Two Is Company. Three's a Crowd.

"So dude, what do you wanna do tonight games and movies night or go out and get fucked up?" Jace smiles as we walk into his room.
"Come on, she'll come around. Meanwhile, don't sit around moaping and let's get you some hot guy to make you feel better" he says flicking through artists on his IPOD.
"Nah let's stay in tonight" I mumble.
"Oh is there already a hot guy you have your eye on?" he stops to look me dead in the eye.
"No, of course not" I lie.
"You just lied to me" he shrugs putting his IPOD in the docket station.
"So who is he?" he sits on the end of the bed beside me.
"No one. Look it doesn't matter, he's straight. It's never going to happen" I explain stupidly.
"Are you sure? People may surprise you" Jace says lying back.
"Dude I'm sure, he's straight so it doesn't matter" I laugh nervously.

"Anyway dude, games night then?" he asks after a few moments of silence.
"Yeah sure, I'm in the mood for killing some zombies" I say picking up the controller.
"So Rachel must've missed me earlier. I don't think I was in her eye view" I mumble as the menu screen loads.
"She doesn't hate you dude, you're just paranoid" he assures me.
"No, she hates me. She never even says hello and all I get if anything is the death glare" I laugh.
"Okay, she doesn't hate you. She just......I told her you're gay" he says focusing on the screen.
"What? Dude, I trusted you!" I say in shock ignoring the game on screen.
"Look it's no big deal, I tell her everything. She just thinks you fancy me, that's all there is to it. She knows you're gay, and she thinks you have the hots for me and will try to rape me as soon as I bend over. It's nothing personal dude, she's just uncomfortable about it I guess" he explains as if it will cheer me up.
"Why does she think I fancy you?" I ask.
"I don't know, I guess cause you're always here and we're best friends. And I'm gorgeous apparently" he laughs still playing the game.
"I guess" I reply.
"I mean I guess I can see why she would think I fancy you" I add.

"So anyway this dude, have you told him you like him yet?" he asks.
I put the controller down on the floor and lie back on the bed with a sigh.
"No, he has a girlfriend" I answer staring up at the ceiling.
"Well don't lose all hope. I mean there is a load of gay guys that were married to women before they met the right guy" Jace explains.
“So how are you and Rachel?” I ask to change the subject.
“Yeah guess I need to talk about that” he laughs pausing the game.
He turns to face me as I sit up properly.
“I'm thinking of breaking it off with her” he frowns slightly.
I try to say something or protest or ask why but I struggle.
“It's just, she's getting so paranoid and clingy. I have to fake it around her friends most of the time, they're all stuck up and boring as hell!” he complains lying back.
“When are you going to do it?” I sit completely still.
“I don't know, I've been putting it off because things have seemed fine one week and crazy the next. I don't know really, soon. She's so freaking paranoid, even about you it's ridiculous” he laughs loudly.
“Jace....” I begin.
“I mean it's so stupid, you're my best friend” he continues.
“Jace....
“How could you possibly fancy me....”
“Jace!!!” I call more urgently right as his mom does the same downstairs.
“Dinner is ready” she adds.

“Oh good I'm starved” he grins cheekily hopping up off the bed and making his way out the door.
“Shit!” I sigh loudly before following him downstairs and into the kitchen.
We sit down at the table with his mom and his little sister Sarah.
The first few minutes are filled with awkward silence and the sound of forks hitting plates.
“I called your mother Chris” Jace's mom informs me.
I don't say anything as I don't really know what to say, but my mouth automatically makes a slight “Oh”.
“I think she just need time to come to terms with it, you can stay here until then....even if she is a little unhappy with that arrangement” she explains.
“Come to terms with what?” Sarah asks like any curious seven year old.
“Just eat your food Sarah” Jace replies.
“I'm still not sure she'll come around to it, but thank you for letting me stay” I try to avoid eye contact nervously.
“Chris, you're practically family. You're a nice boy, nothing is wrong with you. Your mom.....she's just scared she's only had bad experiences with it just give her some time” she smiles sweetly.
I nod twice before continuing eating.
The rest of the meal is mostly eaten silence other than “How was your day” talk and gossip.

After dinner, me, Jace and his sister all sit in the living room while his mother does the dishes in the kitchen.
Jace pulls Sarah on to his lap and begins tickling her.
“I think someone has tickles!” he smiles widely like a child before attacking her with tickles.
I can't help but smile at how cute he is with her.
I try to stop my self, but it's adorable how tickling her makes him laugh so much.
“Sarah I need you to clean up your toys in here sweetheart” his mom calls from the kitchen.
Jace stops tickling her and let's her get up to run into the kitchen.
“So what did you want to say to me before Dinner?” Jace asks.
“Nothing, I just had a feeling dinner was ready” I lie terribly.
“Liar. It seemed important, what was it?” he asks again.
“Nothing, just......nevermind. It's not important, come on let's go kill some zombies” I say jumping up off the couch and rushing upstairs.
I hear Jace sigh before rushing after me.