Tides

20 | unveiling the face of deceit

"I'm Daniel's experiment," the man calls, remaining in his place by the bathroom. "Though Daniel is insistent that he likes women so..."

"I think I'm bisexual," Daniel rushes out. A shaky hand kneads his hair back. "L-like Dea, you know?"

Ashton chuckles and swallows all the discomfort rising in his body. "I know what bisexual means." He tips his head toward the man behind him. "How long have you been sleeping with him?"

Daniel blinks absently. "Ah..."

"A few weeks now," the man speaks up. "My name is Jaden, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Ashton laughs and looks down as he kicks his foot at the ground. "You're not experimenting then. You clearly like him."

This makes Daniel stiffen and his voice becomes gruff with annoyance. "I do not."

Looking over his friend's broad shoulder, Ashton waves at Jaden. "Nice to meet you, Jaden. Names Ashton."

The boy's eyes light up and he grins with delight. "So you're Ashton. Daniel talks about you a lot."

Ashton arches a curious brow at Daniel and one of the rarest things occur. An actual blush begins to stain his olive cheeks and he shifts his gaze to the side. In all of Ashton's years of knowing Daniel, bashfulness is something that he's never expressed. In fact, he's always thought Daniel was immune to embarrassment.

"Okay," he announces, voice booming, "time to go Jaden."

"Aw?" He pouts, folding his arms. "You said you wanted to try something new with me."

Daniel's blush deepens and he quickly turns his back to Ashton. "I said go," he growls with a tight jaw.

Jaden's physique deflates and he disappears into the bedroom without another word.

"Well," Ashton snickers. "I can't say I'm too surprised."

Daniel whirls around. Droplets spring from his slightly overgrown locks. "What do you mean by that?"

Shrugging, Ashton shoves his hands back in his pockets and leans against the wall. "You're constantly driven by sex. I've seen you look at men the same way you look at the women you plan on sleeping with. I just didn't expect to interrupt your pre...post sexual adventures," he jokes.

Daniel eases up with a miniature smile of his own. "So you don't think I'm like disgusting or something?"

"What?" Ashton jerks his head back. "Why would I think that? You realize Dea is bisexual too, right? If I were homophobic, you guys would know by now."

"Yeah, it's just different for women." He slumps and his next words fall to the ground. "I'm a man and it's...I don't know. People are more accepting of two women than they are of two men. I don't want you to be weirded out by me."

"Oh, come on." Ashton rolls his eyes. "I'm not threatened by your attraction to men. You like what you like. Do what you want, I honestly don't care. It doesn't change who you are."

"Thanks, Ash." His lips spread into a full grin and he draws in a shaky breath. "Now I just need to tell Mama and hope she doesn't accuse Dea of spreading her gayness to me."

Ashton cringes. "Yeah. She wasn't too fond of Dea's coming out."

"She didn't talk to her for a month and still sneers at all her girlfriends."

Those days back in high school are clear as if they only occurred yesterday. Dea would constantly bring girls around and more times than not, Daniel or Ashton had to pretend they were with them until Dea finally came out to her parents. It was only when Dea had her first boyfriend did her mother start being more accepting of Dea's sexuality.