Episode 6

"Are you okay, Honey?" Bill's voice echoed just as that phrase haunted Jason's mind throughout the night at work.

Jason's phone was inundated with notifications and videos from different angles capturing Bill kissing his ear and the absurd fight, with comments ranging from those who supported and enjoyed seeing the sexy guy in his new gay phase to the negative ones loathing the images and branding them as depraved sickos.

Determined to put it all behind him, he focused on his work, restocking drinks and listening to music with his earbuds in, aware that he shouldn't do that because his boss would have his head, but it was his break and that's what mattered to him.

He swayed his hips to the beat of the loud music, took a beer, and brought it to his mouth, mimicking a microphone.

Step by step, soft softly, we're taking it little by little, he sang and danced carefree until strong arms encircled him from behind.

"What the hell!" he shouted as the bottle slipped from his grasp, but Bill caught it before it hit the ground.

"Hey there, cutie," Bill pressed closer against him.

"Bill, stop playing around," he pushed and snatched the beer from his hand.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked, laughing and pushing his disheveled hair back.

"Me?" Jason rested his hands on his chest. "I just went out for a concert, can't you tell?" he said sarcastically, gesturing around.

"Very funny," Bill leaned on a shelf and licked his lower lip.

Jason scrutinized every detail of the guy in front of him, the torn jeans, black shirt, and leather jacket.

Could he get any sexier? he thought, as he let out a heavy sigh.

"Do you like what you see?" Bill waggled his eyebrows playfully.

"Not really," Jason answered dryly, with a sideways smile.

Bill straightened up, feeling awkward. He wasn't used to rejection; in fact, it had never happened to him before. Girls swooned over him, and even a few guys had confessed their feelings, but no one had ever dismissed him. And there stood Jason, the boy with the blue apron, doing just that. It was clear to Bill—Jason despised him.

"You're messing up the mayonnaise, don't lean there again, okay? So what are you buying?" Jason pretended toughness and it worked.

Bill cleared his throat. "I need a couple of cans of beer."

"ID, please."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope, if you're underage I can't sell to you."

"Well, neither should you be working here, you're 17."

"Shhh!" Jason rushed over and covered Bill's mouth, and Bill seized the opportunity to grab his slim waist, pulling Jason's hand away to whisper.

"Well, it could be our secret if you give me a kiss." Bill couldn't stop thinking about the first kiss Jason had stolen from him and desperately wanted to repeat it.

"You've lost your mind!"

Of course, he wanted to kiss him; since freshman year, he'd fantasized about what it would be like to kiss those lips every day, but this was Bill Brennan, the straightest guy in school, and this would only last for thirty days. He'd kiss him only when necessary, as he still wanted to protect his heart.

"Aren't we boyfriends?" Bill placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Get off," Jason pushed him away gently, breaking free. "You don't have to do that here; there's no one around. Here—" he handed over a pack of cold beers—"now get out."

"Do you hate me that much?" Bill asked, looking disappointed.

"What?" Jason was caught off guard by the question, unable to answer, Bill waved goodbye, leaving the money on a shelf, and departed.

"Nothing, see you around—"

Magy's house was the safe haven for the blue-eyed boy. The more overwhelmed he felt, the more he ran to his cousin's house, regardless of the time—she was always there for him.

He entered through the kitchen door. Magy had a spare set of keys in a planter for her prince, as she called him, so he could enter anytime he wished.

Her uncle was always away on business trips with his wife, comforted by the knowledge that their deceased brother's son visited their girl often, so she wouldn't feel too lonely.

Jason bounded up the stairs and arrived at the white door with the sign: "The house is not responsible for damages."

He opened the door to the unmistakable sound of his cousin's snoring.

"Wake up, we need to talk," Jason shook Magy, who was deep in sleep.

"Magy, come on, wake up."

"Alright, alright, lie down—" she patted the edge of her bed to invite her cousin to sleep—"sleep tight, princess," she glanced at her alarm clock and snorted—"it's four in the morning, we have to go to school in three hours."

"Please get up," Jason pleaded, throwing the sheets to the floor.

"I'm going to kill you, Jason!" Magy shouted, kneeling on her bed.

"Just listen to me now, will you?" He looked at her with frightened puppy eyes.

"Fine, spit it out," the girl with wild curls rubbed her eyes and sat cross-legged.

"Bill came to buy beers."

"I'm going to kill you! Did you wake me just to say he came to buy beers? Couldn't you wait?" Her yell was heard outside as she smacked Jason's eager face with a pillow.

"He asked me to kiss him."

Magy froze mid-swing, stunned.

"Was anyone else there?"

"No."

"Damn, this is getting interesting. Why would he want to kiss you then?"

