2. The Dark

Hunter

Between lacrosse practices, classes, jobs, and Andrea, Hunter and Logan had little time together. When Logan was around, he’d spend most of his day on the phone with Andrea. Hunter tried his best to tune it out, feeling a lump in his throat and an inexplicable headache each time he heard the faint sound of her voice echoing from Logan’s phone.

“God, she’s getting annoying,” Logan said after hanging up a call later that week in their dorm. “She says she saw me flirting with that chick from chem lab—you know, the blonde who wears those tight shirts?”

Hunter nodded, although unsure of who Logan referred to. He sat on his bed against the wall with a chemistry textbook cracked open on his lap.

Logan peeled off his shirt, almost in slow motion, and sat at the edge of his bed, facing Hunter. “She says someone posted a picture from a party, and that chick was next to me in it or something. It’s like she was trying to catch me in a lie. I don’t think I’ve said more than two words to that girl.”

Hunter watched Logan’s pecs bounce, stretch, and flex as he gestured during his story. He imagined brushing his fingers against the warmth of his chest and down the ripples of his stomach. He thought about flicking those hard, tan nipples with his tongue. Hunter’s eyes followed his every curve.

“Hey, you’ve been quiet lately. You good?” Logan asked, dropping his sweats to the floor.

“I’m—uh, great. Just stressed out,” Hunter said, his voice deeper than normal, having to force himself to relax. “My dad says he’ll take my car away if I get any more Cs.”

“You can pull it off,” Logan said, flashing him a smile that made his heart melt. “The new Bond movie comes out tomorrow night. Do you want to go see it?”

Yes!Hunter tried his best to hide his excitement. “Sure.” However, he didn’t look forward to the group of people who would, more than likely, tag along. Logan tended to invite stray, unwelcome guests.

“Stacy just sent me this funny video. You gotta see this,” Logan said, flicking through his phone.

“She’s a senior this year, isn’t she?” Hunter stuck his tongue out between his teeth in jest.

Logan stopped and glared at him. “Don’t fucking start. I’m still not over the shit you two pulled.”

Stacy, Logan’s younger sister by two years, hooked up with Hunter in secret the summer before their first year of college. A massive blowout ensued when Logan found out, leading to a physical fight between the two of them, followed by three weeks of no contact.

The relationship with Stacy seemingly ended when Hunter and Logan left for college. However, Logan didn’t know that Hunter and Stacy would hook up in secret now and then during breaks. They lived just a few blocks away from each other. Occasionally, Stacy sent Hunter nude videos of herself in bed or showering. She saved herself in his phone as Goddess.

I’m here, Hunter texted Logan in front of the theater. It was one of those deceptively sunny days that made you regret not bringing a jacket.

Logan didn’t arrive for another fifteen minutes. “Sorry, I’m late. Andrea was pissed—hold on.” Logan’s phone rang. “I told you, I’m studying. I have a test tomorrow. I can’t come over … I’m at the library and my phone is about to die … My study group is waiting for me … I’ll call you later.”

Hunter shook his head. “That sounds intense,” he said, running his fingers through his light blond hair. Logan flashed him a dopey smile that made Hunter’s face grow warm and avert his gaze, his hands finding his pockets. “The show is sold out, but that zombie movie is in its last week,” Hunter suggested, hoping Logan wouldn’t back out.

“That got shit reviews, but whatever, let’s do it!”

The trailer played in the semi-vacant theater as the two found the secluded back row, passing a couple of teens making out in the dark. Logan found their seats and lifted the armrest between them. Tiny flutters formed in Hunter’s stomach as they leaned back in the newly added reclining leather seats, shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm.

Not five minutes into the movie, Logan reached for the popcorn bucket on Hunter’s lap. “I haven’t had movie theater popcorn in so long.”

Hunter smiled and placed the bucket of popcorn between them on their laps. They moved their hands in and out of the bucket, munching on handfuls of salty, buttery goodness while the movie illuminated their faces. A rush of energy coursed through Hunter’s veins each time their hands touched or fingers brushed together. The two relaxed in a synchronized rhythm, dipping their hands in and out of the bucket.

When Hunter felt Logan’s thigh vibrate, he glanced over as Logan pulled the vibrating phone from his pocket. Andrea’s picture appeared on the screen. Logan rolled his eyes, shook his head, and turned off his phone, shoving it in his other pocket. When he leaned back again, he pressed himself against the side of Hunter’s arm.

