33. Rhys

33

RHYS

T he bar was a riot of laughter and bad singing with karaoke night in full swing. It wasn’t really my first choice of Saturday night entertainment, but the whole crew wanted to go out and have fun to celebrate the end of classes. Finals week had been about as fun as a colonoscopy, but we had survived. Mostly…but that’s what the drinks were for. The bar wasn’t super big, but it was already packed with UT students also blowing off steam now that the semester was over.

“Here you go, grandpa. One club soda with lime,” Cal teased, handing me my drink. “You sure you’ll be okay staying up past your bedtime?”

“Laugh it up, you cocky turdmuffin. I put your name down for some good ol’ fashioned Nickelback on the karaoke lineup. Best to save those pipes for your big debut,” I smirked as Cal’s face fell into a glare.

“Oh my god, Bash gives me shit all the time about being an old lady for liking Gin and Tonics! This audacious assholery will not be tolerated!” Micah said indignantly across the table from us, tucked under Bash’s arm. Bash was snickering into his beer at Micah’s tipsy outrage before getting a sharp elbow to the gut, courtesy of his boyfriend. Their cute antics hadn’t distracted Cal though who was staring daggers at the side of my face, trying to determine if I was bluffing or not.

“You lie…” he sneered, narrowing his gaze at me .

“Me? Lie? No, not I.” I giggled at my clever little rhyme, but Cal was less than appreciative. His growl reached me even over the din of the bar and I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. “Oh come on, it’s not like you don’t know how to sing. You sing around me all the time! What’s so bad about doing it up there?”

“You are the only one who gets that side of me, Sweetness. That’s not for public consumption,” Cal groused, but my stomach fluttered at his words nonetheless. It was just another part of him that belonged only to me. “If you really put my name on that list, I swear your next orgasm will be harder to get than El Chapo was.”

I snorted at his threat because we both knew it was complete bullpoop. “Oh calm down, you giant baby. I didn’t sign you up for any Nickelback…it was “Wonderwall,” I added innocently.

“Holy shit, you’re going to get us run out of the bar,” Bash chortled, shooting an amused glance our way.

“You know what, dude? I’ll go up with you if you have to sing. I have been told I have a mellifluous tenor and a penchant for impulsive decisions,” Nate offered proudly.

“What, did you swallow a dictionary or something?” Dawson joked, shooting a bewildered look at his best friend.

“You couldn’t pay me enough to get up there and sing. I’d sooner pierce my dick,” Micah quipped, and whatever Bash whispered in his ear had him flushing deep red.

“Cal’s already done that,” I blurted out before it registered what I said. My eyes shot wide as awkward silence descended before the guys burst into laughter.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that!” Griffin laughed, but Cal’s icy gaze swung toward him and he choked off instantly. “I mean, I remember hearing about it. Like…in the locker room. Not that I’ve seen it because…that would be weird…and shit.”

“Very smooth. You really convinced them, baka,” Kenji retorted with a small laugh at Griffin’s fumbling response. He said something in Japanese to Griffin, who then smacked him on the head, so I could only guess what he’d said to him.

“I hope you realize this is your fault, Sweetness,” Cal grumbled at me, one eyebrow perking up in fake annoyance. I knew he really couldn’t give two figs if anyone knew about his pierced package. “I’m kind of glad I didn’t spike your drink now. You’re dangerous when sober, I can’t imagine the secrets you’d divulge if you were wasted. ”

“Hey, I take offense to that! I am an excellent secret kee—wait, you were going to spike my drink? Is that ethical? Is that legal? You say I’m dangerous, but now I’m a little concerned that—” My rambling was cut off by the crush of his mouth on mine, his tongue tangling with mine while a whimper escaped my throat.

It was still a bit shocking to me how easily he doled out public affection, but it never failed to make me swoon. Underneath the teasing, cocky, short-tempered butthole I was first drawn to was a romantic sap who couldn’t keep his hands off me. I loved both sides of him equally. There was no part of Cal I’d do away with. I wanted his darkness as well as his light. He was all mine, every beautiful, damaged piece.

