Save Me

I smiled gently as Tryce led me into the town’s gym, which was surprisingly empty. Back home, I worked out four days a week to stay in shape. The gym was the place that I could go and just get lost in my thoughts as I worked on my body, benefiting both myself and my old football team. I can honestly say that I’ve missed the feel of the smooth, metal surface of all the weights that I lift underneath my fingertips. I miss being completely in control of everything I do, just like I was back at home.

Here in Florida, I’m still the freaky new kid that everyone forgot used to live here.

But a gym, that’s always going to be my second home.

I ran my hands along all of the shelves full of weights, smiling almost giddily as I tried to pick out which one I would use today. I decided to go with a smaller weight then I normally would since it’s been a while since I last truly worked out. I don’t want to strain any muscles. I have to slowly get back into it again.

“You seem happy,” Tryce noted as I slowly took a weight off of its designated spot, testing it out before putting it back, deciding that it was too lightweight for me. Sure, I haven’t been to the gym in a while, but I’m not new to it either.

“I miss working out,” I admitted sheepishly. “It used to take my mind off things.”

“That’s understandable,” he murmured as he looked around awkwardly, as if he was in search of someone.

“You look paranoid,” I observed, taking yet another weight off the shelf and deciding it was still the tiniest bit too light, replacing it back in its designated area once again.

“Javier is gonna meet us here,” he reminded me, a bit uneasy.

“That’s cool,” I muttered. “I’m excited to meet your best friend.”

He looked at me, a small smile on his lips before he sighed, running his hand through his unruly blond curls. “To be honest, Morgie, I don’t think my best friend is too excited to meet you,” he admitted.

“He’ll let everything go,” I assured him, knowing what it’s like to feel replaced. Javier’s not being replaced though. He’ll always be Tryce’s best friend, I’ll just be a little something more.

As if on cue, the door of the gym swung open forcefully and I looked over his shoulder hesitantly, knowing full well that that must be Javier. He carries himself with confidence, but he had a kind air about him, just like my Tryce does. Not to mention, the seriously pissed off look on his face could only help me put two and two together – he was mad that Tryce was keeping things from him. But, God, he was so gorgeous too. He has this natural tan about him, a tan that most people in Florida would envy because it’s so naturally layered and dark, not the least bit fake because it’s not fake at all. And his hair is just like Tryce’s except it’s more of a chocolate brown and a bit more wavy instead of being curly. They have so much in common just from first impressions. No wonder they make such amazing friends.

“Um,” I said awkwardly. “I think he’s here so I’ll leave you two alone,” I commented as I walked away, entering another room of the gym and leaving my beloved weights behind, deciding to just run on the treadmill for a bit. I removed my muscle shirt hesitantly before I hopped on, quickly falling into a familiar routine. Running is something that will never get old to me.

I sighed happily, pacing myself so that I wouldn’t lose my breath too quickly as I watched Javier approach Tryce, annoyance still clear on his rather sharp features. He truly is a very good looking person.

But I quickly tossed all thoughts out of the window, deciding to intently focus my attention ahead as I did my best to decipher Tryce and Javier’s conversation without staring directly at them so that it doesn’t look like I am eavesdropping. Situations like that never turn out good.

“Hey,” Tryce greeting him softly, waving his right hand feebly. That’s so unlike Tryce, he must really be worried right now.

Javier just ignored him, getting straight to the point. “What the fuck is with this shit about me hearing that some pale freak is your new boyfriend?” He asked angrily. I lost my footing for a few seconds on the treadmill. His voice was surprisingly deep and commanding.

“You knew I was bisexual, Jav,” Tryce muttered in response. “You were okay with it.”

“I have no problem with you being fucking bisexual!” Javier responded. I smiled inwardly at Tryce’s little nickname for his friend since he seems to have them for everyone who he cares about. “I have a problem that I’m your best fucking friend and I feel like you’ve been ignoring me lately for your old best friend who is now your fucking boyfriend who I didn’t know about!” He seethed. “I had to find out through fucking mindless gossip. Do you know that Rachel’s going around town acting like you broke her heart and tore her in two?”

“What?!” Tryce asked surprised. “When will that girl ever learn? I was never dating her!”

