The Cockney Canuck - 168. Chapter 168 The Love Triangle

I wasn’t sure how Rory would react to my boyfriend’s request to join our soccer sleepover, but I couldn’t imagine him being very happy about it. He was already deeply suspicious of Nathan, who he described as an attention seeker and control freak. While my boyfriend was convinced Rory was gay and viewed him as an existential threat to our relationship.

Other than a shared interest in me, the two boys had little in common, and in many ways, they were complete opposites. Nathan was the devil—the salacious and rambunctious prince of temptation, while Rory was the angel—the quiet and practical voice of reason. I needed them both in my life to keep me somewhere in the middle, but not at the same time.

On Friday morning, I bundled everything I needed for an overnight stay into my backpack and left my room to the sight of my sister’s bare breasts. Knocking to leave the bedroom was a concept I failed to grasp, and the inevitable result of my forgetfulness was sure to be etched into my memory for the rest of my life.

I had seen Nicola in her underwear before, but her bosoms were much larger than they looked when constrained by a bra, and her feeble attempt to shield them from my glare was too little too late. I apologised and ran upstairs with my hefty backpack before she could find something to throw at me, but I couldn’t escape for long.

“You’re a dick,” she said as she walked behind my chair and slapped the back of my head, spilling cereal and milk down the front of my shirt.

“It’s not my fault; you could get changed in the bathroom.”

“What happened?” said Sue.

“I saw her bazookas,” I smirked.

It made Amy laugh, but Nicola wasn’t impressed by my exaggerated attempt to describe their size with my hands. She sat opposite and narrowed her eyes at me—a thinly veiled threat I chose to ignore.

Sue’s presence guaranteed my safety, and lately, it seemed, at least in her eyes, I could do no wrong. It was her way of redressing the balance following a year-and-a-half of discrimination against me by her soon-to-be ex-husband, and I wasn’t about to ruin her guilt trip in the interest of impartiality. As unlikely as it seemed, despite wrecking her marriage and bringing endless grief to her door, I had somehow managed to emerge from the rubble of our broken home smelling of roses.

“I’m sure he didn’t do it on purpose, dear. You probably frightened the poor boy.”

I nodded vigorously in agreement but wisely kept my mouth shut as Nicola sneered at me.

“I doubt it. It’s not like he hasn’t seen a woman before; you can ask Stephanie. Oh, I forgot we’re not allowed to mention her, are we?”

“Not at the moment, dear.” Sue’s reply was accompanied by a discreet nod towards a bewildered Amy, who wasn’t supposed to know the finer details relating to Stephanie’s condition. “But you’ll be pleased to know it looks like Don will be moving out this weekend. So, with any luck, you can have your room back.”

“It’s about time,” said Nicola. “I can’t wait to get out of that smelly basement.”

“It was fine before you moved down there.” I leapt from my chair as my sister chased me around the kitchen and cornered me by the stairs, forcing Sue to intervene.

“Leave him alone, Nicola. I don’t want any more fighting.”

I teased my sister. “How do you run so fast with those melons? Don’t they weigh you down?”

“Shut up, shrimp dick.” She smiled mockingly at me and walked away. “I haven’t forgotten, you know.”

It wasn’t fair. She caught me at the wrong time, but I wasn’t about to argue with her in front of Amy and Sue, so I returned to my breakfast and reminded them that I wouldn’t be home that night.

“Make sure you’re back here tomorrow afternoon,” said Sue. “I’ve got a special surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell you, or it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”

I hated surprises almost as much as Nicola hated her mom’s increasingly blatant attempts to please me. She rolled her eyes and groaned.

“How come he gets a surprise?”

“It’s for everyone, actually,” said Sue. “But Robbie will probably use it the most.”

“Is it a new swear box?” said Amy. She could be witty when she wanted and picked her moments well. I laughed along with everyone else, but my foul language was no longer deemed to be a problem, and Sue had temporarily scrapped the scheme until she could afford to give us an allowance.

“Well, I hope it’s better than the surprise I got this morning.” I looked across the table at Nicola and smiled amicably, only to be threatened.

“You better not mention this to anyone in school.”

“Mention what?” asked Daniel. He looked groggy as he slumped in the chair beside me and rested his head on his arms.

“I saw her boobs this morning.”

Daniel lifted his head and laughed while Nicola glared at me.

“I told you to keep your mouth shut, shrimp!”

“No, you said not to tell anyone in school.” I looked at Sue for help, but this time, she ruled against me.

“Robbie, dear, don’t be facetious and remember family matters stay in the family. Don’t embarrass Nicola at school.”

