“I think you’re falling for him, E. I warned you against this. It’s only going to end intears.”
It was a truth Eamonn wasn’t ready to face. He wanted to live in the present. He didn’t want to think about what his life was going to be like when Rafe left, when he joined his uncle’s company. Why was everyone so obsessed with thefuture?
“However it ends, it’ll be better than finding him snogging some nobhead in the airport.” Eamonn got right in Nathan’s face, a face he once couldn’t stop kissing and now only disgusted him. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but there is no future with us. When Rafe leaves and my heart breaks, at least I’ll know his is breaking,too.”
“Your heart?” Nathan asked, a layer of sarcasm peeled away. “You really care abouthim.”
“Yeah. I really fucking do.” The words rushed out, but they were not untrue. It felt good to say that, to let himself admit that his feelings went deep. Even if he was headed for a downfall, he’d enjoyed the ride down withRafe.
Rafe
“You are not going to hurt Nathan. You are not going to make a scene. You are a classy-as-fuck, peaceful individual.” Rafe said this to himself as he walked back into the crowd. When he left the bathroom, he saw Eamonn and Nathan having a conversation. A pleasant-looking conversation. Nathan was being his charming, seductive, snakelike self. Eamonn was not stonewalling him. Maybe that was too much to ask, but for all Eamonn claimed he was done with Nathan, moments like this made Rafe have inklings of doubt. Like Coop said, this waswar.
“Hey!” Rafe said loudly. He put an arm around Eamonn pulled him close. “I can’t wait for the show tostart.”
“Should be any minute.” Eamonn gazed into his eyes and erased most of his worry. But it was like hand sanitizer. It might kill 99.9% of germs, but you still had to watch out for that pesky0.1%.
“I need a drink.” Nathan left for the bar. Rafe didn’t see him for the rest of theconcert.
* * *
“Aaaaand it’s officially no longeryour birthday.” Rafe watched 11:59 turn to midnight on his phone. The band played their final encore and left the stage. The flatmates retreated to the bar for a final round of birthdayshots.
Eamonn took his shot and the other threefollowed.
“Thanks for a great day,” Eamonn whispered into hisear.
The night wasn’t over for him. There was still one final round of birthday sex. They left Old Ticket Hall and ordered an Uber since the trains had stopped running. Everything went off without ahitch.
Which meant that something inevitably had to go wrong. It was the physics of Murphy’sLaw.
And that something wrong was Nathan, drunk beyond belief. He stumbled around outside the venue smoking a cigarette arguing with the bouncer. Rafe could’ve told him from experience that arguing with the bouncer never workedout.
“I’m fine, you fucking cunt!” Nathan yelled at the bouncer. “This is a bar. What the fuck was I supposed to do? Drink chocolatemilk?”
“Oh boy,” Louisa said. She, Heath, and Eamonn shared a look offamiliarity.
Nathan tripped backwards into a couple leaving, making the woman drop herpurse.
“Oy. Say you’re sorry,” the boyfriendsaid.
Nathan grabbed his junk. “There’s myapology.”
Rafe couldn’t believe this was the same guy who sounded so posh, even when he insultedyou.
“What’s your problem?” The boyfriend launched at Nathan and was ready to pounce, if not for Eamonnintervening.
“Oy!” Eamonn kept them separated. He pulled Nathanaway.
“That wanker started it!” Nathan yelled for everyone to hear. Naturally, people stopped andstared.
“I’ve never met you, mate.” The guysaid.
“Fuck you!” Nathan tried to push past Eamonn, but he was afortress.
“I’m going to get him a glass of water.” Louisa scurried backinside.
“Have a seat, mate.” Heath tried to lead him to a bench, but Nathan lurched from his grip. He stormed over to Rafe. His eyes scorched with white-hotanger.