The action made Hunter’s erection awaken in his pants, and adrenaline pumped through his body, creating a tingling sensation in his fingertips. Logan was so close that Hunter could feel his breath on his neck each time he turned to look at him. Is he staring at me?

Twenty minutes into the movie, Hunter reached into the half-empty bucket of popcorn and Logan’s hand soon followed. Their fingers brushed against each other, creating an unspoken connection. With each accidental touch, Hunter gauged Logan’s reaction, his heart beating a little faster. As Logan’s hand enclosed around his fingers, Hunter’s body tensed, his mouth hung open, a stray popcorn escaping from it. Hunter swallowed hard and wiped his lips with his free hand, holding onto Logan’s—perfectly still, afraid that a wrong move would cause Logan to let go.

Hunter dragged his hand out from under Logan’s grasp and moved the bucket of popcorn over to the empty seat beside him. He wiped the tips of his fingers on the napkins he had stuffed in his pockets. Hunter’s heart lodged itself in his throat, desperately trying to push its way out.

He scooted closer to Logan in his reclined faux leather seat, now thigh to thigh, shoulder to shoulder. Neither looked at the other and only forward at the screen. Mustering all the courage he could, he reached down, grabbed Logan’s hand, and waited, holding his breath for a bit too long in an attempt to settle his nerves. Sensing Logan’s ease, Hunter tightened his fingers around Logan’s palms, stroking his pinky on Logan’s thumb with tender care.

Their relationship irrevocably changed at that moment. Hunter felt Logan’s eyes weighing on him, his breath hot on his neck. Looking at Logan would mean finishing what he couldn’t on Saturday night. So, he didn’t. He tried to ignore Logan’s face, inches from his, and settled for handholding.

The movie breezed by, and the two held hands through the credits, finally letting go when the lights turned on. They left the theater without a word and made the separate drive back to school.

Reuniting in the student parking lot, they walked down the paved path to their dorm in a silence that contrasted the noisy campus. Surely, everyone around them knew what they had done. Logan’s withdrawal gave Hunter pause. He snuck a glance, desperate to get a read on him, but nothing. Hunter’s mind raced over the details of the last two hours, the images flashing before his eyes like a fast-paced movie. Had he gotten it wrong? Walking through the front door of the dorm, Logan’s hand brushed against the small of his back, making him tense in surprise, sending little shocks racing through his veins.

They approached their room to find Andrea curled up on the floor, her head tucked into her knees. She looked up at them with teary red eyes, mascara smudged down the corners. “Where were you? I went to the library,” she said, her voice raised an octave, on the verge of sobs.

Logan helped her to her feet to give her an unenthusiastic hug. “Are you okay? What happened? Let’s talk inside.”

Hunter opened the door, the sudden onset of a migraine throbbing at his temples, and stepped aside to allow Andrea and Logan to pass through.

“Sorry, Hunter,” she said, wiping her face with her palm.

It’s like she knows she’s annoying and doesn’t care.

“My car battery died. Logan came to the mall to give me a jump,” Hunter said. It was a lie they’d used before. Hunter and Logan had spent over a decade honing their skills, expertly crafting lies for one another. They’d lie to teachers, girlfriends, friends, and especially their parents to shield themselves from any moral responsibility.

She cocked her head to the side. “How did he get in touch with you if your phone was dead?” she asked with both hands on her hips.

Andrea was a freshman and the younger sister of their lacrosse team’s captain, Dylan. After a wild Halloween party at the Lacrosse House in the fall, Logan brought her back to their dorm. Dylan nearly killed him the next morning, pounding on their door for all to hear, and then gave him one of the typical, You better not hurt her, speeches you only see in movies. Although Logan would never admit it, he was stuck with her—for now.

“Look, Andrea, you’ve been spazzing out all week—the phone calls, texts, and now showing up at my door? It’s all a bit psycho. I don’t know if I can do this,” Logan said, pulling away.

“No. Stop, please. I’m sorry.” She cried, wrapping her arms around his body. “I swear, I’ll stop acting crazy. I’ll do anything. I promise, Logan … Please.”

Hunter took off his jacket and hung it neatly in his closet. He couldn’t think of a moment when he hated Andrea more than this one. They’d probably spend the rest of the night arguing or making out, only to have sex when they thought Hunter was asleep. That’s if they didn’t leave altogether. He had been in the same room with Logan having sex too many times to count, dying a little bit inside each time.

“You can’t stay here tonight. Hunter said that any girl that spends the night has to blow him first.”

“What?” she asked, baffled. Hunter whipped his head around and shook it at Logan, making him laugh.

