DISCLAIMER: This story will include scenes involving sex between young men and adult language. If you do not like or are offended by such things or are under age wherever you are reading this then please leave now.
This work is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission.
This is pure fiction. No one in this story is a real person, living or deceased, and any resemblance as such is purely coincidental.
Characters in this story may partake in bareback sex, please remember that this is fiction and in the real world precautions should be taken to ensure everyone's safety. Please use protection.
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Tyler – Part 9
The Aftermath
The sun woke Tyler from the best night sleep he could remember. He had never felt so content and comfortable as he did feeling Joe's warm body next to his.
As he opened his eyes and immediately closed them against the bright rays of the sun coming in through the gap in the curtains, he began to stretch, pushing his shoulders back. He didn't expect the jolt of pain that ran through his abs or the light throbbing in his biceps, legs and the mounds of his muscular ass from what was the most intense sex of his life. Even his dick was tender, hard and leaking against his belly.
"Fuck..." he muttered under his breath.
He rolled onto his back and pressed his head against the pillow, remembering everything that had happened the night before; knowing that every ache and pain he felt was worth it, that he had given everything he had to make the sex with Joe the best he possibly could, even pushing himself beyond his usual limits. And it was amazing. Holding Joe so close, feeling his body react, moving with him to bring them both such pleasure. He had never cum so hard in his life or had a more overwhelming orgasm.
A smile swept across his face and he turned to look at Joe, wanting to see the gorgeous guy lying next to him who had made him feel better than ever before.
There was no one there.
The bed beside him was empty.
Tyler quickly sat up and looked across to the other bed, his, but Joe wasn't in that either.
"Joe?" Tyler called out, looking now at the open bathroom door. "Joe?"
He waited a moment, expecting Joe to walk out or at least give a sign that he was there, but he was met with complete silence.
With his heart suddenly beating hard in his chest, Tyler jumped up from the bed and ran the few feet to the bathroom. It was empty too, with not even a hint that anyone had been in there.
Going back into the bedroom he looked around again, noticing more this time. Joe's shoes were gone, as were his wallet and phone, both of which had been on the desk overnight.
"Fuck..." Tyler panted under his breath, looking all around in the vain hope that he had missed something. He hadn't. Joe was gone.
Making his way back to the bathroom he turned on the cold water in the sink and splashed some on his face. It was like a slap, sending a shiver straight through him and getting rid of any residual sleep there was left hanging over him.
He put his hands down on either side of the basin and stared into his own eyes. He didn't know what to think. Why wasn't Joe there? Where was he? What was HE thinking?
"Oh shit..." Tyler groaned, putting his face in his hands.
Alex had warned him what could happen with guys who thought they were straight, but he had still expected Joe to be there. He had thought they would wake up together, smile at each other, kiss for a moment and then he would work his way down Joe's body, licking any and every part of him he could until he got to his morning wood, taking it into his mouth and bringing Joe to his climax yet again before pushing his legs apart and sliding inside him once more to start another amazing session.
But he was alone.
He quickly grabbed his phone from the nightstand and dialled Joe's number, holding his breath as he listened to it ring, waiting to hear Joe's voice. Instead the line went dead. Joe had rejected the call.
Any hope he had clung onto dropped heavily into the pit of his stomach and he felt like he was going to throw up. He gasped for breath, forgetting that he hadn't been breathing, and fell back onto the bed.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" he cursed, pounding his fist into the mattress.
When he sat up again he felt like crying. What if he had ruined everything? What if Joe would never speak to him again?
Burying his face in his hands once more, he tried to think. He knew Joe, they were best friends. What would he do? How would he react?
Tyler's eyes went wide and he gasped, jumping to his feet. He ran to the window and looked down into the parking lot. The space where Joe's car had been was empty.
"No!" Tyler screamed, panicking as he grabbed the nearest clothes he could find, barely pulling them on before he threw the door open and ran down into the lot.
He spun around frantically, looking one way and then the next, checking every car to see if Joe had just parked in a different spot. He hadn't. The car was gone and so was Joe.
