《A Wave Of Desire》


 Chapter 1 - Introduction

    Hi everyone!!!


    This is my first stand alone BL book and I am super excited about it. My readers have told me they loved the BL side story I did in my other book and I was eager to start this new one. I am still working on it so it will upload with one chapter every day or so. I hope you all like this story as much I am already enjoying it. Feel free to comment, review, and let me know what you think. And you can also join me over on my discord server.

 Chapter 2 - Ocean - I Have It All

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    Ocean


    ~~


    I heard the whistle and dove into the water. As soon as I felt that familiar sensation of being under water, of being able to swim once again it felt like I was right where I belonged. This was what I lived for. This was the best feeling in the world.


    I moved my arms in perfect unison. Forward and back, always in a circle. Each rotation brought my head up and out of the water for me to take a deep breath before I plunged back into the watery heaven.


    I never paid attention to how fast I was moving. I never paid attention to my speed. I just moved in perfect harmony with the water.


    Soon, much sooner than my teammates, I reached the edge of the pool. In a series of movements that was so practiced it was like second nature, I grabbed the gutter at the edge of the water and swung my legs up underneath me to push them against the wall. My right arm stretched out behind me where it was quickly followed by my left arm as I leaned away from the wall. Finally I pushed off from the wall and turned back onto my stomach.


    This whole turn took me just seconds to accomplish but I followed my movements carefully. Coach always says that swimming fast all comes down to following the basics. If you miss a single step then you fall behind. I wasn''t going to fall behind.


    I did this turn a total of two more times. Fifty meters each direction with four total laps that ended with a two hundred meters in all. And like always I finished it first. My time for the two hundred meter butterfly stroke was one minute fifty-four seconds. Soon I would be able to break the world record.


    This race was practice for the upcoming swim meet against St. Reece''s next week. St. Reece''s was the only school that ever gave us trouble when we raced them, but that was also before I was moved from junior varsity to varsity. Last year we creamed them and took the state championship, and this year we were aiming for nationals.


    My life was moving in all the right directions. I was the star swimmer. I was the most popular guy in school. I had the hottest girlfriend. I was a straight A honors student. I literally had everything. Who wouldn''t feel blessed with a life like that? Seriously, I had everything.


    "That was amazing, Shores." I heard my coach call out to me as I stopped at the side of the pool to catch my breath. I was grinning from the rush of adrenaline. The swim and the win both gave me that natural high that elevated my mood.


    "Thanks Coach." I grabbed his hand that he had extended toward me and let him help me out of the pool.


    Once I was on my feet I saw my teammates reaching the edge of the pool all in quick succession. They were all closely matched, especially with the butterfly stroke but I was still the fastest person on the team.


    Most of my team didn''t care that I was faster than them, they treated this as the team sport it was and only cared about the school winning the recognition. A few, however, were jealous that they couldn''t have the fastest times.


    It''s not my fault that I was better and faster than them. I worked hard for my position on the team and I was always going to do my best.


    "Dude, how are you so fast?" Ryan Johnson, one of my best friends and teammates, came up to me after he was out of the water.


    "He''s part fish, that''s how." Benton Kennedy, Ben to his friends, came up next. He was another of my best friends. The three of us had joined the swim team together back in sixth grade and here we were still swimming together six years later.


    Ryan was a slightly above average guy with a slender build. He had light blond hair and blue eyes. Basically he was the typical description of a pretty boy. Ben was a little shorter but not by much, same swimmers build but he had medium brown hair and green eyes.


    The two of them only have the physique in common with me. I think it was something that all true swimmers had. That slender build to their body. But I was taller than them, and therefore slightly more broad. My hair was different too. My hair was black but it seemed to shine with a blue undertone when the light hit it. I just put it down as too much pool water on it or something. Not to mention my eyes were a little different too. They were a light grayish blue, and that was being generous. I really should drop the blue part since they were more true gray than anything else.


    I always found my coloring so unique. The dark hair, the light eyes, and add to that my porcelain complexion. My looks have always made me unique.


    And I couldn''t tell you where I got those genetics from. Literally. I was adopted as a baby. I was the last kid to be adopted, they had adopted three, so I was the youngest of four. I had an older brother and two older sisters, plus a pretty good set of parents. I didn''t mind being adopted either. At least these parents wanted me, unlike my birth parents.


    The surname for my adoptive parents also went with the name I was given when I was found. No one knew who my real parents were, even after eighteen years. Phineas and Stephemily Shores were my parents now. (I am convinced their unique names are what brought them together.) Their last name went perfectly with my first name, which is Ocean. Yes, my name is literally Ocean Shores. Sounds like a joke but I got over it and I love it now.


    Still, I couldn''t complain a bit. Life was perfect.. For me at least.

 Chapter 3 - Ocean - New Student At School

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    Ocean


    ~~


    After practice was over we needed to shower and get ready for school. We got up early and went to extra practices when a meet with St. Reece''s was coming. Our two schools, Jasper High and St. Reece''s, occupied the same territory so to speak since one was a public school and the other was a private charter school in the same city. The close proximity of our schools always led to a huge amount of rivalry and more than a few fights.


    Still, I didn''t let it bother me. I didn''t mind the morning practices either as it meant more time for me to be in the pool. Any time in the pool was time well spent.


    Once I was cleaned and dressed for the day I walked out of the locker room and towards class. Waiting right outside the door for me was my girlfriend, Brittney. She and I started dating at the end of the last school year when I won the championship. She was the hottest girl in school and she loved me more than life itself. She had even professed her feelings for me first when she ran up to me and kissed me after the final swim of the day. We''ve been inseparable ever since.


    Brittney walked up to me and wrapped her arm around my waist while I snaked mine around her shoulders. She was about five feet six inches tall with platinum blonde hair and hazel eyes. The tan she wore was from many hours of effort as she laid in the sun, usually watching me swim. Today she was wearing a tight black skirt that was just barely long enough to keep her from getting kicked out of school and it was paired with a spaghetti strap shirt in a bright bubblegum pink. To keep herself from getting kicked out over the top she wore a sheer purple top with long sleeves that she kept bunches near her elbows.


    Brittney always wore the perfect makeup and the best accessories. And every guy in school was jealous that she was mine. Like I said, my life was perfect.


    Brittney and I made it to our first class, advanced calculus, and went to our seats in the back by the window. Our teacher, Mr. Dickson, also happened to be the swim coach and knew what my overall grades were, he didn''t care that I didn''t pay attention in class as long as I kept my grade as an A and continued to swim at my best.


    The bell rang just before Coach Dickson walked into the room. However, he wasn''t alone. There was a guy following him that I had never seen before. That was strange since I could tell he was definitely not a teacher. I knew every single junior and senior in our school. As a candidate for the upcoming student body president that was something I made sure to memorize. I knew most of the sophomores and was only a little familiar with the newly added freshmen. This guy was definitely new.


    This was the advanced calculus class, unless you were a senior or you had special permission you couldn''t be in this class. Who the hell transfers school in their senior year?


    OK, that''s stupid of me to ask. His parents could have moved or something and that''s why he moved. It''s hard for me to judge there. Oh well, it was no skin off of my back.


    Coach Dickson walked with the new guy to the front of the class and began to introduce him.


    "Hey guys and gals. We got a newbie this morning." Coach Dickson always had an odd way of talking but he was fun. He was in his late forties with short blond hair and brown eyes. He was still a swimmer himself so he was thin and fit and just a hair shorter than my six feet three inches. "This here is Makai Rivers, he just transferred here all the way from Florida. Why don''t you say a few words about yourself Makai?" Coach Dickson handed over the imaginary microphone to the newcomer.


    With a smile the new guy walked to where Coach Dickson had been standing. He smiled and looked around the room. It was clear that Makai Rivers was used to having people look at him. He had dark hair as well, but it was more of a dark brown with red highlights. That red was not auburn but true red when the light hit him. His eyes were a bright seagreen. He had the physique of a swimmer as well, someone who was fit and athletic. His complexion was also light like my own.


    "Hey everyone." Makai waved at the class and smiled. "As he said, my name is Makai Rivers and I guess I am the new guy here. I was on my school''s swim team last year and I hope to join the team here if the roster isn''t full."


    "I could probably make an exception for you." Coach interrupted him for a second, a grin on his face.


    "That''d be nice." Makai smiled again and I heard several of the girls in the class sigh as if he were some sort of celebrity.


    "Oh my GOD, he is hot." Brittney''s words from right beside me cut me deep. This new guy was already causing me problems.


    "I''m just here to finish out the year and hopefully swim my way to nationals." That grin he gave got another sigh from the collective group of girls, including my girlfriend.


    I instantly hated this guy. Who did he think he was, coming in here and stealing my limelight? I wasn''t about to give my top spot in the school to him that easily. I was going to hold onto my position with everything I had. I worked hard to get to where I am.


    While I was thinking these less than kind thoughts, Makai Rivers looked right at me like he had something to say to me. Did he know what I was already thinking about him? Was it written on my face or something?

 Chapter 4 - Ocean - Losing

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    Ocean


    ~~


    Every single class I went to that new guy was in. It was almost like he was following me for some reason. I couldn''t get rid of him. And to make matters worse, my entire team was already welcoming him with open arms.


    I don''t know why I didn''t like the guy at all. There was just something about him that pissed me off. Maybe it was his smug face that just seemed to make all the girls in school fall for him. Maybe it was the fact that he was just a little taller than me.


    Or maybe it was the fact that he seemed to be glaring at me in every single class. What the hell was his problem? Every time I turned to look at him he was looking at me like there was some sort of problem. He seriously needed to stop doing that.


    At lunch he even invaded my table and sat right next to me. That was the spot that was usually reserved for Brittney. Who the hell did he think he was? He forced my girlfriend to sit on his other side so that he was next to her instead of me. Was he already trying to steal her away from me?


    If he tried I would punch him right in his smug bastardly face.


    Then, as soon as class was over he seemed to follow behind me like a little puppy. Did he need me to show him where the bathroom was? Well, that stupid dog could just piss himself for all I cared.


    He didn''t stop following me though, even after I got to my locker. And why didn''t he stop following me? Because his locker was just three down from mine. Sure it was, because what more could be done to ruin my day?


    After I haphazardly shoved my shit into the locker I hurried off for the locker room. Makai of course grabbed a bag from his locker and followed after me.


    "Looks like I was right about you." He called out to me as he chased me down the hall.


    "Right about what?" I asked him with an annoyed tone of voice.


    "That you''re a swimmer too. I''m usually right about people when I first meet them."


    "We haven''t met each other." I pointed that out to him.


    "Well, to be fair, I''ve introduced myself. And I have been trying to get you to talk to me all day." He laughed. "You''re the star swimmer around here right? That''s what I heard from the others."


    "I do alright." I was trying to be modest.


    "More than alright if the rumors are to be believed. Come on, why won''t you slow down so we can talk?" He sounded like he was laughing despite the words he was saying. That was infuriating.


    "Because I''m in a hurry, that''s why. Why are you even following me?"


    "Because we''re going to the same place. So why don''t we walk together?" Oh my God, he was annoying.


    "Seriously, are you saying you''re trying to get on my good side?" I stopped so I could glare at him and snap at him.


    "Well, I wasn''t trying to get on your good side, I thought we could be friends. You know I moved from clear across the country, right?" He was giving me that nonchalant grin of his that made all the girls swoon, but it had no effect on me. "I don''t know anyone and I thought befriending the swim team would be the best option for me."


    "Yeah, well, I''m not interested in being friends with guys who are trying to steal my girl." I made certain he knew how angry I was as I gave him the meanest look I could muster.


    "Hahaha." For some reason he was laughing at me.


    "What the hell do you find so funny?"


    "You, man. I ain''t trying to steal no one''s girl. I just got here, I don''t even know who is who let alone who I want among them. All I want is to ease into life here smoothly."


    "Yeah, sure you do. Just keep your eyes and hands off my girl."


    "You don''t need to worry about that. I won''t try to steal her away from you." I swear he winked then and it made me see red.


    I did my best to ignore him as I stormed into the locker room. I continued to ignore him while I changed into my speedo. Of course, Makai was at the locker next to me as I was changing but I paid him no mind.


    He moved right along with me as I went over to the pool, but I still ignored him. I was first up for the two hundred meter breaststroke practice. But Coach made me do a double take by saying he was going to have me swim alongside the new guy.


    Seriously, what the hell was going on here?


    I didn''t care, I would just do my best and win like I always did. I readied myself and jumped as soon as I heard the whistle.


    Again, there was that sensation of being home. It was like the water was washing away all of my anger, all of my frustration. I just wanted to swim and forget about everything else. Lap after lap I pushed myself to move as fast as I could while ignoring wherever Makai was at.


    When it was all over and I came up for a breath I saw something that I had never seen before. Makai finished before me.


    "Oh my God, we have a new golden boy." Justin, one of the team sourpuses said when everyone was congratulating Makai.


    "Congrats man, no one can ever beat Ocean, but you did it so easily." David was all praise for the smug bastard.


    "Ocean?" Makai looked at me like he thought my name was funny.


    "Yeah, he usually leaves all of us in his dust but you beat him like it was nothing." Ryan, my best friend, was acting like Makai was a god.


    "I wouldn''t say it was nothing. I barely beat him by a second or so. It was definitely very close."


    I couldn''t believe what was happening to me. It was literally like my world was imploding or something.. Someone, please help me.

 Chapter 5 - Ocean - Need A Distraction

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    Ocean


    ~~


    I somehow made it through practice without punching that new asshole in the face. It was hard, but I managed it. I was just glad that it was Friday though, I needed to get out for the night.


    I called Brittney while I was on the way to my car. She answered quickly. I am just glad that she wasn''t at the pool to watch practice today.


    "Hey hot stuff, what''s up?" Her perky voice was the first thing that I heard when she answered the call.


    "Hey babe, wanna go out tonight."


    "Ooh, where to?" She was always ready to head out.


    "The beach?"


    "Oh, you must have had a hard day. Are you buying the drinks then?" She knew what going to the beach meant for me. It was where I usually went when I needed to think and forget. More often than not it was where I got drunk.


    Being a top student, a top athlete, and everyone''s go to guy could get exhausting. I needed an outlet to vent my frustrations from time to time. This was what I usually did.


    "I''ll grab the drinks and you bring the blanket. I will pick you up at eight."


    "Sounds good." She made a kissy noise before she hung up the phone and I was already heading to the store to get what I needed.


    I killed time before I had to pick up Brittney. I needed some alone time before I saw her. I needed to clear my head at least a little so I didn''t dwell on that stupid annoying hot face of Makai. He was already becoming a thorn in my side.


    When the sun was already setting I went to pick Brittney up at her house. It was still just the middle of September so the weather was still more than warm enough for swimming. It was fine for me all year but some people didn''t share in my enthusiasm. They said that it got a little too cold at times.


    When I saw Brittney she was walking out of her house with a bikini top and short shorts. The top was pink and the shorts were white. She looked hot and I couldn''t help but thank my lucky stars that she was mine. I had been chasing her since freshman year but she apparently only went for the best. The fact that she was mine meant that I was indeed the best.


    For now at least.


    NO! I had to tell myself to stop thinking like that. I was not going to let Makai get into my head and make me start doubting myself. I loved my life too much to let it be ruined.


    When Brittney got into my brand new blue pickup truck I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before I started to drive. It didn''t take me long to drive to the spot that I had long ago claimed at mine. It was well known around the area that this was my spot and thankfully most people tended to steer clear of it.


    After arriving at the beach, Brittney and I walked across the sand and she sat down on a piece of driftwood that had long ago been set out as a bench. The entire fire pit was ringed with driftwood benches. It was the perfect spot.


    While Brittney sat I built the kindling up and made a fire. It was the perfect night to just kick back and stop thinking. But after a while, Brittney grew curious about what the issue was and started to question me.


    "So, Ocean, what''s wrong?" I was sitting on the sand between her knees as I watched the fire burn, a beer in my hand. While I thought about what to say I felt her hand stroking gently in my hair.


    Brittney was a hard to get girl. That meant if you didn''t prove yourself then you got nowhere with her. Still, I knew we were getting closer to that point. I knew that I was going to be able to get that ultimate prize any time now.


    "Hmm." I took a deep breath and sighed before answering her. "It''s just been a rough day. That new guy is annoying me."


    "Makai?" I hated that she remembered his name.


    "Yeah, him." I could hear the anger in my voice.


    "Why, what did he do to you?" She didn''t sound like she really cared but still she asked so I was going to answer.


    "He beat me today."


    "What?" I felt her hand stop it''s stroking motion in my hair.


    "He was pitted against me in a two hundred meter race and he beat me, but just by a second, if that."


    "Really." She took her hand away altogether.


    "I wasn''t at the top of my game though. I was annoyed beforehand so that probably has something to do with it."


    "Yeah maybe."


    I felt Brittney reach into her purse and grab her phone. I knew what was coming. I was going to have to prove that I was still the best.


    "Oh, geez. It looks like my dad is going crazy, he says I need to go home right now."


    "Uh huh." I knew she was lying. Her phone never rang or vibrated from a call or a text. She was going to blow me off until I could beat Makai.


    This was turning out to be an even worse night. What the fuck was happening to my life right now?


    For now though, I had no other choice but to put out the fire and drive Brittney home. I was glad that I hadn''t taken more than two sips of my beer. If I had drank more I wouldn''t have driven at all. I would have had to call someone else to do that for me. That would make me more of a failure in her eyes too.


    I could already feel her slipping away from me. Please Brittney, don''t leave me.

 Chapter 6 - Ocean - Fighting For The Win

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai, obviously, made the swim team and was a starter right along with me. He and I were pitted against each other with every single practice match that the coach had over the next week. It was annoying.


    And, of course, Makai beat me every time. What the hell was going on here? Was I losing my edge? Was he throwing me off somehow? Was I just nervous that there was another swimmer of similar skill as me?


    I couldn''t answer any of those questions. I couldn''t figure any of this out at all. All I know is that I was working as hard as I could to be the best again and it wasn''t working. If this kept up then I would lose everything.


    If I didn''t win Brittney would leave me. If I didn''t win I would lose the favor of the rest of the student body. My chances of being the class president would disappear altogether. I would lose everything that made me who I am.


    I refused to rest for even a second. I was practicing at all hours of the day. Morning, noon, and night. If I didn''t have a class I was swimming. When school was out I was swimming. I was barely home and my parents were getting worried about me, but I didn''t care. I needed to train. I needed to practice. I had to get better.


    It was working too. I could tell I was getting faster. I could tell that I was slowly getting closer to beating my new nemesis. I never would have thought that my biggest rival would be on my own team.


    Still, at least I could beat him and the thugs over at St. Reece''s all in one go. It would be worth the hard work and the dedication. And it would definitely be worth all the sleepless nights and skipped meals so that I had more time to practice.


    I just kept telling myself one thing, over and over again.


    ''I''ve got to win. I''ve got to win. I''ve got to win.''


    That had become like my mantra. It was what was fueling me to move faster, to swim harder, to do my absolute best.


    The few times that I tried to call Brittney she would barely speak to me, even if she took my call. Most of the time she just let it go to voicemail. She wouldn''t answer my texts either. She would be nice enough in the morning and still go with me to class, but I could tell she was looking at Makai more often than she was looking at me. And after first period when our classes no longer lined up, I never saw her again the rest of the day. She stopped eating with me, she stopped coming to see me between classes, and she stopped coming to practices completely.


    If I didn''t win this next race-. If I didn''t come out on top at the next meet, then I was going to lose everything. I was going to fall from number one. I would go from hero to zero instantly. I just couldn''t let that happen.


    The night before the meet against St. Reece''s was the worst night of my life. I couldn''t sleep. Which was saying something with how exhausted I felt already. And when I did finally fall asleep I only had nightmares about the next day.


    I had a series of these terrible dreams. I dreamt different outcomes for the meet over and over again. And they all ended in similar ways.


    Makai would win the race because I couldn''t leave the platform. It was like I was stuck to it. My feet were glued to it or something.


    Then, Makai won the race because I suddenly forgot how to swim and nearly drowned.


    Next, Makai turned into some giant sea creature and swam the length of the pool easily. He finished each match in seconds and I was the only one who seemed to notice that he wasn''t human.


    These dreams and more just kept playing on repeat over and over in my head. When I woke up the next morning, I was more tired than I had been the night before. I felt drained and exhausted, but I still couldn''t give up yet. I needed to push on through. I was going to keep fighting to win.

 Chapter 7 - Ocean - Battle Against St. Reeces Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    It was Saturday morning, the twenty-fifth of September. Just over six weeks into the new school year. Today was the first major swim meet with our rival team. Not to mention it was the first meet that the new pretty boy, Makai Rivers, was going to be competing with us.


    Not to mention it was just over a month before my eighteenth birthday. Not that it was important right now but it''s major to me even if it isn''t important to anyone else. This was a major time in my life right now and everything was just going to shit.


    Still, I was going to fight as hard as I could. Today Jasper High and St. Reece''s were going to be meeting on the battlefield. The trouble was, Jasper High had two opposing generals that they needed to overcome. I just hoped that I could successfully ignore that asshole until it was all over with.


    I did my best to force myself to eat the breakfast that my mom had made for me. Mom and Dad were both there and they were cheering me on but it didn''t seem to help me feel any better.


    Mom, with her long mahogany hair and warm brown eyes. The cinnamon and caramel color of her soft skin. She was so beautiful and so sweet. She always encouraged me to do what I wanted and to have fun. She was the best mom ever.


    Dad, with his bright blue eyes and blonde hair that went perfectly with his alabaster complexion. He was a hard working man that said he provided for us because he knew what it was like to struggle. He never raised his voice or got angry. If my parents were ever mad they talked it out with each other or us. What better parents could I have asked for besides them?


    Once I left the house I felt like the food I had eaten was sitting uncomfortably in my stomach. I knew that I couldn''t hold it down and therefore I needed to pull the car over to the side of the road before I got to where I was going.


    Hell with the way that I am feeling right now, I was glad that my mom and dad weren''t going to be at the meet today. Thank you Aunt Linda for having surgery and requiring them to visit you.


    After a few minutes my stomach was settled and I was able to get back in the car. It was almost time for the pre match warm ups. Thankfully I was feeling a little better. It was probably just nerves. I never usually get nervous but I guess it could happen. This was a big day after all.


    After ten more minutes or so I finally made it to the community pool, where we held all meets between Jasper High and St. Reece''s. With the community pool no one had a home court advantage so to speak. However, we were all used to swimming here so it didn''t really matter.


    I hurried to the locker rooms and got changed into my blue and green regulation speedo shorts. They were like a regular speedo but they covered just a little more and looked more like small tight shorts than the underwear that a regular speedo would cover. I didn''t mind either one and would go between them when practicing but for meets we had to wear the shorts.


    Same as always, Makai was at the locker next to mine when we were getting ready. I really didn''t want to be anywhere near him but it was like I didn''t have a choice at all. I could even feel him looking at me while I was getting dressed which creeped me out. What was it he wanted from me?


    "Hey, Ocean, nice tattoo." I heard Makai''s voice and confirmed that I was right, he had been staring at me.


    "It''s not a tattoo." I ground the words out through my teeth. "It''s a birthmark." I knew what he was referring to even without looking at it.


    The mark in question was a small brown three pronged fork. It was odd but it was basically an oddly shaped mole. I had dealt with people asking me about it my entire life. I was not going to go into details about my body with him.


    "Huh, that''s cool." That was all that he had to say about it, thank God, I didn''t want to hear anymore from him at all.


    I slammed my locker shut and walked out to the pool. Makai did the same, following close behind me like he usually did. Was he trying to wear me down or something? Did he think if he was persistent he could get me to be his friend? Why did he chase after me so hard? There were plenty of other people willing to be his friend.


    I felt sick and weak but I was still strong enough to give this meet my all. I was first up with Ryan, Ben, and Justin in the 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay. I was last on deck, the one meant to clinch the win with my fast swimming as long as the others didn''t do too terribly bad.


    Thankfully, the others did no worse than they usually did, coming in around fifty-one seconds each. I leapt into the water and swam as fast as I could. I came in at just over forty-eight seconds, a new record for me. And of course we won. St. Reece''s couldn''t hold a candle to us.


    Makai and I were put together in my next match up. It was the one hundred meter backstroke. I had been practicing this one a lot more since it had been my worst, even though I was still faster than my teammates. I managed to finish the race with a time of just over fifty-four seconds. Makai finished it one second quicker than I did.


    When I got out of the water I saw that Brittney was in the stands watching. Something I didn''t think she was going to do today. She had seen me lose to Makai.. If I didn''t pull this around I would lose her to him as well.

 Chapter 8 - Ocean - Battle Against St. Reece’s Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The crowd was cheering. The energy levels were high. Everyone was excited because Jasper High was winning. And all I could feel was a crushing defeat.


    I was swimming at my best. Pushing myself as hard as I could. Yet it still wasn''t enough. For so long I had thought of myself as the best. I had thought that no one could ever come close to beating me.


    Was this my punishment for being prideful? Was this what I got for thinking that I had it all? Is the universe telling me that I was taking everything that it had given me for granted?


    I didn''t know right now. I didn''t have the time nor the energy to contemplate that right now. I needed to focus. I still had three races to do before the day was over.


    First was the two hundred meter freestyle. I was once again paired with Makai for the race. He swam in the lane next to mine like before. I did my best to not focus on him. To think that everything was back to normal and it was just me racing at practice against my best friends.


    I pushed myself hard, driving myself forward with all that I had. The feeling of the water was always like home to me. It was my safe haven. There was nothing that could possibly bother me while I was in the water.


    I let those calming feelings wash over me and I pushed myself to do the best that I could. When I finished my fourth lap and looked up to see my time I saw that it was one minute and forty-four seconds on the nose. A good time. The St. Reece swimmers had finished at about one minute forty-seven second. Makai Rivers finished in one minute forty-three and a half seconds.


    I had lost again.


    The next race was the two hundred meter breaststroke. I blocked out all sound from the surrounding area except the whistle that would tell us to start. As I waited in position for the race to start I noticed that the water looked blurry. I probably just had too much run off on my goggles, it was clouding my vision.


    When the whistle blew and it was time to start swimming I jumped and swam immediately. And so did Makai who was once again in the lane next to me. As I swam this time I felt a sort of hollow pit form in the center of my stomach. It was like I was letting these nerves eat away at me.


