Puppy Love (bxb)

Chapter Four

I was a little on edge when I left work. I half expected Andrew to pop out of the bushes and tackle me to the ground.

Thankfully, I made it to my beat up 2000 Toyota without an assault. Unlike most days, I didn't try to catch Henry's attention through the window. I thought he might've looked up, but I moved too fast to really tell.

Once I was in my car, I locked the doors and drove off. Whereas I normally belted out music along with the radio, I drove home in silence.

Nobody had really picked on me the way Andrew had in years. I knew I should've just moved on with my life, but his words bothered me.

I hadn't always had endless confidence. As a middle-school aged gay kid, I had none. In high school it got a little better, and college was where nobody judged anybody. I'd learned how to do confidence over the years.

I got home and practically ran straight to my brother. Or, well, roommate.

"Is my hair okay?" I blurted.

James, who was 30 but too volatile to have a wife or kids, was my roommate. We paid the bills together to lighten the load for each other. Like me, James had gone to college thinking he needed to and then gotten out of college lost, confused, and lined up for a career path that was going to be endless misery.

He looked up from his computer. "Are you serious?"

My brother was a really handsome guy. We looked a lot alike, except I was half his weight and had kind of a baby face. James had a strong jawline, unruly hair that looked stylish, and fashionable glasses.

And yet he was still single. Because his personality was that bad.

"Yes. I'm serious. Is my hair okay?" I asked, a little bit stressed.

He snorted. "Since when do you care about the way you look? Your hair is fine. It looks the way it always looks."

That was not a promising statement.

I rushed to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. Nope, I was nowhere near as handsome as manly and mean Andrew. But I wasn't that bad!

Yeah, my brown hair was kind of a boring color, but it was definitely interesting hair! At the ends it became wavy and curly. And my brown eyes weren't too basic, because they kind of looked more like honey than actual brown. Sure I had a chipped tooth in the front from when James smashed my face into the floor once, but who notices that kind of detail?

I smiled. I had nice teeth. A dimple. A few random freckles on my face, nothing like the even sprinkling that Henry had around his nose.

Nah. Andrew was just a dick. I was fine now.

But handsome Henry? Totally buff, deep perfect tan, cute nose freckles, piercing blue eyes, Henry? Maybe I couldn't actually score him.

But hey. You missed every shot you didn't take.

It was totally on, Asshole Andrew.

I felt kind of stupid for driving right home in fear of some random guy I'd just met. I should have just gone about my day and shaken it off.

Well, consider it shaken off.

"I'm leaving!" I yelled to James. "I'm heading out with my hood rat crew!"

"Don't die!"

I left my house in my ratty jeans and t-shirt, feeling just fine. I let myself belt out the words to the songs on my car ride to Walmart. I hummed as I searched through the isles and aimlessly bought new toys for the dogs at the shelter my best friend, Declan, worked at. It was pretty close to the kennel.

I drove on over to the shelter and grinned when I saw Declan. He'd been my best friend since middle school. I had had plenty of friends over the years, but Declan was the only one who always seemed to stick around forever.

"I brought toys!" I announced, holding up the Walmart bag.

Declan laughed. "You always do."

Declan was a heavy kid with a round baby face and a wide smile. He always wore trendy Tumblr clothes, like thick black glasses and Dr. Martin boots and flannels tied around his waist. He was good at that kind of thing. He knew how to use Instagram and he knew the popular pop songs on the radio.

I listened to my country songs and wore the same outfit every day and I'd never gone near a make up pallet once in my life. Declan and I were complete opposites.

But I loved the guy. I pulled him in for a hug and squeezed. He groaned. I was his sunshiney extrovert and he was my cloudy introvert. We were so cute.

"How's your guy?" Declan asked. He gave me a knowing smile, fully prepared for a rant.

"Dude! This asshole showed up at his shop today and totally ripped me a new one," I complained. "He insulted my hair." I ignored Declan's pointed look at my hair that insinuated that it should be judged. "I think he's into Henry."

Declan paused for a minute, which meant he was contemplating how nice he should be. "Dillon...I really hope things work out for this guy. But this isn't the first time you've got burned my putting all of your eggs into one basket. I know you feel like he's great for you, but what if he's got a thing with this new guy?"

"He doesn't! He kicked him out of the shop."

Declan hesitated, but I knew what he was thinking. He was always telling me the same thing.

I wasn't very experienced in the boyfriend department. I'd had one super bad experience in high school and kept it casual since then.

But I hated casual. What was the point of casual? Why date someone you didn't see a future with?

So I always tended to jump the gun on things. I saw someone and I thought they were it for me. Declan noticed the trend and always reminded me of it.

"I know what you're trying to say," I admitted. "But this Henry guy feels different."

"You mean he's hot?"

"No! Well, he's totally fuckin' banging. But. I like the vibe I get from him. He seems really careful and calm and kind and thoughtful." Especially when I caught a glimpse of him making desserts through the window. He did his work with care and precision.

Declan smiled. "Well, hey. If he's hot I hope it works. I just also hope you don't get hurt."

"Well, me too," I admitted. "This new guy is really making things rocky."

Right as I said it, the door opened and Declan lit up. "Oh, Andrew! This is perfect timing, I have someone I want you to meet!"

And I was face-to-face with Asshole Andrew yet again.