Bad Romance - 30. Chapter 25 - Part B

A displeased groan was heard from the other side of the door after she knocked and she suddenly felt bad for coming here. “What do you want?” Matt’s muffled voice came. Candes bit her lower lip and decided to just go in.

She slowly opened the door and peeked inside the room. It was an unusual mess in there and the room felt too heated with Matt’s presence in there all day. He wouldn’t even come out of there except to go to the bathroom. Candes found him squirming in his bed like a baby, and for a moment she was struck with awe. His face looked angelic with his eyes closed and his hair tousled. “Hey pup, it’s me.” She made her presence known.

His face showed a frown of annoyance and he repeated his previous question, “What do you want?”

Candes kept reminding herself that he was just stressed out because of the pain and that he loved her too much to hurt her intentionally. He had once told her that.

Not knowing what to say, she nervously walked in and sat on the bed. Matt’s was a king-sized bed and although there was much room for her to get comfy on it, she just sat on its edge in discomfort. Matt might have felt the movement and he angrily raised his head up from the soft, comforting pillow to tell her off, “What the fuck Candes! I have told you I want to be ...” Then their eyes met and he paused. His anger faded almost instantly as he gazed at her face. He saw shock on it and then extreme worry. “You are crying.” He whispered and sat up to get to her side more quickly than Candes thought he could. “Why ... why are you crying baby?” The tears had started to fall involuntarily from her eyes and she hugged him from the side as she began to sob harder. Matt almost freaked out at that. “Hey ... shh ... don’t cry please.” His voice was shivering with a mixture of pain that was starting to come back again, and the worry. “Is it because of me, baby? Please don’t cry ... I don’t mean to go off at you. I am just not in the state to ...” He trailed off fighting with words. Then he gave up and just whispered a sincere apology before he hugged her back and began to stroke her back soothingly.

Candes leaned back from the embrace exposing her wet face and tried to talk between her sobs and sniffs. “No it’s not you. I know why you are ...” Then she cried. “It’s something else. Shit! I am a mess. I knew this was gonna happen someday but I guess I wasn’t ready for it yet.” She let out a sob and concluded she couldn’t stop crying which was embarrassing. “I think I will go ...” She stood up from the bed and Matt frantically mimicked to stop her. But as she was about to take off, she saw him fall from the corner of her eyes and caught his feeble body in time. “Matt!” She screamed in horror. However he was too heavy for her to keep him steady and thus, they both ended up sitting by the floor.

“Don’t go.” Matt whispered in his weak voice while looking at her through his heavy eyelids. His dizziness was frightening to Candes.

Her cries had come to an abrupt stop and her own grief was side-tracked by the concern for her boyfriend. “I am here ... I am here pup. I am here for you.” She said in fret and exhaled when he smiled slightly at her, “Are you okay? Should I call your mom and dad?”

“No ... No I am okay.” His weak hands cupped her face and gave her a light, reassuring peck before he asked, “You tell me what happened.” His voice was more hoarse than usual.

She got doleful over the reminder once again and the misery brought back the pain and consequently the tears. But this she only cried softly as she began to tell him what happened. “... I am sure it was Ashley. Who else would do this? I knew she was suspicious the other day ...” She was blabbering things which were partly going over Matt’s head, but he listened and the fact was sinking in that Candes’ pregnancy was no more a secret around in her school and she was upset about it.

A sharp pain went through her and she moaned through her sobbing. She cried loudly and it lowered down to whisper as she passed out in his arms.

Matt felt helpless sitting weakened like that on the floor. He tried to move with all the strength he had. He kept calling her name but she wouldn’t respond. Finally, not able to do that, he yelled for help, “Mom! Dad!”

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Gust followed the trail Joe had taken a few minutes before and found him outside on the patio. “Hey”, saying just above the whisper, he made his presence known. The dark haired boy turned with a straight face, stared and went back to studying his surroundings. Gust mulled over it and asked, “Why are you here when everyone else is inside?”

Joe shrugged, “I am not needed in there.” It shocked Gust and he observed his boyfriend for why he was being like this. He had seemed sullen since the morning and now he looked all the more agitated about something.

“What gives you that idea?” Gust questioned almost with a gasp. “Did something happen, baby? Anyone say something to you?” Joe looked down, staring absentmindedly at the railings and slowly shook his head. “Then what is it? Talk to me baby.” He was getting worried now.

