Oh Boy! (BL)

26 - Kiss And Make Up (1/3)

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!"

I followed Cooper's glare past the line of cars in front of us to where red and blue emergency lights were reflecting in the night sky. We'd been standing here for about an hour now, hoping that the traffic report on the complete closure of the I-5 was false and that we'd still be able to get home in the next couple of hours. But apparently, we had no luck.

"Officer!" Cooper called out of his open window and a young deputy came over to us. "Sir, how long will the bridge be closed?"

The young deputy hooked his thumbs into his massive belt. "Son, there are two trucks that need to be towed away before we can even think about clearing the streets for traffic. We were lucky to get the fire under control on time to save the drivers, boy."

Cooper gulped and put on puppy eyes. "I didn't want to sound disrespectful, officer. It's just...we got school tomorrow morning and...we don't want to be late."

I snorted and tried to hide it with a cough when the deputy looked over at me.

He sighed. "I think you should try it again tomorrow morning and seek shelter for the night. Do you know where you can stay?"

"Thank you, officer. We know where we can stay." Only after Cooper had closed the window did he curse. "And now? We've got school tomorrow! And like hell do I know where we can stay the night."

"Can't we take a different route?"

"Sure," He frowned. "But we'd have to drive back for quite a distance..." He pulled out his phone. "Hey...yeah...yeah we are. Where are you? Okay. Yes, sounds good. We'll come over."

He gave me an apologetic look. "The Thunderbirds are crashing at a motel close by. Evans said there's still room for us. I'm sorry."

I just nodded. It wasn't his fault.

I blinked. "Um..."

Cooper rolled his eyes. "You think I didn't notice that you saw what happened between Holland and Clay? And that you kept on avoiding the Thunderbirds from that moment on?"

Oh. "Yeah...never mind." I tugged at the hem of my jacket. "Let's just drive there."

When Cooper squeezed his chevy into a vacant parking space next to the Thunderbirds' coach, Evans was already waiting for us with his back leaning against the bus's side.

"F*cking sh*t, isn't it?" Were Evans's first words. "My granny's birthday is tomorrow! She'll kill me if I'm late for breakfast!"

I blinked. A birthday party before school? Strange. But then again, this was Evans's family we were talking about.

"Be grateful that there's a motel with enough rooms for all of us!" Remarked Cooper after pushing the lock on his key fob. "Come, Ken, let's go get a room for the night."

"Well, bad news." Evans batted his eyelashes innocently. "All rooms are taken."

"What?" Cooper narrowed his eyes. "And why didn't you say so on the phone?! We could've slept somewhere else."

I regarded the L-shaped two-story building, looked back to Cooper's car. "We could sleep in the car, I guess."

Evans pulled me to his side. He was casually dressed in his black joggers and a white tee, his feet resting in a comfy pair of slippers. "Kenji-boy, let uncle Evans handle it. I already got a plan! We've played a bit of real-life Tetris with our boys and managed to get two free beds for you." He wiggled his fair brows. "I mean, Alvarez never intended to sleep in a room with two guys anyway. Not when the girls are just a few feet away." Evans led us to the stairs and up to the upper floor. "Okay, one of you stays here" He pointed at room number 19. "And the other will stay there." He pointed at number 23.

"We'll stay in different rooms?" I mumbled uncomfortably.

"First you're late and now you're complaining about our generous offer? Tsk, tsk, Kenji-boy. I never took you for a snob."

That was not the point. "I should sleep in the car."

"Ken..."

I hissed: "I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable with me in the room, okay?!"

Evans punched the back of my head. "Man, stop whining already!" I just stared at him. "Alvarez and Ducky were drunk AF when they said that. And just because they don't have the balls to apologize to you, you shouldn't hold a grudge against the whole team!"

I had my doubts.

Cooper nudged my shoulder. "Come on. It's just for one night."

"Fine," I grumbled. "Thanks, Evans."

He sighed dramatically. "He's talking to me again! Man, arts was so boring when you kept telling me: I have to draw!"

I blushed. "Sorry. I shouldn't..."

"It's fiiiiine!" Evans barged in. "Now be a good boy and..."

"Hey, Evans! Go to sleep already, we'll head out early!", yelled coach Simpson from downstairs.

"You heard the man," Evans pushed me toward number 23. "You'll sleep here, and apple-pie, you come with me."

Cooper rolled his eyes. "Night, Ken."

Both of them headed for room 19 which left me alone in the open hallway. For a second, I considered turning around and sleeping on a park bench...but I was afraid that it would hurt Evans's feelings. So, I slowly headed towards room 23 at the end of the hallway. I knocked at the dark green door. Once, twice. No one answered. I tried the handle in case someone left the door open, but it didn't move an inch. Locked.

So much for that.

"Hey..."

I closed my eyes. Of course, it had to be him. "Hi."

I heard to sound of keys being taken out of a pocket. "May I?"

I stepped aside to let Clay open the door, but I didn't follow him inside. Thanks to Lou and Fynn's drama, I'd shortly forgotten about our fight and the kiss. But now, alone with him and tired from this exhausting day, the memories returned vividly. I looked back at the parking lot.

Clay's voice was quiet. "You coming?"

I hesitated. "Maybe I shouldn't..."

"Please."