Chapter 15
Chapter fifteen
Duncan
Let the Polished Wood Do The Work
"It shouldn’t be this hard."
"That’s what he said." Rhys replies as he spins easily in front of me to skate backwards.
"What kind of rink doesn’t have inline skates?" I demand as I stomp forward like a deer on ice with butter coated watermelons on his hooves.
"A roller rink." Rhys replies as he switches to skate forward again and while I hate how his hips move easily side to side, I’m not upset with how good his ass looks in those ridiculous pants.
Just the right side of tight. "C’mon Duncan, just slide your foot out, roll your ankle a little and let the polished wood do the work. "
"I’m struggling too much physically to even make sexual jokes about everything you just said."
"Looks like I figured out how to shut you up then."
"There are other ways."
"But not today." He taunts as he spins around again and faces me. "Here." He beckons me with both hands. "I’ll pull you."
I stomp towards him and grab his hands. "You’re going to owe me a pull after this alright."
"But not today."
"Wow, your inner asshole really starts to shine when you’re performing physically."
"I only have the one asshole. But, like I said…"
"Not today." I mock as he starts to pull me around the rink. Ace of Base is playing as I start to enjoy the wind in my hair.
Rhys’s smile is wide as he easily navigates the rink, proudly rocking his Cockermouth shirt and suede fringe vest.
He’s loosened up in the last hour since I made him swipe the candy. Seeing the joy on his face tells me Yes Day is a roaring success. He’s not at home moping, he’ll have plenty of time to do that after I leave next week.
We make it around the rink as the song changes to Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer. My eyes sparkle and Rhys starts to shake his head as he laughs.
"Will you sing with me Charming?" I ask.
"Yes."
***
"If my skating is fucked up next season I’m blaming you." I point to Rhys who is just showing off now. After our full ninety minutes of rink time I only improved marginally.
Rhys on the other hand has remembered how to Shoot the Duck. I rub my arches as I watch him squat and glide across the rink.
"I think you could learn a thing or two from me." He says as he swings by the bench I’m on.
"I think I’m going to make your next Yes Day activity giving me a foot massage." I grumble.
"What is my next Yes Day activity?" He asks as he smoothly comes to a stop and sits next to me.
"Well, actually, I was thinking of switching it up."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you want to be in charge of Yes Day now?" I keep my face as straight as possible.
"Yes." He points to me. "And I know exactly what you’re doing first."
***
"Rhys, c’mon this is embarrassing."
"But it’s the right thing to do."
"Fine." I huff as I walk back into the sweetie shoppe.
"’Ello!" The owner waves. "How can I help you?"
"We were in here earlier, in umm, different clothing, and hair, but..." I look to Rhys but all he does is cross his arms and hunker down. "I need to pay you."
"For what?"
"For the candy we stole." Rhys clears his throat. "I stole. For the candy I stole. And, umm, I’d like to place a rather large order as well."
He chuckles. "It’s kind of ya to come back. I build a bit of an allowance for theft into my prices but usually it’s the wee lads I have to worry about."
"Right. Well. First of all, I’d like to ship all the Sour Patch Kids you have to a friend of mine in the states."
"Internationally? They’ll be hard as rock when they arrive."
"Oh, well then I’ll just take a jar of those boiled sweets."
Rhys pops one of the green apple sweets into his mouth as the rest are packaged up for me. I slip out some cash and hand it to him, refusing the change.
"Happy?" I ask Rhys when we get outside.
"Yes." He smiles.
"Har, har. Alright Charming, what’s next?"
"Have you been out to Dunhallow Keep?"
"No." Is he insane?
"Two minutes of touching to you." His eyebrows raise. "Let me rephrase. Ready to go out to Dunhallow Keep?"
"Yes." But I can’t hide the tremble in my voice. Any local boy worth his salt knows to avoid The Keep at all costs.
"You don’t really believe in The Vanishings do you?" Rhys laughs. He’s from here he should be terrified of them!
