Xavier looked at the CD in his hand and decided, `What the heck? He won't know.' He popped the CD in the player and instantly heard Vince's voice.
"Hey buddy! If you've already forgotten my voice, this is Vince speaking. I made this just for you so you better perk up those ears and listen okay? You know how I feel about you and I know what happened between us was big mistake. I know you love Xavier. He's a cool guy. You're right, you should be together... I'm sorry. I really am. I hope what happened doesn't change anything between us and that we can still stay friends after that. Just listen to the songs okay. I hope we can talk soon. I'm still your best bud right?"
Xavier sat down as he listened to the first song play. Kevin walked into the room and found Xavier sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Hey, what're you doing here?"
Xavier stared into Kevin's eyes quietly as the song played in the background. He took a deep breath and looked up at his boyfriend, "I have to tell you something."
Kevin put down his bag and heard the song playing, "Is that Vince?"
"Yeah. He came by a while ago."
"What did he want?"
"You."
"What?"
"Come on Kev, that guy's madly in love with you. It's pretty obvious and I know you feel something for him."
"I thought we were over this? Vince is a friend of mine and that's all we are. I'm with you," Kevin pressed stop on the player. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"
Xavier looked into Kevin's eyes. His heart was pacing but he couldn't utter the words he wanted to say, "Yeah."
Chapter 9 October Thirty-One
MATT
"Heads up!"
Matt fell over the sidewalk as a huge duffel bag got thrown at him. Both Lewis and Vince laughed as they helped him up. Matt lifted the heavy duffel bag and loaded it onto Vince's truck. "What the heck's in this thing?"
"Knowing Deb, it could be anything."
"I bet it's a dead guy," Vince suggested as he fished for the keys in his pocket.
"Close. Actually, it's a dead woman," Deb stepped out of the building and put on an oversized pair of shades over her eyes as she walked over to the truck. Lewis opened the door for her and let her in the backseat. He turned his baseball cap backwards and went in to sit beside her. Vince got in the driver's seat as Matt sat in the passenger's seat.
"So, where are we going again?"
"You'll see," Vince grinned as they drove off.
Lewis squeezed in between Matt and Vince and turned the radio on.
"I love this song! Turn it up," Deb shrieked.
Matt turned up the volume as Deb started singing along with Love Spit Love.
...You shut your mouth how can you say I go about things the wrong way I am human and I need to be loved just like anybody else does...
"Really? You're that desperate?"
"Jerk!" Deb hit Vince on the back of his head as he drove. Vince just laughed as he made a turn.
Several hours and a couple of stopovers later, Vince and Lewis were setting up the tents as Matt gathered firewood. Deb was doing what she normally did, sitting on a rock, reading.
Matt dropped the firewood beside her and asked, "Do you mind getting your ass up and helping us?"
"No sense in trying to persuade her. She's in her zone."
"What zone?"
"Her freaky reading zone," Vince wiggled his fingers in the air, mocking her.
Lewis just laughed and shook his head, "Try taking the book away from her, she'll rip you into bits. She's been hooked on those things since we were kids."
Matt wiped his hands on his pants and pulled out a Granola bar from his bag and took a bite. "So... you guys do this yearly?"
"Yeah. It's kind of our little Halloween tradition."
"Who started it?"
Lewis propped his tent up and looked at Matt, "Who else? Tyler."
"Tyler?"
"The fourth member of this merry little band of ours," Deb replied nonchalantly as she continued reading Misery.
"So, where is he?"
"He's somewhere," Vince said as he zipped up the tent. "Voila! We have tent! Since these two lovebirds are shackin' up. I guess you and I will be stayin' here buddy," Vince winked at Matt.
Lewis took a couple of twigs and handed them to Matt, "Better start that fire, it's gonna get dark soon."
Matt stared into the crackling fire as he took a big bite of his sausage. Vince handed him a cold can of beer and sat beside him. "So how're ya keepin' up?"
"Good, I guess. I've never really had a chance to go camping."
"Well there's a first time for everythin' buddy," Vince grinned as patted him on the back before taking a sip of his beer.
