Page 6

6

AUSTIN

I can’t believe I said yes to this. What the hell was I thinking?

Okay, I know what I was thinking—that I wanted Vaughn to stop talking about girls and college. Because I’m lying to him about both and have been for quite a while. Maybe I could handle just one secret, but two? It’s killing me.

I’ve known I was gay for a long time. When all the other guys in our class couldn’t stop talking about girls, my eyes were firmly on Blake Stevenson—a senior when I was just a freshman. One I had an insane crush on and who likely would have crushed me if he ever knew.

Although, crush is probably not the right term for it. I didn’t want to date him, and I wasn’t hopelessly in love with him. I just thought he was hot and kind of had a staring problem every time I was around him. It was nothing like what I feel for my best friend and what I’ve tried to push away for so long. I’ve tried like hell to deny my feelings for Vaughn. It’s lucky no one knows my secret.

Well—make that almost everyone—Calvin is here, standing across the fire from me, and his eyes are locked-in. His threatening gaze is a bit much, if you ask me. It’s not like I want to be at this stupid bonfire party. I swear, what are they thinking?

More than half my classmates are drunk off their asses and dancing around an open fire—great plan.

I shoot Calvin a sharp glare, hoping he’ll get the hint and stop looking at me, just before Vaughn wraps a protective arm around me. He’s grinning with a beer in his hand, but it’s his first one, and he doesn’t seem to be inebriated at all. Just happy. Because that’s Vaughn.

Vanessa is standing on his other side, a beer in her hand, and her friend Katie stands next to her—glaring at my best friend. I can’t say I totally blame Katie because Vaughn’s attention is frequently on me. But she has to know it means nothing. Because to Vaughn—it does mean nothing.

“I’m going to go grab a water out of the truck,” I say, pulling out of Vaughn’s hold, and he starts dancing happily with Vanessa and Katie. He better not fall into that fire—but knowing him, he’d probably jump right back out and be totally fine.

Nothing touches Vaughn, and honestly, thank God for that.

I walk over to the truck and look around for water, leaning over the driver’s seat. When I finally grab a bottle of water and stand right up, Calvin is right there in my space. “What?”

I try to shove him back, but he has me blocked in. It’s clear he’s had way too much to drink tonight, and this is so not what I need right now.

“Move.”

He leans into me, and I can smell the alcohol on his breath as he gets in my face. “You better keep your fucking mouth shut.”

Oh, here we go. “You really think I want anyone to know?” I place one hand on his shoulder and try to shove him backward, but he doesn’t budge. “Move.”

“I think you like to run your mouth. Always with a snarky remark. Always judging us jocks. Running to your little boyfriend.”

I roll my eyes but look over his big shoulder to where Vaughn is still dancing and having a great time. “You and I both know Vaughn isn’t my boyfriend, but he’ll kick your ass if he sees you threatening me. So you better move.” I don’t love using Vaughn in this situation—I can handle it, but I know it will escalate if Vaughn looks over here right now.

“We both know you want him to be though.” I feel sick at the putrid smell of his warm breath. I can’t believe I ever let him kiss me.

“And we both know what this is actually about.”

“Fuck. You.” He shoves me back, and I do move, nearly falling back into the truck. I drop the water bottle. “I’m not gay.”

“Yeah,” I deadpan. “I know. You just fell, and your lips happened to fall against mine.” I shrug, goading him. “Happens all the time.”

He grabs my shirt, pulling me into him. “You little shit. Don’t you say a fucking word, you hear me?”

I brace myself for getting punched right in the face, my right eye closing so I don’t have to watch it coming. But it never does because Calvin’s grip on my shirt is gone, and he’s falling to the ground when Vaughn comes barreling into him. “What the fuck are you doing?”

This is exactly what I was afraid of.

Calvin, of course, doesn’t stay down. He moves right back into Vaughn’s space—too stupid to not go toe-to-toe with Vaughn when he’s this mad. “This is none of your business, Vaughn.”

“You were about to hit my best friend. That makes it my business. What the hell is your problem?”

