JEFF
There's something different with Bible but I can't pinpoint what exactly it is.
This morning, when I got up, part of me dreaded the thought of being in his company all day after everything that happened last night but now... it seems like nothing even happened to begin with.
And it's been that way all day.
"Hey, Jeff?" I look up to find everyone staring at me.
"Sorry?"
"We are asking whom you would like to partner with for the raft competition."
"Oh."
For a second, I forgot that we were supposed to be at a group activity. I have been distracted all morning and normally, I am pretty good at hiding my feelings but that wall seems to be cracking.
"I don't mind," I say waving my arm hand. "I'm fine with anyone."
"I'll go with him," Apo volunteers and that seems to shift the focus off me and to someone else. Apo steps closer and leans into my ear and even without him speaking, I know what he is going to say, and to be honest, I don't want to hear it.
"I spoke to Bible this morning."
Okay, not exactly what I was expecting him to say but it's still a topic on Bible and I don't want to talk about him now.
For the past couple of days, weeks even, Bible has been the front back, and center of all the conversations I have with my friends and I am tired of it.
We tried.
Bible and I tried to make it work but we never seem to be on the same page.
We tried. It didn't work out. It's as simple as that.
There is hardly any need to keep going back to the same topic.
"He looked tired, you know, as if he hadn't had any sleep all night."
I close my eyes and try to block out Apo's voice. I can't... I don't want to talk about Bible any longer.
"When I spoke to him this morning, I think maybe I went a little hard on him considering...."
"Shut Up, Apo."
I must have spoken a little too loudly and harshly because everyone turns in our direction with shocked looks on their faces.
"Sorry guys, we are just playing around," Apo says, smacking my back to which I respond with a fake smile.
I am used to those, am I not?
Fake smiles.
Like this morning when the guys were joking around, every laugh... every smile from my lips was fake so they wouldn't realize how distracted I was.
Distracted by the brooding man seated in the corner getting his makeup done.
His bad mood had transferred to me and not even my friends could draw a genuine laugh from me.
That was hours ago and now.... Bible seems fine?
I look up to watch him chat with Perth. They are not exactly laughing but there is a relaxed manner about him that was not present this morning.
"You are staring, Jeff" Apo whispers beside me, clearly not getting the message that I am in no mood to speak. "Don't bite my head off but people are starting to notice that something is going on between you two. Even Build asked me if you and Bible fought or something."
Before I can respond to Apo, one of the staff members draws our attention to him, forcing Apo and me to cut our talk short.
"All right guys, we are going to get on the paddle rafts in pairs and whoever gets to the finish line first gets to win a special prize."
"What kind of prize," Barcode asks eagerly and part of me wishes his excitement would transfer to me.
"It's a surprise," he is told. I watch the other guys walk to pick a boat before climbing in. They are chattering and relaxed and I try my best to match their energy and fail.
I do, however, manage to place a lot of effort into the competition and I am not disappointed when I don't win. No, Bible and Perth take the first spot and they don't hide how excited they are at winning the competition.
"So, what's the prize?" Perth asks the staff member once they are announced as the winners.
"You get a free body massage and..."
A groan spreads from the other guys and I understand their complaint. After the extreme activity, we could all use the massage.
"Really? They have that here?"
"No, you guys didn't let me finish. You get a massage from anyone of your choosing and they can't say no."
Another groan spreads through, as our two winners cackle at the new turn of events.
"Please don't pick me," Apo whines from where he is standing next to Mile.
"Don't tempt me," Perth jokes but my eyes are not on him but on the man standing quietly next to him.
There is a relaxed way about Bible that is getting on my nerves. I don't hate to see him this way but it bugs me that I can't be as relaxed as he is.
"I pick Build," Bible says and my lips fall into a flat line. The other guys start making teasing noises as Build steps forward with a shy smile of his on his lips.
I don't care.
Bible and I are over and I don't give a fuck that he chose his on-screen partner to give him a massage.
"What about you Perth?" someone asks from behind me.
"I'll go with Apo."
A groan from the man is enough to have the other guys laughing but he doesn't shy away from the challenge.
I watch as the people walk in and set up two massage tables and I am silent as I watch the guys strip off their shirts and climb on them.
My eyes run over Bible's muscled back. The memory from last night when I ran my hands over his smooth skin is still fresh in my mind.
I don't care!
I watch as Build pours oil into his palms before smoothening them over Build's back. I watch how his muscles contract with every touch, the sigh that slips out of his lips is audible.
I know what it feels like to run my hands over that body. I've swallowed his sighs and now...
My hands clench into a fist.
No, I don't care.
