14. Lucas
Lucas
Vrrrrrrrrrr. Vrrrrrrrrrr.
I stretched my legs out in front of me. And yawned. I smiled when I saw Cam’s blond hair nestled on my chest. This is nice.
Vrrrrrrrrrr. Vrrrrrrrrrr.
My phone was vibrating again. I pulled it out of my pocket. Ty was calling, but before I could answer, he hung up. I looked across the room at him. He pointed at his phone. I looked at my notifications and saw I had a few new texts. All from him. What the fuck?
Tyler: Hello.
Tyler: Earth to best bro.
Tyler: FYI, you guys are snuggling.
That’s when I realized why I was warm. Cam had fallen asleep on my chest. I tried to keep calm, but I was freaking out for him a little. It was just the guys in the room. No coaches. Maybe no one noticed? We were teammates, though. Would anyone really think anything of it?
Tyler: It did not go unnoticed. Shane seemed weirded out.
Fuck. That answers that.
Luke: Well, I don’t want to make it weird. Help!
Tyler: Wake him up and say you need to piss.
Luke: That’s romantic.
Tyler: Well, it will give you some time to think about it and he’ll be awake to help?
I had to admit that was smart. I couldn’t think of what else to do.
“Hey Cam.” I shook him a little. “Wake up, dude. You fell asleep.”
“What?” he asked, as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What did I miss?”
He didn’t seem to realize where his head had been.
“You guys both fell asleep after the second division.”
Cam yawned and laughed.
“I gotta piss.” I stood up, leaned in and whispered, “Check your phone.” On my way to the bathroom, I heard Ty say, “Woodward and the other coaches are getting some more beers in the kitchen before the last division.” I changed direction, heading for the bathroom in the entry hall. I did not want to see Shane just yet.
Cam: What?
Cam: The texts from Tyler? Is that what you wanted me to see?
Luke: Yeah, he said we were snuggling.
Cam: Well, you make a comfy pillow.
Luke: Ty said it did not go unnoticed.
Cam: Do you think anyone will care? We’re teammates and we’re tired.
Luke: I haven’t said anything about it, but I’m not supposed to be in a relationship.
Cam: At all???
Cam: Says who?
Cam: Wait, are we in a relationship?
Luke: Easy, boy. Says my parents. We are seeing each other naked, so at least relationship-adjacent?
Cam: Well, your parents didn’t see anything…
Luke: Well, Shane did, and he technically works for them.
Cam: I get that
Luke: If he asks, I’ll have to deny it. Hope that’s okay with you.
Luke: I’ve known Shane a long time, but I honestly don’t know how faithful he is to my parents.
Cam: I think I understand. If he suspects something, I’ll play it off. I don’t want to make anything harder for you.
Luke: Oh really?
Cam: Don’t make a dick joke when my dick is supposed to have nothing to do with you.
Luke: Sorry.
I flushed, keeping the illusion alive, and headed back to the living room. It would be suspicious if I didn’t take the same spot, but Cam wasn’t there. I could hear him in the kitchen. “You finally woke up?” I heard Noah ask him.
“If I wasn’t awake right now, this would be a pretty interactive sleepwalk.”
I heard Shane ignore the joke. “You got a little cozy in there…”
“And?”
“Just an observation.”
“Well, one, I can fall asleep anywhere, happens all the time. Noah knows that. And two, Luke makes a great pillow. His pecs, you know?”
“Yeah, Shane. Lay off my boy,” Noah said.
“I’m only looking out for Luke. He doesn’t need any drama.”
“Yeah, and Camden Kane screams drama. This wild and unrestrained part-time florist!”
Cam popped his head in and asked, “Anyone need anything from the kitchen?”
“I’ll take a Gatorade,” Grant answered.
“Me too,” Graham said. “Purple please!”
“Make it three, Cam,” Ty said. “But I want red.”
Cam looked at me. “How about you, pillow pecs?”
Happy that Cam was comfortable playing it off, I answered, “I’m good with my water bottle.
” Maybe too comfortable. I wasn’t sure Cam had convinced Shane, either.
A conversation for future Luke to worry about, no doubt.
I used to understand where my parents were coming from.
I thought having a relationship would be distracting.
But I didn’t think about having a relationship with another gymnast. Especially one that was already a friend.
If qualifications proved anything, Cam was more of a help than a hindrance. The results proved my parents wrong. We did better because of our connection, but I didn’t know how to make them see that, or if they could even do so.
Cam came back, his arms full of bottles and handed them out to the guys.
“Why thank you, garcon,” Ty said.
“No prob.” Cam smiled and sat next to me, giving my leg a little squeeze. Ugh, so adorable.
“Luke, can I talk to you for a sec?” Shane called.
Good feelings are gone.
I stood up and headed into the kitchen. I wonder what he could want to talk about. He opened the sliding glass door and went out onto the balcony. I begrudgingly followed.
“What’s up?” I asked, trying to sound super cheerful.
“Anything you want to tell me?”
“Uh...no? Anything you want to ask me?”
“So, nothing’s going on in your personal life?”
I stared at him. I wanted him to say it.
“With Cam?” he finally said.
I laughed. Damn, I’m a talented actor. “What is it with everyone and my love life? No, nothing is going on. We fell asleep. That was it.”
He seemed to think about that for a bit. “Okay. I’m just looking out for you.”
“You have someone you want to set me up with instead of reading into all of my bromances?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Do you need to get some, Shane?”
It was his turn to stare. He finally broke the silence. “You do not need to be worrying about me, Luke.”
His hesitation made me unsure. “Alright, but I’m here for you if you need to talk.”
“How did this become about me?”
