My Brother's Best Friend - LGBT, boyXman

5

At ten o’clock, Matt announced that he was going up to bed.

I stood up and started clearing away plates, forks and empty beer bottles.

“I might have to work tomorrow, Triss. But I should be home in time for dinner.”

“Alright. Do you need me to get anything from the supermarket?”

“Erm… Milk, if you go. And some bread, and a bit of cheese. And coffee and tea bags.”

I rolled my eyes and noted the items on a scrap of paper.

“Matt…” David said tentatively. “Do you think-?”

“You can stay as long as you need,” Matt said before David could finish.

David smiled at him.

“Thanks.”

“You can have my bed, if you like.” I blurted before I could stop myself.

They both looked at me, frowns on their good-looking faces.

“I, erm… Ava's staying the night, so we can sleep in the living room. And the spare room isn’t made up…”

I blushed under David’s intense gaze.

“Thanks,” David said finally. “I think.” He added in a whisper that only I could hear.

I ran upstairs to the boiler cupboard, and checked Ava's papier-mâché volcano, before pulling two sleeping bags and some spare pillows from the cupboard and carrying them down the stairs.

I laid them out on the floor of the living room while Ava made us some tea and ran up to my bedroom to fetch some DVD’s.

David had fetched a small suitcase from his car, and was waiting patiently for Ava and I to settle down before he went into my room.

David Mason, a complete and utter sex god, was asleep in my bed.

Well, he would be soon, anyway.

I wouldn’t sleep a wink tonight.

*

“Go on then,” Ava nudged me at half-past ten, and paused the film we were watching. “How did it happen?”

“What?” I asked innocently, knowing I wasn’t fooling her at all.

“You and Mr- David. When? How? How often? What’s it like?” Ava smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes.

“It was about… a month ago. He’d fought with Karen one morning before he came to pick me up for school. We ended up in a lay-by beside the old scrapyard, and he just kissed me… It happens every time he drives me to school, and most of the time when he brings me back, as well.”

“And… sex?” Ava giggled.

“No. Nothing past kissing. Well, a little bit of contact, but…” I shook my head. “I mean, on one hand, I’d go for him in a heartbeat. On the other hand, he’s my brother’s best friend. And my teacher. And basically my older brother. It could get really weird.”

“Is kissing him weird?”

“No… It feels so natural.”

I felt my heart flutter and sighed.

“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”

“Yep.”

Ava handed me the other half of the chocolate bar we’d started.

I broke off a strip and chewed slowly. I rolled onto my front, folded my arms across my pillow and rested my chin on them.

“I don’t know what to do… He’s my brother’s best friend. Which should immediately make him out of bounds. He’s my teacher, so he’s even more out of bounds. He’s eight years older than me, so… not exactly illegal, but still not really appropriate. He’s just split up with his wife, so is obviously going to be a little screwed up for a while. He wants us to take a break from… whatever we are, which I’m fine with.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“I’m… just wondering if we should start it up again at all.”

“I think… you seem to really like him,” Ava said slowly. “So you should go for it.”

“Really?” I sighed. “I was thinking the opposite.”

Ava snuggled deeper into her sleeping bag and yawned.

“I think… I need to get a boyfriend who’s my own age.”

*

So, that’s how mine and David’s… relationship – if that’s the word for it – came to an end.

An amicable split; unlike his split from Karen.

The weekend was a little awkward after Ava left.

Matt spent most of the weekend at work, so David and I were left to do the usual weekend jobs.

We cleaned the house, mowed the lawn, washed David’s Beetle – and Matt's car when he was home for a few minutes – cleaned the windows, did five loads of laundry (how can three people accumulate so many dirty clothes in just one week?), and somehow managed to mend the broken tumble dryer.

Karen called on Sunday afternoon, and David ended up having a shouting match with her down the phone.

I went up to my bedroom and turned up my stereo to drown him out, but there wasn’t a volume setting loud enough.

I learnt a few new swear words that day.