Metanoia

Every year on my birthday, Vincent would drag me to a high class bar. One that I hadn't worked at, which was hard to find really. There, he'd get me piss drunk and I'd maybe come home that night and bother whoever was awake.

Which I did. Vincent and I sat in the living room having conversation and laughing and drinking up the beer I had in the fridge.

And then things started to get odd.

"Jace, I dunno if you know this, but I have a crush on this girl, and I don't know how to handle this. You gotta help me out," he slurred. He started to look genuinely distraught.

"Well Vinny, you just gotta tell her you like her. This isn't high school anymore; you want something, you go for it. Get rejected, then it's over. Maybe she'll let y'all be friends afterward." I shrugged and put my hand on his shoulder. He just frowned a little harder, looking more confused this time.

"Jace, what if it's actually not a girl though? Is that okay? I'm not gay or whatever for liking a guy?" He asked. God, Vincent was tiny. I shook my head and patted his shoulder.

"Look, you aint nothin that you don't wanna be. Sexuality is on a spectrum, you know? It ain't just black and white. Liking a guy doesn't make you gay if you don't want it to."

He nodded slowly, taking it all in. "Alright well... Fuck, Jace, I wanna do some stuff with this guy so bad... But he's got a girl, I think and I don't wanna interfere with that."

I shook my head. "Check with him, all casual like. Just ask."
He nodded again and looked up at me. "You still goin' out with Elouise?"

I shook my head and before I could say a word, Vincent's lips smashed into mine in some odd agreement between our teeth and our tongues.

So many thoughts rushed through my head then, but I only remember wondering if people actually held their breath while kissing.

I laid back on the couch with him on top and slid my hands up his sides underneath his shirt. He breathed out heavily through his nose before pulling away.

"Jace, I wanna-"

I shooshed him and pecked his lips, holding him close. "Shush, R- Vinny. Just be quiet for a while." He nodded and nuzzled his face into my neck.

"Alright, Jace. No problem. Let's just um, sleep it off."

I nodded and tightened my hold on his waist before drifting off a few moments later.

I woke up horrid and able to breathe easier. I sat up and rubbed the sleep and the sun from my eyes and Rory was there. "I had to tell your friend to leave, Jace."

I squinted and blinked at him. "Ro, you didn't-"

He leaned over me and jabbed a finger in my chest. "You shut the fuck up. I'm not taking this. You said so many times that you love me and that you'd never even so much as think like that about another person. Fucking liar."

I groaned and closed my eyes against the harsh sun as he turned and walked off. "Rory, come on. We didn't-"

"Fucking liar, Jace!"