Dialling Joe's number again got the same response and the third attempt told him the phone was now switched off.
"FUCK!" Tyler screamed, almost throwing his phone against the ground in anger but managing to hold back. Tears were welling up behind his eyes.
Everything about the night before had been perfect; getting to be with Joe, getting to do all of the things he had dreamed about with him, and not having to force himself on him, not really, having him as a willing participant wanting to get fucked. But this was a nightmare, the furthest thing from what he wanted. Joe hadn't just rejected the calls, he had rejected him. He had left Tyler two hundred miles from home with no idea what to do or where to go.
Tyler punched his leg, grimacing at the pain as his already sore muscle took the blow. He didn't want to believe that this was it, that after so many years of friendship he had ruined things with Joe by not being able to keep his lust in check and his dick in his pants. He felt like his life was over. Joe wouldn't be his best friend anymore. When his parents found out they would hate him and would probably kick him out. His teammates would turn their backs on him and his dreams of playing in the professional leagues would be gone for one night of fun.
Something inside him, some deep denial, couldn't accept that Joe had left. He kept looking around for the car, double and triple checking before his feet carried him over to the door of the breakfast room. He pushed it open and peered inside, still stupidly hoping to see Joe sat at a table with a plate of eggs in front of him, a smile on his face as he motioned for Tyler to join him. Instead all he saw were three old women deep in conversation and a family of four plotting the journey they were about to take on a map. He sighed, closing his eyes, and bit his bottom lip. Despite the grumble his stomach gave at the smell of the food he turned around, heading back to his room.
Even though he knew better he still paused at the door before sliding his key into the reader, praying for Joe to be on the other side, still in bed or waiting to talk.
When the door swung open and the room was still empty a tear escaped from Tyler's eye and ran down his cheek. The lump in his throat was so big and painful he thought he might choke on it. Part of him wished he could.
He took three small steps into the room and gently pushed the door shut behind him. He wanted to completely fall apart, to throw himself down on the bed and cry into the pillow, but he couldn't do it; he wouldn't let himself. He didn't let anyone or anything beat him. He had to fix this somehow.
Taking a deep breath he thought about what Joe might do and then walked over to the closet, throwing the doors open. Joe's clothes were still there hanging beside his, as was the bag he had brought them in, tossed on the bottom with a second pair of shoes. That meant one of two things; either Joe intended to come back to get them or he was in such a rush to get out of there that he simply forgot or just didn't care.
Tyler was amazed he hadn't heard anything and that Joe was able to get up, get dressed and leave before he woke up. He had been so comfortable and content in his sleep, knowing that his dream was not some far off fantasy that would never happen but a mental recording of the night before, that he hadn't wanted to wake up.
He stood looking around the room, trying to picture what Joe had done that morning, but he couldn't. In his mind they woke up in each other's arms, happy, and made love until they had to check out the next day. The reality had been different...
What Happened
Tyler was lying on the bed with his arm thrown over Joe's firm chest, holding him close, a smile of pure joy spread across his face even in sleep.
Joe began to stir, his eyes fluttering open, looking around, trying to make sense of where he was. He relaxed momentarily when he remembered and then his eyes snapped open, feeling the strong arm wrapped around his chest, and he gasped from the ache in his asshole, something he had never experienced before.
When he tried to move from under the arm he felt the grip tighten and turned his head to see Tyler's smiling, sleeping face beside him. Then he felt the hard, pulsing shaft of Tyler's cock nestled between his ass cheeks and his hole puckered with want and need. He remembered. Tyler had fucked him. He had played his body like a musical instrument until he heard the sound he wanted and then he slid his dick into Joe's virgin ass and fucked him out of his mind.
Joe could still remember the feelings; how his body had trembled under Tyler's touch, how electricity had surged through him making every inch of his body tingle, how Tyler's cock had rubbed that spot inside him that sent shockwaves to his brain and made his dick explode like never before. He had been overwhelmed by pleasure.