“You are fucking adorable when you’re all flustered, you know that?” Cal grinned at me as we parted and all I could give him was a dopey smile in return.

“Hey party people, what’s crack-a-lackin?!” Aly shouted as she and Fin pushed their way past the crowd, fashionably late as always.

“Please excuse the poor thing. I just found her wandering around the streets, raving like a lunatic, and you know what a sucker I am for a stray,” Fin piped up, earning him a smack on the arm from Aly. “Excusez-moi! Hands off, I bruise like a peach!”

“Quit being a smart-ass, or I’ll bruise your peach,” Aly sassed with a wide grin.

“Ooo, kinky. I didn’t think you were into that, cutie,” Griffin teased, his flirty gaze pinned on Fin. However, Fin’s usual biting response was absent. I would have thought he didn’t hear Griffin if not for his jaw ticking and a slight blush coloring his cheeks. He just plopped into a chair at the end of the table, sliding into conversation with Micah, Bash, and Dawson without giving Griffin a second look. Griffin’s brows pinched and his lips turned down at the dismissal, and I was confused at what happened to cause the shift in that dynamic.

Before I could think on that too long, a silky, slightly accented voice rang out on the microphone. “?Buenas Noches! How y’all feeling tonight?”

I spun and instantly recognized Mateo on the karaoke stage, a cheeky smile on his face as he raised the microphone stand to his height. Cal started laughing at the sight of his friend up there, whooping and whistling along with the crowd at his easy charisma.

“Alright, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve done this, so don’t be too hard on me…that’s for later,” he winked at a group of girls close to the front, and their squeals could be heard even in the back where we sat. Laughter and more whistles echoed in the bar, and it wasn’t difficult to see why this guy was always getting some action. His gorgeous looks were only bolstered by his charm and confidence. He reminded me of Cal in some ways, but Mateo seemed larger than life. A personality too big to be contained in a single person. Throw in that subtle, sexy accent and he was a one-stop panty-drop. Or boxers too with how some of these men are eyeing him…

The song started up and everyone fell quiet once Mateo began to sing. His voice was sultry and smooth, the vibrato flowing effortlessly as he crooned to “Despacito”. Of course, everyone went crazy at his perfect rendition and it was pretty dang clear he knew what he was doing up there.

“Ugh, seriously with this guy?” Nate grumbled loudly from behind me. Our group all turned to him with perplexed looks, except Dawson who looked like he was biting his tongue about something.

“You don’t like Mateo? He’s, like, the nicest fucking dude. Plus he’s one of the only good singers tonight,” Griffin noted, still looking annoyed about his lack of attention from Fin if his disgruntled glances toward him were any indication. Nate rolled his eyes and took a large swig of his beer.

“Oh yeah, so damn nice,” Nate said, sarcasm heavy in his tone. “He’s a regular Oprah. You get a dicking, and you get a dicking . Everyone gets a dicking!” He gestured wildly to the crowd who was entranced by Mateo’s performance. Even I had a hard time tearing my eyes away from him, but thankfully Cal hadn’t noticed. I didn’t think my poor bum could take a jealous pounding after our bedroom Olympics last night. The memory of him bending me in half and pegging my prostate for a solid ten minutes had my dick stirring, but I wasn’t sure I had any bodily fluids left to give after three orgasms. Cal definitely had a fetish for wringing me dry, like he had to draw out every single drop to prove it was all his.

“What’s your deal with him anyway? You were all butthurt when we spotted him around Halloween too,” Bash wondered aloud, his fingers idly stroking Micah’s hair as he snuggled into his side.

“Forget it, I’m getting another drink,” Nate muttered and then he took off for the bar, leaving us all confused and highly curious. A dangerous state to leave us in, to be sure .

“I’ve got money on him having a thing for Mateo,” Griffin guessed confidently.

“I’ll see that bet and raise you that they’ve already done the nasty in the past-y,” Micah predicted with a devious smile. Dawson’s neutral expression and lack of eye contact made me think he had some insider knowledge. When I caught his gaze, he just smirked at me and put his finger to his mouth in a “shh” gesture. Yep, dude knew something, but he would probably take it to his grave. Pity…

Mateo finished to insane applause, getting stopped every other foot by girls and guys alike who were praising his singing. He finally sauntered over to our table. “Hawk, Griffin, what’s happening, brothers?” He and Cal did their complicated handshake thing and Griffin just up-nodded him with a smile.

