8.

The next morning, I was somehow in a good mood, nothing could get me down today, not even Charles and his little antics. I got out of bed and go straight downstairs; Charles is sleeping on the couch, which is odd because I could have sworn, I left him in his room last night and Charles made a vow a few years to never sleep on the couch and he hasn't until now. I walk over to the couch, tap his shoulder, and whisper his name, but he doesn't respond.

"Charles," I call out.

"Charles?" I call out again, a little louder.

"Dante!" I yell, he jumps and looks around before his eyes land on me and he lies back down and groans in frustration.

"What is wrong?" he asks groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"What are you doing on the couch?" I ask, his face falls and I immediately can tell that something is wrong. He sits up straight on the couch and I jump over the couch and sit beside him, preparing for a dramatic sob story.

"Damien ditched me last night,"

That doesn't sound like Damien.

"Why?" I ask curiously, "That doesn't sound like something he would."

"For his best friend, Nikki's bodyguard. We were supposed to go out last night, but he said he wanted to see his best friend before that, I agreed, and he said he'd be back before nine and he never showed up and now it's past seven in the morning," he explains, with tears filling his eyes.

I take a deep breath, taking my time to process the information, however, I hate seeing Charles cry, I just hope Damien has a good reason why he is late.

"Charles, you know how fondly Damien spoke about his best friend, he said he hasn't seen the guy in ages and probably lost track of time, you and I used to do that a lot, you'd ditch dates to come to spend time with me when I was having a bad day. I'm sure he's sorry and on his way home right now," Charles looks at me with wide eyes.

"What?"

"You never cease to amaze me, James, that's the most insightful thing you've said in years. That woman really did humble you,"

I roll my eyes, "Not everything is about that woman Dante, I'm just being a good friend."

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you Xander, but I just wish he would have called and told me,"

"I know but I am sure he has a reasonable explanation,"

Charles pretends to gag and laughs, "Gosh, you are being nice is weird."

And like clockwork, Damien walks through the door looking hungover and scared, he should be scared, Charles is Latino and angry.

"I am so sorry baby," is the first thing Damien says as he kneels in front of Charles. I get up from the couch and walk to the kitchen to make myself some tea.

"Why?" he asks as he folds his arms.

Oh boy, I hope he doesn't say anything stupid to set him off.

"I shouldn't have ditched you last night, I should have called you, but I just lost track of time," he says.

Poor Damien looks like he's about to cry, see I do have some sympathy.

Charles places his hand on Damien's cheek.

"Oh baby, it's okay. I'm not mad anymore," Charles says, he kisses his lips.

Damien looks at Charles shocked, "Are you sure?"

Charles nods, Damien smiles and they share another kiss, Damien gets on top of Damien and pushes him down onto his back on the couch.

"Alrighty then," I say loudly, interrupting their make-out session before getting more heated.

"Really Xander? If you don't want to join in on the fun, then you should leave," he says glaring at me.

"I'll leave thank you very much. I'm going to the gym." I say, I finish my cup of tea and make my way up the stairs and change my clothes and grab my gym bag.

I go back downstairs and there is a trail of clothing leading to Charles's room and I've only been gone for five minutes, I grab my car keys and head down to the garage and there sits my precious baby, my 2030 limited edition Porsche, designed by yours truly, for yours truly, the best car technology has birthed. It was assembled in South Africa; therefore, it can only be driven in South Africa, those are the laws and I respect that.

I get in my car, throw my bag in the passenger seat and press the start button and the engine roars, I reverse the car and just as I am about to drive off, Charles jumps in front of the car.

"Are you out of your mind?" I yell as I roll down the window, he walks to the window.

"Show some dignity and respect Charles, we live with other people,"

"Nothing they haven't seen before and besides, it gives them something to talk about," Charles says, "Anyway, Nikki called, and she wants to talk, she'll call back, she didn't say when though," he says.

He throws my phone on my lap and walks away, I sigh and put my phone in my gym bag, and I continue out of the multistorey car park and get into the main road. The drive to the gym is short and sweet but finding a parking space wasn't, it was unnecessarily crowded. I finally find a spot and throw on my hoodie and cover my head and step out of the car and make a beeline for the entrance, within a few seconds I'm surrounded by paparazzi.

"Shit," I mumble but I keep my head down and push through the crowd and make it inside the gym, where there is surprisingly a small number, I look around and spot her, Miss Nikki Abrahams, standing by the treadmills, in cycle shorts and a matching bra, her hair is in a high ponytail, her hourglass figure and big ass, okay just hold up.

"Focus, Andy."