    After pushing myself as hard as I could I came up at the end of my four laps to see I had not beaten my record nor had I beaten Makai. My time was two minutes nine and three quarter seconds. Makai finished it in a quarter of a second faster than I did. It was such a close race that I knew that many people were unclear at first. But nope, Makai had beaten me again.


    My last race was also the last race of the day. It was the two hundred meter butterfly. This was one of my best races. I was close to beating the world record on this, just like the other styles. I felt confident as I walked toward the podium.


    I hadn''t noticed anything was off at all until Makai grabbed my shoulder and steadied me, but apparently I had been a little wobbly and about to fall over.


    "Hey, Ocean, are you alright?" I couldn''t tell if the tone of his voice was worried or condescending. All I heard were the words themselves.


    "I''m fine."


    "You don''t look fine, dude. You look like you''re about to keel over." He still had his hand on my shoulder so I pulled myself away from him.


    "I said I''m fine." I snapped the words at him and hurried away.


    There were no more issues as I made my way to the podium. I refused to give up now. It was the last race of the day. There was no way that I was handing over my last chance to beat Makai today. I was going to do my best like I always did.


    The water looked blurry just like it did before. It was probably just the run off on my goggles again. I was in position now and any second the whistle would blow.


    My heart was pounding. The thumping was so loud that I didn''t have to block out the sound of the crowd around us. All of that was already drowned out by the drumming of my heart.


    I hadn''t been this nervous about a race in my entire life. Not the first one back in middle school and not a single one since. I didn''t know why I was always so nervous lately, I just was.


    When the whistle blew I soared into the water. I pushed myself hard. Faster and faster. I needed to go faster. I had to push myself more and more.


    I didn''t notice anything wrong during the first lap. All was fine. My vision was clear. The second lap was just as smooth. On the third lap I noticed just a little bit of clouding at the edge of my vision. It was slowly darkening just a tiny bit.


    On my last lap I noticed that my vision was darkening more and more. When I got to the edge of the pool I barely noticed that I was there. I almost slammed into the side, thankfully my fingers brushed the edge and I was able to catch myself before anything bad happened.


    The race had seemed like it was happening in slow motion for me. It was like time was almost standing still and I was moving on a separate plane of existence.


    When I came up for air and looked at my time I was appalled. I had gone slower than I did during practice recently. One minute fifty-five seconds flat. How could I have done worse? How could I have let myself do so poorly?


    Then I turned to look at Makai''s time. He finished at one minute fifty-four and three tenths of a second. If I had done my time that I had done last week.. If I had done the best that I know I am capable of, then I would have beaten him. How? How did it come to this?

 Chapter 9 - Makai - First Meet With A New Team

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    It was kind of hard to believe that I had already been at this new school for a week now. That and I was given a position on the swim team right away. I was enjoying this move out here quite a bit so far. I didn''t think that things would go this good when my parents were transferred.


    Yeah, I had turned eighteen over the summer and I could have stayed behind in Florida but there was nothing too pressing keeping me there. Why not go with them and see what new adventures await.


    I also didn''t expect to find someone who intrigued me so much. I don''t know what exactly it was about Ocean Shores that made me so curious, but for some reason I couldn''t leave him alone.


    I had been trying to get him to talk to me but he seemed to hate me for whatever reason. I think it had something to do with that shallow bitch he was dating. Apparently she had taken a liking to me even though she was with him.


    Even if she does dump him and chase me I would just put her in her place. I don''t like petty people. She could go bark up someone else''s tree because I wouldn''t listen.


    Ocean though. He was a different story. Everyone told me that he was a good guy and that he generally liked everyone, so why did he hate me?


    I think I knew. He was the number one swimmer and I came and took that away from him. That was probably hitting his ego pretty hard. I couldn''t help it though. We were closely matched. We were neck and neck really. If he stopped letting himself get bothered by the idea of it then he would probably beat me in no time at all.


    Ocean was interesting though, and not just his name. I was also curious as to how we ended up in all the same classes and had lockers that were right by each other.


    I didn''t want to break the streak though so when I found out the locker next to his in the locker room was empty, well, I took that one. If I tried hard enough I could wear him down. I''d get to know him soon and he would come to see I wasn''t a bad guy after all.


    The meet today was at the community pool. It was my first time there and I wasn''t used to the layout of the place but it wasn''t that much different from most public pools.


    In the locker room I went right to one next to Ocean again. I wasn''t the only one who chose their locker position based on the ones back at school. Everyone was basically picking the lockers in the same layout as they were used to. So my choice wasn''t that out of the ordinary.


    I noticed something that I hadn''t seen before. I don''t truly want to admit that I had been watching Ocean, but the truth was that I had been. Still, it took until today to see the mark on his left shoulder. Maybe it was because I was always on his right side when we got ready and I just never paid that much attention to his back. Yet there it was, a trident shaped mark. It was brown but smooth and flat so it didn''t look like an oddly shaped mole or anything. It was similar to the mark I was born with but different in color. So, that was interesting. I hadn''t gotten that vibe from Ocean at all.


    Ocean was in the relay first with three other members of the team. He did great, they won and he had the fastest time. I had hoped that the win would give him the boost he needed to get through the day. I had noticed that Ocean looked a bit tired and worn out.


    Next up was a match with the two of us against two from the rival school, St. Reece''s I think they were. Ocean and I won, but I was just a little faster. I saw the defeated look in his eyes and it made my chest hurt to see it.


    What was with that feeling?


    We had three more races together. Races that Ocean and I were paired together against the other school. We were winning them all, things were going great, but I was beating Ocean every time.


    I couldn''t help it. I just swam. Being in the water was literally the best place for me. It was home for me. There was no place on this planet better for someone like me than the water. It didn''t matter if it was saltwater or freshwater. It didn''t matter if it was a pool or a lake. If I could swim in it then it was paradise. That''s just how people like me were.


    I couldn''t make myself swim slower either. I already felt like I was holding myself back at times and that alone was a struggle. What else was I supposed to do?


    Just before the last match of the day I saw Ocean start to wobble as he was walking. It really looked like he was about to fall over. I grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.


    "Hey, Ocean, are you alright?" I could tell he wasn''t but I didn''t want to upset him. I was worried about him.


    "I''m fine." He seemed to growl the words.


    "You don''t look fine, dude. You look like you''re about to kneel over."


    "I said I''m fine." He snapped at me and walked away.


    I thought he was going to fall down or pass out at any moment. I didn''t want him to swim the next race but I couldn''t make him stop. The coach had given him the OK to swim so what could I do about it?


    The next race was the butterfly. I knew it was one of Ocean''s best and it was definitely one of my worst. I knew that Ocean would probably beat me, given the times he had done during practice.


    So, imagine my surprise when I beat him by half a second. I was seriously getting worried about him.. That look on his face was not boding well for his mental state or his physical well being.

 Chapter 10 - Both - Crashing

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I climbed from the pool and wanted to stomp away but I was stopped by my team. Our school had won every match. We had not only won the day it was a flawless victory. It was a time to celebrate. And the winners for each swim needed to be announced officially.


    Not to mention, this was a first for our school. We had never had a complete victory like this against St. Reece''s. This was a momentous day, and I knew that. The problem was that I didn''t feel like celebrating at all.


    I had not lost a single match, not technically, because the only person that beat me was my teammate that swam in the lane next to mine. If it wasn''t always a set rule that the individual races were swam with two or more sets of swimmers then I would have won. Or if I could have been paired with anyone but Makai every time.


    There had been almost two dozen races in total, so why then were all but one of my races paired with the one guy that made me feel uneasy?


    I don''t know what it was about him. It was beyond Brittney calling him hot. It was beyond all the girls in the school thinking he is hot. It was beyond him beating me all the time. I couldn''t even bring myself to look at the guy more than I needed to because there was just something about him that made my heart race and my palms itch. He was not right I tell you. Something was off about him.


    Almost immediately after the miniature award ceremony all the spectators in the stands started to leave. Our coach was still praising us and promising a victory party of some sort. And the St. Reece''s team was leaving, their shoulders drooped after their defeat but still in high spirits nonetheless.


    I searched the crowd for my girl. I needed to see what Brittney was thinking, and how she was acting.


    I found her after a minute. She was watching the scene intently, but her eyes weren''t on me. She was watching Makai like he was her next prey and she was a hungry lioness.


    Dammit. He stole her from me. She is going to leave me. That shallow fucking bitch. I should have listened to everyone when they tried to warn me. I should never have gone out with her in the first place. She was fickle and dropped a guy for the next hottest thing.


    That didn''t make it any easier though. That didn''t make this crushing sensation any less unbearable.


    I hadn''t even been paying attention to the fact that my team was leaving without me. They were heading back to the locker room while I was still standing near the corner of the pool and staring blankly at the stands.


    I also didn''t notice that every ounce of strength within me was seeping away. I was too oblivious to everything at that moment.


    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    I was worried about Ocean. The way he was just standing there staring at the stands. I knew what he had seen, I saw it too. I had felt her eyes on me and turned to see who it was. I knew that she was going to turn her sights onto me but I had no interest in her whatsoever.


    The coach was talking about some lunch that he wanted to take us all to for having won every match but I couldn''t pay attention to him while he talked. I was too busy staring at my teammate to listen.


    Something was wrong with him. Something seemed more off than just him being upset about the fact that I beat him. He just didn''t seem right for some reason.


    I started to walk with the group at first. We were heading back to the locker room to change but I noticed that Ocean wasn''t moving with us. I let the group pass me as they went ahead of me.


    "What is he doing?" I was confused. Now it was just the two of us left out here. I wanted to go talk to him. I wanted to go see if he was alright because I didn''t think that he was. The problem was, he probably wouldn''t talk to me if I did.


    Just as I sighed and was about to drop my head to look at the floor I saw that Ocean was swaying from side to side. It looked just like it did before the last match when I had to catch him from falling.


    I felt my stomach drop and knew what was going to happen. I dropped my goggles and my towel and took off running. I had to get to him as fast as I could. But I wasn''t fast enough.


    I watched as Ocean swayed on his feet and fell forward. The problem was that he was standing at the corner of the pool not far from the ladder. If he fell in the direction it looked like then he was going to hit his head.


    The horrific scene was playing out before me just as I had imagined that it would. Ocean fell straight toward the ladder and I watched as his head made contact with the hard metal surface.


    I instantly saw the bright red smear of blood that was left behind as he finally fell into the pool face first.


    "OCEAN!"

 Chapter 11 - Makai - Rescue

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    "OCEAN!" I called his name as I ran after him. The whole thing happened in slow motion as I watched it but in reality it only took a few seconds for Ocean to fall, hit his head, and go under the water. I had been all the way across the large room when I saw that something was wrong. I shouldn''t have left him alone over there at all.


    "OCEAN!" I screamed his name again as I got closer to the edge of the pool. I didn''t hesitate at all, I just acted on instinct.


    I leapt into the pool and dove straight down. Ocean had fallen into the deeper end of the pool where diving was allowed. He was laying on the bottom of the pool, twelve feet down.


    It took me longer to reach him than it would to swim normally because I was going straight down and the buoyancy was working against me.


    Finally, I reached him. He wasn''t moving and his eyes were closed. Most likely he had passed out and fell after he was already unconscious but I don''t know for sure.


    I hooked my hands under his arms and kicked off from the floor of the pool. I kicked as hard as I could to get him to the surface and out of the water. I could feel my heart racing as I thought about what was actually happening.


    When I broke the surface of the water I saw our team and the other team coming out of the locker rooms. The two coaches looked as if they couldn''t believe their eyes. The teams took one look at what was going on and froze.


    Why? Why didn''t they come to help? Couldn''t they see that their friend and teammate was hurt. The water around me at the surface of the pool was dyed pink from the blood that had spilled from Ocean''s head. Couldn''t they see that he needed help?


    I had grabbed the ladder, the same one that Ocean hit his head on, and used it to climb out of the water. I had my left arm wrapped around Ocean''s chest, my hand tucked under his armpit. I was using my right hand to steady myself as I moved higher.


    "Someone needs to call for help." I yelled at them as they all just watched me.


    My yell seemed to have woken Coach Dickson from his stupor as he grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialed while he ran. With his phone at his ear the coach slid to a stop, falling to his knees next to where I was laying Ocean on the tiled floor.


    The volume on the coach''s phone was turned up high and it echoed in the silence of the large room.


    "Nine one one emergency response, what is your emergency?" A woman''s alert voice came over the line.


    "My name is Richard Dickson, I am a swim coach with Jasper High. We are at the Denivers Community Pool. One of my swimmers appears to have fallen and hit his head. He was in the water unconscious. His name is Ocean Shores."


    "Is he breathing?" I heard the woman ask as I was already checking to see if he was breathing. He wasn''t.


    I shook my head to answer the coach and started the chest compressions required for CPR.


    "No, he''s not breathing. We''re performing CPR now."


    "How badly did he hit his head?" I tried not to focus on her words as I counted the compression in my head.


    ''Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.'' After having finished the recommended count of thirty I tipped Ocean''s head back and breathed for him twice.


    "Come on, breath." I whispered the words quietly as the coach started to answer the operator.


    "His head is bleeding and there is a lot of blood."


    "Head wounds bleed a lot more than others, Sir. Don''t worry, I have alerted EMTs and police units in your area, they will be there soon."


    I blocked out the conversation again as counted once more. When I got to thirty I breathed for Ocean again. Two breaths that lasted about a second each.


    This time, after I breathed for him, Ocean coughed and I saw the water gurgling from his mouth. He was alive. He was breathing again. I felt so relieved.


    "He''s breathing again. Oh thank God." The coach sounded so relieved. Probably because he would be held responsible for what had happened since he left his student out here.


    "Ocean? Ocean are you alright?" Coach Dickson was calling for him while Ocean''s friends, finally unfrozen, ran toward him.


    The space was suddenly crowded and a little overwhelming for me so I stepped back and watched as everyone finally started doing something. I was a little angry with them. They stood around while their friend could have died but was acting all relieved and worried now that he was going to be OK.


    Within a minute or two the police and paramedics had arrived and Ocean was more alert. They were all asking him what happened and if he was OK. I was just relieved to see that he was awake and not seriously hurt. His head looked bad but I didn''t know how bad it really was yet.


    During the commotion I snuck away to the locker room, but I felt Ocean looking at me while I walked. When I turned to look at him he was glaring at me.. Why? What was wrong? He didn''t think that I did this to him did he? I just wanted to get out of here and go home for now.

 Chapter 12 - Ocean - Hospital Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was confused. One second I was staring at the stands and watching Brittney watch Makai Rivers. She had her eyes glued to him and I was so pissed off. The next thing I knew people were calling my name and asking me if I was alright.


    When did I fall asleep? Why was I dripping wet? I have been out of the pool for a while now. And why was everyone crowding around me?


    When I opened my eyes I saw my coach kneeling on the floor next to me, his phone next to his ear.


    "Ocean? Ocean are you alright?" There was a lot of noise, and a lot of commotion going on around me. The noise of it all was giving me a headache.


    I was still in a daze from whatever was going on but I put my hand up and grabbed my head where the throbbing pain was the strongest. Ugh, it was wet there. I had been in the water I guess. But then, why did it feel sticky and not just wet. It didn''t feel like just water that was on my head.


    When I brought my hand away I saw that it was blood that I felt, not water. Why was there blood on my head? What had happened to me?


    There were a lot of new voices now and everyone around me was being pushed to the side. I saw that Coach Dickson was the only one that hadn''t been made to move away.


    "How is he?" A man with a light blue shirt and a big red bag came running up to me and slid to a stop on his knees.


    "He''s breathing now, but he hasn''t spoken yet." Coach Dickson was talking about someone, was it me? Probably.


    "What''s his name?"


    "Ocean. Ocean Shores." I saw the man, a paramedic, turn to look at Coach Dickson like he thought he was joking. "That is his real name." The paramedic just shrugged his shoulders and turned to look at me.


    "Ocean, can you hear me?"


    Right after he said that he grabbed my eyelid and held it up while he blinded me with a bright pen light. I groaned and tried to look away from the hurtful luminescence.


    "Come on, Ocean, talk to me. Are you alright? Tell me what happened."


    "I dun no." I slurred my word, clearly I was still out of it.


    "Come on, Ocean, you''ve got to do better than that. Can you tell me how many fingers I''m holding up?" I saw his hand in front of my face and I could see the fingers clearly. He had three of them up.


    "Thwee." It didn''t come out right again. Grrr. This was annoying. I had to try again. I cleared my throat and took another breath. "Three." There, that was better.


    "That''s good. Can you tell me now what happened?"


    "I don''t know." Good this time my mouth was working.


    "One minute I was just standing there looking at the crowd as they left. The next thing I knew I was waking up here."


    "You blacked out? That''s not good, son. Can you tell me if you''ve taken anything? Drugs? Alcohol? Anything?"


    "No, nothing." The paramedic thought I was a druggie or something. That''s great. "I just wasn''t feeling well. I didn''t sleep much the last few days."


    "Were you just exhausted then? Did you compete today?" His face changed a little, at least he believed me when I said I wasn''t on drugs.


    "Yes, I did."


    "You need to take better care of yourself, Ocean. See what happens when you skip sleep for something else?"


    "I didn''t skip it. I couldn''t sleep."


    "Ok. Well, let''s get you to the hospital now."


    That was when I noticed a man standing behind the first paramedic. He had a stretcher sitting next to him and as soon as the first paramedic mentioned getting me to the hospital he leapt into action. The two of them worked together to move the rest of the people away from me and start lifting me onto the stretcher.


    I looked to the side because I thought I felt someone watching me. That was stupid because everyone was watching me but I saw that there was one person not watching me.


    Makai was walking away from the group and toward the locker rooms. He looked pissed off for some reason. Maybe he didn''t like me taking the spotlight from him or something. Still, I had a feeling that Makai had been standing pretty close to me before I blacked out. What was that about?


    Did he have something to do with me hitting my head? That was crazy though, wasn''t it? I mean, I blacked out, didn''t I?


    As I watched him start to walk away looking all pissed off I was glaring at him. I couldn''t figure him out at all. That was when I noticed him stop and turn to glare at me, anger clear in his eyes. He was pissed at me for something. Well, that feeling was mutual.


    He only looked at me for a minute before he started to walk away again. His steps had quickened like he was in a hurry to get away from me. What was it he had to hide? What was he running away from?


    While I thought about these questions the paramedics picked me up off the floor and moved me over to the stretcher. I felt a little too preoccupied and dizzy to be able to move at all. If I moved my head too much my vision twisted and spun like I was on a rollercoaster. It was not pleasant.


    I listened to them as best I could, but all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. Not to mention the bright light of the sun coming in the windows was making my head feel worse.


    "We''ll take him to Trinity Emergency. Can you call his parents?" I could tell that the Paramedic was talking to my coach. I gathered the name of the hospital he mentioned but nothing else. "Hey Ocean, come on, open your eyes back. Don''t go to sleep on me pal. Tell me a story or something." The paramedic was trying to get me to open my eyes and talk to him but I was exhausted. I needed to catch up on my sleep and my head was killing me. I didn''t want to talk right now either.


    "Nnnnnggghhh.." I groaned and tried to turn my head away from the light that was being aimed at me, but I couldn''t move right then.

 Chapter 13 - Makai - Hospital Part 2

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    I hurried into the locker room so that I could get changed. I had to get away from the people out there. I needed to calm down before I got angry at someone and started to blow up on them.


    I could tell that that whole group out there was more interested in the wow factor of what had just happened than in Ocean himself. Every single one of them looked like they wanted to have their phones in their hands so they could be recording the whole scene rather than help. That''s what I hate most about people. All they care about is themselves and the excitement they could find in other people''s lives.


    Yeah, OK, there were a few people out there that I knew were friends with Ocean and actually cared about him. They had looked upset and worried about him and they definitely were the first to have become unfrozen when the shock wore off.


    I know that the whole scene only took a couple minutes. It wasn''t like they had stood there from start to finish and didn''t do anything. Though I am glad I was the one there to save him. I am not certain if anyone else would have jumped in after him.


    Once I was dressed I noticed that everyone else was finally coming into the locker room. They were talking excitedly and gossiping. What were they, a group of girls? Geez!


    "Man, did you see his head?"


    "Yeah, I bet you he was drunk or something."


    "He''s probably going to get kicked off the team."


    "Did you see that he passed back out? How high was he?"


    "You don''t know that''s what it was. He could be sick."


    "Yeah, right!"


    The conversations all sounded the same and they were pissing me off. They didn''t know what they were talking about. Ocean didn''t smell like alcohol so I could tell that he hadn''t been drinking and he didn''t look like he was high.


    He just looked tired and sick. Didn''t they notice? Couldn''t they tell? All they had to do was look at him.


    Maybe I only noticed because I had been watching him since last week. I had watched him every day at school and I noticed that he was getting weaker and weaker as time went on. I honestly couldn''t believe that the coach had let him compete. It was amazing that he didn''t pass out while swimming. It showed how strong he was that he made it through the whole meet.


    I watched as Ocean''s friends came in last. They probably stayed out there until he was taken outside to the ambulance. They were the only ones that looked worried right now.


    "Ben?" I called out to one of them as I walked over. "What hospital are they taking him to?" I hoped they would know. I didn''t know the area but I could use the map app on my phone to find it. "I want to go check on him."


    "Kai, I can''t believe what you did." Ryan looked to be in a state of awe as he stared at me.


    "I just did what anyone would have done." I shrugged it off in hopes they would just answer my question.


    "But if you hadn''t stayed out there then he would have died. How did you know something was wrong? Why didn''t you come with us back to the locker room?"


    "None of you noticed how tired he looked? None of you saw that he looked like he was about to fall over with exhaustion?" I saw the looks of dismay that settled over their eyes. They hadn''t paid any attention to their friend at all.


    "No, I didn''t. I didn''t look at him that much at all." Ben hung his head in shame.


    "Yeah, well, I am going to go check on him. Where is he?"


    "They took him to Trinity''s. It''s the closest hospital to here." Finally I got the information that I needed.


    "Thank you. I''ll see you all later." I waved and ran out of the locker room as fast as I could.


    Whether Ocean wanted to see me or not I had to know if he was OK. It had sounded like Ocean had lost consciousness again before the paramedics had left with him. I had hoped that he would be alright. I had hoped that being in the water, even unconscious, wouldn''t have been that hard for him. I had hoped that maybe he was a little more like me.


    I rushed out to my car and put the name of the hospital into my phone''s GPS. I had it pulled up and it was giving me a turn by turn in less than twenty seconds. I just felt this pull toward him that was telling me to check up on him.


    I parked at the back of the lot when I got to the hospital. I knew that I was probably in the wrong part of the hospital and didn''t want to inconvenience anyone else. Still, I ran inside and straight to the information desk.


    "Can I help you Sir?" The slightly older lady at the desk asked me as soon as I stopped in front of her.


    "Yes Ma''am, I am here to check on my friend. His name is Ocean and he was just brought in."


    "Hmm, let me check."


    She started to check the system to see where he was. It took forever and I was getting impatient but I kept still with my mouth closed. It wasn''t her fault after all.


    "I see they just took him in through the emergency department. That''s down the hall and to the right. The connector is right there. The nurses at the station will be able to help you."


    "Thank you." I nodded at her and took off running.


    It would be best if I could find out that he was fine.. There would be nothing better at this moment.

 Chapter 14 - Makai - Hospital Part 3

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    The hospital seemed quiet. Too quiet. I was running through the halls and the sound of my footsteps were echoing so loudly it was nearly obscene. I finally made it to the door that the older lady had told me to take. This was the way to the emergency room.


    There were about half a dozen people sitting in various chairs throughout the waiting area and what looked like three nurses at the central station. I ran over to them and started talking the moment one of them acknowledged me.


    "Yes?"


    "I''m looking for my friend, Ocean. He was brought here from our swim meet."


    "Are you family?" She glared at me like I was an insect for some reason.


    "No, I am his friend. I''m the one who pulled him from the water."


    "Hmm." She typed something into the computer and looked down as if she were checking if I was allowed back in. "I''m sorry young man, if you''re not family then you need to wait. He''s being evaluated right now."


    "Can you just tell me if he''s alright?" I know I sounded desperate.


    "I''m sorry, I can''t give out any details to anyone that isn''t family."


    "Fine." I was losing my patience. These people didn''t understand what I was going through. They hadn''t just saved someone only to hear that they might not be saved. They hadn''t just about lost the only interesting thing that this town had to offer them so far. What the hell was I going to do?


    I sat in a chair as close to the nurse''s station as I could. I wanted to hear if anyone said anything about Ocean. I wanted to know whatever I could about his condition.


    I was there for about two hours or so before I heard anyone even mention his name. A slightly older man and woman came running through the emergency room doors. The woman was slender, pretty, and dark compared to the pale male that clung to her.


    "We''re looking for our son. We were told he was here." The woman sounded frantic. Hopefully they would have better luck getting information than I did.


    "What''s his name?" It was a different nurse but she sounded just as tight lipped as the first one.


    "His name is Ocean. Ocean Shores." The nurse raised an eyebrow as she typed the name into the computer.


    "Yes, I see it listed here. He is being moved upstairs to neurology for observation. I will have someone take you up there to see him as soon as he is settled into his room."


    "Thank you so much." The man, who I guess was Ocean''s Dad, sounded so relieved.


    "You''re Ocean''s parents?" I called out to them as I stood and walked a little closer to them.


    "Yes, who are you?" The woman who seemed to be his mom asked me.


    "My name is Kai, I''m on the swim team with him. I was the one who pulled him out of the water, but no one is telling me if he is OK or not."


    "You''re the one who saved my baby?" His mom sounded so relieved as she leaned toward me and hugged me tightly. "Thank you. Thank you so much Kai."


    "I thought we knew everyone that was on the team. How come we don''t know you?" Mr. Shores asked me, a little skeptical I guess.


    "I just moved here a little over a week ago. I joined the team right away and I met Ocean on my first day at school."


    Mrs. Shores had pulled away from me and was holding my hands in hers. There was definitely gratitude in her eyes.


    "When we get called up, you come with us, alright. That way you can see Ocean as well."


    "Thank you."


