Chet Watakeekul

I threw my arms around Vincent as soon as he opened the door. He pulled me in and closed the door behind us. As soon as the door was closed, I kissed him. It felt like months since I had seen him and not days. I tossed my bag somewhere near his table while my lips were still connected to his.

He pulled back from the kiss briefly, but I immediately went in for more. Our arms were wrapped around each others' waists. I pushed him back slightly small step by small step until he hit the bed and fell back onto it pulling me on top of him.

My phone rang. I ignored it as we continued the kiss.

"Your phone," he said against my lips.

"Ignore it," I said and went back to kissing him. The phone stopped, but it immediately started to ring again.

He pushed me off slightly so our lips were no longer connected. "What if it's your family," he said.

"I just left them," I said.

I tried to lean in and kiss him again, but his hand on my shoulder wouldn't budge. "What if it's important?"

I groaned, but sat up on his bed. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and answered.

"What," I said not too happy the make out session I wanted with my boyfriend was interrupted. If I was being completely honest, I really wanted more than to make out.

"Bring your boyfriend to the greek place by the university," Gareth said.

"No. I'm busy."

"It's time for us to interrogate him though. Mateo and Alex are already here. We're all waiting."

"You said you already told him to meet us here," Mateo's frustrated voice said in the background.

"I'm telling him now," Gareth said easily.

"Fine," I said and hung up.

"What's up?" Vincent asked. He was still on his back stretched out along the bed. I really didn't want to go. I wanted to kiss him and lick him and see him naked.

"That was Gareth," I said. "Apparently he is at the greek place by the university with Mateo and Alex waiting for you and me to show up so they can interrogate you."

He scowled slightly. He wasn't too keen on the idea either, but he sat up.

"I guess we should go then," he said.

"I guess," I said. We stared at each other a bit longer, but I finally got up and led the way out his door. When we got there, there were gyros and drinks on the table enough for all of us.

Alex looked like he was about to jump out of his chair with excitement when he saw us. Mateo frowned. Gareth smiled, but it was greatly subdued compared to the smile on Alex's face.

We sat in the two empty seats - Vincent next to Alex and me next to Gareth.

"You did well in your games," Vincent said to Mateo.

Mateo smiled for one brief moment before his scowl returned, only this time it wasn't as harsh as before.

Alex put both elbows on the table and placed his head in his hands. He just stared at the two of us with the biggest, dreamiest smile I had ever seen on someone.

"You're being too obvious," Vincent said to him. "Anyone who looked at you would know something's happening between me and Chet and we can't let my family find out."

Alex sighed, but his smile disappeared and he sat back in his seat. "That's true," he said.

"Will your family really disown you?" Gareth asked. "Maybe they just say that, but won't really do it."

"They will," Alex and I said at the same time.

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"How can you be sure?" Mateo asked me. "Have you ever met his family?"

"No, but from what Vincent and my dad tell me I believe it." I couldn't tell them the additional information that Vincent wasn't biologically a Kinsington.

"I'll take him to meet my grandma soon," Vincent said. "But she's the only one who can know."

Mateo looked contemplatively at his hands. I wondered if he was thinking of his own grandpa and how readily his grandpa had accepted him and Alex.

"How is Grandpa Manuel?" I asked him.

Gareth picked up a gyro and took a huge bite. Alex did the same, but his bite was much smaller. A large smear of the sauce was left on the corner of Gareth's mouth.

I handed him a napkin. "Wipe your mouth. You're in public. Have some decency."

"Don't you think your boyfriend will be jealous of you taking care of me?" he asked.

I glanced and Vincent. He did look a little jealous, but I wasn't sure if anyone knew for sure except me and Alex.

"Why would he be jealous of that?" I asked turning my attention back to Gareth and trying to get it off my boyfriend. "I wasn't taking care of you. I gave you the napkin so I wouldn't have to be embarrassed by you. Why would Vincent be jealous of an ugly, crude jerk like you?"

"I'm not ugly," Gareth said not denying the crude jerk part of my statement.

"Yes you are," I said. "So, Grandpa Manuel?" I asked Mateo before Gareth could argue with me further. I picked up a gyro and took a bite.

"He's doing better," Mateo said. "He's on medication now that has helped to lower his blood pressure."