I wasn’t sure why she would be embarrassed, but I assured Nicola I had more important things to discuss with my friends than her giant knockers.

*     *     *

Top of my list was Nathan’s attempt to torpedo my sleepover. I needed to talk to Rory and I saw him from the bus as it stopped in front of the school later that morning. He was waiting for me and looking adorable in a faded blue hoodie and ripped jeans. That boy could wear anything and look good in it, but it was his trademark blonde mop that everyone noticed.

I smiled at my friend and got a shove in the back from Nicola when my oversized bag got stuck in the doorway of the bus. She laughed as I stumbled into Rory’s arms.

“Ha, you two make a sweet couple. Remember what I said, shrimp dick!”

I held onto Rory while he helped me to stand upright and stared into his deep blue eyes for much longer than necessary.

“What was all that about?”

“What?”

“She called you shrimp dick.”

“She did?” I snapped myself out of my daydream and let go of my friend. “You’re right, she did. She’s upset because I saw her tits this morning.”

“Really? Were you spying on her?”

“No! Of course not. I’m not interested in her jugs, and I haven’t got a shrimp dick either. She just saw it at the wrong time.”

“There’s never a right time for your sister to see your dick, dummy. Don’t you guys wear clothes?”

“It’s easy for you, Rory. You have your own room with an en-suite bathroom. I have to share a room with my brother, and Nicola has taken over the basement. I don’t get any privacy.”

Rory put a comforting arm around me and spoke into my ear as we joined the crowd and funnelled through the main entrance. “Well, you’ll only have me to put up with tonight.”

‘I wouldn’t bank on it.’

“That’s okay, I like sharing a room with you, Rory, but we need to talk about tonight.”

My friend looked panicked. “You’re still coming, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, of course, I’m still coming. Why else would I be carrying all this stuff around with me? I brought everything I need, so I don’t have to go home.”

“Cool! I can make us some dinner. You like my cooking, don’t you? Then, if you want, we can go out someplace. You can use my shower. Did you bring shorts; we can go to the beach. It’s gonna be hot later.”

I giggled at my excited friend as he reeled off a list of possible activities without mentioning the football. The game itself was inconsequential. Neither of our teams was involved, but the cup final provided the perfect excuse for us to hang out until Nathan decided to ruin it.

Rory was older than Nathan but younger at heart, with an almost childlike innocence that my boyfriend didn’t understand. He walked behind me to push me up the stairs, then bumped shoulders with me along the crowded corridor. I wasn’t sure why he was so excited, but it was contagious and delightful to watch. It was a pity I had to dampen his mood by mentioning my boyfriend.

I stopped at my locker and dropped my backpack. “Nathan got his hair cut yesterday. It’s really short; you probably won’t recognise him.”

“Good for him,” said Rory, but I could tell he wasn’t interested. He stood beside me, looking puzzled as I tried to squeeze my oversized backpack into my locker. “What have you got in there?”

“Just the necessities.” I smiled at my friend, then turned around and kicked it like a horse to make it fit. Something had to give and it sounded like my locker got a little wider at the expense of the one next door. I was pretty sure it was empty.

“I think you just broke your locker.”

“It was already like that. You can ask anyone.” I stood back to get a better look, then quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, stop interrupting. I’ve got something important to tell you. Nathan accused me of cheating on him.”

“Cheating? With who?”

“With you, silly. He thought we were having it off behind his back.”

Rory laughed. “Having it off?”

“Yeah, you know. Fooling around, shagging, rumpy-pumpy.” He was adorably innocent.

“I know what you mean, stupid. Is he really that paranoid?”

“Absolutely. I denied it, of course, but he’s suspicious about this sleepover. He doesn’t trust you. He thinks you’re gonna jump on me in the middle of the night.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I know, right?”

“If I was gonna do that, I wouldn’t wait until the middle of the night. I’d jump on you as soon as we got home. Why waste time?”

I closed my locker and stared blankly at the back of his head as he walked away.

“Of course, how silly of me. Well, that should stop him from worrying.”

‘And there was I thinking he’d be angry.’

When I caught up with my friend he was laughing. “It’s kinda funny when you think about it. I never imagined myself caught up in a gay love triangle. My life is never this exciting.”

There were times when Rory would completely bamboozle me, and this was one of them. Rather than distance himself from Nathan’s wild accusations like any normal straight guy, he was positively revelling in it, but not for long.

“Be careful what you wish for, Rory. He wants to come with me tonight.”

“What?” He jumped in front of me to block my way and cause an obstruction in the narrow corridor. “You’re kidding me. Why? He’ll ruin everything.”