His asshole puckered again at the memory and he almost reached down to wrap his fingers around Tyler's cock, moving it into position so he could push back and it would be inside him, massaging that spot again. But he couldn't. The fact that he had liked the feeling and wanted it again disgusted him. He wasn't gay. He liked girls not guys. He wanted pussy not dick. He didn't know what he was thinking when he gave in to Tyler but he couldn't do it again. He had to get out of there or he might push back and he was afraid of what that meant.
Looking down at the hand on his chest, Joe reached up and took it in his, lacing their fingers together. Tyler's fingers immediately wrapped around his in a tight hold but the arm relaxed enough for him to be able to manoeuvre himself out from under it. When his body was free he slowly pulled his fingers from Tyler's and lowered the arm down to the bed carefully, not wanting to wake Tyler or have to deal with what might happen next.
When he was on his feet beside the bed he stood still for a moment, not really knowing what to do. He stared down at Tyler, who lay naked on the bed, his cock as hard as the muscles that ran up and down his body. Joe still couldn't believe that they had fucked, that the dick he was looking at had been inside him, it didn't seem real. He couldn't have wanted it. He wasn't in to guys. But he hadn't been drinking either, which meant he was sober and conscious when he begged Tyler to slide that big dick inside him and fuck him until they both came. He looked down at himself, at his own dick, still hard and throbbing itself, and at his abs. He saw white blotches all over his stomach and chest, covering him. He couldn't believe how much there was, that it could all be his, but Tyler hadn't pulled out, the cum that covered him had shot from his own cock in the biggest load of his life while Tyler was inside him.
It was too much. He had to get out. He felt like the walls were pressing in on him and the room was getting hotter by the second.
He grabbed the clothes he wore the day before as quickly as he could, not caring that they were sweaty, and was just about to pull them on when he felt something strange on the back of his leg. He reached down to touch his hamstring, feeling some kind of liquid, and then brought his finger closer to his face so he could see it.
His stomach twisted and he thought he was going to throw up. He ran into the bathroom and bent over the toilet only to spin around to sit down on it. His mind couldn't seem to process what was happening and he buried his face in the palms of his hands but deep down he knew that it was a mixture of Tyler's cum and lube that was leaking out of him.
That thought did it. It was more than he could handle. As soon as the flow stopped and he had wiped himself clean, he pulled on the clothes, grabbed his phone, car keys and wallet and ran out the door, only stopping it from slamming behind him so he didn't wake Tyler. He needed time to think, to figure out where his head was and what he thought about what had happened before he could look into the eyes of the guy who had fucked him. He wasn't sure he would ever be able to do that.
Tyler had been his best friend but they had crossed a line they could never go back over. As Joe opened his car door and slipped into the driver's seat he realized something else; he hadn't just let Tyler fuck him, Tyler had wanted to, he had actively gone after him, ignoring his protests as he used skills he could only have learnt from being with other guys before. Tyler knew what he was doing. What did that mean? What did that make him? Was he gay? Had he wanted Joe all along?
Too many thoughts were running around in Joe's head and he needed to clear it, to get away so he could try to forget about everything that had happened. He put the key in the ignition, started the engine and drove off with no idea where he was going; all he knew was that he needed to be as far away from Tyler as possible.
"What the fuck am I going to do?" Tyler asked himself as he paced back and forth in the motel room, looking out of the window every few minutes in case Joe pulled back into his spot.
He was tempted to call home, to call Joe's mom to ask if he had turned up there, but he couldn't. If he told them Joe wasn't with him and might have abandoned him they would want to know why and would ask questions. He could never tell them what had happened. He had to wait for Joe to come back, but how long would that take, if he ever did?
He brought Joe's number up on his phone and stared at it for about ten seconds before hitting the dial button. Once again he got a message saying that the phone was switched off and to try again later. He threw the phone down onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The room suddenly felt tiny and hot. His breathing slowed down until it was little more than a few gasping pants every few seconds and his head was spinning, his vision blurring. He needed air.
Without even realizing it he grabbed his phone off the bed and the key card from the desk and ran out of the room, bracing himself on the railing of the walkway outside. He took in deep breaths, trying to fill his lungs with the warm ocean breeze, and glanced up at the blue sky and bright sun shining down on him. The beautiful day was in complete contrast to how he felt inside.