    His parents were nice, that was a plus. Too bad it couldn''t be inherited because it looked like Ocean was adopted. Oh well, maybe it would become part of his personality from the environment instead of genetics. I laughed at myself for that stupid joke. I had just needed something to get the tension to break inside my mind.


    A few minutes later a man in dark blue scrubs came out and called Mr. and Mrs. Shores over to them. He looked at me like I was suspicious but said nothing. Together the four of us went up to the fifth floor of the hospital and down to a room that was quiet and bright.


    Ocean was laying in the bed with his eyes open. He was looking out the window at first but turned to look at the door when he heard people coming toward him.


    "Ocean! My baby." Mrs. Shores called out to him and ran to his side. She hugged him tightly and he hugged her back.


    "Hey mom."


    "Ocean, what happened." His dad asked as he walked into the room and to Ocean''s other side.


    "I was just really tired and blacked out. I''m sorry."


    "Sweety."


    Right as Mrs. Shores showed her relief, I let out a sigh of my own. It looked like he was going to be OK. That was good.


    "What are you doing here?" Ocean had heard me and was glaring at me.


    "I came to see if you were OK." I didn''t know why he was so mad at me right now.


    "Yeah right. Like you even care." I saw him sit up a little and noticed that he slumped almost instantly. He was obviously still weak, be it from the head injury or the exhaustion.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "I saw you heading away from the pool area. You couldn''t have cared less that I was hurt. Why are you really here? Are you hoping to see Brittney here or something?" He really thought I was out to take her from him.


    "Ocean, you shouldn''t talk to him like that." His mom was scolding him.


    "It''s OK, Mrs. Shores." I grimaced at her. "I''ll leave. I found out what I wanted to know. Have a good night. Get well soon, Ocean."


    I slumped my shoulders and left the room. I know he isn''t really like this. His friends told me so. Everyone at school told me so.. So why was it he didn''t like me at all? Could I get him to talk to me eventually? I hope so.

 Chapter 15 - Ocean - Hospital Part 4

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I remember that I was being moved over to the stretcher. I remembered seeing Makai as he was walking away and looking like he was pissed about something. Then everything started to get really fuzzy.


    The next thing I knew I was in the back of the ambulance and that paramedic from before was shining a light in my eyes again. I groaned again and tried to turn my head but it was strapped down now so it was stuck in place.


    "Ocean, can you hear me?" The paramedic saw that I was partially awake but I just didn''t want to talk. I had no desire to do anything.


    Everything went fuzzy once more. I knew that I was falling asleep again.


    When I woke up next I was laying in a bright room. Why did everyone have to make everything so bright? Didn''t they know that it was hurting my eyes and my head?


    This time there were new people around me. There was a woman in green scrubs and a coat and a man in burgundy scrubs. There was a flurry of movement behind them as a lot of people were doing a lot of things.


    "Welcome back to the waking world, young man. Can you tell me your name?" The woman, a doctor, was maybe in her forties with auburn hair and wrinkles around her green eyes.


    "My name is Ocean." I felt like my throat was dry and it was hard to talk.


    "Good, good. Can you tell me what happened Ocean?" She was smiling at me like she was trying to make sure that I didn''t panic or something.


    "I was at a swim meet and passed out. I woke up after someone pulled me from the water."


    "Did you take anything this morning? Drugs or alcohol?"


    "No, nothing. I ate breakfast but I couldn''t keep it down. I threw it up on my way to the pool."


    "So you were already feeling sick? Any other symptoms?" She was still smiling but I could see the concern in her eyes.


    "I was just really exhausted and nervous about the meet today. It made me unable to sleep."


    "Are you sure that''s all it was?" She didn''t believe me, did she?


    "Yes, that''s all."


    The doctor acted like she believed me but I was still sent to have an MRI and they had the damn vampire nurse in to take about a liter of blood for testing. That was unpleasant.


    The MRI sucked. It wasn''t horrible technically but I hated the feeling of being closed inside that machine. I don''t like small tight spaces and that was definitely too small.


    I was now sitting in a room up in the neurology department, waiting for my parents to come so the doctors could go over all of my results with me and them together. I told them they were a couple of hours away at my aunt''s house so not to expect them right away.


    I heard someone at my door then and turned to look. My parents were finally here.


    "Ocean! My baby." Mom called out to me and ran to my side with her arms opened wide.


    "Hey mom."


    "Ocean, what happened." Dad asked as he rushed up to my other side.


    "I was just really tired and blacked out. I''m sorry."


    "Sweety." Mom sounded so upset. I felt horrible for worrying them.


    Mom sighed in relief as she realized that I was most likely OK. At the same time I heard someone else sigh near the door. There was Makai Rivers, acting like he was worried about me for some reason.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I came to see if you were OK." He looked surprised that I had even spoken to him.


    "Yeah right. Like you even care." I went to sit up and was instantly regretting it. My head was spinning like a top. I felt like I was just getting dizzier and dizzier.


    "What are you talking about?" For some reason there was shock on Makai''s face.


    "I saw you heading away from the pool area. You couldn''t have cared less that I was hurt. Why are you really here? Are you hoping to see Brittney here or something?" He had been trying to steal her away from day one and he finally succeeded.


    "Ocean, you shouldn''t talk to him like that." Mom was scolding me.


    "It''s OK, Mrs. Shores." Makai grimaced. "I''ll leave. I found out what I wanted to know. Have a good night. Get well soon, Ocean." What was with him?


    When Makai was gone mom was glaring at me. She didn''t look happy with my attitude and I could understand that. She hadn''t raised me to be rude like that. And thinking about it I had been rude a lot. I couldn''t help it though, there was just something about that guy that made me uneasy.


    Every time that I was near Makai, or even when I saw him, he made me nervous. My palms would get sweaty, my heart would race, and I would just feel like sort of static electricity between us that made me uncomfortable.


    Still, Mom was looking at me unhappily after Makai left. She had looked out the door after the guy that had become my enemy.


    "That was rude, and certainly uncalled for." She glared at me after she looked away from the door. "Without him, who knows what would have happened to you."


    "What are you talking about?" I was confused. What was she even talking about?


    "Ocean, that boy saved your life. He''s the one that pulled you from the water." That just about made my heart stop. What? That couldn''t possibly be true.. Makai hated me.

 Chapter 16 - Friends Visit At The Hospital

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I don''t care what my mom said. I didn''t believe that Makai had pulled me from the water. He hated me. He had hated me from the first day he got here.


    I know that I hadn''t been the nicest person to him, but he was trying to steal my girlfriend from me. He did steal the number one spot on the team from me. He was already insanely popular. And, I heard someone say they were nominating him for student body president. He would probably win that and steal it from me too. He was literally taking everything from me. How could I be nice after that?


    Still, he had made it clear that he didn''t like me the moment he first saw me. He was glaring at me in the classroom. He was constantly glaring at me too. I would catch him glaring at me in class, in the locker room, at the pool, everywhere. He hated me. I could see it in his eyes.


    So why then, would someone who hated me save me? It made zero sense whatsoever. I was lost in these thoughts when there was a knock at my door. My mom and dad had gone to get me some clothes and other items to last me the night, since I was being kept for observation. I didn''t think it was them though, because they probably wouldn''t knock before coming in.


    "Come in." I called out to whoever was on the other side of the door.


    When the door opened I saw that it was Ryan and Ben. They had been at the swim meet with me today, they could tell me what had happened. I would be able to get some answers from them for sure.


    "Ocean! Man, I thought you were dead for sure." Ryan almost yelled the moment he saw me.


    "What the hell happened to you?" Ben asked me with a stern expression.


    "Weren''t you guys there? I don''t know how I ended up in the water. I just know that I was pulled out and that I had hit my head."


    "No, we went with the team back to the locker room." Ryan hung his head like he felt ashamed or something.


    "What? Then who was out there with me?" They weren''t about to tell me what I thought they were going to, were they?


    "Kai was the only one out there with you."


    "Kai?" I had never heard Makai called that before.


    "Yeah, that''s his preferred nickname. Didn''t you know that? He told everyone on the first day he had gotten here."


    "I wasn''t around then I guess." I just shrugged and brushed it off. "How come he was out there with me? Why did he save me?"


    "I don''t know. He said he could tell you were tired and sick. He was worried about you."


    "Yeah, he was watching you and looking like he was expecting something bad to happen." Ryan and then Ben told me what they remembered.


    "I''m sorry we didn''t notice anything Ocean. I was too caught up in the meet to notice that you were sick. I''m a bad friend."


    "No you''re not, Ryan. I was trying my best to hide it."


    "Well that''s just stupid." Ben yelled at me. "Why would you hide that you were sick and tired? You could have died."


    "I only hit my head. I was fine."


    "You weren''t breathing." The two of them yelled at me at the same time. Their forceful words hit me hard.


    Wait a minute. If I wasn''t breathing that means that someone had to give me CPR. Who did that? I had a feeling I knew.


    "I wasn''t breathing?" I wanted to make sure that I heard them right.


    "No. I remember it all vividly. We had just made it to the locker room when we heard Kai screaming your name. He sounded frantic and scared. When we all got back out there we saw that he was pulling you up from the pool after having jumped in after you." Ryan sounded like he was in awe of Makai right now.


    "Yeah, it''s all true. He pulled you from the water himself. Guy must be strong as hell if he can pull you and himself up that ladder from the water. I remember he yelled for someone to call for help and that made Coach run to your side. He got the paramedics there as soon as he could." Ben added the next part of the story for me.


    "So it was Coach that gave me CPR?" That was a disgusting thought.


    "Nah, that was all Kai. He not only got you from the pool but he gave you CPR."


    What the hell? Why would he do that? And why did it make me feel scared and nervous to know what had actually happened? Was Makai going to demand a payment for him saving me? Was he going to hold this over my head? Could that have been why he came to the hospital?


    I didn''t know, but the look on his face and what he said when he was here, it didn''t look like he was trying to lord over me and hold this all over my head. So what was it really? What was really going on with him?


    I didn''t really know, but I guess I would have to talk to him in person to truly figure it all out.. I just wish he didn''t make me feel so nervous whenever I saw him.

 Chapter 17 - Ocean - Bad News

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I didn''t know how to process the entire situation. I didn''t know what to think about Makai and him saving me. And I definitely didn''t want to think about what any of this really meant, if it meant anything at all.


    While I was lost in thought there was another knock at my door. I didn''t know if I wanted more visitors but I knew I needed to stop being rude to people just because I didn''t like what was going on.


    "Come in." I called out once again.


    I felt a smile spread across my face when I saw who was at the door. I felt like I was forgetting the pain that was still aching in my head. Not to mention the aching gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was all going away.


    "Brittney." I knew she loved me. I knew she wasn''t going to abandon me.


    "Hey Ocean." She waved a little when she came in. "So, you got sick and almost killed yourself, huh?" Her words weren''t exactly nice but she was here. She hadn''t abandoned me.


    "Yeah, I wasn''t feeling that great so I had been getting weaker and weaker. I guess it finally got to me and caused me to fall at the pool. Thank God it didn''t happen during the meet, right. That would have been really embarrassing." I was rubbing the back of my head, the embarrassment at the thought spreading through me.


    "I think what happened should be plenty embarrassing. I mean, the whole school is going to find out. And everyone is going to think you were drinking before the swim meet."


    "That''s bullshit. I would never drink before a meet." I was pissed off, why would anyone think that?


    "Yeah, well, it does look pretty suspicious. I can''t have that crap following me around at all."


    "What are you saying?" I felt a sinking in the center of my body. I think it was a combination of my heart sinking and my stomach falling. Maybe my heart fell so hard it made my stomach fall with it. I think I know where her words were heading but I hope that I am wrong.


    "You know where I am heading with this Ocean. It''s the reason why we were together to begin with."


    "Brittney, no. You can''t do this to me. I am going to get my number one spot back. I am still the best swimmer, you will see. I just need to get better and I will swim faster than Makai. I know that I will."


    "You''re just grasping at thin air, Ocean. You can never beat him. And if you''re not the best then we can''t be together. That''s just how it is."


    "That''s bullshit." I screamed at her. "You know I am the best in the whole school. I am the best swimmer this school has ever had. I will prove that to you."


    "You had your chance, Ocean. You had everything and you blew it. I am moving on." There was no love or remorse in her voice.


    "Let me guess, you''re going after Makai now, huh?" I already knew the answer but I had to ask.


    "You know me, I only go for the best. He''s the best so he is the only one worthy of me." I felt like her words were spurs in my back that were helping to push me past that point that I really didn''t want to cross.


    "What you are is a shallow bitch." I said the words that everyone had told me when I first got with her. I had seen the signs. I had known it was the truth. But I never thought someone would beat me so I didn''t think that I was in any danger. I guess I was wrong.


    "Do you really think you''re the first one to call me that? Well you''re not. I won''t settle for anything but number one. All you are is second best. If it isn''t first then it might as well be last because a loss is a loss. Remember that Ocean." With that she turned toward the door and left.


    I felt the rage boiling inside of me. This was bullshit. I was just about to sleep with her. We were to that point. She had promised me that she was going to sleep with me on my birthday and I fucking missed it. I was never going to lose my virginity now and it was all her fault.


    That bitch.


    My parents came back into the room not ten seconds after Brittney left. It was easy to tell from their looks that they had heard my conversation but had chosen not to interrupt us. I knew what they were going to say before they said it as well.


    "We knew that she was trouble, son."


    "Don''t let it bother you, baby."


    "She''s no good for you. You need to go and find someone who really loves you, someone who cares about you and wants to be with you."


    "You will find someone so much better than her, sweety. She''s not worth your tears."


    It wasn''t until mom said those words that I realized I was actually crying. This was literally the worst day of my life so far. I just wanted to go to sleep and wake up to a better day.


    I was going to close my eyes, think happy thoughts, dream good dreams, and wake up to a brighter future. Maybe things would be better without having that soul sucking hell bitch running me around like a mad man. I had given her too much of my time with just the thought of getting her into bed. That was stupid. I needed to be smarter than that. I needed to focus on myself. I was going to put my all into swimming and prove that I was the best.


    Brittney could go to hell, I didn''t care about her anymore anyway.

 Chapter 18 - Makai - Nothing But Trash

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    I had left the hospital with a heavy heart. All I had wanted was to know that Ocean was OK. I wanted to make sure that he was alright, see him awake and doing well. I had gotten that. I had no other reason to stay.


    I don''t truly know what was wrong with me. I knew that Ocean wasn''t my friend. I had known that he didn''t like me that much. But that didn''t make it any easier on me.


    I knew that I wanted to be around him. I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to talk to him more than anyone else. This whole situation was just annoying. I wish I didn''t feel this pull toward him.


    I had basically just been wandering around town for the last several hours. Not really having any place to go but not wanting to sit still either. My mind was wandering and it felt like I was hollow on the inside.


    I got hungry eventually though so I decided to stop at a small but nice restaurant that had outdoor seating. I didn''t want to be crowded by a bunch of people right now. I ordered a meal along the lines of what I usually ate. My metabolism was naturally fast and the more I swam the hungrier I would become so I needed a lot of food.


    Unlike most competitive swimmers I didn''t have to watch what I ate. I could eat whatever I wanted and it would not matter. Plus, I was feeling a little down so I wanted some foods that would comfort me.


    The restaurant had a bunch of different options that would satisfy me but not portions large enough for one meal to do the job. So, because of that I ended up ordering three meals total.


    I ordered the seafood pasta, it came with a heaping pile of noodles, a creamy sauce, and sauteed shrimp, scallops, and lobster. I also ordered a twelve ounce steak that was covered in mushrooms and onions and it came with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For the last meal I had ordered the sampler. It was more of an appetizer than a meal but for me I just referred to it as the heart stopper because most people would have to worry about their arteries being clogged. The heart stopper had fried chicken strips, onion rings, french fries, cheese sticks, fried mushrooms, and fried calamari. It was literally a fried food heaven.


    While I was eating I felt like someone was watching me. When I turned to look around I saw that Brittney was on the other side of the street staring at me. Was she trying to debate if she should come over to me or was she trying to figure out if it really was me? I didn''t know and I didn''t fucking care. I really didn''t want anything to do with that tramp.


    Unfortunately, when she noticed me look at her she smiled and started to cross the street. I was only halfway through my meal and had not even paid yet so I couldn''t very well get up to leave at that moment.


    Since I couldn''t get away from her and she knew it she just sat down in the seat across from me.


    "Hey." She was smiling at me but it just felt dirty and slimy to me.


    "What?" I know that I wasn''t being polite. I was usually always polite but I couldn''t bring myself to be polite to her right now.


    "You were amazing at the swim meet today." That grin of her was probably what usually made everyone like her, it was endearing I guess. Too bad for her I knew that she was nothing but a tramp.


    "Thanks. Don''t you have somewhere else to be?" I asked her with perhaps a tad too much force. The accompanying glare probably wasn''t a good idea either.


    Brittney didn''t seem bothered by it though, she just giggled and continued to look at me. What the hell was the matter with her.


    "No, I have nowhere else to go and no one else to be with." She winked at me.


    "What about your boyfriend?" I asked.


    "I don''t have one." She was giggling.


    "Really, that''s news to me. I thought you and Ocean were a thing." I raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.


    "Not anymore."


    "Does he know that?" I had a bad feeling about what her answer was going to be.


    "Yeah, I told him just a little bit ago." Another of those annoying giggles.


    "Are you serious? Why would you do that?"


    "I''m not interested in him anymore. I want someone else now."


    I just continued eating my food and ignored her words. I didn''t want any part of what she was about to say. I knew what was coming. I had been warned about her.


    "Do you want to know who I am interested in now?" She batted her eyelashes.


    "Not really."


    "It''s you silly." God, that annoying giggle of hers was pissing me off.


    "Not interested." I continued to eat my food.


    "Haha, that''s funny." She didn''t seem to believe me. "I am always with the best swimmer in the entire school, and that''s you. You''re so amazing and wonderful."


    "Again, I''m not interested."


    I was just about to finish my meal and the waiter noticed. He came over with the check and a surprised look, probably because he hadn''t expected one person to eat all that food. I didn''t even look at the bill, I just slipped him enough to cover it and told him to keep the change, it was going to be a massive tip.


    "What do you mean you''re not interested?" Brittney was looking at me with a shocked expression. "I am always the one guys like you want."


    "Then you''ve never met a guy like me before." I glared at her. "What kind of low life breaks up with their boyfriend because he didn''t win the race at a swim meet? What kind of trashy bitch would not only do that but do it while that boyfriend is at the hospital recovering from being sick and injured. That just makes you pure trash."


    I didn''t bother to look at her face. I just turned and walked away from her. I heard her scoff of indignation as I left her behind.. I didn''t look back at all.

 Chapter 19 - Ocean - A Visit From The Coach

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had spent the night in the hospital. It was around maybe nine in the morning the day after the swim meet and I was just waiting on the result of my latest CT Scan to make sure that there were not any lasting injuries in my head and neck.


    I was dressed in my own clothes, thank God too since I hated having to wear that stupid ass hospital gown. My ass didn''t need to be hanging out like that at all.


    What was worse than that gown though was this shit they were passing off as food. I was slowly starving to death with it. I needed to eat more food than this for one thing. And for another it tasted like shit.


    I usually ate enough for three or four people on days that I swam a race. My metabolism burned that many calories when I pushed myself like that. And I had not gotten any sustenance from the breakfast I had eaten before the whole day went to shit. By the time I was allowed to eat again I was starving.


    What did they do to me though? They gave me a tiny ass plate of food that wouldn''t have even been enough to fill me up when I was like five years old. I was glad I didn''t have to stay here until lunch. I probably would die of starvation after that meal.


    I had literally just sat down my fork when I heard someone knock at the door. Good, I could use a distraction of some sort to keep my mind off of how empty I felt on the inside. I needed more food, and fast.


    "Come in." I called out to whoever was on the other side. I knew it wasn''t a nurse or a doctor because they don''t wait to come in. They just knock a little and open the door immediately.


    When the door opened I saw that it was Coach Dickson. He was looking somewhat worried as he came into the room and moved towards me.


    "You''re looking a little better." He noted. "Though still looking a little tired."


    "Sorry about that, Coach. I didn''t mean to cause any issues."


    "Ocean!" Coach looked exasperated as he sunk into his seat. "What am I going to do with you? Do you know how much you scared me yesterday?"


    I watched as Coach Dickson slumped back and put a hand on his head. He looked like he had had a very hard night. Perhaps he had been worried about me ever since yesterday and was just now finally able to get some relief from his worry and stress.


    "When I saw Makai pulling you from the pool, blood pouring out of your head, I thought you were dead. We all did. I swear that all of us were frozen in shock when it happened. When Makai told someone to call for help I unfroze and called for help but still, I was at a loss. I should never have left you out there. Why the hell didn''t you tell me that you were sick?"


    Right there, right at the end of that mini rant the coach leaned forward and glared at me. He was not happy at all. He was right. I shouldn''t have competed. I should have sat out for the day but I was stupid and thought I could do everything.


    I didn''t though. I forced myself to compete. I forced myself to try and win just because of some stupid whore that never really wanted me in the first place. I was so stupid. And because I was stupid I could have died.


    This entire thing had been quite humbling. That was for sure. I had behaved like a moron. I had treated people like shit. I had just flat out been an asshole.


    "Ocean," Coach Dickson was looking at me with a serious glare and a sad tone in his voice, "you know I have to do something about this."


    "What are you talking about? Do something about what?"


    "You should have told someone about what was going on. Because you didn''t, you caused everyone a lot of problems. Including making the city drain the pool. They know that it was an accident so they''re not going to do anything about it. Me, though, I have to do something." He was starting to make me nervous with the way he was talking.


    "What are you saying Coach? You aren''t going to kick me off the team, are you?" I heard the panic in my own voice. I didn''t know what I would do if I wasn''t allowed to swim anymore.


    "No, I don''t think I will do something that drastic, yet." He was glaring at me again. "But if this shit ever happens again I swear I will make you sit out the rest of the year."


    "Then what are you going to do?" I was still nervous.


    "You will be sitting out for the next week at least. No practicing or anything. If you can prove to me that you''re getting better then I will let you compete at the next meet. If you''re not better you will miss the out of town meet in two weeks."


    "No! Coach, you can''t do this to me. I need to swim. I have to." I felt my heart stop beating and what felt like the weight of guilt crushing me.


    "There''s no getting out of it Ocean. I want to let you swim, I really do. And this is killing me to stop you like this, but I have to put my foot down. You need to make sure that you take care of yourself better than this. This can''t happen again."


    While I just stared at him in complete mind blown confusion Coach Dickson got to his feet and walked toward the door. He hesitated right before he walked out and looked over his shoulder.


    "I''m sorry Ocean, but this is for the best. You need to recover."


    With that he walked out and shut the door behind him.

 Chapter 20 - Ocean - Burning

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    All week I had felt like my entire world had caught on fire. I felt like I had crashed at the hospital, or probably more like at the swim meet, and now I was slowly burning while everyone I knew just went about their daily lives.


    Every day since I left the hospital I had been forced to sit out from practice. My parents were even in on it all so they would get in my way whenever I tried to swim at all. I was never left alone for long since they acted like they couldn''t trust me not to hop into the first thing I saw that was filled with water.


    They were probably right though. I was so desperate for a chance to be in the water that I was taking really long baths every day. That didn''t make my parent''s happy either. They thought I was being ridiculous about all of this.


    I''d like to see them have the one thing that gives their lives a purpose get taken away from them. Let''s see how ridiculous they think I was being then. I swear this week lasted for a year, or longer.


    It all started on Monday when I went to school. I was alone now since I was single and all that. I didn''t get to practice so I hadn''t been at the pool. I sat in class and did my best to study and take notes. It sucked though. I hated that I had too much energy to even listen to the teacher. Not to mention Makai glared at me the whole time. I felt his eyes boring holes into me. Brittney wasn''t sitting next to him. Was she pretending to act hurt that we weren''t together so he would feel pity for her? She probably would tell him that I dumped her.


    This continued on Tuesday. No practice. Too much energy to concentrate. Brittney sitting as far from me as she could. Makai glaring at me from the other side of the room.


    This was beginning to become a routine. But there was something else as well. There was another major thing that had happened to mess with me.


    Makai had been added to the ballot as class president. I knew he wanted everything that I wanted. What made it worse, student polls put us neck and neck for the election and popularity. How was this possible? He had only been here a week and a half for crying out loud.


    I was steadily slipping into a bout of depression. I could sense it. It wasn''t even that I had lost my girlfriend. She was a bitch anyway. And it wasn''t just that I was losing out on becoming the next class president. That wasn''t the major issue.


    No, I think it had to do with the fact that everything I knew about my life was changing. And it was changing too quickly. I didn''t have time to adjust. I hadn''t even seen it coming. By the time my birthday got here I probably wouldn''t recognize a single thing about my life.


    I had a follow up at the doctor''s on Thursday, to see how I was doing. I was eager for him to give me the go ahead to swim again. I mean, if the doctor said I was better the coach had to believe it, right?


    I got what I wanted. Thankfully. The doctor told me that my head was fine and I was looking much better than when I was at the hospital. Even better than when I was released from the hospital. That was good, considering how shitty I had been feeling this whole time.


    I went straight to see the coach first thing Friday morning. I went to see him at practice, which I hadn''t been to in what felt like forever. He was happy to get that letter from the doctor. He said he was glad that I was cleared by the doctor to swim again. However, Coach still made me sit out for the weekend.


    "It''s not just that you had needed to be cleared, Ocean. This was a punishment too. I am sticking with it. You can rejoin practice on Monday morning. Until then don''t you dare set foot in the water."


    "Coach Dickson, don''t do this. I need to be in the water."


    "I''m sorry Ocean, the punishment stands. Thank you for bringing this to me. Now head on to the library and study until it''s time for class. I will see you in first period."


    I had to drag my feet down the hall as I went. There was nothing I could do. I hadn''t been given the go ahead like I had thought I would. This was truly the worst time in my life so far.


    I was sitting in the library, trying to study like I had been told, when Ryan came up to me.


    "Hey man. I haven''t had the chance to talk to you in a few days. How''s your noggin?"


    "Fine." I tried not to snap the word at him. I know it wasn''t his fault I was being punished.


    "That''s good. So, I saw Brittney and Kai the other day."


    "Great, good for them." I didn''t want to hear about this at all. As soon as he had said that bitch''s name I started to pack my stuff up so I could get to class. It was only five minutes until the bell would ring anyway. "I hope they''re happy together."