“I don’t know why. I said I’d ask you, but don’t worry, he’s bluffing. There’s no way he’s gonna go.”

Rory shook his head in frustration. “What makes you so sure?”

“I know what he’s like, trust me. Something will come up that’s more important.”

My friend looked dejected and the polar opposite of the excited boy who greeted me a few minutes earlier. I didn’t realise how much it meant to him.

“It’s my fault,” he said. “I should know how it works by now. You can have gay friends, but they’re not allowed to stay the night.”

“Who said that?”

“Just about everyone that ever lived. It was a stupid idea in the first place. We can cancel if you want. I don’t wanna cause problems between you and Nathan.”

“No!” I pulled him against me for a hug and a mouthful of his hair. “I don’t want that. I’ve been looking forward to tonight.”

He pushed me away. “So was I, but I guess he’s got a point. How many guys would allow their girlfriend to have a sleepover with another guy, especially if it was just the two of them? I get why he wants to come along, and I think he means it.”

What Rory said made sense, and when I told him how Nathan found out, it looked even worse.

“I thought he would be busy tonight rehearsing, so I wasn’t going to tell him. But he dropped out of the show and wanted me to stay at his house.”

“No wonder he doesn’t trust you. What is he supposed to think if you were trying to hide it from him? I’m sorry, Robbie, but there’s no way we can do this without inviting him, and I don’t want to do that. Everyone here thinks I’m gay as it is. Can you imagine what they’d say if they found out you and Nathan were staying the night?”

It was the first sign I got that it was starting to get to him, and it hurt.

“I understand. I’m sorry.” I grabbed his arm as we turned the corner, but he pulled it away.

“You don’t need to apologise. You can still come in the morning to watch the game, and you can even bring Nathan with you if you want, but he can’t stay the night.”

Rory did his best to smile at me as we entered our classroom, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment as he slumped into his chair. Even Fran noticed and mouthed her concern to me.

“What’s wrong?”

I shrugged my shoulders and stared at the back of Rory’s head, feeling like the worst person on earth. I was gutted not just for him but for me and our friendship. I should have realised that even Rory would eventually get fed up with being labelled gay. It was stupid to believe otherwise.

The same thing happened to Daniel and Nathan. They weren’t allowed to be friends. Nathan even warned me, ‘The haters always win’, and he was right, but I didn’t expect him to be one of them.

I spent the first two lessons of the day trying to focus on my schoolwork, but my mind kept drifting back to Rory. I needed him in my life more than I cared to admit, even more than Nathan—probably more than any boyfriend. Yet it was Nathan who won the day. I allowed him to wreck our sleepover, and if it came to it, I would probably allow him to wreck our friendship, too.

I was sure that was Nathan’s plan, and he could get away with it by influencing the part of me I had the least control over.

I knew my boyfriend intimately inside and out; I looked after him when he was injured and was his number one fan, but we didn’t have much in common. I had no interest in boy bands or talent shows, and I didn’t like his friends. He often embarrassed me, and sometimes he even ignored me, but he made up for it with sex and for a horny sixteen-year-old; that alone made him indispensable.

I doubt if many teenagers in Cobourg had a more active and varied sex life than me, especially if they happened to be gay. Most boys my age weren’t so fortunate, and I suspected many were still virgins, so as long as Nathan had his hand around my penis, I would inevitably go wherever he led, even to the detriment of my best friend.

Rory seemed to cheer up as the day wore on, and by lunchtime, he was smiling again as we joined Daniel’s friend Doug in the lineup for food.

“Hey, Doug. Guess what? I saw my sister’s boobs this morning.”

“No fucking way!” Doug was a letch, so I knew he would appreciate this information more than most.

“They’re like basketballs, only much bigger.”

“You liar, they’re not that big.”

“Believe me; they’re juggernauts.”

He laughed and then stopped to give me a strange look. “Wait a minute. I thought you didn’t like girls.”

“I don’t. But you know she’s a nudist, right?”

“Get outta here.”

“It’s true. Her and her friends are always naked. They use our house because they know I won’t bother them.”

“How come Daniel hasn’t said anything.”

“Probably because he doesn’t want you showing up and ogling his sister. It’s embarrassing.”

I could see Doug’s mind working overtime as Rory stood behind him, shaking his head at me, but there was no way he was going to fall for such blatant lies.

“Bullshit! You told me you could speak Swahili, and you knocked up your sister’s friend; what’s her name again?”

“Stephanie.”

“Yeah, Stephanie.” He turned to his friend and laughed. “Not bad for a gay guy, huh? Nice try, man, but I know it wasn’t you.”

