Jade had barely got off bed when he heard the doorbell ring. He hurriedly finished brushing his teeth because the ringing wouldn't let up. People have no decency these days.
When he got to the door, he was not prepared for what was on the other side.
"You have the wrong address," Jade said.
"Already double checked. Sign here please, um...Jade," the delivery guy said.
A dumbfounded Jade signed on the paper, his question died in his throat when he noticed the delivery guy had left, he didn't remember taking his 'package' but there they were, probably a hundred pieces of red staring back at him.
Why the fuck would anyone send me roses!
He walked back in with his rather huge bouquet cradled in his arms. He set it on the kitchen table while he opened the note attached to it.
'Can't seem to stop thinking about you'
Jade was thankful that he was alone because his heart beat so hard that if someone else was in the room, they might have heard it.
His mind was in a jumble and he couldn't stop glancing at the roses, almost as if they were something he was trying to figure out.
Roses, he thought. Ew.
He made his way back to the bathroom because the heat in his face was becoming bothersome.
Before he could flick the tap open, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and his eyes widened because of the undeniable flush on his cheeks.
"Pull yourself together Jade," he said right before he splashed water onto his face, the cool welcome against the mild heat.
Unfortunately it couldn't do anything for the thudding in his chest.
Right after that, the flowers kept on coming, and soon enough Jade was going to have a greenhouse instead of an apartment.
The second time came tulips with a read color that faded to orange. They looked lovely.
Third time was another type of flower he didn't know, attached to it was a note with an explanation.
'we don't know your favorite, so we'll buy you every species we can get our hands on, hopefully one will make you smile'
Jade found that his fingers were tracing the words for longer than was necessary. He'd almost allowed himself to imagine but ever so quickly, shook the thought off.
Then came the peonies that fluttered every time a little breeze passed by. They said he was beautiful.
The lavenders said they'd woken up thinking about him. He even got freaking bougainvilleas!
Jade couldn't take it when the daisies came. They were beautiful, but it was what they said that got to him.
'life is brighter with you in it'
He actually gasped, the back of his hand flying to cover his mouth as emotions rolled through him.
__________
It was weird for Jade to have a peaceful morning like this one. He picked up his ringing phone.
"I'll meet you there in thirty," said Brady.
He freshened up as fast as he usually did. He had plenty of time anyway.
As Jade sat at the cafe waiting for Brady, what he didn't expect was Sean casually sliding in the seat opposite him, with Met following suit. His heart skipped a beat at the surprise. It was so unexpected it got Jade speechless for a while.
"Surprised?" Met asked, an easy smile on his face. Although there was nothing easy about what it was doing to Jade. His insides folded and twisted, although he kept a cool, hard exterior.
He rolled his eyes.
"Morning!" said Sean in his cheery voice.
"Infiltrating my place was not enough?"
They didn't get to answer because that was the moment Brady decided to grace them with his very loud presence.
"Oh hell no! This time I'm third wheeling or fourth wheeling whatever, you guys can't have Jade all the time."
He slid in next to Jade so that they were both facing Met and Sean.
"I remember you," Sean said. "Who are you to Jade though?" He wasn't rude, he just asked it like the sky was blue so Brady answered.
"Only his best, most amazing, hottest and most awesome friend that he can't get enough of for some reason."
The way Brady said it, made it seem like he was talking about another Jade, an entirely different one.
"How do you even get along?" Met asked in wonder.
"The thing is, that's a secret but I guess I'll tell you because I already seem to like you guys, it's about my true identity," he motioned for the two men to lean closer and they did, after looking around to make sure no one was listening he said, "You know that guy that Cinderella falls for, even when he barely says one word the entire time?"
They nodded. He continued by whispering. "I'm that guy, I'm prince charming!"
"Oh my God," Jade ground out.
Met looked amused while Sean threw his head back laughing and Jade couldn't help but stare, he looked hot, he looked sexy. And his laughter was a caress on Jade's skin. He kept on staring, unable to turn away until their eyes met and he had to look for other places to stare at.
"You guys are making us feel a little underdressed jeez!" said Brady. It was true, the two men wore three piece suits that looked expensive as fuck, while Jade and Brady looked as casual as ever.
They continued to chat, Brady doing ninety percent of it of course. The other ten, both Met and Sean.
"So which one of you likes Jade?"
"We both do."
"No you don't," say Jade firmly.
Brady on the other hand, seemed excited to hear it. "Come on Jade, a ménage à trois? You can't complain about that."
"I couldn't agree more," said Met.
"Whatever," he replied.
"Well, you have my blessing," Brady flashed them his wide smile.
Jade was all about reading people and as far as he could tell, they liked Brady. And that calmed something in him. Almost as if they'd passed some sort of test.
Finally they decided to go.
"We'll see you later today Jade," they rose up to leave. "Brady you were a delight, see you around," Sean added.
Jade knew that the pair had not just come for a friendly chit chat with him and his friend. It was clear they weren't saying something.
Eventually, it came out.
__________
"Okay down to business," Sean hesitated. "We um... we'd really like to take you out... on a date. It could be dinner or lunch..." Sean's hand went to rub something at the back of his neck and Jade fought the urge to tell him to relax.
"I love what you've done with the place by the way," he added. Jade took it back and rolled his eyes. He knew Sean had just said it to ease the tension, but the fact still remained, he never threw out any of the flowers. He'd kept each and every one of them and he still didn't know why.
"You know, you really roll your eyes an awful lot. It's kind of sexy."
"Just stop. All this," Jade motioned around him. "I mean, it's going to get no where. Three people can't be together and you know it."
"And why the fuck not?" Met asked.
"They can't, it doesn't work, not unless they just want to have fun," Jade looked thoughtful a moment. Then it seemed to strike him.
"I'll make you a deal," the silence was indication for him to continue. "A week. I'll prove you wrong, and you will stop all this. No texts, no flowers, no sneaking up on me, or following me to places. But if I can't prove you wrong, then I'll let you take me out for lunch, dinner is too sappy."
"How do you mean?" Sean asked, clearly interested because of the chance to take Jade out.
"All you have to do is resist me, it's not that hard is it?" They looked skeptical. "Well since all this has nothing to do with sex right?"
"Resist all my advances, no sex at all for the entire week, I can come on to you if I please and if you even kiss me or touch me in a sexual manner, then it's over, you lose."
Jade crossed his arms and waited. It would be smart if they said no, because he wasn't going to make it so easy.
"It's a deal, we'll prove you wrong Jade," Met said. "You may be tempting as sin but we want this too much, we will not fail."
"I guess we'll see."
"Oh and um..." he brought his face less than an inch from Sean's, teasing him while he let his fingers brush lightly over Met's crotch. "Come whenever you like," he felt Met shiver as Sean caught his breath.
"To my apartment of course."
Met caught his eyes and saw the mischief in the hazel. Fuck.
They were fucked.