Chapter Fifteen – Am I the Asshole?
Lyn didn't have time to react when Alexander grabbed his hand, snatching him from Brad before he could even pull himself away. He waved at Brad and Luke, who already seemed to have forgotten about the total drubbing they had received only earlier, if anyone were to judge by the goofy smiles and slaps on the back they exchanged.
"Are we in a hurry or something?" he asked as Alexander seemed to have a clear destination in mind as to where he wanted to drag Lyn.
It all became clear as Alexander's long strides took them closer to the waves lapping gently against the shore. Lyn didn't mind going for a swim because his aching, sweaty body needed it. But Alexander didn't let go of his hand even as they marched farther into the ocean.
Lyn was about to protest against the hazy plans Alexander seemed to have when he was pulled against him close and hard. His mouth didn't mind the eager kisses his long-time friend seemed to specialize in, and he even enjoyed it as Alexander invaded his space, his strong arms wrapped firmly around him.
They were far enough out in the water for a wave to splash against them, forcing them to interrupt their kiss.
Lyn laughed and slapped Alexander's chest. "What's gotten into you?" He turned his head to check to see if anyone was looking, although his caution was a little late. Brad and Luke, at least, were out of sight. The other people enjoying the beach at that late hour in the afternoon were either too far away or they weren't paying any attention to a pair of strangers.
"He touched you, so I need to wash his filthy slime off you." To make his words true, Alexander began splashing Lyn with handfuls of water.
"Filthy slime? What are you so jealous of?" Lyn protested but began to respond in kind.
Alexander's hair was getting curly when wet. He looked so good like that. It was hard to match that sight with how cold the same guy had been in college.
"I have everything to be jealous of," Alexander replied. "He's got his future brother-in-law, and I get you. It should be simple."
"Ah, are you talking about the match? Well, the matches. We should've been less ruthless with them. I mean, Brad's wedding is right around the corner. It seems petty to rain on his parade."
Alexander stopped the splashing fight and stared at Lyn. "Don't worry. His feelings weren't hurt or anything. Also, if anyone is going to rain on his parade, it will be him."
"What? What do you mean?"
Alexander shrugged. "Bradley has a bad habit of putting his foot in his mouth. Also, he doesn't realize that it will always come around to bite him in the ass. Not that I'm surprised. After all, he's not exactly bright."
"Hey, that's not nice," Lyn warned him.
Alexander moved closer, staggering a bit as the waves crashed implacably against his body. He wrapped one arm around Lyn's shoulders, making his friend feel his weight. Then, when Lyn gave him a startled look, he stared back with a smirk.
"What are you doing?" Lyn asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Haven't you figured that out?"
"What? Hey, you're heavy," he protested.
"I bet Bradley wouldn't feel heavy to you."
"Because he's not as tall as you are. And I'm sure your bones are made of reinforced concrete or something."
"Pay attention, Lynton," Alexander whispered in his ear. "I am quite flabbergasted that you're still as dense as you used to be in college."
"Pay attention to what?"
"To the signs," Alexander said enigmatically.
"The signs of the universe?" Lyn asked slowly, pretending to throw an inquiring look at the sky above.
"If that's what you want to call them, be my guest. But please, remove those horse blinders already. They're starting to piss me off."
Lyn couldn't believe his ears. Moments ago, they had been fooling around like kids, and now there was this serious atmosphere between them. What had he expected? This was Alexander, after all.
"I'll have you know that I'm the most practical and cynical person you've ever met. I always cover all angles. I really have no idea what you're talking about. So speak clearly already."
"No," Alexander said, shaking his head. "You have until this little vacation ends. Then I will tell you everything. I will hold you down if need be, and you will listen."
"Is this about how you want to screw me? I swear, I don't understand anything anymore."
Alexander's smile seemed cruel. "I bet you don't. And yes, I want to screw you, fuck you, put my cock in you until you're satisfied, but this isn't about that."
Lyn groaned and pressed his index fingers against his temples, as he turned to walk out of the water. "I guess I forgot what it's like to be around you. Everything's a challenge with you. But I'll be damned if I know what you're on about now."
"Okay, then I will give you a clue," Alexander said, hurrying to follow him. "Watch Bradley and his D'Artagnan tonight. Watch closely."
