Chapter 33

Click here to read the Disclaimer and Warning.

Chapter 33: A Little Help From My Friends

Despite the proximity of Garrett's penthouse to Emmett's condo, I was still a little concerned for the big guy, knowing that this would be the first time ever he would be living alone, and the first time in nearly seven years he'd be living away from Seth. My concern was misplaced, though. Emmett was happy for his best friend and very cognizant of Garrett's thoughtfulness. Additionally, whatever loneliness he may have felt after Seth moved out was not only tempered by Seth living only a few floors above, but also by the fact that he had a new boyfriend, Colin. I didn't know what to make of Colin, a barista at a cafe near Emmett's work, who seemed a little insecure and wet behind the ears. I did notice, however, that he looked like he won the lottery whenever he was with Emmett, and I figured that kind of adulation was worth something. If nothing else, he was a useful distraction. The type of distraction I would have been very grateful to have myself, to avoid some of the crap going on in my life.

In June, while Garrett and Seth were still in the midst of their battle of wills, I had to decide if I could handle attending Troy's high school graduation. Ordinarily I would be there, no question, but learning that Cliff was bringing Derek gave me pause. It was hard enough hearing over the phone about the two of them being together. I wasn't at all sure I could handle actually seeing Cliff with another man, especially one I was convinced was not good or good enough for him and didn't deserve him. Being a relatively new park ranger during the busy summer season, I could easily have used my work as an excuse to avoid the trip. In the end, though, Troy's palpable disappointment when I tentatively mentioned a possible conflict reminded me that, in this case, I needed to think about him more than myself. He'd only graduate from high school once, and having me there was clearly important to him. I didn't want to disappoint him, so I arranged to take the Saturday off. I wouldn't be there longer than necessary, but I would see the ceremony.

To minimize contact with Cliff and Derek, I flew into Spokane that morning, arriving at Bruce and Tyrone's house just in time to follow them to the auditorium where the graduation was being held. Zack's mom kept me company, while both boys rode over with Troy's dads. I knew Cliff and Derek were driving over as well, together with Cliff's parents, whom I would be seeing for the first time since Cliff and I broke up. To distract myself, I focused on how mature and proud Troy looked as he greeted me at the door, wearing his graduation gown. He'd come such a long way from the scared, belligerent kid I'd met a little over two years before. He'd been an adult since August, but today, for the first time, he finally looked like a man. At least until I voiced my thoughts, and his beaming smile brought out the kid in him once more.

Once we got to the auditorium, the situation became less tolerable. There were just a few of us, and it would have been impolite not to acknowledge everyone. I shook hands with Thorpe and accepted Amelia's polite hug. They weren't cold, just not nearly as warm as the last time I'd seen them, during the Christmas we all so happily spent in Port Townsend. Then it was time to say hello to Cliff, and things got really awkward. I had a hard time looking him in the eye. I'd glanced at him when we got there, saw his familiar, beautiful body; the gorgeous blond hair, now in a shorter, more professional cut; the amazing face... but I didn't want to look into his eyes. I was afraid he'd see how much I still missed him and how much I hated that he was here with someone else. And yet, once we were there, facing each other, I couldn't avoid looking straight at him. The only thing I could hope for was that some of those acting skills I'd cultivated in high school remained, and that I could make it through this day without a complete meltdown.

I was prepared to shake hands in greeting, but Cliff opened his arms, practically forcing me to step into his hug and to hug him in return. Over his shoulder I caught the resentful stare of his new boyfriend and I tightened my arms around him briefly, before I felt him pull away.

"It's good to see you, Edward. We should make more of an effort to visit," he said warmly. "We can't just rely on annual graduation celebrations, especially since there won't be any more. And this is Derek," he said, gesturing behind him. "You met once, remember?"

Sure I remembered. I remembered him looking at me the way I imagined I was now looking at him. I remembered him being just as barely polite as I was being now. I remembered last time he had been the one standing off to the side looking at the two of us wistfully, the same way I was forced to do as they moved on to greet the others. That was the problem - I remembered it all too well.

For the ceremony, I made sure to sit as far away from Cliff and Derek as possible. I was aided by Tyrone, who noticed my discomfort, squeezed my shoulder in silent support, and seated us at the opposite ends of the row. I continued to keep my distance at the restaurant we all went to for lunch afterwards, though there I was forced to participate in the conversation, and couldn't help but hear Cliff rave about Derek's accomplishments, pride and love evident in his voice. I knew from the last time we spoke on the phone that Derek was still in the closet, not just at work but with his friends and family too, so that even in Spokane the two of them couldn't be affectionate in public, on the off chance someone who knew Derek saw them. He was taking enough of a chance going out with the openly gay Cliff and his family, for no apparent good reason. I kept wondering how the fuck he had gotten so lucky, when he'd done absolutely nothing to deserve Cliff except take advantage of him when they were still in high school.

When I couldn't stand putting on the happy big brother act anymore, I got up and headed for the john. I pissed, washed my hands and glanced at my watch, noting that I only had about another hour before I could make my excuses and head for the airport. I stood at the sink, stalling, when the door opened and Derek walked in. I was going to be a grown up and pass him on my way out without comment, but he started talking.

"I wanted a word with you alone," he said.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about," I tried to pass him again, only to have him block my path with his arm.

"I know you don't like Cliff being with me."

"Congratulations! You get a gold star!"

"I know you've been trying to get him to stop seeing me."

I didn't bother denying it. "Is there a point to all this?" I asked instead.

"I wish you would stop," he said quietly. "I'd like to ask you to please stop."

I narrowed my eyes. "Give me one good reason why I should?"

"Because I love him, and I make him happy."

"Sure you do," I sneered. "Behind closed doors. He deserves so much more than that."

"You're right, he does. But he deserved more than you could give him and he chose to be with you anyway, so why doesn't he have the right to make the same choice with me?"

I didn't expect his agreement, and I sure didn't expect the low blow. How much had Cliff told him about what happened between us?

"At least I didn't try to hide our relationship. And I never lied to him and told him I was straight and was just doing him a favor by letting him practice his blow job skills on me." I could hit below the belt just as well as he could.

"You may not have done it with Cliff, but it's not like you've never done it at all, is it?" He looked at me so pointedly, I knew he wasn't just taking a wild guess. My eyes widened.

"Yes, he told me about Jasper," Derek said calmly. "And before you get angry, he only told me because I felt so bad about how I had lied to him back in high school. So I know that you and I have more in common that you're willing to admit. In fact, do you know what the only difference is between you and me?"