There was a long pause. Gust waited while listening to the steady breathing of his boyfriend. Joe then looked up and turned his face to look at him and asked, “What did Jeremy say?”

Gust was taken aback by the change of subject. He was about to counter when he was struck with a slight inkling of something. So, he answered in a wary tone, “Why, he called to wish Luke a happy birthday. Remember I told you how we had made a promise to meet the other especially, on their birthday?”

“Why did he have to call on your phone?” He thought he saw a slight sulking pout on Joe’s face before he had looked away. “He could have called Luke on his phone.”

He had to frown at that. “He couldn’t reach Luke on his phone, and he didn’t have Noah’s number. But he knew I was going to visit Luke so ...”

“He knew?” Joe raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“I told him, yes. I had asked him to come too, but he has a basketball game against a local school in his town today. So he said he wouldn’t be able to make it here. He said he would call Luke though.”

Joe blinked then looking upset, he muttered under his breath, “I can’t believe you invited him to come along with us.” Gust was about to argue his opinion on that, but then Joe suddenly asked in a growl, “He called to speak to Luke, so why did you have to talk to him?”

“Oh now come on, give me a break. I ...” Gust stopped mid-way in his on-coming explanation when his doubts were confirmed. “Wait ... Joe, you’re jealous, aren’t you?” He tried hard not to smile at the realization, but found it was hard not to; Joe was way too cute. He wanted to cuddle his boyfriend at that moment.

The emerald eyes looked at him as Joe spitefully cleared, “I don’t like him.” So he didn’t play around acting like he wasn’t. “The way he talks to him, it pushes my buttons.”

“But ... he is my friend Joe,” Gust reminded him.

“Didn’t seem like just that back when he was flirting, and touching and hugging you on the day of our game. Not to mention, he had put on a ‘whoever-wins-gets-to-kiss-YOU’ bet.”

“I am sure it was all with the intention of fun. He was trying to irritate you at the game knowing you didn’t like his presence. I know him, Joe and I know he is never serious when he gets flirty with me.”

Several minutes passed before he finally declared. “I can’t stand your interactions with him.”

Gust scowled knowing what underlying meaning that statement carried and he snapped, “I am not going to stop talking to him just because you say, alright? He is my friend and he is as important to me, just as you are in my life.”

That angered Joe. “You have to make choices sometimes.” He snapped.

“That’s not fair. You can’t tell me to choose between you and Jeremy. I am not going to do that.” Gust was looking at him in disbelief. He wondered why his boyfriend was being so mean.

“Oh yeah? I will tell you what’s not fair. I had to jeopardise my family relations to be with you, now that’s unfair. I was asked to choose either you or my mother, now that’s unfair. I was kicked out of my own house because I chose to be with the one I love, now that is unfair.” His voice was raised by this time and he was shivering in anger. Thankfully, the door was closed behind him and no one had really heard the commotion and come out. But maybe the neighbours...

Gust saw the tears glistened in Joe’s now glassy green eyes and his behaviour was suddenly crystal clear to him. Of course, it was not just about jealousy. There was more to it, he should have known. He immediately reached out for his boyfriend and engulfed him in his warm, comforting embrace. As soon as he did, Joe’s body began to rock under his hold as the boy began to cry like a baby. Gust didn’t know what to say. He was in shock and totally pissed off at the same time. So he just held a crying Joe in his arms and began to soothe him.

A soft “sorry” tickled his ear-buds and he felt his heart melt inside his chest. How much he loved this guy, truly from the bottom of the heart.

While they were having their emotional moment, inside the house, Luke was having his own. He was in the bedroom and was holding the phone closer to his ears as he listened to what the person on the other end was saying. His lips quivered as more tears began to fall. “I miss you too.” He said in his wavering voice. “Mom ... how is dad?”

He heard the crying voice of his mother assuring him that his father was okay. And that he misses him too, he just doesn’t show it to others. She reassured him that he will come around as the time passes.

“I hope so.” He said studying his fingernails. He was alone in the room after Noah had handed him the phone and left few minutes before. “Thanks for calling mom.”

Then both his grandmothers took chances of talking to him. Lucinda was visiting there so she could talk to Luke too. He came to know it was all planned and that Noah had arranged it all. It got him teary-eyed. It was so good talking to his family again. It reminded him of what he was missing. But he couldn’t go back ... not until his dad had accepted him.

