Love is... 2 (Gus and Rex) - 2. Chapter 2

The next day after school, Marcus, Justus, and I hopped on a bus and headed to the mall downtown where we had agreed to meet.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much out of this meetup. It was just one of those “sure, whatever” kinds of things. I’m easygoing—I go with the flow. As long as I get to hang out and have fun with my friends, I’m good. I wasn’t even thinking about meeting Rex, the guy who was supposed to tutor me.

We arrived earlier than planned, so we just wandered around the mall to kill time.

I’m a pretty open guy—straightforward, not great at hiding my feelings. If I think something, I say it. If I feel something, I show it. Maybe it’s the way I was raised. My parents always told me: if you feel something good about someone, you should let them know before it’s too late. Doesn’t matter if it’s a friend, a partner, or especially family.

That’s probably why the four of us—me, Mom, Dad, and Max—are so close. We tease and joke with each other all the time.

Anyway, I was walking absentmindedly toward the bathroom, lost in thought. Just as I was about to push the door open, someone on the other side shoved it outward.

I barely jumped back in time to keep it from slamming into my face.

“Sorry!” the guy said quickly when he saw me on the other side of the door.

“No worries,” I replied without thinking.

But the moment I saw his face, I kind of wished the door had hit me. Maybe then he’d have rushed forward to catch me as I fell, gently holding me in his arms before I hit the floor. He’d shake me slightly and ask in a concerned voice if I was okay. I’d flutter my eyes open, vision blurry at first, then slowly clearing—until our eyes locked.

For a moment, we’d both freeze.

And then—bam!—wedding bells would chime in the background like a soundtrack, and just like that, we’d both realize: this is true love.

Something like that. Ughhhhhh!!

“Did the door hit you just now?” he asked, bowing his head slightly and snapping me out of my romcom daydream.

“Ah… no, not at all,” I stammered.

“Oh, okay. Well, sorry again,” he said with a sweet smile before walking off, leaving me standing there like a dazed heroine in some over-the-top soap opera.

I shook my head at my own ridiculous imagination and finally went inside the bathroom.

But even while I was peeing, I couldn’t stop thinking about his voice and his face.

He was shorter than me—which is totally my type, because I’m not into guys who are much bigger than me. He had an oval face, big bright eyes, and straight brows with a slight upward tilt. His nose was small but sharp and well-shaped. Thin lips, braces, pale skin…

Oh my heaven!!

While I was washing my hands, I told myself to stop daydreaming already. I was totally getting ahead of myself. I mean, come on—he was just a guy I crossed paths with for like two seconds. Why was I acting like I’d just been hit by Cupid’s arrow? And the worst part was… he didn’t even seem the slightest bit interested in me! And I mean, hello? I’m pretty good-looking, got a nice body, totally hot—anyone would want a piece of this!

Uhh… have I picked up too much of Marcus’s self-loving attitude?

When I got back to McDonald's, where I left my two idiot friends waiting, I told them that I ran into this really cute guy outside the bathroom. And the moment I told them that I secretly wished he had slammed the door into me so he could rush over and catch me in his arms, all concerned and caring, they burst out laughing and called me pathetic. Said I was built like a freaking ox but acted like some drama queen in a soap opera.

“Drama queen my ass! Say that again and I’ll smack you, bastard! You think I’m some delicate little flower, huh?” I raised my hand, pretending to whack Marcus across the head.

“I didn’t say you’re a delicate flower,” he laughed, “I said you’re a total slut!”

“Slut my ass! I’m not a slut—I just believe in being honest about how I feel!”

“Pfft! Hahaha! Hey, let me ask you something for real, Chubby. Are you a top or a bottom?”

That caught me off guard. “The hell is wrong with you?!”

“What? It’s a serious question! You’ve never told us before.” Marcus persisted.

“Well maybe because it’s none of your damn business! Why don’t you tell me—between you two, who’s the top and who’s the bottom? Huh? Have you even done it yet? Do you even know what to do?”

That made Marcus blush instantly, and what about Justus? Justus was already dying of embarrassment long before that.

“Screw you! I asked first, so you answer first—then maybe I’ll tell you!”

“What the hell do you want me to say, you scrawny lightbulb? Shit—I haven’t had any experience yet…” I hissed through my teeth, face burning like crazy. And this is coming from me—I don’t usually get shy or flustered.

