Sixteen

For the first time in a hot minute, Austin and I get to just hang out in peace. Even though Tristan is in the house with us, we don't have to worry about anything, considering he knows now.

I lay across the span of the couch, my head on Austin's lap. He's seated himself at the end of the couch to allow me to stretch out fully. While I lay on him, he gently strokes my hair and face. If heaven was a place on Earth, mine would be right here, in his lap.

I look up at his face while he leans down. He makes his subtle double chin more prominent on purpose and I laugh. I poke his neck where he scrunches it together and he smiles. For a skinny guy like him, he sure does make a good double chin.

"Okay. If you could go anywhere right this moment, where would you go?" I ask him.

He thinks for a second. "Probably Italy. Probably have some family I could hunt down. Plus it's got some gorgeous views."

"Can I come too?" I smile in a cheeky way. He boops my nose.

"Yes, you have to. It's required." I smirk.

"That's what I thought."

"I have one. If you never met me and were going to guess my name based on what I look like, what would you call me?" he asks. I ponder.

"Garth, destroyer of worlds," I smile. He laughs heartily.

"Oh yeah? I look like a world destroyer?"

"For sure," I wink. "But I'd probably think you were a Matt or a Will. That seems about accurate."

"What about Austin?" he smirks.

"Even if I didn't guess it, that would be my favorite one," I grin. He leans down and kisses me on the forehead.

"Okay, your turn," he says.

Before I even get the chance to think of another question, the doorbell rings. I sigh.

Tristan comes out of his room, somewhat sleepily. Though it's already past noon, he clearly is up too early.

"I'll get it," he says. I sit up so I'm next to Austin instead of laying on him.

We quickly learn that Jade, Marie, and Josh are at the door. Nothing in this world is louder than Marie's voice, aside from Jade's voice.

I hear the two of them squeal and run up the stairs as fast as their legs can take them.

"We didn't get to see you two together much yesterday so we brought ourselves to you!" Marie cheers, taking a seat and making herself right at home. Josh stays on her arm and sits down next to her. It looks like there's nothing going on in his brain, but he seems content anyway.

Jade ends up taking a chair from the kitchen and pulling it in the living room to join us. Meanwhile, Tristan awkwardly stands in the hallway, leaning against a wall. He doesn't say anything.

"So, give us the details! How long has this been for? Did you kiss? Go on a date? When's your wedding?" Marie asks, sitting on the edge of her seat. I blush, not expecting a barrage of intrusive questions. Noticing my discomfort, Austin steps in.

"Slow down a little, you're going to hurt yourself," he smirks. "Today marks two weeks of being together."

Both Jade and Marie say "aww," nearly in unison. I can tell that this will be a long day already.

"Woah, so you guys are like... into each other?" Josh asks, totally oblivious until now.

"Yeah," I say, a little awkwardly.

"Ooh, so you're both super homo. That's cool. I've never met a gay before. Now I know two," he smiles. What a catch. Austin purses his lips and doesn't even entertain him with a response. From a distance, I can tell Tristan isn't loving him being here either.

Jade notices our awkward body language. "You guys look like you just met yesterday! Come on, show us the love!"

My face goes even more crimson. Austin notices my tension and says, "We're not actors putting on a show, we're people." Jade cringes, feeling bad.

"Sorry, we're just really excited to see you guys together. We think you'd work really well as a couple," she says.

"I agree," I say, trying to break the tension. They laugh.

Marie gasps. "We should all go on a triple date! Me and Josh, Jade and Liam, and you two!"

Tristan glares. "Sounds fun," he chides.

Marie turns around to face him, oblivious. "Yeah! And you can come with... uh... yourself?"

Tristan, even more pissed off, stomps off into his room and shuts the door behind him.

"What's his deal?" Marie asks. I roll my eyes. How can someone be so blind?

Jade pauses for a moment. "Hey, Sammy never showed up. Is she busy or something?" she asks Marie. She shrugs in response. I look down.

"Sammy needs some time away from us," I sigh. Austin looks at me, curious.

"Wait, what did we do?" Jade asks nervously. I shake my head.

"She had a crush on Austin, and he started dating me instead. She needs time to be away from us. Especially us together," I explain. Jade frowns.

"I had no idea."

Austin shifts awkwardly, not seeming to want to dwell on the topic.

"Anyway, we just wanted to stop by to see you guys. You wanna come join us? We're going on some errands," Marie asks.

"I think we're gonna pass. Thanks though," I tell them, lightly rubbing Austin's back.

The three of them get up and we say our goodbyes. Austin lets out a sigh, given the reopened wound about Sammy.

"Is she mad at me? Or you?" he asks, feeling guilty again. I purse my lips.

"I can't say she's the happiest with either of us. But I did talk to her yesterday. You might need to as well," I let him know.

"You're right. I'll get in touch."

The two of us continue to sit together, but both of us linger on all the stress we've been dealing with quietly. I lean my head on his shoulder, and he wraps his arm around me. At least, through all of the hard stuff, we have each other.

Tristan comes back out, still seeming angry, but a little less than earlier. He sits on one of the couches and says, "It's like she's trying to make me mad. What did I ever do to her?"

"As much as I love Marie, she isn't always the most attentive. She's totally oblivious, man. You have to talk to her instead of getting mad," Austin says, a little irked. Tristan simmers quietly.

We all sit in silence for a few minutes. Once we hear the garage door open, however, Austin and I shift away from each other a bit once again.

Mr. Jacobs comes up the stairs, seeming giddy.

"Oh, hey guys. Wasn't expecting all three of you," he smiles.

"Hey dad. How was your day?" Austin asks.

He grins. "Well, I ran into this woman today."

Austin and Tristan both look at each other, apprehensive. Their dad notices.

"Come on now, listen to this. She noticed my shirt and complimented it. We walked around the store together for a while and I got her number!" he says, leaning against the couch.

"I'm happy for you, dad. I hope it goes well," Austin says, still a little wary.

Tommy Jacobs has been a single dad for 16 years. If you asked either brother to pick their mother out of a lineup, they probably wouldn't be able to. Tommy never had much luck with women, but it doesn't help that his high school sweetheart ended up being mentally unstable and unfaithful. She's out somewhere now, probably across the country, continuing to take the easy way out and bailing on her sons.

From what both Austin and Tristan have told me, their dad has a knack for finding a lot of divorced women looking for a quick rebound. As kind of a man as he is, he hasn't found that right person. I imagine having a failed marriage with two children resulting didn't help anything.

"I know you both think it won't last. That doesn't mean I can't stay positive and keep looking," he sighs. Austin nods.

"We just don't want you to keep getting hurt."

Mr. Jacobs purses his lips. "Life is an uphill battle, and you'll come to realize this more and more as you get further along in it. But if you don't give effort, you'll end up rolling back down the hill and find yourself all the way back at the bottom." He pauses. "Someday I will find that right woman. Even if it doesn't seem like it now."

He walks down the hallway and leaves us back to our own company.

"He's right," I say.

Austin looks at me curiously.

"All of us have to keep trying. Tristan has to talk to Marie. We have to be with each other without fear. Even if we can't come out," I tell them. Tristan's face softens and Austin leans his head on my shoulder.

"Even if we can't come out," he repeats, rubbing my back lightly.