's pretty bad. But it also helps me deal with my own problems by looking at someone else's. He has all the woohoo he wants, but he wants love. I have love, but I'm an incredibly-horny teenage guy.
     And Chaz just makes me mad! I scribble a long horizontal line on the page. Then another. Then another. Then I turn the page and just mash down the pen to make a bunch of lines. Meaningless woohoo! Dammit!
     With Kate and me, it would not be meaningless. But my every attempt at seduction fails in the presence of the ice princess. I hate that I'm even referring to her that way. Doesn't she have hormones? What is it that's lacking? What does she need? Marriage? Believe me, I'm all for it, but we're only teens.
     We're only teens. I sigh and faceplant on the page of my journal. Kate just isn't ready.

     We decide to meet out by some old ruins, and to my surprise, Kate decides to join us. Another surprise is that Chaz invites Kyra! She and I have hardly spoken the past six months or so, but we pick up being friends again like no time has passed.
     Chaz, who recently changed his hair, sighs happily. "I love the cold." Kyra walks over, holding the would-be head of snow over him, teasing like she's about to drop it on him. "Do it. I'm always soooo hot." This makes Kyra giggle.
     I stand up straightly. Uh... what? Is Chaz trying to flirt with Kyra? Did he just invite her here or are they on some kind of date? Since when does Kyra giggle like that? Since when does Kyra date? I remember clearly how she used to always giggle at me. I loved that giggle.
     Kate distracts me from my confusing thoughts. "So what are you going to name him?"
     Kyra corrects her. "It's a her." She pauses, considering. "And we're going to name her Granny Flowerpetals."
     I scratch the back of my head. "I've got no objections."
     "Chaz," Kyra says, "we need the stuff."
     "Huh? Oh yeah." He reaches into his deep pockets and pulls out 'the stuff.'

      After Kyra decorates the snow pal, Kate looks around at the ruins. "It's really getting cold."
      I get daring. "Well, don't worry, Kate. I can be hot enough for both of us."
      Both girls roll their eyes and make an exasperated noise. Chaz, the bastard, laughs.
      "Timing is everything, bro." He smiles at me while I think it's about 'time' I kicked him in the face.
     Kyra walks over to him. "Get outta the snow before you freeze, you big lug." She reaches down to help him up.
     "Lug?" He grins. "Me?" He reaches up for her hand--but only to pull her down on top of him. She lets out a little scream as she falls, and he laughs heartily.
     Why is he my friend? I watch in jealousy as he rolls her in the snow, on top of her now.
     "Chaz! Get off me before I un-man you!"
     I glance at Kate. She looks worried and like she doesn't know what to do.
     "Oh, baby, please try," Chaz groans and buries his face in her neck.
     Kyra starts getting really mad, and I start walking over to them. Chaz starts laughing and gets off her.
     "I was only playing." He stands up. "Here, let me help you up."
     "No thank you." She angrily gets herself up and walks away from us in a huff.
     Chaz looks at me and shrugs like he's saying 'whattaya gonna do' like he can't help himself. Then, he turns. "Kyyyyyrrrra! C'mon, I was only kidding!" He chases after her.
     Why do I have this insane jealousy? I have KATE, dammit. Just to make my jealous mind shut up, I walk over to Kate and surprise her with a kiss.

     A little while later, we all decide it is getting cold, and we want to build a bonfire. So we all go out looking for sticks and stuff to build it. I'm on one side of the wall when I hear something that makes me stop in my tracks.

     "Hey, Kate. I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you." Chaz is talking to my Kate. I can't exactly just dash out there and go all possessive, but I don't like it.
     "Um, okay?"
     "Did you know Kyra before today?"
     "I knew of her, but no, not really."
     "Well, she and Alaric used to be really close. Really close." What is he getting at? "And last summer, he tried to get her to go out with him, and she said no." How does he know this? I don't think I've mentioned it before. Did I?
     My wonderful Kate isn't stupid. "Why are you telling me this?"
     He sighs like he's a friend about to admit a hard truth. "Well, it's just... I was watching him earlier. A test, if you will. He still has lingering feelings for her."
     "What are you doing, Chaz? Why would you do that?"
     "I still care about you, Kate. I'm sorry. I can't help it. And I have to know if you're happy. And I have to do whatever I can to make you stay happy." I almost dash around the wall now, but I want to know what Kate will say to that.
     "I am happy, Chaz. Butt out." Yeah! Butt out! I knew I was right not to trust him!
     "You do realize she's his end-game, right?"
     It sounds like she's stopped walking and turned around. "What are you talking about?"

