"Wait, you slept with Landon, as in Landon my roommate?" Caiden's eyes widened, dumbstruck by what he had just heard.

It wasn't like Caiden to feel jealous over anything, let alone anyone; he had gotten used to the familiar notion of his heart being locked away somewhere far, collecting dust. But this unusual pang at his core was ticking away like a bomb ready to explode, his head colliding with itself every time it began to flee.

"Yeah... Landon Way. That guy..." Jake laughed, nodding his head, recalling the memories which had created their friendship.

Jake, himself, understood how strange it sounded; if he hadn't been the one to experience it, himself, he wouldn't have believed it.

"But, how did you two get to where you are? You guys are so comfortable around one another," Caiden placed his hands on the curly haired lad's lap.

"We decided to push it away, as if it never happened," Jake confessed, as the two noticed friendship was more their forte, as opposed to anything more.

"So, what are you saying? You wanna pretend like the sex never happened? Like-" Caiden felt every part of him slowly disappear at the thought of never touching Jake.

"No, no. God, no. I love the sex, Caiden. I love your lips and your touch, and if you were to strip me off of that, then I would be slowly dying inside," Jake started, earning him a laugh from the raven haired boy, seated on the chair before him. "I just want to know if there is something more to us. Or, is sex the only thing we have?"

"Isn't it obvious how I feel about you?" Caiden asked, knowing that's not what he wanted to actually question.

"Not from where I stand, Caiden; I see someone scared of being himself, and I get it. You've lived an entire series full of laughter, action, suspense, and other genres in your twenty three years, but don't you at least want your epilogue, or your next adventure to be with someone who's ready to push his own fears aside for you?" Jake didn't know where that came from; he couldn't stop himself from pouring every word out.

"I told you I was a horror story, Jake," Caiden's voice was just above a whisper, his eyes locked with the boy seated on the desk.

"I think you're more of a thriller and still a mystery I am almost begging to decode. You've brought nothing but excitement to my life from the moment you entered it; I began writing again because of you," Jake countered, caressing the raven haired lad's cheek, as he spoke.

"I don't understand..." Caiden's puzzled tone was evident.

"Before you came into my life, which I'm still a little bit confused about, I had this irrational fear of being happy, I guess," Jake felt every word he began to voice, "Well, actually, I used to write all the time and I would play any instrument you could think of. And then, well, the little drinking game happened and that changed my life," Jake resumed explaining, playing with his fingers, nervously.

"I kinda threw myself into the books after what happened, thinking maybe medical school would be the best idea to try and find a cure for the allergy I have. Or, law school to defend the victim or prosecute the offender, but then you showed up," Jake felt Caiden's hands on his lap, helping him relax.

"I don't even know how you did it, because I can't even pinpoint what it is you did or when it happened, but you've helped me understand myself and be able to let my feelings out; the ones I've kept in for that long," Jake took a deep breath in concluding what he was saying.

"I did that? But, I don't get how me coming into your life- I mean, you played your guitar when we were at the lake house, and you sang karaoke," Caiden spoke, raising a brow in confusion. "Also, what confuses you?"

"Karaokes and bonfires don't really count; they're kind of mandatory in a way. Like, we all sing along during the campfires. And well, usually during karaoke we all have a turn, but then again, last time we didn't stay long enough for you to see that," the two laughed, as Jake continued.

"I mean I've been able to actually write, which isn't something I've done in years. I've been blocked off for so long, that I nearly forgot how to breathe," Jake told him, and though Caiden knew it probably wasn't the time for anything more, he leaned in for a short, sweet kiss.

A giggle sounded from Jake's mouth, placing his hands on the raven haired lad's.

Jake got off the desk, stretching every part of his body; Caiden's eyes focused on how every curve of his body was slowly contracting, showing off more than he thought he'd seen. Jake laid his back on his bed, with Caiden mimicking his actions.

"Also, to answer your question... What confuses me is the fact that you've been attending Brandon for three years, but why did I only just meet you as Landon's roommate?" Jake turned his head to face the boy beside him.

"Ah... The million dollar question," Caiden sighed, knowing this was something he didn't share with anyone. Not that he shared anything, to begin with.

"So, Noah, Lee Enterprises person, told me I had to graduate. There were no other rules, and he wouldn't allow me to get expelled, unless I did something truly horrible. So, he calls me once a month to check in, though he gets weekly reports from some dude named Lucas Alder; his dad owns a pizza shop around here, or something."

"Our worlds collide so strangely, Caiden," Jake broke into laughter, leaving the other boy oddly perplexed.

"Care to elaborate?" Caiden eyed the curly haired lad in amusement.

"I work at that pizza shop, Caiden," Jake chuckled, but that only confused Caiden even more.