“Is that seriously all you caught out of that rant, Tryce?”Javier asked him. “Seriously?”

“No, it’s just that, I would have told you if I could, Jav. Up until yesterday we had no clue where we were standing relationship-wise and Rachel and her cronies got us when we were leaving our first date and got us, like, right when we became official and I didn’t have enough time to tell anyone,” he explained. “I didn’t want to tell you if we were just doomed from the start,” Tryce muttered. He sounded like a kickedpuppy.

“But I just feel like ever since he came back, we just don’t hang out anymore. I miss my best friend,” he admitted. “And I don’t want to have to find shit out through fucking Rachel anymore,” he continued.

“Won’t happen again,” he said seriously. “Promise.”

Javier looked him up and down, analyzing his promise before he smiled and pulled him in for a quick hug, putting a smile on my own lips. They’re so great together, just like best friends should be. I’m happy that Tryce has someone like that in his life.

“Cool,” they muttered awkwardly before scratching his head. “So… I mean, do you want to meet him?” Tryce questioned softly.

“Uh, I mean, as your best friend I should,” Javier said awkwardly. “But he’s not like… a fairy, right?”

“Haven’t I already told you he was the captain of his old football team?” Tryce questioned.

Javier laughed. “Oh yeah, I forgot,” he said awkwardly. “Not gonna lie though, man. I still thought you’d end up with a girl, not a guy.”

“I don’t know, Morgan’s special,” Tryce admitted, turning around and walking into the room next door to the weight room, the one that I was currently in. He walked in and spotted me in the corner, my cheeks slowly reddening at being caught. “Ass,” he stated blandly, quickly realizing that I was listening in on their conversation.

I slid off of the back of the treadmill slowly, almost wanting to shrink in on myself since I could so blatantly see Javier analyzing my every move. I was acting so unlike myself.

“Uh, hey,” I said awkwardly, approaching them, leaning into Tryce’s side.

“You don’t look like a pansy,” he muttered awkwardly.

“Neither does Tryce and he’s into dudes too,” I shot back, acting like a ditz. If he wanted to be rude, I could be rude right back. I love playing games.

He ignored my comeback and continued on. “And you’re amazingly short,” he said absent-mindedly.

“Not like I’m weak or anything,” I muttered, curling my fist into Tryce’s side so that he would know how much I hate having to go through things like this.

“You’re going to take some serious getting used to,” Javier said awkwardly, looking me up and down again.

“Are you always an ass?” I spoke up, eyeing him with an annoyed look on my face.

He looked at me again before turning to Tryce, exposing a perfect row of pearly whites with his smile. “He can handle himself, I like him,” he declared.

I looked around awkwardly, not knowing what exactly just happened. He looked like he held nothing but contempt for me one second, and now he’s claiming that he likes me. Then it dawned on me, he was just testing me.

“It’s nice to finally meet the boy who kept this ass over here sane for the beginning of his life,” he said smoothly, pointing to Tryce, provoking Tryce to reach out and punch him playfully.

“It wasn’t an easy job,” I admitted, surprisingly at ease with Tryce’s seemingly Hispanic friend. He looks like the type who would put people at ease really quickly and easily, almost effortlessly.

“Ah, but you’re dating now,” he said matter-of-factly.

“It’s complicated,” I admitted. “I’m dating my best friend.”

“Always a good thing, my man,” he said truthfully. “Welcome back to Florida, by the way,” he said.

A small laugh broke free from my lips. “I’ve been back here for a while, but thanks for the thought,” I replied.

I looked up at Tryce, entwining our fingers as a he breathed a sigh of relief. “This went better than I thought it would,” he admitted sheepishly.

“You were worried?!” I exclaimed. “What about me?!”

“Oh, hush,” Tryce muttered, leaning down to peck my lips softly.

“Okay, okay, whoa,” Javier interrupted. “I’m totally for gays – yay, gays,” he muttered as he did this weird little fist pump thing, “but I don’t need to see that shit. Get a fucking room!”

“Or you could just leave,” Tryce said bluntly, causing me to laugh again as I walked back to my treadmill.

Maybe Javier isn’t so bad after all.