The Boys are Back in Town

The Boys are Back in Town: Twenty

Alek reached for the phone and typed out a quick response while I read over his shoulder.

"Aw no, don't tell him that!" I protested.

"Who else is going to stop him?" He muttered darkly, glaring at Andre's phone as if it had personally offended him.

"Just Jason and Henry, then?" Adrian asked.

"It looks like it," Alek said, still tapping out a message.

"What's he doing?" Andre asked, coming over to look.

"He's telling Jason to cancel his tickets," I said. "When are they coming anyway?"

"Spring break, apparently."

A message popped up thirty seconds later. This is Alek, isn't it?? I miss you SOOOO much. I can't wait to see you, baby.

I squeaked, trying to hold in my laugh. So far, everything I'd heard about Jason was lining up perfectly with the guy on the phone. A muscle twitched in the corner of Alek's jaw.

Another message followed Don't worry, your girl is going to love me like you love me. That is, inevitably and unconditionally.

"It's done, man," Andre said, gently taking his phone back. "Accept it."

***

Our trip to the bookstore and the excitement over their friends' coming visit helped relieve my stress over what happened at school. At the end of the day, Alek had accomplished what I thought was impossible: he helped me get over it.

Before Alek took me home, Andre pulled me aside and gave me a big hug. Though he said nothing, his mouth was pressed in a severe line.

"I'm okay now," I said. "I promise. Alek took care of me."

He nodded. "I didn't want to say anything in front of Adrian because I thought it would make you uncomfortable if I brought it up."

I shrugged. "I'm just... I'm embarrassed by this whole thing. I'm embarrassed that I cared about it so much. It seems like such a stupid high school movie drama."

Andre gave me another hug. "If those girls do or say anything this dumb again, I'll set them straight. Adrian and I will come after them with our rapiers."

I snickered at that mental picture. "What about Alek?"

"What about him? He's useless."

***

The house was lit up when we arrived. My parents were home, probably uncorking a bottle of wine as was their Friday night habit.

Alek stopped the car at a blind spot just a block from my house and kissed me soundly, before heading to our driveway to park my car.

"Thank you for today," I said, leaning over the gearshift. "Really."

He reached for my hand and brushed his lips against my knuckles. "I'm here for you. Andre and Adrian, too."

"I know that. I'm okay now because I know that."

He walked me to the door, where he laid his forehead against mine. "We have to say goodnight already."

"In a few weeks, your friends will be here. That's only a couple of goodnights away. You're excited aren't you?" I grinned when he made a face.

"Good thing they're not staying in town. They'll be at Jason's mom's place."

"Shut up, I know you're happy they're coming. You guys were together every day in England. It must be weird not to see them."

He looked down and didn't say anything. I squeezed his hand.

"Hey," I said, after a beat. "You're okay too, right?"

Alek was quiet for a moment, thinking. "I wasn't, at first. But I've been better than okay since we came back."

I nodded, accepting that and changing the topic. "What should we do tomorrow then?"

He brushed his thumb against my cheek. "Read. Watch a movie. Eat cake the whole day. Whatever you want."

"Deal."