One Kiss

Chapter 2

Lyssie danced around him. "Parrrrrty tonight!"

He chuckled. "You are super annoying today."

"Hey, come on, it's a party! You can get drunk and forget that your parents are assholes."

"They aren't assholes, they're just ... stuck in their ways." He shrugged.

"They're assholes who won't allow you to be whoever you want to be," she replied and poked him in the chest.

"Stuff it short stack or I'll squash you."

"Ooooh, resorting to name-calling, I have hit the nail on the head, haven't I?" She danced around him again.

"You're insane, I don't know why I continue to be friends with you."

"Because you love me and couldn't imagine your life without me in it. Right, gotta run, don't want to be late for Spanish. See ya later!" She waved and trotted off down the hallway.

He shook his head and headed for the library. He had an open period and he was planning on working on some of the homework he'd been slacking off on all week. Instead of doing homework, he'd been spending his evenings watching movies. It was time he buckled down and got some shit done. He took a seat at a table in one corner and got out his laptop. The room was silent, he and the librarian were the only ones there and he welcomed the quiet. He'd been working for several minutes when his peace was interrupted.

"You always seem to steal this table."

He looked up. "Excuse me?" he asked, staring at Weston where he stood beside the table.

West shrugged. "Just saying, every time I want to sit here in this quiet little corner I find you have gotten here first."

"Yeah, well maybe you need to walk faster."

"Mmm, maybe I should join you instead," West replied with a grin.

"Look, I've got a ton of homework to get done, I didn't come here for conversation. Can't you go elsewhere?"

West placed his hands on the edge of the table and leaned down with a grin. "You sure you wouldn't rather have me stay?"

The dimple in his right cheek became the focus of Zay's attention for several long seconds before he managed to yank his eyes up to meet West's gaze. "Go away, is that clear enough?"

West shook his head. "If you continue to deny who you are it's going to eat you alive inside, trust me on that. I do know what I'm talking about."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Can you please leave now?" he snapped. His only defense against West was anger. If he shoved the guy away he could deny his feelings for a bit longer.

West leaned closer to him. "You ever want to talk about it, man, I'm here." He stood away from the table and left before Zay could reply.

"Dammit." He didn't need this. Didn't need Weston Sawyer in his life trying to get him to admit to things that were better off left in the darkness. It took him a good fifteen minutes to yank his brain back into focus and get some of his homework done before the period ended. Maybe he should take Lyssie and Josh's advice and get drunk at the party and hook up with someone. Anyone. Then maybe he could forget about Weston. Even if he didn't screw some random girl, he could at least get wasted and forget things for a little bit. It would still be there when sobriety returned, but it would be nice to forget for a little while.

At lunch, he had to listen to Lyssie detail her expectations for the coming party.

"Lyssie, I'm not doing a keg stand."