When Lucinda and Emma were done giving their whole set of instructions and filling him in with all the things he had missed, they concluded the call. Emma was the last one to talk to him and she always made him smile with her sweet grandma ways. He was indeed very close to his grandmothers and they loved him dearly no matter what. So when he ended the call, he had this huge grin on his face.

Right on time, the bedroom door opened and Noah walked in. “Is it safe for me to come in?” He half-jokingly asked.

“Noah!” Luke looked up at him with a smile and got one back in return. “I just finished talking to mom.” Noah nodded. “She asked me to thank you once again. She was just happy that you are doing so much for me.”

His brunette boyfriend closed the distance between them and kissed his forehead lovingly. “She shouldn’t mention it because she should know I am doing this out of my love for her son.”

Luke couldn’t contain his happiness at that moment and jumped on Noah in his ecstasy. “I love you so much, Noah. You have no idea how happy this makes me feel. This is the best birthday ever for me. I can’t thank you enough for it.”

Noah kept stroking the back of his head as he hugged him back and then pushed him gently to make him look at him. His beaming smile wavered, though, seeing the tears in Luke’s eyes. “Oh sweetheart, don’t be silly. I did what I had to do. I tried.” He smiled again, “And I am just glad it worked.”

Luke sniffled and rubbed his misty eyes. “Both my grandmothers are quite taken by your charms.” He smiled lopsidedly. “And it’s hard to impress them. Especially my grandmother Lucinda, and now on the phone, she couldn’t stop talking about you. She was telling me how she had qualms about helping you back then with the police matters. Now she doesn’t regret it. How do you do that? First, me, then my friends, and now my family. Do you cast a spell on them or something?” He teased.

“What can I say, I am a charmer!” He played along and chuckled along with Luke. “We should be outside. Your friends might start to wonder what’s happening in here. I don’t want them getting the wrong idea, you know.” They laughed again. “I think it’s about time you should head out. I have told Maxi to show you all around before you hit the club.”

“Why Maxi, when you’ll be with us?” Luke looked puzzled.

Noah hesitated. “Actually I ... can’t come.” He wore an apologetic face as Luke frowned. “I was planning to, but I got a call from the institution and they need me to do some urgent paper work.”

“But, it’s Saturday.” Luke pouted.“Why can’t you tell them no?”

“I would if I could, but you know with the court’s order and all, I have to do what I am asked to do by these people,” He explained. “And I know it is Saturday but this paper work seems pretty important to me.”

“So you have to go.” Luke sighed in defeat. He didn’t like it, but he had to settle on accepting it.

“Hey, don’t let this ruin your happy mood. I want you to go out and enjoy your time with your friends, okay? You need to spend some time with them without me around. I swear these kids have a hard time loosening up to me.” Noah chortled. It always amused Luke that his boyfriend referred his friends to as ‘kids’. He wasn’t much older than them; it was just a habit from his profession...

It brought a smile on Luke’s face but didn’t really cheer him up. “When do you think your work at the institution will be done?”

Noah shrugged, “It depends on how much work it is. If I am done sooner, I might join you all at the bar. If not, Maxi has assured me he would bring you back home safe for me.” Luke was still pouting, so he quickly said, “And hey, our plans for tonight are still on.”

That sure did the trick, and Luke was grinning from ear to ear. He really couldn’t wait now.

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By the time the group of friends had reached the bar, it was jam-packed with the weekend fun-lovers hanging out in there as well. All were partying hard with loud music and ass-shaking dance numbers. The environment brought a distinct adrenaline rush among the people coming in. And the rookies entering now were no exceptions.

Casey howled like a wolf trying to scream above the music but it kind of died in it. The music was so loud. In no time, everyone had hit the dance floor and they were enjoying every bit of their time. Luke was dancing in between Casey and his girlfriend – they were engaged in a weird but humorous dance move. One could call it dirty but it was fun amongst friends. Gust and Joe seemed a bit conserved since they had left Luke and Noah’s place, but the club atmosphere took them in as well and they were dancing close to each other. They were a lovely couple, Maxi had to admit.

He was sitting at the bar sipping at his drink while he observed the group, especially getting an eyeful of a particular blonde. Luke was looking too good today. He was wearing a rather unusual plain-white capped sleeved and deep scoop necked t-shirt which gave an explicit view of little upper chest part. Now drenched in sweat, it clung closer to his skin and Maxi drank in the beauty of his slender physique through his eyes.