“Great job, man. A Spanish song was a bit on the nose, but...” Cal joked, but Mateo just gave him an easy grin.

“Eh, that song needed a little Colombian flair. You’re just jealous you couldn’t pull it off, parcero,” he laughed.

“Evidently your flair worked. Looks like you’ve got some adoring fans over there,” Fin said, pointing to a large table of girls raking their gazes over Mateo lustfully. “You’ll have to work them in shifts to get through all of them.” Mateo’s attention pivoted to Fin, that flirty smirk popping up that seemed to be a staple for him.

“Well, you know, I do like to give back to the public. But I always have room on my dance card if you care for a spin, beautiful,” he purred at Fin, and I noticed Griffin tense up out of the corner of my eye. Fin gave him a sweet smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“As lovely an offer as that undoubtedly is, I’m afraid I’m taken,” he replied, and Micah and I exchanged surprised glances.

“Wait, what? When did that happen?” I asked incredulously. Fin smiled nervously at me, completely unlike his normal bubbly self. Something was definitely up with him.

“Uh, it was pretty recent. My ex Dan and I reconnected and came to an understanding. I figured I owed us one more go after all this time together, so…yeah.”

His news floored me and I had some very big feelings about what he said, but this wasn’t the time or place. I couldn’t stop myself from looking over at Griffin who had gone red and silent, staring at his beer like he was contemplating chugging it or chucking it at the wall. Nate also decided to reappear at that moment, and when he and Mateo caught sight of the other, the tension blanketed us fast and heavy.

“Okaaay, it feels like there’s a whole lot of subtext going on right now…” Micah supplied unhelpfully, and I kicked him under the table lightly. “What? It’s awkward as fuck and I’m not drunk enough to ignore it yet!” Cal and Bash bit back a snort at Micah’s blunt assessment, and I just let out a heavy sigh at my slightly inebriated bestie.

“So anyway, what is everyone doing for summer break?” Aly asked loudly in an attempt to cut the tension and change the topic. Masterfully executed. Did I mention I like her?

“Micah moved in with me last weekend, so we’ll just be hanging around Austin fixing our place up. No big plans, but maybe a few day trips to San Antonio or down to Big Bend?” Bash said, smiling at Micah in a way that showed just how much he adored him. Those two had gone through it this year, but I was over the moon that they found their way back to each other.

Even though it was bittersweet that I was losing my roommate, I was happy for him. Although I didn’t know if I could afford that apartment alone since Gran covered my rent, and I didn’t want to take a chance on a random person moving in. My hopes that Cal would ask me to move in with him hadn’t come to fruition yet, but maybe it was too soon? Staying over at his place most nights was very different than combining our lives like that. The goal was not to overthink this and get paranoid that it was a bad sign for us. How was that working out for me? So glad you asked. Poorly! Very poorly, thank you.

“I’m heading to Kyoto for a few weeks with my parents. We go once every other year to see my mom’s side of the family,” Kenji said, shrugging like it was no big deal.

“Hell, that’s more than I’ve got going on. I’m stuck here working the entire summer, and Fin’s going to be busy teaching his dance classes and being with Dan. But who knows? Maybe I’ll find a hot summer fling of my own,” Aly griped good-naturedly. Fin’s lips curved up a bit at the corners, but I could tell something was bothering him. He still hadn’t looked over at Griffin, and I actually felt a little bad for him.

I peeked over at Dawson since he had been quiet most of the night, but he appeared lost in his own thoughts and a little pale. I wondered if there was something wrong, especially since he was now throwing dart-y eyes toward the opposite corner of the bar .

“What about you and Hawk? You guys have anything fun planned this summer?” Bash asked me kindly, drawing my attention back to the conversation. Oddly enough, Cal and I hadn’t talked about any plans for after the semester. We never really discussed plans more than a week out. That irritating spark of insecurity flickered in my head, but I shut it out before it took me down the rabbit hole of paranoia. Cal hadn’t given me any reason to question our relationship and where it was going.

