Just for Show

10. Colt's Announcement

10. Colt's Announcement

Mitch readied himself for dinner with a pit in his stomach.

He replayed his own words over and over.

You called him a whore. You told him he'd get himself killed. You used the taunting words from the guy at the bar against him. You sounded like a possessive prick. You made him sound worthless.

He was no better than the man from the bar, was he?

Scott emerged from the bathroom, his hair meticulously placed in a wave as usual. He looked handsome as ever in his black outfit, but Mitch couldn't focus.

"Why do you take so many showers?" Mitch blurted.

Scott eyed himself in the mirror by the door, casually fixing one tiny hair that had fallen slightly out of place. "Because I feel utterly dirty most of the time." He turned to lock eyes with Mitch, adjusting his collar. "Being a whore will do that to you." He turned towards the door, opening it. "And I gotta be ready to get fucked at the drop of a hat, you know?"

He entered the hallway and Mitch had to rush to catch up, leaving the parts of his shattered heart behind him, he was sure.

The bitterness seeping from Scott's pores towards him was nearly palpable.

And Mitch deserved every drop.

They left the elevator and Scott grabbed his hand. He almost expressed his surprise, but then he caught Matt's eye across the lobby. He was smiling and waving with his girlfriend, Sarah, by his side.

"Glad you guys are coming tonight. We've been having some real fun at these group dinners," Matt said, shooting Scott a friendly smile.

Mitch knew that the guilt of what Matt knew about high school was likely eating him alive.

"Happy to join!" Scott said, returning the smile. "Sorry we have been MIA. Hawaii is just too romantic for us not to have snuck away alone for a few nights."

Sarah smiled. "I totally get that. If only my frat boy of a boyfriend here had the same sentiment."

Matt grinned. "Hey, how often am I gonna go away with all of my friends?"

They walked together to the restaurant close by, and it appeared that they were the last to arrive. Scott pulled out Mitch's chair, earning a longing sigh from Kevin's girlfriend, Leigh.

"You two might be the cutest thing I've ever seen," she said wistfully.

"Aren't they?" Kirstin asked with a crinkle of her nose. "Match made in heaven, I'd say."

Mitch smiled, unable to think of anything to say, as Scott took a seat next to him and pecked him on the temple for good measure.

The group was much larger than Mitch had thought it was going to be, and there was plenty of pleasant conversation to be had to distract them from their argument with each other. They gravitated to the bar area as dinner ended, mingling and dancing until late in the night.

"Where's your boy toy?" Mitch heard in his ear. He turned around to find Colt smirking at him.

"My... my what?"

Colt's smile grew, his eyes glazed over with alcohol. "Relax. I didn't mean it badly. Where's Hoying?"

Mitch glanced around the bar, fixating his eyes on the back of Scott's head. He was talking with Avi and Esther, and both of their faces were lit up as they listened to a story he was telling.

He pointed at him. "Right there."

"How the hell did you end up with the string bean, anyway?"

Mitch rolled his eyes. "He's far from a string bean, anymore."