“Hunter is getting jealous,” Logan whispered in her ear, giving her a nudge, holding Hunter’s gaze for a bit too long. “Why don’t you give him a kiss?”

Andrea looked at Logan and then at Hunter. “I don’t know,” she said, looking down at the floor.

“It’s no secret that you used to like him. I think he regrets not having you when he had the chance. He gets jealous when you’re here all the time,” Logan said, his tight lips upturning at the ends. He turned her around to face Hunter and ran his hands down Andrea’s side and to her hips. His fingers found the rim of her jeans and undid the metal button. Logan’s hand disappeared inside her panties and soft sighs escaped her mouth. “Go show him what he’s missed out on.”

Hunter sat on his tall, extra-long twin bed and watched Logan’s eyes fixed on his as he pumped his hand between Andrea’s legs. As painful as it was, he couldn’t look away, picturing himself with Logan’s arms around him, dipping his hands into his pants. Unsure of Logan’s plan, his curiosity kept him rooted in this play.

Andrea pulled away from Logan and slid her way to Hunter. She wedged her body between his legs and ran her hands over his shoulders. “Are you jealous of me and Logan?” she asked.

He nodded, unsure why. It wasn’t the first time Logan tried getting him involved with someone he was seeing. Andrea sported shoulder-length blonde hair and expressive blue eyes. She looked how he imagined his sister would look, if he had one. She caked on her makeup in an attempt to hide crusty blemishes on her skin. Andrea kissed him, pushing her tongue into his mouth, taking him by surprise. He kissed her back with both eyes open, wondering how much longer he would have to pretend. His eyes soon caught Logan’s, staring back at him. Logan sat on his bed, rubbing himself on the outside of his pants.

“Show him what else you can do, babe,” Logan called out. Andrea kissed down Hunter’s chin and neck, allowing Hunter and Logan to lock eyes. Hunter fell into a trance, watching Logan rub himself. After fumbling around his lap, he took a sharp breath when Andrea’s tongue touched his swollen cock. Logan whipped his dick out and stroked it slowly. Hunter’s eyes focused on Logan’s hands sliding up and down his hard shaft. The full view of Logan’s manhood made Hunter’s cock strain for release.

“Oh my god, it’s so big,” Andrea said, unaware of the tension surrounding her. Hunter put a hand over her head as she sucked him rhythmically, imagining Logan’s mouth around his cock.

Dick at full attention, Logan walked over to Andrea and spread his hand over her back as she bobbed up and down on Hunter’s flesh. He wrapped his arms around her hips and undid her jeans, pulling them down her tan legs, exposing her purple lace thong.

“What are you doing?” she asked him, taking a quick break to look over her shoulder.

“Keep going,” Logan whispered, before grabbing two handfuls of her ass and spreading her cheeks apart. He pulled her thong down her thighs, and her lips stretched over Hunter’s enormous cock. Her tongue slid vigorously against his shaft while Hunter thrust himself deeper into Andrea’s mouth, imagining it was Logan sucking him instead.

Don’t look at her.

Andrea moaned at, what Hunter imagined, Logan’s dick burying inside her. The friends gazed at one another with profound intensity, narrow eyes, and open mouths.

Logan stuck out his tongue seductively, and Hunter forcefully inserted his thumb into Logan’s mouth, making him suck on it desperately, maintaining unwavering eye-contact.

“Fuck,” Hunter groaned, imagining his cock against Logan’s wet tongue. He pulled his thumb out of Logan’s mouth and shoved it in his own, tasting Logan’s warm saliva. It was the closest he’d ever come to making out with his best friend. The moment they shared on Sunday, all of Logan’s pictures, and how they’d spent the last two hours holding hands in an empty movie theater, raced through his mind.

“I’m gonna come,” Logan said, fucking her harder and harder. Logan’s hands gently rested on Hunter’s knees, sending an electric sensation through his body and release through his dick. Andrea swallowed eagerly.

Logan pulled out, turned her around, and plunged his tongue into her mouth.

“Holy fuck.” Hunter groaned, recovering from his orgasm, as he watched Logan taste what remained of his cum from Andrea’s mouth. Hunter pulled her away from Logan and kissed her sloppily, tasting Logan with eyes wide open. Logan pulled her back and did the same, the intensity of his stare making Hunter shudder.

“Guys.” Andrea laughed. “Calm down.”

Logan wrapped his arms around her and looked up at Hunter while he grabbed her ass. “You’re too sexy.” Andrea let out a high-pitched squeal.

“I’m going to hop in the shower,” Hunter said, averting his eyes and walking out of the room.