"I'm bored. Let's just get on with it!" Deb quickly stood up.
"What's she talking about?"
"A séance. We do it every year."
"Séance?" Matt asked, a bir confused.
"Yeah, we call up the spirits and ask them to do things for us."
"Does it really work?"
"Sure it does buddy," Vince winked as he stood up and walked over to the fire. Lewis and Deb did the same. Vince looked back at Matt and asked, "Well aren't ya joining us?"
"Uh, I'm not so sure..."
"Come on! It'll be fun."
Matt reluctantly stood up and walked towards the fire. Deb faced Matt, her eyes locked on him with a dead stare and explained the rules, "Once we start, you don't open your eyes. Just shut up and let me take the lead. If you feel something on your body, don't move. It's normal. The spirits will hurt you if you do. If you get scared shitless, keep concentrating until I tell you stop okay?"
"Okay," Matt said aprehensively.
"Good. Let's start."
Vince, Deb and Lewis closed their eyes. Matt looked around for a second. He felt a sudden chill on the back of his neck. 'This is too weird,' he thought to himself as he closed his eyes. He suddenly felt pairs of eyes watching him as Deb started chanting.
Matt heard the rustling of fallen leaves and the cold air. Deb's chanting got louder and louder. Matt heard quick, pacing footsteps all around him. His heart started beating faster. Deb was shouting her chants already as he felt something quickly tug his pants and boxers down to his knees. Matt quickly opened his eyes to see a flash of light.
"Gotcha! Works every time," Deb was laughing hysterically as she held up the camera.
Matt quickly pulled up his boxers and pants to cover up his exposed cock. His face was flushed red as Vince put a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry buddy, she put us up to it. She's got us by the balls."
Matt quickly pushed Vince aside, totally embarrassed.
Lewis quickly spoke up, "Chill dude. It's just our little form of initiation. Tyler did that to Vince the first time we got here."
"Well, leave me out of your traditions okay?" Matt quickly stormed into his tent.
"Dra-ma!" Deb raised her hand and walked away with Lewis right behind her.
Vince quickly headed for the tent and went to see Matt who was quietly lying down on his sleeping bag.
"Sorry 'bout that buddy. I didn't know you'd take it like that. Look, I'll have Deb delete the pic and we'll pretend this didn't happen okay?" Vince looked at Matt who didn't even look his way or say a word. Vince sighed as he lay down on his own sleeping bag beside Matt, "I really am sorry."
"God, you're such a loser!" Matt chuckled. "All apologetic and crap."
Vince grinned and looked over at Matt.
"You really think I'd be all upset about that?"
"Well, yeah... I mean, no."
"Yeah right," Matt chuckled a bit more. "I've had my fair share of pranks played on me. It's all good... Damn. I can't believe you got me."
"I can't believe you're packing," Vince grinned.
Matt blushed and quickly changed the subject, "So you do this to every chump you bring over here?"
"Pretty much, except for the fact that you're the very first chump we ever brought here. It was usually just the four of us."
"So all of you played pranks on each other?"
"Nope. Not Deb. Tyler was scared as hell to cross her. All of us were."
Matt thought about it for a second. "So who's Tyler?"
Vince sighed as he knew that it would come up eventually.
"Tyler was my best bud. We grew up together and stuff."
"So what happened?"
"I don't really want to talk about it right now."
"Okay... was it a girl?"
Vince laughed, "You're persistent, aren't ya?"
"Hey, I'm just giving you a taste of your own medicine."
"Seriously though, can we talk about something else?"
"Okay," Matt caught Vince off-guard when he asked, "What about you and Kevin?"
KEVIN
"Get out of the way!"
"Relax, okay?" Xavier tried to calm Kevin down. Kevin was behind the wheel trying to manoeuvre his way through the streets of kids walking in their costumes. Xavier was a bit worried Kevin might get the impulse to run them over. He was prone to outbursts like that.
"I can't relax. I promised dad I'd help out with the twins."
"Yeah and you'll get there in time. Just chill out."