“Exactly.” I winked over my shoulder and used his bewilderment to escape back inside.
“How’s the team doing?” I heard Cam ask.
Noah replied, “Great. Currently placed second in the team finals behind Japan. Looking good on that front. Individually, all of you are in the top eight as of right now in at least one event. Luke is first in parallel bars and you’re first in vault.”
“Dang, noobs for the win!” Ty shouted.
“I’ll second that, and add that all of you should be proud. It’s looking good going into the last division.”
“Our strategy worked then, Coach,” Shane said, as he and I both reentered the room.
“Looks like it.”
“Relaxing is definitely more fun than the alternative,” Ty said.
“We’d have to agree,” the twins said in unison.
Everyone laughed.
“That is so weird when you guys do that,” Cam said.
It wasn’t long before the third and final division started. The coaches were constantly yelling updates.
“Cam and Grant are in for floor,” Ford yelled out.
“Luke is our only guy left for parallel bars,” Shane said.
“Just Cam on the vault.”
“You made two events, bro! Congratulations!” Ty shouted.
I leaned in and whispered, “You deserve it!”
“Thanks,” Cam replied. “You’ll do great on bars.”
We turned back to the TV and watched the rest unfold. Ty was the only one to qualify for pommel horse. Graham and Ty both qualified for rings. Grant and I qualified for high bar and the twins qualified for the all-around.
“We stayed in second,” Coach announced. Great Britain and Ukraine pushed China down to fifth. Romania, France, and Germany were the other teams to make the team finals. “Congrats, boys!”
“This calls for a celebration!” Ty yelled, jumping up and heading to the kitchen.
“Not too much of one, Tyler! I know what you’re going for,” Coach called to him. Ty was taking a long time and making a lot of noise, which piqued my curiosity.
“Do you need help?”
“Did you get lost?”
It didn’t take long for us to get impatient.
“Are you inventing something in there?” The jokes kept coming.
“Alright, alright. Come and get it, everyone. I can’t carry these in there.” We all got up and headed into the kitchen. Arranged neatly in a circle on the high top island were a bunch of small glasses with a cloudy yellow liquid in them.
“Shots!” the twins shouted.
“You sure about this, Coach?” Noah asked.
“This never happened.”
“One each,” Shane added, holding up a finger.
I could see Cam was hesitant. Sweet, sheltered Cam. “The drinking age here is eighteen. Bottoms up, boys!” I said, grabbing mine. Everyone, including Cam and the coaches, followed suit.
“Before we drink,” Coach said, “I want to say we are proud of you. You all did an amazing job. You deserve your place in the finals. I’m excited we’ll be representing in every event final, which is a first for the American men’s team!”
“Here, here!” and other cheers reverberated around the room.
I could feel Cam’s arm around my shoulders. Ty was doing the same to Graham. We were all pretty close. It was a lovely moment.
“And I will add, this will be your only drink tonight. Do not get crazy. I know we aren’t competing tomorrow, but do not get plastered tonight. Got it?
“Yes, Coach,” we answered as one.
“Okay, then. Cheers,” he said, lifting his glass together with us.
“Cheers!”
“Whew, strong, Ty. Jesus!” I said.
Cam let go of my shoulders and started coughing.
“Aw, Tyler. You’ve poisoned, Cam,” Graham joked.
“First…” Cam continued coughing, trying to talk. “Shot.”
“Ever?!” Grant asked.
Cam nodded. Of course it was. I rubbed his back and went to grab his Gatorade. “Drink this,” I said, holding it out.
“Thanks.”
“No prob.”
Some guys stayed in the kitchen, but Cam and I headed back to the sofa to chill and watch whatever the next event was. “You recover?”
“I think so. Is it normal to feel warm and fuzzy?”
I leaned in. “Well, you are sitting next to me.”
“That’s cute, but not what I meant. I’m getting hot, Luke.” He said, fanning himself with his shirt collar. “Like, I wanna take my clothes off hot.”
“And we should go now,” I said, standing.
“Really? Already?” he asked.
“Well, when you say something like that, yes. Very much, yes.”
He laughed. “If you want to.” But he seemed to hesitate.
“Is something wrong?”
“No. Well...yeah. Isn’t leaving together going to look suspicious to Shane?”
Shit. “I didn’t think of that. But, yes.”
“So, let’s wait until Tyler or the twins want to leave and we can head back with them.”
Not what I wanted at all. I wanted Cam alone, behind me, naked, and hard.
I took a deep breath, let it out and agreed, then sat back down.
The prelim heats for men’s swimming were on now.
At least I could look at muscled bodies in speedos to soothe my disappointment.
But the only muscled body I wanted to look at was sitting next to me, flushed and still reeling from Ty's Lemon Drop.
My phone vibrated again. I sighed, thinking it was Insta, but swiped only to see it was a text in our team chat.
Tyler: Let’s go out dancing tonight. I promise, no more alcohol, but we should celebrate with some fun. Who’s with me?
I was skeptical that anyone but me would want to go.
Graham: We’re in.
Grant: We like the whole vibe this time. Last time was all stress.
Graham: It’s nice to relax. Plus, I’m a killer dancer.
Luke: If they’re in, I’m in.
I looked over at Cam. He was holding his phone, looking at me.
Cam: Guess I’ll have to drag my old bones out too then.
I got another notification. A private text.
Cam: If you’re in, I’m in. But I wanna talk before that. You wanna grab dinner?
He quickly sent another text.
Cam: Nothing bad. Just some stuff.
Luke: Of course, we can talk over dinner. Whatever you need.
I felt a twist in my gut. I couldn’t help but worry. Did he not want this anymore?