Can The Player PLAY The Player?

Point 20.

I entered the cafeteria, hearing the hustle and bustle of chatter and laughing as I walked through the lunch line, grabbing a meal. I felt awkward because I hadn't been in this line for a few weeks, and the lunch ladies knew it too. 

Once I was done, I walked over with a lunch tray in hand because Aaron didn't give me a specially made meal this morning. I only saw Akito, Omari, Owen, and Natalia—no Aaron, which was odd in itself because I could usually hear his yammering long before I saw him. 

"Where's Aaron?" I questioned, poking the other twin on the neck as I took a seat next to her. She looked utterly bummed out. "Who knows what that dude is up to?" She casually bit into her peach, not looking the least perturbed. She looked calm for someone whose brother was nearly having an internal panic attack. 

"Is he okay?" I sputtered, feeling panic rise up in my bones, settling into the pit of my stomach as my worst nightmare began to play in my mind. Natalia chuckled, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, dude. He's okay. No need to go all macho on us, destroying stuff to find him," She snorted and I slowly relaxed, still upset. "He's just going through something right now. It has nothing to do with any of us, so it's not like we can help him," She shrugged and I frowned, not liking that one bit.

"But I just can't sit here and watch him like that without doing anything. You can ask that of anyone else, but not me, Natalia," I shook my head, dread pooling in my chest. I didn't like seeing Aaron acting out of character, and it was clear that something was bothering him. I wanted to know what it was so that I could help him.

"No, Zaid," The raven muttered, tightening her grip on my shoulder to keep me from moving. "You're the last person he should be talking to right now. Being around you will only confuse him," I blinked slowly, biting my lip to keep myself from recognizing the pain in my heart. Why would she say that to me? Did he not like me anymore?

"You're his best friend, that's for sure," She gave me a comforting smile and I stiffened as she crossed her legs, removing her hand. I was absolutely confused. "He's doing some soul searching right now and until he figures it out, we cannot push him," I frowned, looking at the ground. I was completely lost and all, but I was willing to wait until Aaron came around.

"If he doesn't get his head out of the clouds soon enough," I heard Natalia mumbling to herself as she played with her acrylic tips. "Then I'll just have to intervene."

I wanted to ask what she meant by that, but I was too disheartened to continue. Part of me wanted to say 'fuck that' and go find Aaron and demand that he tell me what was wrong because he would've done the same, but the fierce look in her eyes stopped me from moving. I could tell it was something serious this time.

"Zaid!"

"Zaid!"

"Zaid!"

I could hear the calls of the girls from the nearby tables, but I wasn't caring about them right now. My mind was too focused on my angel eyes, going through past moments to figure out what could've gone wrong. 

"If you don't mind, your emperor is thinking about something more important than you all right now," Omari smiled sweetly before pointing in the direction of the girls' table. "Please don't make it more difficult for him."

I snorted as they walked away, but his words were indeed true as I was thinking about Aaron all day. He was still occupying my every thought as I left school to head home. It felt odd to have our routine thrown off, but what could I do when he wouldn't let me in?

I stared longingly at his house as I passed by, seeing his car in the driveway. He was home, but I knew he wasn't willing to talk to me. I sighed heavily, a weight on my heart and a frown set on my lips as I pulled into my own driveway.

"What the hell is happening?" I got out of my truck and headed inside, seeing a familiar car in the driveway. I rolled my eyes, deciding that I had enough today. After my talk with Sophia, I knew what I had to do, and I had to first accept the fact that I was gay and I was in love with my best friend. I knew the latter for years, so it didn't take me a while to come around to the former.

I opened the door and stepped in to see the mayor of Minneapolis standing in front of my mother, an argument heading my way. "What in the hell are you doing?" I growled, pointing a jabbing finger in the despicable direction of said man. "Why, I was coming to speak to you and your dear mother about your college choices, only to find out that you were out with your friend," Paul retorted in a voice that told me that he wasn't here for anything good.

"I hope you took my words to heart and listened to me, son," He stepped away from Katrine, who was about to lose her last nerve. "I really hope that you understand that you don't need people like Aaron Moore in your life to deter you away from greatness. I was gone for a few months, and look what he has done to you," He pointed to me, to my chained, ripped jean glory paired with a casual tank top. Before, he would've had me wearing khakis and a polo like I was going golfing. 

It was right then and there that I decided to say what I wanted, not caring about his opinion. If he wanted to know me, he was going to, all right. I was so tired of letting this man decide my life for me, walking all over me like I was some doormat. 

"I'm gay for Aaron and there's nothing you can do about it."

it was almost comical how large his eyes widened in pure, unmasked fury as he clutched his hands, spittle leaving his lips. "See, Katrine? You leave him alone with his thoughts and with Aaron," He groused my friend's name like it was sulfuric acid on his tongue, burning away with each syllable. "And now look at him, homo-frolicking and all—"

That was the last thing he said before my mother sauntered up to him and slapped him within an inch of his life. Her eyes were blazing in anger as her teeth curled over her lip, and I knew she had enough. "You shut the fuck about my son, you piece of shit! That will be the last time you disrespect my son in my home," I could feel the cold intensity of her tone as Paul grabbed his jaw, nodding in mock understanding.

"I don't give a damn what you say about me, Paul." I stepped to him, looking him eye to eye so he knew that I didn't give a shit about his status as mayor, As far as I was concerned, he was pure dog shit on the ground. 

"You are not my father, Paul Brooks," I spat coldly, tired of hearing him throw that shit back in my face like it meant something. "You may have given me my last name, but you are the furthest from a father," I sneered, watching his eyes darken as he sought to bring down the judgment of the gods upon me.

Thomas was a better father to me than this piece of trash would ever be. It didn't matter that he didn't know that I was gay because it wouldn't matter to him. That was the kind of man he was, so far from this stain standing in front of me. 

"So you can take your shit and get the hell out of our house. Do not let me see you stepping on our porch ever again," I marched over to the door, swinging it open and motioning for him to get out. He looked ever so defeated and I wanted to smirk and rejoice in the fact that he knew he couldn't do anything now.

He had nothing over me, over my mother and even if he did, it wouldn't matter because we finally knew the truth now. He could do whatever he could: threaten us, threaten Aaron. It didn't matter because I was going to protect Aaron if it was the last thing I did. "Get out now," I seethed and Paul shot me a glare before slowly exiting the premises, the sound of the door hitting the frame the last thing we heard.

Now that was done and I was no longer concerned about him, and I could finally move and do what I have been wanting to do all this time.

Score for Zaid Brooks.