"Oh, come on!" Kevin hit the wheel as the car started to slow down to halt.
"What's the matter?"
"The car stopped." Kevin tried the keys again but nothing happened. He looked at his watch. "I can't get this fixed in time... Damn it!"
"What?"
"My phone's dead. What the hell's wrong today?"
"Look, your dad's house is a couple of blocks from here. We can walk all the way there. We're not going to use the car in tick-or-treating anyway."
"Okay."
Kevin and Xavier stepped out of the car and started walking down the road. They walked together in silence as the passed by several groups of kids in costumes. Xavier still felt guilty. He needed to get it off his chest but somehow, he never felt it was the right time to do so...
"Sorry about all this. I shouldn't have asked you to come."
"It's okay."
Kevin smiled and pulled Xavier close to him and wrung his arm around his neck, "Remember junior year?"
"How could forget I that?"
Xavier and Kevin attended the Halloween masquerade ball at the academy. Kevin wore his dad's black suit while Xavier went with a very loose plain white T-shirt with the text 'ELITISM SUCKS' printed on it, and cargo shorts. Kevin laughed at him the whole night for sticking out like a sore thumb among the sea of cocktail dresses, ball gowns and suits.
"I was the main attraction," Xavier laughed nervously.
There was another long moment of awkward silence that just instantly loomed between them. Xavier's heart beat faster and faster, his guilt was really getting to him, "This might be the worst time to say this but I need to say it before I chicken out again."
"What're you talking about?"
The two of them reached the front door of the house when Xavier faced Kevin, "I had sex in Australia."
The front door opened and they were instantly greeted by two hyperactive kids and Kevin's dad. Mallory was in her pink fairy princess costume while Tim was giant pumpkin... or gourd... whatever that thing was. Kevin was still in shock as his little brother and sister hurried out the door carrying their candy bags.
Phil looked at his son, "Where have you been?"
Kevin snapped out of it and looked at his dad, "The car broke down so we had to walk two blocks here."
"Are you okay? You don't look too good."
"I'm fine."
"Hey Xavier."
"Hello sir. Nice to see you again."
"You too. Kevin didn't mention you were coming."
"Short notice," Kevin replied coldly, "I'll take the twins once around the block and I'll bring 'em back home."
"Thanks again for helping out. Andrea's still down with the flu and I need to take care of her."
"No poblem dad." Kevin quickly walked to his brother and sister who were impatiently waiting on the front lawn.
"Goodnight sir."
"Goodnight," Phil smiled and closed the door.
Xavier walked quickly to catch up with Kevin and the twin, "Tell me why we're doing this again?"
"Shut up!" Kevin shouted as he ushered the twins to the first house. He rang the doorbell and waited impatiently.
"Look, Kev, I'm-"
The door opened simultaneously just as Kevin shouted, "Shut the fuck up, will you?! Let's talk after all this shit's over!"
The sweet-looking frail old lady holding the candy bowl had her mouth open and eyed Kevin with utter shock and disdain. Kevin noticed her standing there and quickly remembered the kids.
"Oh sorry, kids, what do you say?"
The two smiled at her and shouted in unison, "Trick or treat!"
"Well this is certainly a Halloween I won't forget," Xavier whispered as he closed the door to the car and put on his seatbelt. Kevin still wasn't talking to him.
Kevin tried the keys again but the car just wouldn't start.
"I'm sorry."
"Fuck you! Fuck you!" Kevin slammed the steering wheel. "Why the hell did you even show up? You needed to pretend you went all this way just for me where in fact, you just did it to clear your guilty conscience!"
"It's not that-"
"Shut up! I don't want to hear you fucking lie to my face again."
"It's not like we were officially together back then."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Kevin shouted. "I poured my heart and soul to you while you were away. You read those cheesy emails. Fuck! I'm so fucking stupid!"
"You're not-"
"Get out!"
"What?"
"I said get out of the fucking car!"
"Fine!" Xavier unbuckled his seatbelt, "You know what? You're not so clean yourself. At least I did it when everything wasn't official. Go fuck yourself over with Vince. I don't care anymore. I bet you'd love that!" Xavier slammed the door.
