Poison and Wine

Fourth

"I wish you'd hold me"

Alex wanted to be doing better. He knew it would be hard to recover from losing the bubbly, blue-eyed boy, but he at least wanted to be smiling by now without feeling like it was crime committed against all who saw it.

He'd been going to the gym less, and finding no inspiration to paint in his free time. He tried to hangout with Jake to forget about the heartbreak that had rapidly spread throughout his whole body; but that night had only ended in drinking at the club and Jake trying to find Alex a hot guy to spend the night with. That was definitely not what he needed, and after ignoring and denying it for a few days, he now knew exactly what he did.

He wasted no time, not allowing himself to second guess or chicken out as he found the contact and listened to the agonizing dialing.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Okay, please don't think I'm crazy for pretending we're actually friends."

Mitch laughed. "You worry too much, hon. I promise we're friends."

"Okay, well in that case, do you want to come over? I just need someone to talk to and you're kind of perfect for it."

"Funny you'd ask that, I went to lunch today with some friends and there was a cake, I don't even remember the name of it, but it totally seemed like something you'd eat. I got you a slice and wanted to bring it to you anyways."

"You're kidding! Damn, I could eat some cake right now."

Mitch held back his immature reply, and settled for something more his age. "How about 7? That good?"

"Perfect."

"Alright, I'll be there."

----------

"Where are you going?" Mitch asked a very good-looking (not even in the attractive sense, although that was true, but good as in happy, something that had been missing lately) Scott.

"I could ask you the same."

"Uh, you first."

"Out with Jake, Kirstie, Jeremy, Naomi, and maybe Mario."

"Damn, sounds like a party. Any reason why I wasn't invited?" Mitch asked, his curiosity disguising the small amount of hurt that he had.

Scott raised his eyebrow. "Are you kidding? Everyone knows that you find Jake and---"

"Not true!" Mitch's voice raised a few octaves, a clear sign that he was lying.

"Let me finish. We all know you find Jake and Jeremy annoying, even they know. Well...maybe not Jake."

"That is not true, thank you very much. I think they're both wonderful people."

"Right, okay."

Mitch grabbed his bag and Alex's piece of cake before walking out of the door.

"Bye you asshole. Have fun tonight with the people that I do like!"

Scott didn't realize that he forgot to ask Mitch where he was going until he was in his own car driving to Kirstie and Jeremy's.

----------

"What's up, model man?"

"Model man?"

"Or do you prefer barbie boy?"

"Please leave both of those at the door."

"I'll just stick with Alexander then. Very formal."

"I wouldn't have invited you over if I knew you were going to act like a five year old."