SomeWhere On... (BXB)

...Hoxton Square

I actually don't remember how I got here.

But it's Saturday night and DAG and his American friend have been talking about their upcoming trips – DAG to Brighton and his friend to Wales – with their study abroad groups for the past two minutes. And I fucking hate the fact that this daft American's asked me to come along. It's not the third-wheeling that's pissing me off. It's the fact that I'm paying for my own goddamn meal.

And then DAG looks at me. "Oh my God," he starts, literally wiping his face with his hands. Like it's a movie. "We're talking, and you probably have zero clue what we're talking about." He chuckles and looks at his friend, then me. "Have you, have you ever been to Brighton?"

"I have." Their Pride Festival's fucking amazing.

"Have you ever been to the Palace Pier?" DAG asks. "I'm dying to go there."

"No."

His friend leans forward. "What about the Pavillion?" He speaks quietly, enunciating each word so carefully like he's making sure I can hear him.

I shrug. "Don't remember?"

"Why did you go to Brighton?" His friend's watching me. Well, more like glaring. I don't think it's angry, though. I just get that vibe from him.

But I'm not going to say the Pride Fest because that ended with me in a drunken orgy. Granted, it was fucking ace, but this guy's just rubbing me the wrong way. And we're in public.

So I say, "I was visiting...friends."

DAG's friend leans back in the chair and crosses his arms."No...sightseeing? You just sat in a living room and stared at a wall?" He swallows.

DAG looks at him. "What?"

"Becuase you seem more like..." His eyes look me over. "...uh, like..."He clears his throat. "...you'd be doing something else."

I'm confused. "Why do you say that?" I ask. He's not that cute, so if this's his way of hitting on me, it isn't working.

He shrugs and says, "Honestly, it's just how you look."

I take a sip of my beer and put it down.

DAG's friend takes my beer and slides it toward the middle of the table."You're going to need your wits about you tonight," hesays, taking a sip of his water.

...okay, who the actual fuck is this guy?

"Adrian, be nice. You said you'd be nice."

His friend looks at him. "It's not that, and you knowit."

"You said, though."

He frowns and sighs. "Fine. Fine, sorry."

DAG smiles. "Thank you."

A minute later, after we put in our orders, DAG stands and announces his intent to use the loo. He wanders towards the back and then fumbles past a couple as he heads downstairs.

His friend puts his hands together on the table and licks his lips. "Why did you come tonight?"

I blink. "Wha?"

He frowns. "You heard me."

Okay, I'm done. "Listen, mate – "

"Adrian."

"Listen, Adrian, I don't know why you're tryin' to pick a fight,but I am more than happy to give you one." I roll up my sleeves.

Adrian sighs, still frowning. "No, it's not that. I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here to – " He pauses and glances at his hands for a second. "I just...want to know he's okay."