When he had calmed down and his body relaxed, his knuckles were white from gripping the railing, he looked over at the door and shuddered. He couldn't go back in there, not yet. It was like the scene of a crime, only there wasn't a dead body behind that door, killed in the heat of passion, there was just a bed with stained sheets and the constant reminder that it might not have just been Joe's ass he fucked but their entire relationship.
While his mind was still going over everything in his head, waging a war inside his skull between remembering the pleasure of the night before and worrying about the nightmare that could be about to unfold, his body had started to move.
He walked away from the motel, passing hundreds of people all getting ready for another great day of fun and parties on the beach, barely registering any of their faces because none of them was Joe's. Even though there was a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach over a possible confrontation he still wanted to see him, to talk to him, to work something out so they could continue on as friends if nothing else, but still hoping for more now that door had been opened.
It wasn't until Tyler was standing in front of a now familiar condo that he stopped walking and took in his surroundings.
"Tyler?" a voice questioned from behind him.
Tyler spun around to see a puzzled Jackson walking toward him, carrying two paper bags full of groceries.
"Hey," Tyler replied, with barely any enthusiasm or emotion.
"What are you doing here?" Jackson asked, curiously.
"I, erm... I just..." Tyler mumbled.
"What's happened?" Jackson asked, concerned.
"Nothing," Tyler said, looking at anything but Jackson's eyes, still scared that his own eyes would give away what he was thinking.
"When are you going to stop lying to me?" Jackson asked.
"I'm not lying," Tyler weakly protested.
"Really?" Jackson said. "Then why are you wearing the same clothes you wore last night?"
"What?" Tyler gulped, looking down at his outfit.
Jackson's voice softened. "Tyler... You're obviously here because you want to talk, so talk. What happened?"
Tyler opened his mouth to reply but then he turned away. "I can't tell you," he said. It didn't feel right to talk about Joe if he wasn't there. It felt like he was betraying his trust because Joe wouldn't want anyone to know about what they did. He felt like he would be outing him against his will.
Jackson quickly put the grocery bags down on the sidewalk and grabbed Tyler's arm, stopping him from walking away. He spun him around so they were eye-to-eye.
"This is about Joe, isn't it?" Jackson asked, putting his hand on Tyler's shoulder. Tyler nodded but didn't speak. Jackson went on, "Did something happen with him?"
"Yes," Tyler said, and then before Jackson could speak he continued in a single breath, "and now he's gone and I don't know where and he's taken the car so I might be stranded here with no way to get home but then he's left some of his things so he might be coming back but I don't know because he ran out of the room and he won't answer his phone and now he might hate me."
"Whoa, slow down a second," Jackson said. "I only caught about half of that. What happened? Did he find out you like him?"
"Oh shit, that's what he'll think," Tyler gasped, not having really thought about that before; he had only concentrated on the fact that they had sex, on their families or teammates finding out, not that Joe would know he liked guys and would think he was gay. He had essentially come out to Joe and now he started to panic.
Jackson heard the change in Tyler's breathing as the air caught in his chest and he began to hyperventilate.
"Okay, you're coming inside," Jackson said, guiding Tyler into the condo and sitting him down on a stool by the breakfast bar. He quickly got Tyler a glass of water and made him drink it while he rubbed his back. "It's okay."
Tyler nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating on getting his breathing under control. When he opened his eyes again Jackson was unpacking the two grocery bags into the refrigerator.
"How did you...?" Tyler began to ask. "You left those bags outside."
Jackson chuckled. "Man, you really zoned out there, didn't you? After I gave you the water I went back out to get them."
Tyler was amazed. He couldn't remember Jackson leaving his side. He looked up at the guy he had only known for a couple of days and wondered why he wanted to open up and tell him everything, but then he realized it was because he could. Jackson wasn't from their town, he didn't know anyone who knew them, he didn't even know their last names. He could speak freely and not fear the repercussions.