    I stormed away from the table and into the hallway. Ryan had seemed a little shocked by my attitude and tried calling after me.


    "Ocean, you didn''t let me finish."


    I knew they were together. I just knew it. They may be hiding it at school but people still saw them.. That was just great.

 Chapter 21 - Ocean - Dulling The Pain Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I didn''t want to be around anyone. I just wanted to be alone and think. I wanted to dull the pain of what it was I was feeling. The problem is I didn''t even understand what it was I was feeling.


    I left school at the end of the day, avoiding everyone. I just wanted to drop my stuff at home and go stare at the ocean from the beach for several hours. That always made me feel better. I guess it comes with having the name Ocean but I always felt the most at home at the beach. I loved being in and near the salty waters. It just felt calming and safe to me.


    It was still pretty warm out so I changed into a pair of dark green cargo shorts and charcoal gray t-shirt. I wasn''t going to be going into the water, unfortunately, so I put on a pair of slightly older sneakers. With that I was ready to go.


    I grabbed a bag that was hidden in my closet. It was my beach bag. It had a blanket, towel, a couple bottles of water, and a case of beer. Going to the beach was my chance to unwind and relax, so I took every advantage of that when I could. Most likely I would be sleeping there until the alcohol was out of my system.


    I stopped in the kitchen to grab a cooler and fill it with ice. That would be best to make the warm beer from the closet cold and easier to drink. I didn''t need the piss warm beer turning my stomach or anything.


    When I got to the beach I parked in my usual spot. This was a part of the beach that was farther down, closer to the tree line. It was rockier than most parts so it wasn''t popular with the tourists. Almost no one but me enjoyed coming to this particular spot on the beach.


    I set my stuff down and pulled a beer from the cooler. There was a cropping of rocks and a fallen tree that I liked to use as benches. I usually chose the place I sat based on my moods. I was feeling like crap today and wanted to be as one with the ocean as I could without breaking Coach''s rules. So, with that in mind I just sat directly on the pebble filled sand. I didn''t even set my blanket out first.


    The mist from the can of beer I opened then was as close to the water that I was going to get. I wouldn''t break Coach''s rules, not for anything. If he found out that I didn''t listen to him he would probably kick me off the team entirely. I didn''t want that at all.


    The first beer didn''t last long at all. I drank it down in nearly one go. I knew that it was a bad idea to drink it so fast but I didn''t really care. All I wanted was to dull the ache, to feel numb.


    After the second and third beers I started to think about my life lately. I tried to understand what it was that was going on. When I was on the sixth beer I started to understand a little more, at least I think I was understanding it.


    When I thought about Brittney all I could think about was how pissed I was. Since I had been with her, life had actually been hell. I thought she was making things better. I thought she was making me happy. That wasn''t true at all though.


    Since I had been with Brittney I had only even kissed her twice. In the three and a half months that we were together that was all she had let me do. Thinking about it though I never really pushed the subject. I wanted to have sex of course, what kind of guy my age didn''t. But did I really want to have sex with her or just sex in general?


    With that in mind I was finally able to stop being so mad about the Brittney thing. It was for the best that I wasn''t with her anymore anyway. Then there was the stuff to do with Makai.


    Makai was a different story. He came in and was instantly better than me. He swam faster than me all the time. He was instantly popular and he was even on the ballot for class president already. That was everything that I had and wanted.


    Thinking about it, I know it''s shallow. I didn''t want to be that kind of person but it''s just the way that things happened. I had always been handed everything in life, I never had to work hard for something that I wanted. Does that mean that having Makai around would be good for me?


    Makai could be my rival. He could push me to do better. If it wasn''t so clear that we couldn''t be friends at all then I would say that he and I could hang out. That was impossible though. There was no getting around the way things were with us.


    Not only that, but when I thought about Makai and Brittney together it pissed me off. I wasn''t mad that he was with Brittney. I didn''t care about her at all. Or maybe I was mad but more because I didn''t want him to eventually suffer like I had.


    That was probably it. I knew what she was like and I didn''t want another innocent guy to fall into her fucking fly tap. He needed someone to protect him. He needed someone to stop him from ruining his life by being with her.


    Too bad it couldn''t be me. With the way things were going I would probably never be able to bring myself to even talk to Makai. He made me nervous. Seeing the guy, just hearing his name made my heart race, my palms sweat, and my stomach join the trapeze act in the circus. And the more nervous he made me feel, the more unsettled I was, the angrier I got. I couldn''t explain it at all.


    What was it about him that set me off?

 Chapter 22 - Ocean - Dulling The Pain Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had already had at least eighteen beers by the time that I realized Makai made me nervous. It was probably the alcohol calming me down that made it easier to think and understand it all.


    That didn''t mean that I knew what I was going to do about it though. I wanted to be able to swim at my best when the guy was around me but that wasn''t likely to happen anytime soon. I wanted to be able to not hate when my team all sat together at lunch. I wanted to join in with them all when they laughed and joked. I wanted to get back to my happy and carefree life I used to have.


    This was senior year for crying out loud. It''s supposed to be the best time of my life. I was supposed to be having fun, making memories, going to parties. Instead here I was wallowing in my own self pity. This needed to stop as well. I needed to be a man about it and stop moping.


    While I was thinking about all of this stuff, the jumbled thoughts were trying to sort themselves in my mind. I almost felt like I could see the problems in front of me.


    There was Brittney, her annoying laugh, better than you smile, and expensive clothes. I saw Makai, his pale skin, dark hair, and green eyes. He was a unique person, someone who shouldn''t waste his time on Brittney.


    I wasn''t seeing them together right this second. As my mind tried to picture them they were separate from each other. Brittney was with her stuck up group of bitches that she always hung out with. Makai on the other hand was by himself.


    Now that I thought about it, Makai was usually alone. He hung out with the team at lunch, and he was with them all during practice, but aside from that he was always by himself.


    He was by himself and staring at me.


    I often caught him glaring at me with anger and other dark emotions in his eyes. The heat from them was almost physically tangible when I walked near him. It was clear that there was something he didn''t like about me.


    I couldn''t help but think about him now though. The way he looked at me. The way he looked in general. That seafoam green of his eyes that somehow just made me want to stare at them. Then there was that interesting color to his hair. It was dark brown, yeah common enough, but those highlights. Those couldn''t possibly be real could they?


    Well, I guess they could be. My hair was black but when the light hit it just right you could see blue highlights in it. So it was completely possible that Makai would have those bright cherry red highlights when the light hit him just right.


    He and I were similar heights, he was just a little bit taller than me. We had similar builds though. The same broad shoulders, narrow hips, very strong but with those long sinewy muscles that gave us a slender look.


    It was a really good look. It was a look that many people envied, a lot of people lusted after, and several tried hard to accomplish. The image in my mind was very vivid. I was seeing Makai in many different ways. He was climbing out of the pool at practice, water glistening off his toned body. Then he was laughing with the team at lunch, a calm and easy smile on his face. Finally I saw him as he stared at me, his hand under his chin and the heat pouring off of him while he watched me from across the classroom.


    Why was I seeing him everywhere right now? It was like I couldn''t get him off of my mind. I was even seeing him walk down the beach toward me. He was wearing a pair of cargo shorts similar to mine, only they were khaki. His blue t-shirt was thrown over his shoulder. And he seemed to be carrying his sneakers in his hand as he walked along the edge of the water.


    This was the most vivid image of his so far. I could see the sun glistening on his chest, water was dripping from his wet hair and trailing down his chest. There was even a shadow that looked to be moving along with him as he walked.


    God dammit, why was I seeing him everywhere? Why was my mind making me look at him? What the hell was the matter with me? Looking at a guy when he was half dressed, or even when he was just wearing a tight speedo that left nothing to the imagination. That was just plain wrong of me. What was I doing?


    I couldn''t help it though. I just kept watching while that imaginary Makai walked along the line in the beach that seemed to separate the sand and stones. Sure enough I could feel my heart racing and my palms sweating already. That floating and spinning sensation in the pit of my stomach that made me nervous and excited at the same time was also present.


    It was strange to have a physical response to an imaginary image. I was truly pathetic, wasn''t I?


    "Why are you here?" I asked the image that was walking toward me. "Did I bring you here because I was thinking about you?" For some reason the image stopped and looked at me like it was confused. That was different. None of the other images I saw of Makai seemed to react or respond to me.. This was like some interactive or virtual reality shit.

 Chapter 23 - Makai - Ocean On The Beach

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    I was still getting used to being in this new environment. This smallish city of Waterton was nothing compared with Tampa. The only thing they had in common really was that they both had a beach right in town and I didn''t have to go far to see the water.


    I was still learning where to go for fun stuff to do, where to eat good food, and where to avoid if I didn''t want to see certain people. That bitch Brittney being one of those that I didn''t want to see.


    For some reason, after I told her that I wasn''t interested she started chasing me even more. It was like she thought I was just playing hard to get and that maybe if she tried harder I would say yes to her.


    Wasn''t it enough that I told her she was trash? Should that have been enough to make her understand that I really don''t want her? What am I gonna have to do to make her leave me alone?


    I was at the beach. I liked being near the water. Especially near ocean water. The salty air and the way the water felt on my skin, I just loved it so much.


    I was used to different beaches though and didn''t know who went where. There were still tourists here but not as much as back home. And being that it was the beginning of October there weren''t many locals here either.


    I was lost in thought right now, thinking about many different things. I had just taken a slight dip in the water. Actually I had only really dipped my head but that was enough for now.


    Since I had been in the water for a minute I had taken off my shoes so I didn''t get them wet. Right now I was walking with them in my hand with my shirt slung over my shoulder. I could feel the rivlets of water running down my chest and back and the joy that even that brought me.


    I don''t know when or why I started thinking about Ocean. OK, I know why. I was at the ocean for now so his name was on my mind. And for two, I was still worried about him. He was getting better but I hadn''t been able to see if he was fully better since his accident. I saw him in class but I never got the chance to talk to him.


    I watched him a lot. The interest I felt for him was way stronger than it had ever been for anyone else, ever. I couldn''t stop myself from just staring at him. I knew he could probably tell that I like him. I just didn''t know how that made him feel. Considering that he had a girlfriend until recently I am going to guess that he wouldn''t be very receptive.


    I know that from now on I will need to love him from afar. I know that he will never feel the same for me that I feel for him. That was heartbreaking.


    While I was thinking about all of this I heard something that surprised me. I heard Ocean''s voice.


    "Why are you here?" I could tell immediately that he had been drinking. Not just drinking, he was drunk out of his mind. "Did I bring you here because I was thinking about you?"


    Wait? Did I just hear what I thought I did? He was thinking about me? In what way? Was he mad at me about something and stewing or was he thinking about me like I was thinking about him?


    Still, if he was drunk and thought that I was an illusion from his imagination then maybe I could talk to him for the first real conversation we''ve ever had. I know that it was dishonest of me but it was the only chance I really had. I was desperate here.


    "Ocean? What are you doing here?" I kept my voice calm and asked a question that I thought was basic.


    "What are you talking about, this is my spot. It''s where I always come." That was news to me but in a good way. I found out something more about him.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know that. What are you doing? You don''t look too good." I know that my voice was probably sounding too worried but I couldn''t help it.


    "You''re just like the coach. You think that just because I had a bad day I am ruined for life."


    "What? The coach is kicking you off the team?" That can''t happen. I need to see him at practice when he comes back.


    "No, thank god. He says I can come back on Monday but not before. Even though my doctor gave me the go ahead." I could see that it was affecting him a lot, being away from the water for so long. Maybe he really was like me after all. I guess I would have to find out later.


    "That''s good. So you''re all better?" I needed to hear it.


    "You''re from inside my head so don''t you already know? They did scans and I am fine. There''s nothing wrong with my head."


    "Oh thank god." I sighed in relief.


    "Too bad the real you isn''t like this." I heard him sigh and the words made no sense to me at all.


    "What are you talking about? This is the real me."


    "Nah, you''re not really here." He laughed. "Besides, the real Makai hates me. He keeps glaring at me in class. He can''t stop himself. If he didn''t hate me, why else would he give me such angry looks all the time?"


    Did he really think that I hated him? How in the world could he think that? I had never once done anything to make him think that.. Why did he have to be so against me? This was definitely like an intense torture to me.

 Chapter 24 - Makai - Ocean On The Beach Part 2

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    "Ocean, I don''t hate you." I yelled at him. I had reached the end of my emotional rope for the day. "Why do you think that I hate you?" He was looking at me like I was speaking a different language.


    "If you don''t hate me then why do you glare at me? If you don''t hate me then why would you run for class president when you just got here? And why would you steal my girlfriend?" He was huffing and breathing heavily at the end of his rant.


    The things that he was saying, none of it was true. Yeah, I stare at him but I am pretty sure it is obvious it''s because I like him. I mean, OK, everyone here probably didn''t know that I was bisexual, but I am. For me it was nothing new to think that a guy was good looking. No, the new part was the intense pull that I was feeling toward him. I didn''t even know what it meant.


    All I knew was that I wanted to be with Ocean all the time. Though, I had never been allowed to be with him, ever.


    I hadn''t entered the election. That was someone else''s doing. People were naturally drawn to me most of the time. I noticed they were like that with Ocean too, that''s why I thought he was like me as soon as I saw him. Still, one of my instant fans had been the one to enter me into the election.


    And I most definitely did not take his girlfriend. I had turned her down flat and would never go for her. Now just to tell him all of this.


    "Ocean." I called his name, loving how it felt to say it. "I don''t want to be the president, I don''t want Brittney, and I don''t hate you. I am not glaring at you, I am watching you." I was doing my best to explain what I could.


    "I don''t want to hear it." I watched as he sprang to his feet from his place on the sand. He was so drunk that I couldn''t believe he didn''t just fall back down. "People saw the two of you together. You were caught. I know you''re with her, but you shouldn''t be. She is a bitch. She''s a leech. She will ruin you."


    "Are you worried about me?" I was hopeful for a moment.


    "No!" He yelled at me but it seemed a little too forced if you asked me.


    I couldn''t help but smile. If he was worried about me does that mean he was interested in me? It should at least mean that he wasn''t totally against me.


    "Ocean, what do you think of me?" I had to ask this, I needed to know.


    "I think you''re annoying." He yelled immediately. "I think you''re stealing everything that was supposed to be mine. You took my place on the team, you took the election, you took my girlfriend."


    "I didn''t do any of those things. I don''t want Brittney. I don''t want to be number one on the team. I don''t want to lead the class. All I want is you, Ocean."


    Those words seemed to make his face go red. He was flustered and finding it hard to talk.


    "You''re lying to me. I know you are. The real Makai is never like this with me." He looked hurt. "The real Makai would never talk to me like this."


    "You never let me talk to you. All you ever do is run from me. I want to talk to you, Ocean, I want to hang out with you."


    "No you don''t. All you want to do is take everything from me."


    I watched as he went to take another swig of his beer but he wobbled so much that he almost fell over instantly.


    "Careful." I grabbed his shoulder to steady him.


    "You''re not getting my beer. It''s mine." He was glaring at me. "You can''t take any more of my life."


    "Ocean?" I was going to try and talk to him again but he shifted a little.


    "Which one of you is the one that was talking?"


    That was when I watched Ocean reach out with his fist. It was more like he was trying to grab onto me but his hand was already closed and he didn''t know it. His hand was moving faster than I expected. If I wasn''t careful he would end up hitting me.


    I tried to pin his arms to his sides to calm him down. If I didn''t he would either fall over or hit me. There was nothing else I could do really.


    Too bad he was still fighting to get free. He wanted to grab the me that was talking so he was probably seeing a few after images or shadow images of me while he moved.


    "Sit still." He growled at me as he reached out really fast.


    In the confusion the two of us ended up sprawled on the beach. I was hovering over Ocean, my knees next to his hips and my hands next to his head. This position excited me more than I thought it would right now. We weren''t doing anything after all.


    "Why are you on top of me?" Ocean asked me, confused.


    "You pulled me on top of you when you were trying to hit me." I answered in a tense voice as I tried to stop myself from doing something wrong.


    "I wasn''t going to hit you, I wanted to hold onto you. You were spinning too fast for my eyes."


    "Ocean, do you-." I never got to finish my question since he interrupted me.


    "Here, I am going to prove that you''re not real. You''re in my head."


    Before I could react, Ocean grabbed the back of my head with both hands. He pulled me down forcefully and pressed his lips to mine. He was kissing me.. Ocean was kissing me.

 Chapter 25 - Makai - Ocean On The Beach Part 3

    ~~


    Kai


    ~~


    His tongue had slipped into my mouth and tangled and twisted with mine while his lips were pressed against me. I couldn''t believe it, Ocean was kissing me. He was holding me to him with a strong grip on the back of my head.


    I could feel that he was leaning up from the sand and pressing his chest against mine. The whole situation was mind blowing. I had fantasized about this but I never thought that it would come true. I never imagined that I would ever be kissing this mind blowingly hot guy that was laying on the ground beneath me.


    After a few minutes Ocean pulled back from the kiss. He was breathing heavily, a pace that nearly matched mine breathing perfectly. There was a heated look in his eyes and I felt that his body had begun to respond to the kiss the same as mine had.


    "See, if you were real you never would have kissed me. And if you were real then we wouldn''t be lying here like this."


    "Ocean, I am telling you, I am really here. How can I make you understand that?"


    "You can¡­. Y-y-you¡­.You c-can." Ocean seemed dazed and his eyes glossed over. The next thing I knew his eyes rolled back and he passed out.


    I knew he had been drunk, I could see it when I first heard him call out to me. I had heard the slur in his words when he spoke. I could smell the beer on him and I could even taste it on his tongue when he kissed me. I just didn''t know he was this drunk.


    "Dammit." I swore at him as I stood up awkwardly. "He fell asleep without even talking to me. Not to mention he kissed me and then fell asleep. That is so not fair." I sat myself on a large rock that was close to him as I waited for the excitement to pass from my body. If it didn''t pass soon I might need to take a dip in the water. That should help with redirecting some of the blood flow away from a certain area. I didn''t need someone walking up and seeing me like this.


    Then again, as I looked at Ocean I saw that he was sporting a rather impressive looking erection as well. If anyone walked over here they would wonder what it was we had gotten up to, or what we were planning to get up to.


    Ocean''s was easy to handle. All I had to do was roll him on his side and throw the nearby blanket over him. No one would see him after that. So, that''s just what I did.


    After about ten minutes I was finally starting to settle down. The fit of my shorts got a little more comfortable and I wouldn''t have been embarrassed to stand up anymore.


    I didn''t know how to process what just happened.


    Ocean kissed me. Yet he had done it to prove to himself that I wasn''t really there. He thought that I would never kiss him back.


    Why would he use a kiss to prove that I wasn''t real? Did he want to kiss me for real? Did he kiss me because he had a real desire to kiss me?


    Try as hard as I could there was nothing I could think of that made sense for why he would kiss me to prove that I wasn''t real. If he was trying to prove that then there was plenty more he could have done. He could have just reached out to touch me for instance.


    But no! He kissed me instead of doing that. He pulled my head towards him and put his tongue in my mouth. He would only do that if he liked me right? If he had feelings for me, even if they were buried deep down. He wouldn''t kiss me unless he wanted to.


    That was what I was going to go with. That was the only thing that would keep me sane right now. I had quite enjoyed the kiss and I would remember this for a long time. I just hoped that this meant that there would be a change between us in the future. I hoped this would mean that we could at least be friends and move on to something more later.


    I sat there all night, perched on that rock. I watched Ocean as he slept. I couldn''t bring myself to sleep next to him, or to sleep at all for that matter. I didn''t know how he was going to act when he woke up and I didn''t want to ruin things before they got going.


    Just before the sun was up I went into town. I grabbed a box of donuts and some coffee. Ocean would need the sugar and caffeine first thing when he got up. I also got him a bottle of water and some aspirin.


    I left the goods next to him and left. I hoped that the next time I saw him things would be better between us. I couldn''t stand it if the two of us got further apart.. I needed him in my life for reasons I didn''t quite understand.

 Chapter 26 - Ocean - Dreams

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was dreaming. I know I was dreaming because it started with me seeing a lot of different people that looked like Makai all around me. Then I kissed one of them.


    In the dream I pulled him toward me and pressed my lips against his. I felt my tongue slip into his mouth and tangle around his tongue while the seconds and minutes passed.


    I knew it was a dream because this was not something I would do while awake. I had been thinking about my rival a lot lately, sure, but that didn''t mean I wanted to kiss him. Did it?


    No it couldn''t. I knew that I wasn''t into guys because I had been with Brittney. I had even wanted to have sex with her. Granted, I was willing to have sex with just about anyone. I was just a horny guy. That was all.


    Maybe I dreamt that I kissed him because I wanted him to like me instead of hate me. Then, why would I want him to like me like that?


    I don''t know. I was done trying to figure out what all of these different parts of my dream meant. I was too tired and sleeping on the sand was definitely sounding like a good idea to me.


    The dream morphed after that. I had gone to sleep in my dream and created a new dream. These were more confusing dreams that just played themselves over and over inside of my head.


    I dreamt that Makai and I were in the ocean and swimming. We were both wearing our speedos from practice and I remember thinking that it would be better if we were naked instead.


    I saw Makai change into a merman in front of me. He grew a tail and could swim even faster. He came over to me and kissed me, giving me the air he had in his lungs so that I could stay under water with him.


    I just remember the feel of his lips on mine when he breathed for me. I longed for his tongue to slide into my mouth along with the air.


    These were strange thoughts for me. I know that I had never thought about these things before. I had never been attracted to men before so what was so different with Makai? Nothing, that''s what. It was just a rivalry. That was all.


    The dream morphed again. I was reliving the argument I had with the fake Makai. Man I wished the things he said were true. Too bad that was impossible.


    After a while the dreams all started to fade. I could tell that I was about to wake up. The sun was just starting to shine on my face so I was pretty sure it was dawn. That was pretty damn early for me to get up after all that I had drank the night before.


    I stretched and groaned as I loosened my muscles. I had not slept very peacefully or soundly so I felt like my body was screaming at me for it. That made me feel like an old man whenever it happened.


    Once I opened my eyes I looked around me. Apparently I just fell asleep wherever I fell. I usually try to position myself better than this. I guess I was way more drunk than I thought. I couldn''t even remember the dreams I had been having right before I woke up. That was strange. The last thing I remember was sitting on the sand and staring at the water.


    Just what the hell did I get up to?


    As I tried to remember I saw a few items that I knew I hadn''t brought with me. There was a large to-go cup of coffee, a small box with a few donuts inside, a bottle of water, and lastly a bottle of aspirin.


    Someone had obviously seen me on the beach and wanted to help me out. Whoever they are, they were pretty nice. I popped the aspirin first, since I had a massive hangover that was complete with a pounding headache. Next the coffee and donuts. I was starving. I scarfed them down as fast as I could then started cleaning up my mess on the beach. It was time to head home and see how pissed my parents would be that I had stayed out all night.


    Oh well, I did tell them I might not be back.


    There were no other people on the beach at this time of the day so I didn''t meet anyone else on my way back to the parking lot. There were no other cars and nothing to indicate the identity of the mystery person who had given me the breakfast.


    I drove home quickly with the radio off. I didn''t want the noise to worsen my headache. It was bad enough that the sun was going to bother me with every turn I took. I would survive though, I''ve had worse.


    While I was driving I happened to look to the side. I saw someone sitting in a diner that I didn''t expect to see. Makai.


    What was he doing out here so early? Why was he near the beach? What was going on?


    I guess I didn''t need to know. I needed to get home before I was grounded by my parents as well as the coach. I couldn''t afford any more restrictions.. I needed to be able to swim.

 Chapter 27 - Ocean - Lecture

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Unfortunately, my parents knew exactly what I had done last night. How they knew, I couldn''t tell. It was probably that weird parental know it all power that they seemed to have.


    Mom was waiting for me in the kitchen with breakfast ready. Dad had met me at the door. They had stern expressions for me when they saw me. I knew what they were thinking. I knew I had disappointed them.


    Even though we were sitting down to have breakfast, which they totally could have denied me, I could tell that questioning and lecturing was coming soon. I tried my best to enjoy the food as much as I could. It was hard though since I was sitting there feeling like a convict on death row eating his last meal.


    Were they going to force me to quit the team? Were they going to do something else that was even worse?


    Yeah, sure, I was almost eighteen. That didn''t matter though. I was still dependent on them to provide me with food and shelter. My job has always been to go to school, to learn, and to swim. I was expected to go to college and get a degree so that I could work and pay my own way in the future.


    As pathetic as it made me sound I couldn''t leave home just yet. I don''t know how many typical high school seniors could to be honest. I couldn''t afford tuition. I definitely couldn''t get my own apartment. I would need two or three jobs to pay it all and that would mean that I would have to drop out of school, and that wasn''t going to happen.


    Nope, for now I had to abide by the rules and hope that I didn''t get thrown into solitary confinement by the Warden. That is if mom didn''t decide to just up and execute me. She could be pretty vicious for such a kindhearted person.


    When the food was gone and it was time to talk I suddenly felt very nervous. My mouth went dry and I could feel my heart pounding very hard. Mom, as always, was the one to start.


    "Where were you?" Her voice was hard and there was a sharp edge to it. I felt like if I didn''t duck my head would have been sliced off with those words.


    "I was at the beach." It was true.


    "You''ve been told that you can''t swim yet you do it anyway?" Mom snapped at me and I flinched reflexively. She can scare the shit out of me, seriously.


    "No!" I denied it immediately. "I didn''t go into the water. I just watched the water from the beach. It helps to calm me down."


    "And why do you need to calm down? Why did you go to get drunk at the beach?" Mom knew, she always knew. That''s why I had wanted to sneak into the house before they caught me but that didn''t happen. Why didn''t I set my alarm on my phone like I usually did?


    "I''ve had a lot of things to think about lately, I needed some time alone." I hung my head in shame so my parents couldn''t see the sorrow that was building up behind my eyes.


    "I know it''s hard son, but your coach was doing what he thought was best for you. You had to take the time to rest."


    Dad was thinking this all had to do with me being banned from swimming for the week. Yeah, that didn''t help at all but that wasn''t the only thing that was going on.


    "This has nothing to do with that." The answer was short and could have been curt, but I kept my voice soft so that it didn''t sound so rude.


