Sparring Partners [18+]

Chapter Twenty-One: You're Both Unhinged

The morning after the party, I was suffering from a horrible hangover. My head was pounding, and I hadn't been able to stomach anything more than a few slices of toast. Thankfully, it was now October half-term; I had the next week off from University, and I'd booked the week off from work.

"You look terrible," Lynch greeted me with a wry grin. He lent against the front of the gym, a lit cigarette in hand, not looking much better than I did. The yellow polo with the gym's logo - a uniform I had seen no one but Shivanya wear - washed him out and only made the notable bags beneath his eyes look worse. His hair was so dishevelled it was as if he had spent all morning running his hands through his it.

I didn't remember much of the party last night and I didn't remember Markus leaving. The last thing I could recall was sitting on the sofa with him, my legs draped over his as he forced me to drink a full pint of water. I couldn't imagine how hungover I would feel this morning if I had been dehydrated on top of all the alcohol.

I'd already texted Markus to say I couldn't train with him today - not unless he wanted me to throw up on him. But as Sarah had gone home to see her family for the week, I was already bored with being alone in the flat.

"Wow, thanks. You look stunning, too," I said sarcastically. "You look like you didn't sleep."

He shot me an irritated look, flicked his cigarette onto the pavement and stomped it beneath his boots, that were definitely not a part of his uniform. "I didn't."

I pursed my lips, glancing between the entrance of the gym and Lynch. Did I mention Roman to him? Was I supposed to pretend I saw nothing?

The only thing I remembered from the party, with startling clarity, was the sight of Lynch's pale arse in my bathroom as he scrambled for his clothes. That wasn't something a girl could forget so easily, no matter how much I'd had to drink.

"Right..." I shuffled on my feet, sighing. "So... Last night?"

Lynch groaned and pushed off from the wall, approaching me in three quick strides. Head stooped towards me, his voice was an unsteady whisper. "I'm not out, okay?"

"I'm not gonna' out you, Lynch," I uttered with a frown, a little offended that he thought I might. "Markus already knew, though, right?"

He nodded. "Grim, Alec and Andres know I'm gay."

"And they know you're, what, fucking around with Roman?"

Lynch's jaw clenched, a muscle jumping irritably beneath his pale skin. "I'm not fucking around with him. He's my boyfriend."

Holy shit. That sly little bitch didn't tell me he was dating anyone. He's been telling me about his tinder matches for fucking weeks.

My eyes were wide as I stepped closer, my voice dropping lower in volume as I murmured, "How long has that been going on? No wait, sorry, you don't have to tell me that. Oh my God. The guys all know, I presume?"

"Grim and Alec know." His voice was tight, and he glanced back at the gym doors as if he expected one of them to appear at the mention of their name.

"But not Andres? Holy shit. You're dating his brother and he doesn't know? Why? No, wait, I'm being nosy. Again, you don't have to tell me. Would he not approve? Does Roman not want him to know?"

This was some real Teen Rom-Com shit. Roman was literally secretly dating his brother's best friend.

"Lynch this is... Fucking... I don't know, I don't know what to say." Lynch rolled his eyes at the weird tinge of excitement in my voice and the manic, wide-eyed grin I was sporting. His mouth tugged up at the corner, as if he was forcing himself not to smile back at me. "You know, if you're trying not to get caught, don't have fucking sex in other people's bathrooms."