'How the hell did he find out?' Kevin thought to himself. Kevin never really got the chance to listen to the CD. He felt sick as he watched Xavier walk away. He was mad at Xavier but he was also mad at himself for cheating as well. Xavier was right.
Kevin banged the back of his head on the seat and closed his eyes, trying his best to hold back his tears. He pressed his hands on his face, frustrated, depressed, angry and confused. He shook it off and tried the keys once again as tears welled up in his eyes. He heard the motor run and slowly drove off.
VINCE
Vince was lying on his back, recalling what he and Matt talked about earlier... Kevin. He was still confused as to what they were. It had been days since he dropped off the CD and Kevin didn't even bother to call him once. He was a bit pissed off but at the same time, guilty. He did make the guy cheat on his boyfriend. Vince ran his hands through his hair and let them sit there for a while. He closed his eyes and imagined what it would be like if he and Kevin were together.
He suddenly felt a hand run over his cheast. He opened his eyes and laughed quietly when he discovered that Matt had found his way across his side of the tent in his sleep. Vince gently pulled Matt's hand away from him and sat up. He looked down at his sleeping friend. He did look cute... not to mention that huge suprise earlier... but he wasn't into him. He wasn't in love with him.
Vince checked for messages on his phone. There was none. He put the phone in his pocket, took his jacket and went out of the tent. The moon was shining brightly. The woods looked like a blue haze around him. Vince just stood there and looked up, the air fogged up everytime he breathed out.
He missed being there. To think that exactly two years ago, he and Tyler were lying on the ground talking about where they would be in ten year's time was bittersweet for Vince.
"Hey, you're still up?"
Vince looked behind him and found Lewis sitting by himself on one of the logs.
"Yeah. Couldn't sleep."
"Me neither. It's funny, isn't it. When Tyler was here, making all that ruckus about ghosts and shit, I fell asleep just like that."
"Yeah, that guy's boring," Vince laughed.
Lewis laughed as well then got serious, "Do ya miss him?"
"Sometimes," Vince sat down beside Lewis as both of them looked up the sky.
"Wow. Sixteen years. We've known each other like, since we were five?"
"Four, actually."
"How come we never changed?"
"What the hell are ya talkin' about? You and Deb? You? The guy who said she had cooties and screamed everytime she touched you."
"Hey, cooties are scary dude."
Vince's laughter was cut short when both of them heard Deb screaming from her tent. They quickly ran up to the tent just in time to see her run out, screaming her lungs off, clad only in her underwear.
Lewis put his arm around her, "What's the matter?"
"Something's in there."
"What? A squirrel?" Vince raised his eyebrow.
"No, fucker! It's something big."
"I'll check it out."
Deb and Lewis watched as Vince walked into the tent. They waited for a couple of minutes before they suddenly heard Vince screaming in pain and loud noises as if he was being mangled. Deb screamed and began running off. She quickly tripped on a log and fell flat on her back.
"Say cheese!" She quickly looked up and was blinded by a flash of light.
Matt chuckled as he helped her up. "Who's got who now?"
Deb screamed and pointed a finger at Vince and Lewis who were both laughing their assess off. "You two fuckers were in this?"
Both of them nodded and continued laughing.
"Fuck both of you okay? Fuck you! Especially you!" she pointed at Lewis, "Good luck finding a place to sleep tonight!"
Deb stormed off into her tent.
"Babe, wait up," Lewis quickly tailed her.
"Wow. Now I know why Tyler didn't bother pranking her."
Vince grinned and ruffled Matt's hair, "Then you, sir, are one very brave soul to come up with that."
Vince heard his cellphone ringing and quickly answered it, "Hello?"
"Hey."
Vince's heart leapt when he heard that familiar voice but he instantly knew something was up, "Hey buddy, what's wrong?"
ANDREW
"Andrew! I haven't seen you here in a while," A young twenty-something guy named Henry Carlyle III, Harry to his friends, put his arm around his old friend and walked him through his club.
"Yeah, it's been a while."
