Rivals 🌈 ✔

58 - Worry

Raine was a terrible cook. 

When he lived in Santo Padre, he used to join dinner in the clubhouse. After moving to Oakland, one of his sisters cooked and if he really had to get his own food, he let it deliver or went to a takeaway. 

Juice however was someone who paid a lot of attention to his food and preferred to eat fresh and healthy meals. Therefore, Raine had wanted to put something on the table that his boyfriend would like. Skye wrote down a recipe for him; a casserole Juice loved. It needed a ton of ingredients, making him suspect that Skye had chosen this meal only to keep his thoughts busy. It was a sweet gesture—and a strategy she probably often applied to Juice as well—and to be frank, he needed it. 

Even though he was glad he wasn't in Oakland right now, his thoughts kept wandering off. It might have been Esai backstabbing him, but it felt like the whole club wronged him. It wasn't fair—if anything, Marcus had punished his son and Phantom had ignored Esai's threats just to help him. 

Raine owed him an apology. He had been so pissed that he had stormed away, without apologizing for beating the guy up. 

And Esai... 

What should he do with him? Things hadn't been great between them for a while, but lately, he'd believed they were getting closer again. That only made the blow harder. Their friendship was over now, and it was so abrupt, so unexpected, that it really hurt. Only thinking about him made him clench his fists. How could he ever go back to the club and pretend nothing had happened? Yes—Esai had a brand mark like him, and if he wanted it, he could beat up the guy in the ring. But would it change the fact that he felt betrayed, that a friendship was ruined, that his trust was broken?

"It's time to make the sauce."

Skye's voice dragged him out of his thoughts. She gave him an understanding smile. 

He sighed and followed her written directions. She asked no questions; she'd done that earlier today so he kept focused on cooking the meal now, instead of getting tangled up in thoughts that had come to the fore a hundred times today. 

"You ever considered becoming a psychologist?" he asked with a grin. "You're good in dealing with people who got a lot on their mind."

She smiled. "I like to help people, but I'm not sure sitting on a chair and listening to people's shit all day long is really my thing. I rather do something active. But maybe a creative therapist—to help people reflect on their feelings and thoughts by doing something creative, that sounds cool.

"Sounds like you. And well, since it's so hard to find a job in sign language..."

"The thing is—I have to work to pay the rent. Especially when Juice moves out, I get full price."

"When Juice moves out?" Raine asked, confused. Why didn't he know about that? "Where's he going?"

Skye lifted an eyebrow. "Is that a serious question?"

Unrest settled in his chest. When had Juice decided that he wanted to move? And why didn't he tell him? 

Skye started to laugh. "Wow dude, you're not as smart as I thought you were. You can't think of a better roommate than me?"

"No..." Skye seemed like the perfect roommate—and he knew Juice thought that too. 

"Well, I can. Walk to the hallway and look to your right so you can meet him."

It took a few moments before he remembered a mirror on the wall. Skye was referring to him. Raine felt the heat rise to his cheeks. They'd joked about living together, but especially after their break-up it had felt like something that was far in the future, or something Juice wouldn't want at all anymore.