Chapter 15 Gavin
GAVIN
Staring at the image, Gavin clicked the edit button, then adjusted the color and zoomed in on the costume gloves and hat that sat on the table.
There. That was perfect.
Gavin believed that one should always do what they could to enhance every shot and put forth the best image possible. There was beauty in photos, but taking the time to enhance that beauty just showed the world how much you really cared.
It was a mantra he had lived by ever since deciding to focus on enhancing his brand and public image.
If one wanted to be a top-notch influencer, they needed to create a brand, spend years harnessing that brand, and build a following that supported that brand.
Gavin’s brand was urban gay boy meets top-shelf life.
He posted images of clubs and restaurants that he and his fellow influencers often frequented.
He had spent years building a network of “friends” with whom he often attended openings, tried out new and trendy restaurants, and even celebrated birthdays.
The events were always staged and superficial.
It was all for the cameras, and they all barely spoke with one another.
If they did speak, it was to suggest certain photos or complain about someone’s outfit.
Gavin and his friends didn’t have a conventional friendship—one based on actually liking the person and wanting to spend time with them. Their friendship consisted of helping each other create an illusion of a fabulous life that everyone was addicted to viewing.
There was a particular high one got from being loved, and it only got amplified the longer they relied on social media to justify their self-worth.
It wasn’t healthy, but Gavin wasn’t under any delusion that his need to be praised by his followers stemmed from the neglect by his parents.
Gavin was twelve years old when he entered the science fair, hoping to gain his parents’ praise if he could only win first prize.
He had spent two weeks researching topics and speaking with fellow classmates until he finally decided to build a model train that could run on the power of citrus fruit.
He spent weeks designing the experiment.
Testing and retesting, making adjustments to gather enough acidic power to hopefully run a model train on a continuous loop around his track—a track that he designed himself, adding that personal extra touch he hoped that the judges, as well as his parents, would see and take note of.
The day finally came for the big science fair competition. Gavin had confirmed with his parents three times that morning that they would both be in attendance. Even his nanny, Lilly, had promised to be there to watch and support him.
He was so excited.
When it came his turn to present his project to the judges, he glanced around the gymnasium, but could not spot his mom or his dad.
Finally, he spotted Lilly, who gave him a huge smile and waved like he was the only one in the world!
Gavin was so excited. If Lilly was there, his parents must be buried in the crowd as well.
Taking a breath to calm his nerves, Gavin placed the electrodes into the oranges and watched as his model trains slowly came to life.
The faces of the judges lit up as Gavin’s trains circled the track three times before slowing to a stop.
As claps filled the air, the judges passed Gavin the first-place ribbon.
Gavin couldn’t believe it! First place!
His head snapped around the room, looking for his parents. They were going to be so proud of him.
The more he searched, the more the excitement he felt in his stomach began to die.
Lilly finally approached, smiling ear to ear. She gave him a hug and told him how proud she was of him.
“Thanks, Lilly. But where’s Mom and Dad?”
The look in his nanny’s eyes confirmed his suspicions. His parents hadn’t come once again.
“They both had last-minute conference calls come up, love. They wished they could be here, but unfortunately, they couldn’t.”
Gavin traced the first-place lettering on the ribbon he had been awarded. Once again, he didn’t matter to his parents. No matter how much he tried and how hard he worked, he never seemed to be able to catch his parents’ attention.
He thought the science fair might be something that would impress his parents, but once again, their jobs took precedence.
So Gavin turned to social media. It was an artificial way for him to get the approval and praise he could never get from his parents.
Over time, he realized that social media could be used for other things as well like making money and spreading the word.
He’d begun working with sponsors and tagging brands and causes that he wanted to bring attention to. Over time, his methods began to pay off. People trusted his opinions and enjoyed being a part of the community he was building.
Eighty percent of his content was still brand-related, but every now and then, he liked to throw in bits and pieces of his actual personal life. Like today, as an example.
“Wow, that photo looks really good!” Ace gushed, looking over Gavin’s shoulder as he struggled to see the photo Gavin was editing.
“Thanks. I’m going to add it to a collection of photos highlighting the play and where people can grab tickets.”
Ace’s head snapped in his direction. “What? You would really do that?”
They were sitting in the park across from the civic center, waiting for Lucas to finish helping the last of the theater kids he was working with on one of their scenes.
Lucas had given them both a sneak preview of the play his theater class was putting on in a few weeks and had happened to mention to Gavin that ticket sales were not where he would have liked them to be.