     "His 'end-game'? It means she's the one he's going to end up with." He sighs melodramatically. "It's written in the stars, and I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt."
     "You're full of it. And here I'd hoped you were past this nonsense. You're only doing this in a thinly-veiled attempt to get us to break up. Admit it!"
     I round the corner and see him look her in the eyes.
     "Of course I am. I have no trouble admitting it. I'll never stop caring for you, Kate. You're way too special to just let go easily."
     The ice princess is about to lay into him, but I beat her to it.

     "Really, 'bro'?! Hitting on my girlfriend? Trying to convince her I'm some loser who's going to break her heart? You can't stoop any lower! I oughta kick your ass here and now for trying to pull something like that."
     "Look, man. I wasn't the one turning green watching someone else flirt with the first girl to turn him down. Don't try to tell me you weren't jealous earlier. And yeah. C'mon. Kick my ass. I'd love to see you try." He really hates me. He's never gotten over Kate choosing me over him. "Admit it, Alaric. Watching me flirt with Kyra rattled you. Didn't it! And don't lie."
     But Kate doesn't give me a chance to respond. "I can't pretend to be the only girl he's ever liked, and I'm not going to. But contrary to your wildest dreams--because that's the only place it'll happen--that doesn't mean I'm going to break up with him. Or for that matter, he break up with me. Because I am secure in the knowledge that Alaric loves me. So I don't want to listen to any more of your crap, understand?" She grabs my hand. "C'mon, Alaric. Let's go."
     I flip him off as we walk away. And all he does is smile in an irritatingly-superior way like he got exactly what he wanted just now.

Chain Reaction 3.1.21: Dating Woes

    After our bath, Darrin tells me he's exhausted and wants to sleep. I smile and let him go to bed. Then I go downstairs to get a few hours' work done, never bothering to get dressed. I'm warm enough after all that activity--and knowing I have Darrin back warms my heart.
    I think I hear movement upstairs, so I go see if he's awake.

    He walks out of the bedroom.
    "Hey," I say happily.
    "Hi." He doesn't sound as happy. Maybe he has a hangover. I ask him if he needs painkillers. "Yeah, but I'll get them at home." He acts surprised I'm naked. "Mike, I don't know what came over me last night."

     "You got drunk and came over. Don't you remember?" Uh oh. What if he doesn't?

     He closes his eyes and exhales out his nose. "Oh plum." He wipes his forehead, keeping his eyes closed. "I really, really need to stay away from tequila." Pause. "I'm sorry, Mike."
    "It's okay. We worked things out. You told me I'm not a bad guy."
    "We f--ked, didn't we?" He finally opens his eyes.
    "Yeeeaaah... I guess you could call it that."
    "Oh, maker, Mike. I'm such an as*hole." He looks apologetic. "I'm sorry. I was out of line. I never should've bothered you, especially when all I needed to do was really think."

     "But you did think." I don't like this. "You decided." We got back together! Right?
     "I never should've said any of that. That was only half of me talking." He covers his eyes with one hand and sighs. "And with the morning comes clarity." He looks at me again.
     "What are you talking about?"
     "You're bad for me, Michael. I claim to be able to stop then can't. Then I don't let you get on with your life. Then I get drunk because I don't want to decide one way or the other."
     "But you did decide. You love me."
     "I love you like a heroin addict loves their next hit. The point is you're wrong for me, even though my physical attraction to you is incredible. This could never work."
     "I'm calling bullsh*t, Darrin."

     "Bullsh*t on what?"
     "This is more than just physical. You and me: we get along great. We have so much in common." I don't like his bland expression.
     "Maybe. Except for one key detail, a detail I have struggled mightily with. We're on opposing sides of the law. Now, as a way to prove how sorry I am to have done this to you, I'm going to forget everything you've told me." He means Landgraab. "Your record, according to the state, is still clean."
     "What are you saying? That you're breaking up with me?!"
     "We never actually got back together."
     BAM!

