“Sit your ass down on that couch over there, you big wuss, and don’t come near me again.”
“I love it when you’re demanding.”
“Scott,” Keith growled warningly.
Scott raised his bag of ice in surrender and moved off to the large couch, laying on it gingerly. “Alright, alright. Don’t get your panties in a twist. I get the hint, you’re not interested.”
“Damn right I’m not interested.” Keith leaned down onto the cool counter, holding the ice to his throbbing hand. He’d bruised something, he was sure. Sad part was, he was still angry enough he wanted to hit something else, just not Scott. He was sure his rejection hurt enough.
He moaned as gentle fingers petted his head. “Keith, honey, is there anything I can do for you?”
“Can you go back in time and tell Toni all about your gay brother and his hot boyfriend before you bring her over here?”
“No, but I can seriously bitch slap Mike for you.”
Keith laughed. Standing up, he kissed Kelly on the cheek. “I love you, you know that?”
“Yeah, I know. Now go lay down on the other couch while I grab your tea and make some popcorn. Scott, pick out a movie will you?”
“Oh, sure, asked the wounded one to do it.”
“Stop whining and pick a movie.”
Keith walked into the small living room and curled up on the loveseat, letting out a sigh of relief. Pain radiated in every muscle. The fever was up again, he was sure, but he just didn’t care enough to do anything about it.
Keith flinched as a blanket was draped over him. He looked up to find Scott leaning over him. Glaring, he started to rise, wondering if he was going to have to kick Scott’s ass again.
“Take it easy, I just didn’t want you to chill. You’re shivering.” Scott turned and walked back over to his couch. Throwing an arm over his eyes, he spoke softly. “I meant what I said, Keith. I’m not often that truthful.”
Keith was silent for a few minutes. Part of him was sad that he couldn’t return any feelings for Scott, but he just didn’t feel that way about him. It wasn’t there. “Yeah. I know you did, man. It’s the only reason I didn’t throw you out. Well, that and it’s still raining.”
“Good to know. Friends?”
“Yeah, I suppose so. Friends.”
Kelly came down and handed Keith his tea, then sat with Scott’s head on her lap as they watched Sixteen Candles. Scott always did have a weakness for sappy movies.
It wasn’t long before Scott and Keith were out like lights. She sat through the movie for nearly forty minutes before she heard Mike and Toni come back. Getting Mike’s attention with a wave of her hand, she put her finger to her lips.
“Hey,” Toni whispered as she came into the room and sat at Kelly’s feet. She playfully pinched her leg and smirked at her. “You could have warned me, you know.”
“About?”
Toni pointed to Mike who was checking Keith’s fever with a gentle brush against his head.
“Oh, that. I didn’t even think about it, I truly didn’t.” Kelly continued petting Scott’s head as she looked sadly over at Keith. “You really hurt him, Mike.”
“It was my fault,” Toni started, but Mike shook his head as he sat on the floor in front of Keith and stroked the hand that had fallen off the couch.
“No, it was me. I didn’t handle the situation well at all. I’m going to have to do some fancy foot work for him to forgive me.”
Toni cocked her head to the side as she looked at Mike. “You really care about him, don’t you?”
Mike sighed. “More than you could possible know.”
Toni smiled. “He’s a lucky guy.” Toni looked at Keith then looked over her shoulder at Scott. “Damn, Kelly, what did you do? Drug them?”
“Well, I did drug Keith. I slipped some medicine in his tea to help him get over his fever.” She smiled. “They both wore themselves out shortly after the two of you left.”
Mike’s head whipped around to glare at the sleeping Scott. Scott’s bottom lip was swollen and encrusted with blood at the corner. It was obvious the guy had been decked. “What do you mean? What happen?”
“Let’s just say the two of them came to an understanding and leave it at that. If you want details, ask them when they wake up.”
“Oh, believe me, I will.”
“Jealous much?” Toni smiled. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Mike love someone so much. She was sure his eyes hadn’t shined like that when they’d been together. It almost broke her heart except she was so happy for Mike. And here she’d had this grand idea to come to his campus, sweep him off his feet, and work her way back into his life. It was obvious things weren’t going to be like they were before.
In the last five minutes of the movie, Scott stirred awake. “I like this part.”
“So it was a plot to sleep through the whole thing just so you could watch this part,” Kelly laughed.
“Something like that.”
“Okay, I come bearing gifts,” Jason announced as he came in the house carrying a plastic bag and dripping water. He looked up and appeared startled to find so many people in the living room. “What? A party? And here I was worried you two were on your death beds.” He shook his head and wandered farther into the room.
Mike could feel Keith stretch behind him and barely managed to not turn and kiss him. Something about that boy just begged to be kissed every waking moment.
“Jeeze, Keith, you look like shit,” Jason said as he tossed a box of Kleenex to Mike and started taking out vapor rub, Comtrex, Tylenol, and a variety of other medicines and teas.
“Thanks. I feel like it. My damn head just wont stop pounding.” Keith looked over at the TV with disappointment. “Crap, I missed the movie.”
“Try watching it and listening to you snore,” Scott commented with a yawn. Keith threw a pillow at him and he caught it with a grin.
Kelly poked Scott in the shoulder as he sat up. “What, like you weren’t dead to the world? You only woke up for the last five minutes!”
Jason looked down at the lovely petite red head on the floor. “Well, hello there. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Kelly made introductions, not missing the look Keith tried to hide. Jason appeared to hit it off with Toni remarkably.
“I’m hungry. Let’s heat up that soup we brought,” Scott said as he rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Kelly followed behind, knowing where Mike kept all of his kitchen wares.
Keith reached for the cordless phone next to his couch as it began to ring shrilly. “Hello?”
Mike looked up and watched Keith’s face go tight and pinched. “Who is it?”
Keith shook his head and threw off the blanket to rise off the couch. He quickly made his way upstairs to his bedroom for privacy.
Mike followed behind curiously, already knowing who it was on the other end. There was only one person who could make that much pain and distrust appear on Keith’s face.
“What do you want, Father?”
Mike leaned on the wall outside Keith’s open door. Eavesdropping was wrong, he knew, but he wanted to be there if Keith needed him.
“Father, I didn’t-”
Pause.
“Yeah, no, of course it was.”
Pause.
“Ah, I see. Well, how can I put this delicately?” Pause. “She can go rot in Hell while you are burning along side her.”
Mike gapped and stared at the doorway, careful to still stay out of eye sight. Keith was not one to lose his temper, especially not where his father was concerned. Mike had always known him to bow his head and accept his father’s will without much complaint. This was a whole new side to him!