Kaiden

"You didn't bother to come to the beach huh? We were waiting for you!" Seth grumbles, sitting beside me.

"Sorry! We kinda fell asleep," I chuckle. "Then Sam decided to just stay put because you would return by the time we reached you anyway."

"Hmph, not cool. Tomorrow we're going surfing. Be up at 7."

"Oh, sure!" I nod, passing him the basket of dinner rolls. I don't know how to surf at all but it would be fun to try.

The caretaker, Harry, made a lovely meal and Sam decorated the table outside on the deck with candles and a makeshift centerpiece with flowers. I laid the plates.

Sam is very careful around the employees and his friends, not even looking in my direction. I sit opposite him, making small talk. However Ana seems to know something is up. She keeps throwing me glances and smiling.

"So Kaiden, how are you so okay with hanging out with your school's rivals?" Paxton asks, chewing on a shrimp.

"Well, I don't consider you guys rivals, it's just most of my friends happen to be on the team and your soccer players are kinda rude," I laugh, eating the noodles. The bolognese is amazing, perfect garlic. Harry should be a fucking chef.

Sam is staring at me, listening intently.

"Yours aren't any better! They're nasty little shits, especially Daniel. The other day he was pestering me about Nathan. We go to the same algebra tuition and I couldn't stand him!"

I didn't know Dan needed algebra tutoring. Hm.

"How's it going with our best player in your team though?" Seth laughs, sipping on the Merlot.

Sam excuses himself to the bathroom.

"Well, as far as I know, he's bloody brilliant. Our team's performance improved like five hundred percent this season. Beats me why he left your school though?"

There's a pause, everyone looks at each other.

"You heard the rumours, didn't you?" Seth asks cautiously.

I nod, sipping on the wine. It's absolutely divine.

"Are they true?"

"It's complicated Kai. He did leave because of that. It was all distorted information and no one really knows what happened. He just left so suddenly, we didn't even get to ask. We thought he was going to live with his dad in New York. It was a shock even to us that he was to be in Credence."

"Don't tell me there's not one single kid in your school out of the closet?!" I frown.

"No, there are, which is why it is even more confusing to why he got kicked out. I heard there was some politician's kid involved but I don't think we have anyone from such families in our year. I have a hunch it was someone from junior year."

"That doesn't make sense, does it? And what's the beef with Sam and Nathan? Sam said they never spoke, though I don't believe it the slightest," I mutter.

"What?! That's impossible. They used to be joined at the fucking hip!" Seth gasps.

There, another damn lie and this time, from Sam and Nathan both. Why the fuck am I involved with guys who just don't fucking tell me stuff?!

"But now that you mention it, I remember they barely spoke towards the end of junior year. Nathan is quick to close himself off at even the slightest bit of problems."

Yep, can attest to that.

"I think he and Sam had a falling out. He's not been in touch with any of us either but Sam took his leaving to heart. He never speaks about him, at all. It's like he never existed."

Nathan acts the same. I would have never found out he hates Sam if I didn't tell him about this trip.

"But you invited Nathan to your concert right?"

"Yeah. Actually he reconnected after about two months of complete disappearance. And trust me I tried all ways of contacting him. So we thought he moved away. Until he got back in touch and told me he's still at his Mum's and now goes to Credence."

Seems like I wasn't the only one running away to that camp. A sudden urge to see Nathan grips me.

"We just wish Nathan would have come to us if he was having problems, you know?" Ana sighs. "We miss him a lot but don't know how to approach him. We used to come down here together every year. I bet Sam misses him, they were best friends."

Ouch.

A friend fallout is worse than a breakup, I don't even blame them being so cold towards each other. I'm guessing it's Sam's fault, but even Seth doesn't know the real reason.

Sam comes back and the table falls silent immediately. It's clearly a touchy topic with them.

I finish my food, wondering what happened.

"There's a neon paint party at a neighbouring house, Harry said. It's open to all. Wanna go?" Sam asks, finishing his food.

Pax and Gabriella nod.

"Do we have radium paints magically lying around or...?" Ana laughs.

"Oh no, they'll provide it I think. Someone there is gonna have some for sure," Pax says, getting up. He leaves and Gabriella follows, her blonde hair flying behind her.

"We can't get back too late or we're going to miss the waves tomorrow!" Seth calls, earning a distant yes from Paxton.

Ana rolls her eyes.

