S.M

Chapter Fifteen

Will was meant to meet Gabriel, and now he was drunk. Most guys didn't get drunk after two drinks, but Will wasn't most guys. He never drank anymore, so it always hit hard when he did. He wondered if he was on his way to a hang-over. Stephen stayed behind at the bar, they'd made friends with a few footballers, so Will didn't mind leaving him behind in new company.

Will went to the Acropolis Bar. Despite the illustrious namesake the place looked shady enough, the kind of area Will would avoid as a habit. But he knew Gabriel wouldn't invite him anywhere even remotely dangerous, so Will went ahead and entered the bar. After his eyes adjusted he found himself looking at a cramped space of tables, chairs, TV's and bars—three of them. Only one of them was manned at the moment. He spotted Gabriel at the back, head bent in conversation with Charlie, the old college friend Will had met briefly before.

"Hi," Will greeted them.

"Mr Boyfriend." Charlie got to his feet with a wide smile. "Nice seeing you again, this is my girlfriend Nikki. Nikki, this is Mr Boyfriend."

"Will." He shook her hand. She was a petite girl, with the darkest eyes Will had ever seen. Even darker than Gabriel's. It was hard to distinguish her pupil from her iris. As Will sat and faced his boyfriend and discovered the same phenomenon; he realised he was tipsy, and the bar was dark. It wasn't a case that they all had pitch black eyes.

"How was class?" Gabriel asked him.

Will shrugged. "Preferred training."

Charlie cut in. "You're getting the college blues, happens to everyone around the week five mark. You just need to take a week off from class, and then go back fresh as a daisy. Works every time."

Gabriel looked amused, and took Will's hand under the table. "Says the one he barely scrapped a pass."

"But I did pass." Charlie pointed at them. "Didn't I? Didn't I?" He prodded Gabriel who batted him away.

"Gabriel's attendance was as terrible as yours. He got an honours." Nikki pointed out.

"Your attendance was terrible?" Will questioned. "I thought you... steadied up, during college?"

That made Nikki snort, and Charlie laugh out loud.

Gabriel shot them a look before answering Will. "Eventually, I did. It didn't happen the first two years. It was halfway through my third year when I started taking things seriously."

Will thought about that. If did the same, he'd probably fail. Passing grades took full attention in Will's case. It was endlessly irritating. It always seemed so easily for Cassie and Dune. And his boyfriend was smart too.

"Why are you making a face?" Gabriel asked.

"Cause your disgusting, is why." Charlie answered. "My brother's the same. He hardly lifts a finger and straight A's hurl themselves into his lap. You drinking Will? I'm getting another."

"Do you need another?" Nikki asked him pointedly.

"It's eight, Mr Boyfriend is here, and our dancing class isn't until half nine." Charlie was already standing. He met Will's gaze. "What's your poison of choice?"

"Vodka coke."

Gabriel looked surprised, then called out to Charlie as he went. "Get me a Heineken."

"Full or half?"

"Full."

Gabriel turned back Will, slipping closer to him at the booth. "Didn't think you would drink tonight."

"I had a few already, so I might as well."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "A few?"

Gabriel knew that he was a bad, bad lightweight. The only time they'd had drinks together, Will was drunk after one. "I had to walk here, so it's settled a bit... do you think I shouldn't?"