I was forced to hold my hands up and concede to his superior intellect. “I was only pulling your leg. Not everyone’s as smart as you, Doug.”

“You better believe it, buddy.” He slapped me on the back and high-fived his friend.

“Maybe you can teach me some Swahili,” said Rory as I followed him across the cafeteria with a tray and something that looked like lasagne. I sat beside David, but Rory had made other plans. He smiled sheepishly at us and waved at the girl from his science class. She was sitting alone at a table for two by the window.

“Sorry guys, but we’re working on a project together,” he said. “And it has to be in on Monday.”

“You don’t need to explain,” said Fran. “Have fun, sweetie.”

“Yeah,” said David. “Go for it, dude.” He stretched his neck to get a better look at the girl across the busy cafeteria. “She’s hot! When are you gonna introduce us?”

Rory insisted she was only a friend, but I preferred David’s version if only to appease my conscience and make me feel better. I stared at Rory’s cute butt as he walked away before joining the exodus. David and Fran were good company, but without Rory, it wasn’t enough to keep me from my boyfriend.

“I need to talk to Nathan.”

David sniffed his armpit. “What is it with everyone? Do I smell or something?”

“Tell him I like his new haircut,” said Fran. “He looks like Leonardo Di Caprio.”

Fran needed her eyes examined. There was no resemblance whatsoever with the Hollywood star, but I wouldn’t tell him even if there was.

“What’s that?” Nathan stared at my plate as I placed my tray next to his.

“I think it’s lasagne.”

He poked it with his fork and smiled smugly at me. “Don’t tell me blondie’s dumped you already and for a girl. Maybe I was wrong about him, after all.”

“I told you he’s not gay.” I grabbed a chair from the next table while my boyfriend shuffled everyone around so I could squeeze between him and Ginny.

“I guess we’ll find out tonight,” he said, winking at his friends across the table. “We’re having a naughty sleepover at Rory’s house.”

“No, we’re not. It’s been cancelled, so you don’t have to worry about me cheating on you.”

“That’s a shame,” said Nathan. “I was looking forward to a threesome.” He pulled a sad face and looked over my shoulder. “What are you doing tonight, Ginny?”

Ginny nearly choked on her energy drink. She pursed her purple lips and blamed me.

“Don’t involve me in your filthy games. I’m not playing piggy in the middle for you two perverts.”

That thought was disturbing and enough to put me off my lasagne after only one bite.

Nathan pulled a silly face that made everyone laugh. “I was joking, Ginny. But I’ve gone off the idea now. I doubt if blondie would have been much fun anyway.” He rubbed my forearm and whispered loudly so everyone could hear. “You can come to mine instead. They want me back in the show, so I’ve still got the catsuit.”

I wasn’t interested in the catsuit or overly impressed with Nathan’s antics, but he was my boyfriend, and despite his faults, I still loved him. I figured I could stay the night at his house, then go to Rory’s in the morning and have the best of both worlds. So, when school ended, I dragged my oversized backpack onto Nathan’s bus and spent the rest of the day in his basement making a video for his new YouTube channel.

Vlogging was becoming popular, and Nathan was keen to join the growing list of teenage YouTubers making a name for themselves online. Among them was his colourful dance partner, Camp Simon, who already had fifty subscribers. He was roped in to help out and brought with him an expensive camera, lights, and a tripod.

I hadn’t seen Simon since Nathan’s surprise party, and he sounded slightly different. His usual lisp was much more pronounced, and he made a strange whistling noise when he spoke.

“Simon had his tongue pierced,” said Nathan and it started to make sense. I had never seen a pierced tongue before, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to, but Simon insisted. He opened his mouth and rolled out his big greyish tongue to reveal his latest jewellery.

I was horrified by the shiny metal barbell that went through his tongue but was driven back by his foul breath.

“Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore,” he lisped. “My nose was way more painful.” He pointed at the ring through the middle and the star-shaped studs on each nostril. I was open to the idea of getting my ears pierced, but I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to put a hole in their tongue.

“It must feel weird. Why did you do it?”

Simon looked at Nathan, and they giggled like I was stupid for not knowing.

“I’ll show you later,” he said. “If your boyfriend lets me.” He gave me a saucy wink and got a slap from Nathan, which only fuelled my curiosity.

Nathan didn’t have much of a script for his first video, so he played it by ear, talking mostly about himself, the school show, and his fast-approaching professional acting debut. I thought he did a reasonable job keeping it short and sweet while avoiding sounding too pretentious. Simon handled the production and I was happy to watch, but Nathan wanted me to join him at the end for what he called a cameo appearance. While Simon took a yoga break, I tried to think of something witty and interesting to say, but when we started filming, my mind was blank.