    "Then what is it? What''s going on with you?" Mom sounded like she was pleading with me. There was worry in her eyes as she stared at me.


    I didn''t want them to know. I didn''t want them to think that they had been right about Brittney all along. It would have been too hard to hear them sound happy about the fact that Makai was dating Brittney now. Of all people, why did she have to go after him?


    "Ocean, tell us what is going on with you." Dad tried to sound firm but he had nothing on mom''s level of parenting. Still, I didn''t answer him.


    "Ocean." Mom said my name with that voice that she used to scare the devil into giving her his pitchfork. I swear there was nothing that she couldn''t get if she was angry at someone.


    "Hahh." I sighed as I prepared to answer them, after a moment though, I continued. "Brittney broke up with me. And now she''s dating Makai."


    "Oh, Ocean." Mom sounded sad. "When?"


    "The day of the accident. She came to the hospital and dumped me."


    "What a fucking skank!" Dad growled the words after hearing what happened.


    "Dad?" I was shocked to hear him talk like that.


    "Phineas?" Mom sounded equally shocked.


    "Don''t give me that, Steph, you thought it too." Dad was acting like nothing had happened. What the hell was going on here?"


    It took a while for the excitement of those words to die down, but soon my parents were back to lecturing me. Yay me.


    "I know that on Monday Coach Dickson is letting you back into practice. Just know this, if I ever catch you drinking again, I swear I will make you regret it." Of all the words that Mom had said or any of the ones that she did say, those were probably the scariest of them all.


    "Yes Ma''am." I sat up straighter when I answered her. It hadn''t just been in response to her words, it had also been in response to the evil look she was giving me. I kind of just wanted to fall to my knees and plead for forgiveness.. Please Mommy, spare me.

 Chapter 28 - Ocean - Thinking Through A Hangover

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Following the lecture and threat of death from my parents I went to my room. I still had a headache. That aspirin really didn''t do much to help my head yet. I hate to admit it, but I really had drank too much last night.


    I was currently laying on my bed contemplating what had happened. All things considered my parents had been right, about everything. I shouldn''t be drinking. I shouldn''t be staying out all night. And Brittney really was a fucking skank. Sometimes I really hated it when they were right, other times it all just fit into place perfectly and helped me to understand stuff a little better. This time was like the second one.


    I wasn''t sure why but I had woken up this morning feeling a little bit lighter, all things considered. It had been an interesting night filled with even more interesting dreams. I didn''t know what half of what I thought meant but I was just glad I didn''t feel like sulking too much more.


    Did it still hurt to think about Brittney being with Makai? Yeah, it did, but I didn''t know why. Since I couldn''t explain it, perhaps I should just ignore it.


    All I wanted to do now was get back to swimming. I didn''t want to risk anything taking that away from me. Swimming meant more to me than petty squabbles or girls.


    I was losing myself in thought. I was trying to remember exactly what I had done last night before I passed out. I woke up with a sensation on my lips, it was like the memory of a kiss. Had I been partying with some girls last night? Was I trying to find a rebound already?


    No, I can''t do that. It will only be a distraction. I had let Brittney be a distraction to me and that led to this whole fucked up situation. I was done with all of that for a while. I was going to go solo for the foreseeable future. Just call me Brother Ocean because from now on I''m going to be as celibate as a monk.


    I was going to focus on swimming. I was going to focus on school. I was going to focus on Makai.


    WAIT! WHAT? Why the hell did I think of Makai just now? I know that I had dreamt about him at some point last night. I had dreamt that we talked and argued. I had dreamt that we kissed, which would never happen, ever.


    There were other things that I dreamt about as well. I dreamt about Makai''s body as he climbed out of the pool. I had dreamt about him staring at me in the classroom. I had also dreamt about him being a merman, which was why I knew that none of it was real at all.


    If even one part of that dream sequence was not true then none of it was. I knew that I would never kiss a guy. I was not gay at all. I was as straight as could be.


    So, why then, could I not get Makai out of my head. Everytime that I closed my eyes while laying on my bed I saw him. I saw that kiss I had dreamt about. I saw Makai''s glistening body as he climbed out of the water.


    Before I knew it I was imagining other things, things that went beyond what I had seen in my dreams. And all the while, I was stroking myself. I couldn''t help it. It was a compulsion that was so strong, a need that had to be fulfilled.


    What was the matter with me?


    When I was finished I needed to clean myself up. I couldn''t believe I had just done that while thinking about a guy. I just couldn''t understand what was happening to me.


    The thing was, though, that it had felt so much better this time than when I thought about Brittney or the models in magazines. What was it about Makai that drew my attention so much?


    I was still asking myself these questions when I went into the bathroom to shower. I wanted answers but I didn''t think they were likely to come anytime soon.


    What did happen while I was in the shower was a reoccurrence of my arousal for Makai. I couldn''t get the damn erection to go away at all until I stroked myself again. I was becoming some kind of pervert or something. What the hell was going on. Seriously?


    I didn''t leave my room for the rest of the night. I didn''t want anyone to see me when I was feeling so out of control. I didn''t even eat lunch or dinner. I was just too messed up, and too fucking horny.


    When the morning came the arousal had finally lessened quite a bit. That made it so I could finally leave my room and get something to eat. I still didn''t want to leave the house though. I needed to get my head on straight. I needed time to think about what had happened and what I was going to do.


    I couldn''t afford to let any of this mess me up at all. There was an out of town meet next weekend and I was determined to go. I would not be benched again.. I would not be kept out of the water any longer.

 Chapter 29 - Makai - Ocean At School Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    After that night when I watched Ocean sleep on the beach all I could do was think about him. That was definitely not saying much considering that I already thought about him all the time. He was so intriguing and never did what I thought he would or should do.


    First he acts like he hates me and doesn''t even want to be around me or see me. Then he blames me for trying to steal his girlfriend after I saved his life. When I saw him on the beach he acted like he had been thinking about me and that I was just a hallucination from those thoughts.


    All of that wasn''t even the biggest surprise of all. Nope, not by a long shot. The thing that surprised me the most had been when he pulled me toward him and kissed me. Granted I was almost laying on top of him at the time. That had only been because he was trying to hit me and we both fell when I tried to stop him.


    Still, who would have thought that Ocean would grab my head and kiss me? And not only that he had even gotten aroused from it. He had responded to it physically just as clearly as I had.


    Just what was it he truly thought of me? Did he like me and was just denying it to himself. Does he actually hate me even though he is attracted to me? Does he even know what he feels for me?


    "GAHH!! Not knowing is going to kill me!" I yelled the words to the ceiling of my bedroom. I had been lying on my bed while I contemplated all of this. I was trying to settle my nerves and my thoughts before I had to go to school this morning.


    "Shut up and get downstairs." I heard my dad call out jokingly. "Whatever is going to kill you will do it in time, don''t help it out by starving yourself." He was a jokester that usually liked to take my plights and make them into his comedy goldmine, or that''s what he always said. I didn''t care, I had too much going on to worry about his jokes right now.


    Still, I slid out of my bed and pulled a shirt on. I didn''t need to change my shorts since I would be changing at the school anyway. I probably looked like a zombie as I trudged down the stairs and to the table but I didn''t care. And apparently neither did my parents since they didn''t say anything about it.


    They were good parents but they were often busy. That''s why I had gotten used to being on my own a lot. Analise and Reef Rivers were nice people that had steady yet demanding careers so I had been raised to take care of myself. I liked it that way anyway, I preferred my own company most of the time. Now, though, I found myself wanting to have the company of someone specific.


    I hoped that things at school would be better when I got there. Maybe Ocean would remember what happened the other night, even if he had passed out right after he kissed me. He might still remember it and feel something different toward me.


    When I was walking into the locker room I felt like I was holding my breath in anticipation. I don''t think I have ever been this nervous in my entire life. I wouldn''t show it though. I was going to put on a confident smile and pretend like I was just fine. I could do this, I was fine.


    Ocean was already there, at his locker. My locker was right next to his so I walked over with false confidence. I wanted to talk to him so bad but I could only muster a single word, hell it was only a single syllable.


    "Hi." Gahh! I''m such an idiot.


    "U¡­.uh...u¡­.uhm, h¡­..hi." Ocean seemed to stumble over his words as he tried to answer me. I didn''t care, he actually responded and not in a negative way. This was a major thing that I never thought would have been possible.


    "How was your weekend?" I tried to sound calm and collected while I asked but I just wanted to keep talking to him.


    "I...it was f¡­.fine. I stayed home all weekend." Why did he sound so nervous? Is it possible that he really did remember kissing me? I could only hope that was the case.


    "I bet you are glad to be back at practice. You''ve been away for a whole week." I tried to bring up something that was bound to make him happy, unfortunately all I got was a grunt and a nod of his head. Hey, it was better than any other time that we had come face to face. You know, aside from when we were on the beach.


    Is it bad that our time on the beach had very quickly become one of my favorite memories? I hoped not since I couldn''t help it.


    "Well, let''s do our best today. We''ve got that meet this weekend. I''m glad that you''re back in time for it. We need you on the team to win."


    I don''t know why but for some reason my encouragement caused his face to darken. He just ignored me though and walked out to the pool. That''s fine, it would take baby steps. The fact that he hadn''t yelled at me meant that we were already leaps and bounds further than we were before.. With a grin and a soaring heart, I finished changing and followed him out to the pool.

 Chapter 30 - Makai - Ocean At School Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When we went to practice I noticed that Ocean was a little upset but he wasn''t taking it out on me. I don''t know what I said that upset him but I was going to try to brighten his mood. Somehow.


    He wasn''t being as standoffish today, unlike before. I noticed that he didn''t grumble when the coach asked us to swim against each other in the two hundred meter butterfly. That was one of my worst styles of swimming but I know Ocean excelled at it. I wasn''t going to lose on purpose but I was going to hope like hell that he beat me.


    "Good luck." He said to me just as we got into position. I was momentarily shocked and nearly didn''t respond.


    "Huh? Uh¡­..Y..yeah good luck to you too." I smiled at him as best as I could at the moment, but it was hard since I was so needlessly nervous.


    Ok, it wasn''t needless. This hot ass guy that I was so attracted to that it bordered on obsession was finally talking to me like he didn''t hate me. That was fucking major, right? I''m not just imagining things, am I? I''m not still asleep in my bed? I didn''t actually die from not knowing what Ocean thought of me and then went to some strange personal heaven, did I? Well, if I did go to my personal heaven they got it almost perfect. They just needed to make Ocean a little nicer to me.


    "Rivers!" Coach Dickson called out to me to get my attention. "Get your damn head in the game and pay attention."


    I snapped my head forward and prepared for Coach to blow his whistle, signalling the start of the race.


    The very instant the whistle blew both me and Ocean dove forward. We were both so used to the process that we only had to hear the first little rumble of the whistle. We hit the water at the same time and began our swims.


    Ocean was already pulling ahead of me. No matter how hard I tried to push myself I wasn''t passing him. When we reached the one hundred and fifty meter marks he was ahead of me by quite a bit. He had reached that point and was almost back to the edge of the pool as I did my turn around. He was annihilating me this time and honestly, I was overjoyed about it.


    When I reached the edge of the pool I heard Ocean talking to the others.


    "He let me win. I didn''t deserve this." He sounded so upset.


    "What are you talking about?" I asked him. "That was the same time that I had at the meet last time. I didn''t let you win."


    "Huh?" He looked confused.


    "He''s right, Ocean. His time is almost a perfect match to what he swam against St. Reece''s. But this time you swam the race that I knew you were capable of. You earned this victory." Coach Dickson explained to him.


    While the coach spoke I climbed out of the water and over to stand in front of Ocean''s lane.


    "Congratulations Ocean, I told you we need you to win. This just proves it." I smiled and held my hand out toward him so I could help him out of the pool. My heart soared when he actually took it and let me pull him up.


    It was just for a brief moment and it was just helping him out of the pool but I got to live through two more small things. I got to hold his hand and I got to pull him toward me. These baby steps were moving faster than I thought they were going to.


    Ocean and I raced each other a few more times. Coach Dickson wanted to see what our times were now that Ocean was back to himself. He was neck and neck with me on one of them, we literally tied. In another race I beat him by a tenth of a second and the last race he beat me by three tenths of a second. We were so closely matched that it had made the rest of the team stand and stare at us in awe until the coach yelled at them to get back to practice.


    This was good. He will see that I wasn''t after his spot as number one on the team at all. Now if only I could get out of the election that someone signed me up for and then convince him that I am in no way shape or form interested in Brittney. If I could do all of that it might make things between the two of us at least passable as a friendship.


    I could slowly build and cultivate a relationship that starts with a friendship. All I needed to do was put in the work and effort. This was going to be a long process but we were young, we had a long time.


    I was in good spirits that day when I left the pool for the locker room. I couldn''t stop myself from whistling and grinning. I was so caught up that I almost didn''t catch myself when I was staring at the birthmark that Ocean had. It was funny that it was so similar to mine. That had been another thing that made me think that Ocean was more like me. There was no other way he would be born with a mark like that otherwise, right?


    Still, it was confusing. It wasn''t the color that I would expect it to be if he were really like me. It gave me a lot to think about as I got dressed and ready for school. I didn''t have time to delay right now though. I didn''t want to be late considering that I was a little behind on work because of this weekend.. I hadn''t been able to do any of my homework at all.

 Chapter 31 - Makai - Ocean At School Part 3

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    As the day progressed I started to really wonder if it was all a dream or not. I had a feeling that I had either truly died this morning or I had just never woken up and I was still asleep. There were just so many things that made me pause.


    In our first class of the day, advanced calculus, I usually spent most of the lecture watching Ocean as he took notes. Today though, I was hardly able to watch him because almost every time I tried to look at him he was looking at me.


    I had known that he was aware of me watching him. He had turned to see me watching him on multiple occasions so I wasn''t all that surprised that he was curious as to why I was watching him every day since I moved here. I just didn''t expect him to be watching me so intently now.


    On the way to our second class, which we were also in together, Ocean didn''t run ahead like he usually did. Instead, he actually paced alongside me and we basically walked to class together. Neither of us said anything the entire time we just walked side by side until we got to the next classroom.


    This actually happened all day long. Every time that we switched classes, Ocean walked next to me without saying anything. It was nice to actually have him so close to me without him thinking that I was trying to do something to sabotage or hurt him. This day was really turning out to be my personal heaven.


    When we made it to the cafeteria for lunch we had once again walked silently together. This was going to be a day for me to remember, I just knew it. Especially when I went to the table and Ocean followed, he ended up sitting right next to me.


    During lunch, Ocean finally talked. It was the first time that I had heard him say anything since practice this morning. We were talking and joking with our teammates at the same time.


    "Ryan, are you doing anything special for training before this weekend?" Ben started the conversation with us all.


    "Nah, just the usual." Ryan answered right away. "But if I know Ocean, he will probably go training at the beach. He likes to swim there a lot." I saw Ocean blush then, maybe he remembered that night after all.


    "No, I plan on practicing in the gym, I need to make up for the time that I was gone." He rejected Ryan''s suggestion. Too bad, I would have gone with him to the beach to train.


    "I can train with you." I offered. I saw the surprise fill his eyes when he heard me but he didn''t show it to the others.


    "N..n..no that''s fine." He stuttered a little but nothing too bad. The others noticed though.


    "When did you start stuttering?" Ryan immediately jumped on the issue.


    "Yeah, you never used to stutter." Ben added.


    "O...oh w...well it started after I hit my head. It happens from time to time." I had to wonder if that was true. Was it really from the accident? It was possible. I had hoped it was because he liked me and was nervous around me. I guess I would never truly know the answer to that one.


    "Man, that sucks."Ryan shook his head.


    Lunch didn''t have much else besides the talking about practice and some very inappropriate joking from Justin. All in all it was a good lunch and the rest of the day just followed the same pattern as the beginning of the day.


    At practice after school Ocean was just as quiet when it came to me but he didn''t try to push me away either. I would still count that as a victory. I even noticed that once when I was climbing out of the pool he had been watching me. He had probably been watching my swim before that and not me getting out of the water specifically, but hey a guy can dream.


    I noticed that ocean was staying at school after practice was over. He was swimming alone. And even though he said that he didn''t want me to practice with him I stayed behind. I didn''t want something happening to him again. After about an hour he seemed to be done but that was also when he noticed me.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked me, a little bit of anger in his voice.


    "I noticed you were still training, so I stayed behind." I didn''t hide it from him.


    "Why?" He looked confused.


    "I didn''t want to see something bad happen to you again. I was worried, after you hit your head before." I looked down at the floor, afraid that he was going to yell or scream or accuse me again.


    "Oh." He sounded shocked, not what I expected. "Well, thank you. Not just for today. I mean, thank you for, you know, saving me that day." He was the one looking down now as my head shot up in surprise.


    "Don''t mention it. I wouldn''t have let you drown."


    "Yeah, well, uh, I got to go. Bye." He hurried off to the locker room then.


    I think that was the most civil conversation we had ever had, and it had made me smile so much. I was so happy that I knew I was pathetic.


    The rest of the week went basically the same way. Practices were better with Ocean not being hostile. We walked to classes together. Ocean still stared at me as often as I stared at him. We sat next to each other at lunch. It was all getting better little by little. I was beginning to think that I might have a shot here. Just maybe.. If things kept going along the way they have been then who could possibly know, it might happen in the end.

 Chapter 32 - Ocean - Weekend Away

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had been good all week. I had been going to practice every morning and afternoon. I had attended all of my classes. I had practiced extra every afternoon after school. I had done all that I could. I wanted to be certain that I wasn''t going to be told that I wasn''t able to compete at the next swim meet.


    Hell, I had even been working really hard at being nicer to people. Well, to a specific person. I don''t know why I was working so hard at it. Maybe it was because Makai and I were on the same team and it was time for me to get over him coming in and doing better than me at times. He wasn''t always better than me. There were times I was a better swimmer than him, especially with the practice I had been putting in.


    Not to mention he looked like a lost little puppy when I wasn''t being nice to him. I don''t know why I was thinking that he was being mean to me. Maybe I was just under some sort of delusion because of that bitch Brittney. She had my mind so poisoned that I couldn''t tell my ass from a hole in the ground.


    I was definitely doing a lot better now. I had her out of my system. Her damn poisonous words and venomous thoughts, and that nasty mind funk she had me under. I didn''t want anything to do with her. If that was what Makai wanted, well then that was up to him. I didn''t care at all.


    I would be a little sad to see someone else fall victim to her nasty dick luring twat. She was a tease though. She would lure him with promises but never deliver on any of them. He would see soon enough.


    Maybe that was why I had started to be a little more civil with him. Given enough time I might be able to bring myself to talk to him. When that happens I can tell him how she really is.


    Too bad the real Makai wasn''t like the one in my dream from the other night. That Makai wouldn''t fall for Brittney at all. Apparently, that dream Makai had been more likely to fall for me than he was for Brittney.


    Not that I wanted him to fall for me at all. That would be weird. I mean, we were both guys and I wasn''t gay. I recently had a girlfriend. It doesn''t matter about the strange fantasies that I had been having. Those were just weird thoughts and nothing more.


    Anyway, now that I had been good for a week I was being given permission to go to the next meet which was out of town. We would be heading out today after school and we wouldn''t be coming back until Sunday evening. We were staying at a hotel a couple of cities over, it was about a three or four hour drive but we were forced to take the bus and not our own cars. That part sucked. Aside from that though, it was bound to be a good weekend.


    My parents gave me this great big lecture before I left for school this morning. They said that if I felt sick at all I needed to take myself out of the races for the rest of the weekend. Then Mom added that if I drank so much as a drop of alcohol she was going to drown me in the water that I loved so much. She truly could be scary sometimes.


    Anyway, as soon as the bell rang every member of the swim team was racing to grab all of their stuff because there was no afternoon practice for today. We were heading right out as soon as we were all ready.


    The team was excitedly waiting for the coach long before he made it to the front of the school and where our two buses were waiting for us. He did his role call, told us to divide between the two yellow caravans and load up.


    Everyone scrambled like it was the end of the world. I was just going to sit wherever there was a spot for me. I didn''t want to rush since I was trying to be a little more calm about things. I kind of liked this new calmer lifestyle I was embracing.


    I found an empty seat at the back of the bus, glad that I was probably going to sit alone or at least didn''t have to worry about someone hitting the back of my seat.


    After storing my bag under my seat I just sat there staring out the window and waited for the bus to leave. That was until someone slid into the seat next to me. I didn''t want to look up. I didn''t want to see who it was. I already knew. I didn''t have to see his face because my heart was already racing and my palms were already sweating.


    Why the hell did Makai Rivers cause this to happen to my body? Why was I so nervous around him? It wasn''t like he was all that intimidating.


    Slowly, I turned my head to look at him. I just needed to confirm that I was right about who it was. I knew I was right though. It was Makai. He was just sitting up after pushing his bag under the seat next to him. With a smile he turned to look at me.


    "Hey Ocean."


    Why was he grinning at me like that? Did he know that he made me nervous? Did he get a kick out of it or something? What the hell was going on?


    "H...hey." Why the hell did I have to stutter right then. It only happens when I talk to him, further proof he makes me nervous.. I think this was about to turn into a really long bus ride.

 Chapter 33 - Ocean - The World’s Longest Bus Ride

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    No sooner had I sounded like an idiot did the bus start up and we were off. Makai was still looking at me even as the bus jerked and he rocked back in his seat a little. I still felt like a complete moron from my stupid stuttered way of greeting him and he was just looking at me like nothing was wrong. What was with him?


    I wanted to make the tension go away. I wanted to make it easier for me to just nap against my window and not have to deal with this at all right now. How did this end up happening to me?


    "I''ve noticed you''ve gotten a lot faster lately." He was still smiling at me like nothing was going to deter him.


    "Hmm." I just hummed a noncommittal response to let him know that I actually did hear him.


    "All of that practice you''ve been putting in is paying off. Not that you needed it really. You could have beat me from day one really."


    For some reason I just felt like he was patronizing me. I don''t know why, I just did. It was like he was telling me that I didn''t put enough of an effort into trying to beat him until just recently. It felt like he was saying that I almost killed myself with training and then passed out and hit my head all for nothing.


    My blood was boiling at the moment. All I wanted to do was scream at him that he didn''t know anything. That he didn''t know what I was going through at the time. He didn''t understand anything at all. And that I was probably only beating him now because he was being poisoned by Brittney''s nasty twat.


    I didn''t though. I didn''t rant or rave. I didn''t scream or yell. And that made me quite proud of myself. I was able to keep my anger in check unlike I used to. Maybe I was growing after all. It was just a little over three weeks until my birthday. Twenty-two days to be exact. I would be eighteen then, so perhaps I was just acting more like an adult already.


    After a few deep breaths I turned back to Makai and tried to talk civilly to him.


    "I don''t think I could have beaten you back then. It took a lot of work to get to where I am now." The words came out strained and it was easy to tell that but I was trying my best to not lose my control so I didn''t mind.


    "I think you were just distracted, that''s all. You''re not nearly as distracted now. Imagine how much better you can be when you have a completely clear conscience." He was spouting off nonsense now like he was some fucking life guru. I didn''t need to know how to center myself or meditate for a better me. I just needed to swim, that was all.


    "I''m kind of tired." I lied to him. "I think I am going to take a nap during the ride. Buses make me sleepy." That last part wasn''t a lie but still, I just wanted a reason to ignore him.


    "Oh, yeah, sure. No worries. Go ahead and sleep. I am going to read a book." He smiled at me and pulled said book from his jacket pocket. It looked like some kind of romance novel but I wasn''t going to take a closer look to find out. He was probably reading it to help him pick up chicks.


    After that I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes. I sincerely wanted to fall asleep so the ride would feel like it ended that much sooner. Sleep wasn''t coming that easily though. I tried and tried but I just sat there with my eyes closed and my head bouncing off the window of the bus.


    I could hear everyone else on the bus having conversations with their seatmates or calling someone, or they were texting someone and their phones were dinging. It didn''t matter what was going on with them, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Even Makai seemed to be enjoying himself as he was reading his book. I knew this because he would laugh at something that was on the pages from time to time.


    And as for me, well I was pretending to be asleep with my head bouncing painfully off the window of the bus. Why did I have to choose this position to pretend to be asleep in? This was not comfortable at all.


    I couldn''t move it though. I couldn''t blow my cover. I couldn''t let Makai know that I was basically sitting over here waiting for the next time that he would laugh so I could listen to how cute it was when he giggled.


    What the fuck did I just think to myself? I did not just think that his laugh was cute. That was not what I was thinking, I swear it wasn''t.


    And of course that happened to be when he laughed again and I had to stop myself from sighing at the sound that I had been waiting to hear. He really did have a nice laugh. It wasn''t too deep or throaty but it wasn''t high and feminine either. It was also kind of musical, but not like an instrument. It reminded me of a windchime I had seen once, it had been made of sea shells and it made a lovely sound in my opinion.


    I was just thinking that when I did finally fall asleep. I knew the ride was already more than half over but at least the rest would pass fast. I didn''t even dream either, which was really good since all my dreams have been about Makai lately.. I didn''t want to wake up from one of those right now.

 Chapter 34 - Ocean - Arriving At The Hotel

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I felt the bus slowing down and preparing to stop. I thought that we might finally be at our destination. When I opened my eyes, I saw that I was leaning up against Makai, my head resting on his left shoulder as if it were my pillow.


    I jerked away from him so quickly I hit the window and my head bounced off it hard.


    "Are you OK?" He asked me, sounding concerned with a worried look in his eyes as I rubbed the back of my head. I even felt tears stinging my eyes.


    "Y...y..yeah I..I''m fine." My head hurt like hell but it was just a bump, it would pass in a minute. "I''m s...sorry for y..you know, uhm, s...sleeping¡­I..I mean laying a..against y...you while I w..was sleeping."


    "It''s fine. You were tired like you said. And it''s not like you did it on purpose. Don''t worry about it. More importantly, are you sure your head is OK?"


    Makai was looking at me like he was genuinely worried that I was going to die or something because I hit my head on the window. I was going to be fine, I wish he wouldn''t treat me like I was made of glass because of my little accident.


    "I''m fine." I did my best to stop myself from snapping at him. "My doctor said my head was all fine. I didn''t need to worry anymore at all. All better." I knocked my fist gently against my head to show him it was all good. It hurt but not too much. I don''t know why I did it, I just did.


