Trevon Carter

Beautiful Art: Take me out to dinner.

Me: You already had your cheat day this month.

That had been on my insistence though since I really wanted to take him camping. And I didn't regret it. Not only had I gotten to see the stars and planets, Arthur said he liked camping with me. I felt refreshed and renewed. I sat on the couch in my apartment. I had just finished all my homework and was browsing the NASA website.

Beautiful Art: I don't have to cheat. I can eat something healthy. I just want to go out.

Me: Fine. We'll go out to eat. But you have to do your homework after.

Beautiful Art: Can you stop being such a nerd for just one moment. CY ILY

Me: ILY

I settled back on the couch and picked up the book I was currently reading. It was a sci fi book about a female captain. Her ship was just supposed to haul basic supplies, but of course books didn't work out like that and they were currently being boarded by aliens somewhere near Jupiter. Jupiter was my favorite planet.

My phone rang. I picked it up and stared at the name coming up. I was too stunned for a moment because Vincent never called me. I always called him first.

I answered. "You called me. I'm shocked."

"I thought I better before you could give me a hard time about it," he said.

"I'm still going to give you a hard time," I said. "You should have called me a lot sooner." It was probably the first time he called me since I went to college in a different state.

"Okay, but I'm calling now. Be grateful," he said. The familiar teasing tone was in his voice.

"Whatever," I said easily. I wasn't really offended that he didn't call me more often. I knew he thought of me as his best friend. He just wasn't the type of person to reach out to others often.

"Did Alex tell you about Jason?" he asked.

Alex had called me not that long ago and updated me about Jason. "That he was finally arrested? Yes. I hate that guy. I hope he ends up in prison for a long time. It sounds like he's done this to multiple people." I didn't usually hate people. Jason was on the top of that list. He was despicable and I wished he had never come into Alex's life. I wished that somehow I could have seen through him to protect Alex before any of this happened.

"That's what Alex told me too," he said.

"I heard you are getting along with Alex's boyfriend," I said. That was another thing Alex had updated me on. Vincent had finally come around and broke out of his brainwashed state his parents had put him in. I hoped it lasted.

Vincent sighed. "I have been stupid. Mateo is nice and Alex really loves him."

"You have been stupid," I agreed because what else were friends for.

"I'm making up for it now," he said. "So how's school life? How are things with Arthur?"

"School's fine. It's school. Things are great with Arthur." I thought of Alice. She hadn't texted me again after she told me she still thought about me and I told her not to. But she came up and talked to me at Halloween and I wished she hadn't. I didn't really want to be friends with her. I just wanted to forget I ever dated her. Goosebumps formed on my arms.

"Are you ever afraid of girls?" I asked.

"Not really," he said, "but I didn't grow up in the same house as your sisters. Your sisters scare me."

"Me too."

"Why do you ask? Is there a girl you're afraid of?"

Was I really afraid of Alice? I didn't really think she would try to cause me or Arthur physical harm. Although, she had tried to scratch my face when I first broke up with her so maybe she would. She hadn't spread rumors about me or Arthur as far as I was aware. Although, maybe she had. She had in the beginning told people I cheated on her with Arthur, but Arthur was pretty quick to dispel that rumor.

"Is your ex girlfriend causing you trouble?" he asked to my silence. "The one who refused to break up with you at first?"

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"Not really," I said tentatively.

"It doesn't sound like you are sure about that."

"She hasn't done anything to me. It's just...nevermind. I think I'm just letting Brittany and Kylie influence the way I think about women. It's nothing. Alex told me you have a crush. The last time I spoke to you I specifically asked if you had a crush and you said no." I was slightly hurt Vincent didn't tell me had a crush himself. Except, maybe that was why he was calling and I hadn't given him the chance to tell me.

"I didn't know I had a crush then," he said. "Did Alex tell you who my crush is?"

"No. He told me you should tell me yourself so I'm waiting. Tell me."

He hesitated. I waited. Finally he said, "It's Mateo's best friend."

"His roommate?"

"No."

"The soccer player."

"Yes."

"You have a crush on a boy," I teased. In reality, I never thought this day would come. Even after he told me he was bi, I didn't think he would admit he had a crush on a boy.

"Shut up," he said, but I could hear the smile in his voice.

"You should ask him out and then we'll all have boyfriends and then we can go on triple dates when I visit home. Oh wait...your family. They are frustrating. You know what? You're in college. That's the time to experiment right? If they find out, just tell them it's an experiment."

"Trev."

"What?"

"I'm already dating him."

