Hello again guys, please continue to email me so I know someone is reading and liking what I'm writing. I also have a playlist of songs that I listen to while writing the chapters if ya'll are interested. I apologize for the delay in chapters but UNIV has me pretty busy this semester. I want to apologize for the delay, I'm in vacation visiting family from out of the country but will continue to write and post in my free time. Hope ya'll had a great holiday and have an awesome new year!

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 I woke up Friday morning to the sound of my phone ringing. Without checking to see who was calling, I groggily answered, "Hello?" 

"Hey, Alex! You up?"

I rubbed my eyes, "Yeah, Sebastian. Guess so. What's up?"

"Well, I wanted to go have breakfast at Denny's today. You up for it?"

I looked at the clock in my room- 9:00AM. I didn't have class today so I had spent Thursday night out drinking with Lea and Ralph. I hadn't counted on waking up at 9:00AM this morning, though. I wasn't counting on being woken up by Sebastian either, really. "Uh, yeah, sure. What time were you thinking?"

I heard him take a second to think. "Well, I was thinking around 10:00 but that might be too early for your lazy ass. Does 10:30 work for you?"

I yawned. "Yeah, 10:30 works for me."

"See you there then, A."

"See you there then, Seb."

I hung up, set my alarm to 9:45AM, and went back to bed.

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By 10:30AM, I was parking outside of Denny's and walked inside. I didn't spend time having to look for Sebastian as he had just exited the restroom as I walked inside.

"Hey, A. I'm sitting in the corner booth to the right."

I smiled and nodded at Sebastian, "Lead the way, Sebby." I turned in time to see a familiar face walking into the restaurant. Realizing it was Lea walking in with what I assume was her boyfriend, I walked to her and hugged her.

"Hey, Lea. What are you doing here?"

"Oh," she looked from me to the guy she was with, smiling, "Hey Alex. I'm on a morning date, actually ha-ha. This is my boyfriend, Wallace."

I shook Wallace's hand and introduced myself. "Nice to meet you, Wallace. Alex here."

"What are you doing here though, Alex?" She looked in the direction of Sebastian, who waved back at her. She waved at him and looked back to me. She leaned into me whispered, "Are you on a date, too?" and winked.

"What? No," I laughed. "Sebastian wanted to get something to eat so we came over here. Completely platonic."

Lea laughed, "Alright. I'll let you get back to your completely platonic date then." I laughed and gave Lea a final hug as I walked back to where Sebastian was sitting.

I joined Sebastian on the right corner booth and while I ordered a water, Sebastian ordered a coke. "You know," I looked at Sebastian as I took a sip from my water, "Drinking too much coke is bad for you, Sebby."

He looked at me and smiled, "So that's it? That's my nickname now, Sebby?"

I winked at him, "Sure, why not? It's that or Sea Bass. What? You don't like it?"

I looked at the way Sebastian crinkled his eyes as he laughed, "Ha-ha, no. It's stupid as fuck!"

I laughed too, "Well then, it's settled. Sebby it is!" Sebastian looked at me and drank more of his coke as he flicked me off. I laughed as I looked around, making sure no one had seen him. We spent a few more minutes joking around, waiting for the waitress to come over and take our order. When she did, both Sebastian and I ordered breakfast- I got a Grand Slamwich and Sebastian got a Moons Over my Hammy. Hearing Sebastian say Moons Over my Hammy made me crack a smile. He saw me and discretely flicked me off again. I smiled even wider. We spent the rest of our time at Denny's eating and joking around. By the time we had received our food and finished, it was already 11:30AM.

"So, Sebby," I smiled as I saw the look he shot me, "What's the plan today or what?"

"Well, fuck face," He smiled as I shot him a look, "I'm free all day actually. I was planning on getting my costume today for Carol's party."

"Ok. One- the nickname I gave you? Yeah, at least mine was endearing, so fuck you. Two- what were you planning on getting?"

Sebastian smiled and drank from his glass. "Well, I was thinking of going as a lumber jack. I got the jeans and tool belt already. I just need to look for a red plaid shirt and maybe a fake beard. You know what? A fake beard might be itchy as fuck. I'll just get a beanie. What about you, FF?"