“We haven’t?—”

“Actually, I have a trip planned for us,” Cal interrupted, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips. I snapped my head in his direction, stunned at the admission.

“Wait, you do? Since when? Where?” I asked dumbfounded, but I couldn’t help the bubbling excitement in my stomach.

“That’s for me to know and you to work out of me later in bed using whatever methods you see fit,” Cal whispered scandalously in my ear. Micah must have noticed our private moment because he shot me a smirk and turned Bash’s attention back to him for their own conversation.

“But…you really want to go on a trip with me?” My cheeks heated with vulnerability. Cal leaned forward and took my mouth in a sweet kiss, one that ended way too soon for my taste.

“Of course I do. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, sweetheart,” he told me, his gaze serious. “That’s not all I have planned for us, but the rest can wait until we’re not in mixed company.” He gave me another firm kiss, one that swept over me and washed away any doubts that still niggled at me that he wasn’t in this. A fry whacked me on the face and I yanked away from Cal’s mouth with a cry of protest.

“Stop sucking face and look! Dawson’s getting up to sing!” Fin said frantically, eyes bugged out. Sure enough, Dawson was sitting down at the keyboard that was on the side of the stage for open mic nights, casting nervous glances at the audience. Our group all started looking at each other, searching for answers but coming up blank. Nate even seemed confused and surprised by his best friend’s impromptu performance.

“Hey guys, um…I’m hoping y’all don’t mind if I change things up a bit for karaoke night,” Dawson hummed into the mic. The crowd answered with claps and hollers, encouraging him for what was either go ing to be a great show or embarrassing entertainment. I didn’t know about our friends, but I held my breath and sent up a silent prayer that he didn’t completely, terribly suck. Even though we all know the bad singing is why anyone goes to karaoke in the first place. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to you.

Dawson took a deep breath and then his fingers started dancing across the keys in a slow melody I recognized as “Dancing On My Own”. As he sang the opening lines, Dawson’s voice carried across the bar in a throaty, but flawless tone that was hauntingly beautiful. I was mesmerized by the emotion pouring from him as the lyrics floated in the air, coming from somewhere deep in Dawson that held some measure of pain. When he reached the first chorus, his eyes kept flicking to the far corner that had caught his attention earlier. I tried to peer around Mateo and Bash to see what or who he could possibly be looking at.

The crowd hung on every word he sang, getting lost in the story that flowed between the keyboard and his voice. I had never seen this side of Dawson, and one peek at Nate and Bash who knew him best told me this was also a novel way of seeing their friend. By the second chorus, Dawson’s eyes lingered longer and more intensely in that corner, and it seemed Micah had also caught on to the action.

“Hey, isn’t that guy over there our neighbor we ran into when I moved in?” Micah whispered to Bash just loud enough I could hear. “The one Dawson said…was…ooooh! Shit.”

My curiosity ran rampant thinking about what Dawson had said about this random guy to elicit that kind of reaction. The crowd parted just enough that through the gap between Mateo’s and Bash’s shoulders I saw a tall, leanly muscled guy with ash blond hair and crystalline blue eyes. He had an arm hanging over the shoulder of a slightly shorter guy with bronze skin and curly black hair, but blondie seemed tense as heck staring up at the stage. His brows were drawn down a bit and his lips were pursed, looking like he was in some kind of pain. His eyes didn’t move from where Dawson was playing, even when his boyfriend or hookup or whatever tried to swing his attention back to him.

I was drawn back to Dawson as his voice grew mournful and cracked slightly on the lyrics as he reached the acapella section. But you don’t see me standing here..I just came to say goodbye…

My heart twisted painfully, feeling every note and word that Dawson fed us. I was too far away to tell for sure, but I could almost make out a glassy sheen across those cornflower blue eyes of his. When I turned back to see the corner guy, he was fiddling with something hanging on a silver chain he wore around his neck. But there was no mistaking the matching emotion etched on his face, and I knew there was something between these two that ran deep.

