Step-Brothers

~Chapter Forty-Five~

After Jake and Rich get out of their after school activities, Rich meets Jake by his car.

"Jakey D, how's the world's prettiest guy?"

"I don't know, how IS he?"

"Thought you'd never ask, he's pretty good. How are you?" he grins. Jake chuckles.

"I'm doing good now that you're here." He wraps his arm around his waist and leans down to kiss him. Rich puts his hands on Jake's face as they kiss.

"Bold move, right here in the parking lot."

"Wasn't as bold as kissing your cheek in the lunchroom."

"Eh. Slowly working our way up to officially a couple." Jake smiles as they get in the car and drive off.

"so.... what do you do after school?"

"...Uh... depends. Sometimes I watch your practices, sometimes I hit the weight room. Coach C wants me to play football you know."

"You should. You'd be great at it." He hasn't told him about his play rehearsals.

"I'd rather not get ridiculed every Friday about my size by guys I could bench press three of, ya know? To much potential to set off my anger issues."

"You tell me if they do and I'll take care of it."

"You say that like I wouldn't be telling you with a broken hand, a busted lip and a face that screams "But I won." C'mon, dude."

"All I'm saying is that I can resolve it without fighting."

"I don't think ahead enough for that. Especially if they piss me off."

"What if I give them a talk beforehand?"

"Don't worry about it, Jake, It'd be our team, every team we played against, it's doomed. It's fine, I don't even want to play, if I did I couldn't spend games watching you."

".... Is there anything you want to be in?"

"Nah. Nobody really wants me in anything anyway. I may be cool, but I'm also an asshole."

"Nothing? Not even like, a club? Or the play-?"

"I don't like bein on stage, Jake, it freaks me out to be under the lights and all that."

"Alright alright. I'm just trying to help."

"...I'll be all right wandering, Jake, honestly. Weight room is my second home at this point." Jake has no idea what Rich thinks of theatre. Would he think differently of him? Would he call him a loser? Look, just do it. Tell him.

"Well.... do you like just watching me play?" noooooo.

"I like watching you do all sorts of stuff, Jake, you could be doing anything and you'd somehow make it look easy and flawless."

"Even... being in the play?"

"...Well... Yeah. You'd make a good actor, I'm sure. Why, are... Did you join the theater club?"

"I did indeed." he's says it confidently.

"That's... That's cool, Jake, there's another thing I can come watch you do."

"You don't... think that's lame? Or weird?"

"Nah, dude, whatever makes you happy." Jake sighs, relieved. Switching hands on the steering wheel to take Rich's hand in his other. They drive past his house.

"Jake? Uh... House is back that way?"

"Yeah I know."

"Where we going?"