"That's a relief," I said.

Vincent didn't pick up a gyro until Mateo did. Everyone had taken a few bites before Mateo said to Vincent, "Why do you like Chet?"

"What's not to like about me?"

"I'm not talking to you, Chet," Mateo said. But Vincent was smiling at me so that was all I cared about.

"Why did you first like him?" Gareth asked. "Weren't your interactions only arguing about Alex and Mateo?"

Vincent turned to Alex as if he could help him avoid this question, but Alex seemed as eager to hear the answer as Gareth and Mateo. Vincent turned to me. I knew it wasn't a simple answer like he thought I was nice or handsome. I knew there were a lot of things that happened between me and him and what his family had brainwashed him into thinking.

"He's the only one who could ever convince me money didn't mean everything," he said quietly. "He's the only one who has seen me at my most vulnerable. He's the only one to be there when I tried to hide and be alone. He's the only one I would risk losing my family for."

And I wanted it to be just the two of us so I could hold him close to me. So I could feel his heartbeat against mine. I squeezed his knee under the table where no one could see.

Mateo and Gareth were completely stunned by Vincent's words. Their gyros in their hands were completely forgotten as they stared at my boyfriend.

"He's seen a side of you I haven't?" Alex asked in disbelief.

Vincent nodded.

"Has Trevon seen this secret side of you?" Alex asked almost hurt.

"No," Vincent quickly said. "Only Chet."

"But I've known you since we were babies. How can there be a side of you I haven't seen?"

"Because I hid it and kept it from everyone. I didn't purposely show it to Chet, he was just too stubborn to leave me when I was in a really bad panic attack."

I didn't know whether I should be happy he admitted his panic attacks out loud or worried for him for exposing something that left him feeling so vulnerable.

"You get panic attacks?" Alex asked still in disbelief. Vincent nodded. "Since when?"

"For awhile," Vincent said. "I just go hide myself away until they are over. It helped when I moved out of the house and I haven't had one recently." He looked at me as he said this and a small smile touched his beautiful lips.

"Well," Gareth said, "I had a bunch more questions I was going to ask you, but I can't now. I approve of you dating Chet." He took a bite of his gyro.

"You don't have a choice," I said, "but thanks for the approval anyway."

All of us turned to Mateo then and waited.

"Yeah, I had a bunch more questions too, but they all seem meaningless now," Mateo said. "How can I not approve after that?"

Alex smiled really big at this. "We can go on double dates now," he said.

"Yeah, sure," Gareth said, "just make me feel like even more of a 5th wheel."

I could tell Gareth was teasing. He didn't really care if we went on double dates without him, but Alex's expression turned serious. "Of course you could get a date and join us," he said, "or just come. We'd all like it if you were there."

I wouldn't, but I didn't say that because I didn't want to go on double dates often anyway. I wanted it to be just me and Vincent.

"Great," Gareth said. "Next time I find a date we can go on a triple date. You don't mind if I bring a girl?" He was still teasing, but Alex obviously couldn't tell.

"Of course it is," Alex said politely. "She might feel strange though being the only girl."

"She won't be the only girl if Chet is there," Mateo said to tease me, but Alex instantly looked offended.

"Just because he bottomed doesn't mean he's a girl," Alex whispered harshly. "You don't think I'm like a girl do you?"

I started chuckling because all I could think about was scoring because I scored with Vincent. Vincent joined me. We tried to keep our voices down.

"I didn't mean it like that. If you were a girl I wouldn't be attracted to you. I just said it to tease him," Mateo said.

"Oh," Alex said and sat back pacified.

But now I laughed louder and Vincent couldn't help but laugh a little louder too.

"Why are you two laughing like that?" Mateo asked.

But that only made us laugh harder.

"I don't get it," Mateo said, but Alex smirked as he watched us and I was sure he figured it out.

"They obviously switch, Matty," Gareth said.

"What?" Mateo studied us as we finally got our laughs under control. He shook his head. "I already knew more about their love life than I wanted and now I know even more. Please don't tell me anything else."

"Then don't call me when we're getting it on," I said.

"Just don't answer your phone," Mateo practically yelled at me.

I squeezed Vincent's knee under the table. His hand encompassed mine where no one could see.