"I have a feeling I'm about to be enlightened," I sneered, still reeling at how much Cliff had told him about me.

"The difference is you couldn't give Cliff all of your love because you're still thinking about Jasper, but I can give him my whole heart because Cliff is my Jasper. He was the guy I was secretly in love with but was too stupid and scared to tell him, the one I thought I lost forever when he started seeing Gio, the one I hoped to reconnect with only to find I lost him again to you. Well now, by some miracle, I got him back, and I'm not going to let him go again."

"You're not going to let him go until it's time to go out in public, you mean. As soon as that door opens a crack to the outside world, you're going to let him go right quick."

I was furious. If he thought comparing his situation to mine was going to get him sympathy points, he had another thing coming.

"Why does that bother you so much if it doesn't bother him? You didn't come out to everyone right away. How long did it take you to admit you were gay, even to yourself? Can't you understand it's the same for me? Why can't you cut me some slack? And why don't you trust Cliff's judgment?"

The rapid fire questions were doing nothing for my mood. In fact, they were only stoking my fury. What the fuck had this guy done in his life to deserve to get Cliff dropped in his lap, while I couldn't even get Jasper to talk to me when I sought him out? I'd done all the hard work, all the self-analysis, all the therapy. I'd fucking suffered! I came out to everyone and I was trying to be a good, decent person. He'd done none of that. And yet here he was, together with the love of his life, while I was still all alone, and likely to stay that way for who the fuck knew how long. Perhaps forever. I wasn't inclined to cut him slack. What I wanted to do was tighten the noose. I balled my hands into fists, but kept control of myself as I barreled through his arm to exit the bathroom without a word. I was breathing hard, my heart was pounding and my head was starting to throb. I stepped out of the narrow hallway that led to the bathrooms and looked toward the table where our group was seated. I instantly realized that I could not go back there in the shape I was in, so I quickly made my way to the restaurant exit and stepped outside. I found a spot in the back of the parking lot and sat down on a concrete tire stop, burying my head in my hands. I didn't sit there long, before I heard someone sitting down beside me. I turned my head to discover it was Troy.

"Hey," he said softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Leo. I'm all right."

I gave him a small, tight smile, the most I could manage under the circumstances, grateful that my self-pity hadn't driven me to tears.

"You were gone a long time. I was worried."

"Sorry about that," I said sincerely, hating the fact that my behavior disrupted his celebration. This day should have been all about him, not about me. "I got a headache and thought some fresh air might help. We can go back in now."

"In a minute, okay? I'd like to stay out here and talk. I know you'll have to leave soon, so this is my last chance for a while, at least until I come to Seattle in July."

"All right," I agreed, because it was his day and it would be a while before we saw each other again. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. About you and Cliff. I know you haven't been together for over a year now, but seeing him with someone else just feels wrong. And I can tell how much it bothers you. I wish you two could have stayed together. I still don't understand what happened."

"There's not enough time to explain it to you right now, Leo. What's important is that Cliff and I are still friends, and that lets us both be here for you today, so you didn't have to choose which one of us to invite."

"Yeah, I would have hated that. And I'm so glad you came. I knew it would be hard for you, knowing Cliff was bringing someone."

"You know what, Leo? This is a happy day and we should be talking about happy things. We should be talking about you. You must be excited. In September you'll be in Seattle, finally living with Zack."

Troy had been overjoyed when he got his acceptance letter form UW. He was even more thrilled when Brett announced that the following year he was going to move in with the guy he'd been dating, which meant that Troy and Zack could get an apartment of their own without feeling guilty about abandoning Zack's roommate.

"Yeah," Troy admitted sheepishly. "I'm really looking forward to that. I still get so... I don't know. I was visiting Zack for Memorial Day Weekend and he had to meet a study group, so I stayed in the apartment and waited for him. It was a warm day, and when he came back he was on his skateboard and just had his backpack on, his tee shirt tucked into the back of his pants, and damn! He looked so fucking sexy! And all I kept thinking was how there had to be a line of guys around the block just waiting for me to leave town so they could blow him or let him fuck them. It sucks not being there all the time."

"Troy," I sighed. "You're being an idiot, you know that? How many times have we talked about this? Let's say you're right and guys are lining up for Zack when you're not there. Haven't you figured out by now that it doesn't matter? Zack only has eyes for you. It's been that way since the first time he saw you. Those other guys might as well be invisible. He loves you. He's not gonna leave you."

"Cliff loved you, but he still left you," Troy pointed out, and I had to admit, he had a point. I took a deep breath.

"What happened with Cliff was my fault. I loved Cliff, but there was another guy I loved before Cliff and I met, and I've never gotten over him. So I wasn't able to love Cliff as much as he deserved to be loved, because I still loved someone else. But there is no one else for Zack. There's only you. There has only ever been you. And as long as you don't do something stupid to drive him away, there will only ever be you, okay?" I asked as I ruffled his dark mop of hair.

"Okay," Troy said and smiled.

"Now come on, we need to go back in before they send out a search party," I said, getting up. Troy followed. As if on cue, Zack came out into the parking and headed in our direction.

"Is everything all right, you guys?" he asked, concerned.

"Everything's fine, Zack. Sorry for monopolizing your guy's time. We were just about to head back inside." Zack reached Troy's side and the graduate placed his arm around his boyfriend's waist, leaning up for a kiss. Zack readily complied with the request, brushing his lips tenderly against Troy's.

"Come on, guys," I prompted. "You'll have time for that later. It's almost time for me to head back to the airport, so I'd better say my goodbyes."

They parted with wide smiles and the three of us walked back into the restaurant. All the other members of our party, including Derek, were back at the table. He stared at me for a moment, trying to communicate something with his eyes, but I ignored him. The waitress came and took everyone's dessert orders even as I congratulated Troy again, thanked Bruce and Tyrone for lunch, and began my round of farewell hugs. When it was Cliff's turn, I grabbed him into a tight embrace, paying no attention to his concerned expression. The only person at the table who did not get a hug was Derek. I would have liked to bypass him completely, but that would have been too obvious so we shook hands again, engaging in the typical "who can out grip the other" bullshit. He was strong, and so was I, but I let him think he won just to avoid touching him longer than I had to. My final hug was with Tyrone, who quietly instructed me to call him later so we could talk. Then I was back in my rental, heading for the airport and Seattle, more than a little relieved that it was all over.

I spoke with Tyrone later that week and was surprised at how sanguine he was about Derek's unwillingness to come out for Cliff.