    I hadn''t noticed that everyone had filed off of the bus while we had been talking, or that we were the only two people still here. Even the bus driver was off the bus. I only noticed when Coach Dickson stuck his head back inside through the opened folding doors and yelled at us.


    "Rivers, Shores, you two get your heads out of your asses and off the damn bus. Stop lollygagging behind." There was a cacophony of laughter that erupted from outside of the bus. Everyone had heard him and they were now laughing at us like we were some comedy trio putting on a special routine.


    Makai and I both bent down and grabbed our bags so that we could get off the bus. Makai was in front of me and I was trying to make sure I did not trip in the narrow pathway. I swear that was the only reason I was looking down. I wasn''t trying to look right at Makai''s toned backside. I didn''t even notice it at all as he ran through the bus in front of me.


    When we were outside we saw that everyone was standing in pairs and already had their room keys in their hands. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I turned toward Coach Dickson just as he held out a white envelope.


    "Since you two took so long getting off the bus you''re stuck together for the next two nights as well. Hope you can get along well enough since you''re roomies now."


    That was exactly what I was afraid he was going to say. I didn''t want to share a room with Makai. I didn''t want to spend any more time with him than I needed to. I didn''t want to be in the same hotel with him let alone in the same room. This was going to be a horrible weekend, I just knew it was.


    I couldn''t relax if I was in a room with him all weekend long. I was now stuck with this guy that for whatever reason unsettled me like no one else possibly could. I would be at the meet with him. I would be in the locker room with him. I would be in my hotel room with him. I couldn''t get away from him at all. This was not looking good for me at all.


    And what was I going to do if he called his girlfriend and talked to her? I didn''t want to hear him being all sweet with Brittney. That was just going to be sickening. Ugh.


    I was beginning to wish that I had taken just one more week off from swimming and used it to sleep. Maybe I could convince the doctor to put me in a medically induced coma for the weekend, that should give me enough sleep. I could avoid Makai and catch up on the sleep that I lost out on at the same time. It''s a win-win.


    Too bad it was impossible. I was stuck with no other option but to follow along behind him as he led the way to our room. I didn''t even want to think about the words ''our room''. They made my stomach do a somersault like it was doing spins in zero gravity or something. It was making me feel sick or something.


    When Makai opened the door and walked in I gulped like I was about to walk to my doom. Was I really going to go in there? Was I going to spend the next two days basically glued to this guy''s side? What the hell was I going to do?

 Chapter 35 - Makai - My Miracle Is His Curse

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    During the ride to the hotel I had been reading my book while Ocean took a nap against the window of the bus. I had thought that he looked really uncomfortable and I wanted to do something about it but I was too nervous. I didn''t have to though. After a while he shifted in his sleep and ended up sliding backwards.


    I was worried for another quick moment but then his head came to rest on my shoulder. He was suddenly using me as a pillow and all I could do was sit there in shock. I was too stunned to even read my book for the rest of the trip. For a while I just pretended to look out the window while I studied his face.


    Ocean looked so peaceful right then that I just wanted to memorize every single detail of this moment. I was truly happy that no one turned around to look at us. That way none of them would be able to say anything about this to Ocean later. I am sure he would be upset about it at some point.


    And sure enough when the bus stopped and Ocean woke up he was so startled to see that he was sleeping against my shoulder that he jumped away from me as quickly as he could. He had jumped away so fast that he banged his head off of the window.


    The knock to his head sounded so hard that I feared that he was going to get another concussion or something. Especially considering that he was rubbing the back of his head with tears in his eyes. He brushed it off though, telling me it was nothing before apologizing for having laid his head on me. He just didn''t understand how happy it had made me.


    If it hadn''t been for the coach coming to get us off the bus then I might have told him how I felt about him then. Maybe. Still, our time was cut short and we had to rush out to meet everyone.


    It appeared that everyone was already paired off to have their roommate, their keys in hand. And sure enough the coach handed me a white envelope while looking at me with a smug grin.


    "Since you two took so long getting off the bus you''re stuck together for the next two nights as well. Hope you can get along well enough since you''re roomies now."


    As soon as the coach said those words I felt my heart flutter and butterflies fill my stomach. I couldn''t think of anything better. However, looking over at Ocean and the dread that filled his eyes told me one thing. He most definitely didn''t want to share a room with me.


    I thought it was a miracle. I had been having a week filled with good fortune and miracles. Judging by the look on Ocean''s face though, he thought this was a curse. He probably felt like he was being punished or something. Why must something I think is great be something he finds detestable?


    I wanted to be happy. I wanted to see the two of us have a good time. I wanted to spend the next two nights getting to know him and becoming friends if that was all I could ever be to him. This was supposed to be my chance, but I wasn''t going to force that kind of hell onto Ocean. I cared about him too much to cause him pain. I just didn''t want to see him hurting at all.


    During the walk to the room I swear it felt like I was leading Ocean to his death. I felt like I was a guard in an old prison movie leading an inmate to death by the electric chair or hanging or something. It was that quiet and awkward between us. Honestly I wouldn''t have been too surprised if he would have fallen to his knees and started begging for his life.


    "Please Makai, no don''t do this. Please don''t make me go in there. I swear I didn''t do it. They got the wrong guy. I''m innocent. Please." I could hear the phantom pleas of the death row inmate in my head. He was begging me not to make him spend time alone with me in a hotel room.


    I know Ocean probably thought I didn''t like him still. He had told me that he thought I hated him which I thought was completely nuts by the way. He probably thought I wanted to pick a fight with him or something.


    If he only knew what kind of thoughts went through my head about him. If he only knew what it was that I thought about him late at night when I was alone in bed. The kind of things I dreamt of doing to him. If he knew how often I woke up in the middle of the night from a dream about him where I was as hard as a rock and the only way to get it to go away was to pleasure myself while thinking about him.


    If he only knew.


    When I opened the door and walked inside the room, Ocean took a deep breath and followed behind me. Once we actually looked at what was in front of us we both froze instantly. This was too much. I knew he wouldn''t go for it and I don''t know if I could stop myself if I didn''t get us out of here.


    Almost simultaneously we both turned around and left the room. We had the same thought at the same time. We needed to go and see the coach right now. This needed to be fixed immediately. This was not something that I could handle right now. I was only so strong.. I could only control myself for so long before I would crack. What were they thinking? How in the world could they do this to us?

 Chapter 36 - Ocean - OH HELL NO

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai and I both walked into the room at the same time. And we also froze in place at practically the same time when we saw the horror of what was sitting in front of us.


    ''OH HELL NO!'' The words roared through my head so loud and so fast that I was surprised that Makai couldn''t hear them.


    Also at almost the same time we spun on our heels and marched out of the room. We had never said a word when we got into the room but we were still in perfect sync. I knew that he was on his way to go find Coach Dickson as well.


    I knew that he didn''t like what we found any more than I did. It was way beyond fair for this to happen to us. I mean come on.


    We knew what room number Coach was in, he had told us all. We were all on the same floor, which happened to be the third out of four. This was a pretty big hotel and it was used a lot by swim teams during the fall and spring season so I was familiar with it. Makai and I had been given room three hundred and twenty-two. Coach as down the hall in room three hundred and twelve.


    It only took us a minute to find the coach''s room. Another thing that Makai and I did at nearly the exact same second was raise a fist and pound on the door exactly three times. Why the hell were we so in sync right now? This was fucking weird as hell.


    "What the hell?" Coach Dickson bellowed as he opened the door and glared at the two of us. "The two of you better have a damn good reason for already being down here. It''s not time for dinner yet." He looked pissed off, which I could understand.


    "There''s a problem." Makai and I said at the same time. After the words came out of our mouths we turned to look at each other at the exact same time and wore match looks of surprise.


    "Look, this whole synchronized act is cute. If you want to keep it up fine but there is no synchronized swimming on our team." The coach was still glaring at us. He didn''t like those long bus rides and was often grouchy after them.


    "We''re not in sync." We said at the same time and the coach just laughed.


    "Yeah, keep telling yourselves that." He just rolled his eyes like he didn''t care what we did and didn''t do. "Look, I need to rest before dinner so just tell me what the damn problem is. I really don''t want to bench my two best swimmers."


    "There is a problem with our room." I said quickly. I did it quickly so that Makai didn''t have a chance to talk at the same time as me again.


    "What is the big issue? Can''t it wait until later?"


    "No, it can''t." Makai spoke this time.


    "It''s a single." I growled at him, angered by the mistake the hotel had made.


    "Huh? Come again?" The coach was confused.


    "There is only one bed coach. We can''t sleep in there, we need a new room."


    "Hahhh." He sighed and grabbed his wallet from the table near the door. "Alright, let''s go fix this so I can relax."


    After that Coach Dickson stormed out of his room and marched off down the hallway. I looked at Makai for just a second before I followed after the coach so that we could fix this. I felt Makai following along behind me.


    It felt to me like Makai was glaring at me the entire time that we were walking down to the elevator. Once we were inside Makai moved so that he was standing behind me and to the side just a little. He was once again glaring at me. I even caught him in the reflection caused by the shiny doors.


    I just didn''t get it. One minute he was all nice and trying to be friends and the next he was acting like I was the worst thing he''d ever seen, like he was disgusted by the sight of me. It was so fucking weird.


    Once we made it to the main floor, the coach led us to the desk in the lobby. There was a tall man and a short woman standing behind the desk. They smiled at us and the man asked in a friendly tone.


    "How may we help you, gentlemen?"


    "Yeah, as you know we just checked in. With the Jasper High swim team."


    "Yes, Sir. What can we do for you?" The woman smiled at the coach. The service here was really nice every time we came.


    "Well, all but one of the rooms were supposed to be doubles. Meant for two of my swimmers to share. I was supposed to have the only single room. Well, somehow there was a mistake and these two ended up in a single. We need it switched out please."


    "Oh." I heard the woman as she heard what had happened. "I am sorry sir. We don''t have any other rooms available."


    "I''m afraid we are entirely sold out for the weekend. We don''t have another room to switch them to." The man added.


    I felt the dread fill me to the brim. It was like my entire body was frozen with fear and other emotions that I couldn''t figure out at all.


    "How did this happen? How did we end up with two singles? Why was the room type changed?" The coach was a little pissed off right now.


    "Uh, coach, did you perhaps not change the reservation after Makai joined the team?" I asked him as a thought occurred to me.


    "Oh shit." He clapped a hand to his head. "Yeah, Ocean, I think you''re right. We did have an extra room that I was going to put you in since you were the top swimmer. But once Makai joined the team last month I forgot to call and fix this reservation. I am going to have to fix all the rest of them for the other away meets. Shit. I have a lot of calls to make." He was pulling his phone out.


    "Is there a rollaway bed or something that we can get? Something to make it so that we have two beds in the room?" Makai was sounding desperate right now.


    "Now, I am sorry young man. Even all of those have been borrowed already. There is a major convention in town at the moment and it has caused some overbooking at several hotels." The man explained to him.


    "Oh." Makai seemed to deflate then as if he had just been told that he was never allowed to swim again for the rest of his life.


    "Look boys, I am sorry about this. I will look for another hotel. Makai, you''re already eighteen so I can send you there. I can''t leave these other hooligans here but I will trust you to stay alone." Coach was clearly trying to find a solution for us right now.


    "I am afraid that won''t work sir. Every hotel in the area is booked solid." The woman looked truly apologetic now. "If we get any cancelations or if someone checks out early we will switch your room immediately. But until then I am sorry, there is just nothing that we can do."


    I felt like I was about to be swallowed up by the floor. Why was this happening to me? What did I do wrong? Was this my punishment for being a dick to Makai when he first got here? I promise I will never be mean to anyone ever again. Ever. Just please fix this.


    "Look guys, there is nothing that we can do for now. Can you survive one night like this? Come on, you''re my two best swimmers, you have got to have something in common with each other. I mean you both eat, breath, and sleep swimming. Go and use this as a trust building or bonding exercise or some shit like that. Come on, what do you say?"


    "Do we even have a choice?" I asked him.


    "There''s nothing else we can do right?" Makai said right after me.


    "That''s the spirit. Alright, time to head to the room. I think I will just order everyone pizza tonight and we can eat in our rooms. This day has been a bit too hectic for some of us."


    With that the coach led the way back toward the elevator. I took one last look at Makai who seemed like he was about to walk into the lion''s den to face down his death. This just didn''t seem like a good day for either of us. How the hell were we going to survive this night with each other? And they had better get us a different room tomorrow. I will not sleep with him two nights in a row.. Not that I was actually sleeping with him.

 Chapter 37 - Both - Alone

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We walked silently back to the elevator. The entire ride up to the third floor was silent. The only sound was from the doors opening and closing and the ding that signaled that we had arrived on our floor. Just as we were about to part ways with the coach he turned and put a hand on my right shoulder and Makai''s left.


    "Look boys, I know this isn''t ideal, but you can handle it. You can be mature about this and make it through this. Do it for your love of swimming, and for me. Please." He looked like he was trying to convince two spoiled kids that hated each other to play nicely. What the hell did he take me for?


    Ugh! No matter what he said I was just going to go in there and keep to myself. I was going to grab a pillow and lay on the floor and sleep there. Or maybe there was an arm chair or something. I would sleep anywhere but in that bed with Makai.


    I just don''t think that my psyche could handle that right now. I had woken up from too many dreams with Makai in them to risk that right now. And when I woke up from those dreams I usually had a raging hard on. So um, yeah, I am not going to be sleeping in the same bed as him.


    If I did sleep in the same bed as him and somehow had a dream about him I couldn''t be sure that I wouldn''t talk in my sleep, which I had a tendency to do. And if I talked in my sleep I might say his name. And if I were to say his name while sporting a boner that would make him think that I was gay and that I was in love with him. And that totally wasn''t the case.


    I was just confused with the way that he had been acting toward me. And ever since that strange dream on the beach I have been thinking about him more than I used to. It was nothing like me liking him or anything like that. It was just an involuntary bodily reaction. It could happen for anyone, honest.


    "You boys have a good night. I will make sure to put something extra special on your order for dinner tonight to make up for all of this crazy shit. My treat, alright." Coach was smiling at us as if that made up for the whole thing. I guess in his eyes it did.


    "Sure thing coach." I put on a fake smile.


    "Yeah, we will be fine." Makai nodded.


    With the coach seemingly satisfied by our answers we walked back down to our room together. Alone. Just the two of us. In that room with the one big bed. It was the type of big bed that couples shared and had plenty of room to move around and¡­


    GAHH!! What the fuck is the matter with me? Why was I imagining Makai laying naked on the bed? That is not what I need to be thinking about right now. That is so not what I need to be thinking about. I didn''t need to think about the fact that I have practically seen him naked already. He has already been naked next to me several times. I just never turned my head to look at what he was sporting. Though the bulge in his speedo didn''t leave much to the imagination.


    NO! NO! NO! I scream inside my head. I needed to stop this. This wasn''t right. I am a man. He is a man. We''re both men, this is not right. I can''t have these kinds of thoughts about another guy, especially not one that is my teammate. If anyone else on the team knew I had these thoughts they would hate me. They would call me a freak or something like that. I couldn''t keep thinking things like this at all. I just couldn''t.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I could tell that Ocean was having trouble with something as we walked back to our room. He kept grabbing his head and shaking it from side to side like he was trying to rid himself of bad thoughts. I could only guess that he was really upset about having to be in this room with me.


    If I could I would leave so that he didn''t have to be bothered by me. I would call my parents and have them come and get me or something. I didn''t want to cause Ocean an ounce of trouble. I just wanted him to be happy and to be able to swim. That was all that mattered to me right now.


    When we got back into the room I watched as Ocean opened a drawer and dropped his bag into it without a word. He had marched ahead of me into the room this time, almost like he was going to power through this weekend or something.


    After Ocean stored his bag he walked to the chair next to the window and dropped into it with a sigh.


    "I can''t believe they did this to us." He seemed to be talking more to himself than to me so I didn''t say anything at all. Actually I didn''t even move. "Are you frozen or something?" He lifted his head from the back of the chair and looked at me. I guess he was talking to me after all. There was something else that I realized.


    "Hey, you''re not stuttering." I pointed it out to him and he looked as if he was embarrassed by what I said. "It''s just that almost every time that you have talked to me for the last week you have stuttered. I thought it was something that was caused by your accident?" I tilted my head in confusion as I looked at him.


    "Oh, y..yeah. It did start after the accident. T..that''s definitely t...true. I..i..it''s just that it happens more w..w...when I''m...when I''m..-" He stopped there and looked away for a moment like he couldn''t continue.


    "When you''re nervous?" I asked "It would make sense. You know, given that it happened again after I mentioned it. I''m sorry by the way."


    "Y..yeah, it happens more w..when I''m n..n..nervous. I...I never s..stuttered b..b..before though." I watched as he grabbed his head in frustration. "GAH! This sucks."


    "I''m sorry you have to share a room with me. If you would like I can leave. I wasn''t originally supposed to be here anyway." I offered to leave, to let him have peace.


    "And where would you go?" He glared at me like he didn''t trust me.


    "Home. I can take a cab. Call an uber. Or even call my parents to come get me. I can get there in many different ways."


    "That''s just stupid." He was standing up now. "Why would you leave before the tournament?" I guess when he was pissed off he wasn''t nervous.


    "So that you can get some peace and will be able to swim at your best."


    "And what about you? Our school might not stand a chance without you, you know that. Why would you cripple us like that? Do you even care about the school?" He was really angry right now.


    "Honestly I don''t. I just transferred in so I don''t have a particular loyalty to them yet. I would like it if they won, yeah. But mostly because I would like it if you won. That''s what matters to me the most."


    "What are you talking about?" He looked pissed off. "You want to throw the match so I can beat you or something? Well I don''t take charity wins." He was breathing heavily now, clearly very angry with me. "You had better be at the fucking meet tomorrow and you had better swim your best. Because when I do beat you I will do so properly. I will beat you fair and square and prove that I am worthy."


    Ocean''s chest was heaving up and down after he was done yelling at me. I didn''t quite understand his anger. Nor did I understand the last part of what he had said.


    "Worthy of what?" I asked him just so I could get some clarity on what he was talking about, but for some reason unknown to me his face blushed bright red and he recoiled like he hadn''t even realized what he had said.


    "Nothing. Forget about it." He snapped at me as he stormed out of the room.


    Was he trying to be worthy of Brittney? Was he trying to win her back? God I hoped not. Even if I couldn''t be with him I never wanted to see him with her ever again. Please, God, anything but that. Anyone but her. These thoughts were whirling around my head just as the door of our room clicked shut and he disappeared down the hallway.. I didn''t know when he would be back, but I would give him time to cool off.

 Chapter 38 - Ocean - An Interesting Video

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I couldn''t believe what Makai was telling me. He wanted to leave. He wanted to go home. Why? For what reason? What possible fucking excuse could he have for running away like that?


    I''ll tell you why? I know what his fucking reason is. He didn''t want to be stuck in a room with me for the weekend. He didn''t want to have to be in the same room as his new girlfriend''s ex.


    He probably thought that fucking tramp would be pissed if she found out about him being anywhere near me. Knowing that two faced piece of rotting cunt sludge she probably would be furious. Why the fuck should I care though? It''s not like I wanted to be anywhere near Makai anyway. I couldn''t care less what he did or didn''t do or where he fucking went. But he better not be running home before the goddamn swim meet. I don''t care if I win every race or not. What was most important was our school winning. I know most people go into swimming because it''s more of an individual sport and not as much team oriented, but I still want our school to win. Whoever it was that finished first.


    In my anger I had ended up storming out of the room and down the hall to the stairs. I needed to take a walk to cool my head and calm down. I shouldn''t have yelled at him. I shouldn''t have let it bother me so much.


    I don''t know why I got so emotional. The whole forsaking the school thing aside it really didn''t matter to me did it? He could do as he pleased. And what the hell did he mean when he said that me winning is what matters most? That''s fucking crazy. Doesn''t he want to win? Isn''t he trying to be the best all the time?


    I just didn''t know what to do when it came to Makai anymore. I found myself sitting on a bench outside of the hotel trying to think. The thoughts that went through my head were confusing me. It was like I wanted to be with Makai.


    Wait, no! That sounded wrong. Not with him with him, nothing like that. Just, you know, to be friends with him and hang out with him. I haven''t really given the guy a proper chance at all. I need to give him a shot though, right? I needed to see what he was all about. Who knows, he could end up being a really good friend of mine in the future.


    I thought about the possibilities that a friendship with Makai could offer. Training with each other. Helping each other do stretches so that we didn''t cramp up after swimming. Going to the beach to talk. Rubbing some sunscreen on each other since we were both pale and didn''t want to burn.


    Thinking about smoothing lotion across Makai''s toned, athletic body was making me remember my dream from that night on the beach. The Makai from my dream had been so nice. That Makai only wanted to be friends with me. He didn''t want Brittney at all. Why couldn''t that be real?


    I heard someone walking toward me but I didn''t know who it was nor did I care. I just tried to stay lost in my thoughts as I fantasized about possible futures. And I still couldn''t stop thinking about that kiss from that dream either. It wasn''t just what we talked about that had been stuck in my mind. That kiss seemed so vivid and real. Why would I have a dream where I pulled Makai in for a kiss like that? I had barely kissed Brittney like that for crying out loud.


    Whoever it was that was walking toward me sat next to me on the bench and pulled me out of my thoughts. I''m glad that I hadn''t gotten too excited from my thoughts because when I looked up I saw that it was Ryan who had sat next to me.


    "Hey, Ocean, didn''t expect to see you out here." I saw that Ryan had a bag from the store out front and was probably just heading back to his room with his load of snacks and drinks that he would binge over the next two days.


    "Yeah, I just needed to get some fresh air." I tried not to show what it was that I was really feeling.


    "Hey, you''re bunking with Kai, right?" He was pulling out his phone as he was talking. "I just got a video sent to me today that I have to show you. It''s fucking hilarious man, I am not kidding. It''s the funniest thing that I have seen in a long damn time."


    I watched as he pulled up a video that was in his messages and started it playing. He angled the screen toward me so that I could watch it. The volume was already turned up as well so I was able to hear the video as soon as it started playing.


    The video opened up on a scene outside of that little restaurant downtown that I liked. It was the one with the outdoor seating along the side and front. Whoever was filming had obviously wanted to record what was happening because they thought that this scene was going to play out differently. Sitting at the table in the video were Makai and Brittney. I immediately thought it was probably their first date but the words didn''t match up with that.


    "Do you want to know who I am interested in now?" Brittney was putting a lot of her effort into being flirty as she said that.


    "Not really." Makai looked like he was ignoring her and eating his food.


    "It''s you, silly." Brittney giggled girlishly and I just wanted to vomit. How did I ever like that shit?


    "Not interested." He really was ignoring her.


    "Haha, that''s funny. I am always with the best swimmer in the entire school, and that''s you. You''re so amazing and wonderful." She was trying to flatter him and luring him in.


    "Again, I''m not interested."


    "What do you mean you''re not interested?" Brittney was pissed off now. "I am always the one guys like you want."


    "Then you''ve never met a guy like me before." There was anger in Makai''s voice as he snapped at her. "What kind of low life breaks up with their boyfriend because he didn''t win the race at a swim meet? What kind of trashy bitch would not only do that but do it while that boyfriend is at the hospital recovering from being sick and injured. That just makes you pure trash." Makai had gotten to his feet while he was yelling at her. After he called her pure trash he just turned around and walked away. From what the video showed he never looked back.


    "Man, Britt got burned." Whoever was recording was laughing while he was holding the phone. "Serves that fucking bitch right if you ask me."


    I was in shock as the video ended. I couldn''t believe that. That was not what I expected at all.


    "I thought they were dating? What''s with this?" I know that my eyes were wide with shock as I said that.


    "No man. Like I tried to tell you before. I saw them but it looked like they were fighting. They''re not together at all. I didn''t know that he had called her trash, that was fucking epic and spot on in my opinion. Kai is a pretty cool guy if you ask me. I mean, did you see how he was basically sticking up for you?"


    "Yeah." I was having a hard time comprehending this right now.


    "He''s a true friend to you, Ocean. Don''t know how you earned that already when you have been an asshole most of these past few weeks. Still, Kai is loyal to the team don''t you think?"


    "Yeah, he must be."


    "Alright man, I''m heading back. You should go too. Coach said the pizza was going to be here soon."


    After that Ryan got up and walked back into the building. I was still frozen in shock. It was like my mind was trying to fit all of this new information into what I thought I already knew. I didn''t understand this at all. Why did Makai want to leave if he was standing up for me? Why did he act like he was mad at me for some reason? None of this made any sense to me at all.


    I tried to contemplate it all while I walked back toward my room. At the time, I wasn''t even nervous about the fact that I was going back to the room with Makai. I was way too distracted by what I had just seen to be thinking clearly. My mind was nothing but a tangled mess of mixed up thoughts and emotions.. I didn''t know what Makai was truly thinking or feeling anymore than I knew what it was that I was truly thinking and feeling about him.

 Chapter 39 - Ocean - An Awkward Dinner Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was still in a daze, sitting there on the bench as I watched the night sky. What the hell was going on? Why had I been led to believe that Makai was dating Brittney? Why hadn''t someone told me the truth sooner? How come I had been misled?


    Well, to be honest, I hadn''t really let anyone tell me otherwise. Every time that anyone brought up Brittney or Makai I stopped listening. At first I thought it was because I was jealous and hurt because of Brittney. But, was that really it? Was that the true reason behind it? I didn''t know anymore.


    What I did know was that I was confused. I had not expected to see that video. I had not planned on having my view on the whole situation flipped on its head. And this just made everything that Makai said tonight that much more confusing.


    Why was he going to leave if it wasn''t for Brittney? Why was he willing to leave and not compete tomorrow if it wasn''t because he thought someone was going to be upset with him for being anywhere near me? Wasn''t that what he had been talking about earlier? Didn''t he say something about him not being around me was all that mattered?


    Maybe I had been right all along and he truly did hate me, he just knows how to hide it from most people. Maybe he was working on that issue and was doing his best to get along with me but didn''t want to be forced into close proximity with me.


