Page 33 of Petals of Blue: Part One
"WHAT?! How the hell does Blue know before me?!" What in the actual hell is going on around here? I feel like I'm ten steps behind everyone else when I'm normally ahead.
He full on laughs and walks out of my bedroom. I have no choice but to follow him as he treks into the kitchen for what I'm assuming is his fifth snack of the day. "Thefuck meeyes at breakfast were an obvious giveaway."
Roman slams the fridge door closed, scaring the shit out of us. "Whatfuck meeyes?"
Jared groans and crumples onto the island like a drama queen. "Declan and Felix. Into each other."
"What? No I'm not." It's a knee-jerk reaction to deny feelings for someone I've always thought of as a little brother. But my heart shrivels in response to my denial.Am I into Declan?
Roman's eyebrows are hidden beneath his shaggy black hair, and his mouth is open like he gasped while I made an ass of myself. Shit.Shit.What is the right thing to say to mybest fucking friend after our other friend drops a bomb like that? What's the right answer? Actually, what's the fucking truth?!
"Rome—"
His usually sad, vulnerable gaze turns cold as he straightens. "I suggest..." Roman begins and walks until he's about to pass me. He stops and glares into my soul. "... that when you break my little brother’s heart, you do it respectfully. Because I'd really hate to beat your ass."
Then he's gone, leaving his threat hanging in the air.Break mine too?What, like he'd kick me to the curb and unfriend me?
"Shit..." Jared murmurs, looking nervous.
Shitis right. Because literally the only place my heart feels mostly full is with these guys. My family. I can't lose them. But I have no idea how to navigate this. And now I have to go fuck up someone else's life too.
I don't even know where the hell D is, but I need to go to work. Everything is out of my control. Except being on time. "See you later," I mutter to Jared and leave because facing this issue isn't possible right now.
I have other shit to ruin.
Twenty-One
BLUE
Serpent’s Kiss isnota hangout spot. We're a club meant for alcohol and dancing. There's rarely anyone at the bar for more than five minutes.
Declan got the alcohol part right. Orwronghowever you want to look at it. I'm not sure where he found the stool he's sitting on. He's kept his slice of the bar clean by being slumped over on it.
He was already way too wasted to hold a conversation by the time I got here. My shift was later tonight, and the bartender I replaced a half hour ago warned me about the drunk guy in the corner before she left.
Low and behold, it's Declan.
I've ignored him as best as I can considering the hair on the back of my neck has been standing on end since I got here. Every time I glance over at him, his face is still in his arms.Why does it feel like someone's watching me?
"Should we check on him? You know, make sure he's alive?" Bethany worries beside me as we make a line of jack-and-cokes.
"He's fine."
"But," she glances at him again, "what if he's not?"
Declan is clearly notfine, but I'm sure he's alive. Spiraling maybe, but breathing, I bet. I could wake him and urge him to go home so I can have a peaceful shift.Yeah, that sounds nice.
Since I wasn't ready to explain the guys to Violet, I skipped having dinner with her. I'm slightly on edge still, so maybe getting him out of here will calm me down enough to zone out.
The perk of being a bartender, similar to that of a barista, is I can lose myself in making the drinks. My mind shuts off, and my body goes into autopilot mode.
Right now, I could really use that. My brain is exhausted. I can't stop scolding myself for sitting at that damn breakfast table with them this morning. I knew I'd get hurt, but it just wasn't the way I assumed.
Declan and Felix?I never saw that coming.
With a sigh, I put a finger up, asking the customers to give me a second. A few grumble, but I've heard much worse. Working in customer support requires a backbone. And a steel water bottle sometimes.
"Declan," I urge once I'm in front of his sleeping body. No response. I really don't want to touch him. "Declan." Still nothing. Cursing, I reach my hand out and shake his shoulder even though I'd rather yank on his dark hair. "Dec?—"
