Page 58 of Obnoxious Bad Boy

I snort and when I glance at the plastic trophy from Levi, I see it for the good-natured little dig that it is. While the video is embarrassing as fuck, it’s not the end of the world. And from what I’ve been told its quality doesn’t provide that much detail.

“Thanks, Matt. And thanks for bringing all of this, you’re the best. Are you going home for Christmas?”

He nods as he zips up his duffel bag. “Yep, and then we’re doing a winter hike with Cass. Kai’s taking care of our cat, so it’s all set.”

I know I can’t keep him here forever, but he is a piece of sunshine in my parents’ quiet, cold home filled with fake holiday joy, so I keep chatting to Matt until he realizes how late it is and excuses himself. Despite already missing him as I close the door, his visit, and all the thoughtful gifts did make me feel better.

“This one seems nice,” Mom says out of nowhere, and I almost drop my empty juice glass before spinning on my heel to spot her by the door to the kitchen.

“Um, yeah, Matt is cool,” I say, not sure what else I can add.

She watches me from behind her fancy glasses, but when I don’t catch on, she shakes her head and pours two glasses of red wine. “He must care about you if he came all the way here.”

Oh. My. God.

“Mom, he’s just a friend. And our house is on the way to his hometown. That’s all there is to it,” I say, but when she pushes the second glass toward me, I step toward the marble counter and pick it up.

“You don’t know where a friendship might lead, Aaron,” she says, and I almost regret getting lured in by the wine, but it is a pretty amazing red, I have to give her that.

“He’s got a boyfriend he very much loves, and he’s not even my type. Give it a rest. You don’t need to set me up.”

“Well, you are not dating that Vex person,” Mom says, swirling her drink in the glass. She looks like she’s made of porcelain, and I suppose I got my skin from her.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask in defiance even though I couldn’t date Vex if I wanted to because he won’t have me.

She puts down the glass and places both her hands flat on the counter, as if she needs to steady herself. “It means that we didn’t raise you so that you waste your life on some punk who tempts you into dangerous situations. And if you don’t understand that, then I shall remind you that we may still change the rules of your trust fund.”

When I swallow, she cocks her head, staring straight at me. “It’s because we love you. We don’t want you to throw your life away just because you’re young and inexperienced. No one is opposed to you having a boyfriend, but it needs to be a good person, who actually brings value to your life.”

She has no idea how much value Vex brought to my life before he decided to throw me away. And I’m not just talking about how handsome he is, or how good he is in bed. He brightened my days, showering me with compliments and attention. He made time for me, shared his interests with me, and proved to me that I’m worthy of love. Even if not his.

I hate that she’s dangling the trust fund in front of me again, like it’s a hammer they can wield to mold me into whatever shape they need me to be.

“You don’t know him,” I say, even though I’m not seeing him anymore.

“Did you not hear what I said?” Mom asks, but when I don’t immediately respond, she takes a big sip of the wine. “I suppose it’s better to provide an alternative rather than forbid. I want you to meet up with my good friend’s son. He just came out as gay, and he’s a student in Springton. I’ll give you his number, and you can meet him when you go back.”

I can’t believe this shit.

But this conversation will be worse if I drag it out.

“Fine,” I say and have a swig of wine.

Chapter 17

Vex

“You made your choice. Stop sulking,” Yasmin says as she cleans up her station after seeing a client.

I want to grab the pillow I’m holding and toss it at her, but I’m a gentleman, so I just count to five and pour myself some orange juice.

“Easy for you to say,” I growl but I find myself once again looking up Aaron’s Instagram profile. He barely posted anything over the Christmas break, and all photos showing his face are gone from the account, which leaves me only with pictures he sent me directly and some we took together. There’s one from the week before our mutually beneficial friendship imploded, in which Aaron’s hanging on me like a baby monkey. He has such a pretty smile in that picture, and while I can look at it every day, the emotion behind it feels hollow since we haven’t talked for over two weeks.

I wanted to write him as soon as I realized someone working at the museum leaked the footage from our escapade, but after a whole day of agonizing, I decided that it wouldn’t be fair of me to contact him after he so blatantly told me it was over. It would be like scratching open old wounds.

I can’t believe I didn’t notice the camera when we first entered the museum, but while I’m infinitely grateful that my face isn’t visible in the footage, the thought of Aaron being the sole focus of this scandal returns to me over and over, taunting me in the night as I attempt to sleep.

“It is, because I’m not the one who got involved in all this drama.”