"Are you okay now?" Jackson asked, as he put the last of the groceries away and poured them both a cup of coffee, sliding a pastry in front of Tyler as he took a bite of one himself.
"I think so," Tyler smiled.
Jackson asked. "You said Joe left. What do you mean?"
Tyler looked like he was ready to cry again. "I woke up this morning and he was gone. He wasn't in our room and his car isn't where he parked it. He's driven off and left me here. For all I know he's gone back home."
"Why would he do that?" Jackson asked.
Tyler paused, "I shouldn't be talking about this." He shifted uncomfortably on the stool, starting to get up.
Jackson put his hand on Tyler's strong forearm and gave it a squeeze. "Tyler, whatever it was can't be that bad. He'll come back. Best buds don't just abandon each other."
"What if we're not best buds anymore?" Tyler asked. "What if I've ruined it?"
"How would you do that?" Jackson questioned.
"I fucked him," Tyler barked, almost bitterly.
Jackson almost choked on the food he was eating. He gasped for air and pounded his fist on his chest to try to make the food he had just swallowed whole go down.
"I'm sorry, you what?" Jackson asked after a long drink of water, thinking he hadn't heard correctly.
Tyler looked down almost as if he was ashamed. He lowered his voice, "I fucked him."
"Holy shit! Are you serious?" Jackson gasped.
Tyler nodded and with insistent urging from Jackson gave a brief recap of what had been a dream night until he woke up in a much harsher reality.
"What do I do now?" Tyler asked.
"There's not a lot you can do. Sometimes fantasies don't work out the same way in real life as they do in our heads," Jackson said sadly. "A lot of it is wishful thinking and most wishes never come true."
"I should have just pretended to be asleep and let him jerk off," Tyler cursed. "Then none of this would be happening."
"Tyler, you've got to give yourself a break," Jackson said. "The way you described it to me he didn't exactly try to fight you off. You gave him more than one chance to stop and push you away but he didn't. You didn't rape him, you had sex with him. He wanted it too. He enjoyed it."
"But..." Tyler tried to protest but Jackson cut him off.
"No, just listen," Jackson said. "It happened, okay? It's something you're both going to have to deal with. The thing is, Tyler, you knew you had those feelings before last night. You've come to terms with the fact that you like guys, whatever that makes you. But until you fucked him Joe thought he was straight. He might still be straight and he's confused as hell right now because of what happened. He might just need some time to think to decide how he feels and where he stands."
Tyler nodded. "I hate this. I just hope that if nothing is going to happen between us again that we can still be friends."
"That's possible," Jackson said. "In fact it's likely to be one of those two reactions, but prepare yourself for the fact that neither of those could happen. I've had sex with a few straight guys and each one has acted differently. For one it completely changed the way he looked at himself and he came out a few months later. Another hates me and has never spoken to me again. And of the three I still talk to, who all still consider themselves straight; one is fine with me but doesn't want to ever talk about it, one just puts it down as a one-off experience that happened and he's cool with it, and the other still has sex with me when he's between girlfriends and in need of a good fuck."
Tyler was about to reply when one of Jackson's buddies walked in the front door with a case of beer under each arm.
"I hope you are ready to party again tonight, Jax," the guy said, hauling the cases onto the kitchen counter. He spotted Tyler and nodded in his direction. "Hey kid, what are you doing here? I saw your buddy out on the beach. I wondered why you weren't with him."
"What?" Tyler said, jumping to his feet. "Joe's on the beach?"
"Yeah, he was hanging out by the bar they have set up over there with some girl draped all over him. You should go join him. It's the last day of Spring Break, you're guaranteed to get lucky tonight," the guy chuckled as he headed off into another room.
"Tyler..." Jackson said, hopping down off his own stool as Tyler made his way toward the door. "Hold on."
Tyler stopped in the doorway and turned to look back at Jackson. "What?"
"You don't want to rush into anything," Jackson said. "Confronting him right now might do more harm than good."
"I have to at least find him," Tyler said urgently, turning back around.
"Why?" Jackson called out, stopping Tyler in his tracks again.
"Because I need to see him," Tyler said. "I need to be sure he's there, that he hasn't left."