I quickly walk past her, keeping my head down and go to the weights section of the gym. After thirty minutes of stretching and weightlifting, I decided to move to the treadmill, Nikki seems to have left and I get on one and run 10km and then it was time for yoga. I walk into the class and roll my mat at the back of the class, few minutes into the class, I spot Nikki and her voluptuous ass, I nearly fall over when I decide to pretend to take a call, I pick up my bag and leave. I rush to my car and get in, I punch the steering wheel and start the engine, making home in record time.

I open the front door to find clothes scattered on the floor.

"Charles," I yell, I hear scrambling and down comes Charles but naked.

"What do you -, Woah, are you sporting semi?" he points out.

I groan in annoyance, "Clean this mess up."

"Good grief," I whisper to myself. I quickly rush to my room, banging on the door, I throw my bag on the floor and get into the bathroom, I turn on the cold water, take my clothes off and jump in.

I didn't realise the boner in my pants until Charles pointed it out, I had been thinking of her this whole time and I hadn't realized it, Dad was right, women are poison.

As the cold water eases the tension, I begin by washing my hair and then my body, I finish taking my shower and I step out of the bathroom, to find Charles sitting on my bed with his legs crossed, he's in therapy mode.

"What do you want?" I ask walking to my closet.

"Just wanted to check in on you," he says, I feel his eyes on me burning a hole in the back of my head.

"Dante, stop," I say, I pull out a suit and shirt and place in on the bed.

"You saw her at the gym, didn't you?" he asks.

"No," I turn back to my closet not wanting to look at him as I tried to lie and weasel out of the conversation.

"James,"

"Fine, I did," I sigh, "Satisfied."

"Yes, and did you talk to her?"

I look at him, "No, of course not."

"Xander, you need to stop fighting this," Charles begs," I beg, "You'll drive yourself crazy and maybe hurt yourself."

"Charles, you don't get it, if I give in, I'll fall weak to my knees and she'll most likely ruin me and then, I'll get hurt and you know how that'll end," I explain, "I'll be a mess."

"Loving someone will not make you weak, it only makes you stronger Xander, you need a woman like Nikki in your life man,"

"I've been doing just fine without one, why would I need one now?"

Charles slumps over, "You're nothing without love, Andy."

That was so cheesy.

"You watch way too many romance movies," I chuckle.

Charles gets off my bed and looks at me with disappointment in his green eyes, "I'm trying here Xander, and you're not even trying to meet me halfway. You're on your own from now on."

He leaves my room and I let out a sigh of relief, usually, in a moment like this, the main character of a gripping story would have an epiphany, but this is real life, and I am stubborn as hell, there is no lightbulb moment.

I walk to the bathroom and blow dry my hair, styling it the usual way, I get back into the bedroom and put on my Armani navy blue suit, with a white shirt and navy tie and black dress shoes. I pick up my briefcase and phone and make my way downstairs.

I smell breakfast and I walk into the kitchen Damien is eating an apple, while texting on his phone.

"Damien," I greet, he looks up at me and smiles.

"Hey, I made breakfast, hope you don't mind,"

"Not at all, it looks good," I reply, "Where is Charles though?"

"On the phone with his mom," Damien puts his phone and apple down and dishes bacon and eggs, with toast.

"Can we talk Xander?"

"Yeah sure, what's up?" I ask, he pours me a cup of coffee and he sits down beside me.

"Xander, in the time that I've known you, I've grown to love you just as much as Charles has and as much as it pains you to hear this, Charles has a point, you can't keep suppressing your feelings," he says.

He wasn't lying when he said it would be painful, I thought he was on my side.

"I'll be okay Damien," I say sipping on my coffee.

"No, you won't, you're going to see her in more than an hour and not physically or mentally prepared to see her as well as you think. I've been in your shoes, and it can turn ugly real fast Xander, believe me."

"What do you mean?" I ask curiously.

"Ever watched the show Obsession: Dark desires, it's not pretty," he says with a shudder.

Images of me in an insane asylum and jail pop up in my head and I can't help but shudder too, I have to be honest, I don't know how to handle the situation, but I think I can trust Damien.

"Look, honestly, I don't know what to do Dae, I've never been with a woman, let alone a situation like this," I reply nervously, "I'm clueless."

"Don't worry, I'll help you, you just have to promise to keep an open mind and I will promise not to tell Charles," he winks and gets up from the chair.

"Tell me what?" Charles says as he walks into the kitchen.

"That I've caught of all the Pokémon," Damien lies.

"What?! Xander! Give me the code," Charles gasps.

"Ask Damien," I laugh lightly and dig into my breakfast.

"We need to start getting ready to leave, X will be here in 20 minutes," Damien says.

My stomach is in knots, I don't think I'm ready to see her, not after what happened earlier, nervous is an understatement.