“Knew it!” Marcus shrugged like it was no surprise. “I figured you were still a virgin, Chubby. So what do you wanna be, huh?”

“If I ever get the chance, I’ll do whatever I freaking can! I just want it to happen already, damn it! Stop grilling me!”

“Keep your voice down, Chubby! People are staring!” Justus warned.

“You guys are the ones who started this crap in the first place!”

“Hey hey hey—what does your virginity have to do with us?” Marcus snorted.

“Shut your crusty face, Marcus! Seriously, this is all your fault! Got me talking like some weirdo. I’m usually all cute and innocent, you know? Ughhh!”

“Yeah, real cute. Cute like a dirty rag maybe!”

“Enough already, you two! Are you seriously gonna keep bickering like this?” Justus stepped in like a referee breaking up a fight. “Anyway, Chubby—is that your brother and his crew who just walked in? I think they’re looking around for someone.”

I turned around and looked behind me. I saw Art and his friends standing in front of the restaurant door, glancing around. Then Art pulled out his phone from his pocket. I quickly stood up and waved at them.

“Art! Over here!!”

“Oh god…” Marcus groaned under his breath.

“What’s your problem?” I turned to him.

“I’m embarrassed because of you, damn it!”

“Embarrassed my ass. I’m just calling someone I know, what’s the big deal? Stop being so feaking sensitive.”

“Oh my god! Please! I’m begging you two,” Justus raised his hands in mock prayer. “Can you stop snapping at each other for five minutes?!”

“What’s up, Chubby? You been here long?” Art asked as he arrived at our table.

“Not too long, bro. Just fought like five rounds with this bastard Marcus already,” I replied and moved to sit on the other side next to Marcus. “Oh right, you haven’t met these two yet. This is Marcus, and that’s Justus.” I introduced my two friends, then turned to them. “Guys, this is Art, that’s Ash, and that’s Faye—my brother’s friends.”

“Hey,” Both of them greeted Art and the others politely.

“Where’s Alice and that Rex guy?” I asked. “I’ve only met Alice once before, right? Why didn’t she come today?”

“Yeahhh, Alice had to head home early,” Faye answered, flipping her hair dramatically. “So now I’m left as the lone fabulous diva today.”

“And Rex? He’ll catch up later. Said he went to the bathroom or to buy some random stuff,” Art added.

“Okay,” I nodded. Among my brother Max’s group of closest friends, I was most familiar with Art like I mentioned. But I had met a few of the others before, especially Faye and Ash—I’d seen them maybe five or six times already. The only ones I hadn’t really seen much were Alice, who I’d only met once when they came to work at our house, and Rex—whom I’d never met at all.

“By the way, where is that charming big brother of mine?” I asked.

“He went to the movies too, but somewhere else,” Ash replied.

“With someone else too,” Faye added. “I’m so done with him. Always has some new girl.”

“Right?! He’s got way too many side pieces, don’t you think, Art?” I shook my head. I think I saw a little something in his eyes when I said that, but maybe it’s just my imagination.

“Not like his little brother at all,” Marcus took the chance to roast me. “Not only no boyfriend, no flings… no one to bang either.”

“I swear to god, I’m gonna drag my foot across your face one day, you ass!”

“See, everyone? They’re always at each other’s throats,” Justus said, shaking his head. “Should I buy muzzles for these two before we head home?”
“Good idea,” Art laughed.

“Honestly, both of you—brother and brother—are just as sharp-tongued.”

“Heyyy, what the hell, Faye! I’m cute, polite, and hot as hell like Chris Evans. How could you compare me to that jerk Max?!”

“See what I mean? Both of you are just as bad,” Faye laughed.

“Wait up—Rex’s probably calling,” Ash said as he pulled his phone from his shirt pocket and answered. “Yeah, I’m inside McDonald’s. Just come in, we’re on the left side.”

“Where’s he now?” Art asked after Ash hung up.

“Almost at the entrance.”

As the mysterious Rex, whose name I’d heard so many times, was finally about to arrive, I started to feel a bit excited—not because I was going to meet him exactly, but because I had high expectations. Everyone said he was handsome or cute, and I really wanted to see for myself just how “god-tier” this guy really was.

This time I was sitting facing the entrance, so I could see clearly who was coming in or out. When I saw a guy and a girl about to walk in, my eyes widened, and I nudged Marcus immediately.

