15 • The Tension

"Um, guys... Everything okay?" Cain asks from the doorway, making me jump. He looks several times from me to Pinky, still almost lying on the desk. I don't know how much he saw, but there's a hint of suspicion in his eyes, "Beau, come have lunch with us. Pinky bought all the food from the restaurant."

"I was thinking of inviting Sam, actually," he says, finally moving. He gets up from the desk and walks around me, careful not to touch me.

"There's enough for everyone," Cain says, grabbing his cell phone to invite Sam, surely, "Everything's fine now, right? Pinky apologized?"

"Cain," Pinky complains, frowning at his friend, "I did. And Beau accepted my apology."

"Right," I nod and take a breath, preparing to make an excuse, but Cain beckons me to come with them and I can't refuse.

My future friendship with Cain means everything to me. He is the most important part of my perfect life in Chicago. If my friendship with him fails, everything else is going to crumble in front of my eyes. Plus, I've never had a best friend that is part of my family, but he will become that and I don't want to lose him. So if I have to play nice with Pinky, I'll do it... even if it means I'm making our future together more likely.

I walk over to Cain's office and sit in one of the chairs while Pinky settles into the couch next to Cain. Sam arrives to our floor and walks over to us. Her hair is still elaborately combed in hundreds of braids and she smiles when she sees me.

"Hi, guys," ahe says, walking over to the unoccupied chair next to me. I reach up to kiss her cheek as I would any woman, ignoring Cain's eyes on me, "What are we having for lunch?"

"I didn't know what you guys like, so I ordered several things," Pinky answers, taking one of the bags of food and pulling out the containers. There are pastas, sandwiches and salads to choose from, "And this is for Beau."

He throws a bag of tortilla chips at my head, but I manage to intercept it before it hits me.

"Nah, I prefer the fettuccine," I say and get up to snatch the container off his lap before he can react.

"Hey!" he complains, reaching out, "I bought that for myself! You weren't even invited to this lunch."

"Don't be rude, Timothy, I'd hate to have to tell your mother," I scoff, aware that he's a second away from lunging at me to break my neck.

"For God's sake, stop it," Cain groans, shaking his head and clutching his sandwich, "I thought you two had gotten over this... animosity between you."

"Animosity? I'd call it... sexual tension," Sam mutters under her breath, playing with a salad. My mouth drops open but I stop myself before I let out a sound that gives Pinky even more proof that I hate him, "What? I was joking."

"It wasn't funny," I mumble and open the container slowly. I can feel Pinky's eyes on me and I have to stop myself from smiling. I don't even like Alfredo, but I know how much Pinky hates sharing food, "After that touching apology, I thought everything was fine between us? can't we share food, now that we're friends?"

"No. You can eat anything else," he complains, looking from me to Cain as if he expects to be saved, "It's not personal, I don't like to share."

"That's true, he has issues with that. He's an only child," comments Cain after a bite, "Beau, just give him his fettuccine. It's obvious you just want to mess with him."

"Give it to me," Pinky orders, and I have no choice but to give it to him. Sam hands me another sandwich and for a few seconds, we all eat in silence, "Mmm, it's delicious."

"I don't care, I don't even like it," I admit and then I realize I'm acting like a child, but I can't help but laugh when his mouth drops open, "You need to relax, Pinky. Anyone would say you're the homophobic one. If I were gay, that is."

"You had to make it clear that you're not, didn't you?" he rolls his eyes and shakes his head, "So predictable."

"Although..." I start, looking up as if I'm remembering something, "That kiss with Dylan was spectacular."

"Ew," Cain lets out immediately, but it's Pinky's reaction that interests me. Even now, when we're absolutely nothing, he feels jealous, "If you're going to be gay for someone, let it not be him. Please."

"He just wants to annoy me," Pinky mutters, not moving a muscle. All his attention is on me.

And even though I hate him, all my attention is on him.

"I don't know, Dylan is super cute," Sam adds and my eyes fly to Cain. Just as I expected, he lowers his sandwich like someone shot him in the chest, "I know you hate him, but in an objective way... he's hot."

Sam gives me a mischievous look while Cain is in emotional shock and I can't help the little laugh that comes out of me.

"But who's sexier?" Pinky asks suddenly, "Dylan or Cain?"

"Cain," I answer, winking at my friend to make him feel better. Although my answer is not what he expects but Sam's. Of course.

"U-uh," my poor friend stutters. And she's in trouble, because despite her dark complexion, her face turns visibly very red, "I think... Cain."

Just like that, Cain is happy again.

"Dylan or me?" Pinky asks again, and I don't need to see him to know he's waiting for my answer.

"Dylan, I'm sorry," I answer, even though I know it's a lie. If I have to fuck a man or die, I guess I'd rather it was Pinky.

But that doesn't mean I want to.

"You, baby, a thousand times," Cain answers easily, "Beau is Canadian, they have bad taste over there."

That manages to break the tension a little and make us laugh, but I can feel that Pinky is still tense because of my answer. His eating movements are aggressive and he keeps giving me quick glances that I pretend not to notice.

➿➿➿

After we finish eating and Pinky leaves the office, I try to guess what will happen, instead of accessing that place in my brain.

My guess is that he'll find an excuse tomorrow to come back and keep bugging me until he can find my secret. That makes me laugh.

I must admit, Pinky is a hell of a lot smarter than anyone else I've ever come across. It only took one look from me that he didn't like for him to realize that I'm hiding a secret and it has to do specifically with him. But even though he's close, I'm not afraid he might find me out, I know he never could.

Even if he tried to accuse me that I can see the future, I would just have to laugh at him and deny it.