He was so entranced by the sight that he didn’t notice that he was not alone. It was when the person beside him coughed lightly for his attention, did he see her. He turned his head to Mercedes who was also leaning her back by the bar counter beside him and gave her a half-hearted smile.

She smiled brightly at that. “Hey Maxi” She drew out his name sensuously, scooting a bit closer to his body. Their shoulders were touching now and she gave a slight rub, batting her lashes at him. “Why are you not dancing with others?” She asked.

Maxi tried hard not to roll his eyes at her and answered politely, “Not my thing. I am happy here.”

Mercedes shrugged it off, “Oh it doesn’t interest me either. But music ... now that’s my thing” She grinned.

“Good for you.” He curtly responded in attempt to drop any leading conversation and took a sip.

But Mercedes kept trying. “This song ...” She said referring to the one that was being played in the background. She leaned closer to his ear slowly and hummed along the song. “It’s one of my favourites. It is enticing.”

Maxi nodded. “Rhythm and Blues. I could have guessed.” He then drenched his glass and sat it on the table gesturing the bartender for more. “It sounds too kinky to me though; can’t stand it.”

“You are joking right?” Mercedes looked amused.

“Not at all. Like this song, it’s all about hot black chicks with some cheap drum playing in the background. You call that music?”

“You have no knowledge of music whatsoever.” She frowned at his rudeness.

“Oh trust me chica, I have heard better. So I can tell when something gets harsh to my ears.”

“Seriously, what era are you from? People today die for R&B music; look at all those people dancing like crazy during that song.”

Maxi shrugged, “You aren’t dancing.” He took the swig of his new drink and stared at the dancing crowd and then suddenly spoke before Mercedes could, “Oh wait! You can’t dance with all those heavy assets on you.” He laughed. Luke and his friends seemed beat by now and were heading back to the bar.

Mercedes looked pissed off and she went off on him, “Now there, Italian white lord, I can dance just fine with all my heavy assets, as you put it – actually much better than you.”

Luke, who was there along with others now, was bewildered catching his friend in such a bad mood. “Woah, hey what’s going on? You starting a fight again, Mercedes?” He chuckled and looked at Maxi, “What did you do to get her so angry?”

“Nobody messes with Mercedes Brooke, get that through your head.” Mercedes was still not done telling him off though and continued. “I am beautiful the way I am. Black or heavy, hell I am proud!”

“Okayy ...” Luke stared between the two of them. Mercedes took off from the scene and he raised his brow at Maxi, “I see you won a place in her bad books already. Way to go, boy!”

Maxi rolled his eyes and turned his back to the group. “She is something.” He mumbled to himself and drank from his glass.

After sometime when Mercedes didn’t get back, Tracey went to fetch her in the ladies room where she had headed. All of a sudden, Casey announced, “We are going to play a game.”

“What game?” Luke didn’t like the mischievous glint in his eyes and got worried.

“Power Hour,” he grinned and everyone groaned in displeasure.

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Noah returned home very late; around midnight. He didn’t finish his work until then, and since he was promised to be paid extra for it, he worked until he finished. Honestly, the work had worn him out, but the plans were keeping him excited.

He was hoping Luke was back by then and was awake. So when he saw Maxi’s car parked outside, he was ecstatic. He guessed Maxi must have stayed to keep Luke company until he got back. Others went back to Oakdale, as their original plan was, Noah presumed.

But when he entered the house, he found no one in the dark living room. The lights were off and the whole house was dead silent. He drew his brows together, wondering where the two of them were. That was when a loud, crashing sound of something falling came from inside and a displeased groan followed.

Noah got suspicious and he quickened his steps to head towards their bedroom. The door was half-open, so with the slightest push, it was wide open. The scene in front of him left him shell shocked. In the half-lit bedroom, there was a tearful Luke lying half-naked on bed on the verge of passing out while Maxi was on the top of him, kissing him everywhere while hurrying to get him out of his remaining clothes. The blonde was trying as hard as he could to stop him, but his weak movements were no good.

It didn’t take much time for Noah to wake up to what Maxi was trying to do to Luke and with anger boiling in him, he charged towards Luke’s teenaged molester.

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--- TBC ---