CHAPTER 8
“Damn, Kian,” Kavi exclaimed when Kian walked out of the dressing room. “That looks great on you.”
Kian grimaced as he glanced in the mirror. They were picking out outfits for Halloween and instead of being excited, Kian wanted to go crawl under the covers and wallow in self-pity. He hardly knew Alec, so why was Kian acting like a lovesick teenager?
He’d never been one for drama. He avoided it like the plague. Yet, after just one date Kian was acting like Alec had broken his heart.
Shaking off the dreary thoughts, Kian tried to get into the festive mood. It was nearly Halloween and Kavi had jammed packed their weekend with activities.
“I agree,” Jace said as he walked out of the dressing room in his own outfit.
It had taken them a week of brainstorming but they had managed to coordinate acceptable costumes. They would each be dressed as one of the decades. Jace would be an eighties rocker with curly long hair and platform boots. The tight leather pants that showed off his butt and off the shoulder shirt made it perfect. Jace planned to also add dozens of bracelets and layered necklaces to complete the look.
Kian was dressed as a go-go dancer from the sixties. He had to admit he looked pretty good now that he was smiling instead of scowling like he had been earlier. His white knee length boots and white short shorts were topped with an emerald green sheer top.
Even getting dumped apparently hadn’t ended his fascination with the color. It was disheartening to know he couldn’t stop thinking about Alec, but Kian knew he looked good in the color and decided to go with it.
Kavi was their seventies flower child. He had a short skirt with a tie-dye shirt and flower headband. He also had knee length boots, more out of a need to try and keep warm than for the look of the outfit as temperatures had been dropping and it was expected to be a cold night on Halloween.
Lynwood, their conservative, religious friend had agreed to the theme since he would be able to wear slacks, a button up shirt and a faux letterman jacket that would help keep him warm.
“Come on bitches,” Kavi teased as he grinned at them. “We need to get back to the house. I promised Kian we would hurry so he could study for his test tomorrow.”
A week and a half later, Halloween was upon them. The night would kick off with another football game. Not that Kian normally minded going to cheer Brandon on, but it was freezing outside. With that in mind, the four of them had decided they would save their skimpy costumes for the after parties and dress in their orange and white for the team.
Rushing into their home after studying for the past three hours in the library, Kavi was bitching at him that they were going to be late to the game if he didn’t hurry up and change. Pulling on a white turtle neck with a school sweatshirt and jeans, he raced downstairs to a glaring Kavi who was tapping his foot on the floor impatiently.
The temperature was already frigid and it would only get colder as the sun went down. He tugged on his thick downy coat that Kavi had bought him their freshman year so Kian wouldn’t freeze to death at Brandon’s games. As everything they wore for football, it boasted the school colors.
“Let’s go.” Kavi opened the door and rushed out to his car with Kian right behind him while tugging on his gloves and hat.
When they arrived at the stadium, the atmosphere was electrifying as students cheered for their team, many already in their costumes despite how cold it was. Even when rain started to fall, most braved the weather and stayed.
From the kickoff, Tennessee dominated the game. An interception caught by Brandon that led to a touchdown with only a minute and a half off the clock had the crowd cheering at the top of their lungs. For a while, even the cold didn’t get to the fans.
By halftime, they were ahead by twenty-one to three. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind the Big Orange would win. Enthusiasm started to wane as the cold wet weather seeped into everyone.
“Kavi don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to watch your boyfriend play, but Jesus Christ it's cold enough to freeze hell out here.” Jace’s teeth were chattering to emphasize his words.
“Jace!” Lynwood admonished. “Ya shouldn’t use the Lord’s name in vain.” Turning to Kavi, he said, “Although I agree with Jace it’s too cold to stay out here.”
Kian didn't say a word. If his best friend wanted to stand out there and freeze, the least he could do was stand with him.
Shivering, Kavi finally shrugged his shoulders. “It’s obvious we’re going to win anyway. Let’s go home. We need to warm up before we get into our costumes.”
They made their way back home as quickly as possible, all four wrapping themselves up in blankets as they waited for their bodies to thaw. Jace’s whole body shook as he tried to get warm.
Turning to Kian, Jace said. “Th-this is wh-why I-I’m not an outd-d-door boy. I feel like a frickin’ popsicle.”
“I told you to wear thermal underwear.” Kavi wasn’t very sympathetic to his friends’ plight.
Jace’s jaw was shivering so much his words were coming out stuttered. “I-I to-told you th-they make m-me look fat.”
With a dramatic sigh, Kavi rolled his eyes. “So you’re telling me you would rather be skinny than warm?”
Jace nodded since speech was still difficult with all the shivering.
“Then you deserve to be cold,” Kavi said as he threw off his blanket and stomped to the stairs. “It’s time to get dressed.
“That wasn’t very nice.” Lynwood just didn’t seem to have much sense when it came to keeping his mouth shut and staying out of it. As nice as Kavi was to Kian, he could be mean to others, especially Lynwood when he thought it necessary to point out how Kavi should or shouldn’t act.