Lyn shook his head. "Are you implying that there's something going on between them? Just because you woke up a couple of days ago and saw the gay light--"
"Bisexual," Alexander corrected him smoothly.
"Whatever," Lyn said, grinding his teeth. "Nothing's going on, and you're just trying to put weird ideas in my head. Brad is marrying Bella. He likes Luke because they're practically the same person. Luke is like the friend he's never had, because back in college, he got stuck with us."
"You say it like it's a bad thing."
"Yeah. We must have bored him out of his mind. You were a miserable bore, and I was no better, as focused as I was on my studies all the time."
"No one shackled him to us," Alexander pointed out.
The asshole was right, of course. But Lyn had no intention of backing down. "Yeah. He must have felt sorry for us."
"Oh," Alexander responded with a non-committal grunt. "What an interesting take, Lynton. Bradley gave everything and received nothing in return. How very interesting."
"Stop following me," Lyn blurted out as he stomped across the wet sand with his naked soles.
"We share the same living space. I have to follow you."
Lyn growled like a wounded animal. He hated it when Alexander was right. And a part of him revolted too much against what this asshole was insinuating. Brad and Luke? No way. They were just typical bros, doing typical bro things. Alexander just wanted to rile him up for reasons only he understood.
"Alexander, I mean it. Just give me a little bit of space, okay?"
There was no reply, but Alexander stopped dead in his tracks. Lyn stole a look over his shoulder. His friend remained stuck in place as if he didn't know where to go. And he was staring after Lyn like there was nothing he'd rather do than follow him.
***
Lyn hated the weird vibe between him and Alexander, as well as the way they were walking at a distance from each other, not exactly like two strangers, but like two people who couldn't stand one another. At the present moment, it was true. Alexander had said nothing when he had finally returned to their cottage, and Lyn had preferred to leave things like that.
Too bad he couldn't ask for another roommate or place to stay. Brad would get worried if he learned that his two besties from college were fighting as if they were kids. The reason behind their fight was also too ludicrous to mention. But Alexander's strange words were putting ideas in his head, so Lyn had to observe things for himself.
The cozy beach bar where Brad and Luke were waiting for them had a nice atmosphere that didn't outwardly spell 'resort'. It was out of the way, and it looked like it belonged in a different area, with its faded wooden sign in front and its mismatched lounge chairs. Brad, who was all about luxury and showing it off if he had it, must have had a change of heart to invite his friends for drinks at such a humble place.
Lyn liked it. The smell of salt and ocean permeated everything, and it reminded him of old stories about fishermen and their trials and tribulations battling the waves. Brad wasn't one for feeling nostalgic and, as that annoyingly right Alexander had pointed out, he didn't read much, either.
"My dudes," Luke called out loudly, making the few patrons there at that hour turn their heads to watch the newcomers. He jumped from his tall stool and hurried to hug Lyn and Alexander, as if he had known them since forever. Lyn accepted the unexpected manifestation of affection and looked for Brad with his eyes.
"Where's the groom to be?" Alexander asked.
It was strange to hear his voice again after the hour of silence that had stretched between them, growing from uncomfortable to insupportable. Lyn didn't know there would ever have come a time when he'd long to hear Alexander say anything in that posh annoying accent of his.
"He's been in the bathroom since forever," Luke said, rolling his eyes. "Pick your poison. Tonight's on me." He tapped the worn-out wooden counter, drawing the bartender's attention.
Lyn had known Luke only since that afternoon, but he thought something was a bit off about the younger man. He seemed restless, tapping his fingers on the bar fast and stealing glances around. Someone flustered, who had been interrupted in the middle of something, would usually behave like this.
No, that was just Alexander putting weird ideas in his head. What could that something have been? It wasn't like Luke and Brad had been making out on the counter with all the people around him watching. The idea was beyond incredible. It was a bad idea, and it was only the result of his overactive imagination guided by Alexander's unwarranted suspicions.
Brad surprised him by hugging him from behind. Lyn stole a glance at Alexander, but it looked like their mutual friend no longer found the idea of Brad touching Lyn grating. Without wanting to, Lyn let his mind wander for a moment to the kiss Alexander had given him after dragging him into the waves. It made him dizzy just to recall it, and he wasn't – definitely wasn't – a sucker for a kiss. Or more. Alexander was an amazing kisser, but it meant nothing. Like sex, a kiss had its mechanics. Once you got good at it, you could blow your partner's mind with your technique no matter how you felt about them.