“This is my close friend and personal assistant,” said Nathan as he signalled for me to join him in front of the camera. “Say hi, Robbie.”

“Hi, Robbie.” I waved at the lens and tried to look enthusiastic, but I was hopelessly unprepared. There was an awkward silence before Nathan came to my rescue and confirmed my real role in his life.

“Robbie moved here from England, and we’ve been dating for over a year. So, yeah, we’re gay; get over it.” He winked at the camera and held my sweaty hand as proof. “Let me know what you think of my boyfriend in the comments, but don’t be too rude.”

I cringed and tried to hide my face. Being filmed wasn’t my idea of fun, even if it was only for a mediocre YouTube video that hardly anyone would see. It was also relatively tame by Nathan’s standards, and maybe this was what he was thinking when he launched himself at my lips for a full-on snog right at the end. It was completely off-script, and Simon loved it.

“Oh my God, Nathan. You totally nailed it with that kiss. You’re gonna be a frigging sensation on YouTube. If you don’t make it to the very top, it will be an absolute travesty.”

My lips were numb as I wiped my face and caught my breath. “Are you allowed to do that on YouTube?”

“Of course not?” said Simon. “But nothing sells like sex, believe me. That kiss will probably get you a hundred subscribers, just like that.” He clicked his fingers, and my boyfriend’s eyes lit up like a fairground.

“You think?”

“Absolutely. There’s a huge gay audience out there that’s untapped. They don’t show that stuff on TV.”

Nathan wasn’t the type to let an opportunity like this slip through his fingers. He kissed Simon on the lips and claimed the idea as his own.

“I love you, Simon. I was thinking the same thing. We feed off each other, you know that? I’m so excited.” Then he turned his attention to me. “You’re gonna have to take your clothes off.”

“What?”

“Not now, silly. For the next video. We can film it on the beach, and you can be the lifeguard.”

“Perfect!” said Simon. “It can be Cobourg’s version of Baywatch but without the tits. Can he swim?”

“Like a fish,” exclaimed Nathan. “He was born in a swimming pool. Tell him, Robbie.”

“No.” I didn’t like talking about my past, especially to people like Simon, who I knew wouldn’t be interested or treat it with the respect I thought it deserved.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Simon. “Take off your shirt, and let’s have a look at you.”

Nathan scowled at his friend, then nodded at me and pointed at my t-shirt.

“No way!”

“Oh, come on. It’s only Simon. You spent your entire youth wearing nothing but speedos. Don’t pretend to be shy all of a sudden.”

Simon grinned. “Speedos might get us banned, but I’m willing to take the risk if you are, honey.”

“I’ve never worn speedos,” I mumbled as Nathan helped drag my t-shirt over my head. He stood beside me and pointed proudly at my chest.

“How many subscribers will that get me, Simon?”

His friend was silent as he circled me with a critical eye. He looked me up and down and pressed my nipple, forcing Nathan to intervene and slap his wrist.

“No touching!”

“Hmmm. He’s a little pale but not bad. I’ve seen better. What’s the bottom half like?”

“I’ve never had any complaints.”

“Don’t encourage him, Robbie.”

“No, please do,” said Simon. “I like the fiery ones. How much do you want?”

“He’s not for sale,” said Nathan.

“I don’t mind sharing.” He poked his studded tongue at me, and Nathan hit him with my t-shirt.

“No! He’s mine. Get your own pale English boy.”

“Fine. Get your own camera operator, editor, director, and everything else I do for you. I’m sure you’ll manage without me.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” said Nathan. “I need you.”

“I know. That’s why I’m doing it. You’re not the only gig in town, you know.”

I wasn’t even sure at this point what they were arguing about, but they had been bitching all evening, and it was becoming tedious.

While Nathan helped carry Simon’s equipment to his car, I sat on the couch to read a text from Rory. He wanted me to get to his house at eight o’clock tomorrow, but it was already gone midnight. I figured my boyfriend would keep me awake for at least an hour after Simon left, and that didn’t look like happening any time soon. When I went upstairs for a drink, Nathan’s parents had gone to bed, and he was outside on the porch, talking to Simon. I was returning to the basement when I saw Nathan’s sister, Karen, coming downstairs in her dressing gown.

“Is he still here?”

I assumed she meant Simon and nodded. “He’s out front with Nathan.”

“He gives me the creeps. Doesn’t he have a home to go to?”

“He’s harmless, a bit of a character, that’s all.”