"All this and you care about surfing!" She says, gesturing to herself. Seth plants a passionate kiss on her lips and she giggles, going red. They walk off together.

Sam rolls his eyes. I get up to clear my plate but he stops me.

"Harry will take care of that," He says, finishing his wine. "Let's go get dressed!"

I put the plate back down and follow him, his grip on my wrist firm. Every time we're alone, my body gets hot in anticipation. It knows that it's going to get some good pleasuring. All my senses are in overdrive when he's around.

"So, uh, not even Pax and Gabriella know about you?" I ask, when he shuts the door of our room.

He shakes his head, striding to me. He pushes me back on the bed by my shoulders and straddles me.

"It's hard to stay away from you even for that long," He whispers before kissing me deeply.

I sigh into his mouth, my body arching against him. His hands wander and I pull him closer by his waist. He smirks, pulling back. I miss the feel of his mouth immediately.

Fuck, he makes me so needy.

"Someone's eager," He sings, pecking my nose.

"Aren't you?"

"If we continue, we're going to be fucking late again because there's no way I'm going to stop after that!" He grins, getting up.

"You're right," I mumble. "But we have five minutes!"

"Who are you and what did you do to the shy Kaiden?" He laughs.

I pull him down and kiss him again. He laughs and pulls away again.

"Stop being a tease," I groan.

"Come on, they'll get suspicious! We'll have fun later, promise!"

"Fine, but you'd better make good on it!"

******

"You are the most beautiful.... prettiest girl I have ever seen!" I tell Gabriella, playing with her blonde hair. She giggles.

"What?" She asks Pax who is looking at her oddly.

"You're my girlfriend."

"I know. He's so drunk, it's funny!"

Paxton kisses her, pulling her closer and away from me. Psh, such a fragile ego.

Sam takes me away from them. The room is spinning. What time is it?

"You're sloshed!" He laughs, running his hands through my hair. I close my eyes, feeling the world sway.

"Kiss me," I whisper, leaning against his shoulder. I bite on his collarbone, hands running up his thigh. I could eat him up.

"Kai, what are you doing?" He moans softly, pushing me away.

"Ugh, you all have so many secrets!" I groan, leaving the couch.

I stumble slightly. When did we get back here from the party? It was a lit party. I think there was a ship! I remember seeing a pirate.

I walk out of the door to the front lawns.

"Kai, don't go out there alone! Fuck-"

"You can't stop me!" I whisper, smiling.

I know he will follow. I love being drunk. There's no restrictions, no inhibitions, no drama and problems.

"Kai, wait!" Sam calls. I run down to the beach, the cold air biting at my skin.

"It's 4 in the morning, what are you doing Kai?!"

"Having fun!" I yell. "Nobody here to stop me!"

It's pitch dark, the only light being from a faraway lone street lamp. There's a small rowboat overturned nearby. I hoist myself up on it but slip down. A laugh escapes me.

The sand is still warm between my toes. I sit down and grab it in my hands, tossing it a bit ahead.

"Oh thank God, I thought you were going in the fucking water! It's just forty degrees right now," Sam huffs.

"LoL!"

"Did you just say Lol?!" he laughs, sitting beside me. "You almost gave us away back there!"

"Hm, I'm sorry, I guess. But I'm tired of secrets and lies," I sigh.

"I don't know how I got so invested in him, you know? It started off as friendship. He fit perfectly with my other friends. But now... that I know him a bit, he is a totally different person."

"I'm guessing you aren't talking about me," He sighs, putting his head on my shoulder.

The sounds of the waves against the sand is soothing, little white tops visible.

"You're amazing but I don't feel an emotional attachment to you."

"Maybe because we don't spend more time together. Also different schools y'know? Hopefully we could be together in college?"

I laugh.

"Hopefully."

"So this other guy, what was he like before you got to know him?"

"Sunshine. That's the only word to describe him. He was happy, carefree and jovial. He was just good, you know? He helped me a lot. I just wish I could return that feeling."

"He sounds great, I'm jealous," Sam laughs.

"He is. But all of that goodness is a facade. He's confusing, closed off. I understand that many things happened in his life and the trauma he's dealing with. But I wish he would at least let me be there for him, you know?"

"I know."