“Marcus! That’s the guy! The one I almost ran into outside the bathroom!” I whispered.

“Which one?!”

“The one who just walked in, dumbass! The guy with the girl.”

“Ohhh right, yeah yeah, I see. They’re coming this way, huh?”

“Yeah! They’re walking toward our table. He’s cute, right?!”

“Yeah, he’s good-looking for real,” Marcus nodded.

“Right?! Holy shittt!”

“But he came with his girlfriend, bro,” Marcus laughed quietly.

“Shut up, asshole!” I punched his arm, annoyed.

The guy I saw outside the bathroom walked over to our table with the girl. I wasn’t sure if I imagined it, but it felt like he looked at me and our group longer than normal. And his eyes on me… there was something strange about them.

“Yo, Rex! You’re here!” Art waved at him.

My eyes went even wider. “That’s Rex?!”

“PFFFFT!!! *cough*” Marcus choked on the Pepsi he was drinking.

“Come on over, man. This guy here is Max’s younger brother—nickname’s Gus, or August, or Chubby, take your pick,” Art said.

“Every time we go to Max’s place, you’ve just missed his brother, huh? That’s why you two never met,” Ash added.

Rex looked at me and smiled. He seemed a little surprised too, maybe by the coincidence. But me? I was completely stunned. I had no idea what kind of expression I was making anymore.

“Wait, Christina! You came with Rex? I thought you were going shopping with Lyla and the others?” Faye asked the girl.

“Yeah, I was gonna, but I got lazy,” Christina sat down next to Faye. “Oh, and I have gossip! Did you hear about Charlie and what happened this afternoon?”

“What? Tell me everything!” Faye leaned in, and the two girls dove into their own world immediately.

“Rex, come sit here,” Ash said, patting the seat next to him. “So that’s Gus, like Art said. And those two are his friends—Marcus and Justus. And boys, this is Rex, and that gossiping one over there is Christina—our college friends.”

“Nice to meet you,” both Marcus and Justus greeted Rex, though Marcus had to wipe the Pepsi from his mouth with a tissue first, flustered.

I just sat there staring at Rex’s face, frozen and awkward. If I was already feeling shy when Marcus teased me earlier, this moment had me ten times more flustered and lost.

“So what did you go buy, Rex? And how’d you bump into Christina?” Art asked.

“Oh, I didn’t actually buy anything yet. I was about to, but Christina texted me while I was in the bathroom saying she was nearby, so I went to meet her,” Rex replied.

I watched his side profile and felt this weird flutter in my chest. Was I really going to have to take lessons with this guy?

“Have you guys eaten yet?”

“Not yet. What about you?”

“Same here. Just the younger kids here have eaten. Let’s grab something too. Still got time before the movie. We’ll buy tickets later,” Art said, then stood up with Ash. Everyone else followed to order food.

“So that’s really the guy, Gus? The one you were talking about?” Marcus asked, quietly.

“Hell yeah, brooo! Holy crap! I think I like him!!”

“Wait wait, what’s going on?” Justus leaned in.

“That guy—Rex—is the one Gus almost bumped into outside the bathroom earlier.”

“No way!”

“Yeah! I was totally shocked!”

“Shocked?!” I quietly yelled. “Marcus, feel my chest if you don’t believe me—my heart nearly stopped! Oh my god! I want him! I want hiiiiiim!”

“Gus, he’s a person, not a Krispy Kreme donut. You can’t just line up and get him. If you want him, this is your shot. Just talk to him, bro. When you study with him, make your move!”

“Jesus, Marcus, if it were that easy, I wouldn’t be single all this time! Look at you two—how many years did it take you to stop staring at each other and actually get together? And you fought half the time too, damn!”

“Hey! I wasn’t the one fighting, okay? Marcus’s the one who picked a fight and then got all sulky!” Justus quickly defended himself.

“Oh shut it, smooth talker. You’re supposed to take my side, not his,” Marcus said, tapping his boyfriend’s head lightly.

I looked toward the counter. The seniors were still queuing to order food, with Faye and Christina chatting at the end. Ash stood alone looking at the menu. And my ultimate crush? He was chatting with Art at the front of the line.

How could someone be this cute? His face, his name, his voice, his personality—everything about him was just ridiculously adorable! And I’d only known him for less than ten minutes! If I had to study with him every week, I might just fall head over heels to the point of no return…