“He’s annoying, and he’s here way too often. I don’t know how Nathan puts up with him.” That surprised me. I wasn’t aware that Simon was a regular visitor, so I had to ask.

“How often?”

“This is the third time this week. Don’t worry, he always goes home, eventually. They’ve been working on a routine for the school show. Have you seen his costume?”

“You mean the catsuit? Yeah, he showed me.” I chuckled as I thought about our depraved afternoon, then cringed when I heard Simon’s voice in the hallway.

Karen kissed me and ruffled my hair. “Good luck getting rid of him. See you in the morning, sweetheart.”

I let Nathan deal with Simon and sneaked downstairs to watch TV, but they found me.

“There you are. I thought you had gone home.”

‘I thought YOU had gone home.’

“I’m staying here tonight, remember?”

Simon looked disgusted. “You make it sound like such a chore. I don’t mind standing in for you if you’re not up for it.”

“Robbie’s always up for it,” said Nathan.

“I’ve yet to see any proof,” said Simon, leaning over the couch to kiss me goodbye. I felt the metal ball against my lips as he tried to push his tongue into my mouth before pulling away and winking at me. “Go easy on my boy.”

I didn’t like him kissing me on the lips, but I would have done anything to hasten his departure. I was fed up with his delaying tactics, and so, it seemed, was Nathan. While Simon collected the last of his things, my boyfriend snuggled beside me on the couch and yawned theatrically.

“I didn’t realise it was so late.”

“Don’t tell fibs. You want me to leave so you can ravish your boyfriend, you naughty little minx. Give it three minutes, and you’ll be fucking like rabbits. Not that I blame you.” I felt Nathan’s hand down the front of my pants and doubted if it would be any more than two.

“Robbie has to get up early tomorrow,” said Nathan. “He’s going to play games with his friend, Rory.”

“Oh, I remember him. The saucy blonde fluff from your party. I’d be careful if I were you; that boy swings like a pendulum.”

“Robbie’s the same,” said Nathan. “He’ll fuck anything that moves, even you, Simon, if you don’t get a move on.”

If my boyfriend wanted Simon to leave, then threatening him with sex was clearly the wrong approach. Our guest was too experienced to be scared of anything I could do and too thick-skinned to feel insulted by Nathan’s derogatory remarks.

“In that case, maybe I should stay,” he said, flashing his studded tongue at me. “You should have invited Rory; he could have kept me busy while you’re playing with your boyfriend’s dong, and don’t pretend you’re not; I can see you.”

“Rory’s not gay,” I said while trying to pull Nathan’s hand from my jeans. It wasn’t meant to be funny, but they thought it was hilarious.

“And the Pope’s not Catholic,” said Simon. “I know a queer when I see one.”

“It’s a bit of a touchy subject at the moment,” said Nathan. He pretended to be tactful, but his expression screamed I told you so. “

“Well, it’s not my place to interfere. I’ll leave you alone to have your fun, or I can stay for a while if you fancy an orgy!”

I’m not sure if it was this comment that sowed the seed in Nathan’s twisted mind or if it was already a plan, but I had a feeling it wasn’t a joke, and after that, things started getting very weird.

Despite my original protestations, my boyfriend had managed to open the front of my jeans and had his hand inside my briefs, where he continued to play with my dick in full view of his friend.

“I think Simon wants to stay and watch,” he said before kissing my neck—a place where he knew I was particularly vulnerable. My mind was racing as I tried to figure out what he meant and how far I should allow it to go.

Simon wasn’t bad-looking, but he was a little older than us, and I never imagined him as a sexual partner. I was already out of my comfort zone when Nathan pulled off his shirt and slid off the couch to park himself between my legs. He seemed unconcerned by Simon’s presence, and the two boys shared a naughty grin as my boyfriend wiggled his butt and tugged at my jeans like an excited puppy dog.

I leaned forward and pushed him away.

“What are you doing?”

Nathan looked embarrassed as he stood up and wiped his mouth. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t wanna do this,” I said. “I’m not in the mood.” I glared at Simon as he picked up his bag and hurried towards the stairs.

“I have to go; I’ll see you tomorrow, Nathan.”

My boyfriend waved goodbye, then waited to hear the front door close before pulling on his shirt and flicking through the channels on the TV. He wouldn’t look at me, so I stood in front of him.

“What was that about?”

“I don’t know. You’re the one who didn’t want to play.”

“I didn’t want to play in front of Simon?”

“Oh, come on, don’t be such a douche. It was only a bit of fun,” he said. “He’s gone now anyway. What’s the big deal?”

“You didn’t want him to go though, did you?”