"Worst thing is, he flirts with girls all day, but when nobody's around, he kisses me. It makes me feel like I'm in heaven and then he pushes me away. God I fucking hate him. No, I don't. I can't even tell anymore!" I groan.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

I gasp, shaking my head.

Love?!?! No.

"Sounds like you are. You can't bear being away from him. Even now, you're here, supposedly having fun, yet your mind and heart are far away," Sam sighs. "He sounds toxic though so you should be a little wary of him."

He is rubbing soothing circles on my back.

Could I be... fuck!

"He is, but he went through a lot of shit in the past year. I know I'm defending him but he's... he's only toxic to me because I've been getting up in his space. Trying to find out why he is the way he is. That sunshine personality? It masks so much pain."

"And you want to fight against everything that causes him pain?"

I nod, shivering in the breeze.

"I'm sorry Sam. It's not fair to you."

"It's okay," he says. "I understand."

"Thank you."

"Can I persuade you to forget about him though? For tonight?" Sam grins. It's too dark to see his face but I can hear the mischief in his voice.

"Like how?"

He grabs my face and kisses me. Where he thinks my lips are. I laugh.

"That my chin, Sam!"

"I can't see shit okay, stop laughing!" he chuckles. "You chose to sit here in the pitch dark!"

"I know. I was actually trying to sit on the boat there but with lessened coordination, it's impossible to not slip!" I smile.

"I have an idea. I'm guessing this other guy, goes to your school right?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to make him jealous?"

"By being with you?"

"Yeah well, who else?"

"Your precious cover would be blown, Sam. Isn't your family the reason you're closeted in the first place?"

"How do you know that?"

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out."

I feel significantly less drunk now. The sea air did me good, like an Austen character.

"Yeah well, it's my dad," He sighs, sounding strained. I reach out and hold his hand.

"That's why I can't wait to get away from this city. But back to my plan, we don't have to be a couple. We can just be best friends. We can do everything together if you want?"

"Like what? We have terribly different schedules, wouldn't it be inconvenient? Why bother going through that much trouble? Just for me? It's a worthless cause anyway. It'll take some time but I'll get over it. I'll get over him."

He sighs. I don't believe it myself but I have to.

"If you say so. Come on now, let's go back, I'm starting to freeze," He says, standing up.

I take his hand and stand, dusting my butt off. We trudge back home, playfully shoving each other.

"You're actually a really nice person, Sam."

"Psh, I know. I can be naughty elsewhere though," He laughs as we enter the house.

"I don't doubt that," I smile.

He pins me against the wall of the lobby and kisses my neck.

"I want you so bad," He whispers, biting all along my neck and collarbones. "You're irresistible, it's hard to keep my hands off you!"

I pull his hair so his face is level with mine and kiss him, locking my arms around his neck. His kisses are great but it's not the fire I felt with Nathan, just little sparks. He picks me up effortlessly, my legs around his waist.

I pull away, breathless from the heated kiss. He attacks my neck again.

"Oh my god!"

We break apart and Sam drops me, like literally lets go of me. I stumble and steady myself against the wall, pulling my shirt straight.

Oh no.

"What the fuck?!" Seth yells, mouth open. "You guys are a thing?!"

Sam looks like a deer in headlights. I clear my throat, finding the plants very interesting.

"Since when?!"

"Since... well, since Sasha's party two months ago," Sam says quietly.

"And you weren't going to tell me? Two whole months?!" 

"It's on and off. Things just happened. I would have told you but I didn't know if Kai wanted anyone to know yet."

Seth looks at me. I smile sheepishly.

"Uh, you're gay too?"

"I'm... bisexual."

Hm, feels nice to acknowledge it. This the first time I've said it out loud.

"You're among the very few people to know so I would appreciate if you could you know, keep it on the DL?"

"Of course man," he nods. 

Ana walks out, rubbing her eyes. She looks at us and at Seth.

"Give me my five hundred bucks!" She says to Seth, grinning sleepily. He goes red and crosses his arms.

"You.... fucking bet on us?!" Sam snorts. I laugh, suddenly feeling relieved.

"Five hundred dollars is a lot of money bro!"

"And I am sure I'll find a great use for it!" Ana giggles. "Come on, let's go to bed. Leave the two lovebirds alone."

Seth flips Sam off. Ana bids us a goodnight and walks off, laughing at Seth grumbling something.

Sam turns to me and we laugh at the unexpected situation. He puts his arms on my waist.

"So, where were we?"