ELEVEN CHEATER
ELEVEN
CHEATER
L ast night was surreal. I was so wired from seeing Tariq’s powers that it took me ages to fall asleep.
Well, that, and he snores. Around three in the morning, I woke up to find him by my bedroom door, looking like James Bond, ready to blast whoever’s on the other side.
It was hard to take him seriously with just his underwear on.
We listened together until we heard my mum in the bathroom.
I reassured him it was just her using the loo and he returned to the floor for snorefest round two.
It was a struggle for me to get back off.
I tried counting sheep, but the sheep morphed into miniature naked Tariqs and obviously that didn’t help my situation at all.
Now it’s morning. My room is filled with bright light showing the extent of the mess from Tariq’s cyclone he unleashed in here. He’s still snoring away on my floor, partially covered by the blanket. How does he look this good even when he’s sleeping?
I step over him and head for the bathroom.
I quickly take a shower.
Today, my training starts, and I have no idea what to expect. I’m envisioning some intense army assault course, with Nathaniel as my drill sergeant.
I change before heading back to my room. I open the door and freeze.
Tariq is sitting on my bed, half-dressed, video chatting with Lily on my phone. My cheeks are burning.
‘Hey.’ Tariq greets me with a grin. ‘It’s Lily. I was just telling her how great our second date went.’
Oh no, this is a disaster. ‘Okay, give me that,’ I say, rushing over to Tariq and snatching my phone away. ‘Go put some clothes on.’
‘Nice to meet you, Lily,’ he says, handing me the phone. He grabs his T-shirt before leaving the room to take his turn in the bathroom.
I flop onto my bed. Lily looks all red and sweaty from her morning run.
‘He’s hot! When were you going to tell me he was so hot?’
‘Er… he’s alright I guess,’ I say.
‘Alright? He’s gorgeous! I hope you were playing safe last night Mr “I’m not feeling great I just need some sleep”.’ She winks, still beaming.
‘Yeah, well… I was feeling better.’
‘Clearly.’
‘We didn’t have sex, Lily.’
‘Okay. How? He’s delicious.’
‘We’re just taking things slow. Really slow. We’re more like friends.’
‘You don’t meet friends on OneNight. Anyway, he’s shirtless and in your bedroom. What am I supposed to think?’
She has a point. If I were her, I’d jump to conclusions too.
‘So, what are you two “friends” up to today?’ she continues, taking a gulp from her bottle of water.
‘Er… I’m not sure.’
I’m supposed to be training to become a Keeper so I don’t get killed by a complete maniac and his band of creepy hooded followers. That’s what I’d like to say.
‘Don’t you have badminton with Jack this morning? Is Tariq going?’
Crap! This double life is already getting the better of me.
‘I am. We are. Both of us.’ Urgh, words. ‘Well jel. Jack gets to meet him in person before I do. Stupid work.’
‘I thought you liked working at Old Sarum?’ I say.
‘I do, but I want to do the site tours. I hate being stuck in the gift shop answering the same questions over and over again. “Do you have any postcards?”, “Where are the toilets?” – it’s like I’m stuck in a fudging loop.’
Jack and I visited Lily in the shop a lot over the summer. It’s pretty cramped in there. But she gets free ice cream, so we exploited that to the fullest.
‘Please can we do something soon so I can meet Tariq properly? I have the open day tomorrow, and Tuesday night I have fencing. How about we do something Wednesday evening at mine? My parents will be out and I have a real craving for cupcakes. I’ll bake!’
‘Sounds great,’ I say. That gives me some time to figure everything out and settle into my training. If I’m not dead by then, of course.
‘Great! Well, I’ll leave you boys to it. Say hi to Jack from me!’ Lily blows me a kiss before ending the call.
I sigh and roll onto my back. Can I just crawl back into bed? That would be the easiest thing right now.
‘Everything okay?’ Tariq asks, closing the door behind him.
His hair is now slightly damp and tousled, and his face more fresh. If only I could splash my face with water and look that good.
‘I can’t believe you answered my phone,’ I say.
‘It rang like five times.’
‘Well, you charmed her. Now she wants to meet you in person. Wednesday night.’
‘Is that so?’ Tariq raises an eyebrow.
‘Yes, so that is.’
‘And what if I don’t want to?’
‘Well, I’m going, and it’ll be after dark, so you’ll have to be there. Besides, if we’re going to be spending so much time together, and I need to keep this new Keeper stuff hidden, we’ll need to keep up the charade of us…’
‘Us? What? Being an item?’ he says.
‘An item? What, were you born in the 80s? And yes, at least until I can figure something else out to tell my friends.’
Tariq studies me for a moment. ‘Fine.’
‘Good. Now finish getting ready,’ I say, pulling out my badminton rackets from under the bed.
‘You know we have to be at the Seven Angels by midday. Nathaniel will expect…’
‘We’ve got time.’ I hand him a badminton racket. ‘We’ll get breakfast en route. You’re paying.’
Ah, sweat and chlorine. Always the familiar smell of the leisure centre. I catch my reflection in a mirror as Tariq and I walk past reception. The bright industrial lights do absolutely nothing for my pasty skin. Tariq downs the last of his Americano.
Even though I was joking, he insisted on buying my breakfast. I didn’t object and had a latte and pain au chocolat. I have no regrets; I’ll be burning it off in no time.
‘So, if Jack asks about us, what’s the plan?’ I say.
Earlier, while we were in the breakfast queue, I gave Tariq a rundown of what to say and what not to say in front of my friends, and now I want to see if he paid attention.
‘That you’re a great shag but I can’t really see it going anywhere?’ he says.
I glare.