“Of course I did. You know what he’s like. He’s been trying to get me to sleep with him for years. Before I even knew you. If you’re not feeling well, you should go to bed.”

This was typical of Nathan. I wasn’t in the mood for sex, so I had to be ill. The only reason I didn’t want sex was because Simon was there, and although I couldn’t prove it, I was certain it was a deliberate attempt to involve him in our sex life. Whether this was Nathan acting on his own or a joint effort was unclear, but either way, I wasn’t consulted.

It was a contentious subject that played a big part in our original breakup. My views had softened slightly since then, and I was no longer entirely against the idea. I could imagine myself in a similar situation but only with the right person, and Simon definitely wasn’t that guy.

Nathan was watching a movie, so I left him in the basement and went upstairs to bed. After switching on the light in his room, I went to pull the curtains and noticed Simon’s car still parked outside the front of the house. It was a good twenty minutes after he left, and I wondered if he had a problem. He was sitting in the driver’s seat with the lights off, but he must have seen me at the window because he looked up and waved before driving away. It seemed like an odd thing to do, even for someone as strange as him, and I was still awake thinking about it when my boyfriend came upstairs a little later. I watched him undress and then felt his bare ass against my thigh when he climbed into bed. Whenever I stayed at his house, we always slept naked, and I was pleased that that night was no different, but what happened with Simon bothered me.

*     *     *

Five hours later, I scrambled over my boyfriend's naked body to switch off the alarm on my phone. Nathan didn’t stir as I grabbed his bathrobe and ran to the shower. Back in his room, my skin was still damp when I dragged on a pair of shorts and an Arsenal hoodie to annoy my friend. At seven o’clock, I kissed my sleeping boyfriend and crept downstairs to let myself out.

Rory wanted me to get to his house early so we could watch the pre-game show, but when I knocked on his door an hour before kick-off, his mom told me he was still asleep.

“He went out last night with a girl from school and didn’t get home until nearly midnight. Do you know her?”

“No, but I think they’re working on a project together.”

“Is that what they call it these days? Come in, love and take off that backpack; you look like you’re going on an expedition.”

His mom was funny, and it was nice hearing an English accent for a change. She told me to wake him up, but I was a little hesitant. I didn’t like the idea of walking into his room unannounced for obvious reasons.

“I can come back later.”

“Don’t be daft. It’s about time he got up.” She stood outside his room and knocked loudly on his door. “Rory! Wake up. Your friend’s here. Robbie, isn’t it?”

I nodded, and when I heard him groaning, I let myself in.

Rory’s room was dark, and he was still in bed, wrapped in a giant duvet. He lifted his head, rubbed his eyes, and stared at me, probably wondering why I was there. Then his brain clicked into gear, and he looked at his clock.

“Shit! I overslept. I didn’t think you’d show up.”

I could hardly believe it myself, but after making the effort, I suddenly felt guilty for waking him up. He looked so warm and comfortable under that duvet, and I was so tired I had to fight the urge to strip off and climb into bed with him.

It was more appealing than watching football, but my dream was shattered when he threw back the duvet and sat on the edge of his bed in a pair of boxers.

“So, Nathan decided not to come with you?”

“What? Oh, yeah, he hates football. He just didn’t want me to stay the night, that’s all.”

I tried not to stare as Rory stretched his arms above his head and yawned. “That was a smart move. I was gonna seduce you last night for sure.”

“It’s not too late.” I laughed to make it sound like a joke, but he knew better.

“Sorry. I’ll get dressed.”

He was such a darling. He must have noticed he was making me uncomfortable and apologised before heading to the bathroom. I was in no hurry to see him cover up, but his near nudity was an unnecessary distraction.

“I heard you had a bit of a late night.”

“Oh, my mom must have told you. We only went for a pizza.” I could hear him peeing as he talked, and it made me chuckle. “She wanted to thank me for helping her with her project, so she paid.” He flushed and walked out with a guilty smile.

“That was nice of her.”

“It was a lot of work. Do you mind if I jump in the shower? You can switch on the television if you want.” He left the bathroom door open as usual, and I heard him squeal after turning on the shower.

I found the football channel on his TV and made use of his bed. It was still warm and smelled of Rory, but the show was boring, and I soon drifted off.

“Wake up, dummy. You’re missing the pre-game show.”

I opened my eyes to see my friend with a towel around his waist, searching his drawers for something to wear. He grabbed a pair of boxers and put them on under his towel, then removed it to dry his hair.

‘You are the pre-game show.’

“So, what other projects are you helping this girl with? When are you seeing her next?”