Brad seemed a bit tipsy, which surprised Lyn, since they hadn't parted ways that long ago. When had Brad had the time to shower, change into other clothes and drink himself to this point?
But no, it wasn't that. There was no smell of alcohol on Brad's breath as he placed a wet kiss on Lyn's cheek before plopping himself down on the nearby stool. His eyes were shiny, and he seemed on the verge of laughing, but it wasn't because of booze.
"They have the best Mai Tais here," Brad announced. "Luke is an expert in finding the most awesome places. Rumor has it they might have invented them here."
Lyn somehow doubted that, but Brad radiated happiness, and he didn't want to mess things up, especially after humiliating the groom-to-be and his future brother-in-law not long ago, match after match. Although he felt tempted to blame it all on Alexander and his competitive spirit, Lyn knew he had enjoyed winning against Brad and his new best friend.
That was all there was to it. Brad and Luke were best friends. Nothing more, nothing less. As much as he hated the idea, he and Alexander both were relics of the past – Brad's past, and after the wedding, they would all return to their lives only to exchange a phone call on birthdays and other special occasions. This reconnecting thing wouldn't last. Lyn needed to use it only to let go of his silly crush from years ago if he knew what was good for him.
"Let's get to our table," Luke said, touching Alexander's shoulder.
Lyn stared, maybe for a bit too long. He expected Alexander to do something unpleasant, shake off Luke's touch perhaps, but instead, the arrogant jerk turned to smile at Brad's soon to be brother-in-law. It was one of his good smiles, too, not a smirk, not a sneer, not a knowing grin. Lyn felt a tug in his chest, and it wasn't the good kind.
***
Luke had his arm draped over Brad's shoulders while draining drink after drink. Lyn had barely had a third of what that guy kept pouring inside him and already felt at his limit, although the parties he had used to attend with his mother had offered him many occasions to drink on the down low and he had developed quite a tolerance for alcohol way too early in his life.
"So you two were like the smartest guys in the whole school?" Luke asked, leaning his weight even more heavily on Brad.
"We studied the hardest," Lyn offered. "It would have been smarter of me to drink more often," he joked as he fiddled with his glass. "Compared to you, guys, I'm definitely a lightweight."
From across the small table, Brad watched him with a mix of curiosity and puzzlement that made no sense to Lyn. He'd have to ask what those questioning stares meant. They unnerved him. The strangest thing about them was that they flattered Lyn to a certain degree. Well, he knew he looked good now, and he also knew how much hard work was involved to achieve those looks. Although he'd been telling himself that he had done all that because it was a form of self-respect, when getting validation from others he still felt proud.
Alexander ignored him with dogged determination, paying him absolutely no mind. It seemed like such a petty thing to do after their little fight from earlier, but Lyn couldn't say he was surprised. He was just… disappointed in himself because he had let his guard down with Alexander. After so many years, they were still the same people. They were older, yes, but not necessarily wiser.
"Tell me what Brad was like in college. I bet he was so wild." Luke gave his future brother-in-law a long once-over, accompanied by a smirk. "Since he was hanging with you two, I bet he was so preppy and boring." He guffawed at the end of his little speech.
"Quite the opposite," Alexander said smoothly. "He was exactly as you see him now. Maybe ten pounds lighter."
"Hey," Brad protested. "Are you calling me fat?" He grinned, always ready for a bit of banter with Alexander.
"If you intend to show us your flat belly, wait until we're all a little drunker," Alexander suggested.
"We've all seen it," Lyn intervened. "You're in top shape, Brad, don't listen to this guy."
"Who was the best, though?" Luke asked. He didn't detach himself from Brad and instead angled his body so he could snatch another shot from the table. "Was it you, Lyn? Alexander looks like the kind of guy who'd skip classes only to prove he can be cool, too, but you're like running for president or something, right?"
"Hardly," Lyn replied. "And Alexander was better. He even had an academic scholarship. Perfect grades. Nothing less would have been good enough for our resident aristocrat."
"For real?" Luke said, his eyes growing wide. He was, obviously, easy to impress. "But didn't you have like loads of cash back then?" He turned his attention to Alexander.
