Six Days in April

Chapter 7: The McKenzie Gambit, Declined

Austin McGuire stewed in his bedroom long and hard for three days after meeting Bryce, Chezdon and Jayden for lunch. He wondered if any chance of Chezdon becoming his boyfriend had evaporated at that lunch. Jayden--of course, Jayden, of all the people he knew, who else would act so contemptuously as Jayden had--had announced his stupid, criminal scheme, and all Chezdon could do was to respond to Jayden's protestations of love with some hogwash from three years ago. 

Chezdon said so much the evening before, so many calls to him that Austin had understood as a response to his telling Chezdon to leave him alone, and then dear old Chez turns around and practically wraps his arms around Jayden in spite of the crime! For that crap, Austin thought, he could stay at home. He liked Chezdon--a lot. And he thought Chezdon felt likewise. Chezdon certainly acted as though he did. And the thought of being with Chezdon would often bring him to full staff. But it went beyond that. He felt relaxed in Chezdon's presence, unrestrained about what he said and, for the most part, what he did. But how could he pry Chezdon from Jayden's clutches? For whatever the reason, Chezdon refused to see Jayden for what he was. Is it that Chezdon really wants Jayden? He had given Chezdon an ultimatum, and no sooner had Austin put it on the table before Chezdon summarily dismissed it. 

Sitting in his bedroom, Austin considered his options. Jayden, he knew, was evil. Pure and simple. He kicked himself for not seeing just how little Jayden felt for anyone other than himself. And then Austin kicked himself for not seeing through Jayden earlier. Hell, the boy tried to bite off his penis! Jayden did know how to give a good blowie. Austin would give him credit there. But that last time made it clear to Austin that Jayden had become too full of himself. And that's what Chezdon wants? Austin kept coming back to that question, and each time, he concluded that all he had to do was show Chezdon just how evil Jayden was and Chezdon would be his. It was no accident that in all the sex Austin had had, Chezdon was the only one who had brought Austin to climax. No, Austin thought, he had to fight Jayden for Chezdon's sake, never mind his own. 

Realizing that he needed to see what Jayden was doing to have any hope of culling out and showing the world was Jayden really was, Austin was about to go confront the boy at his apartment. As screwed up as his family was, Austin couldn't imagine just how dysfunctional Jayden's might be. At one time, he thought Jayden comical, comicality born of necessity given Jayden's home life. Now, however, Jayden struck Austin as a stuck-up brat in need of adult supervision.

Walking by his sister Chloe's room, Austin heard her greeting Jayden on her mobile. What the hell could Jayden want with her? Austin wondered. Chloe had mentioned a cafe. He knew the cafe well, but he couldn't imagine what Jayden might possibly have in mind when he met Chloe. Was Jayden after him, now?

Discreetly, Austin followed his sister to the cafe. He hoped Jayden was already inside, as he knew he would have no explanation--at least something believable--for being there. If he were lucky, someone else would even open the door for him so he could enter without being overly visible. Into the cafe he went, shielded by a party of six. Being seated at a table near his sister and Jayden while not being easily seen, he was able to order a cup of coffee by pretending he had a cough when the waiter came to get his order. He just pointed to the coffee line on the menu, held up one finger, and the waiter nodded before going back to the kitchen.

Then Austin listened. Intently. 

For a moment, Austin thought about how short life is, that anyone is but a speck of sand on the face of the Earth. He considered the upcoming funeral of Anthony McVey, who sacrificed himself that Jayden might live. How cruel the turns in life could be. The funeral was but two days away. He guessed Chezdon was working on his eulogy. McVey wasn't Austin's favorite teacher, but he was a damn sight more deserving of life than the creep sitting with his sister barely two booths down. 

When he heard Jayden's proposition--not hard given how easily sound carried in that part of the dining room, Austin's ears burned. He could not imagine what Jayden had in mind, but it sounded strangely nefarious and wrong, maybe even dangerous, what Jayden was asking of his sister. Jayden was essentially throwing money at Chloe. What the hell did he want from her? Austin's father lived for money and wealth; Austin had been raised to prize wealth, even as his father's efforts had had the direct opposite effect. But Chloe had turned Jayden down. Good girl! But what would Jayden do now?

As Jayden left the cafe, Austin tried to sneak out close enough to Jayden to tail him, but not close enough that Jayden could catch him. Getting up from his table, having paid his tab and leaving a barely-touched cup of coffee, Austin found himself face to face with his sister. 

"Chloe, what are you doing here?" he asked, his face growing redder by the second.

"Hmmm, Austin, I was going to ask you the same question," Chloe responded. Turning to see if Jayden had left, she then looked her brother in the eye and asked, "Don't you have enough drama in your life right now Austin? You're dating Chezdon, you're tailing Jayden...What more are you going to do to screw up your life?"

"Chloe, my life's screwed up enough by mum and dad. And this has nothing to do with that."

"It has everything to do with that, and you know it, Austin."

"Think what you want, Chloe, I'm out of here." Austin turned away from his sister and quickly walked to the door. He looked outside the cafe and could see Jayden in the distance. Close enough to be followed and far enough that Austin would be unseen.

When Jayden went on the tram, Austin was able to board from the other side, escaping Jayden's notice. Austin had no idea where Jayden was going, but where ever it was, he knew Jayden was up to no good. However, Austin was totally unprepared when Jayden exited the tram by Greeves Street. What was Jayden doing in the red light district? Austin wondered. What indeed.