Ever After

Daringly Truthful

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This chapter is in Mark's perspective.

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"No way."

My eyes were practically glued to the carpet surrounding the dining table, not daring to look up and be forced to share a glance with Jack's. It was astonishing that Wade had had the courage to ask such a stupid question, let alone actually pursue in the act of asking it - I was still frozen in place after a full five minutes' worth of arguing, deciding that it was best I say nothing while the adults sort it out. I played with my thumbs, secretly praying that Jack would end up saying "yes."

"You have to," Bob demanded, pointing a finger at Jack. "It's the rules!"

"So what?" Jack retorted. "Felix got to take a penalty instead of doing his dare. Why am I any different?"

Wade sighed, cupping his face with his palms. "We can't keep going like this. At this rate, nobody is going to do or say anything."

"Then let's keep it that way," Jack said.

He reached across the table, grabbing at a can of Coke and chugging it down, popping open a bag of Doritos as he did. I tried to avoid staring at the delicious veins running up and down his arm, just as muscular as a body builder's. I wished that I wasn't so gay, that I didn't love him so much - if I could stop staring at him for just a second, I would. It would be much easier to go about my day that way, not having to concern myself with the thoughts of some mystery man.

Unintentionally, my voice rang out, "It's going to get boring if we don't occupy ourselves with something. You even said so yourself, Jack."

"Yeah," he said, "but we can do something else, like play Shadow of the Colossus."

"What's that?" asked Wade, intrigued. How typical of a fellow nerd to be eager to play whatever video game was in store.

"Some shitty video game he's addicted to," Felix said blandly. "It's from ten years ago and he still can't stop himself from crying at the ending."

Jack's fist collided with the table as he bellowed, sending a can or two tumbling as he yelled, "You take that back, you Swedish motherfucker!"

Lunging across the table now, Wade and Bob both rose to catch Felix dead in his tracks, while I wrapped my hands around Jack, preventing him from tearing his opponent's throat out. We sat like that for a few moments, my arms around Jack's small, Irish build, Bob and Wade's grip tight on Felix. His golden hair sprung out as he growled at Jack, who roared in response, their faces one inch apart, their bodies hovering just above the wooden dinner table. I felt sympathetic for whoever would be left to clean up after the mess they'd made, knocking down pop cans and chip bowls as they fought with their eyes, both filled with rage.

"Guys, calm down," I insisted, despite my attempts at staying silent, "we can play the game. It'll get further than this one has, anyway..."

Sighing, Jack eased into my arms, politely shoving me away as he began to dusted himself off. "Yeah, I guess." He looked up at Felix, his eyes still just as infuriated. "Just as long as this jackass doesn't intend on making any more jokes."

"Shadow Of The Colossus is a joke," Felix snarled, "but not one nearly as funny as the fact that you've already got Mark cuddling up next to you."

"Well, you've already had a threesome," Jack shrugged, his eyes directed at Bob and Wade, "but enough of that." Clutching at another Coke, he swayed his hips into the kitchen, plopping himself down on the sofa. Bob and Wade each took the floor, with Felix sitting in a nearby armchair. Jack looked up at me with his eyes only for a second, as if to invite me to sit next to him - I did.