He had created a website and printed out fliers, but he was having difficulty getting the word out.
Lucas had mentioned that the money raised from ticket sales would help fund the program the following year, so he was hoping to make as much as possible.
So Gavin thought he would snap a few photos, stitch them into an album, then drop a post on his social media platforms.
Lucas and Ace had been so good to him; he figured this might be a nice way to thank them for everything they had done for him.
“It’s really not a big deal. I’m just going to post a few photos highlighting the children’s production, with a link to the play’s website.
Hopefully, that might drive a few sales and help spread the word.
Plus, I haven’t been on my socials in a few days, and I’m sure my followers are starting to worry. ”
“What do you mean, worry?” Ace asked, picking up the puppy they still hadn’t named and plopping him down in his lap.
“Well, social media influencers always post at least two to five times a day. I haven't posted anything since this whole thing with the Valentine Killer. People are probably wondering where I’ve disappeared to. If I don’t post stuff soon, my followers are going to drop me.”
Ace shook his head. “Wow, that sounds intense. And a pain in the ass.”
Gavin chuckled. “Don’t say anything to Lucas about this. I don’t want him to think that I didn’t have faith in him pulling this off. I just wanted to do something nice to help spread the word.”
“Sure thing,” Ace promised.
“Sorry about that,” Lucas said, dropping down onto the grass with them and reaching over to pet the puppy. “Now that the kids are all picked up, my attention is all yours!”
“It’s pretty amazing what you’ve done with this program,” Gavin complimented, playing with his toes as he enjoyed the warmth from the sun.
Lucas had been asked by the director of social planning to put together a children’s theater program from scratch and then help run it.
“Yeah, I just love singing and dancing, and introducing a whole new generation to musical theater.”
Seeing Lucas’s eyes brighten as he discussed the program touched Gavin deeply.
He envied that kind of passion, wishing he could feel that way about something in his own life.
Up to now, everything—his life and his job—felt empty and insignificant.
Who really cares about the trendiest restaurant or the jeans that make your butt look bigger?
They’re all just surface-level concerns.
When you look closely, none of it truly matters.
What Lucas was doing, teaching kids to sing and dance and to express themselves through movement, was a valuable skill they would carry with them for the rest of their lives. Lucas’s impact would stay with them forever.
Now that meant something.
“So, how are things going with you and Marcus? I heard you guys have been sleeping together,” Lucas asked, glancing between him and the puppy.
Gavin deadpanned to Ace.
“We’re not sleeping together. Well, yes, technically we are sleeping in the same bed, but we’re not having sex or anything.”
Lucas lowered his head and stared at him from the top of his eyes. It reminded Gavin of how his mother used to look at him whenever she knew he was lying.
“No. I’m serious. Trust me, I’d ride that man till kingdom come if he’d let me, but I swear, he has a will of steel.”
Ace chuckled. “Yeah, my big bro is very set in his ways. He can be stubborn as shit, but the key is you need to wear him down. Keep hitting on him and teasing him with that sweet little ass of yours. Eventually, you’ll break him down.”
“But I thought Marcus was straight?” Lucas asked, stealing the puppy from Ace and snuggling the furball into his chest.
“To be honest, I’m not really sure what my brother’s preference is.
I’ve seen him hook up with loads of chicks, but sometimes I get this vibe that maybe he isn’t as straight as he seems,” Ace explained.
“Like two months ago, we were all at the gym, and some little twink started changing in front of him in the locker room. I swear, I saw him get a chub in his joggers.”
Hmm, perhaps Mr. Big Tough Guy wasn’t so straight after all.
Sexuality was a sliding scale with varying degrees of sexual desire. Some people sat at the ends—being either one hundred percent gay or one hundred percent straight, while others fell somewhere in between—some being more attracted to one sex than the other, while some enjoyed both sexes equally.
Gavin didn’t believe that people had to choose where they sat on the spectrum. People’s tastes and preferences could evolve over time.
While Marcus might have been hardcore straight when he was younger, perhaps his dick was starting to lean to the left a tiny bit more with age.
“Well, whatever your brother’s preference is, one thing is certain: He is sexy as fuck,” Gavin declared.
Ace shook his head.
Gavin didn’t care what Ace thought. If Marcus was even five percent gay or questioning, that was five percent of the man’s dick that was going to end up in his mouth or ass.