    "GAH!" I grabbed my head and screamed my frustration into the night as I tried to stop the round and round that seemed to go on inside my head constantly. "What the hell?!" I yelled out again and inadvertently startled the four delivery drivers that were walking toward the hotel''s entrance. "Sorry. I wasn''t talking to you, just myself." I was embarrassed as they looked at me with angry and confused looks. I had fucked that up. Thankfully, they didn''t have to know that I was on the receiving end of one of the pizzas they were carrying. I guess Ryan had been right, the pizza was almost here.


    After the delivery drivers stopped staring at me and finished walking into the building I got up and went inside as well. I decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator, no need to ride along with them and make them more uncomfortable than I already had.


    I climbed the stairs up past the second floor and straight to the third floor. When I made it to the door to the hallway, which was almost right next to the room I was sharing with Makai, I slipped out silently and went to head inside. That was when I realized that I had another problem.


    I didn''t have my room key and the pizza delivery people were already knocking on Coach Dickson''s door.


    "Shit." I whispered as I tried to gather the courage to knock on my door. I didn''t know if I could bring myself to do it. I didn''t know if I could manage to knock on the door and have Makai come face to face with me right now.


    With my hand raised and my time running out I needed to make a decision. I was either going to be standing here when Coach Dickson and the delivery drivers filed down here to make their delivery to my room or I was going to force my hand forward and ask Makai to let me in.


    The decision was a tough one to make. I never thought it would be this hard to work up the courage for something so stupidly simple. But it was. It was the hardest thing I could ever remember doing in my entire life.


    The decision was taken from me though. With my mind still not made up, the door in front of me swung open. I wasn''t prepared to see Makai as he looked up and jumped in shock when he saw me.


    "Oh, you''re here." He didn''t look happy at the moment. "I was coming to find you since I know that Coach will be here soon with the food. I didn''t want you to miss out or get in trouble."


    "I...I uh, I was on m...my way b...back." I looked down at the floor sheepishly, unable to look him in the eyes any longer. "I s..s..saw the delivery drivers show up s..s..so I, uh, I..I knew that I had to head b..b..back up here." I couldn''t believe that I was stuttering so much right now.


    "Oh, well that''s good. Why were you standing out here? Why didn''t you knock? Or you could have used your key."


    "I..I..I forgot my k..key." I felt myself blush as I avoided his eyes and concentrated on my words. "I..I uhm, k..kind of left in a h..hurry and forgot to t..take it w..with me." Concentrating didn''t help me much at all. I was still stuttering.


    "Why are you nervous right now?" My head shot up then, shock exploding inside of me as Makai asked me that. I could also hear the coach and the pizza guys coming down the hall, getting steadily closer.


    "I..I..I kind of emb..embarrassed m..myself in front of the p..p..pizza guys." I looked over my shoulder as they stopped at the door halfway between ours and the coach''s.


    "OK, well that sounds like it might be an interesting story. Why don''t you get in here so they don''t see you in here and we don''t have to worry about any of you causing a big scene."


    "I..I wouldn''t cause a scene." In my anger I managed to only stutter once that time. At least I could control it sometimes.


    "Fine, whatever, just get in here." I watched as Makai grinned and stepped aside so I could come into the room.


    It felt weird, walking past Makai. We were very close, too close, as I passed by him. I could feel the heat coming off of him. I could smell his cologne, though I thought it seemed unique for someone to be wearing a cologne that smelled like that. He smelled like oranges and vanilla, it was different but I really liked it.


    I could even smell the slight minty scent of his mouthwash as he exhaled toward me. It was a lot more than I had expected at the moment. I don''t know what it was that I was thinking or what it was that my body was doing but the smells were very arousing. They tightened things in my body that I didn''t expect.


    It''s just the scents, that''s all. Nothing else. It was just the way that he smelled that intrigued me. It wasn''t that I was attracted to him like that at all. There was absolutely no way that it was like that. I was not into him, I was just intrigued. I was not gay at all. Nope, fully into girls here.

 Chapter 40 - Makai - An Awkward Dinner Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When I knew that the food was almost here I had figured I should go and find Ocean. I really didn''t want the coach to get here and find that he was missing. He would probably think that we had been fighting or something. That wouldn''t be good for either of us.


    If the coach thought we were fighting he might bench the both of us tomorrow. I didn''t care about my own races. I could swim anytime that I wanted at home. And I was eighteen, I could move out if I wanted. I had the means and the opportunity to do it. Ocean wasn''t eighteen yet though, and I know that when he wasn''t at school or the beach he wasn''t able to swim. He needed all the chances that he could get. I really didn''t want anyone to take his chances to swim away from him.


    When I opened the door though, Ocean was standing there with his fist raised. It appears he had just gotten back to the door and was about to knock. Was he really going to knock though? I couldn''t tell. The look on his face full of indecision when I saw him jump back in surprise.


    "Oh, you''re here. I was coming to find you since I know that Coach will be here soon with the food. I didn''t want you to miss out or get in trouble." I was so surprised that I just explained what I was doing in a hurry.


    "I...I uh, I was on m...my way b...back. I s..s..saw the delivery drivers show up s..s..so I, uh, I..I knew that I had to head b..b..back up here." His stutter was getting really bad right now. Did I surprise him at the door that much? Did just the sight of me make him nervous?


    "Oh, well that''s good. Why were you standing out here? Why didn''t you knock? Or you could have used your key."


    "I..I..I forgot my k..key." He blushed bright red as he explained. "I..I uhm, k..kind of left in a h..hurry and forgot to t..take it w..with me."


    "Why are you nervous right now?" His head snapped up like I had just told him I could see an alien growing out of his neck or something.


    "I..I..I kind of emb..embarrassed m..myself in front of the p..p..pizza guys." He looked over his shoulder as the men in question were coming closer.


    "OK, well that sounds like it might be an interesting story. Why don''t you get in here so they don''t see you in here and we don''t have to worry about any of you causing a big scene."


    "I..I wouldn''t cause a scene." He didn''t stutter as much since he was angry when he spoke that time. It was weird what did and did not cause him to stutter.


    "Fine, whatever, just get in here."


    I stepped out of the way and allowed him to walk past me and into the room. God damn was it hard to just stand there and not say or do anything while he was so close to me. I don''t know why I had it so bad for him, I just did.


    Every time that I was with Ocean I could smell him so intensely. It was like I was smelling a mixture of pineapples and coconuts and I swear there was a slight undertone of a campfire on the beach. I had to wonder just how much time he spent at that spot of his on the beach if he always smelled like a campfire and the wind that rolled in off the waves.


    I had to say though, I loved the way he smelled. It was so unique and amazing. And where did he find that soap or cologne or whatever it was that made him smell like that fruit. I would love to use it. My mom just bought me unscented soaps and I wasn''t a big fan of most colognes. I didn''t like how the scents made my nose feel. I liked Ocean''s though, it really turned me on.


    "I..I''m going in h..here." He stuttered again, his anger clearly gone as he ran into the bathroom the moment he was past me. That was good. I didn''t need him to see that I was so into him. I could do with his scent being gone and him not being in my line of sight at the moment. I needed to relax my body.


    ''Come on Kai.'' I coaxed myself as I tried to make the blood start to recede from a specific spot of my body and spread throughout my whole circulatory system. ''Just think of things that aren''t all that appealing. Think of things that make you sick. Like a desert with no water, or a world with horrible food and small portions, or better yet just think of that trashy bitch Brittney. Her nasty face is bound to make any man go limp.'' Once that final thought flashed through my mind I shuddered and felt my body instantly relax. It had definitely worked, even better than I had expected it to.


    My body had relaxed and the fit of my pants was back to normal just in time. Right as I opened my eyes there was a knock on the door.


    "Rivers? Shores? Your dinner is here." I heard the coach call out for us as soon as he was done knocking. His voice was instantly followed by one of the delivery men remarking on our names.


    "Was that coincidental?" He was laughing as he spoke. Apparently he thought the whole thing was funny.


    "Was what coincidental?" I opened the door just as the coach was asking that question and he looked just as confused as his voice made him sound.


    "Their names are Shores and Rivers. I am going to guess that those are their last names but they go together. Did you do that on purpose or was it a coincidence?" The driver was smirking as he turned away from the coach and looked at me, perhaps he thought I would answer him instead of the coach.


    "Oh, hey Rivers." Coach turned back toward me when he saw that I had opened the door for him. "I have your dinner. Is Shores in there?"


    "Yeah, he''s in the bathroom." I pointed to the door that was just inside the room. The light could be seen around the edge of the door and a shadow was moving on the other side. It was obvious there was someone in there.


    "Good. I have extras for the two of you, to make up for the issue you two had to deal with."


    I knew that Coach Dickson had felt like he needed to do something to make this up to us. In truth, I felt I was already being rewarded.Well I was being rewarded and punished at the same time but that was a different part of the same issue. I think that Ocean was the only one who felt like he needed to have a special treat to make up for the inconvenience.


    "Here, this is what everyone got tonight." Coach Dickson handed me two large pizzas, two salads, and two large bottles of soda. "This was the standard that everyone had. It was ordered to be equal for you all. Now, for your extras." He handed me two small boxes that smelled strongly of garlic, two rounded plastic containers that smelled like bar-be-cue sauce, and two clear plastic wrapped and very large chocolate chip cookies. "I think this might be a nice start for the peace offering. Not to mention, if you both go into a carb overload and pass out from it I won''t have to worry about you ending up in a fight in the middle of the night." He laughed at his own weak joke.


    "Yeah, good thinking coach." I nodded but I didn''t see how it made any sense at all. It didn''t matter to me anyway, I could eat this much and way more easily. I didn''t know about Ocean but I ate a lot.


    "Tell Ocean that I said I was sorry again. I hope you guys know that this wasn''t intentional. I didn''t even know that this room was mixed up in there with all of the others, or that it was the last one in the line." Coach really did look like he was sorry, this was also causing him a lot of stress right now.


    "Don''t worry Coach, I will tell him. I understand that it was just a mixup, and I am sure that Ocean does too. We will work it out, one way or another."


    "You''re both good kids." Coach smiled then. "I knew I could count on you two."


    After that Coach left and I took the food into the room. There really was a lot to carry, I had to sit some of it on the floor as it was being handed to me since I couldn''t hold it all. I hoped that Ocean approves of his meal, there aren''t really any other options for him after all.

 Chapter 41 - Ocean - An Awkward Dinner Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    While I was patiently waiting in the bathroom, and in no way shape or form hiding, I was initially trying to calm myself down. After the way Makai''s unique scent had affected me I had to slow my heart rate and loosen the way my clothes were fitting me at the moment.


    The moment that I realized that I was getting an erection while I was passing by Makai I knew I needed to be alone. I ran into the bathroom so that I could try to take care of business. I really didn''t want to masturbate while he was right outside the door but I didn''t know if I was capable of getting rid of it any other way.


    Most of the time that I got hard lately, were usually with thoughts of Makai running through my head, I wasn''t able to ease it mentally. It only went away after manual stimulation. That wouldn''t really be an option right now though. Not with Makai right outside the door and Coach Dickson on his way to our room right this minute


    I concentrated as hard as I could so I could make the hardened part of my body go limp, but it just wasn''t working. The more I tried to move my mind away from thoughts of Makai the more he crept into my mind.


    I could still smell him as I passed so close to him. Then there was that chuckle and that adorable little smile of his. I had known the sound was cute but seeing his smile now, not just hearing it like I had earlier, man it made his whole face light up.


    ''GAH!'' I screamed inside my head as I unfastened my jeans and pushed them down to my thighs. I couldn''t hold it anymore. I needed to get this out of my system. There was no other way.


    This was just me fulfilling a biological necessity. This had nothing to do with men and women. It didn''t even have anything to do with Makai. I was just a teenage male with raging hormones. I could see a random item laying on the street and end up hard. It didn''t mean anything at all. I was not attracted to Makai at all.


    As soon I touched myself I had to fight the groan that wanted to escape. I shoved my left fist in my mouth to muffle any and all sounds that I might make. I was breathing heavily through my nose with my head leaning back, braced against the door for support.


    My hand was moving furiously as it tried to alleviate my issue as quickly as possible. My eyes were shut tightly and I was trying my best to not think about the guy that was still standing just on the other side of the door. I could tell that he was still there and that wasn''t helping me at all. The smells coming off of him were still so strong with him being there.


    With those unique and intoxicating smells filling my head images of him followed. I couldn''t help it. They came unbidden as I breathed him in, drawing him deeply into my lungs. I envisioned him climbing out of the pool slowly during practice. The water was running down his toned and nearly nude body. The only part of him that couldn''t be seen was hidden by his speedo and that left an empty ache in the pit of my stomach as I felt myself reach my limit. It was a good thing too. Right when I was about to explode there was a knock on the door.


    I turned and finished in the sink. I didn''t want to leave any evidence anywhere. I would be able to clean all of this away easily if that was where the final product of my little incident had ended up.


    While I cleaned the sink and washed my hands I heard Makai talking to the coach. I also heard another guy, most likely one of the delivery drivers. It sounded like the driver was making fun of us. Something about Makai and I going together because of our last names. That was just stupid. Was he overly childish or something?


    I held onto the urge to yank the door open and waited patiently. After the smell of the food came into the room and I heard Coach issue some sort of apology, the door to our room shut and I could tell that Makai was walking to the main part of the room.


    Though I waited just another minute because when I put my hand on the bathroom doorknob I heard Makai approaching again. Was there someone else here? Did I miss something?


    It seemed that I didn''t miss anything though. The door didn''t open and no one else was here. I don''t know why Makai had come back toward the door but he was definitely back in the main room again. I guess it was time for me to head out there.


    Just to be sure I checked myself one last time in the mirror. I wanted to make sure that my clothes weren''t sitting wrong, there was no evidence staining any of the fabric, or that I might have forgotten to close my fly or something. Thankfully I looked perfectly presentable. I was glad. I didn''t want to go out there and have Makai know what it was I had just done in here.


    Slowly, with trembling hands, I turned the knob and pulled the bathroom door open. It was time for me to face the guy that made me feel so nervous that I couldn''t speak but yet crept into my erotic thoughts like he was some sexy chick. I didn''t understand what was happening right now, but I felt like I needed to be on guard right now.


    I may have been nervous but when I got to the table where Makai was waiting for me I felt my eyes pop open and my nerves leave me for just a moment.


    "Holy shit. Coach wasn''t joking when he said he was going to get us extra." I heard the laughter in my voice even as I felt my stomach rumble. I had already been hungry but then I had taken care of my business in the bathroom, that left me a little hungrier than I had been before I started. It made me wonder what I would feel like once I had sex for real


    "Yeah, there is an equal amount of everything so there is no need to share any of it." Makai explained as he pointed to the identical piles of food. I felt my mouth water and my nerves subside. It all smelled so good.


    With a grin I sat at the table across from Makai and didn''t even pay attention to him. As long as there was food there to distract me when I was so hungry I would probably be able to ignore his presence forever. Well, maybe not forever but for a little while at least. I was going to be able to forget about what had happened just a few minutes ago until I was forced to think about it again. Right now all I wanted to think about was filling my growling stomach.

 Chapter 42 - Makai - An Awkward Dinner Part 4

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I had expected Ocean to wait in the bathroom until Coach and the delivery people were gone. If he had made a fool of himself in front of them then that was truly understandable. He wouldn''t want them to see him and know where he was or have them laugh at him again, if they had indeed laughed at him. Still, I wouldn''t mind knowing what had happened.


    Almost as if he had been listening at the door, waiting for the signal that the coast was all clear, Ocean opened the door and came out of the bathroom. I had just put the last of the food on the table and sat down. I was going to call out for him to let him know he didn''t have to hide anymore but he had proved it to be unnecessary.


    As soon as I saw Ocean''s face I could tell that his cheeks were tinged red from his embarrassment. I really would like to know what he had done earlier to cause this whole mess between him and the delivery guys. However, I also didn''t want to upset him by prying.


    "Holy shit. Coach wasn''t joking when he said he was going to get us extra." Ocean''s eyes were opened wide with shock when he looked at the table covered in food.


    "Yeah, there is an equal amount of everything so there is no need to share any of it." I told him as I pointed out the two piles that I had made which were identical in every way.


    Without saying anything else Ocean sat down and looked at the food like he was a man who had been starved and deprived of food for days. I could practically see the drool dripping from the corners of his mouth.


    ''Oh Ocean,'' the words were coming unbidden to my mind and I could only thank my lucky stars that they weren''t coming out of my mouth instead, ''I wish you were drooling over me instead.''


    I had to shake my head, hard, to try and get those thoughts out of it.


    ''Stop it Kai! Ocean doesn''t want that. It''s not OK to think like that so just forget about it.'' I was scolding and reprimanding myself as I stared at him. I was trying really, really hard not to find anything he was doing to be appealing or attractive in any way. I tried not to find the shape of his mouth to be so alluring. Or the way that he shifted and moved his head around to be so sexy.


    I shook my head again, harder this time. I needed to dislodge these thoughts. I needed to force that train of thought to retire completely. It had no business being in my head at all.


    "Are you alright?" Ocean was looking at me with his head tilted and his eyebrows drawn together. He was clearly confused about what I was doing. I needed to play this off as if nothing at all was going on.


    "Yeah, I think I just have some water trapped in my ear. I can hear it moving around and it''s driving me nuts." We are swimmers, we have all had a case of swimmer''s ears, several cases of it in fact.


    "Use some saline and stop shaking your head like a dog." He was laughing at me as he shook his head now, he found my action funny and I found his laugh adorable. It was a win-win in my opinion. He hadn''t figured out what was really going on anyway and that was the best part of it all.


    "Yeah, I will after I eat." I lied again, I had no intention of using saline drops in my ears because I didn''t need to. I was just shaking the inappropriate thoughts about him out of my head.


    I did my best to concentrate on my food then. There was enough of it to occupy me for a little while, but it wasn''t more than I could eat. Hell, if I truly wanted, I could eat everything that the coach had given us, my portion and Ocean''s. But I would never do that. I had a feeling, though, that Ocean wouldn''t even get through half of the food he had been given. What would he think when I ate all of my food?


    We ate slowly in silence, working our way through the food methodically. Oddly enough we both started with the exact same thing. We grabbed the salad. It was the only leafy green substance the coach had given us, most likely because he wanted to say that he had tried to make us eat healthy so we were going to say that we complied. I was hungry enough to eat all my food so the salad disappeared fast.


    And, strange as it was, all of Ocean''s salad disappeared just as quickly as mine did. Following the salad we both reached for the plastic container that smelled like bar-be-cue. We popped it open and there laid about a dozen boneless wings that were covered in delicious sauce. Those disappeared one by one from both of our containers.


    Once the chicken was gone we each flipped open our boxes. The big one with the pizza and the little one with the bread sticks. Man, those smelled amazing. The garlic was strong but it didn''t seem overpowering, and best of all there seemed to be parmesan on it all as well.


    I stopped watching Ocean then. I was paying attention to my food. I was working my way through it all meticulously, eating one piece of pizza then a bread stick, then another piece of pizza and so on. It wasn''t exactly slow going but it was something that I could use to distract me for the time being.


    When I was finally done eating, wiping my hands on a paper napkin, I expected to see Ocean sitting there with half the pizza and bread untouched. I imagined him groaning in pain from his overly full stomach.


    I was wrong though. Ocean was smiling happily and cleaning his hands and face the exact same way as I had been doing before I froze in shock. What the hell? I had never met anyone who ate like me before. Aside from my own family that is.


    Was Ocean like me or not? Sometimes I thought he was and others I was so convinced that he couldn''t be. What the hell was the truth about him?


    "Is something wrong? He looked at me, confusion filling his eyes. "I know I eat a lot but you have no room to talk. You ate all of your food too."


    "Well, almost all." I smirked at him. "We still have our dessert. But I am betting you don''t have room for it." I just knew he was going to be too full for it. He had to be.


    "Like hell I am. If you try to take my dessert I will have to knock you on your ass and take yours. I will eat both of them instead."


    There was no way. I could eat them both, but my metabolism was much higher than that of a normal person''s. But, Ocean''s wasn''t like that, was it?" As I tried to figure it out I watched him unwrap his giant cookie and take a huge bite out of it. He closed his eyes and groaned loudly. Almost instantly my thoughts slipped from the innocent ones that had to do with what he was really doing and into some not so innocent ones that had me wondering how I could get him to make that sound for me. Would it be best if he was under me or pressed to a wall in front of me or-.


    "Are you going to eat it?" I heard Ocean''s voice and I imagined dirty thoughts about putting things in my mouth that I am pretty sure he had never intended for me to think about. "If you don''t then I will." There was that cute laugh again as he moved toward me.


    I snapped back to my senses and pulled my cookie toward me. I wasn''t going to let him have it, it was mine. Well, I guess he could have it, all he had to do was agree to be mine. It wouldn''t be that hard for him, would it?

 Chapter 43 - Ocean - How To Spend The Night

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "W..what? W..why are y..you glaring at m..me like that?" I was getting nervous again. The entire time that we were eating I had been calm but not anymore. For some reason after I joked with Makai about taking his dessert he was just glaring at me and not saying anything at all.


    "I''m not glaring at you." He sounded like I had slapped him and a shockwave had run through him. "I was just lost in thought, that''s all. I wasn''t glaring. Sorry."


    I watched as Makai turned away from me then. His cheeks were a little pink but he was ignoring me as he unwrapped his dessert. It just dawned on me, but we had just spent a lot of time together without things getting awkward between us. I think it had more to do with the fact that we were both distracted by food.


    Well, if all else fails, we could get along when focused on eating or swimming. There was hope I guess, even if it were very slim. All we had to do was get to know each other while we were distracted. By the time either of us realized what was happening it would be graduation and we could just go our separate ways and we wouldn''t need to deal with each other any more.


    Wait, why did that thought make me feel so empty inside? As soon as I thought about going my separate ways from Makai and never seeing him again I felt a hollow sort of emptiness settle in the pit of my stomach. What the hell was that about?


    I was still watching Makai as he faced away from me. My heart was racing and my stomach was aching with a hollow pain. I had joked about eating both of our desserts which I would have been able to do easily but now I didn''t feel like I could eat another bit.


    I had only eaten half of the dessert that Coach had gotten for me but I couldn''t bring myself to take another bite. I couldn''t even finish chewing what was in my mouth right now. I had to grab a napkin from the table and spit the glob of chocolate and chewed cookie from my mouth. It was like my throat stopped working and my half filled stomach had been topped off with dread.


    What the fuck was the matter with me? This was pissing me off. I didn''t know what was going on with me anymore. All of these thoughts, all of these feelings, they just didn''t make sense to me anymore.


    "I..I uh I th..think I''m g..going t..to go t..take a sh..shower now." I pathetically stuttered my way through my words while Makai just looked over at me. "I don''t want that anymore. You can have it or throw it away." I grabbed my bag and stormed into the bathroom.


    I just couldn''t bear to be in the same room with him right then. I didn''t know why. I was stuck with him for the night, hell for the next two nights. I had to get over this. I had to get used to being around him since we were on the same team. This should be used as some sort of bonding experience that would let us be around each other without fighting but it wasn''t working yet.


    Well, we still have tomorrow. Maybe things will get better after we get some sleep and compete. We have a long day filled with lots of different heats for all of us. Hopefully we just won''t have the chance to even notice each other at all tomorrow night.


    It was an uncomfortable few minutes in the bathroom. Letting the hot water run down my body and try to relax me and I did my best to keep my mind blank. I didn''t want to think about Makai at all. I didn''t want to think about the way I had gotten a fucking hard on from the smell of him earlier and had to stroke myself so it would go away. I didn''t want to think about the fact that the idea of not seeing him ever again made me feel sad and lonely. It was all too much for me. I didn''t want to think about any of it. Not now, not ever.


    Once I felt satisfied that I was cleaned I turned off the water and got out of the shower. I dried off and dressed. Normally I slept in just my boxer briefs but I was glad as all fucking hell that I brought an actual fucking pair of sleeper pants to wear to bed this time. I would not be comfortable sleeping in just my underwear this time. That would be awkward as all fucking hell.


    I didn''t bring an extra shirts though. I only had the two for tomorrow and Sunday and I didn''t want to risk sweating all over them and then stinking like a pig whenever someone smelled me in the shirt. But, I mean, Makai was going to see me with my shirt off for ninety percent of the day anyway so that didn''t matter right?


    When I went back into the main room I saw that Makai was standing next to the window, staring out into the night. He was basically looking at nothing since there was nothing out there to look at but the sky. I could imagine that he just didn''t want to look at me. That was fine. I know that we were both uncomfortable with each other. I mean, we didn''t know each other at all.


    "Uh, y..you can t..take your sh..shower n..now." I stuttered again. I had only started stuttering after I hit my head, and I only did it when I was around Makai. I don''t know if it was him specifically or if it was the accident itself that had caused it, but it was getting fucking annoying.


    "OK, thank you." He turned and grabbed his bag but didn''t look at me as I walked as far from him and the bathroom as I could get so that we wouldn''t cross paths on his way to take his shower.


    Once he was in the room I looked at the bed. There was no way in hell that I was laying in that damn thing with him. I mean, just his cologne was enough to give me a damn hard on. What would I do if he saw me with a raging boner and flipped out?


    He would probably tell the whole team that I was some kind of pervert or something. I wasn''t. It was just the cologne he wore. It was like some kind of aphrodisiac for me, I swear. But he wouldn''t believe me if I told him that. He would just get pissed off and get angry with me.


    No, I couldn''t risk that. There was an armchair next to the window and a low ottoman that looked like we were supposed to sit our luggage on it. I pulled it close to the chair and grabbed a pillow from the bed.


    With the pillow propped under my head and my feet up on the ottoman I reclined as comfortably as I could. It wasn''t the worst that it could be, but I knew that I was going to wake up a little stiff. I would deal though, it was just for one night after all. And best of all, I was exhausted enough to fall asleep before Makai was out of the bathroom.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    After my shower I came out of the bathroom to find Ocean reclined in the armchair by the window. He had one of the four pillows from the bed propped under his head and his feet up on the ottoman. He must have been tired, that or he fell asleep easily whenever he wanted to since he was already sound asleep.


    He didn''t look very comfortable. I didn''t want him to stay there all night since I knew it would be uncomfortable for him and he was going to be sore.


