Another Wave of You ✓

14 • Not The Only One

    "He better. I'm only doing it because Coach Banks told me to." He nudged her playfully. "And if it means spending more time with you, I ain't complaining."

     Theo gave his friend a warning look. He knew how Zach could be like, but he wasn't going to let him flirt with a girl who already had a boyfriend. At the same time, though, he also knew the blond was a natural flirt, and that it was as harmless as it looked.

     El was completely clueless as she laughed giddily at his words.

     He grumbled a curse.

    "Jeff," Zach suddenly clamped the boy's shoulders, and the boy jumped. "There's people I want you to meet. It's time for networking. Come, child."

     Jeff's eyes bulged. "Uh, Len?"

     She laughed at his horrified expression. "You'll be fine."

     And so El and Theo were left alone together.

***

     Fuck. He didn't know why he felt slightly uncomfortable. Maybe because this was the first time they'd hung out outside the beach, or Anchor's, or the Championships. No buffer state this time.

     His stomach was full of knots.

     Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

     And there was also the thing with El's boyfriend. The fact that she had never mentioned him once made it something awkward to bring up.

    "You're not mad at me, are you?"

     Theo whipped his head at her. "What? Why would I be mad?"

    "I — because — " She bit her lip. "Nothing. Where's Chase?"

     Phew. A topic he could talk about. "He's sleeping in my room," he explained. "He doesn't really like parties, and he was sleepy, so he's using his earmuffs. He has that specifically for these type of occasions."

     Theo couldn't count the number of times he'd found his little brother like that, when their parents would throw their ridiculous, over-the-top dinner parties that involved popping champagne and public facades.

     El started to walk around, so Theo followed her. "How did he get here?" she frowned. "I mean, I didn't ask earlier because I didn't feel like I could." She suddenly looked up at him. "Can I?"

     He restrained a smile at her innocent expression. "He booked a plane a few days after I left," he started. "Alone."

    "Alone?"

    "Yeah."

    "But he's... and he's — " Fifteen and autistic, yeah. She looked up at him. "That's really brave."

     Theo frowned slightly. He never really saw it that way. Stupid and irresponsible, but... never brave.

    "I guess it is," he responded quietly.

    "What did your parents say?"

     He turned to her. He knew she'd overheard the phone call that night, seen him angry. And in that disastrous call, they'd settled on a predicament: Chase couldn't be forced to go back if he didn't want to, but he also couldn't stay for the whole trip. 

     So Chase Samuels had a deadline. Sooner or later, he had to go home.

     And Theo needed to truly make things right before he left.

     He explained her this, to which she responded, "That's good. Really good. I'm glad, Theo. He looks like he's enjoying his time here."

    "He's not the only one."

     El cracked a grin at him, and damn it, it was so fucking infectious he felt his lips pull up as well. 

     They spent the rest of the night talking about whatever that came to mind, from how Theo and Zach pretended to be a couple in order to get into a gay bar, to how El had to console a grieving runaway bride on her wedding. They laughed and choked on potato chips. Nothing about his troubles. And it was one of the best nights he'd had in a while.

     But sometime, people started whispering. Looking at Theo.

     El noticed and frowned, straightening up from the kitchen island. "What's going on?"

     A bad feeling made its way to his bones. It was the way people were looking at him, like he'd done something wrong. Like the way people would look at him in hallways.

     Zach, his eyes flickering around the place. Who exactly did you invite?

     Just then, a tap on his shoulder. And when he turned around, seeing him — his blood run cold.

    "Hey, Theo," Alex gave a malicious grin. "Missed me?"

***

     This couldn't be happening. 

    "Theo," El whispered, tugging his sleeve. "Do you know this person?"

    "Of course he does." Alex's gaze didn't stray away from him. "We used to be best buds, remember?"

     He almost couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. The sight of him made Theo remember past memories, of this guy literally breathing down his neck, telling him to do things, horrible things. 

     And if Theo couldn't stand up to him before, he had to stand up to him now.

    "Get the fuck outta here."

     Alex tilted his head and tsked. "A year with no contact, and you're still rude as hell. I guess nothing changes." Then his interest shifted to El. "And you must be his new friend. Hi, I'm Alex."

    Before El could return his outstretched hand, Theo held it against her.

    Alex narrowed his eyes. "Possessive, are we?"

   "How are you here?" Theo barked. "You're not suppose to be here."

   "Speak for yourself. Everyone's been talking about you, Theodore. The depressed boy who ran away like a coward." He felt El froze beside him, and Alex took glee in it. "Oh? Didn't know about that, did you? I wonder what else he's not telling you."

    "He can tell me anything he wants or doesn't want to," El said furiously, and Theo felt an ache in his chest at this girl defending him. "And he certainly doesn't need people like you dictating that."

     Alex bursted out laughing. "Oh my, Theo, you've got this one wrapped around your little finger!" He grinned down at her. "You gotta know the whole story, sweetcheeks, to know who exactly you're friends with."

     He pulled out his phone.

    "What the fuck are you doing?" Theo breathed through his nostrils.

    "Showing her that you've got her all wrong," he smirked, and turned back to El. "He must've gotten you to think that he was the rookie. But the truth is, he was the worst of us all."

     And that was when the audio started.

A/N:

This chapter was originally one part, but like, it was a hell lot of words. +2,600 to be exact, and counting.

So I split it into two chapters, both in Theo's POV.