Haunted

Rootless Tree

"So, am I coming out there as your boyfriend or just as a friend?" Eli asked one night. There were only 5 more days until he was supposed to visit. Maddox took a deep breath.

"As a friend," Maddox said. "But that doesn't mean you have to leave here that way."

"Oh," Eli said. Maddox wasn't sure if that was a happy sound or not.

"I mean, shouldn't we at least hang out and see how it goes?" Maddox asked.

"Yeah, definitely," Eli said. "I just wanted to know," he said. "Are you still, like, fucking that other guy?"

"Um, yeah," Maddox admitted.

"Dax!"

"I'm telling you the truth," Maddox said. "Yeah, we still see each other."

"But you're not together," Eli sighed. "Do you really love him, Maddox?"

"I do love him," Maddox nodded.

"So why are you even talking to me? This doesn't make any sense."

"I really like you, Eli, and you're a good friend."

"But if you have him you don't need me."

"There's room for both of you in my life," Maddox insisted.

"If you really want me to be your boyfriend, it would be just me," Eli crossed his arms. "I won't be with you if you're still with him."

"That's not fair," Maddox protested.

"It's not fair for you to have someone else you can just go see and hook up with while I'm here alone," Eli argued. "I'm sorry, Maddox, but I won't share. It's up to you."

"Fine," Maddox bit his tongue. He knew Eli was right, he just hated it.

"So do you still want me to come?" Eli asked.

"Yes," Maddox nodded.

"Are you going to end it with him?"

"I don't know," Maddox shrugged. "I have to decide."

"Well, decide fast."

"Okay," Maddox nodded.

He thought about it that night instead of sleeping and all the next day when he should have been helping his mom get ready for Kylie's graduation party. Of course they'd hired caterers so it wasn't like Clara had much to do other than sit somewhere and let people come talk about how big her stomach was and how crazy it was that she was having twins. But the more he thought about it the harder it was for Maddox to decide. Eli and The Singer were so different. How could he choose just one?

Maddox wandered over to the bar and helped himself to a beer. There was a bartender but he didn't seem to notice Maddox at all. Not the first time, not the second time, or the third time Maddox grabbed a beer.

Unfortunately, someone did notice Maddox was drinking. Before he knew it Kylie was stomping over to him.

"Dad will slaughter you if he sees you doing that," she warned him. Maddox rolled his eyes.

"You drank when you were my age," he reminded her. Why should Kylie get to have all the fun all the time?

"Just put it in a cup before he sees you," Kylie insisted. "Don't be dumb about this," she added and rushed away before Maddox could say anything else.

He finished his beer and got another one before he decided he'd had enough of the party. Maddox texted The Singer and asked if he could come over. Naturally, The Singer was more than happy to let Maddox come over.