"Everyone has the right to do that when the time is right for them, just like you and I did. As you know, it's much easier for some than others, and for him it may be very difficult indeed. But he's not like Stephen. He's not staying in the closet on principle that will be stronger than his love for Cliff. And he's not leading a double life, so there isn't a wife and children that would make coming out even more difficult. I think he just needs time to evaluate everything."

"And what if, after he takes his time, he makes the same decision as Stephen?"

Tyrone sighed. "Then Cliff will have to make a decision of his own. But Edward, that is his decision to make. Life is a gamble that sometimes pays off, and sometimes doesn't."

I stayed silent.

"I bet I know what you're thinking. You want him to be with someone perfect for him, someone flawless, someone who is better than you, so that your break up is justified. But you don't get to make that choice."

"I just don't want him to be hurt again," I said stubbornly.

"And he doesn't want to see you alone, without a loving companion, but that's not his choice either. It's not either of your jobs to protect the other from himself anymore. You each have to let the other live his own life as he chooses."

I tried to follow Tyrone's advice, but it wasn't easy. Until Cliff made it easier for me, that is, by reducing the frequency of our calls more and more until he finally, regretfully, told me we couldn't talk anymore.

"Did he tell you to stop calling me? Is he that insecure?" I asked in frustration. This was the one thing I didn't want to happen. I knew I didn't have much of him anymore, but losing Cliff completely would be devastating.

"He hasn't said a thing," Cliff sighed, "but yes, some of it is about his insecurity. Every time I mention having spoken with you I can see the fear in his eyes. He tries to hide it, but I see it anyway, because I know exactly what to look for. I know he tried to speak with you in Spokane. I didn't know if that was a good idea, but I didn't want to interfere. I was hoping it would help, but he came back pretty shook up and it's been worse since then. He won't tell me what happened. Will you?"

I took a deep breath, then decided to be honest.

"He was afraid I would convince you to leave him. He asked me to stop telling you that you could do better."

"And you refused," Cliff didn't bother to formulate the question, since he already knew the answer. "Why?"

"Because I think you could do better."

He huffed in anger and frustration.

"I'm sorry, Cliff. That's the way I feel and I was just being honest with him," I explained. "But since then I haven't said anything, have I? So he got what he wanted anyway."

"No, he didn't. He wanted a peace of mind, and you refused to give him that, so now I need to give him that, because I love him, Edward. Whether you approve or not, I love him, and I have to do what's best for him and us. I'm sorry."

"What does loving him have to do with our friendship? I'm not asking you to love me or to come back to me. I'm not even saying you should leave him. Why do you feel you have to make a choice?" And why am I the one left holding the short straw again?

"Because once upon a time I lived with insecurity, and I remember how awful that felt, and I can't put him through that any more. I won't put him through that anymore. Maybe someday, down the road, after you've found someone and he and I have been together long enough to convince you that we're meant to be, we can resume more regular contact again. But for now, we have to stop. I'm sorry. I will always consider you my friend, and if you need anything just let me know, but we need to stop talking for a while. I need to show him that he's my priority."

I knew I wouldn't be able to change his mind, so I didn't bother trying. At the end of the day, it was yet another loss to add to the many I already carried with me.

After Zack finished his finals, he and Troy went to North Carolina for a month, then returned to Seattle for most of the rest of the summer. They found a one-bedroom apartment together near campus and they both found summer jobs to make some spending money for the school year. And as our schedules permitted, they still came out to stay with me at my house, sometimes when I had Liam, so they too could play with him. Then summer turned to fall and they started classes and even though my summer season was over, giving me more free time, I began to see them less often. They were in college, though, and they were supposed to be socializing with people their own age, so I didn't bug them about it. But between the two of them and Seth and Garrett living happily together, and Emmett hooking up with Colin, I was decidedly starting to feel like the odd man out, and it wasn't a great feeling.

My ever so perceptive and helpful sister forwarded me e-mail notices of gay singles events, but having attended a couple I knew that the only thing more depressing than being alone was being alone in a roomful of other equally pathetic guys. It didn't help that, without being conceited, those two times I was the youngest and best looking guy in the room, which meant I couldn't even wallow in my misery, but had to fend off bunches of middle aged guys who nearly got hard at the opportunity to exchange a few words with me. Not that I necessarily cared about looks, but after Jasper and Cliff it was a little tough to focus solely on personality. In any event, one of those mixers should have been enough for me to learn my lesson, but I gave it two shots just to make sure the first one wasn't a fluke. No way was I going to waste my time attending any more of them. I was better off taking my chances on finding a prince among my club tricks.

Things got really depressing in early October, when Emmett, Colin, Seth and Garrett went away for a vacation in the California wine country. I spent time with Maggie and Rosalie, but the complete absence of male companionship outside of the guys I worked with was really hard to take. I called Leo and Zack, trying to lure them out to the house to hang out, but when I finally reached one of them, Zack explained that things were really busy and it probably wasn't the best time for them to hang out in Covington. Short on other options, I finally headed to the club, hoping for a decent trick to take my mind off things, but even there I didn't find what I was looking for. Simon, who had taken over the power bottom spot from Seth, was too busy for me now, and the rest of the meat either didn't interest me at all, or not enough for a repeat experience. So as not to make the evening a total loss, I let some twink whose name started with T - Trent? Toby? Tanner? For the life of me I couldn't remember - suck me off in the back of the club, but his skills were just about as memorable and satisfying as his name.

Shortly after their return from California, Emmett broke up with Colin, who apparently could not handle Emmett's close friendship with Seth. I wasn't surprised, given my general perception of Colin's immaturity. And just as when it happened before, with Christopher, while I wasn't exactly proud of it, I was glad that Emmett was, once again, single. Things always seemed a little better when I wasn't the only one who couldn't find the right person to be with. It made hanging out with the group just a little more bearable.

The last weekend in October, Seth and Garrett threw a Halloween bash, which they were also using as a housewarming party and a way to introduce Garrett's family to the rest of our group. Unlike the previous years, when Seth invited bunches of guys, this was going to be a smaller multi-gender affair. Of course, just because it was smaller and more intimate, it didn't mean that it could be simple. Seth got it into his head that he wanted a theme, so he assigned us all ancient Greek gods and goddesses and insisted that we dress accordingly. I was to be Apollo, a brother to Maggie's Artemis. I didn't mind, since all I needed for my costume was a chiton, belt, sandals, a laurel wreath and a lyre. Maggie, who unbeknownst to the rest of us was actually quite handy with a sewing machine, sewed us all our richly hued chitons, short for the men and floor length for the women, and then recruited me to accompany her to various local antique stores and flea markets on my days off until we managed to find everyone's accessories and enough brooches to keep all the chitons together. When we all assembled at Seth and Garrett's penthouse on the night of the party, I had to admit we were an impressive bunch.