"And if he is there? What are you going to do?" Jackson asked.
"I don't know," Tyler admitted. "But if he's still here there's a chance things will be okay."
Tyler turned and was out of the door before Jackson could reply. He walked quickly down the street, setting a pace that was almost a jog, and was nearly at the beach before Jackson caught up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder and forcing him to slow down.
"What?" Tyler snapped, looking over his shoulder.
"You need to stop for a second and calm down. Take a deep breath," Jackson replied. "It's like you're got some urgent deadline you need to meet. What are you going to do? Charge over there and confront him in front of hundreds of people? Let everyone know that you fucked him last night?"
A girl who was walking past gasped and turned to look at them in horror. When they both glared at her she continued on.
"The last thing you want to do right now is cause a scene," Jackson said. "You don't know what Joe is thinking. He ran from you for a reason. He's not ready to deal with this."
"What the fuck do you know?" Tyler spat.
"A lot more than you do you hot-headed little shit," Jackson fired back. Tyler was taken aback but Jackson continued. "I shouldn't give two fucks about you. I've only known you for a couple of days and we'll probably never see each other again, but I can't let you make the same mistake I did."
"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.
"That straight guy I told you about that I had sex with who hates me and won't talk to me anymore... That was my best friend. That was the guy I cared about more than anyone else in the world, who I thought would be there for me no matter what," Jackson confessed. "But he couldn't handle it. He blamed me for it happening, said I forced myself on him, even though he was the one in the driver's seat if you get what I mean."
Tyler nodded, "He topped you."
"Yes," Jackson confirmed. "And believe me, not even a little blue pill can fake how much he was into it. But I didn't give him space to process it afterwards. I didn't give him a chance to think. I convinced myself that he was gay and would be in love with me. I saw what I wanted and I tried to push it on him, but he rejected it and me. Don't do that to Joe. I haven't spoken to David in three years and the last time I saw him he wouldn't even look at me."
Tyler could see the pain in Jackson's eyes just recalling those events. He didn't want that kind of regret in his own life. He inhaled deeply, trying to get control over his erratic breathing and to slow down his pounding heart.
"I just... I don't... Oh fuck..." Tyler stammered.
"I'm sure things will be fine for you," Jackson tried to comfort him. "Just don't push the issue. Let him talk to you about it in his own time."
Tyler nodded and then turned his attention to the beach. He crossed the road and stepped through one of the arches in the trees onto the golden sand. It was a gorgeous day with the sun shining down on so many great shirtless male bodies or the sexy curves of girls in skimpy bikinis. On any other day this would have felt like heaven to Tyler but he was caught in purgatory on a day when everything was perfect but he wasn't allowed to enjoy it.
Turning his head one way and then the next, Tyler scanned the beach for the bar Jackson's friend had talked about. At first he didn't see it, only spotting a couple of lifeguard stands sticking up above the crowds, but then he caught sight of a wooden hut a few hundred feet down the sand with the top of one wall removed; that had to be it.
As they started walking towards it, Jackson was looking around taking in the sights. "Would you look at some of these guys? I wish we were here another week. We could both get so much ass."
Tyler looked back at Jackson and couldn't help but smile. "You mean you didn't get enough last night when that huge guy was fucking you and your buddy."
Jackson's mouth dropped open. "You saw that?"
"You weren't exactly quiet and I was looking for the bathroom," Tyler said.
"Damn, you should have joined in," Jackson smiled. "There were two asses to fuck, or you could have climbed on top and let him have a go at yours too."
"That's exactly why I didn't join you," Tyler said.
"Did he scare you?" Jackson smirked.
"No," Tyler said. "But I don't just let anyone fuck me."
Jackson feigned shock "Are you calling me slut?"
"If the dick fits," Tyler grinned.
They were almost at the bar when Tyler stopped still in an instant and Jackson walked straight into his back.
"What the hell?" Jackson asked, but Tyler didn't need to answer because Jackson could already see Joe sitting on the ground in front of them with a red cup in one hand and his other arm wrapped around a girl who was snuggled against him.
