A Year Changes Everything - 12. Chapter 12

Andrew was waiting for us when we arrived and shook hands with Casper.

"It's nice to finally meet you," he said. "Ryan talks a lot about his brothers."

"He does?" Casper said. "He never shuts up about you either."

I laughed nervously and shot Casper a venomous look.

Andrew offered Casper a Coke and when he'd turned around and bent down to get it from the fridge, Casper gave me two thumbs up, a saucy wink and then held up both palms and flashed the "10" signal.

I smiled despite myself, glad that Casper approved.

As Andrew was closing the fridge door Casper caught sight of something in the fridge.

"Since when do you eat Arugula?!"

"It's a good source of iron," I replied, giving Andrew a wink.

"Mum will never believe me," Casper muttered to himself.

We spent the rest of the evening chatting in our room and ordered in pizza, despite Andrew's protests about the food he'd bought.

"I feel a little like I'm corrupting your younger brother," Andrew said as he handed round another round of Buds.

"Please," I replied. "He managed that all by himself years ago.

Casperaimed a punch at my arm and missed.

"Got to be quicker than that, little bro."

"I reckon I could do a better job of corrupting you guys than the other way around."

"Oh yeah," Andrew said, a hint of challenge in his voice.

"You guys ever been to a gay bar?"

Andrew colored slightly and I glared at Ryan. He met my look and innocently mouthed 'What?'

"I heard there's a good one a few towns away and I thought I might head there tomorrow night," he continued, looking at me steadily.

"Casper," I said. "You know Mom and Dad don't want you to go to any of those places until you're legally old enough. They seem to think you might be taken advantage of. Oh little do they know."

"What Mom and Dad don't know won't hurt them."

"They would kill me if they knew I'd taken you to a gay club."

"For your information, I've been to quite a few gay bars back home."

"Oh really? And I assume Mom and Dad gave their blessing."

"They might have thought I was at a sleepover at Chase's or Harrison's."

"Casper, I want you to promise we you won't go to one of those places again. You're only just 17 and gay clubs are filled with older men just looking to get some young flesh."

"And how would you know?" Casper asked.

I flushed. "I've heard."

"For your information, I always go with Chase or Harrison."

"I didn't know they were gay."

"They're not. They just come to keep me company. Harrison makes you two look like weedy dweebs and has fended off quite a few overeager club goers."

"I'll tell Mom and Dad," I said, weakly.

"Fine. Then I'll tell them certain stuff you'd rather I didn't."

We were both glaring at each other and Andrew looked on in amusement.

"Don't be such a spoil sport, Ryan," he said. "Are you telling me you didn't sneak off to clubs when you were his age?"

"That's different."

"Because you're straight?"

"It's just different."

"Well, I reckon Casper is going to go whether we go with him or not, isn't that right?" he said, looking at Casper.

"Of course," he replied.

"And I am sure you would much prefer it if he had us there to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. Am I right?"

I was trapped. I could hardly say that I would let Casper go alone, but I was terrified that I would be recognized in the club and Andrew would discover I'd been there before.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice.

"You're right," I sighed.

Caspergave Andrew a high five. "Alright! We're going to have a blast."

I wasn't so sure.

Andrew went to the bathroom and I grabbed Casper by his neck the moment the bathroom door was closed.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," I hissed into his ear. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Casperstruggled to get out of my grip. "Gedoff me, Ryan."

He was still three or four inches shorter than me and skinny rather than muscular so there was no way he could get out of my grip.

"I asked you not to interfere and the first thing you do is engineer a situation whereby I'm going to have to go to a gay club where I might be recognized. If that happens and Andrew realizes the truth I will never speak to you again. Got it?"

He nodded mutely and I let go.

He was still rubbing the back of his neck when Andrew came back into the room.

The next day Casper spent looking around the campus and avoiding my anger, only returning to the room in time to shower and change before we headed out. We were going to a burger bar first before hitting a bar and then ending the night at the club. To my horror Matt and Simon were joining us as well.

Andrew, Matt and Simon chatted with Casper most of the evening, whilst I tried to quell the rising panic in my stomach.

"You're silent tonight, Ry," Matt said as we were finishing our desserts.

"Nervous about being hit on by a man?" Simon asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Just because you'll be in your element," I retorted. “Have you actually kissed a girl since the beginning of the year, because every time I've seen a girl approach you, all you've managed to do is turn red and stutter?"

"Somebody got out the wrong side of bed this morning," Simon remarked. "Besides, whilst you may have got some tail at the beginning of the year I don't recall seeing you with anyone for months."

"Guys, would you stop the dick measuring contest?" Matt said. "I think we can all agree we're useless with women. Except Andrew, of course," he continued, turning to Andrew. "Have you managed to 'seal the deal' with her yet?"

"I keep telling you, we're just friends."

Matt shook his head. "I don't get it. You could easily have any woman you want and yet you spend your time with a girl who you aren't even screwing. What's up with that?"

Casperwatched this turn of the conversation with evident interest.

"If you're all so useless with women, I am sure I can find some men for you," he said.

Matt and Simon laughed. "No thanks," Matt said.

We paid the check and got in a cab to the club.