Rosalie was Athena, clad in a sleeveless, rich red chiton with gold trim. She carried a shield and Maggie had even somehow managed to find her a gold Greek warrior helmet, adding another foot to her already impressive height, making her even taller than Emmett. As Artemis, Maggie wore a hunter green chiton and carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. Emmett, as Poseidon, was the only one of us who did not wear a chiton, instead wrapping a length of ocean blue draped fabric around his waist, leaving his impressive chest bare, and carrying his trident. Judging by the way the wait staff hired by Garrett and Seth were eyeing the muscular display, he could have had quite an interesting evening. Unfortunately, so soon after the Colin fiasco, Emmett's mind was not on hooking up.

Seth, as Dionysus, wore a saffron colored knee-length chiton and a wreath of grape leaves, looking just like the party god he was supposed to represent. Garrett's chiton was a deep navy, also trimmed in gold to match the lightning bolt he carried with him to represent Zeus. Leah as Aphrodite was a vision in a silk lilac peplos, adorned with floral appliques. She carried a vial of liquid labeled love potion, and throughout the evening she complained that she was missing Eros and trying to get Maggie to dip her arrows in the vial. Melinda, Garrett's sister-in-law, was dressed in light yellow chiton with full length sleeves, held together at the top with a series of elaborate broaches. Representing Demeter, she carried with her a bouquet of wheat. Garrett's brother, Justin, looked the most uncomfortable of us all, dressed in a short silver gray chiton as well as a wreath decorated with a couple of small silver wings, with two more small wings attached to the heels of his sandals.

"You'll never be able to pick the straight guy out of this picture," Justin commented as Seth arranged us for a group photo in front of a camera he'd set up on a tripod. "I'm just wearin' a dress like all the gays. I'm so light in my loafers tonight I even have wings on my feet!" he added as he put an arm around his wife on one side and me on the other.

"Justin!" Melinda scolded. "Please don't embarrass us in front of Seth and Garrett's friends. I often wonder why I let him out of the house," she said to the rest of us apologetically.

"Tonight it was because you know the gays can't resist me," Justin gave a dramatic sigh.

"Oh, it's not easy," I said to him with a lust filled voice as I slipped my arm around him and pulled him closer. I liked Justin. Like Roger, he was cool and he could take a joke.

"Maybe you should switch with me, Mel. The gays are grabbin' on me now," Justin complained, but I noticed he made no effort to move away.

"Oh, no. You asked for it, you have fun with that, Dear," Melinda shook out her hair. I gave Justin's waist a light squeeze and winked at him when he turned to me with a mock scowl.

"Could we have order and a smile for the camera for just a second?" Seth requested. "Get ready, I'll only have a few seconds to get back there once I press this button."

"Yeah, quit foolin' around, you guys," Justin quipped as the red light on the camera started to blink and Seth quickly made his way to stand in front of Garrett. Several of us giggled as the pot called us black and when the flash went off the group was not only smiling, but laughing as well. As soon as the picture was taken, Seth turned to Justin with narrowed eyes and delivered a punch to the taller man's ribs before he jumped back to the camera to examine the image.

"What was that for?" Justin complained, holding his side.

"For nearly ruining my picture!" Seth informed. "Lucky for you, it turned out great. But next year I'll have to hire a photographer, since you think you're the group comedian or something, and so I don't need to keep running back and forth to the camera."

"Are we done with the photo session, Seth? Can I go get a drink?" I figured Justin and Seth could go at it for hours, and I was getting thirsty.

Seth turned to me with a smirk. "Oh, by all means, Edward, go right ahead."

His demeanor told me he was up to his oracle tricks again, but I knew I'd never be able to figure him out, so I didn't bother trying. Instead I made my way over to the bar and asked the twink behind the counter for a Sangria, mentally chuckling at Seth's sense of humor - serving a wine drink in honor of the god he represented, but with a bloody connotation in keeping with Halloween. The boy turned away from me, leaning over to get a goblet from a lower shelf of the bar. As he did, his thigh high white chiton, the apparent uniform for all the catering staff, rode up in the back, revealing a cute little ass covered with only a white mesh bikini. I immediately felt my dick stir to life and quickly realized that in the outfit I was wearing, that could pose a problem.

"That bikini part of the uniform?" I asked, thinking that maybe talking with the guy could distract me long enough to make my problem go away, though I probably could have selected a better topic for the de-stimulating conversation. Unfortunately, at that point the little head had already taken over.

He stood up, goblet in hand, and looked at me, alarmed. "No sir, but I only hear of this assignment today and it was the only white underwear I had. Everything else showed through the tunic and I thought this was better than not wearing anything underneath. I am sorry I offend you. I should be more careful." He was clearly nervous, which exacerbated the accent I couldn't quite place. I noticed his hand shook a little as he poured the sangria into the goblet.

"You didn't offend me," I assured him. "But you should be more careful. Seth and Garrett are together, but there are a couple of us here that are single - me and Poseidon over there," I pointed my chin in Emmett's direction, "though he's less likely to be interested in what you were just displaying." I chuckled, reaching for the drink he pushed in my direction.

"And you were interested?" he asked, suddenly flirtatious, his hand brushing over mine as I picked up the goblet and took a drink.

"I was, am, interested," I confirmed, still very conscious of my erection. "My name's Edward," I added.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Edward," He nodded. "I am Aksel."

"Aksel," the name felt strange rolling off my tongue. "Where are you from, Aksel?"

"I am from Norway, here for one year only."

"I see," I looked at him and nodded. He was tall, blond, and could easily pass for Cliff's younger brother - exactly the kind of guy I shouldn't pursue. And yet my raging hard-on made it impossible for me to walk away from the bar. "I'm afraid I don't know much about Norway. Northern Europe, right? Must get cold there in the winter."

"It is very cold, yes, but we find ways to stay warm. Sharing body heat is good. I could show you after party."

My dick grew even harder beneath my chiton. I looked back to the group and saw that everyone was engaged in conversation. It didn't look like anyone was missing me or had the need of a drink. And even if they needed a drink, their need was not nearly as urgent as mine.

"I can't after the party, Aksel, but now might be a very good time for you to take a bathroom break. I'll be happy to show you where the powder room is."