"I don't know. I could understand if there was someone, that would justify continuing the charade, but there wasn't."

"I'm going mad, and it's only been one day." Jason pulled at his hair.

"Calm down, princess. He was probably just playing. It's weird, but that's Bill. I don't want you to get your hopes up. He's seen more vaginas than my gynecologist."

"You're disgusting, Magy, you know that?" Jason shook his head—

"Just saying." She shrugged.

Deep down, Jason knew she was right. Bill changed girlfriends weekly; he was sexy, gorgeous, but above all, straight. He would never be interested in someone like him.

"What are you going to do?" Magy asked.

"I don't know. What would you do in my place?"

"I'd enjoy it, daddy." She gyrated her chest, sitting in bed with tousled hair.

"UGH! You're so gross!"

"Just because you don't like these—" She cupped her breasts—"doesn't mean I'm not hot."

"Sure, Daniel must be thrilled to touch them."

"You're such a—" Magy grabbed the pillows, and they started an unrestrained pillow fight until they collapsed onto the bed, falling fast asleep.

The ringing of the young girl's cellphone, her leg thrown over Jason's face, woke them. They dragged themselves out of bed as best as they could.

"Hello, mmm-hmm, okay," Magy hung up, played with the phone screen, and went to get dressed.

"Who was it?" Jason asked.

Before his cousin could answer, his own phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Jason, wake up. I'm coming to pick you up for breakfast," Bill's voice came through the line.

"Uh, I—" Jason stared at Magy, who was smiling at the bathroom door.

"No 'nos,'"

"But I'm not at home," he stood up, looking for his shoes.

"Where are you?"

"At Magy's."

"Alright, I'll be there in thirty minutes, sweetheart."

"Bill…" The call ended.

"You won't believe who called," her eyes wide with astonishment.

"Bill," Magy said with a playful smile.

"How did you know?" He asked, baffled.

"Well, he texted asking for your number. I can't believe you didn't give it to your boyfriend—or rather, your 'contact,'" she laughed teasingly.

"I'm going to kill you," but before he could reach her, she closed the bathroom door quickly.

Thirty minutes later, a blue sports car pulled up in front of Magy's house, and there leaned Bill, on the hood, wearing sunglasses that made him look irresistibly devourable. Jason spied him from the window, drooling.

"Are you going to go out or just stare at him from here?" Magy nudged his back.

"What should I do? What if he wants to kiss me, or if…"

"Stop tormenting yourself with nonsense. Do you have any idea how many girls would kill to last thirty days with Bill? The longest one lasted just two weeks before he ditched her for a guy at the cafe," Magy teased.

"Me?" he asked, pointing at himself.

"Yes, dummy. Now go."

Jason mulled over Magy's words. He had thirty days with the sexiest guy around, but he couldn't stop wondering if it was his fault Bill dumped Bri. After all, it wasn't entirely his fault—it was Bill who left her. But if Bri lasted longer than the others, maybe that meant she mattered to him, right?

I'm going to die. Why does he have to look so good?

Bill scanned Jason from head to toe. He emerged with damp hair, his curls bouncing as he walked, his blue eyes looked more stunning when the sun hit them. Bill couldn't explain why this boy he'd only meant to help was now leaving him so rattled. That kiss was still fresh on his lips and clearly troubled him.

Before, Jason's indifference didn't phase him—he was his friend's cousin, not his own. But ever since he learned about Jason's sad reality, curiosity got the better of him.

How does he manage his studies and maintain such high academic standards? Why doesn't he have a girlfriend? He's actually quite attractive. Bill had to stop himself from repeatedly thinking that, but eventually, he accepted it. Jason was attractive in his eyes. Bill had noted that the few times they'd hung out hadn't been many, but what always caught his attention was seeing him laugh; his smile was radiant, perhaps because it was so rare.

"Hello, sweetheart," Bill greeted sweetly, opening the car door.

"Bill," Jason nodded in greeting.

Ouch, that stung. Bill clenched his fists.

"Where are we going?" Bill asked.

"I don't know, it was your idea," Jason looked straight ahead, not out of annoyance but because he felt he might faint at any moment as the scent of his crush filled his nostrils, rendering him instantly dumb.

"Okay, there's a place I want to show you."

Bill started the car, played some music, and sped off, causing his passenger to dig his nails into the seatbelt.

"Don't worry, you're with me." He brushed Jason's leg, enjoying the game he was playing with the boy.

"Stop, okay, just stop!" Jason exclaimed. The feel of Bill's hand on his leg was scorching him, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"What's the matter?"

"Why the hell are you doing that?" he asked, a bit breathless.

"Because we're..."

"No, we're not boyfriends, Bill. Don't play with me; it annoys me."

"I'm sorry, I just..."

"Just what?" Jason shouted.

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