A Touch Of Sin [BxB]

2.

I wonder what expression is on my face, because my mind is a whirlwind of emotions.

The silence between us is thick, heavy and suffocating. My mind scrambles to say something. Anything. But my tongue feels glued to the roof of my mouth. I can't get a word out.

Jake is here. He's back.

His lips tilt in an arrogant smirk. He knows the affect he has on me.

"Cal," he breathes and half laughs. The sound has a shiver running down my spine. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Am I still standing upright? I can't tell, I feel so dizzy. Leslie, the woman behind the front desk, begins talking to Jake. His eyes don't leave mine. She hands him a folder and he takes it distractedly. A crease forms on his brow for a moment.

"Er – Cal? Are you having a stroke, or something?" he asks, genuinely looking confused.

Speak, you idiot!

"How've you been?" My voice somehow comes out somewhat neutral.

He strolls over to me, looking as hot and nonchalant as ever. "Good."

"That's good," I manage to force out. "Why are you back?"

"Aren't you glad to see me?" he smirks, throwing his hand through his long hair. I fail to watch his bicep bulge as it does.

"Sure," I say in a way that sounds untrue. "Just curious."

"You can save the tour," he says, ignoring my question again. "I remember everything."

"We didn't attend this side of the school," I point out.

"I snuck over here all the time," he shrugs.

I side-eye him. "Sure."

"So, what's new?" he asks as we fall in step.

I find that a rather broad-ended question, considering we haven't seen or spoken for over three years. What's new? How am I expected to answer that?

"A lot," I finally reply.

"You're kidding!?" a voice exclaims. I glance up, to see Grant wide-eyed, with a huge grin on his face. "Jake fucking Haze."

Jake's smirk broadens. "Grant, hey."

They do the shake and one-arm hug that I now wish I had the ease to do. I guess history of intense feelings, hidden hang outs and toe-tingling kisses messes with the casual hey bro, how's it going? Greeting.

In simpler times, Jake, Grant and I were best friends. I'm guessing things won't be like that again. Age and distance have seemed to make whatever Jake and I have, awkward and very confusing. It didn't seem so much so, back then.

"You're back just in time," I tune in to what Grant's saying, having spaced out for a minute or so. "I'm throwing a birthday party for myself this weekend."

"And yet your birthday is a month away," I add.

"But my parents are away," he swiftly replies with a grin.

"Cool," Jake nods, swivelling his eyes to me. "Are you going?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'll make an appearance."

"I'll make an appearance," Grant mocks with an eye roll. "He will be the first one there." Grant steps close to me and throws an arm around my shoulder. "You're already counting down the minutes, aren't ya?"