Neighbors

Chapter Eight: Ian Meets Jeremy

“Sorry to bother you Ian,” I immediately began explaining. “My boyfriend got drunk and started climbing fences.”

“Aren’t you guys cold out here?” Ian asked his eyes on Jeremy who was standing half-naked in the middle of his backyard. Now that Ian had pointed it out, it was getting pretty chilly out. I’m pretty sure Jeremy was cold, judging by the amount of shivering he was doing. 

“We could use a towel,” I said linking Jeremy’s arm into mine. Jeremy rolled his eyes as I dragged him towards Ian’s patio just as Ian disappeared into the house to grab two towels. Jeremy didn’t even look at me. He was still pissed about the fact that I was working for Ian. 

Hell, it was a good thing I hadn’t told him that we kissed, if he was reacting like this over me working for Ian. I didn’t want to know how he’d react if he found out that we had made out. 

“I don’t want any of his towels,” Jeremy huffed, folding his arms across his chest. “Fuck him.”

“Be nice,” I retorted. “You’re the one who jumped into his backyard in the first place.”

“You’re the one he fucked,” he mumbled underneath his breath. I sighed, kissing Jeremy on the lips. 

“Yeah Past tense,” I replied squeezing his hand in my mine. “The only person I’m fucking is you. You know that, blondie. How many times do I have to say it?”

Jeremy went silent as Ian appeared, handing us each a towel. Jeremy dried himself off, before he wrapped the towel around his shoulders. I did the same.  Ian’s eyes flickered onto Jeremy’s as he eyed him once over. I couldn’t tell if he was jealous of Jeremy or if he was scoping him out. Either way, I had a feeling this was going to be awkward. 

“Well thanks for the towels, Ian,” I replied awkwardly. “I’ll be sure to bring your towels back.”

“Do you have any beers?,” Jeremy said his eyes flickering to mine for a moment. “I would love a beer if you have any. We ran out.”

Ian shrugged. “Sure.”

“Cool,” Jeremy said following Ian inside of his house. I didn’t know what Jeremy was planning, but he was not thinking straight at all. He wasn’t going to be if he continued drinking either. 

Jeremy could drink like a fish, but I guess you could expect that from a frat boy. His drinking has caused trouble before and I thought we had agreed he would ease up for a while. 

Back at State, one of Jeremy’s frat brothers, George, was giving him hell about being gay and the fact that he was dating me. They exchanged a few words at one of the parties. He shoved Jeremy, and I got in the middle of it. Jeremy was far too drunk to defend himself.  George and I ended up fighting. I got the shit beat out of me – nothing too bad, but serious enough for me to not swim for four weeks. 

Jeremy was all bent up over it. He was practically my slave for four weeks. He blamed himself. But I reassured him that it was my choice to defend him. It wasn’t his fault. 

Jeremy pulled up a chair in Ian’s kitchen, sitting there calmly, as Ian pulled two beers out of the fridge. 

“Jeremy I should get your clothes out of Tillman’s yard,” I said. “I’ll be back in a second. Don’t do anything stupid.”

I walked out to Ian’s backyard and crossed over to Tillman’s house. I didn’t climb over the fence that time. I was flexible, but not that flexible. I picked up Jeremy’s pants and shirt off of the ground, and as soon as I did, his cell phone fell out. I picked it up to see he had a message from his mother. I bit my lower lip.