"I continue to have loads of cash," Alexander informed Luke with a cool smile. "I had my reasons for maintaining my scholarship."
"What reasons?" Luke persisted, eager and unaware of how Alexander had just closed the conversation on the topic.
"He had to show everyone how superior he was," Lyn cut in. "That was one way of doing it."
"Ah, I see," Luke said, looking every bit like he didn't, in fact, see anything at all.
"And in what other ways did I endeavor to show off my superiority, Lynton?"
Oh, fuck. He should have kept his mouth shut. Alexander was so insufferable that he was ready to get into a new fight already. It didn't matter that there were other people present.
"You didn't have to do anything, actually," Lyn replied in kind. "Your face," he said, trying to lighten things up by brushing his knuckles against Alexander's chin, "your name, even your perfect arrogance, have always been enough to put the world at your feet."
"You don't say," Alexander said in a low, menacing voice. "So I had everyone and everything I wanted. Is this what you're implying?"
"Pretty much," Lyn said with a shrug. He was proud of his ability to use words to win any argument, but right now talking was only serving to dig himself a bigger, deeper hole.
"Yeah, Alexander," Brad intervened after downing another drink and gesturing for the server to come around, "it was pretty much enough for you to be you and all the chicks were yours. I totally agree with Lyn."
"Oh, let the blind lead the blind," Alexander said in a suave voice dripping with sarcasm. "I suppose I didn't have to work very hard to have you guys as my pals, then. You just gravitated toward me like poor little moths to a flame."
Luke was the only one who made an attempt to laugh at Alexander's harsh words. Brad was staring hard at Alexander, in a way that didn't look like him at all. Tension, thick enough to cut with a knife, was expanding to fill the space between them, making Lyn feel the booze he'd ingested until now slosh inside his stomach in an unpleasant way. Why did Alexander have to ruin everything all the time?
"Alexander deserved every penny of that scholarship," he said. "And he was the best, period. Let's just have another round," he suggested, the sound of his own voice too loud in his ears.
Luke warmed up to the idea right away. But Brad's eyes remained cold as they moved from Lyn to Alexander and back again. He continued to drink and laugh, but the only time when he seemed to return to his usual cheery self was when he focused all of his attention on his future brother-in-law.
***
"Why are you so damn pissy all the time?" Lyn started his attack as he and Alexander were on their way back to their cottage. "Brad is trying hard to bring us back together like we were, and you--"
Alexander stopped so abruptly Lyn barely missed barreling into him, since he was following close behind him. "Is he now?"
"Yes, he is," Lyn continued, feeling too hot and angry to give a damn about Alexander's hurt tone. "And you… you…" He groaned in frustration.
"You can't even bring yourself to finish your thoughts," Alexander said through his teeth. "Because you know you're wrong."
"What do you even know about me?" Lyn exploded.
"I know enough. It will never be you, Lynton." Alexander loomed over him menacingly. "Read my lips. Never."
Lyn wondered if they were going to get physical and not in a pleasant way. But Alexander was already on his way down the path, moving away from him.
Damn him and his longer stride. To keep up, Lyn had to break into a run.
"Why are you like this? This isn't about being competitive and unable to resist a good challenge, is it?"
"Oh, you're finally beginning to get it. Do you want a prize?"
"Ugh, I hate you!" Lyn stopped, not because he needed to catch his breath, but because this conversation was going nowhere. They were like two blind people in the dark, with no chance of meeting in the middle.
"Feel free to do that if you want to. Just don't ignore me the way you did tonight," Alexander said, in an annoyingly calmer tone than Lyn's.
"Who ignored you? You ignored me!" Lyn threw at Alexander's back. "You kept on smiling at Luke like he was some goddamn pretty woman--"
Alexander stopped again, just as abruptly as earlier. His facial features were softer in the lights lining the cottages near the beach. "You noticed. I'm glad. But I'm still upset with you." He turned on his heel to continue his walk.
"Because of that scholarship thing? Yeah, okay, what I said was uncalled for," Lyn admitted. "But you were being an asshole, too."
"Oh, really?" Alexander commented, as if to himself, hastening his steps.
Lyn remained behind. He threw up his arms in defeat. "Am I the asshole now?"
TBC