Love 'N' Stuff [boyxboy]

Love 'N' Stuff [Original Slash] {17}

Freddie

I don’t know what I was expecting. That I’d suddenly come to my senses about Jack and he’d forget about the shitty way I’d treated him – the shitty way we’d treated each other – and go right back to being in the stages of getting together? Yeah right.

                I watched him really closely for any signs of relief or happiness or excitement when he heard about Matt and I breaking up but the only thing he seemed animated about was Benny and Matt getting together. They walked into the kitchen hand in hand completely shamelessly about three hours after Matt had left my room like it was no big deal, and Jack had practically jumped out of his seat in surprise.

                ‘Yeah,’ was all Benny had to say on the matter, grinning as Jack ruffled his hair while Matt went to the fridge to nonchalantly swig from a carton of orange juice.

                ‘So easily replaced,’ I lamented jokingly, at which he rolled his eyes.

                A few days of this uncertainty on my part, and relaxation on everyone else’s, went by, until one morning Jack cleared his throat suddenly and announced that he had decided not to drop the case against Aaron.

                Benny choked on his own spit. ‘Seriously?!’

                We were all thrown out lazily on the couches watching mindless daytime television, the line between where Matt ended and Benny began blurring into their cushions while I sat rigidly on one end of the other couch and Jack sat comfortably a few inches away.

                Jack nodded. ‘Yeah. I was only thinking about the immediacy of ruining his life, but I know Aaron. He never learns. If I let him get away with this he’ll continue screwing people over for the rest of his life until someone else has to balls to call him on it. So why not me?’

                Benny jumped up and landed himself on Jack’s lap, hugging him tightly. I glanced surreptitiously at Matt to see how he was taking this, but he just smiled and congratulated Jack. I guess when you have the assurance that the person you like already likes you back, you don’t feel the burning intensity of jealousy and a rising irrational hatred, like I was feeling at the sight of Benny touching Jack that way.

                ‘I’m proud of you,’ Benny announced, and Jack rolled his eyes.

                ‘Thanks, mom.’

                ‘Shut up. So, what happens now?’

                ‘Well I never told the police I was thinking of dropping the case in the first place so I guess everything goes on as normally. I expect I’ll hear from Detective Morrissey shortly about whether or not we’ll have to go to court.’

                Benny frowned as he climbed off his best friend and back onto mine. ‘Will you have to get a lawyer?’

                Jack shrugged. ‘Might be good practice.’

                ‘You could just get one of your professors to represent you,’ Matt joked, and they all laughed. I’m not sure why, but since Matt and I broke up, I feel like I’m perpetually on the peripheral when all four of us are together. Like I’m outside the bubble just watching what’s going on. Not as though I’m being excluded or anything… Just that I’m a lot more fascinated with how they all interact with one another suddenly.

                ‘And if they lost the case for you it would be good grounds for demanding an A,’ Benny added.

                ‘Least they could do, I suppose,’ Jack agreed, and they all grinned at each other.