Chapter 9

I look down at my fidgeting hands and then back at the clock. I had been counting down the hours, minutes, seconds, till clock off.

My anxiety was through the roof. Ever since Vanessa had said we should go to Lakyn's bar I hadn't been able to control my running imagination. I had sent him a quick text this morning asking him if it would be alright if we came in. Of course he said I didn't have to even ask, which calmed my nerves a little. Only a little though.

So now I sit here, waiting, trying to stay busy and failing miserably. Out of the corner of my eye I see Nate paused at the stairs that lead up to the office. I turn to face him and notice that his usually cheery demeanour is missing. He's staring at me with uncertainty written all over his face. I quickly stand over and race to his side.

"Hey... What's up? Are you ok? you want to talk about something?" I bombard him with questions before he can answer the first.

He hesitates before nodding his head slowly at me, tears welled up in his eyes.

I grab his hand and lead him up the stairs to the office, walking past all the other staff. I notice there eyes go to our interlinked hands with judgement on their faces, but I don't care, they can think whatever they like. I pull Nate into one of our conference rooms and shut the shades so that we have complete privacy. Let them have a field day with that, I think as I mentally roll my eyes.

When I turn around to Nate he's hunched over in one of the chairs sobbing. I slowly make my way over and pull him into my arms, with his head in my shoulder as he continues to let the ripples of his emotions vibrate through his body, letting out choked sobs.

We stay like that for longer then I can count before he finally pulls away, rubbing his eyes with the sleeves of his dress shirt like a child does. He takes a couple deep breaths as I reassure him that there's no rush, and he doesn't even need to talk if he doesn't want to. He continues to open and close his mouth as he tries to find the words, or tries to force them out.

Finally he musters the courage to speak. "So, I have been dating this guy on the down-low. and I really liked him. I thought that we were good you know..." he trails off as he begins to choke back another wave of tears. I wait patiently for him to gain control again.

"But he doesn't want to date someone that he thinks is ashamed of him and our relationship." He gets out before throwing his head back into my shoulder.

"Oh honey," I whisper "I'm so sorry. I know how hard this is." I pat his back as he slowly releases all the pain and hurt in his body.

"I tried to tell him it wasn't that I was ashamed of him, or us, but that I just couldn't come out yet. I told him about my family but he just said that it wasn't fair on him to continue if I hadn't accepted myself yet..."

I could feel my heart breaking at the pain Nate was going through. How hard it can be to figure yourself out when you begin to question your sexuality, let alone having a father that would outright disown you if you were to come out. We stayed like that till Nate was done. I just let him cry and talk till he was done, offering no opinion or advice. There was nothing I could have said that would fix this, or make the pain go away, and this was his time, I was only there to listen and console the best way I could.

After an hour Nate looked at me, clasping my hands in his. "Charlie, I can't be alone tonight, and I can't stay in, please..." he trails off, pleading with his eyes.

The fact he even thought he would have to plead with me pained me a little, had I really been that poor of a friend? But that was a discussion for another day.

"Of course Nate, I have just the thing" I beam back at him.

---

'Parle Bar and Nightclub' the neon sign red before us. We were waiting in line patiently, or at least I was.

"Comeeeee onnnnnn Charlie! Call him, he'll get us in quicker!" Vanessa whines next to me.

"For once I'm on Vanessa's side" Nate chimes in.

Nate and Vanessa had been bickering all night. The two had never met but I wasn't surprised that the relationship was a bit tumultuous at first. both had very strong opinions and both liked to 'claim' me as their own it seemed. But they appeared to be slowly warming up to each other. Vanessa was suss of Nate at first, thinking maybe he was a potential love interest of mine, but we lied and said that Nate's long term girlfriend was out of town and they had been fighting so he was lonely, hence why he would be joining us. This seemed to be a good enough answer for Vanessa on why Nate was suddenly joining us. I knew if she found out Nate was gay she would unfortunately have a field day with it, and this was Nate's secret to work through and expose, not mine.

"Fineeee!" I sigh before pulling out my phone, getting ready to text Lakyn.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear!" Vanessa coos next to me.

I look up to see Lakyn looking at the line, his eyes paused on me. A smile slowly creeping on his face as he makes his way towards me. I notice his eyes slowly looking me up and down, as I reciprocate the action.

He's wearing black slacks and dress shoes, accompanied by a white dress shirt tucked in, but with the sleeves rolled up and the top couple buttons undone. He looks so good and my mind is all over the place.

"Wow Charlie, you look great babe." he whispers in my ear as he reaches us and pulls me into a hug, my arms over his shoulders and his wresting themselves around my waist, half lifting me up.

I was dressed in a mid length, baby pink tulle skirt, accompanied by a corset style bodysuit and plain black heels. Baby pink usually isn't my colour, but with the dark makeup it kind of gave me a cute punk vibe that I was really loving.

I breath in deeply Lakyn's cologne, he always smells so good. Like whiskey and rain.

"Now what is my girl doing out here in line with everyone else?" he asks, smiling as he notices the blush start to form on my face as I look down at my shoes. God he makes me nervous.

"I told her to text you! She didn't want to bother you!" Vanessa the traitor tells him. I shoot her a warning glare but she just shrugs me off.

At Vanessa's voice Lakyn turns his attention to her, and then Nate. His eyes narrow a little bit as he slowly takes in the conventionally attractive gay man before him, not that he knew that last part.

He reaches out his hand, taking Nate's in his own. They introduce themselves to each other, but I can't help but notice the overall mood change in Lakyn.

Is he feeling threatened? Surely not. The man is built like something else, and Nate is, well, Nate.

As Lakyn leads us past the crowed and through the doors of his club, I can't help but feel a little anxious about where his mind is going, and what that might mean.