"I have a red plaid shirt at my place  I can lend you man, no worries." I shot him a questioning look. "Wait. FF?"

Sebastian laughed as he took another sip. "It's short for fuck face."

"Ha-ha, fuck off. Well, I'm going dressed as a-"

"Let me guess," Sebastian interrupted, "A hooker?"

"No, fuck you. I'm going as a-"

"Dildo?"

"No, what the fuck, ha-ha. I'm going as a-"

"Pervert?"

"No! Shut the fuck up!" I laughed, "My budget is kind of tight right now so I'm going as just a skeleton. I'm just painting my face and wearing a hoodie. A good looking skeleton though."

Sebastian laughed. "A good looking skeleton? What the fuck? When have you ever seen a good looking skeleton?"

 "Well," I shot back, "I'm ugly all year round, Sebby. I want to be good looking once a year at least, ha-ha."

"Ha-ha. You aren't ugly, A."

My interest began to peak and I cocked my head. "Wow, thanks, Sebastian. I didn't know you thought I was hot."

"Ha-ha, I didn't say I thought you were hot!"

"Right," I smiled, leaned forward and squinted my eyes, "But you also didn't say I wasn't."

"Ha-ha, fuck off. I'm only saying that because even Emma says you're good looking."

That struck me as odd. Why would Emma and Sebastian be talking about the way I look? "Emma said I was good looking?"

"Yeah, ha-ha. She was wondering what Kass was thinking breaking up with you. I told her I didn't know."

Kass didn't break up with me, I thought. I told you I was breaking up with her the day of the party. I guess you really don't remember what happened that night.

I took a sip from the raspberry tea I had ordered.

"Well?" He asked.

I looked at him. "Well, what?"

"Why did she break up with you, A?"

"She didn't. I broke up with her."

He looked at me. "Really? Why?"

I was not going through this again, I thought.

"We just didn't want the same things."

Yeah, I thought. She wanted me. I wanted you.

"Well that sucks, A. I never liked her anyways."

I laughed, "What the- you were the one that said we were a cute couple! You were the one that said I should ask her out!"

He laughed, "I say a bunch of shit." We both continued to laugh as the waitress came back with our checks.

"So, is it fine if I go over to your place tonight at around six-ish, A?"

I distinctly remember saying seven but what the hell. "Yeah man, that's fine. Don't forget to bring your costume, though." Sebastian and I said goodbye to each other as he drove off to do whatever he needed. Before I even turned my car on, I received a text from Lea asking me to hang out at two. I texted back a yes and drove back to my apartment to nap again before meeting up with her.

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I met Lea at a Starbucks near my apartment at 3:00PM and we greeted each other with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "So Lea," I said, "What did you want to talk about? Your boyfriend?"

"No," She took a sip from the white chocolate mocha she had just bought, "I actually want to talk about yours."

I laughed, "What? I don't have one."

"Oh, please," she smiled and rolled her eyes, "I mean Sebastian. What's going on with him?" I caught her up with what Sebastian and I had talked about and him wanting to spend the night at my place for Carol's birthday party. "Well, I'm going to be real honest with you Alex, because that's the way you and I talk." I appreciated Lea's way of telling someone what they needed to hear without being mean or rude about it. "I kept looking at you and Sebastian together throughout my date this morning. I could see that you really cared about him. If what you're saying about Sebastian wanting to spend more time with you is true, you're the one that's going to get hurt. You might say that you can handle just being friends with him but can you? Choosing not to love someone won't make the heartbreak hurt any less and telling yourself you're over him when you're not won't make it true. I really think you should tell him, Alex."

I remained silent, thinking about what Lea was telling me but looking down, hiding whatever emotion my eyes might hold.

Lea grabbed my hand, "Alex, I saw the way you stared at him when you thought he wasn't looking. I've seen the way your face lights up whenever he's around or someone mentioned his name. I also saw the way you pretended to smile whenever he mentioned Emma or Lily and the way your shoulders sagged when he had to go. I think- I think you should tell him what you're feeling. I think you should tell him what you're feeling for him."

"Lea," I continued to look down, feeling like my heart itself was stuck in my throat, "I can't tell him. I'm- I'm scared it'll change everything between us."

