Housemates (boyxboy)

Chapter 18

Alec DeClair's birthday arrived sooner than I had enough time to buy a gift. Upon the realization that I hadn't gotten him anything, a curse escaped my lips and I lazily stepped into a change of clothes, fumbling to grasp my car keys in my hand. Stumbling down the stairs in a rushed attempt to make it out of the door before I came in contact with Alec, I found someone else also trying to secretly slip out.

He looked back at me and tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear and shook his head.

"I thought the 21st was tomorrow," Zion said, pulling on a pair of boots. "What's your excuse?"

I couldn't think of a single reason except for the fact that I'd forgotten it was Alec's birthday.

My silence must've answered his question.

"You've forgotten," he stated quite simply.

"I'm not good at remembering birthdays," I said, twisting the doorknob.

"Hmm," he said, following me out the door. "When's mine?"

"October 4th," I replied.

"At least you remember that one," he said, a smile spreading across his lips as he nodded his head in the direction of his car.

"It's the day after mine, Zion," I said, stepping passed his car. "Don't flatter yourself now."

"Right," he replied. "Come here."

"What is it?" I asked, my hand on the door of my car.

"I'll take you," he offered. "We both need to buy a present anyway."

I grinned at his offer. "Sweet."

I caught a quick grin spread across the older boy's lips before I slipped into the passenger seat of his car, melting into the softness of it. Zion flicked on the radio without a word as he pulled out of the driveway, a hand on the back of my seat. His closeness caused a whiff of lavender to enter my nostrils before he pulled away, getting started on our journey.

"Where are you going?" I asked him after he took an unfamiliar turn.

With one hand on the wheel, Zion sighed and swiftly moved a strand of hair from his face with his other hand as my eyes trailed up the tattoos that marked his arm.

"My buddy owns a little shop nearby," he told me. "I've yet to check it out."

I resisted the urge to joke about Zion having friends and surprised myself when I hadn't released a jest.

"Do you think we'll find something for Alec?" I questioned.

Taking a quick look at me before focusing his attention back on the road, Zion shrugged.

"It's worth a shot," he said.

"Hmm," I said. "Alec isn't too picky anyway."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate anything you give him," Zion replied. 

"We'll see," I said as he pulled into a parking lot in back of a small, white building where no other cars were parked.

Following Zion around to the front of the shop, the sound of a bell rang above as the door creaked open, signaling our arrival. A man with dark, shaggy hair and a beard sat behind a register and grinned upon catching sight of the two of us.

"Zion," the man said, standing up. "You've finally made it."

Zion released a small laugh. "It's about time."

"I'd say so," the shop owner replied with a smile. Walking over to us, I caught his eyes on me and I offered a small smile of my own.

"This is Cade," Zion said as he introduced me. "And this is Elijah."