A Losing Game

"What Is Love?"

            Nate opened his eyes to bright sunlight shining on him. He quickly sat up and regretted it as a sharp headache seemed to appear out of nowhere. It took him a minute or two to realize he wasn't in his own bedroom. Then, like a scene from a movie flashed before his eyes, and he remembered everything from the night before. He looked over at Tayvon to see he was still sleeping. They were both naked and the soreness Nate was feeling in his anus was enough for him to know they went all the way. Immediately, he began searching for his phone.

            "Tay, get up!" he shouted, waking Tayvon up to a hangover of his own.

            "Don't yell, man," said Tayvon while sitting up in bed.

            "Where the fuck is my phone?"

            "I don't know. You didn't bring it up here?"

            "The kitchen!" He was about to go to the door but Tayvon jumped out of bed and stopped him. "Man, what?"

            "Nigga, you're naked. You can't go runnin' through my house butt ass naked. My brother might see and you know he's talkin' to Jacory's best friend. Use your brain, bruh."

            Nate pulled away from him and went over to where his underwear and toga were. After putting them on, he waited for Tayvon to put on some shorts and some Nike slides before following Tayvon out of the bedroom. They quietly went downstairs and found Nate's phone on the kitchen counter. Nate unlocked it and saw that Jacory had called him three times the night before.

            "I know last night was probably just a one-time thing," said Tayvon, "but I would like to do it again without us bein' drunk."

            "Not gonna happen," Nate told him.

            "Man, come on. We had fun. And I really wasn't expecting it. Usually, when my brother is into a dude then it's hard for me to be into a dude, too. We usually do the opposite without even thinkin' about it. But I'm really into you even though Zay is with Demetrius. That never happens."

            "So, what?"

            "I don't know. Maybe it means somethin'. I don't believe in coincidences."

            "I love Jacory."

            "He doesn't have to know. Man, I can tell from last night that you're not gettin' everything you want from him. Why can't you have somethin' separate to satisfy your needs?"

            "Because he doesn't know about it and I know he won't be cool with it."

            "Just say you don't like me and leave."

            "Tay, it ain't like that. You're sexy and I do find you attractive. Hell, last night was so good that I remember it even though I was fucked up. But I can't do Jacory dirty like that. Not after what Rod already did to him."

            "You already have done him dirty. But it's whateva. If you do come around to gettin' yours and not worryin' so much about Jacory, just know that I'm here."

            Nate looked at him and nodded while saying, "Okay. Thanks for everything last night. I feel like I can trust you now." He turned and hurried out of the kitchen and then out of the house.

            Tayvon walked out of the kitchen just as Zayvon was coming downstairs. Zayvon smiled and shook his head while saying, "Damn, you and Nate. That's fucked up, bro."

            "Don't start. And you better not say anything to anybody, especially Demetrius."

            "Speaking of Demetrius, he's on his way here to pick me up. We're goin' to IHOP. You wanna come?"