I looked up and saw Lea looking at me, sympathy and understanding in her eyes, "It will. But maybe- maybe that's not a bad thing."

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By 5:00PM, I had received a text from Sebastian asking if he could come over already. I texted back a yes and he was at my door in 15 minutes holding two packs of beer.

"Whoa. A little eager are we, Sebastian?" I laughed as I let him into my apartment. He walked directly to my fridge to store the beers.

"Well, I've been pretty bored today. I have nothing to do other than hang out with you."

"Ha-ha, it's always nice to be your last choice, asshole." Sebastian laughed, walked over to my couch, and sat down.

"So," he said, "Be a good host and put something on, A."

I laughed but did as I was told. I connected my computer to my TV and we streamed Horrible Bosses II. We went through a pack of beer pretty quick and moved on to the second.

Sebastian turned to look at me halfway through the film, "Yo, Alex," he said.

"What's up Sebby?"

"Fuck you." I laughed as Sebastian flicked me off. "I'm fucking starving. What do you have to eat around here?"

"Well, to be honest- nothing." I laughed as Sebastian made a face. "I mean, we can order wings or pizza or something if you want, ha-ha."

"Yeah, that sounds good. Order up a pizza. No, order some wings. No, order up both. I'm fucking starving."

"Ha-ha, fuck. Fine I'll order one medium pizza and an order of wings then." 35 minutes later, both the wings and the pizza were delivered to my apartment.

"Alright! That's what I'm talking about." Sebastian stood up from the couch and helped me bring the food inside. Sebastian sat on the couch, opened the box of pizza and shoved half of a slice into his mouth. "Fuck," he mumbled, "The only thing that would make this better would be some fucking weed."

I smiled at him and shrugged as I grabbed a slice from the box and took a bite.

"Ha-ha, oh don't give me that shit, Alex. Don't tell me you haven't smoked."

I looked at him again and shrugged, taking a sip from my beer.

Sebastian's eyebrows furrowed, "Wait," he said, "You have some with you, don't you?"

I looked at Sebastian, smiled, and shrugged again.

"Fuck, Alex. Bring it out!"

I laughed, "Sebastian, we're going to be partying tomorrow with Carol. You want to party the night before, too?"

"Yeah, why the fuck not?" he asked.

"Isn't that a tad excessive?" Sebastian looked at me like I had just insulted his mother. "Ha-ha, fine." I rolled my eyes. "Let's finish eating first, though." I headed to my room and brought out my glass pipe and the weed I had left.

"That's what I'm talking about, Alex." Sebastian took another large bite of his pizza slice as I put the stuff on my counter.

We finished eating 20 minutes later and I got my pipe and weed ready to use. I had Sebastian take the first hit and pass the pipe to me. As I put the pipe to my lips where Sebastian's had just been, I was taken back to the night he had his lips against my lips. I took a hit, held it, and exhaled into my apartment. I passed the pipe back to Sebastian and looked up something funny for us to watch. I found a Kat Williams stand-up show on Netflix and we watched that as we continued to smoke. I actually had just bought 3 grams from my dealer, so there was a bunch of weed to smoke through as we watched Netflix and laughed our asses off. As my Friday nights go, this was one of the best ones.

Even after the Kat Williams show was over, both Sebastian and I were still pretty high. "Hey, Seb," I said.

"Yeah, A. What's up?"

"Where are Emma and Lily?" I might have been having a great time spending it with Sebastian, but I wasn't stupid. I knew he was only here because Emma and/or Lily were busy or something.

"Oh, them?" He looked over at me, "They're at Emma's mom's place out of town. They've been gone for three days."

The way Sebastian said that made me think that maybe he hadn't been invited. "Hey, no worries. You'll see them soon. For now, here," I handed Sebastian my pipe with fresh weed, "Have another hit." I let Sebastian alone with my pipe as I began to clean up the trash in the living room. I popped open my phone and put on Crying by Aerosmith to distract me while I cleaned. I head banged to the beginning drum solo and grabbed an empty beer bottle as a microphone.

 

 

"There was a time

When I was so broken hearted.

Love wasn't much of a friend of mine."

I did a little spin holding my impromptu microphone. I held it to my mouth with one hand and continued to pick up trash with the other.