My mind froze for a moment because this was Vincent and he never, never went against his family. "What?" And then my next thought was that Alex kept something this big from me the last time we spoke. "Alex said it is just a crush."

"He doesn't know."

Another shock because even though the three of us were best friends, Vincent always shared things with Alex first. It didn't really bother me anymore. Vincent and Alex had been best friends since they were toddlers. I was added into the mix when I moved onto their street in elementary school. "You are actually telling me something first? I don't believe this. Why haven't you told Aley?"

"I'm still trying to get on Mateo's good side," he said. "Chet says if we tell Alex we have to tell Mateo and I don't think Mateo is ready to know that yet."

"You're really dating him?"

"Yes."

"Are you serious? Nevermind. You have to be serious. You wouldn't risk your family's anger if you weren't." He must have really liked Chet and I had a hard time fathoming that. "What are you going to do if your family finds out?"

"I don't know," he said. "Chet is special. I feel special when I'm with him. I don't want to be without him."

"Wow," I said. "I never thought this would happen." Vincent hadn't ever spoken about anyone the way he was speaking of Chet.

My doorbell rang. "That's the doorbell. Arthur is here." I walked across the room and opened the door.

Arthur looked up at me playfully. "How dare you still be on the phone when I arrive." He mocked hitting my shoulder.

"It's Vincent. He says he has a boyfriend."

"Trevon!" Vincent scolded in my ear just as Arthur said, "What? Let me talk to him." He was already reaching out for the phone. I turned so he couldn't grab it from me.

"I already told him you were bi," I said to Vincent. "He's not going to tell anyone."

"You weren't supposed to tell anyone," he said. He sounded a little frustrated with me, but not too angry.

Arthur came up behind me and grabbed the phone away from me when I wasn't expecting it.

"He didn't tell me for such a long time," Arthur said into the phone while smirking at me. "It was torture. I had to use all my wiles to pry it out of him." And I couldn't help but think of that spot he found on my inner thigh. I was getting hot. I quickly turned my thoughts elsewhere.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone," Arthur said.

There was a pause and then Arthur said. "Your boyfriend? Let me talk to him." I wanted to talk to Vincent's boyfriend. I started to reach for the phone, but Arthur spun away from me as if he were dancing on stage. I frowned at him as he taunted me.

After a few moments of silence, Arthur's smile brightened and he said into the phone, "It's true. I can't believe it. You sound so nice. I love your voice. I'm Arthur. Trevon's boyfriend. Now. Tell me the truth. Do you like Vincent?"

I shuffled from foot to foot. Vincent was my best friend. I should be the one talking to his boyfriend. I started to walk to Arthur.

"Do you looove him?" Arthur said into the phone.

Arthur's eyes widened and he said to me, "Stars, skies and bees. Sweetie, he says he loves your friend. He says he loves him."

I closed the distance and took the phone away from Arthur. "Hi, Chet. I'm Trevon. Do you really love Vincent?" I just found out Vincent was dating a man despite knowing his family would disown him. I was relieved to hear that Chet loved him, but it was all of a shock and I wasn't sure he meant it or knew the consequences that Vincent was facing.

"Yes."

"Why? I mean, I love him like a brother, but he's not perfect."

"No, he's not, but he is special." My heart softened to hear that.

"Have you met his family?" I asked.

"No."

"But you know what they are like, right? You know what they'll do to him if they find out about you?" Because I couldn't imagine Vincent going into this kind of relationship without discussing the consequences. He was going to have to hide that they were dating. But that would only last for so long. Eventually the Kinsingtons were going to find out.

"Yes," he said.

"And what will you do when they find out because eventually they will find out."

"I'll stay with him." And I could hear it in his voice, the conviction to stay and fight alongside my friend.

"Really? If his family offers you a million dollars to break up with him you'll refuse it?" It wouldn't surprise me if his family tried something like that and I didn't want Vincent's view that everyone was just out for money to be proven in this manner.

"Money doesn't mean anything." He said it so simply.

"Does Vincent know you talk like that?"

"Yes. I've talked with him like that many times."

"And he doesn't argue with you about it?"

"Not anymore."

"Wow. Okay. Let me talk to him again." I had no idea how Chet and Vincent came together, but at this moment, I couldn't imagine someone more perfect and sincere for my best friend than Chet.

"Hello?" Vincent said.

"I like him," I said. "I think he's going to be good for you."

"He already is," Vincent said and I could hear the warmth and care in his voice that Vincent rarely gave to anyone.

"I'm hungry," Arthur whined cutely and tugged on my arm with a pout on his lips.

"I've got to take Arthur out to eat," I said. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Not even Alex until you give me the go ahead."