Page 24 of Boys Like You

Mercer:You will fit in fine

Rocky:I think I’m in love

Me:Talk to you guys soon, Rory is looking at me weird

Maximus:That’s just his regular face

Me:I knew you would be funny. Okay I’m getting off. He’s reaching for the phone and I don’t want to die.

They all send back a collection of okay and winky faces.

“Sorry, I was being rude.” I smile.

“What did they say that made your face light up like that?” Heat creeps up my neck as I blush.

“It was Maximus. I just never expected him to respond, since he doesn’t talk. It was stupid.” He looks over at me and then back to the road.

“He has never even texted with anyone really besides us, our parents and Mumma B. The only reason he does online gaming is because he has a different identity. Maybe one day he will fill you in on why he doesn’t talk to anyone but it isn’t my story to tell, my story isn’t so bad, my mum took pills and drank a lot, she ended up in a court ordered rehab, my father likes his whores more than me, so I ended up in care for six weeks and that is how I met all the guys. They were at Mumma B’s a lot longer than I was, my mum shouldn’t be home, if she is just don’t let her get to you.”

I start to freak out and send a text to the group again.

Me:How bad is Rory’s mum on a scale of one to ten

Rocky:11

Mercer:Try 100

Maximus:She calls me mute

Levi:She has her moments. We just smile at her and walk away.

Me:I’m nervous

Mercer:Don’t be, Rory won’t put you in a shitty situation

“Addicted already.” Rory laughs.

“It’s going away now, promise. I’m here to spend time with you.”

We head into an estate, one that is way different to where Mercer lives. This is full of houses that are massive, each on big blocks of land, no one house is close to another. We pass gated houses, most with black metal fences.

We pull into a driveway, and Rory leans out his window to punch in a code. The massive wooden gates open. My mouth gapes as I take in my surroundings. It looks like a rainforest. Large reflective windows cover the front of the house.

Rory parks and comes around to help me out. I take each of the three steps one at a time, while Rory clears them all in one go before unlocking the front door. I’m instantly hit with the smell of Lemon and bleach as the door swings open. We both slip off our shoes before walking past the entry. Everything inside is white; the tiles, the walls and as we walk further into the house, I notice even the furniture is white.

“What’s with all the white? Does your Mum have OCD?”

“Nope, just a bitch. Our maid pretty much spends her day wiping over everything.”

A beautiful woman walks in with a scowl on her face, and I assume she heard what Rory just said. He ignores her, taking my hand. Her sharp eyes wander from my face down to our adjoined hands, her heels clack against the tiles as she makes her way over to me.

“Seems you’re not so different from your father after all,” she drawls.

“They do say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I wonder when my pill popping will start.” She sucks in a deep breath.

“Gold digging whores will only get you so far, Ror, at least with Cindy, you know she isn’t after your money, she is a good girl.” Rory’s hand squeezes mine.

“Money is exactly what she is after, Cindy is my friend, end of story so you can keep your fantasies about us being anything more and her promises that you can stay here with us.” Her face is void of emotion, probably from all the Botox.

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