Harry motioned to the bartended to give them some cocktails. "Too long, my friend. Too long," Harry took a long sip from his Martini and noticed something, "You're still wearing the scarf. I see that you're still up to your conquests."
"What can I say? It's hard to quit," Andrew smirked.
"You've been globe-trotting lately, I guess you have a woman in every city now."
"Two or three," Andrew raised an eyebrow, took a sip of his martini and scanned the crowd of party-goers. "The club's doing good."
Harry sighed nonchalantly and bragged, "Yeah, well, it's mine... Ally!"
"Hi," Ally walked over to the bar and smiled at Harry then turned to her brother, "I'm going up to the VIP room, wanna join me?"
"No thank you. I'd rather scout the ground for now."
"Suit yourself."
Harry put down his Martini and walked over to Ally, "Do want me to join you?"
"I don't think so," Ally giggled as she walked off.
"Damn, your sister's still playing hard to get."
"I trained her well."
"Not well enough. She dated Peter Wesson once, right?"
Andrew put his Martini down and stared directly into Harry's eyes, "Peter Wesson was a mistake. He should be thankful that he's gone or I'd gut him right here."
"Still mad about the whole thing huh?"
Andrew forced a fake smile which just ended up as a smirk just to kill that topic, "Nice party. If you don't mind, I'll go ahead and play the field."
"Be my guest."
Andrew walked to the mass of people. If there was one thing about Andrew to be admired, it would be his knack at spotting people. He knew exactly which ones among the crowd of pretentious socialites were actually A-list, social climbers, desperate maniacs and fresh bait. He always went for the last one.
"Hi," Andrew wrapped his arms around one of the girls on the dance floor. She turned around and recognized who he was.
"What's your name?"
"Lisa."
"Lisa, would you mind if I bought you a drink?"
Lisa was moaning as Andrew fucked her repeatedly. She was laying on her back, her hands resting over her head. Her whole body rocked with every thrust of Andrew's cock into her. Andrew pulled out which caused her to gasp. He sat down on one of the lounge chairs and propped her up on top of him. He let her bounce up and down his shaft as he sucked on her breasts. Andrew grabbed her ass tightly as he forced his cock deeper into her pussy. She moaned even louder. If the club music wasn't as loud as it was, people would've heard everything going on in one of the private rooms.
She was kneeling on the floor with Andrew's hand tightly grasping the back of her heead, guiding her lips down his long thick tool.
"Yeah, suck that," Andrew whispered. He started gasping when he felt himself getting close. Lisa bobbed faster and sucked harder sending Andrew to the edge. Wave after wave of cum came into her mouth.
A fully dressed Andrew wrapped his scarf around his neck as he left Lisa alone in the room. He walked to the bathroom and took one of the urinals. He felt a hand reach over his shoulder as he took a leak. He looked over and saw a beautiful young woman smiling at him. He zipped up and looked at her.
"This is the men's room."
"What's the matter? That hasn't stopped us before."
"Do I know you?"
"You should," she smiled at him, "It's Michelle. Don't you remember?" She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the neck before he quickly pushed her away.
"Excuse me."
Andrew quickly walked out the bathroom when he felt someone tug his shirt. "Hey Andy, where are you going?"
"Donna?"
"You remembered, I'm surprised," she smiled.
"How about me?" Another one of his one night stands approached him.
"What the fuck's going on here?" Andrew quickly walked away and searched for Ally. He spotted her in the bar and walked towards her.
She noticed her brother walking towards her and called out, "Hey Andy!"
"I think we need to go."
"You're leaving? I just got here." Andrew's heart stopped. Jessica was sitting right beside his sister, smiling, her eyes dead-focused on him. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a couple of ghosts."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Okay, I hate to leave you hanging... well okay, not really. Lol! Anyway, I changed the format just for this particular chapter and I hope you all liked it. As always, if you have any comments, questions, violent reactions you can send me an email at zenlikewriter@yahoo.com
By the way, thanks to Jian for pointing out that one major error. I bow down to you dude, you saved my neck. Lol!
Cheers to you all!
-gabe