Chapter Six
“I can’t believe you’re going to do it. You like him, Kit.”
Adam sighs. “Why do this? What’s in it for you?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m getting to know someone I really like, and, y’know, it may turn into something more.”
I lean back on the counter as Adam searches the fridge.
“Why are you pretending you cook? You’re going to order something anyway.”
He straightens. “You’re right. I’ll order Chinese.”
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and places his order. “You could end up getting hurt.”
“I know that. I’m not stupid.”
Damn him for saying out loud what I’ve been thinking all week long. “I’m going for a shower.”
I stomp off before he can put even more of a dampener on my mood. By the time I’ve finished and put on some sweats and a T-shirt, the food has arrived. Adam moves on to another topic and fills me in on all his antics as a personal trainer.
By ten thirty, I stumble off to bed. I’ve got work tomorrow and will have to go through all this again with Jack. I check my phone to make sure my alarm is on. A message from Ollie has come in.
Ollie: Do not let Jack pester you tomorrow.
Me: I won’t. Adam has already done it.
Ollie: Check your Facebook. I’ve sent you a friend request.
Smiling, I open the app, click Accept, and say hello.
Surprisingly, sleep comes quickly without any worries or doubts of the huge mistake I could be making.
Jack steps behind the counter to complete his sales and cash up the till. He’s annoyed that I won’t go into any details about my and Ollie’s conversation. But what is there to say? We agreed to go to the bloody gala as fake boyfriends. We’ve got between now and the end of November to know as much about each other as possible and to look like we’re happily in love. Or at least happy together.
“Do you know when you’re getting together again?”
he asks as we leave the store.
“No, we haven’t organised anything. I expected it to be a Friday night arrangement. We only need to get a few basic questions and answers sorted. They don’t know how long we’ve been dating.”
“You’re underestimating a bunch of rugger buggers and their incredibly nosey wives, who’d love nothing more than to have a gay best friend.”
“Great, thanks for that. Maybe you should’ve offered to go with him. You two seem to know everything about each other.”
“Hell, no. I can’t bear to be in the same room as them. Ollie wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Jeez, thanks Jack.”
I walk to my bus stop and, leaning back on the glass of the shelter, check my phone for messages. Adam has sent one to tell me he’ll be out for the night. Great, home alone on a Saturday night.Would it be weird to call Ollie and see if he wants to get together? Yes, it would be weird. I should wait for him to be in touch.
The bus pulls up, and I squeeze in the already full deck. Oh joy, I’m standing all the way home. Jesus, I’m in a bad mood. Some greasy food and watching reruns of Supernatural sound like a good idea. A bit of ogling at the Winchester brothers never does any harm.
I’m lying prone on my sofa in a meat-induced stupor, thanks to an awesome jalape?o kebab and three bottles of Stella. The chime of my phone startles me from dozing off. I grab it from the table and swipe the screen.
Ollie: Are you busy tomorrow?
Me: No, nothing planned.
Ollie: Good, come over. We’ll have a day on the PlayStation.
Be here for 10:30.
Me: I’ll be there.
Yes! This is good news and great progress. For the second night, I fall asleep with a smile.
At half past ten, I knock on the black glossy door in an expensive part of town. My mother would definitely approve. The door opens, but instead of Jack, two handsome men stand in the doorway.
“Oh, hello,”
one of them says. “Are you coming in?”
“Of course he’s coming in, Wolff. I doubt he stands on doorsteps for the fun of it,”
the other man says.
“I’m here to see Jack and Ollie.”
I squirm under their scrutiny.
“Oh, come on in. They’re on the next floor up.”
“Thank you.”
I let them pass me and step into the tall, elegant hallway.
“Yo! You coming upstairs?”
Ollie is leaning over the bannister.
I take the stairs two at a time. “Is Jack home?”
Why am I suddenly feeling nervous? It doesn’t make sense. We got along fine the other night.
“No, he’s gone for a run and will be back in twenty minutes or so. Come in.”
Ollie gestures for me to come inside. “Do you want a drink, coffee or tea? Have you had breakfast?”
“Coffee, please, and yes, I’ve eaten.”
I look around the large, high-ceilinged and tastefully decorated flat. This is no student pad. Ollie and Jack obviously take pride in their home. “Nice place.”
“Thanks, we love it here. The owner lives on the top floor. He’s really cool. So gorgeous too. We’ve both had crushes on him. He’s just got back with his boyfriend, who is equally yummy.”
“They opened the door. Very hot pair, I agree.”
Ollie makes coffee, and we sit on the large navy leather sofa. “What do you want to play?”
He hands me half a dozen games to choose from.
“Fallout, of course.”
As if there’s an alternative.
“Cool.”
He turns on the TV and starts up the games console. “How much has Jack been pestering you?”
“Um, like every five minutes, as has my flatmate, Adam.”
Ollie looks at me strangely. “Why did you look like that when you said that? Doesn’t he approve?”
“He does think it’s a bit weird, but he’s not one to say too much about anything.”
I brush Adam’s comments away. Now’s not the time to remember I could end up getting hurt.
“Kit, you don’t have to do this. If you’re having second thoughts, it’s okay.”
“I haven’t changed my mind. I want to help you, Ollie. Monty is an arsehole, and he’ll never let it drop if you turn up alone. We’ll have fun. I promise to be the best boyfriend ever.”
“Okay, but if you want to stop, just tell me.”
He smiles sadly, as if it would hurt him, even if he says it won’t.
“Okay. Now stop stalling, or are you afraid I’m going to beat you every time?”
I pick up the game controllers and settle back, ready to play.
“Yeah, right, like you have a chance of that. I’m going to annihilate you.”
He scoffs and presses Play.
I laugh, but he gets all serious. And he’s good. I have my work cut out for me. Hopefully, I can beat him, but I’m not positive.
Gaming with Ollie is fun. He swears and shouts as he fights the enemies. Just as I’m about to ambush him, the front door slams, and Jack calls he’s home. I look up for a second, which gives Ollie the chance to kill me.
“Loser!”
He jumps up and does a victory dance that’s so cute I want to drag him onto my lap and kiss him.
“Hey! What’s going on?”
Jack enters the living room. “Hi Kit, this is a surprise.”
He looks past me to Ollie, eyebrows raised. “I didn’t know Kit was coming over.”
“Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea, a get-to-know-each-other session,”
Ollie says.
“And how much have you found out about each other since you’ve started playing? Do you know each other’s middle names or favourite drinks? How about your birthdays or where you met and how long you’ve been together?”
Wow! What’s up with him?
Ollie frowns at Jack. It seems he’s just as shocked as I feel.
“Not yet. I’ve learnt how he takes his coffee and that he sucks at Fallout. It’s early days, Jackie boy.”
“Whatever. I’m going to shower.”
He huffs and walks out.
“Is he okay?”
I ask Ollie. Whatever brought that change in Jack’s attitude?
“Yeah, he’s fine. We surprised him, that’s all.”