Before Kavi could open his mouth, Kian intervened by jumping up and pushing Kavi up the steps. “Kavi’s right. We should dress.” He glanced toward Jace, who was still shivering. “Why don’t you put your hair up and jump into a hot shower to warm up before putting on your costume.”
Both Jace and Lynwood followed and went to their rooms. Kavi started to get ready. Kian, who was still too cold to take the blanket off, followed Kavi into his room and sat on the bed while his best friend got into his costume. Until Kian could feel his toes again, he was staying right where he was.
Kavi sighed. “I’m sorry I snapped. It’s just that they kinda get on my nerves.” It was unusual for Kavi to apologize and Kian had to admit to being surprised he had now.
Thankfully, Jace had turned on music so their roommates probably couldn’t hear Kavi admit they annoyed him. The last thing Kian wanted was to irritate Kavi, but for the sake of tonight, he asked, “Can’t you at least try to get along?”
Kavi rolled his eyes and threw up his hands in frustration. “I have been. Hell, it’s the only reason I haven’t knocked Lynwood on his ass with all that holier-than-thou crap.”
Admittedly, Kavi was right. Lynwood’s need to correct their behavior got a bit much at times. “He’s just being himself.”
“Bullshit. All that ‘what would Jesus do’ crap is just for show. I bet if someone punched him, he wouldn’t be all ‘turn the other cheek.’” An evil grin split Kavi’s face as he clearly contemplated doing just that.
Giggling a little, Kian thought his bestie might be right. “Maybe.”
“Ha! There’s no maybe about it. You know I’m right.” Kavi left the room and returned with Kian’s outfit. Tossing it to him, Kavi said, “Come on, we need to get ready.”
Reluctantly, Kian dropped the blanket, still not completely warm but at least he felt his toes. Taking the outfit from Kavi, he shivered as he thought about going out into the cold with this on. At least the parties would be inside.
The game hadn’t gotten over until after ten and the parties were already in full swing. There were three parties Kavi insisted they attend, with more on the list if any of them proved to be lame. No one was allowed to go home until at least two in the morning, something Kian had reluctantly agreed to even though it would cut into his study time.
By the third party, Kian was exhausted. He’d had to work a five hour shift earlier plus he had gotten up at six to study. Leaning against the wall, he waited for the clock to get to two, thinking of Alec, as usual.
“Hello.” As if walking right out of his thoughts, Alec was standing in front of him. Kian’s eyes drank him in - trying to sate his thirst for Alec. Not able to form words, as usual, Kian ended up staring dumbly.
“Nice costume.” His eyes appraised Kian appreciatively or at least he hoped that’s what he was seeing in his gaze.
He was so close, Kian lost all ability to think. He wished he could back up and put a little space between them, but his back was against the wall, leaving him with nowhere to go.
His breath caught in his throat when Alec leaned even closer until they were all but touching from chest to hips. As if it had a will all its own, Kian’s hand went to Alec’s chest. He told himself it was to push Alec back, but instead Kian’s fingers curled against the hard muscular planes of Alec’s chest.
Kian should have been mortified when unbidden, he began digging along his chest as if kneading Alec’s flesh, but all he felt was desire curl inside of him. Heat seared his fingertips, traveling along his hands and into Kian’s body. Confused by the turbulent emotions, he stared up at Alec.
Kian was lost, frozen in place by the fire that burned in Alec’s emerald gaze. Whenever he was around, Kian found himself completely mesmerized by him. It wasn’t something he knew how to handle.
The few times a guy had tried to get close to Kian, whether it was in one of the foster homes or in high school, all he could see was the image of his mother dying while a man beat her to death. It was one of the reasons staying focused on school and not boys had been so easy for Kian.
That wasn’t the case with Alec. Kian not only wanted to be as close to Alec as possible, he craved it.
Someone bumped into Alec, waking them out of their trance. Kian was disappointed when Alec took a couple of steps back, Kian just wished he understood why. Sweeping his gaze along Alec’s body, he noticed his costume for the first time. His pants were tight fitting, clinging to his thighs as if molded to him. A billowing white shirt opened to the waist, showing his muscled chest off perfectly.
A sword hung from a belt around his trim waist. It was sexy as hell but in a crowd of drunk college students, it probably wasn’t the best choice of accessories. “Don’t you think it’s a little dangerous to have a weapon?” he said pointing to the sword.
A mischievous smile played across his face. “Only if you do not know what you are doing.”
Figured he’d know how to wield a sword. Kian shook his head as he glanced back up into those emerald orbs. “Where did you learn to use a sword?”
Alec hesitated a moment and Kian got the feeling he wasn’t sure he should admit the truth. “It is a family tradition.” Putting his hand on the hilt of the sword, he started to pull it out of its sheath. “But not to worry, I would never bring a real weapon to a party.” He lifted it a quarter of the way out - plastic.
Heat filled Kian’s face at his mistake. “Oh.” Was he ever going to stop making a fool of himself?