Operation: Bounty Hunter

Chapter 2

6 Months Ago
San Francisco, California

    The guitar riffs of Against The Current kept me safe from the real world as I engaged myself in Harry Potter and The Cursed Child with a cup of Americano. That is, until I felt an itch, an itch to speak to a certain someone and suddenly as I waited for Hayden to finish getting food.

Slowly, as I lowered the book, and decided to FaceTime my favorite person. I waited, my face taking up my phone screen until I came to see the baby faced smile of Manuel Montfort.

"Hey, you!" Even through the screen, his toothy grin was blinding in the Connecticut sun.

"You excited to be in college, Jax?" "That's still a month away, and yet you're already ready." I replied as I closed the book while I watched him load a couple of things into his suitcase.

"Becoming a doctor takes time. Any expectations?" He asked as he walked left his dorm room, making his way out of the building.

"I'm mostly looking forward to the change of scenery. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love it here... but I'm going to enjoy mapping out Cambridge."

"Hopefully the classes don't beat our asses too badly. Senior year was exhausting enough." He said to me as Hayden walked away from the counter and approached me.

"But I know that a cute little nerd like you is gonna love Harvard's workload. I, for one, want to know everything you do." I smiled as Hayden stood in my peripheral vision, waiting me.

"Alright, I'm off to talk with the Athletics Director." "Sure. As long as I know you're not gonna do anything stupid while I'm gone." I told him, adding in a wink and sticking out my tongue mockingly. "I would never. Have you known me to do a single stupid thing?"

"Well, you decided to swing with me, that was pretty dumb." I shrugged as Hayden rolled his eyes standing above me. "Not on your worst day. I love you, Jaxxie." With a wave, he hung up after I signed ily back, my music playing once again as I rose from my seat.

"You know, you two just ooze sexual tension. Right?" Hayden asked me as I slammed the car door, my eyes piercing through his soul, only to result in him smiling coyly at me. "You're the worst." The car ride back to his house was almost silent as I put in my headphones and stared out the window to the outside world.

"So how are you holding up, Danny?" "I'm fine. I just... needed time to decompress. I know that if dad were here, he'd be proud of me."

"We all are, Danny... and I want you to know that I'm happy for you and Manuel. You two deserve each other." This can't not be a setup. "Thanks..." "So... is anal better than vaginal?" ¿QUÉ DIJE? I FUCKING KNEW IT BITCH! Hayden threw at me once he managed to parallel park. 

"I will fight you irl dawg!" With that, my backpack jostled as it was thrust into his chest, causing him to stumble backward.

"I'm kidding!" He told me as he returned, in air quotes, my backpack to me at his full bball player force. As the straps grazed my back once I dodged the projectile, I could hear him start to crack up before the front door opened.

"Mė, we're home!" "Hi mấy nhóc! Hayden, em của anh ở đâu?" His mother called from the kitchen. She spoke little English, only to say basic words and phrases to me or Cassie. "Anh ta đi chơi với bạn bè. Anh ta sẽ về nhà năm." "anh ta sẽ tốt hơn." "Where is Elric?" I asked, electing to quit standing in the doorway and head inside, shoes off, of course.

"With his school friends. He told me they were headed to Starbucks. So, you ready to head upstairs? I'm gonna need some training from the best healer I know." "We've got an hour and a half before I need to leave." Climbing the noisy set of stairs, I took a deep sigh once my backpack thudded against the ground, awaiting my chance to give the world another support main.