Something More | Randy

chapter seventeen | amore

A confused and very sleepy looking Jack answered my knocks.

"Andy? It's late, why are you here?" he asked abruptly. 

"Can I hang out for like, an hour?" I begged him. I saw Brook pop his head around the wall behind Jack.

"Andy? You alright?" 

"Been better!" I called back.

"Come on, then," Jack grumbled, "suppose this is about Rye is it?" he guessed, crawling back into the double bed next to Brook. 

I froze. "What do you mean?" 

"Come on, And, we all seen you sneaking off together lately," Jack told me, rolling his eyes, "also, never trust Brook with a secret. Thought you were smarter than that, man."

I shot a dirty look at Brook. "I'm sorry, Andy," he grimaced, "he did basically guess though."

"Nice one," I shot at him, then sighed, "and yeah, it's about Rye. Sorry if that's weird," I directed my apology towards Jack.

"It's not weird," he assured me, "I thought I fancied Mike not that long ago. Turns out I don't, but I am bisexual," Jack informed me casually. I stared at him, then at Brook. Brook looked impressed but not surprised. I guessed this was what their talk had been about. 

"Wow, Jack, I'm so happy you-"

"Yeah, cheers," he cut me off, "so what's up with Ryepie? Still stuck in the denial phase?" I was taken aback by this brazen talk, so different from the careful conversations I'd had with Brook, but it was oddly refreshing, so I went with it. 

"Not really, more like I asked him how he felt about me, and what he was going to do about his girlfriend, and he told me he needed 'time.'"

"Ouch," Brooklyn responded. Jack and I both glared at him. "What?"

"Shut up, Brook," Jack commanded, "That's shit, And. What're you gonna do?"

"Give him time, I guess?" I said questioningly, "There's not much I can do really. He basically confirmed he doesn't have feelings for me when he implied we could keep this up even when he went back to Kylie."

"Yikes," said Jack. 

"What do you mean doesn't have feelings for you? That's literally ridiculous," Brooklyn piped up.

"Well obviously if-"

"Andy, have you met Rye? Have you seen the way he looks at you? Are you stupid?" Coming from Brooklyn, that was a loaded question. Jack and I both stared at him. 

"Elaborate." I commanded.

"Andy. I watched Rye cuddle you for four hours straight on the ride here. He literally had a mental breakdown when he thought he'd ruined your friendship. I don't think it's exactly all fun and games for him."

Jack's eyes widened. "You're a genius, Brook."

"I know I am. Can we get a pizza?" 

I shook my head at them, desperately wanting Brook to be right, but still far from convinced. 

***

Jack went out to grab the requested pizza, and I took advantage of the moment alone with Brooklyn. 

"Is that what your chat was about the other day? Jack being bisexual?" I asked him.

"Yeah, that's why we're all good. I realised it's the same for me with what I was going through actually." Brook confided. 

"How do you mean?" I questioned.

"Well I was confused about my sexuality. That's why I thought I liked Jack. But now I know what's going on we can just be mates again." He explained. How could this kid be so wise about my love life but so dense about his own?