Even In Pieces [Bxb] Chapter 13

Everett

Cut grass on the soccer field smells great till you start playing, then it smells like sweat, spit and adrenaline. My bones are jelly and my brain is clear. The best feeling in the world. Even though all of us are exhausted, we still drag ourselves to the showers to clean up. The hot water seeps into my skin, relaxing the muscles on my back. I let out a relieved sigh.

I have to go to the theater right after this. I can’t wait to work with Jess, even though Jess has a different writing style than mine, she is so good to work with and amazing at what she does.

I get out of the shower with a towel around my waist and go over to the locker room to get changed. Some of the guys are also finished with their showers and doing the same thing, one of the freshmen looks at me with disgust, what’s his name again? Jace? Jack? No. It’s Jayson. Homophobic asshole, getting uncomfortable to change when I am here. He stares me down obviously trying to intimidate me into changing somewhere else. I almost want to scoff at him. He thinks he scares me. I cooly stride over to my locker and start changing.

“Dude, stop staring at the dude. He ain’t gonna do you. You aren’t his type.” Pierce says to Jayson. I guess he noticed the prick being a prick. Pierce has always come to my defense when people gave me shit about my sexuality. Jayson’s face goes pale.

“I was just thinking he could change somewhere else instead of making the rest of us uncomfortable,” the guy mutters.

Pierce grits his teeth and narrows his eyes at him, but I give him a look that says ‘stay back’. He relaxes and I turn to Jayson.

“I am making you uncomfortable? I didn’t even do anything. On the contrary you are the one who told me to get out for no reason, making me uncomfortable.” I tell him with a sigh.

“You’re the one who’s gay!” he snaps.

“And you’re the one who was staring at me the whole time. I mean I know I am hot, but you should check out people a bit more subtly, otherwise it’s kinda creepy,” I nod at him.

He gapes at me, but before he can say anything more I had already changed. I get out of the locker room and head straight for the parking area. I see Zachary leaning against my car looking down at his phone. Relaxed and casual, looking right at home. I decide that I like him there next to my car, next to something I own and treasure and looking like he has the right to lean against it. My breath catches in my throat at that thought.

What the hell is wrong with me!?

“Hey,” he greets when I reach him. That’s progress. So I don’t scowl at him. “Vio asked for your number, but I didn’t have it either, so now she has been messaging me non-stop telling me that I am a complete dumbfuck and to get your number,” he sighs. I laugh at his obvious distress.

“Now that I think about it Vio isn’t wrong. I don’t have your number either.”

He scoffs. “We hate each other, remember.”

“Oh yeah, I definitely hate you, but you are a bit more tolerable now.”

He grins at me and hands me his phone. I type my number in and leave it for him to save. He types something, my phone rings.

“That’s me.” he says.

I look at the number and then save it in my contacts as ‘arrogant shit’. He’ll probably smirk if he sees this. It feels good to have his contact number even though neither one of us are really going to call each other.

We drive to the theater but this time we are talking. Of course there’s the thing that the conversation started with a fight. Zachary made a comment on how little action I must be getting because of my cocky attitude and I told him that unlike him getting laid isn’t the highlight of my life. But then I notice that even though we are both slurring at each other, we are still smiling. It’s fun to jab at each other when we aren’t being complete egoistic assholes about it.

“Jesus, arguing with you is turning me into fucking homophobic asshole, and I am bi,” Zachary grunts, finally taking a break. I guess we both were pretty brutal with the insults.

“I have had my share of homophobia for today so no thank you,” I snort as I remember Jayson.

Zachary turns to me with a raised eyebrow. Like he just expects me to answer to him without him even having to ask me to. Arrogant prick.

“There’s a freshman, Jayson. The dude wanted me to change somewhere else because apparently I was making everyone uncomfortable,” I roll my eyes at the memory.

“Fucking piece of shit,” Zachary grunts. It makes me smile.

“People still don’t get that homosexuality is like totally common. Take bonobos for example, they have so much sex between the same sex and enjoy it too! Then there are swans, they even become monogamous and sometimes even create a family.” I tell him.

For a moment Zachary just stares at me. He blinks. “I have no idea why you know about bonobo sex. And let’s keep it that way.”

I grin at him. “Animal sex is pretty awesome.”

Zachary gives me an amused but disbelieving look. So I continue.

“There are insects called neotrogla, and in that species the females have penises, and they penetrate the males. They draw the sperm from the male and this lasts between forty to seventy hours. Also, the sperm is nutrition, so it keeps the female fed during the time of intercourse,” I look over to see his reaction and burst out laughing. He looks absolutely aghast. I smirk at him.

“I don’t know whether to be horrified or impressed by the fact that you know that. But right now I am more focused on the fact that they have continuous sex for forty hours.” Zachary says, his lips curving into a grin.

“I just know stuff, I read a lot. As for the forty hours, yeah, it puts your ability in the bed to shame.” I tease him.

“I am very concerned about what kind of stuff you read and trust me my ability in bed has never been questioned before.” Zachary smirks.

Jesus christ. That smirk of his makes heat rise in my gut. And if he continues to do that something else will also rise.

“Hey, I am a curious guy,” I say, ignoring his other comment.

“A closeted geek is what you are,” He laughs then. Relaxed and playful, it makes me feel lightheaded. He leans his head to the window, tilting to the side and giving me a perfect view of his stretched neck. I want to kiss there, on his throat. Feel his pulse on my lips.

He looks at me then, the air buzzes around us. Neither of us acknowledge it. Soon enough we reach the theater. It’s time to work.

Zachary

Work is getting more intense day by day, the practices are becoming more gruesome, the stage settings are being made which causes the cleaning work hard since the paint gets everywhere. It’s tough and absolutely my favorite part of the day. Even Jess seems to be in the zone, she won’t stop making Everett do research about a ton of stuff that she needs information on, some of them are crazy and makes me think that writers have some serious issues. Everett on the other hand seems to love doing it.

I almost can’t believe this is the same guy I know. Or not know. Since I really didn’t seem to know much about him. Then again I guess the sentiment goes both ways.

My phone starts ringing and everyone’s attention turns to me. Carl frowns.

“I swear to God Zach, I will smash your phone the next time that happens,” He says pointedly.

I just give him a grin and lift my phone to check who is calling. My skin goes cold as I see the name. I try to keep my face completely neutral as I turn to them.

“I need to take this,” I tell Carl seriously. I don’t know what he sees on my face, but he gives me a curt nod. I move to the backstage and take the call.

“Zachary.” The voice is still the same. Cold and biting. I try to feel my breathing.

“Father, why are you calling?” I ask sharply.

“You will come home tomorrow. We have guests in the evening.” It isn’t a request but a command. A command that I don’t want to follow.

“No.” I tell him.

“You will. You should know by now that refusing me is never a good thing Zachary.” Before I could say anything more the call cuts. I know. And I know it well what refusing my father will do. It’s pathetic that even after breaking away from those chains I am still the same. I know I will have to go. It won’t matter, it’s just a few hours. It will be over soon.

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