"Mr. Garrett already," he started to explain before his eyes grew wide with understanding. "But I forgot, so yes, please, show me the way to the WC."

As he stepped back from the bar to follow me, it was easy to see that he shared my dilemma, and that the size of his problem was quite impressive, perhaps even more impressive than mine. We walked the short distance to the powder room as quickly and unobtrusively as our arousals allowed. Once inside the small room, I quickly closed the door and clicked the lock, even as Aksel sank to his knees before me and started undoing my belt. Looking down at his pale blond head, a thought occurred to me that I had to address before he went any further. I grabbed a handful of his hair and forced him to look up at me.

"Just so we're clear, you do not have to do this. It's not part of the job and there won't be an extra tip for you as a result at the end of the night, so if that's why we're here, we should stop right now." I was sure the catering outfit that Seth and Garrett hired was reputable and not a front for sex trade, regardless of the ridiculous outfits it forced its staff to wear in order to meet its clients' needs. Still, I felt it was best to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

"I do not do this for money," Aksel bristled a little, but then calmed again and smiled. "You are Edward Cullen, yes? I have heard of you, from my friend, Christian. He said if I had chance to be with Edward, friend of Mr. Seth, I should."

"Christian?" I frowned. The name meant nothing to me. Then I shrugged. I probably didn't even get the kid's name when we did whatever we did together. I knew I had a reputation, and apparently Christian, whoever he was, was helping me maintain it. "Well, Aksel" I said, looking down at Aksel's upturned face, "now you're with me. Time for you to find out if the experience lives up to the hype."

Without further comment, Aksel returned to his task. He pulled off my belt and pushed up my chiton to reveal my navy briefs. I hadn't expected any action tonight, so I opted for comfort over flash, now mildly wishing I had made a different choice. Still, even in the plain briefs I knew my hard cock made an impression, a fact confirmed by Aksel, who leaned in to wrap his lips around the fabric covering my shaft. As he pushed my over garment higher, his tongue flicked against the wet spot created by the precum seeping from my throbbing member. Not wanting him to be distracted from the task he was facing, I grabbed the chiton and pulled it off over my head. Aksel moved his hands to the waistband of my briefs and pulled them down, momentarily freeing my erection before he wrapped his hand around it and started to stroke. Then he opened his mouth and wrapped his lips around my rod, bobbing his head a few times before pulling off and looking up at me again.

"You are very ready, no?" he asked. "You will fill me well. I would suck more, but not enough time."

I frowned again as I remembered that due to the lack of pockets in the chiton, my cell phone, keys and wallet, the wallet with the emergency condom in it, were stored in Maggie's purse, which was somewhere within Seth and Garret's guest coat closet. I cursed silently, but then I remembered that I was in the home of the clairvoyant Seth Clearwater. If anyone could have foreseen my predicament, it would have been him. I reached past Aksel to open a drawer in the vanity and, sure enough, found a strip of condoms along with a bottle of lube. I shook my head and smiled, making a mental note to thank Seth later as I tore off a packet and placed the lube bottle on the counter. I handed the condom to Aksel.

"Do you want to put it on?"

He smiled and took it from me, ripping open the package. He placed the latex disc in his mouth, then reached for my dick and guided it into his mouth as well, using his lips and tongue to slip the sleeve over my shaft, finishing with his hand.

"Nice," I complimented. I always liked when the guys I was with made this somewhat more pleasant than utilitarian.

Aksel stood and, with nimble fingers, undid the knot in the length of roped cord that served as his belt. His tunic was tied at the shoulders and completely open at both sides, so it took a mere second for him to lift it over his head and toss it aside. He leaned back against the vanity, giving me a great view of what had only been hinted at before. His white mesh bikini certainly did nothing to obscure and, indeed, it could barely contain Aksel's impressive member. As I suspected, he was bigger than me, and for a second I was intimidated enough to question whether I could go through with this liaison. Then I remembered that he'd heard of me, so he must have known I was a top, which meant that he bottomed, and since he could hardly top himself, I doubted he'd been with too many guys who could compete with me in terms of size alone, but especially when size and skill were combined. Still, top or bottom, Aksel was clearly aware of his attribute and quite proud of it, so it was only fair to acknowledge that which, really, could not be ignored. I leaned up against him and wrapped my hand over as much of his erection as I could. My hands were big, but they were not that big.

"You are a most impressive boy, Aksel," I complimented as I stroked him through the mesh. "You really make me wish we had more time."

"Me too," he sighed, closing his eyes and pushing his pelvis into my hand.

"Unfortunately, we do not," I reminded him as I reached to pull his bikini down to his mid-thigh. "Sit up on the counter," I encouraged and, when he did, pulled the bikini off completely. I moved him to the side of the sink, so that it and the faucet wouldn't interfere with what I'd planned to do. "Heels up on the counter," I continued instructing even as I opened the bottle of lube and poured a generous amount into my hand. I slicked up both hands and grabbed his hard-on with my right as I reached for his ass with my left. He scooted backwards to lean against the mirror-covered wall and lifted his legs up obediently, assuming the frog-like position that left him beautifully open and accessible.

"You have an amazing cock," I spoke quietly as I stroked him. "And a beautiful tight hole," I continued, circling his opening with the pad of my lubed thumb, enjoying the texture of his puckered skin. His only reply was an equally quiet moan, and a sharp intake of breath as I pressed my thumb into his hole.

"Feel good?" I asked as I withdrew my thumb and thrust it in again. He nodded his head. "Want more?" the responsive nod was even more vigorous. I replaced my thumb with my middle finger, which I inserted as deep into him as it would go even as I continued to stroke him with my other hand. I watched his face, but seeing no sign of pain or distress I slipped in the index finger alongside the middle.

"No more fingers," he said a few moments later. "Cock."

I knew we were pressed for time, so tempting as it was to make him wait, I chose to overlook his attempt to order me around. I let go of his cock and brought the still lubed hand to my own, taking a few strokes to ensure I was in top form. I withdrew my fingers from his ass, grabbed the lube bottle again and used it to add a layer of slick coating over the rubber. I stepped closer to him between his legs and wrapped my arms underneath his knees and around his thighs, joining them at his lower back and pulling his butt closer to the edge of the counter so that only his head rested against the mirror, the rest of his body supported on his right hand while he wrapped the other around my neck. The height of the counter was absolutely perfect for me to line up the tip of my rod against his opening. I used small hip movements to merely prod the opening, without actually penetrating. He groaned in exasperation, but in this position he had little leverage to move. He didn't need to move, though, as it was not my intention to prolong the teasing. There simply was not enough time. I pulled back my hips and then pressed forward, slowly and steadily but resolutely, my cock head coaxing the ring of muscle to allow me entry until I slipped past and was embraced by the warm, tight tunnel I'd recently explored with my hand. I held steady, and would have waited longer if I didn't get a nod, encouraging me to proceed. I pressed myself further within him, my preparation and the lube doing their job to ensure a smooth progress. I started rocking back and forth, withdrawing slightly before sinking even deeper, until my entire length was sheathed within his confines.

