Young Lust

25 - Strange Happenings

"...back to Australia in about a month," Tom was explaining.
The usual boys, me and Tom "the Second" were hanging out at Tom's place.

Steven was sitting in the corner, with me sitting uncomfortably on his lap, while he secretly stared Tom down. Tom had invited everyone around, including my friend so they could get to know each other. Steven barely approved.

"Got any beer?" Steven asked.

"Always," Tom replied, so Steven dragged me in to the kitchen to grab some.

"Stop being so... detached," I said quietly.

"Detached? What about you? You're so tense sitting on me that your ass is practically boring a hole in my leg!" Steven shot back in a heated whisper.

"Well sor-ry, I'll sit on the couch then, like I first wanted to do!"

Steven picked five beers from the fridge and set them on the counter.

"What about Tom?" I asked.

"I've got one for Tom," Steven lifted one beer up.

"Okay, so which one of you have given up your precious beer?" I frowned.

"Oh, ohhhh... You mean your Tom," he noted sarcastically.

"You're an idiot," I muttered and got a sixth beer from the fridge and returned to the living room with Steven following.

I handed my Tom the drink and sat on the couch between him and Joey.

Across from me was Joe and whoever-she-was, cramming Brad between them and the arm of the two-seater couch.

Steven sat back on the floor in the corner of the room, seeing as the remaining seat was occupied by Tom.

---

"Well, they seem nice," Tom was telling me as the two of us stepped through my front door. Steven had dropped us home and left again.

Entering the dark living room, something felt strange. I managed to read the wall clock in the moonlight: 12:25.

Tom turned the light on - and I was horrified at what I saw.

The couch was in its bed form - and in the bed was Johnny. He began to stir after Tom switched on the light. Thankfully, he didn't wake up. I ushered Tom upstairs after turning the living room light off.

"Who's that guy?" Tom asked, confused.

"A jerk. I'm gonna kill Mum tomorrow,"

"You mean later today,"

"Not helping."

---

Turns out Theresa and Johnny's house was being done for pests. Why they had to stay the night at my house, though, I will never know.

Sitting down for breakfast with Tom and Johnny was so strange. Johnny kept eyeing the both of us; Tom was looking anywhere and everywhere except at Johnny; I was frowning at my bowl of cornflakes.

I tried to leave before Johnny so I wouldn't be seen arriving at school with him. Didn't work, of course.

"You walk," Johnny pretend-puffed, "so fast. Slow down,"

"Never," I grunted.

"It's not the end of the world, you know,"

"What?"

"You're practically sprinting."

"I am not, you're just unfit," I retorted, trying to not roll my eyes at him.

He had no trouble keeping up with me as we walked through the school gates. He even went to put his arm around my shoulder. And who should be there to see it? Steven and Tom.

I dodged Johnny's arm just in time, splitting from him and joining Tom and Steven. They were both giving me questioning looks as Johnny went his own way.

"Don't ask," I muttered.

"But I'm going to: what was that about?" Steven responded. "We could see you two walking together for a while."

I told them about how Johnny and his mother stayed the night. All I got in return were chuckles from the both of them.

---

Walking towards our lunch area, I was joined by Joey and Steven. Steven planted a kiss on my lips while walking backwards briefly - skilled - and Joey went on about how his Phys Ed teacher was a total dick until we reached our destination.

Steven sat in his usual spot, bringing me down, too - my hand in his. I didn't get a chance to sit myself properly because of this - and I sat straight down onto a rock.

"Mother of-" I jumped onto my knees and rubbed my butt in pain.

"Do you need me to kiss it better?" Steven laughed.

"As a matter of fact, no." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Aw, come on," Steven puckered his lips.

I threw the rock away from us and sat down trying to avoid the bruising area. "You wish,"

"Oh, you got me," Steven joked and put his arm around my waist.

Only after all that did I notice that something about the group looked different.

"No girlfriend today, Joe?" Brad asked, as if reading my thoughts.

"He's probably gone through 'em all," Tom laughed.

"Didn't feel like it," Joe answered darkly.

"Are you alright?" I joked.

Joe didn't answer again and that was the end of that.

"Ugh, I have to work this afternoon." I said to no one in particular.

"It's been a while," Tom noted.

"Yeah, I was starting to think Mitchell had forgotten about me."

"Mitchell?" Steven questioned.

"My boss. He's..." I trailed off.

"He's... what?"

"I was gonna say he's a different one." Lie. I was about to blurt out that he's a cutie. Oops.

"Right," Steven finished.

---

In the afternoon when I went to the cafe for my shift, Ruby and Kelly greeted me sweetly - different to usual - and told me that Mitchell was in his office.

Well yeah, I thought, where else would he be?

I took it as them telling me that Mitchell was in there wanting to see me or something, so I went in.

"Jade, long time no see," Mitchell joked.

"Yeah," I fake-laughed. "Were you wanting me or-"

"Yes." Mitchell's voice seemed to get slightly... manlier? "I want to know if you would like to-" he paused to cough, "uh, go out with me?"

"What?"

"I don't mean date me, I know you've got Steven, I just wanna go do something, with you."

I stood there blankly looking at him, blinking a couple of times.

"Jade?" Mitchell laughed nervously.

"Wh- um," I was a bit startled, "what did you have in mind?"

His face seemed to relax a little. "Dinner tonight?"

"I suppose," I answered slowly. What would Steven think of this?

"Great, do you like Chinese?"