Tyler's back had straightened up and gone rigid at the sight. He felt his heart drop even though he knew what to expect. He stared at Joe hard. It was definitely him. He hadn't run completely. His mind instantly thought back to the night before, of the moment just after their orgasms when they lay in each other's arms, their lips locked in the most intense kiss. But now here Joe was, as if none of that had happened, laughing and joking over something Tyler didn't even hear because all sound seemed to have disappeared. He hated the smile on Joe's face as he laughed. How could he be happy when Tyler felt so miserable?
After a moment, Tyler's eyes focused on the girl, the same one Joe had been with before, who had left him so horny he had gone back to the room and let Tyler fuck him. Something about it being her made Tyler feel worse. If it was a random girl Joe was trying to forget him with if might not have been so bad, but going back to her made Tyler feel like Joe was trying to erase their night together, like he was pretending it had never happened.
Jackson's hand settled on Tyler's shoulder and he gave it a reassuring squeeze. Tyler still didn't move. He continued to stare at the two sitting on the ground, silently cursing the girl because it should have been him in Joe's firm arms, with their bodies pressed together, his head at Joe's shoulder and neck, resting against it so close he could press kisses along the skin with the slightest turn of his head.
When Joe looked up and made eye contact with Tyler there was no emotion on his face. His eyes didn't go wide, his eyebrows didn't rise, his mouth didn't move an inch; he just looked up, saw him and looked away again, focusing on his new friends.
Tyler felt a mixture of rage and vomit building up inside him. He didn't know which urge was stronger, the one that wanted to scream and charge over to Joe to punch him in the face, or the one that wanted to run off, throw up and cry because of how badly things had gone.
"Let's go get a drink," Jackson said, placing a hand into the middle of Tyler's back to urge him toward the bar and away from Joe.
Tyler took a seat on one of the stools with his back to Joe and placed his forearms on the cold wood of the bar. His shoulders immediately slumped and his head dropped so his chin was resting on his chest. Jackson's hand was rubbing his back as he ordered drinks for the two of them.
"Girl trouble?" the bartender asked, nodding toward Tyler.
"You could say that," Jackson replied, placing his ID down on the bar even though the bartender didn't ask for it. "He spent the night with someone who is now with someone else."
"Oh damn," the bartended said, pouring an extra shot into Tyler's drink before sliding it across the bar to him.
When the bartender went over to serve some other people, Jackson patted Tyler on the back and pushed his drink toward him. "Here, drink this. It will make you feel better."
Tyler looked down at the dark liquid in front of him and then up into Jackson's eyes. "It's like ten in the morning. I haven't even had breakfast."
"That's your fault, I offered you some," Jackson replied. "Look, I'm just trying to make you feel better. If you don't want that, what do you say we go somewhere and do something to take your mind of him?"
"I need to be here in case he wants to talk," Tyler said.
"So you're going to spend your last day of Spring Break sitting here all miserable hoping he comes over to talk to you?" Jackson asked.
The moment Jackson said it Tyler knew how stupid an idea it was. It was obvious Joe had made a decision and Tyler wasn't his choice.
Tyler closed his eyes, sighed and downed the drink in one, wincing at the bite of the double dose of alcohol that seemed to have settled into the bottom of the glass as it burned his throat on the way down.
As he slammed the glass down on the bar and was about to get up he saw the familiar face of Joe appear beside him. Instead of looking at him though, Joe's attention was on the barman, waiting to order a drink.
Tyler stared at Joe's face, waiting for him to look his way or to pay him any attention but he didn't. It was as if they were two complete strangers who had never met before and Tyler couldn't believe it. He felt like Joe might as well have taken the glass, smashed it against the bar and used the biggest piece to slice his throat.
When Joe ordered two non-alcoholic drinks, paid for them and then picked them up, ready to turn and walk back to his girl, Tyler couldn't help himself.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tyler exclaimed.
Joe finally looked at him but it was with a look of confusion or bewilderment rather than anything else.
"You're not even going to talk to me?" Tyler asked. When Joe said nothing Tyler continued, "You're going to pretend like last night didn't happen?"