"Fuck," I allowed myself a few moment of simply enjoying the tight embrace of his ass, before I pulled back and began to thrust. Then it was just me plunging in and out of him, both of us stifling our groans and grunts as well as we could. At some point he grabbed tighter onto my neck as he moved his right hand from supporting himself on the counter to stroking his cock. I glanced down and noticed he was close to orgasm, so I pulled his body forward a bit, altering the angle of my thrusts slightly, but enough to know I was hitting his prostate with every thrust. I shushed him as his moans increased in volume, and he pulled himself up closer to me so he could bury his face in my shoulder, fastening his lips over my flesh and sucking in a way I was sure would leave a long-lasting mark. Had we not been at a party in the relatively close confines of Seth and Garrett's penthouse, I would have shaken him off. As it was, his silence was more important than my broken capillaries, so I ignored him as I pumped faster and faster, only belatedly noticing that he was coming by the wetness spreading over my stomach. Then I felt the contractions around my cock and with a few more thrusts I was unloading as well.

When we were both spent and he had finally detached his lips from my shoulder, I lifted him back further onto the counter and unclasped my hands.

"That was really good," I told him, reaching down to stroke his still hard cock, drawing out the last drops of cum.

"Yes," he agreed with a sigh. "Christian did not lie."

I smirked. I didn't need him to tell me I was good, though the ego stroke didn't hurt. But now it was time for him to get back to work, before Seth got mad at me for distracting his help. Holding the condom on with one hand I pulled out of him, then pulled it off and tossed it into the toilet. I reached for some tissues, which I handed to Aksel so he could wipe up his cum.

"You'd better get dressed and go first," I said, bending down to retrieve his bikini and pulling it on part way as he finished cleaning off his chest. He slipped off the counter and finished pulling on the underwear, tossing the tissues into the toilet as well and adjusting himself in the confines of the bikini before pulling on his tunic and quickly belting it. He turned around and washed off his hands before reaching for the door handle.

"Maybe I see you again," he said, looking over his shoulder. "When we have more time."

"Sure, Aksel," I saw no harm in agreeing. "Go on, now, I'll follow in a few minutes," I encouraged. He opened the door and left to return to his post. I flipped the lock again and examined the dark mark on my shoulder left by Aksel's lips that, thankfully, would be covered by the chiton. It was a good thing he didn't latch onto my neck, which would be much more difficult to conceal. I cleaned his cum off my abdomen, flushed, put away the lube and used a few more pieces of tissue to wipe off the counter, this time tossing the tissues in the waste basket. I washed my hands then stretched my neck, thinking how nice it would be not to have to go back to the party but to go to sleep instead. Shame to waste all those relaxing properties of sex, but in this instance I had no choice, so I dressed leisurely and when I was finally put back together I went back out to join the others. To give myself an even longer break, I headed for the buffet, picking up a cocktail plate full of hors d'oeuvres. Before I could start eating, however, I was joined by the shorter host.

"Did you enjoy my bartender, Edward?" As usual, Seth was not subtle. We both knew there was no point in my denying anything.

"He's a good kid," I answered.

"That's nice. I hope you found everything you needed in the powder room."

"You are a most thoughtful host," I affirmed.

"I am. It's true," Seth nodded and smiled. "Now come back and mingle with the rest of us so Maggie can stop giving me dirty looks."

"She noticed, huh?" I scowled slightly, figuring I'd be in for it on the drive home.

"It's not exactly the typical crush of people, tonight," he shrugged. "But don't worry, once she sees this contentment on your face, she'll leave you alone. So let's make that happen sooner rather than later, for both our sakes."

I followed him to re-join everyone and dealt with Maggie's frosty glare by basically ignoring it until she finally softened her gaze and gave me a small smile. I knew my sister wasn't pleased with my sexual practices, but I wasn't doing anything wrong and it's not like anything in my life would improve or even change if I lived like a monk instead of, once in a while, finding a willing partner to relieve me of some frustration. I knew I'd have to remind her yet again that not everyone could get as lucky with their first partner as she had and that I was only 23 years old. Most guys my age, straight or gay, were nowhere near even thinking about settling down for a lifetime with someone. At least I was open to the possibility, but since I didn't want to settle down with a geriatric, and most of the guys my own age just wanted to fuck around, it wasn't exactly easy to find someone.

I tried to keep my mind on the conversation and I laughed along with everyone else when Garrett pointed out what a coincidence it was that the woman playing in the gallery when he met Seth and providing Melinda with the vital information he needed to capture Seth's interest wasn't just his realtor's wife, but also the sister of one of his clients and Seth's good friends. Then the world got even smaller and more bizarre when Seth and Garrett recalled the events of the night they first met, and I realized that the guy doing the heavy lifting at the gallery and taking care of the asshole reporter who accosted Seth was none other than Zack's best friend, Moose. We all laughed as we compared our lives to a Robert Altman film. Only Leah seemed not to have had an incidental brush with any of the others, though we were sure that one was bound to take place sooner or later.

"You never know," she mused, "maybe I'll be doing a cleaning for that perfect guy for Edward or Emmett tomorrow."

"Ha!" Seth exclaimed. "If he were there, you'd know it. You are, after all, a Clearwater."

"Or maybe I should set you up with one of my park ranger buddies, Leah. I work with some good guys. If only they were gay," I said with mock wistfulness.

"If only you were straight," Leah shot back. "I'm not so much interested in your friends, Edward, but I'd be happy to take you home tonight!"

"Cougar!" Seth pounced. "Stick with your own kind, big sister, and leave my team alone!"

"Host rules," I told her with a shrug, "Sorry!"

"Not half as sorry as I am," Leah muttered. "That's always the problem with your parties, Seth. It's BYOB for me. Even the servers are all gay! Maybe next time you can find some straight boys too, so that I have something to do."

"Huh. Something when she meant someone," Seth commented.

