Strangely Comforting (boyxboy)

Chapter 4

"Hayden..." Drey said before he paused and looked up into the air, adjusting his glasses. "Walker?"

"Yeah, one of my-" I started.

"I know who he is, gosh," Drey cut me off. "It's not like you two don't call each other every night and whisper words of love in each other's ears before you fall asleep."

"Then why did you act like you didn't know who I was talking about?" I asked. "Wait. Since when did we do that shit talk every night?"

Drey grinned before tossing off his plaid shirt and throwing on a red one. "Don't deny it, Jasp. I can hear what you say to him and you know, I am your damn roommate. Just because I'm book smart doesn't mean I'm no Cupid. They don't call me the god of love for nothi-"

"Cupid my ass," I said. "And nobody calls you that. Believe me, we aren't like that. Just hurry the hell up or we're not gonna get any damn food."

"Okay," Drey said and threw his hands up in mock surrender. "You're lucky I'm hungry. Normally I wouldn't even bother socially interacting with anyone in your group of friends."

I laughed at that. "My group of friends? The only one I really even talk to is Hayden. That's the only reason I hang out with them; because he's there."

Drey wiggled his eyebrows at me and smirked. "Exactly, Jasp. Because Hayden is there."

"Shut up already," I said and leaned over to grab a pillow before brutally whipping it at him. He threw his arms up to protect his face but his glasses still flew off and landed on his bed.

"Screw you," he said, reaching around on his bed trying to grasp them. "I'm putting my books down so that I can accompany you to Hayden's, and this is how you treat me?"

I rolled my eyes. "How rude of me. I am unbelievably thankful that you are making time for me when you never could for your girlfriend."

Drey shot his eyes at me and slumped his shoulders. "I really am a terrible boyfriend, aren't I?" he said and immediately began to tear up.

"Jeez, Drey. I was joking. I'm sure you're a great boyfriend," I said. "I mean, come on. You even told her you're going to cut down on your studying for her. That's a huge sacrifice coming from you."

"You think so?" Drey asked and removed his glasses before wiping his eyes.

"Of course," I said and walked over to him. I grabbed his scrawny arm and pulled it a bit. "Let's go already."

"Okay," he said and sniffed. "Let's go."

We walked for a cold few minutes before we finally reached my car. Drey slid into the passenger seat beside my own, and I pulled out of the university. Hayden lived only fifteen minutes away and I was lucky there were no signs of traffic. As I pulled into Hayden's driveway, I noticed three other cars parked along the street, other than his own. Drey unbuckled his seatbelt but paused before putting his hand on the door handle.

"What?" I asked, halfway out of the car.

"This really isn't my thing," he said and looked over at me. "I'm not good in these sorts of situations."

"Oh, come on. You're going to have to get used to it sooner or later. You're not always going to be with people you feel comfortable with. When you get a job, every person there won't be pleasant. Sure, there'll be a few. So just hang around with me for the night. It'll be fine," I said and closed the door.

Drey climbed out and muttered, "Thanks for the pep talk."

"That was hardly a pep talk," I said and smiled. "Just cut loose for a few hours."

"I'll try," Drey said and adjusted his glasses once more before I knocked on the door.

"We're here!" I yelled through the door.

"Come in!" I heard someone yell and twisted the door knob before stepping in Hayden's house followed by a very timid Drey.

"Jasper!" Hayden beamed and motioned with hand to come over into the living room.

The Walker's home was petite, but there was no need for a grandiose home for three people. So when Drey and I walked into their living room, it was a little cramped as there were already a few guys occupying it.

"What're you guys up to?" I asked before taking a seat on the last empty couch as Drey sat down next to me.

"Nothing much. Mom's still cooking up a storm so we're just hanging around until she finishes," Hayden explained. "What should we do?"

"Do you still have that pool table in your basement?" I asked.

"Sure," Hayden replied. "But it's a little beat up."

I heard one guy laugh and looked over at him, remembering his name to be Chase.

"That's what happens when I get piss drunk and have nowhere to sleep," Chase said, flashing a wide grin. "This selfish guy," he said and hooked a thumb at Hayden, "never lets me sleep in his damn bed."

Hayden laughed before he replied. "I never thought you had a problem sleeping on the pool table."

Seconds later, I felt a bony elbow nudging my arm as I looked over at Drey.

"So are we gonna play pool or what?" he whispered.

Chase and Hayden started laughing simultaneously as Drey glanced at them.

"Sure, we can go play some pool," Hayden said as he stood up from the couch he sat on, stretching. In all, there were five of us. Me, Drey, Hayden, Chase, and a guy named Rye.

"Let's just split into two teams and rotate passing the pool stick between players," Hayden said.

Drey naturally stuck to my side, so it was inevitable that we would be placed on the same team.

"The teams are uneven," I announced, quite obviously. "You've got three people."

"That's because-" Rye started.

"Hayden! Your mother wants to know where you put the damn paprika!" a deep voice yelled as footsteps thundered down the stairs to the basement.

Hayden sighed. "It's in the first-"

"We can't finish making the chicken without it," the voice continued as a faint silhouette came into view.

"I was telling you it's in the first cabinet on the left of the fridge," Hayden said. "It's not your first time cooking at my house, Xander."

My eyes widened as I turned around to see the owner of the deep voice as light green eyes made contact with my own.

Xander took one look at me as an all too familiar smirk appeared on his face before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Well this is interesting."

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