“Vaughn, stop,” I try, but he’s foaming at the mouth. Poised for a fight.

“No.” He looks at me over his shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I know it’s something, and it has to do with this asshole.”

“Who you calling an asshole, asshole?” Calvin shoves Vaughn’s shoulder, stupidly poking the bear.

“Don’t,” I say to Calvin as I grab Vaughn’s arm and make him look at me. “I told you to knock this shit off.”

Katie and Vanessa are near, but most of the rest of the party are unbothered. The music is loud, and I’m grateful for it. I don’t want a scene. “I’m never going to stop standing up for you.”

“See, this is what I mean, Van. Are you really going to spend the rest of your life watching your boyfriend defend Austin?”

Katie pisses me off, and I send her a sharp glare. “I didn’t ask him to.”

“No. I know.” She tosses her hands up. “He just runs to your rescue any time he thinks his little Austin is in trouble.”

“Why are you busting my balls?” Vaughn looks over at Katie, who has clearly had a lot to drink but isn’t fall-down drunk. She’s just defending her friend, I try to remind myself. He looks at Van. “Why are you letting her?”

“Seriously?” Van asks and folds her arms over her chest, annoyed, and I can sense one of their epic fights brewing—one where poor Vaughn doesn’t even have a clue what’s going on. This got out of control really fast.

“Look, it doesn’t matter.” I try to bring the attention back to me. “He’s an asshole.” I gesture to Calvin, who’s still seething. “But I can handle it.” I look over at Vanessa. “Why don’t you take Katie back to the party. Have fun. I can handle this.”

Vanessa doesn’t seem nearly as irritated with me, but I don’t think she wants to leave either. Katie for sure doesn’t. She’s ready for the fight, and Vanessa is smart enough to know it, so she leads her away.

I turn back to Calvin. “You need to leave me alone.”

“No. You need to back the fuck off before I smash your face,” Vaughn adds totally unhelpfully.

“I have it handled, Vaughn.”

“Aren’t you two just adorable?” Calvin taunts, and I see the mirth playing in his drunken expression.

“Shut up,” I command, my blood pumping a little more. Afraid of what his drunk ass might say.

“What’s your problem with him?” Vaughn’s jaw is pulled tight with tension and anger as he steps into Calvin. “Leave him alone. I won’t tell you again.”

“You know...” Shit. I can feel it coming. It’s like a trainwreck, moving slowly as Calvin cocks his head to the side and sizes up Vaughn. “He’s not your boyfriend. He’s not yours to protect.”

Vaughn grabs his shirt and slams him against the truck. He’s a few inches taller than Calvin, and right now, it might as well be an entire foot. “He is mine to protect. That’s where you’re wrong.”

I hate that my dumb little heart stutters in my chest, hearing him say that. Hearing him claim me like that. But I try like hell to remind myself it means nothing. He means just as a friend.

“Is that your problem, Calvin?” No, Vaughn. Don’t. I’m screaming internally but can’t get the words to work. “You want him? You can’t have him.”

My eyes flutter closed and then open again as Calvin turns his gaze toward me, fire burning in his eyes. “You told him? You’re so fucking dead.”

He tries to lunge at me, but Vaughn has a good grip on him, and he’s pinned to the truck. “Told me what?” Calvin looks shaken as he looks at me and then Vaughn. He doesn’t say a word, and Vaughn’s eyes slide carefully to me. “What’s he talking about?”

It’s like I’m underwater, my ears full of fluid, and that weird rushing sound takes over. “Nothing,” I choke out.

He looks back at Calvin. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He takes advantage of the moment and shoves Vaughn backward, making him stumble but not fall. “None of your fucking business, Montgomery. Back off. You know nothing.”

They stand like that for a moment, in a silent standoff, and I want to die right then and there. Because when Vaughn’s eyes meet mine, I know he knows.

“God, why can’t you just leave things alone?” I ask, defeated, my knees threatening to buckle.

Calvin stumbles away, and it’s just Vaughn and me, staring at each other.

Two best friends since childhood, but in this moment, total strangers.