"Hear, hear," Justin echoed. "I'd appreciate some other straight men around just to give me a break. I know how much you gay boys lust after straight cock, and I'm not as young as I used to be, so I can only accommodate so many."

"Justin," Emmett said as he put his arm around Garrett's brother, "Had I only known you were so generous, I would have dragged you off down to my condo hours ago. I don't even remember the last time I had straight cock, but I know it's delicious, and I'm sure yours is especially so," he leaned over and ran his tongue around the shell of Justin's ear.

"Mel, the gays are even lickin' on me now!" Justin exclaimed, faking alarm.

"Have fun, Dear," Melinda didn't even look away from her conversation with Leah.

Emmett let Justin go and the straight man headed for the bar shaking his head and laughing. Melinda was still talking with Leah and Seth and Garrett were discussing something with Maggie and Rosalie. Sensing an opportunity, I grabbed Emmett's arm and dragged him off through the dining room into the kitchen.

"You think Seth and Garrett would mind if we helped ourselves to a beer?" I asked conspiratorially.

"Nah, though don't let Justin see us. I have a feeling he wants a brew more than we do."

I opened up the subzero fridge and pulled out a couple of bottles. Emmett, already familiar with the kitchen, pulled out a bottle opener from one of the drawers and handed it to me. I popped the caps and handed one of the bottles to him. We both took long swallows.

"So where'd you disappear to earlier tonight?" Emmett asked with a knowing smile.

"I was getting to know Seth's bartender," I replied with a wink.

Emmett shook his head. "You know, when I gave you the advice to get a few Mr. Right Nows under your belt, I didn't think you'd still be at it 14 months later. But as long as you're having fun..."

"I'm having sex, Emmett, and most of the time it's fun. But you were right."

"I was?" Emmett sounded confused. "About what?"

"Clearly if I had waited to find Mr. Right I'd be like one of those randy dogs, humping anything I could get my legs around. At least this way I'm not losing my skills," I giggled.

"What's funny?" Emmett asked.

"Nothing," I waved off his question at first, but then decided that I could tell him. "Apparently word gets around. The bartender heard about me from a friend. And Emmett, when he told me the guy's name, I honestly could not remember. But I guess I left an impression anyway."

Emmett smirked. "Do you remember the bartender's name?"

"Ah," I smiled. "His name is Aksel. And his dick might as well be one. Not that I had much time to play with it. And that monster would be interesting to play with. I wonder how much of him I could get down?... Oh, well, it wasn't meant to be."

"Maybe another time, Eddie," Emmett commiserated.

"That's what he said," I smirked. "But what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Physician heal thyself? Maybe you've been a little too religious about looking for Mr. Right too. How long has it been since you just took a guy home for the physical pleasure of it?"

Emmett took another long swallow of beer.

"We talked about this, Eddie. That's just not my thing. It's different for a bottom."

"So don't fuck, just let a guy blow you. Those boys Seth hired have been eyeing you all night and I know what you're hiding under that bed sheet you have wrapped around you would more than satisfy them, so why not take one of them down to your place at the end of the night and let him drink his fill? It would do you good and help you forget all about Cretin."

"Not you too!" Emmett grimaced.

"Sorry. I must have picked it up from Seth. And you gotta admit, it does sort of fit."

"Yeah, Colin turned out to be a mistake," Emmett conceded. "I should have known right off the bat, but..."

"A few Mr. Right Nows might clear up that vision problem you're having."

He finished his beer with one long swallow. "I'll tell you what, Eddie. I'll think about it, all right?"

"Okay, Em," I figured I wasn't going to get any further than I did, so I stopped pushing and finished my beer as well. "It was good advice when you gave it, though. So, yeah."

Emmett laughed and took the bottle from me, rinsing both his and mine in the sink and pulling out the under counter recycling bin. He put his arm around me and we both went back to the party. I, however, had an idea brewing that just wouldn't leave. As surreptitiously as I possibly could, so as not to trigger Seth's sixth sense, I started looking around at the couple of waiters, trying to figure out which one of them paid the most attention to Emmett. When I finally zeroed in on one, I waited until I was reasonably sure I could corner him alone, and set after him. He seemed surprised to see me following so closely on his heels, but when he turned around his smile was inviting.

"What's your name?" I asked, not bothering with niceties.

"Armando, sir."

"Well, Armando, I've been watching you watch my good friend Poseidon, and if I'm not mistaken, you're more than a little interested."

Armando smiled wider. "Poseidon has been very nice to watch."

"Top or bottom?" I cut to the chase.

"I enjoy men, either way." Armando was clearly curious.

"All right. Here's the deal. My friend, whose name is Emmett, by the way, could use a little fun, though he's not willing to admit it. I think spending some time with someone like you is just what he needs. What he also needs is discretion. So if I can set it up and introduce you to him after the party, do you think you can keep it quiet?"

Armando nodded.

"You should be very sure. You know who the host of this party is, right?" He nodded again. "Well, he's Emmett's best friend and he would be very unhappy if you did get together with Emmett and then decided to let the whole of Seattle know it. And you may not know me, but I would be very unhappy as well, and I could make things pretty difficult for people when I'm unhappy.

"But I do know who you are," Armando finally spoke. "And I would not talk anyway."

"Oh," I was surprised that he knew me, but I took it in stride. "All right, then. When you're done with the party make sure you leave by yourself and take the elevator to the 8th floor, then knock on door 805. I'll let you in and introduce you. The rest is up to you. He'll be reluctant and he may not want to do anything, but then again he might listen to reason, especially if you're persuasive. Any questions?"

"Just one," he hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Well, I was just wondering... You see, there is no reason why I can't take care of two Greek gods at once."

I caught his innuendo immediately and looked him over carefully, considering his proposition. He was very good looking, and for a moment I was tempted. But I'd also been satisfied earlier in the evening, and I had to work the next day, and the thought of sharing a guy with Emmett made me a little uneasy. All good reasons for me to shake my head in rejection of Armando's offer.

"If he goes along with this, Emmett deserves your entire attention tonight. I'll see you later, Armando."

I turned and walked back to the living room. I was relieved that no one seemed to take any special notice of my brief absence. I smiled, and headed back to the bar for some more Sangria.

It was a few more hours before the party finally broke up. I found it surprisingly easy to make sure that Emmett and I were one of the last to leave and that no one left with us. On the way down I pretended to need the toilet and accompanied the completely unsuspecting Emmett to his apartment. Feeling pretty smug about my planning efforts, I stalled with conversation about his Thanksgiving and Christmas plans. Finally, when the topics of conversation were exhausted and I still made no move to leave, Emmett caught on.

