Page 193 of Dark Duet: Platinum Edition

I shrugged.

“We could ask.”

Just then, the sprite walked into the crowded kitchen.

“Tell me the food is ready! I am starving. I didn’t eat all day because you said to come hungry.” She grabbed a roll from a nearby pan and started munching. “Mmm, this one is still hot.” She crammed the rest into her mouth.

“Claudia! That’s not for snacking, you bitch.” Livvie spanked the other girl on the ass and both of them giggled.

Girls are so strange. If another man called me a bitch and spanked me, it would not end in giggles. Although, women are far more inherently bisexual than men in my opinion. The thought gave me pause as I pictured Livvie doing very dirty things to the sprite. I turned toward the living room and made my escape before my dick got any harder. The kitchen was crowded enough.

Rubio was in the living room unraveling cords and setting up the PlayStation when I walked in. I was surprised he could do any amount of labor wearing the pants he had on. I don’t understand skinny jeans for men. Who wants to walk around with their balls in a vise? For a second I wondered what Rafiq would think of the fad. A strange sort of melancholy drifted through me and I set my scotch on the coffee table. The last thing I needed was drunken reflection.

“Do you need help with that?” I asked. I needed a distraction.

“No, I got it already. Do you play or sing?” He beamed at me and I suddenly felt very old and out of touch with the world I was invading.

“Neither,” I said. I stood there feeling awkward without a drink in my hand and with nothing to do. Rubio smiled and put a plastic guitar in my hand.

“You can start with the guitar. It’s easier if you’re just starting.” He didn’t wait for my reply before he turned on the TV and loud rock music filled the living room. I found it annoying but didn’t say anything about it.

“What do I do?” I asked.

“You have to choose a character first. Then we pick a song and you push the colored buttons on the guitar as they go by on the screen. I’m going to play the drums.” Rubio seemed excited and I didn’t understand it. I’d never considered myself socially retarded until that moment.

I chose a bearded rocker as my character and got a feel for the toy guitar in my hands. At the very least, I felt less awkward having something to do. Rubio selected his character and proceeded to the song list.

“What’s the name of our band?”

“Sophia picked it. We’re The Sex Rifles.” He laughed. “She thought it was more gangster than The Sex Pistols.” I didn’t know who The Sex Pistols were, but I could appreciate Livvie’s sense of humor.

“Ooh, yes! I want to play.” Claudia squealed as she joined us in the living room. I looked around for Livvie and didn’t see her.Please don’t leave me alone with both of them.

“Where’s L-Sophia?” I just stopped myself from saying Livvie and was glad the pair of them were too busy fitting Claudia with a bass guitar.

“Sophia! Come play!” Claudia yelled at an obnoxious level. I must have made a face because she responded to me. “Get used to it, gorgeous man. If you’re going to be part of our group, you’re going to have to handle our rude-ass behavior. There’s no room for politeness in a family.” She winked at me. I smiled.

“You startled me is all; I don’t think you’re rude.” Really, she was very rude. If she weren’t Livvie’s friend, I’d have shown her some manners. Alas, I had promised Livvie I was done torturing people who didn’t like it. And as for family, she was really talking to the wrong person.

Livvie walked in and the happiness I saw on her face melted me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen her so happy. It made me jealous of her friends. I’d given up my whole fucking life to be with her and she never looked that happy with me. She walked up to me and fiddled with the strap of the guitar.

“Well, look at you. You making nice, Sexy?” She rose up on her toes and puckered her lips. I bent down and accepted her kiss without thinking.

“I have a name, you know.”

She grinned.

“I remember, Sexy.” She turned and reached for the controller and the microphone. “Dinner is ready, so we can only do one or two songs and then we should eat.”

“The food is so good, Rubi. I’m glad you met me instead of Sophia first. I’ll never make you anything that good,” Claudia said.

“What you give me is better than food,” Rubio replied evenly. He kissed his girlfriend on the cheek and she blushed. I gained a little respect for them both. Their love was obvious and I hoped that one day Livvie and I could have what they did… without the skinny jeans… or the reminder we met under horrendous circumstances.

I felt a tap against my ass. Livvie was giving me some serious “come fuck me” eyes.

“You ready to play, Sexy? Make sure you set it to easy so you don’t hurt yourself.”

Some of my anxiety fell away.