"You work? Your parents didn't leave you anything?" Caiden could have sworn Jake told him his dad invested in several companies, so hearing that was rather odd.

"Oh, they left me more than enough, Caiden; I just almost feel weird using it, so I donate most of it, plus I'm saving it for when I graduate," Jake admitted and Caiden understood.

"Sorry, I cut you off; please continue," Jake told him.

"Right, so, basically... I get kicked out of dorm halls, but not out of the school, so Landon's room was available after Brody Danes slept with Ms. Hennington and I ended up there," Caiden informed him, knowing he probably had no idea any of this happened.

"Wait... Ms. Hennington the admissions secretary? That's why she got fired?" Jake's eyes widened in shock, "Rumor was she got fired for stealing from the school safe, or something like that.

How did he not know this?

Caiden felt his hand brush against Jake's, and immediately interlaced them, wanting to feel even just a small part of him.

"Yup; Mr. Mower caught the two on his desk, which was the icing on the cake, since he was supposedly sleeping with her back then," Caiden laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "But, I wouldn't put it past her to steal, either."

Jake began caressing his thumb across Caiden's knuckles, looking into deep chocolate brown eyes.

Before Jake could reply, his phone rang; as it was Taylor, the curly haired boy answered it.

"Hey Tay," she was always one to keep the promise of checking in when she said she would.

"You sound better than earlier, J. I'm happy about that. But make sure to tal-" Tay tried to sound more concerned than angry as she reminded him, but was cut off.

"I am right now, actually," he spoke, causing Caiden to furrow his brows, curiously.

"And your professors?" Tay added, hoping he had taken care of that, as well.

"I'm meeting with them tomorrow early morning. I have to be up at like six," Jake groaned at the thought of being up that early to speak to someone.

"Okay, call me later, then," Taylor responded, but then spoke quickly before Jake could hang up. "We're going to the lake house this weekend; I don't know how you feel about inviting him so it's up to you, but I was thinking of inviting Ava."

Jake thought about it for a moment, his mind going a million different directions.

"I think that's okay; I'll let you know."

With that, the curly haired lad hung up the call with the brunette, before giving all his attention to the raven haired boy.

"Taylor was worried about me, that's all," He spoke, earning him a nod from Caiden.

"I'm not good at this, Jake," Caiden voiced his fears, his eyes darting towards the ceiling, anxiously awaiting the boy's answer.

"I'm not good at this, either, Caiden. I have Taylor in my life, because she's been there since before I could talk; our parents have been best friends since high school," Jake confessed, his eyes still on the beautiful boy laying next to him. "Landon, well, you know how we met," the two laughed it off, hearing the tone in Jake's voice. "And the others, I don't know, Tay and Landon brought them in and I accepted the fact that humans were around me."

Once more, laughter surrounded the space the two shared.

"Yeah, I understand. I met Ava and Eli in grade school after Carla adopted me," Caiden's face turned, once more, facing Jake.

"You never slept with either?" Jake had no idea why that slipped out.

"Ava kissed me once while she was drunk and then got sick and blamed my lips," Caiden laughed, recalling the memories of that specific day.

"And Eli?"

"So, you know how you said there was someone you liked at a party who kinda ignored you?" Caiden reminded him, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Mhm..."

"That sorta thing kinda happened to me at this masquerade party I was invited to by Eli's cousin, back in high school; there was this dude dressed in black and silver with a green mask and his eyes just pulled me in, but he wouldn't look my way," Caiden took a moment to breathe, before resuming his story.

"I got a bit upset and Eli wanted to make me feel better, so he kissed me, but it just felt so off; it was like kissing my brother. Funny enough, he felt the same way; it's not like he was harbouring feelings and used the kiss as an excuse."

"Wait..." Jake couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter, holding his stomach, "Are you talking about Halley Zera's party?"

"Wait, you know her?" Caiden gaped at him, a chuckle sounding from his lips.

"She went to cheerleading camp with Taylor throughout high school; she was dating some dude named Henry Bale, right?" Jake recalled the years where he would hear endless gossip about Halley and Henry and how they would constantly cheat on each other.

"Okay, yeah..." Caiden nodded, speechless for a moment, before he gathered his thoughts, once more. "But how do you know about that party?" Caiden was just dumbfounded and utterly shocked.

"I was the boy dressed in black and silver with the green mask," Jake heard himself barely whisper.

"No... That- I would have remembered those eyes," Caiden's lips were left slightly parted, eyes widened in awe. Jake took the opportunity to pull him in for a kiss, and Caiden immediately smiled into it.

It was short, sweet, and full of affection which was what the two required and desired at that very moment.