Dawson closed out on a crescendo run that raised goosebumps on my arms, the collective breaths of everyone in the bar bated and waiting for that final chord. When the final note died out, the bar erupted in applause and cheers, some people even giving him a standing ovation. Not only was Dawson incredibly gifted, but the way he had come alive up there and bared his soul to the audience was hypnotic and powerful. He didn’t stick around long, shooting the crowd a thankful smile and a quick nod before making a fast exit toward the hallway in the back of the bar.

“?Ay juepucha! Your friend has some badass pipes,” Mateo whistled low, his thick eyebrows raising in approval.

“What kind of vocal sorcery was that?” Micah said in astonishment, his face comically shocked. Beside him, Bash only looked concerned for Dawson.

“You think he’s alright?” Nate asked, worry lines set into his forehead. We all chimed in, talking about the merits of going to check on him and leaving him be for a little to cool down or process. Even Aly and Kenji were expressing care about what had upset Dawson and wanting to help, despite not knowing him well. It made me warm inside, thinking of this small, but growing group of people who were quickly becoming so important in my life. I smiled to myself thinking of how easily Cal’s friends were blending with mine, and bringing Mateo and Aly into the mix even seemed like they were always meant to be there.

Despite the obvious issues with Nate and Mateo and the tension between Griffin and Fin, this felt like the safe space I had craved since I was a kid. No matter what strange ways some of us came together, I was grateful for each connection, each friendship at this table. This felt like my second family. That fact was made even more clear when Dawson returned, looking defeated, shaken, and confused.

“Hey D…what do you need from us most right now?” Bash asked, his hand clamping gently on Dawson’s shoulder.

“Whatever you need, we’ll make it happen if we can. We’ve got you,” Nate promised, looking more grounded and focused than I’d ever seen him.

“I just…” Dawson started, staring down at the table. “I need my friends. And I need to forget…”

No questions asked, Bash and Cal jumped up and offered to grab shots and refills for the table. Kenji and Griffin started telling a story about a disastrous bus ride back from an away game where half the team got food poisoning at a dinner stop. Griffin’s over-the-top narration of how guys were either farting, puking, or begging to be let off and escape had us all in stitches, Dawson included. Fin offered a hand massage that he swore had magic powers, and by the zen look on Dawson’s face two minutes in, that assessment didn’t seem too far-fetched.

Micah slid into Cal’s vacated seat, putting his arm around me to give me a hug. “What was that for?” I questioned, but happy with the sweet contact.

“I’m just so happy for you, Rhysie,” he said, his smile full of warmth. “I know the year started off rough for you and Cal, but I’m ridiculously glad it turned out the way it did for you guys. It seems like things are really good between you two.” At that, I instinctively glanced at the bar where Cal and Bash were talking, and Cal somehow felt my gaze on him. His eyes caught mine and he beamed at me, my heart skipping at how gorgeous he was.

A grin spread across my face faster than I could blink, and I turned back to my friend, pure joy and contentment rooting themselves in my bones. “Yeah. We’re better than good. It’s more than I could hope for.”

And it really was. I couldn’t believe how amazing things were between us despite what we’d gone through to get to that point. I mean, nothing was ever perfect. Cal and I still had healing to do on our own and together, and now I was down a roommate. Senior year was undeniably going to be a long, tough year before reaching graduation. However, none of that mattered in the end because I had what was most important.

I had Cal. In him, I found my best friend, my soulmate, my future. The villain who brought me my happy ending. He and I knew better than most that nothing was ever set in stone or guaranteed to us, but I had faith we’d make it. Our lives were destined for the same path, short or long, smooth or rough. We’d have each other and that was all that mattered. I remembered what I told Cal so many months ago in that dive bar when he’d asked if I really believed I could find someone to love me so infinitely.

I always had, but Cal proved to me I wasn’t a fool for believing. I found the person who would never leave me. He saw all the beautiful and ugly parts of me and loved me enough to stay forever. We’d seen death’s handiwork before and it wouldn’t stop us. We’d just find each other in the next life or whatever came after.