     I punch him square in the jaw, surprising both of us. Not ready for it, he staggers to the side.
     "You're right, Darrin. You are an as*hole." I back up, furious and afraid. Darrin is pissed off. "I don't know what's wrong with you other than you're crazy. How could you do this to me? You chase me around for weeks, saying you made a big mistake. Then, we have a night where I feel like we got back together, yet all it really was was you using me."

     "Out."
     "I can't believe you did that." He's still on the fact that I punched him. He looks much more shocked than mad now.
     "I mean it, Darrin. Get out."
     He shrugs. "Fine."
     "And don't come back. For any reason. At all."
     "No problem." He gathers his clothes and puts them in his inventory, not bothering to put them on.

     "I don't ever want to see you again. Even if, after whatever time has passed, you decide this was a mistake and want me back. Don't go chasing me around. Don't keep tabs on me. Don't interfere with my life."
     He says nothing, but I'm not done with my tirade.
     "IF I ever see you again, I will get a restraining order!

     "I can imagine that wouldn't look too good for your 'super-cop' reputation!"
     "I'm sorry, Mike."
     "OUT!"
     He shuts the door.

     How could Darrin do this to me? How could he screw with my emotions so much, torturing me, then act like he wants to be with me only to deny feeling that way in the early morning light? I can't believe him. He was so sincere last night yet so cold this morning. It's like he needed to get the lust out of his system, and now he has.
     I wipe my face. He deserved that punch. He deserves more. What I got was worse than a punch. I got used.
     And I fear he'll do it again. It may be weeks, months, a year, ten years, I don't know, but I fear it'll all happen again. He compared me to a narcotic! Lust.
     "Well," I say aloud, "I won't let it happen. I mean it. I've had enough. I'm done with him."
     I brush the remaining tears off my face and go to bed--where I cry myself to sleep.

     A week passes, and there is no sign of Darrin. Just in case, I've been keeping an eye out, paranoid. I meant it when I said I'd get the restraining order.
     Another month, and I hope that Ivy has forgiven me. The first week after I threw Darrin out of my house, she posted a rant video about her 'friend' getting pushed aside for an ex-lover and how that drove her up the wall--her catch phrase.
     This won't be easy.

     I get her voicemail. "Hi, Ivy. It's Mike. I was thinking about you and thought I'd give you a call. I was hoping that we could get together, maybe for dinner, sometime? We really need to catch up. Anyway, give me a call back."

      Am I a pathetic loser?
     Yes.
      Will she call me back?
      Not a chance. But I have to start somewhere.

Alaric

      With the heaps of snow on the ground, the skatepark is practically unusable. It seems just as soon as we get the concrete cleared off, more snow arrives.

     It's not a huge deal, though. The guys and I find plenty to do with our time.
     "Snow is cold." Trey has entertained himself by making a snow angel.
     "No sh*t, dumbass." Dirk laughs.
     Chaz sniffs. "These fumes are messing with my head."
     Trey can't resist. "Everything wants to mess with Chaz's head."
     I watch out of the corner of my eye as he rolls his. "Yeah." He sniffs again. "You know, if I'm gonna get dizzy from too many fumes, I may as well make it count." He means the 'bubble blower' on the other side of the wall. It's out of public view where some college guys 'donated' it.
     This perks Trey right up. "I'm game. C'mon, Alaric."
     Dirk glances sideways at me. "Go on, man. I wanna add the finishing touches myself."
     "K." I put down my spray can and join the guys going around the wall.

     We all have our turn 'blowing bubbles,' which makes Trey especially giggly. "Aw man! I just realized we never told Alaric the whole story from Fliik Nard!" That was the sorority Trey took Chaz to after Chaz and I fought in the gym.
     Chaz gives me a look I can't quite identify, kind of a superior, I'm-so-much-awesomer-than-you look, but I can't be positive. "No, I guess we haven't."
     I wave it off. "It's fine. I got the general gist of what happened."
     But it's like I'd not said anything. Trey can't stop himself. "You should've seen Chaz! He's a genius! He got so much p--sy that night it's going to be the stuff of legend!"
     Chaz rolls his eyes with a smile. "Don't exaggerate. It was the one girl that night."
     "Yeah, but she talked. What started as a pity f--k turned into the making of a god." I notice yet again how Trey has started acting like Chaz is his idol, the bro-of-all-bros.
     "You're dating a college chick?" I ask. Trey's right in that I haven't heard any of this.