"Yes!"
"Are you just saying that because it’s Yes Day?"
"No." He holds up two fingers but I don’t even care. "I believe in The Vanishings, you’d be an idiot not to." My spine is tingling. "Granny Franny has made it very clear that even her pirate relatives avoid The Keep. You’re from here, you should know not to fuck with The Keep."
"But, it’s Yes Day." He turns away towards the car muttering something like Chicken.
"Yes, I know, but, why put ourselves through stress on Yes Day?"
"You made me shoplift."
"Which you made me atone for."
"Well, now you’re going to have to go to the creepy haunted castle with me." Rhys wiggles his fingers at me. His laugh lines crease with his smile and I know he needs this.
I can handle it for him.
We climb into the car and Rhys drives us towards impending doom like it’s nothing.
"I don’t understand how you can be so chill about this. You’re literally wearing the pants the," I lower my voice to a whisper, "disappeared was wearing."
Rhys barks out a laugh. "I’ll take my chances."
"Your funeral. The disco-era ghost is totally going to take you first because my pants make me look like I’m from the future."
"Maybe he’ll want you because you’re Daddy’s Favorite."
"No chance, ghosts don’t fuck with Daddy energy."
He chuckles but still drives us out to the coast. Dunhallow Keep looms in the distance. We wind up the hill and park along the side of the road because there isn’t even a parking lot for this creepy as fuck destination.
The stone is almost black with grime and the storm clouds gathering just off the shore only add to the effect.
I can do this. I can put on my swishing big boy track pants and swallow the fear. Rhys never has to know I feel like I could barf and faint at the same time.
He folds his ink covered arms and leans over the steering wheel, gazing up at Dunhallow Keep before slowly shaking his head.
"What’s the story again?" I ask as I swallow some of my apprehension.
"In the late seventies,"
"When your pants were first sold."
"Yes. In the late seventies, three teenagers went up to the castle to camp out. And only two came back down the hill the next morning."
"Where’d the other one go?" I ask as I can’t take my eyes off the ruins.
"No one knows. There was a whole investigation, no body, no trace, no footprints. Nothing. It’s still an open case."
That’s troubling.
"Now, kids try to prove it’s nothing and camp out. Nothing has happened since but locals say it’s only a matter of time."
"And now it’s our turn?" I ask him.
He turns a devilish smile at me. "Yes."
"Fine, you go first."
He laughs. "Duncan, nothing is going to happen."
"Famous last words Charming."
He shakes his head at me but idiotically gets out of the car. I’m not about to be sitting alone down here though. That’s exactly what The Keep would want.
It’s colder out here. The wind whips and plasters my polyester outfit to my body.
We start up the trail, the swish of my pants fighting with the howling wind.
"Beautiful weather we’re having." I comment.
"Yeah." Rhys replies sarcastically as he rubs his exposed arms.
"I guess I didn’t factor in the coastal breeze when I gave you a sleeveless option."
"It’s fine."
"Do you want my jacket?"
"Then you’ll be sleeveless."
I glance down at my sequined tank. "Right."
"It’s fine. Let’s head up to the top, take a picture, and head back down."
"In a hurry now, Rhys? Are you scared?"
"No."
"Two minutes of touching."
Rhys shakes his head at me. "Do you want me to be scared?"
"Yes."
He laughs. "It’s just a bunch of old stones."
"So you don’t believe in ghost stories?" I ask as we continue up the overgrown path.
"Nah, there’s too much to be scared of in the physical realm to add paranormal fears to the mix."
"Like what?"
"Snakes." He whispers.
"You’re afraid of snakes?"
"Don’t make some one eyed snake joke. I hate all reptiles."
"Interesting."
"What about you, what are you afraid of?"
"Change."
He slows and looks at me. "You’re afraid of change?"
