DON'T BREAK THE RULES

Chapter 8 - The Bar

"We're almost there...yeah."

"It's only because I never have time but I had work off tonight."

"I'll see you all soon."

Jamie had been talking on his phone for a half an hour with his own friends, chuckling and teasing, making snarky remarks before eventually shoving it back into his pockets. As the car dissolved back into a silence, both of them listening to the roaring cars and the wind blowing past them, Jamie glanced towards Joe for a moment.

It was obvious Joe was doing everything he could not to look at Jamie. Jamie had not only helped him get dressed, but had dressed up as well. He was wearing a burgundy turtleneck and black pants, a golden chain around his neck, a few rings around his fingers—the dominant one on his thumb—had gelled the front of his gold curls backwards and since he had decided to smoke a blunt before entering the car, his eyes were starting to appear red and droopy, giving a stronger charm to his look. It was terribly hard for Joe to squash his hormones begging to peek.

Jamie had styled Joe similar to the way he dressed. Joe was wearing a high class navy sweater with a silver chain, his hair was gelled similar to Jamie's but he has one strand of curl falling in front of his left and he was wearing elegant laidback pants that harmonized well with his sneakers. They were both handsome but all Joe wanted was to express that to Jamie, who did not seem to even think anything of Joe.

Jamie glanced towards Joe a second time and they connected gaze for a moment before Joe rapidly turned away. He snorted, reaching for the pack of gum in his cupholder. "Don't tell me you were checking me out, Joe," he teased, wiggling his eyebrows as he saw the pink start to flush Joe's cheeks.

Joe inhaled a sharp breath. "No I—"

"I'm just playing—do you want one?"

"No, I'm alright." He wasn't a fan of being teased by him, let alone someone younger than him. Hence why he squished himself against the window, leaning his forehead against it with his brows furrowed. "And who were you talking to anyway?" he grumbled.

Jamie's frown that appeared shadowed his face, creasing his forehead. "Why are you asking me who I'm talking to?" When he noticed Joe's lips tighten without a response, he rolled his eyes and hissed harshly, "My buddies." The tense atmosphere around Joe didn't seem to falter even a bit. He seemed divulged into his own mind but growing angrier by every single thoughts, clenching his jaw tighter each second that passed. "What's wrong Joe?"

"Nothing."

"We're not doing this," Jamie grumbled right away, shaking his head after a snicker before his eyes locked on Joe when they reached a red light. "What's going on?"

"Why can't I talk to anyone on the phone except you?"

He heard a sharp exhale from Jamie, the motor roaring ash he pressed on the gas harder than he had been. It was clear he hated being questioned for his intentions, his cool collected persona fading the moment Joe asked. But Joe didn't find it fair that Jamie could laugh with his friends over the phone but he couldn't.

And the only response Jamie had was, "Because I said so."

His stomach twirled, resisting the urge of balling his fists as he felt a sudden heat in his muscles, begin to clench. His answers were always sharp and diminishing and it was one thing Joe despised. "But then why do I have a phone?"

Jamie pinched his lips for a moment before shrugging his shoulders, having enough of all this interrogation all of a sudden. "It's one of the rules Joe. Either you do what I tell you or you can leave." When Joe shook his head and returned his eyes towards the trees rushing past them, Jamie leaned towards him. "So what d'you decide?"

"It's not a big deal," Joe shrugged his shoulders. Jamie met his gaze for a moment before he focused on the road.

Soon enough, Jamie swerved the car into a parking lot and turned the keys, quieting the motor. He fixed a few strands in his rear view mirror, failing to notice the number of glances Joe sent him, before pushing open the car door and stepping down. He walked in front of Joe to the bar with his shoulders broadened and when he stepped inside, he was swarmed by seven of his friends. All of them were elegantly dressed, wearing similar attires and they burst into cheers when they observed Jamie widen his arms as he walked towards them. Even Craig, his co-worker, had received an invite to meet at the bar and there he stood amongst Jamie's friends.

The minute Jamie greeted them, they shoved glass shots with whiskey, insisting that he wouldn't have a good night if he didn't start right away, and Jamie didn't hesitate to tilt his head back and let the liquid burn his throat without even squirming a face.

As for Joe, he had been walking behind Jamie and was immediately separated when one of Jamie's friends stepped in front of him. Initially, he attempted to reach for Jamie but just before his fingers could tug his shirt, Jamie was pushed forward, further into his crowd.

The distance between them became greater and even though Joe had other friends, he wasn't sure if he could leave to hang out with them instead since Jamie had never even mentioned it. That was why he decided to call out for him. "Jamie!"

Aa few eyes amongst the group to glance towards him, and a pair of them were Jamie's. However, Jamie turned, eyed him, kept a straight face before returning his attention to his friends, chuckling with them as if Joe had been nonexistent.