Joe looked into Tyler's eyes for a few silent seconds and then turned away. In a low voice, he said, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Fine," Tyler nodded, happy he was able to hold back the tears that so desperately wanted to stream down his cheeks. "Go back to your little girlfriend. I'll be in our room if you decide you want to talk."
Tyler hopped down off the barstool and walked away before Joe could say anything in reply. He didn't look back over his shoulder but he knew the only person following him was Jackson.
"I want to be alone," Tyler said once they were back out on the street.
"Are you sure?" Jackson asked.
"Yes. I need to think," Tyler said. "Thank you for caring about me but I'm okay."
Jackson patted Tyler's back and said, "Okay, but here's my number. Call me if you need to talk. Or come to the house if you feel lonely, we'll be getting ready for our last party tonight."
Tyler smiled and accepted the napkin that Jackson had written his number on. He hadn't even noticed him writing it but he was glad he had and felt like he was going to need it before the day was over.
When he got back to his room he thought he could smell the lingering odour of male sex and immediately wanted to leave again because it was a constant reminder of what could now be his biggest mistake. Instead, he left the door to the room open and moved across to open the window, hoping the smell would go. He then threw the covers back over Joe's bed, covering up the marks that were still on the sheets so he couldn't see them. Finally, he started to pull off his clothes, not caring that anyone who walked past the room would be able to look in and see him naked. He threw them all into a pile in the corner and headed into the bathroom for a long shower, feeling very dirty all of a sudden.
Emerging refreshed, he put on some clean clothes, shut the door and window now that the smell had gone, and lay down on his bed. He closed his eyes so he could think and woke up three hours later, his stomach rumbling and his head spinning slightly.
He was just getting up and straightening out his clothes when he heard a noise outside his room. He listened carefully and heard someone outside fumbling around, then a key being swiped in the reader, followed by a click.
Air filled Tyler's lungs and he felt bigger and taller than he had all day, buoyed by the idea that Joe had come to talk to him. When the door opened and the first face he saw belonged to the girl from the beach all of the air left him like from a punch in the gut and once again he felt the urge to vomit.
"Oh, I didn't know you'd still be here," Joe lied, not making eye contact with Tyler. "Do you think we could have the room?"
Tyler was furious. Joe knew for damned sure he was going to be there and he had still brought the girl back to their room to show off that they were going to have sex. He jumped up, grabbed his key and his phone and headed for the door, ramming his shoulder into Joe's as he passed.
"You're a fucking idiot," Tyler growled under his breath.
Joe didn't have time to say anything before Tyler was out of the door, slamming it behind him. There was so much anger and rage inside him over how Joe was reacting that he knew he had to do something to get rid of it so he started to run, even with the sun baking down on his skin.
Five kilometres later, sweat covering his body, making all of his popping muscles shine, Tyler found himself in front of the condo where Jackson was staying, knocking on the door. He had thought about going back to his room but he didn't want to see Joe and the girl in bed. Knowing it was happening was bad enough but seeing Joe in bed with someone else felt like it would rip his heart in two and kill him on the spot.
The college boys were already drinking when one of them opened the door and ushered Tyler in. He was barely through the doorway before a cold beer was in his hand. He looked down at the can, thinking briefly about how early it was, and then turned it up to his lips, enjoying the sensation of the cold shiver that surged through his heated body as the liquid slid down his throat.
He finished the can in record time and was handed another that was accompanied by a pat on the back and encouragement to start as he meant to go on. Tyler took the advice literally, hoping to forget about Joe, and before the night was over he had consumed more beer than ever before, letting all of his troubles fade away in the haze that gathered in his mind before everything went black.
The next morning, as he began to wake up, Tyler moaned and felt his head spin. He didn't remember much of the night before, besides some dancing and an improvised ball game in the back yard, but he was regretting his decision to get wasted.
As his eyes began to focus a little he knew he wasn't in his motel room, the colours were wrong, but it wasn't until he heard the moan from beside him that he realized he was in another bed and he wasn't alone.
To Be Continued...