"Yeah, I guess. It’s fine. This is getting too deep." Rhys just nods. But my heightened state causes words to bubble out of my mouth. I guess they figure they need to be said if I’m about to die. "It’s not just change, it’s like, what you lose when things change."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, like one of my best buddies is getting engaged, and his girl is great, but the time he used to spend with me and our other friends is like halved because he’s spending time with his girlfriend.
And then when he does make time for us he talks about her.
" I sigh. "I’m not an idiot. I know we’re all going to grow up and grow apart. I guess I just miss him."
"You should tell him." Rhys suggests.
"I don’t really get into deep stuff with my teammates."
"Why not?"
"Just don’t." I shrug. I’m the ‘funny guy’. I’m the one with the jokes and the nicknames and the good times. They don’t want to discuss feelings with me.
"Would they be as scared as you to explore The Keep?" He asks and I shove his shoulder.
"Maybe. Young Gun, Aiden, would be like you. He’s even keeled, nothing phases him.
Good traits for a goalie. And then Boba Tea, Bryson, would totally get into it.
Crocs, Crosby, would be into it but wouldn’t let on just how into it he was.
E.T., Emmett would argue for the science and logic.
And Cap, Felix, would be so into it. Like he’d become obsessed with all the local folklore. "
"These guys are your teammates?"
"Yeah, there isn’t a ton of time to maintain friendships outside of the team." I turn to him. "But, a friend-with-benefits is an entirely different circumstance."
"Is that so?" He laughs as we reach the side of the ruins.
"Yep, you’re my new priority because you mean orgasms."
"Priorities." He chuckles.
"Rhys, if orgasms aren’t your priority I fear you have life backwards."
"Philosopher are you?"
"Yes." I lift my chin in his direction. "What about you? Have a group of friends you’ll catch up with while you’re home?"
"Not really." Rhys shrugs. "I’m close with my parents, and the staff members at the house. Growing up I didn’t have a ton of friends."
"Guess you’ll just have to hang out with me all week then." He shrugs like this was inevitable. Maybe in a way it was. "Plus, you have a ton of touching minutes racked up."
"So do you." He points at me and I wink.
"Oh no, do I? We’ll have to spread them out over the next week since you don’t have anyone else to hang out with."
"I’m sure I could find people." He grumbles but it feels like an empty threat.
"Do you ever think about moving back?" I ask a few paces later. We’re just about halfway up the hill. Walking, and talking, has calmed me enough to admit it’s beautiful and wild out here in a way not many places in the states are.
"Here?" He looks around at the rugged landscape. "I’ve been in Nashville for a decade already. And it feels like home."
"I get that, D.C. is home now for me too. Even though I say I’m going home to visit my parents in Boston. Do you live in the heart of the city in Nashville?"
He laughs. "No, I live like forty-five minutes away."
"What? Why?"
"Because I like my privacy. And quiet." I don’t say anything as the swishing of my pants does the talking for me. "And, a lot of my relationships in the industry are more like business arrangements. Always what we can do for each other."
"Instead of just being there for each other." I nod.
"Exactly."
We both go quiet. The wind and the slowing sweep of my steps providing the soundtrack to the thriller movie I’m living in. I swallow as we reach the remains of the doorway. It’s warmer without the coastal winds battering us but I still have chills.
Rhys walks further into the first room and I follow, slowly.
A part of me feels silly being afraid.
A part of me is telling me to be very, very, afraid.
But I am pirate stock. "To fear livin' is far worse than fearin' death" as Granny Franny would say.
And while he looks cool as a cucumber, I’m betting Rhys is just as scared as I am.
Should I test that theory?
Yes.
I linger near the front entrance as Rhys walks into another room. Quickly, I slide out of my sneakers and track pants.
On tip toes, I follow Rhys. When I peek around the corner into the room he walked into I only see half a wall and the vast ocean beyond.
Yikes.
"Duncan, you gotta come see this!" Rhys calls from down a dark corridor.
Perfect.