‘We met on OneNight and decided to see where things go. We’re taking it slow.’
‘Exactly. Jack is one of my closest friends and, luckily for you, less of a question master than Lily.’
We enter the large sports hall, half of which is transformed into badminton courts.
The squeaking of trainers rushes at me from the side, but before I can turn around, I’m picked up off my feet and lifted onto a shoulder.
‘Damn, Liam, have you got heavier?’ says Jack.
Of course, it’s Jack. Tariq relaxes. He was probably ready to unleash his powers on my friend at any moment.
‘Okay, put me down,’ I say, regaining my footing.
‘Oh, hi,’ Jack says, finally acknowledging Tariq’s presence.
‘Jack, this is Tariq. Tariq, meet Jack.’
They perform a very manly handshake that makes me cringe a little inside.
‘So, you’re Liam’s elusive OneNighter guy?’ Jack says.
‘We’re taking things slow,’ Tariq blurts out.
I wipe my hand across my face. Could he be less subtle?
‘Okay…’ says Jack. ‘Come on, we’re on court four.’
‘That was really smooth,’ I say, holding back on following Jack.
‘Let’s just get through this. You’ve got training to attend.’ Tariq pokes me, then follows Jack onto the court.
I can’t believe Tariq is calling for a rematch. I’ve been on the sidelines keeping score for half an hour after losing to Jack.
Turns out Tariq is just as good as me, if not better. Jack was delighted to have someone else decent to play against other than me. Lily comes along sometimes but she tends to run away when the shuttlecock gets too close to her.
They’ve just played an unexpectedly intense match, and both of them gave it their all. It was pretty homoerotic, actually, especially with Tariq flashing his torso while mopping his face.
Jack won, and that seemed to be it, but Tariq has other ideas. Turns out, he’s competitive. What a shocker.
‘Tariq, we really don’t have time,’ I say, pointing to the wall clock.
‘It’s fine, Liam, we can be a bit late,’ Tariq says, spinning the racket in his hand.
Oh, now we can be a bit late?
‘I’m happy to beat you again. How about first to 11?’ Jack says, slapping Tariq’s arm playfully, ‘but first, this champ needs a refill.’
Jack dashes out of the hall with his water bottle in hand.
‘What are you doing calling for a rematch? What about Nathaniel?’
‘We still have time. Besides, your friend Jack needs taking down a peg or two,’ Tariq says.
If testosterone was a yucky, slimy substance, it’d be oozing from every orifice of Tariq’s right now.
‘No, he doesn’t. This is his game, Tariq. I rarely beat him.’
‘Then why do you play?’
‘For fun! It’s not always about winning, you know.’
‘You’re a Keeper now. Winning is your only option. You win or you die.’
Is he really comparing battling evil with a game of badminton?
‘You know what, you go for it. But we’re leaving after this game, either way!’ I say.
‘I quite like you a little forceful, you know,’ he says.
I scowl but my insides are fluttering.
Jack returns, hitting my butt with his racket before returning to his position on court. Tariq winks before heading off to join him.
Time has dragged. The score is now 10–9 in Tariq’s favour. Both of them look exhausted, and quite frankly, so am I.
A staff member opens the fire doors, allowing a cool breeze to drift through the humid hall. I breathe in the fresh air. It’s so welcome.
Tariq serves, but Jack quickly returns the shuttlecock. Back and forth they go, with Jack strategically pushing Tariq toward the back of the court, setting him up for a drop shot. I know exactly what he is planning, but just as Jack readies himself for the smash, Tariq closes his eyes.
What is he doing?
The light breeze picks up a little.
The shuttlecock seems to change course. It glides over Jack, gently landing just before the line.
‘In!’ Tariq shouts.
Jack looks bewildered.
They both come to the net to shake hands. Jack suggests a best-of-three match, but I quickly intervene, trying to hide my annoyance. ‘Not happening. Tariq and I have plans for training… uh, lunching. A date-type lunching.’
‘Smooth,’ Tariq says.
Jack goes to collect his bag.
‘Cheater!’ I accuse.
Tariq shrugs. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘I know you used your powers, Tariq,’ I say, trying to keep my voice down.
‘Hm. Did I?’
Jack returns before I can press Tariq further.
‘Hey, good game, man,’ Jack says, shaking Tariq’s hand once again.
Once we step out of the hall, Tariq heads to the toilet, and Jack contemplates his chocolate bar choice.
He turns to me and smirks.
‘What?’
‘Is it me or is this vending machine looking at you funny?’
‘You’re hilarious.’
‘I know. Jokester of the year. Mars or Snickers?’
‘Always Mars.’
‘But Snickers have peanuts.’
‘Then get both.’
‘Excellent suggestion.’ He makes his selection, and the bars drop down.
‘So, Tariq is fit. Like, athletically, and, you know, just to look at,’ Jack says.
I laugh. ‘Yep, he’s both of those.’
He offers me a bite of his Snickers, but I decline.
‘So, I’m guessing from his earlier random statement about you guys taking things slowly that you haven’t done the deed yet?’
‘No, no deed-doing.’
‘Because he kinda gives you this look.’ Jack stuffs the second half of the Snickers into his mouth.
‘What do you mean?’
‘What? You haven’t noticed?’ he says, still chewing.
I shake my head.
‘During all the breaks between points on the court, he’d just be looking at you.’
I hadn’t noticed that at all. I was too focused on the game. Or maybe he was just keeping an eye on me, making sure I wasn’t in demonic danger.
Tariq is at my side. ‘We best get going.’
I nod, and after another cringy handshake from Tariq and a hug goodbye from me, we leave Jack behind and head toward the Seven Angels for my first day of Keeper training.