He smiled as he pulled a Manchester United shirt from his drawer. “If you’re wearing that shitty hoodie, then I’m gonna wear this.”

I shook my head. It was the only thing that didn’t suit him.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I think she wants to see me again, but I’m not sure.”

I scratched my head as he sat on the bed to pull on some socks. “Why didn’t you just ask her?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“What is there not to know? Do you like her or not?”

He was getting annoyed. I had been pushing him a lot lately. I figured if he found himself a girlfriend, it would get Nathan off my case.

“Why is it so important to you that I have a girlfriend?”

“I want you to have fun, that’s all. I feel kinda bad for you.”

“Well, don’t. If I meet someone I like, I promise you’ll be the first to know.” He stood up and frowned at me. “Did you come here just to use my bed? Didn’t you get any sleep last night?”

“Not a lot. We were up late making a video.”

“Well, that’s not my fault. I’m glad you had fun.”

I chuckled and felt the need to put him straight. “It wasn’t like that. Simon overstayed his welcome, and Nathan and I had a bit of a disagreement.”

That made Rory laugh. “Simon? You mean the dancer guy from Nathan’s party? He’s creepy. He kept touching my hair and telling me I looked like an ice cream cone.”

“He can be a little strange at times. He didn’t try to lick you, did he?”

“No, that would have been weird. So, you didn’t do anything naughty last night?”

“No.”

“I’m glad. You have too much sex.”

“You sound like my mom.”

“Sex is overrated.”

“But it’s fun though, isn’t it? Or do you prefer using your hand? It’s nothing to be ashamed of; I’m always at it.”

“That doesn’t surprise me, but I don’t need to know that.”

“I’m only kidding. Nathan usually takes care of that for me. If I’m honest, it’s about the only thing he’s good for lately.”

Rory looked shocked by my revelation.

“But you keep telling me he loves you.”

“I know. I believed that shit for a while but not anymore. When he got that part in the movie, I realised we weren’t gonna live happily ever after. I still love him, though. Just in a different way, and I’m certain he feels the same about me. But who else would be prepared to skip school so I can fuck him in a catsuit.”

“Too much information. I don’t wanna know that.”

“You do, but you’re too polite to ask.”

Rory stared at me and smiled. He looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it, so he changed the subject.

“Are you hungry?”

I was famished. “A little?”

“Would you like me to make you an English breakfast?”

Sue never did that. She thought fried food was too unhealthy, particularly in the morning, so I jumped at the opportunity to fill my stomach with eggs and bacon.

“You don’t mind?”

“I wouldn’t offer if I did. I make a wicked breakfast. You’re gonna love it. How do you want your eggs fried or scrambled.”

“Sunny side up.”

“Cool. Bacon, sausage or both?”

“Whatever you’re having.”

“I like both,” he said and smiled.

‘I figured as much.’

I was tired of trying to work Rory out, but I could never tire of his hugs. Before leaving his room, he stood behind me and put his arms around my waist. “It’s cool that you came here today, even if it was only because you had an argument with Nathan.”

“No, I’m here because I prefer being with you.”

It sounded soppy and a little gay, but it was true. After an evening of listening to Nathan and Simon’s histrionics, being with Rory was like a breath of fresh air and watching him cook was a delight. He darted around the kitchen, talking incessantly like a celebrity chef and making me laugh. The game no longer mattered to me. He was more entertaining and good value for a guy who was usually so reserved. This was typical of Rory. Whenever we were on our own, he seemed to drop his guard and relax in a way he never did at school.

“I didn’t know you were so into cooking.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. But this isn’t cooking. I can do much better than this. One day, I’ll cook you a proper meal; something exotic; just let me know when you’re free.”

It sounded like a good deal, and I wanted to make it happen. “How about tomorrow?”

Rory looked surprised by my eagerness. “I need some time to prepare, dude. How about one day after school when I have the place to myself.”

I agreed to do the following Wednesday and in return, Rory promised me a culinary delight.

“It sounds almost like a date.”

He laughed. “Well, don’t mention it to your boyfriend, or he’ll get paranoid and insist on inviting himself.”

“I doubt it. He’ll probably be too busy rehearsing with his new friend, Simon.”

“I thought he didn’t like Simon.”

“That was before he got his tongue pierced. Now he’s the coolest dude ever.”

“Really? He got his tongue pierced?” Rory smirked as he carried our plates to the table and sat opposite me. “You know why people do that, don’t you?”

“No.”

“Are you kidding me?” He picked up his sausage to demonstrate, and I nearly fell off my chair. “I thought everyone knew that.”

Everyone except me, it seemed, but it made sense.