Betrayed By You

Ch.43 - A Warm Welcome

 "Hadley, there's something I need to talk with you about. Duval invited us for dinner, but it's tomorrow night. Are you okay with that? As far as I know it's pizza for dinner."

"I had planned on ordering pizza for us either way and spending some time with your friend sounds good. I already told you I wanted to meet him." He stood and walked over to me, hugging me close. "Don't be nervous. I can see you're starting to slightly panic."

"Can't help it. Habit. Wondering if his girlfriend will be alright being around us."

"If she's alright with who his brother was and who he is I doubt she'll be bothered by a same sex couple."

"You never know for sure until that person really knows."

"True, but you have to have a little faith in people."

"I can't believe you can say that after all this time and after everything you've been through."

"Hey, you trust Duval even after the hell his brother put you through."

"They're two different people, that's not the same thing. We're talking about someone who doesn't really even know me who might not like same sex couples and we're about to go on a double date with them possibly. A home date, but still."

He squeezed me as I started to hyperventilate. "Breathe. Breathe. Slower. Breathe." I listened to him and took deep, even breaths as he spoke. I squeezed his hand.

"Thank you."

"You're my boyfriend, it's kind of what I do."

I turned and he grinned at me. I couldn't help but smile. "Should we take something with us? Make some cookies or something?"

"Why don't you just text or call him and find out?"

"Oh, right." I took my phone out and called Duval to ask. It rang and rang and went to his voicemail after a little bit. "He's not answering. Might be asleep."

"Or he's having fun with his girlfriend." Hadley said, grinning as he moved his eyebrows.

"I really hope they like you."

"So do I. I'd rather like to get along with my boyfriend's friends."

"What do you want to do until tonight?"

"I don't know. Watch a movie? Walk around? Train?"

"You've never wanted to train with me before."

"Yes, but I know it calms you down and you need to be calm right now."

"Oh how right you are. Thank you."

We trained for a few hours and each took a shower before getting dressed for Duval's. Nothing fancy, just jeans and T-shirts. I was shaking too bad to drive, so I gave Hadley the directions. We parked on the road and walked up. While Hadley was showering I had cookies going. Premade, but I didn't feel right showing up with nothing. I knocked on the door and heard Duval inside. "Sounds like our other guests are here."

He opened the door. Come in, come in! You're just in time. We're just now making the pizzas." We followed him inside.

"We brought some cookies. I had tried to call earlier, but I guess you were busy."

"Awesome." We followed him in the kitchen and saw Sam and Luke at the table and Angeline was standing at the counter with Duval. She wiped her hands on an apron while walking towards us.

"Hi. I'm Angeline. She held a hand out. Hadley reached for it first.

"Hadley. Pleasure to meet you."

She nodded. "Pleasure's mine." She turned to me, "And you must be Flint. Thank you for helping Duval. He's said great things about you." I shook her hand and looked over at Duval.

Sam and Luke waved at us and Sam spoke. "I'm Sam and this is Luke. We knew Flint from..." Sam paused and looked at Luke and me. I finished.

"Sam and Luke were in the gang with Devlin and me." I squeezed Hadley's hand. "This is Hadley. My boyfriend."

Sam smiled. "I'm glad you found someone. I was always worried you'd end up with Devlin somehow and that just would not have been good for you. He never did treat you well as a person." Luke nodded in agreement.

"It's nice to meet you all. Is there anything I can help with?"

"Duval and I have the pizza crusts in the oven now. If you want to take a seat at the table with Sam and Luke and there'll be enough room for two pizzas on the table. When the crusts come out you'll be able to decorate the pizzas. Duval made another batch of his sauce earlier today."

"Awesome! Fresh sauce is always the best." Sam said, bouncing in his seat. Luke laughed at him.

Hadley asked, "Are you two?"

Luke shook his head. "Sam and I are just friends. I'm asexual and he's just never tried dating."

"My sister might just interrogate anyone I bring home like they're in Alcatraz!"

We all laughed and I finally started to relax. I felt safe here. "I've been thinking about what to do with the building." I said to Duval.

"Really? Any thoughts?"

"I'm debating opening it as a gym or maybe part of it as a shelter for kids on the streets who might have nowhere else to go."

"I really like that idea. It'll take a lot to keep it going though."

"I was hoping you might be able to help me with that part. Maybe help me come up with more ideas or something."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I do like the thought of using that place as a gym again." Luke said. "I'd be willing to help with equipment and different things."

"Even after how... Honestly, horribly, I treated you and Sam?"

"The past is the past. I'm just glad to have the real you around." He said. I smiled at him.

"Thank you."