Rage With Benefits

Chapter 29: A Trip Down the Other Lane

Up until a few weeks ago, he never realized what it was like to care, nor experienced knowing what it feels like to be cared for. Unexpectedly, the boy he hated for what he thinks almost his entire life, was the same boy who introduced him to all of those things. It was funny really, how simple and uncomplicated it was. How easy it was to love something. But as they say, love is a strong word.

And up until today, Bryce had no idea how as easy it was to lose it.

"I don't care anymore."

Ian's eyes were filled with anger, lips trembling as he stared at the blond through a mist of tears. Bryce felt his shoulders drop at his words, mouth twitching to say something, anything that will make Ian change his mind because he should and Bryce knew that he would. He had a lot to say, a lot to explain about, a lot to apologize for.

But none of those words came out. It was like someone took the sense out of him, his feet were glued to the floor, frozen and unmoving as he watched the spare key he gave Ian hit the ground, leaving him with nothing. Nothing but his thoughts and the ghost of what he'd given up.

Maybe he really was a coward.

. . . . .

It didn't start the first time they had sex in the shower rooms. Not during the first time they kissed, the first time he thought he had a nice ass, nor the first time he called him 'beautiful' in his head. No. Bryce's attraction to boys didn't start with any of those.

Not even did it start with Ian.

It was the summer before all of it, back when he was going out with Isabelle, when Bryce got a little tipsy. And when Bryce gets a little tipsy, Bryce gets a lot idiotic.

They decided to do the party at Blake's, no adults since his parents were out of town so there was no one to tell them all about the horror stories about underage drinking. In hindsight, they would've been right, but it was all too late for hindsights. For some reason, Bryce found himself in front of a bar half a mile away after taking a leak in his best friend's backyard. As he stumbled around, everything looked like a set of two, his arms flailing in a wide-sweeping distance as his legs crossed over each other in every step. The bar was huge, the disco lights were blinding, and the music felt like it was going to rip his body open with every thump of its thunderous beat. One look at him and you could tell that Bryce was hella wasted, but the security didn't even ask for his ID as they let him in. They sucked at their jobs, and Bryce found that very funny.

"Can I mix something up for you?" the bartender inquired upon seeing the blond stumble his way on one of the stools. Bryce's head dropped over his arms on the front bar, eyes glossy over the influence of Blake's disgusting kahlúa-orange juice mix. He looked up at the owner of the voice, momentarily waking up from his trance before rubbing his eyes.

"Water," he mumbled, the tiniest bit of sobriety left in him kicking just in time. "just water please."

The man behind the counter handed him a glass, and they exchanged kind smiles before the he strode to his next customer, leaving Bryce to indulge himself with his bottle of cold water and the swarm of couples swaying to the music on the dance floor. He groaned, remembering that he left his girlfriend alone with Blake and the rest of his friends.