After Lover for Pay: ONESHOTS

Second Chance

Henry was sitting outside Toffee Coffee. It was a hookah bar by night, and a plain old coffee shop by day. He and Daniel had gotten there about an hour ago, using the quaint spot as a place to study for the up and coming final exams they had to take soon. While he was sat at the outside table by himself at the moment, Daniel was inside making another order for a refill on their plate of blueberry muffins and drinks, but the longer Henry was sat out on the patio of the shop, the more irritated he was getting. It wasn't because Daniel was taking too long. He couldn't blame the other boy for that, this place could get pretty rowdy during the day, especially during lunch and rush hours. Henry was getting irritated because of a certain car parked not too far down block.

Without making it obvious that he was looking, Henry lifted the pages of formulas and definitions he had to memorize, and peered over the top of them towards a blue Honda stalled along the curb. He'd noticed the vehicle this morning when he and Daniel had been on their way to the university, and while his boyfriend hadn't any idea about it, Henry had been the one to notice they were being followed.

He couldn't tell who was sitting behind the wheel, and the driver was sure to keep their distance from it so he wouldn't find out, but the longer Henry knew this person, or people, was stalking him through the streets, the more he wanted to confront them.

"Hey, babe," Daniel called when he finally made it out of the shop, he had a plate with their food on it, and was trying his best to balance the drinks while he rounded the table, "Are you almost done with your assignment? It's almost seven and I'd love for us to make it back to my place by then. The episode for that investigation show is coming on."

Henry watched Daniel sit down, taking his drink and peered over the top of the boy's head when he sat. "Yeah," he said, "Let's just leave now since traffic is likely going to hold us back."

"Awesome, let's get out of here."

While they gathered their belongings, Henry filed his papers away in his book bag, getting close enough to Daniel so when he whispered, the other boy didn't strain to hear him. "There's a blue car up the street," he said, zipping his bag closed. "It's been following me since this morning."

Daniel almost turned around quickly to search for the Honda, but was stopped when Henry tugged his arm in the opposite direction. "Don't look," he advised, clutching the muffins they had in a spare napkin. "I don't want them to know I know they're following."

Staying beside Henry when they started down the sidewalk, Daniel was tempted the glance over his shoulder. They crossed the street carefully to the other side where the parking lot was, and dropped into the Lambo. "How do you know it's the same car?" Daniel asked, feeling his worry set in. "Can you guess who they are?"

"There's a tramp-stamp-looking sticker on the front of the hood that I noticed this morning, and it's not like I owe anyone money," Henry said, starting the sports engine. "Other than Marbell, but that guy doesn't take IOUs, and it'd be dumb to think he was following me." He switched the gears into reverse and backed out of his spot, approaching the turn onto the main street then, and saw as the Honda's headlights came on.

Turning right down the street, he glanced into the rearview mirror. The car was three drivers back, keeping a safe distance, and since the windows were tinted, he wouldn't even be able to see them if they pulled up alongside him. "I'm going to take you home," Henry said, "And then confront this guy."

"No, you're not!" Daniel exclaimed, "That's too dangerous."

"What am I going to do, let him follow me all the way home?" Henry stopped at a red light with the other cars around him, putting on his blinker to take a right down a street leading towards the freeway. "I'm not going to let this motherfucker scare me, and I sure as hell am not taking him back to my place. London would flip the entire house over."