     "Dating?" He smirks. "No, I'm not 'dating' anyone."
     "He doesn't have to!"
     He turns to Trey. "Dude, would you shut up and let me tell the story?" His eyes roll at Trey's hyper idiot laugh, and then he returns his attention to me. "So that was the evening of the day when you'd stolen Kate out from under my nose."
     I glare at him. Not this again!
     He puts his hand up. "Whoa. Man, I get it, k? Besides, after you hear what happened, you'll understand why I need to thank you for doing that."
     Trey can't keep quiet. "He was so pitiful! They ate it up! Then they ate him up!" I think he's had too many bubbles.
     "Trey! Shut the plum up!" Another eye roll. "Anyway, so we were at a party, and I was moping when Trey sent a girl my way."
     "The perfect wingman, I!" Trey will not be quiet apparently, but Chaz continues on anyhow.

      "Her name was Whitney, and the ass and tits on his girl were so big and round that I would have to be one-hundred percent gay not to get rock hard, especially when she came and sat on my lap."
     "You're making her sound fat. She was endowed," Trey cuts in.
     Chaz waves him off. "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, so she starts asking me why I'm sad, and I tell her. And she's running her fingers through my hair with her cleavage so close to my face. I started having trouble breathing."
     "Then Chaz disappears."
     "Ugh! Trey! My story!" He takes a breath. "Well, yeah, next thing I know, she's leading me upstairs, and holy f--king plumbob, Alaric. She got naked, and I don't know what came over me, but all I could think was that if something this beautiful and hot doesn't get what nature owes her, then I may as well stop being a man."
     "Such a gentleman."
     "OMG, Trey, if you don't shut up...!"
     "What? I'm helping." He wears a big, stupid grin.

      "So you woohooed a college chick. Grats, man." I have to admit that Chaz is a different person than the one yelling at me in the gym that day.
      Trey does what could only be called guffawing. "Hardly."
      I look at Trey. "What do you mean then?"
      Trey looks to Chaz. "Tell him. PLEASE. I couldn't do it justice."

      "All I could think was thank the maker I'm not a virgin."
      "Lizette is a very generous woman." We've given up on stopping Trey's interruptions.
      I'm a bit confused. "So it wasn't woohoo?"
      Trey laughs, but Chaz clarifies, "Oh, it was, but... I don't know... something came over me, like I was pretending to be someone else... because I couldn't just let myself be the old Chaz. The best way I can think to describe it is I just... figured out how to move, kinda deep and slow, and she started going out of her mind."
      "She was so loud we could hear her downstairs." Trey laughs loudly. "A couple girls went upstairs to see if everything was okay, and they discovered the two of them. And they discovered the reason why she was being so loud because Chaz didn't stop."
      He shrugs. "Eh, I figured it wasn't the first time I had an audience, and I was actually scared to death that if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to figure out again what I was doing."

      Trey butts in, "And those two witnesses talked. To everyone. You know how girls love to gossip."
      "Trey, are you going to let me tell the story or not?"
      "I'm just making sure you don't forget the important bits." He looks at me. "So now, Chaz pretty much has a waiting list. He's Fliik Nard's best kept, or maybe worst kept, secret."
       I squint my eyes and purse my lips. "Be serious. That can't be true. We're just high schoolers." Those girls could get in trouble, but from the sound of things, Chaz has no problem with it. And if his parents know, they're not doing anything.
      Chaz looks at me, slightly ticked. "Why can't it be true? What, because I'm young and not built and don't have washboard abs that I can't make a woman lose her mind?"
      Trey looks at me, serious for once. "It's all true."
      I need bubbles.

      Trey keeps talking. "And it's all because you started dating Kate."
      Well, if Chaz were dating Kate and I wasn't, he certainly wouldn't be getting any. Kate and I have been dating for months now, and the most I've gotten is to grab her ass while I kiss her. I got to second base once, and just like that time in the library, she got all bent out of shape about it.
      I can feel Chaz staring at me. I don't know what he's thinking, but I can tell I'm still not his favorite person. We only get along on the surface.
      Music starts up at the DJ booth on the lot, and Trey insists we go and dance.

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A/N: Slightly strange place to end a chapter, I know, but it would've gotten out of hand otherwise.