“Yes you fucking did! You told me to get my ass into the shop and help.”
“Helping does not mean—”
“Save it.” I raise my hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Without me, Tek would have gone under. Or you would have come back to Brooklyn running things, so spare me.Youare not the victim. While you were away, things had to keep on spinning.”
“And what does this have to do with your new girlfriend?”
“Who said it was a girl?”
“Huh?” Like a magnet, Eden's full attention is drawn to me for the first time. His face screws and his top lip curls, but his look isn’t of disbelief, he almost seems annoyed. Like he thinks I’m joking. Making fun of him. Trying to take away his limelight. “That’s not funny.”
“I’m not trying to be.”
“But you’ve—“
“Don’t you dare saybut you’ve had girlfriends.Cause coming from you,that’swhat’s funny. And I’ve had boyfriends, too. You’ve just never paid attention.”
He stumbles over his words, and I wish Tek was by my side. Maybe it would have been easier for him to break the news after all.
“Is it that unbelievable that Mom would have two bisexual sons?”
“I-I guess not. It’s just a shock.”
“You’re not the only one who's been keeping a secret.”
“Why didn’t you say anything at the shop last week?”
“Do you think you’d have heard me? You made that whole night aboutyoufrom the second you walked through the door. You’re barely listening to me now.”
“That’s because my boyfriend is off having a panic attack somewhere.”
“Well my boyfriend is—”
“Holy fuck, Jin!” Eden pushes me out of the way and sprints down the main street of Daintree.
Fucking Eden.
I knew this shit would happen.
I know he's Carey's brother, and I tried to be as supportive as I could be. But the Eden he remembers from his childhood, the Eden who put him first, died when his mom and Carey's father left him here alone in a cheap studio apartment, and my parents picked up the pieces. No kid should have to go through that when they're sixteen. And I know Carey hates his parents too, but there's a big difference between being abandoned, and moving out of your own accord. But still, Carey deserves better.
Jumping out of the van, I leave the driver's door open and make my way over to Carey.
"You alright?" I ask, rubbing the small of his back.
He shrugs. "It took me five seconds too long to get to the point."
"You're not the problem," I reassure him.
"I've never been the problem." Carey's cheeky grin hides his disappointment. It's his armour, and I can see when he puts it on just as clearly as he can tell when my mask is up. They are parts of our personalities that will never change, but we love each other even more for them because only we know how to strip each other bare.
"Now is not the time to be cute." With my lips slightly parted, I poke my tongue into the side of my mouth and drag my eyes down Carey's body before returning to his face. The change in his expression from grin to smirk is slight, but I see it.
"You're your own worst enemy," he says.
"It's a role I'm willing to play."
"That's something I'd say."