"What's going on, Eddie? You're up to something."

"Maybe," I shrugged, trying to keep a straight face and look innocent.

"There's no maybe about it. What is it?"

I could have played dumb longer, but I didn't want to make him mad. That wouldn't help Armando any.

"I may have spoken with one of Seth's waiters who had been eyeing you all night and told him to come down here after the party."

"You what? Edward! Come on, that's not cool."

"He seems all right and he wants to get into your pants so why don't you let him? You must have some condoms around here, right?"

"I do, but that's not the point. This is wrong. I don't do this kind of stuff. If Seth knew I took home a waiter from his party, do you know what he'd do? I'd never be able to go to another party again without him trying to set me up."

"Well, I won't tell him if you won't, and neither will Armando. In fact, I'm gonna leave after he gets here, and what the two of you do together can stay between the two of you. Just don't say no without meeting him and talking to him a little. Come on, Em. What have you got to lose? A blow job before bedtime might help you sleep better."

Emmett shook his head, but I could see his lips curling into a smile and the barest hint of dimples appear on his cheeks.

"You know, Eddie, if five years ago someone told me that in the future you'd be setting me up for an interlude with a hot gay waiter, I would have laid odds on hell freezing over first," he said, shaking his head.

"It was getting pretty chilly down there the last time I visited," I shot back. It wasn't the right thing to say. Emmett was instantly serious.

"Don't say stuff like that, not even as a joke," he admonished.

"All right, all right," I soothed. "I'm okay. You know that. You don't have to worry. I'm fine."

"Yeah?" he looked at me searchingly.

"Yeah," I confirmed. For the most part, it was true.

"All right," he said, throwing his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a bear hug. Just then we heard a knock at the door.

"And he's here," I said, heading into the hallway to let Armando in. I happily noted that he hadn't changed out of his white chiton.

"Poseidon awaits," I motioned him in and followed him into the condo. "Emmett, this is Armando. Armando, Emmett. You two have fun. I have to get home and get some shut eye before I have to get up for my shift. See ya," I turned and gave them a salute without looking back. I smiled the entire ride down the elevator, hopeful that Emmett would take advantage of the opportunity I arranged.

As curious as I was in the days that followed, I was also true to my word and never asked Emmett what happened after I left. I knew if he and Armando got together, keeping that information from Seth would be hard enough for Emmett, without having to worry about me slipping up in front of the oracle. And while I never would have wanted things to turn out the way they did, that Wednesday life delivered a mighty powerful distraction for me in the form of a red-eyed Zack on my doorstep.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Edward, but I don't know what else to do or who else to go to, except Leo's dads, and I just can't do that," he burst into tears right in front of my eyes.

"What's going on, Zack? Is it Leo? Is he hurt? What happened?"

"N. . no," he stuttered out through the sobs. "He... he's n. . not hu. . hurt. But... but," he was crying too hard to continue speaking, so I pulled him into the house, poured him a glass of water and made him sit on the couch as he drank. This was a trick I'd picked up from Rosalie for dealing with kids' temper tantrums. It was physically impossible to cry while drinking, so a glass of water always helped calm things down when they got out of hand. The method worked just as well for young adults.

After he finished drinking I held him close for a time, hoping to calm him down some more and to feel secure. Finally I pulled away and asked again what happened.

"It was all supposed to be so great," he whispered. "After two years of living in different cities we were finally together. We had both been looking forward to it so much. I wanted for us to study and finish school and get jobs and be together forever, you know? Happily ever after?"

This was an ominous beginning. I wanted to ask questions, but figured it would be better to let him explain at his own pace.

"When school started I just went back to doing what I did last year. I went to classes and my new study group. In the evenings I mostly did homework, or I'd work a shift at the gallery with Moose for some extra money. When I didn't have anything to do I just wanted to spend time with Leo. We could finally have whole evenings to ourselves, just cuddling and being together."

"But that didn't happen?" I asked, gathering from the wistfulness in his voice that he was describing a fantasy, not reality. When he responded with a head shake, I followed up. "Why?"

"Leo didn't want to stay home. He said that's what he had to do in Spokane for years and now that he was in college he wanted to go out and have fun and party. I tried to go with him, at first, but I guess I'm not as smart as he is and it started to impact my school work, so I had to stay home more. I asked him to stay home with me, to cut back on the parties, but he wouldn't. He..." Zack paused, and I could see he was struggling, not wanting to betray Troy's confidence.

"You have to tell me, Zack. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

"He got involved with this party crowd. They drink, a lot, and smoke pot. I kept telling him that he shouldn't, that he had to take better care of himself, but he..." tears started falling from his eyes again. "He just called me names, said that I didn't know how to have any fun."

I started getting angry, but I knew now wasn't the time to lose my temper.

"Is that it, or did something else happen?"

"One night he was gone a long time. I knew he had a test the next day in an early class so I got worried and went to look for him. I tried a couple of different parties before I found him. He was..." Zack started crying in earnest again. I pulled him to my chest and comforted him as best as I could, wishing I had thought to bring another glass of water with us. This time, though, it wasn't necessary. "He was drunk, or high, or both. He didn't even see me when I came in. He was with another guy and they were kissing."

I couldn't help the outraged gasp that escaped my lips. After all the times Troy had worried about Zack being lured away by someone else, for him to do this was beyond unimaginable. And yet, looking at Zack's distress, I knew he wasn't lying.

"So you left him?" I asked. "I understand. It's natural to feel betrayed. But if it was just one kiss and he was drunk, maybe..."

"I didn't leave him," Zack shook his head. "I went up to him and tried to get him to come home with me, but he refused, so I left the party and went home and waited. He didn't show up until the next day. I know he missed that test. But still, I wanted to help him. I told him he had to stop the drinking and the smoking and the partying. I told him I forgave him for whatever happened, I didn't even want to know what happened, as long as he didn't do it again."

"And what did Leo do?" Now I was starting to get worried. I glanced over at Zack to see if there were any signs of a physical altercation that I hadn't noticed before.

"He told me that if he'd known how boring I was he never would have been with me in the first place. And then..." more tears started falling.

"Yes?" I encouraged quietly.

"Then he told me I couldn't tell him what to do when I had a year to party and be with other guys before he got there. I don't know why he said that. I never... but he wouldn't listen, he just told me to leave. He," Zack looked at me with large glistening eyes, "Edward, he broke up with me."