"Listen!

All I want is someone I can't resist.

I know all I need to know by the way that I got kissed."

I kept dancing around in my living room as I let the song take over. I could see Sebastian head bang to the song, too. I smiled and raised the volume.

"Now there's not even breathing room

Between pleasure and pain.

Yeah, you cry when we're making love

Must be one and the same."

I got to my kitchen and dropped off all the trash I had gotten into my trashcan. I noticed that some of it fell outside of the trash so I kneeled down and picked it up. As I was getting back up, I heard Sebastian from the other room.

"It's down on me, yeah I got to tell you one thing

 

That's been on my mind- that I got to say.

We're partners in crime, you got that certain something.

What you did to me takes my breath away.

Now the word out on the street is the Devil's in your kiss.

 

If our love goes up in flames- it's a fire I can't resist."

 

I looked at Sebastian with wide eyes. The fucker could sing. I pointed at him with my free hand and Sebastian stood. We both sang along to the next part of the song.

"I was crying when I met you, now I'm trying to forget you.

Your love is sweet misery.

I was crying just to get you, now I'm dying `cause I let you

Do what you do to me."

Damn, I though, we're shredding this song.

I pointed at Sebastian as he gave me the best air guitar solo I had ever seen. Sebastian pointed at me, grabbed an empty bottle of beer near him and spear-headed the next part.

 

"'Cause what you got inside ain't where your love should stay.

Yeah, our love, sweet love, ain't love till you give your heart away."

I walked around my kitchen counter and got closer to Sebastian as we both rocked the fuck out of the ending of the song.

"I was crying when I met you, now I'm trying to forget you.

Your love is sweet misery.

I was crying when I met you, now I'm dying `cause I let you

Do what you do to me."

The ending of the song came way too fast, in my opinion. I looked at Sebastian as we finished the song and couldn't hold in a laugh. "Dude! What. The. Fuck. That was awesome!" I could feel my body vibrate with how excited I was over what had just happened between us two.

"I'm not going to lie. That was fucking awesome!" Sebastian's eyes were barely open- a side effect of all the weed we had been smoking.

"I don't know about you Seb, but we need to do this more often, man."

Sebastian only nodded as he sat back down on my couch and took another hit of my pipe. I sat next to him and took a hit after him. "Yo, Alex."

I exhaled and answered, "What's up, man?"

"You said you had a red plaid shirt for me. Where the fuck is it at?"

I laughed at the randomness of the question. "Dude, did we not just fucking shred an Aerosmith song? Why can't you just appreciate that instead of asking about a fucking shirt?"

"Ha-ha, I don't want to forget, bitch!" I laughed and flicked him off.

"Fine give me one second, asshole."

I came back five minutes later with the plaid shirt and threw it at his face. "Whoops." I laughed

"Fuck you, ha-ha."

I sat down on my floor and prepared to take another hit as Sebastian stood up, grabbed the bottom of his shirt, and pulled up. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at a shirtless Sebastian in front of me- in my apartment. I looked at his fit figure and the light treasure trail running from his navel all the way down past the button of his jeans. I looked at my pipe- what the actual fuck is in this weed? I kept staring at Sebastian's body as he put on the red plaid shirt I lent him and began to button it up. I followed his hand up to the very last button, the final glimpse of his chest disappearing behind the shirt.

"How does it look?"

I gave a nervous laugh, "I can't judge the shirt without seeing the pants." I know. I tried that. I actually tried that.

He laughed. "Well, I don't have my pants with me. You're going to have to imagine them with the tool belt, A."

I looked away and tried to regain my composure. "Well, I'm sure you'll be the best looking lumberjack at Carol's party, Sebastian." I was disappointed when Sebastian decided to keep my shirt on and sit back down. As Sebastian laid back on my couch, I laid down on the floor and stared at my popcorn ceiling. I could see only Sebastian's hand draped over my couch.

"Hey, Seb," I said.

"What's up?"

"Today was good."

"Yeah," Sebastian sighed, "Today was good, A."

That was the last thing I remember before Sebastian and I both fell asleep- him on my couch and me on the floor next to him- Lea's words bouncing around in my head as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.