Chapter Four
Hollen
His best friend Adair was sitting on the couch when he got home, the television streaming in the background and a bowl of Smarties in his lap. He must’ve poured two or three packages into the bowl to have so many in there, all the colors jumbled together in a disorganized mess.
“Hey, baby,” said Hollen, leaning over the back of the couch and hugging Adair from behind. The sweet scent of laundry detergent and candy met him, along with that familiar warmth that always left him brimming. “Bad day? I have good news.”
He couldn’t hold it back, even if Adair seemed miserable with his hood pulled up and his body tense.
Adair huffed, setting the bowl next to him before leaning back and looping his arms around Holland’s neck. “Did you discover the cure for infidelity?”
His hug was strong, tugging Hollen closer until his back protested the angle of being half-bent over the couch. Not again.
“Oh no. Scott? Really?” Hollen broke free and scrambled over the cushions to hug his friend properly, knocking the Smarties to the ground in the rush. The chocolate treats scattered on impact, shooting across the floor in every direction. Hollen let them fall, throwing a hug around Adair’s shoulders. His eyes were bloodshot, his nose red, and a bundle of tissues beside him that Hollen hadn’t noticed.
Their cat Ghost emerged from the shadows, chasing one of the fallen treats into the kitchen while batting at it with his paw. A small tuft of fur floated to the ground behind him, catching in the fibers of the carpet. No matter how often they brushed him, he still managed to change the color of the carpet daily with all the fur he left behind.
“Yep,” said Adair, hugging Hollen close. He wrinkled his nose as he touched Hollen’s wet shirt before drawing back in surprise. Wiping his cheeks, he took a deep breath, the sound wavering.
“The guy didn’t even try to hide it.” Adair shook his head. “Apparently even his side piece knew I was just an accessory.” His lower lip trembled, and he squeezed his eyes shut, probably trying to ward off the next round of tears.
“I’m sorry, baby.” Hollen squeezed harder, until Adair let out a huff and pushed him away. “You know I’m here for whatever—especially if it’s revenge sex. We could break the guy’s legs and fuck in his bed. A messy fuck, like that time we had to wash the sheets three times just to get the sex-smell out.” He let out a sigh of relief as a small chuckle escaped Adair’s lips.
Adair pressed his hands to his eyes, rubbing until they were twice as red as before. That small smile was still there, though, lighting up his delicate face. “Enough about my fabulous day. I know you like it wet, but what the hell? It stopped raining an hour ago, and you’re dripping all over the couch.”
It was almost taboo. With what little cash they had, they’d spent way too much money on the couch in order to get the perfect color and cushions. There was just enough space for the two of them, so they were always in reach if Adair happened to put a horror movie on.
“Yeah, but I went out job searching.” Hollen bounced a little as he said it, the reality of it sneaking up on him. It’s going to be okay. “The best job searches happen in the rain. There are no customers around, and the bosses are all bored and looking for exciting ways to increase business. That’s when I come in and save their day.”
Adair perked up, reaching for a few pieces of chocolate that were still on the couch.. “I still don’t get why the last place fired you. You really liked it there.”
“Yeah, about that.” Hollen rubbed the back of his head. He told his best friend about exactly everything in the world except for the little voice in his head. When George had first shown up, Hollen had thought the persistent pressure in his head and chest was a cold coming on. It wasn’t until he heard the voice that he realized what exactly had happened. “I was kind of talking to myself a lot, so they let me go.”
“What?” Adair looked more upset about that than he did about his cheating boyfriend. Fresh tears gathered in his eyes, the red flush deepening. “You talk to yourself all the time—it’s just a you thing. It’s not even annoying unless I’m watching my show.”
Shrugging, Hollen pulled his hoodie over his head, tossing it toward the entrance to his bedroom. The apartment was tiny, with only a small living room, kitchen and two bedrooms that were just big enough for double beds and a small dresser. It meant everything was in easy reach, and there was very little to dust each week.
Hollen shivered in the cool air of the apartment. “I guess I was really chatty.”
As much as Hollen had loved the last job, George had hated it. There was rarely silence in his head between his own thoughts and the constant complaints washing over him, his skin prickling every time he touched a tomato or the dough. Everybody loved pizza—except possessive demons, apparently.
“So, what’s this new place?” asked Adair. He flicked the television off, bending down to grab another handful of chocolate. Hollen dropped to the floor, scooping as many of the treats as he could back into the bowl before Ghost took off with any more. He could hear the cat chewing on something somewhere, but hopefully one or two chocolates wouldn’t hurt him.
“I think I met mister tall, dark, and handsome, only he’s an asshole, too.” Hollen grinned, grabbing a few Smarties for himself before laying them out to separate them by color. “It’s some tea place with the little sandwiches. What do you call that again? High tea, I think. It’s just off main drag.”
“Oh,” said Adair. “My grandma took me there once for high tea. I honestly don’t remember much about it at all.” He furrowed his forehead in thought while licking a drop of chocolate from his lower lip. “I was only a few years old, but I remember her dragging me there. I think it was good, but I never really thought about going back.” He shrugged.
That was what Hollen pictured when he thought about high tea—a group of older ladies or rich folks with fascinators in their hair, sipping overpriced tea and eating little treats at two o’clock in the afternoon. “It’s the opposite of what I expected—and the hours are weird. It won’t be my first stint working nights, though.”
The last one…no, he didn’t want to think about that. Even Adair had realized how miserable he was after two half-asleep shifts with only power naps sustaining him.
Adair screwed up his face. “We’re getting pretty desperate, aren’t we.” It wasn’t a question. Their tiny apartment was a testament to exactly how much they had in their shared bank account. They’d set it up as soon as they’d moved in together, pooling their money until they both got their feet under them.
It went quiet as Adair looked to his lap, clutching his hands together. “I could ask my grandma. We can keep looking for a cheaper place or maybe downsize to a one bedroom. We sleep in the same room or on the couch half the time, anyway.” He brushed his hair from his face. “I know you don’t want to hear it, Hollen, but I could quit—”
“Don’t.” Hollen held out his hand, cutting off his friend. He tried to keep his anger at bay. “If you give up dancing, I’ll never forgive you or myself. All these shitty shifts will be for nothing, and it won’t be so bad—you’ll see. It was pretty fancy in this tea place, so maybe I’ll find us a sugar Daddy. We could share, or take turns, making him fall for us and hand over all his money.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
Adair spluttered. “If you’re that sugar Daddy, then I’m game. I’m done with men for a while.” He leaned in, placing a brief kiss on Hollen’s lips. “You’re already sweet, so now you just need scads of cash.”
Hollen chuckled, snuggling close to Adair carefully so he didn’t disturb the small piles of candy he’d created. He slipped all the purple ones into his mouth, chomping down. “I’m a man. Are you done with me?”
Money was one thing he rarely had to worry about, because he never had any to begin with. At least Adair’s grandma had helped him out with school, but Hollen didn’t want to take advantage of such a nice lady and ask for any more handouts. When they’d moved to the city together, it was so far away from her that he rarely saw her anymore.
“Never.” Adair rested his chin on top of Hollen’s head, reaching over him and grasping a few Smarties from each pile. “Do you think you’ll like this new place?”
My boss is a huge asshole, the hours suck, and the uniform looks absolutely atrocious. Hollen held back a sigh. “It’s going to be awesome.”