Every Part Of Us

34. Embarrassing stories

Reid's pov:

I was currently living in happy delusion. I'd throughly stuck my head in the sand and was refusing to dig my way back out.

I had tried my best to not think about Ronan and while I texted Tiffany updates to let her know I was okay, I had avoided all of her calls. I'd even ignored the one and only call I'd actually gotten from my brother. I'd seen his name flash on my phone and immediately shut it off ignoring it all for the rest of the night.

So yeah I was living in delusion. But I was happy.

I was with Adam and this little bubble we built for ourselves seemed really perfect.

"I can still cancel." Adam look over at me with hesitation.

"We are outside the restaurant." I just blinked at him.

Jake, Adam's best friend had invited Adam out to get food and that somehow turned into a double date of sorts.

Did this count as a double date?

I buried my head back into the sand and smiled over at Adam.

No worrying.

And no stress.

It was my new life plan. All the shit that made my head spin, that made that familiar anger and stress burst out of me, I was just going to ignore it.

If I didn't think about my problems then they didn't exist.

"I'm sorry for when they forget to act like normal human beings."

I just laughed. I'd met Jake and his boyfriend before, I was very familiar about how the two of them acted. It was entertaining to say the least.

"I've met your friends and I actually like them." I assured him.

"I don't know why I'm nervous, I just know they are going to be idiots." Adam sighed letting his head fall back against the headrest of his seat.

"But they are lovable idiots who happen to be your best friends."

"Please don't call Evan my best friend when he can hear you."

"Promise." I just smiled and just to ease that last little bit of stress, I grabbed Adam's hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

I'd easily put the pieces together especially in moments like this. Adam got stressed and overwhelmed in social situations. I'd seen him retreat and tense up plenty of times. But I was hoping once we got in there and he was with the two people I'd seen him he the most comfortable with he'd finally lose those last bit of nerves.

I took it at his pace following him into the restaurant where Jake and Evan were already sitting in a booth.

"Oh fuck, we should have just cancelled." Adam muttered the second he saw his two friends.

I let my gaze land of Jake and Evan. I mean they looked just as normal as they always did. If normal was Evan half falling out the side of the booth as he tried to sit as far away from Jake as possible.

"I hate them, I seriously hate them, why am I friends with idiots?" He muttered to himself as he walked over to them.

"Will you move your butt before you fall onto the floor?" Jake rolled his eyes.

"You're not the boss of me." Evan said scooting further away from Jake.

All I could do was watched as Evan slipped right out of the seat and onto the floor.

"I told you." Jake smiled over at his boyfriend.

"Can you guys ever pretend to be normal people?" Adam groaned throwing himself into the booth across from Jake.

"Tell that to him." Jake gestured to Evan who was pulling himself back into the booth. "Maybe he'll listen to you."

"You know how to get me to listen," Evan just smirked at his boyfriend.

"Ew no, guys stop and fix this or I'm leaving." Adam eyed the two of them as they both were stuck in their own stare down.

"Fuck fine you win." Jake slumped and broke his stare with Evan.

"Do I even want to know?" Adam questioned.

"Probably not." Evan just shrugged.

Adam didn't seem like he wanted to push any more and I was slightly grateful for that. From what I knew about the two of them I knew that whatever was happening between them was some weird foreplay I didn't need to be apart of.

And I knew I was right about the foreplay thing because it was like night and day. There had been two feet of space between them when I walked in but now they were pressed right next to each other. I wasn't entirely sure that Evan wasn't actually sat in Jake's lap.

But now that tension had faded between everyone and conversation seemed to flow easily. I watched as Adam seemed to ease by the second and when that easy smile spread across his face I felt it right in my chest.

"You know of this idiot is ever being an idiot just let me know." Jake teased.

"So I should just have you on speed dial?" I laughed.

"Oh for sure. Did Adam ever tell you about that time when we were kids and he-,"

"I did not and there was a reason for that." Adam cut him off.

"Oh come on, the best part of double dates is telling embarrassing stories." Evan complained.

"I want to hear about what Adam was like as a kid." I agreed.

"See." Evan gestured at me with a wide smile.

"This is why I hate you." Adam grumbled.

His words only seemed to make Evan's smile get wider.

"Anyway when we were both kids Adam was always nervous about everything. I've never met anyone jumpier than him and somehow I'd convinced him to go to a haunted house with me. I'd heard some of our kids talking about it and I wanted to go so badly. We show up and Adam is about to piss his pants-,"

"I was not going to piss my pants." Adam cut him off.

"Hey this is my story." Jake just waved him off. "The first room and this clown jumps out and he screams so loud I swear I bursted an ear drum. I had to literally stop him from running right back out and maybe I should have because the next time someone jumped out instead of screaming he tried to punch them."

"I was twelve and it's not my fault it's a natural fight or flight response." Adam argued.

"You're lucky I pulled you back or you might be in jail for assault." Jake laughed.

"Again I was twelve."

"That wasn't nearly as embarrassing as I thought it would be." I said.

"Oh trust me I have worse ones." Jake beamed.

"Someone kill me now." Adam groaned.

I couldn't stop the laughter from rolling out. This is what I needed. That lightness in my chest.

I didn't need to think about anything but this. I was having fun and spending time with Adam. That was all I needed.

No worrying.

And no stress.

I could do this.

A/n:

My life really has been just like none stop kicking me when I'm already down. I've been dealing with some personal shit and mental health issues and then as of that wasn't enough I got Covid. It's been a long and rough week but I managed time to write some for you guys.

I'm just starting to feel better and I'm in recovery, hopefully I'll be back to 100% soon.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my works. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

-Cora Leigh