The Lives I Claim

Prologue (Part 2)

The party was going strong and I could see about everybody from school. I walked toward the back of the house where the beer was always at and got one for myself and one for Chris. I walked back and handed Chris the beer.

"You sure you're OK to be drinking?"Chris was looking at me with worried eyes. "I thought you we're trying to quit" I sighed. He kept thinking that I was going to drown myself in alcohol at every party we go to.

"I am trying to quit so I'll only have a couple of beers for the night okay, so calm down." I started to walk away to look for Austin, my stepbrother, and his boyfriend, Brendon. I saw them talking to Mike by the sliding toward door that lead to the backyard. I walked up to them to start up a conversation with Mike. I'm not really sure why I was so interested in Mike but something in the back of my head told me I should be close to him. Brendon saw me and motioned me to come over. I was grateful that he asked me to come over so I could avoid awkwardly walking up and joining their conversation uninvited.

"Hey Alex, we were just talking about you." Austin looked at me thinking I would be offended but I just smiled looking him dead in the eye. Austin and I weren't the closest step siblings but we we're still friends. I kept his secrets while he kept mine that's just how our friendship works.

"Were you now?" I removed my gaze from Austin and looked at Mike. He was staring at me, well more like studying me which I found weird but I didn't have the right to complain. I was staring at him at King's Palace.

"Yeah we were, Mikey here wanted to know how long you and Chris have been dating." Brendon said matter-of-factly which caused me to snap out of my thoughts. What he said completely took me by surprise. Why would Mike care how long I've been dating Chris? But I guess it was just his curiosity on his girlfriend's best friend. I turned to Mike again he was looking at the floor biting the inside of his lip but I could see a hint of red on his cheeks. Oh wow he was blushing maybe he was more than curious. For some stupid reason that put a smile on my face.

"Oh we've been dating for about two weeks now." I looked at him trying to find any sign if emotion. But there wasn't any, he just kept staring at the ground with a blank face.

"Congrats" He sounded a little bitter. I wasn't just taken aback from his bitter tone I was also a little happy that he was annoyed of the fact that I was in a relationship. Fuck. I shouldn't think like that I have Chris I don't need Mike.

"Well me and Austin are gonna find a cozy bedroom" Brendon got Austin's hand and started to walk away.

"Wait, Austin I need to give you something" I reached into my back pocket and placed a circle package in his hand. He looked down to his hand and started to blush a deep red. Brendon came up behind him and looked at Austin's hand and smiled.

"You would be caring that around with you" Austin said holding back a laugh "Slut"

"Whatever dipshit" I said back with a laugh we always insulted each other like that. They started to walk away with their fingers laced together. It made me smile I've never seen Austin happier than when he was with Brendon and I've known Austin since our parents first met when we we're 7. His dad and my mom got partnered together for a business project and they came over one day. We hated each other at first but soon started warming up after our parents announced they were dating.

"So how do you know Austin and Brendon" Mike's voice was quiet. He seemed nervous to be with me.

"Well Austin's my stepbrother and Brendon's been my friend since the 8th grade" I turned to him making eye contact. His eyes we're the polar opposites of mine. I had eyes such a dark shade of brown they looked black if you didn't look deeply into them while he had icy blue eyes that looked almost gray from the angle I was standing at.