    "Ocean." I called his name. "Ocean." He didn''t move or make a sound. He was dead to the world. I didn''t want to force him to move either since he might not like that. "Hahh. Why does he have to dislike me so much? I wish we could just be friends at least." My words were whispered so they didn''t disturb him even though when I spoke his name louder they hadn''t bothered him at all.


    I decided I was just going to go to sleep now as well. We had a busy day ahead of us and I didn''t want to be too tired for it all, plus I had nothing else to do besides just sit around. Well, there was one thing that I wanted to do before I went to sleep.


    I looked in the closet of the room by the door, hoping to find an extra blanket. Unfortunately there wasn''t one. There was, however, the small folded one at the foot of the bed as well as the thicker quilted white cover on the bed as well as the sheet. I would be fine with the smaller blanket and the sheet. I didn''t want Ocean to get cold though so I took the thicker cover and draped it over him before I laid down on the large mattress.


    I didn''t take up too much of the mattress either. I laid to the side leaving plenty of room just in case Ocean wanted to move over here in the middle of the night.

 Chapter 44 - Ocean - Tournament Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When I woke up the next morning I could feel how stiff my legs were. They had been propped up in a very awkward position all night. It was more my knees that were sore since there was nothing under them to help support them.


    I stretched a little to try and work the kinks out of my body before I even opened my eyes. I had my alarm set but I know that it was really early and long before that alarm was due to go off. The damn sun coming up and peeking through the curtains had woken me up.


    While I was stretching out my aching and stiff body I noticed something that felt off. There was a blanket laying across me. I know that I didn''t have a blanket when I sat in the chair last night. I had only grabbed one of the pillows and positioned myself in the chair.


    I finally cracked my eyes open, squinting as I braced them against the retina piercing light of the early morning. As I did my best to protect my eyes from the bright light I looked down at my body through my thick eyelashes. Sure enough, laying across my body was the thick quilted cover from the bed.


    What the hell did Makai do? Did he come out of the bathroom and cover me up? Did I sleepwalk and take it before he was out of the shower? I have been known to sleepwalk a few times in the past so I guess that isn''t completely out of the question. But, I mean, I haven''t actually had a sleep walking incident since I was like ten years old. I don''t think that is what happened.


    Did the stress of last night bring on something that I had outgrew years ago? Or did Makai really put it on me? Dammit, why the hell was this so hard to figure out? And why the hell would he put it on me if that was what happened? I just don''t get it.


    I couldn''t stand sitting here any longer. I needed to get up and stretch my legs a little before it was time for us to go. The bad thing though, as soon as I stood up Makai sat up in the bed.


    As soon as Makai sat up the sheet fell away from his body and landed on top of his thighs. I saw that he had dressed the exact same way that I usually did for bed. He was wearing nothing but a pair of dark green boxer briefs. I saw that one single article of clothing cling tightly to his hips as it molded itself around himself. I could see him clearly defined and needed to swallow hard before I was able to talk.


    "G..g..good m..m..morning." I stuttered worse than ever before.


    "Good morning." Makai rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he looked around the room. "I almost forgot where I was for a minute." I heard a laugh in his voice as he said that. I also noticed that the definition in his boxers wasn''t just his normal shape. He had morning wood.


    If I hadn''t been woken up early by the sun and been in pain from the damn chair I probably would have woken up in a similar condition. At least this condition was easier to fix than the predicament that I was in yesterday. All he had to do was go to the bathroom and relieve himself.


    Makai didn''t say anything else though. He seemed to have noticed that I was staring and was immediately uncomfortable. He grabbed his bag and walked to the bathroom. He didn''t rush though. If it had been me I probably would have run to the bathroom as fast as I could.


    I took advantage of Makai being out of the room and got dressed as well. I folded the blanket and put it back on the bed and cleaned up the trash from dinner. I had long since been ready by the time that Makai came back out of the bathroom. I went in after him so I could do what I needed to in the morning. Relieving myself as well, washing my hands, then brushing my teeth. It was all the stuff that I needed to do.


    Now that we were ready we left the room with each other, silently, so that we could go down to breakfast.


    We were the first ones from our team there. A handful of other guests were there but not many. Well, it was just a little after seven in the morning so I guess that most of them were still sleeping. I had only woken up so early because of the sun coming up and waking me.


    Even though Makai and I were the only ones from our team in the dining room for breakfast and there were so few other guests down there we were sitting together. This had been my chance to get away from him. I could have sat anywhere. I could have sat alone and gotten some peace. So why then, did I sit right across from him? He had sat down first and I sat right across from him.


    And why was it that we had both gotten so much food that we were getting strange looks from the other people that were in the dining area? We had both eaten a lot of food the night before as well. This was weird. I never knew anyone who ate as much as me, not even my family ate like I did, but here was Makai matching me bite for bite. That was new for me. Not even the other guys on the team could eat as much as I could. It would be interesting to have a competition with Makai sometime, to see who could eat the most. I mean, I thoroughly enjoyed all types of food.


    Several trips to the all you can eat breakfast later our team finally started to trickle down to the dining area. At this point Makai and I were on our sixth bowl of cereal each and our fourth or fifth very large waffles with piles of bacon.


    We hadn''t actually talked while we were eating. Just like last night, when we were eating and focusing on the food we were able to forget all about the awkwardness between us. All we needed to do was make sure there was either a huge pile of good food or a pool for swimming whenever we were alone with each other. That would keep us from fighting or anything like that.


    "Hey Ocean. Hey Kai." Ryan came over, waving at us as he grabbed some food from the buffet.


    "Hey guys." Ben grabbed his food and came over to our table as well. The table had four chairs so there was plenty of room for them and it would make it easier for there to be conversation if they were there.


    What am I saying? With them there we could actually have a conversation.


    "Are you two ready for the tournament?" Ryan grinned at us.


    "Yeah, this one has less to do with the individual schools and more to do with individual swimmers right?" Ben was cutting a huge bite off of his food and shoving it into his mouth.


    "Yeah, there are the team events as well but it focuses more on the singles events. Still, the glory goes to the school in the end. I mean, when the one winner at the end of the entire day is decided, the school will be able to boast about it all year long."


    Today we weren''t just going to a meet between two schools or our school and a city swim club. No, we were competing in the regional finals. The winners from this tournament would go on to compete in the nationals come spring.


    This was the first time that we were taking part in this actual tournament. Our school hadn''t qualified prior to this season. We only made it this time because we had made it to the state championships last year.


    Hell, we didn''t just make it to state, we won state. This tournament was invitation only. We competed in this area a lot against the other schools that were around here but we had never competed in this particular competition.


    I wasn''t nervous though. I was determined to show that I was worthy of this tournament. I was determined to show them all what I was capable of. I was going to show Makai that I was worthy of being his rival. I was going to show him that I was right there with him and that he needed to chase me and that it wasn''t the other way around.


    I was going to make sure that Makai watched me as I swam. He was going to keep his eyes glued to me when he wasn''t in the water next to me. Actually, the ideal end to this day would be me and Makai finishing in first and second. But, why couldn''t I decide which of us should be in first place?

 Chapter 45 - Makai - Tournament Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    After the team came down for breakfast and we had finished eating we just had to wait for our coach. He didn''t seem to be as much of a morning person as the rest of the team. The large group of us were talking and lounging around the lobby and outside the hotel by the time he came down to fill a large thermos with coffee and grab a handful of pastries for his breakfast. Once he was done we headed out immediately.


    "How do you all have so much energy in the morning?" He grumbled. I just wanted to laugh. He was a teacher and was usually at the school long before us, and he was captain of the swim team. But then again, I guess we never saw him before he drank his coffee. This was not something we were all supposed to see.


    ''Sorry Coach, you can do this.'' I offered him some silent support in my head.


    With the combined boys and girls swims teams filing onto the buses already the coach didn''t have much to do, he just sat in his seat at the front and started nursing his coffee with a frown. I could imagine that he didn''t sleep well last night.


    I went to the same seat I had been in yesterday. It looked like everyone had gone to the exact same seats that they were in before. This meant that I was once again sitting next to Ocean. I didn''t make a big deal about it. Ocean did sit with me at breakfast though he hadn''t said a word until his friends had come down and joined us.


    It was progress though and progress was good. I would take silent meals over angry avoidance any day. Baby steps. I would take all the baby steps I needed to. It was hard as hell but I would do it. Until I lost my patience and self control that is.


    Before long the two buses pulled up outside of a massive sports complex. I could see why this tournament was held here. I had obviously never been here before so it was all new to me but I could see that a lot of the others hadn''t been to this place before either.


    Most of the people on our team were looking around and staring at the sheer size of the place. There were dozens if not hundreds of buses and what felt like thousands of people all over the place. When we got inside I saw that there were different sections for different sports. This place could host tournaments for footballs, soccer or lacrosse, baseball or softball, volleyball, swimming or diving, tennis, basketball, the possibilities were literally endless.


    When we got to the swimming section of the complex I saw that there were four olympic sized swimming pools. This would allow forty people to compete in a heat at the same time. Just how massive was this tournament going to be?


    The team relays were first. We were put into our groups of four. All of us were divided up, there was no getting out of it. I was grouped with Ryan, Ben, and Ocean. That made me happy. I would do anything to be on Ocean''s team every time.


    Our school had twenty four boys and twenty four girls, equal split for the teams. That meant that we had twelve total entries in the relay, six each going into the girls group and boys groups. We were doing three different types of team relays in this tournament. The girls were up first with their 4 x 100 m freestyle relay. There were only a total of thirty-six total female teams in the entire tournament so they were able to do all of their relays at once with one female swimmer going right after the other until all four members of the team had finished their part of the race. That match up didn''t take very long.


    Following that relay it was time for the guys to go. There were a lot more of us than there were for the girls. A total of ninety-two teams for the guys compared to the thirty-six teams for the girls. We had to go in three different sets for the relays before we were all finished.


    I was trying to keep track of how well our school was doing. Our school had reached fifth and third places for the first relay with the girls but those were the closest we had gotten. Ocean and I were racing in the third set but as of right now the team with Justin from our school was in third place. He was currently walking around all smug because he was in a ranked position.


    Finally it was time for my group of four to compete in our heat. Ryan started out strong and got us an early lead. Ben didn''t do anything overly great, he didn''t increase our lead but he didn''t decrease it either. Next it was my turn to go. I dove in as hard as I could and swam as hard as I could. I could tell I was pulling ahead of the others and getting us closer to our victory. Finally I reached the edge of the pool and Ocean dove into the water. I turned around as quickly as I could and watched him as he swam across. He was swimming so majestically. He was so beautiful and graceful as he moved through the water.


    When Ocean got to the edge of the pool and the large display clock that the whole crowd could see finally froze and showed the time that we had achieved I nearly slipped under the water in shock. We had broken the state record. Ryan and Ben had swam pretty good for themselves, and I had done a good job but Ocean had done phenomenally well. I was blown away when I saw his time. He had definitely been training hard for this.


    Our whole team erupted into cheers when they saw our time. Well, everyone except for Ocean who was dumbfounded by what he saw and Justin because he was mad that he was unseated from the top three when our team took over first place.


    The day continued in this manner. After the first relay we had the 4 x 100 m medley relay and then the 4 x 200 m freestyle relay. These all took a long time. It was a lot and it took a lot out of us but there was a good amount of time to rest in between all of our turns to compete.


    This was just the preliminaries though. We were now about to move on to the next set of races. The ninety-two teams of the guys and the thirty-six teams of the girls had been filtered down to just sixteen total. Ten teams for the guys and six for the girls.


    The team finals would have to take place tomorrow though. We were going to start with the individual preliminaries now. There were a total of five hundred and twelve swimmers in total. Most of them were for the guys. We had to run each heat several times just so that everyone was able to get their times in. It took four heats for each event on the girls side and ten heats for each of the guys. We were all competing in four individual events each.


    This tournament had us doing more events than schools allowed but it wasn''t a school event, it was a private tournament that we were invited to. Apparently, that was how they were getting around the limitations on how many we were supposed to be competing in for a single day.


    By the time that this first day was over we had been narrowed down to the final teams and a group of semi finalists for the individual teams. Our team was of course in the finals along with another guys team from our school and both Ocean and I were in the semi finals as well. Justin and Ryan had made it to the semi finals as did a handful of the others but Ben did not. Also, Justin''s team did not make it to the finals for tomorrow which he didn''t think was fair at all.


    Of our twenty four girls that were here we had one of the six teams make it to the finals and only one female make it to the semi finals as an individual. It was all pretty exciting but it had been an exhausting and busy day.


    It was late by the time that we were leaving and heading back to the hotel. The venue had provided a pretty good lunch but that didn''t mean we all weren''t starving right now. It was going to be time for dinner when we got back. I didn''t even know if I was going to have the energy to eat though, it had been that damn busy.

 Chapter 46 - Ocean - Another Awkward Night

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had competed in seven total events throughout the day and it left me feeling more than exhausted. It wasn''t the swimming that got to me. That was the easy part. It had been all the waiting around and the bureaucracy of it all.


    All day we had to wait for all the events to be set up and then all the heats to be completed one after the other. There were so many people competing in the tournament that it took from nine thirty in the morning until almost nine at night for it to all be done.


    The venue provided us with a really good lunch and there were snacks provided for all the swimmers so that we could keep our stamina up and didn''t feel a dip throughout the day. I just don''t think they took into account that there were people who ate like me. Well, me and Makai. The two of us were probably the only ones who were feeling so damn miserable by the time that we left tonight.


    All I wanted was to go back to the room, eat about six people''s worth of dinners, take a shower, and collapse into bed. That would probably satisfy me at least a little bit. I am sure there were a few other things that I could think to do but I wasn''t going to dwell on any of them at the moment.


    I was once again sitting with Makai on the bus as we went back to the hotel for the night. We had talked a little bit throughout the day but not too much. He had congratulated me when I finished my individual events and I did the same for him. We high fived each other for making it to the semi finals for the individuals and our whole four man team had celebrated by doing a sort of handshake that turned into a hug as we moved from person to person. I remember that I had grabbed Makai more by the forearm than the hand and was pulled into a celebratory hug where he clapped his hand on my back twice. I did the same to him, two quick claps on his back like I had done to the others. I hadn''t even thought about what I was doing, it was just routine by the time that I had gotten to him at the end of the line.


    We had definitely been able to be around each other a lot more today than we had been previously. I think that we might stop our quarrelling or fighting, or whatever the hell it was, altogether soon. It really would be good to not have to worry about it anymore.


    I nearly drifted off to sleep as I dreamily thought about the food I wanted to eat when we got to the room. I could almost taste it already and it was making me drool.


    "Come on, Sleeping Beauty." Makai shook my shoulder and roused me from my partial slumber. "Let''s go. Coach was going to order pizza again but I didn''t want that. I went online and ordered us something really good, it will be delivered soon."


    I shook the sleep from my head and followed Makai off the bus and back to the room. I was kind of glad that we weren''t having pizza again. I may be a teenage guy and all, but I was used to eating home cooked meals pretty regularly so I didn''t like to eat pizza all that often. Once in a while was fine but that was it.


    When we got back to the room I collapsed into the chair that I had slept in the previous night. I could tell that a housekeeper had been in the room to tidy up for us. We must have forgotten to put the do not disturb sign on the door before we left. They had remade the bed, putting the blanket that Makai had covered me up with back in its original place. The trash from the night before was all gone and everything had been completely freshened up. They had done a good job.


    "Man, today was exhausting." I sighed as I slung my hand over my forehead. I wasn''t feeling nervous right now since I had been around Makai all day and nothing bad had happened so I wasn''t stuttering at all right now.


    "Yeah. It wouldn''t have been so bad if we didn''t have to wait around so much." He agreed as he flopped onto the bed, laying flat on his back with his arms above his head.


    I couldn''t help but stare at him as he laid there with his eyes closed. He was a good looking guy. I had to admit that. His long dark eyelashes were striking against his pale cheeks. His shirt had been pulled tight over his chest and it helped to show and define every line of the lean muscles in his chest. His narrow waist that contrasted with his broad shoulders created a shape that just made me want to stare at him endlessly.


    Unfortunately I wasn''t able to keep looking at him because that was when there was a knock on the door and Makai''s eye popped open.


    "Good, that should be the food. I am starving." He smoothly stood up and moved to the door. As soon as he pulled the door open I could smell something wonderful. It was almost like heaven. I didn''t know what it was he had gotten yet, or what restaurant it was, but I could tell that I wanted to eat it.


    I was reaching for my wallet and the money inside of it before Makai was back in the main part of the room. He was carrying two very large bags with him as he walked toward me and the table that was next to me.


    I watched as Makai pulled out several boxes of food. There was a massive appetizer filled with onion rings, fried calamari, french fries, and chicken wings. He pulled out two dinner platters with spaghetti and meatballs, two orders of steaks with corn on the cob, fried potatoes, and skewers of grilled shrimp, and there was even another two dinner sets with lemon pepper rainbow trout with rice pilaf and green beans. He had apparently ordered two of everything aside from the appetizer. He didn''t know what it was I was going to want.


    "This is awesome. I can eat so much now. How much do I owe you?" I was pulling money out so I could pay him back.


    "Don''t worry." He held up a hand as if he was going to refuse it and not let me help pay for my portion of it.


    "Come on, don''t be so difficult." I laughed playfully as I started to feel slightly uneasy. I didn''t want to owe him anything. That could lead to issues down that line. I didn''t like the way that made me feel. Why was I starting to feel nervous again? Was my stutter going to come back? Why was he doing this? What the hell was going to happen to the peace we had worked so hard to create?

 Chapter 47 - Ocean - Another Awkward Night Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was looking at Makai apprehensively, my money was still in my hand and the food he bought me was still sitting in front of me untouched. I could literally feel my tongue tying itself into thousands and thousands of little knots as I stared at him dumbfounded. I didn''t understand this turn of events.


    "Don''t worry about it right now." Makai smiled. "Just eat the food while it''s still hot. We will figure all of that out later. Besides, we don''t know how much you will be able to eat yet. You only pay for what you eat. If you don''t eat all of your half I will eat the rest of it." He smirked at me like it was a challenge.


    "O..oh y..you''re on." I grinned at him as I grabbed a fork and an onion ring at the same time. The onion ring went straight into my mouth but I then grabbed my three dinners and popped them open. "You''re g..going to s..see just how m..much I can e..eat." I didn''t even care that I was stuttering with nerves right now. I was just happy to be getting a lot of good food.


    Between the two of us we sat there for at least a half an hour and worked our way through all of the food. We each devoured our own portions of it all. Even the appetizer he had gotten, we each grabbed from that as equally as we could while we ate our meals.


    All of the food had been amazing and it had reminded me of the diner that I had seen in the video of Makai and Brittney yesterday. Especially that appetizer. That was one of my favorite things to get from that place back home. But now that I was thinking about that video it made me think about Makai even more and that was the last thing that I wanted to do.


    Thoughts of Makai always brought up things that I didn''t want to remember right now. And remembering things that I didn''t want to usually meant that I needed to leave the room. Ugh, I was just going to get up and go take a shower. I would take my mind off of everything and everyone for a little while. Plus, after that meal I needed to brush my teeth.


    "I..I''m g..going t..to go t..take a shower a..again." I told him stutteringly just like the night before. He didn''t say anything, he just nodded at me as he sat back in his chair with a contented look in his eyes.


    I did what I could to shower fast. Thankfully I had gotten out of that room before I could smell Makai over the food so there was no physical reaction for me this time. And I was able to push the thoughts out of my mind completely so I didn''t need to take care of any business. The shower didn''t last as long as I thought it would because of that. I was actually happy about that. It meant that I was probably getting better. I knew that it was just an involuntary reaction. I am not attracted to him at all.


    After my shower I dried off, dressed in the same sleeper pants as last night then proceeded to brush my teeth, floss, and use mouthwash. Once I was convinced that I was thoroughly clean I went back to the bedroom.


    Makai was still sitting in the same chair that he had been in before, though I saw that he was sitting up instead of leaning back like he was overly full.


    "Good, you''re out. I can take my shower now." He grinned at me.


    "S..sorry if I..I took t..too l..long." I felt myself flush. I thought I had been quick about it but what if I had taken a lot longer than I thought.


    "You didn''t, I''m just glad you were done in a hurry. I am tired too, you know." He really did look exhausted.


    "Y..yeah, I know."


    He stood then and walked right by me on his way to the bathroom. Last night we had avoided each other as much as possible but tonight he basically brushed against me on his way. This was weird.


    Damn, I was so tired. I was going to take the chair again, but I just wanted to lay down for a minute. If Makai took as long as last night he would probably be in the bathroom for a while. I don''t think I fell asleep that fast last night.


    I flopped back onto the bed, almost exactly like Makai had done earlier. My arms landed somewhere above my head on the pillows that had been provided for us. My feet were dangling off the edge but aside from that my entire body was on the mattress. The bed really was comfortable. Makai was lucky that he got to have this for both nights.


    I could almost feel myself sliding toward sleep. I was gliding toward the edge but I just wasn''t quite there yet. When Makai opened the door for the bathroom it pulled me away just a little and I was more alert than I had been for a moment but I kept my eyes closed for some reason. I think it was because I didn''t need to see that he wasn''t wearing any clothes.


    I tried to not think of anything at all as I went to sit up. That was when everything changed. I didn''t expect what I heard next at all.


    "Damn, you look good." Makai''s voice held a tone in it that I had never heard before. I wonder why he was talking about himself like that. I felt myself smile and my eyes started to open.


    "W..why are you t..talking to yourself?" I asked him as my eyelids slid up. That was when I noticed that Makai wasn''t standing in front of the mirror like I thought he had been, he was standing next to me.


    "What are you talking about?" He asked me with a confused look on his face.  I saw that he was once again bare chested and wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, this time they were a bright cherry red.


    "I..I th..thought I..I..I heard y..you s..say something." I felt my heart pounding away in my chest as he looked down at me. This was so surreal.


    "Really? And what did I say?" He smirked at me like he was darling me to repeat what it was he had said.


    "N..n..nothing." I shook my head. "I..I..I th.think I..I was j..just d..dreaming." I went to sit up then but Makai stopped me.


    ''You can sleep there you know. You need to get proper rest. We''re both in the finals tomorrow. You need to be in top form." I saw that he meant it, and I could understand it, but I just couldn''t.


    "B..b..b..b..b..b-" I was having trouble forming any word now. I needed to try again. "B..but I..I can''t." This was bad. My stuttering had never been this bad before.


    "You know, you are a lot easier to talk to when you''re drunk. Or when you''re angry."


    Makai laughed then and I just had to admit how handsome he really was. I loved it when he smiled at me like that.


    "W..what are y..you talking about?" I was confused, and that confusion was making me a little bit angry. That anger helped to curb my stutter, thank you anger.


    "You don''t remember do you? I preferred the way we were when we were on the beach together." I swear that was a wistful look in Makai''s eyes. It was like he was remembering something fondly.


    "Huh? W..we''ve never b..been to the b..beach together." I glared at him. He was messing with me and I didn''t like that. How did he find out about my dream? I hadn''t told anyone. At least, I don''t remember telling anyone.


    "You were drunk off your ass and you tried to hit me. Well, according to you that wasn''t it, you were trying to grab a hold of me. In the process we fell together and I was kind of straddling you or kneeling over you. But you didn''t think that I was really there. You thought I was just part of your imagination. Well, does this feel like your imagination Ocean?"


    I felt all of the blood drain from my face. This wasn''t true. That hadn''t really happened. It was all a dream. None of it was real. It wasn''t. It couldn''t be. But, then how did he know about it?


    "Should I show you?" Makai was grinning now. "Let me reenact the events of that night for you, Ocean. I want to help you remember."


    I watched then as Makai, grinning, climbed onto the bed and straddled me. He was sitting over top of me just as the Makai from my dream had. And not just my dream, it was the Makai from my fantasy as well. It was the Makai that had made me so hard so many times. I had needed to pleasure myself to the thoughts and memories of what I thought was a dream just to get my dick to obey me and go down. And now here I come to find that it wasn''t a dream at all.


    Makai had a wicked glint in his eyes as he stared at me now. He had his hands on either side of my head and his knees on either side of my hips. The only thing that was different this time was that I could feel a little more of Makai pressed against me.


    "If you hadn''t been laying in the bed looking so hot I might not have done this. I might have been able to control myself. But I have been fighting myself for a while now." I heard a rumble in his voice as he leaned in close to me. "You are so hard to resist, do you know that?"


    I was speechless. I couldn''t say anything. I couldn''t even move. What was going on here?


    "Should I remind you of what exactly happened that night, Ocean. Should I show you what you did? I was so happy. It was such a pleasant surprise for me. I haven''t been able to forget it since that night. I have been obsessing over it."


    That was the last of the words that he had to say. The next thing that I knew I felt his hands close around my cheeks and his lips pressed against mine. Oh God, he was kissing me. I couldn''t believe he was kissing me. And it wasn''t just any kiss either. He had taken advantage of my slight gasp when I felt him press his mouth against mine. He slid his tongue into the small gap that had been opened.


    Oh my God. His tongue slid over mine and flicked across the roof of my mouth. That was the last of my thoughts. I don''t know when, or even if, I had decided to return the kiss but I must have. At some point I had grabbed a hold of his neck and was pulling him against me. I was even tangling and twisting my tongue with his as I kissed him back with just as much passion as he was giving me.


    I don''t know how long the kiss had been going on, I just know that when it broke it had been Makai who broke the kiss and we were both panting heavily. I could feel a desire that had built inside of me during the kiss as well. I was still clinging onto Makai''s neck and his bare chest pressed firmly against mine.


    There was something else happening now that I don''t remember from last time. It could have happened and I just didn''t know since I fell right to sleep but right now I could feel myself pressing against Makai in another place that I shouldn''t be. We had both firmed and hardened and were standing at attention from the kiss.

 Chapter 48 - Ocean - Another Awkward Night Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "I..I..I..-" I was stuttering and couldn''t talk after the kiss, which was just fine since I didn''t know what to say anyway.


    "I would say that was better than last time." I heard Makai whisper as he leaned forward and spoke right into my ear. I felt his lips brush against the soft sensitive skin of my ear and it made me shiver.


    "W..w..w..w..well I..I..I..I..-"


    "Haha, you''re so nervous right now, Ocean." He laughed and the purr in his voice and the thrum of his laughter rumbled right into me. "Am I the only guy that you have ever kissed?"


    "Y..y..y..y..y..yes." At least I finished the word but I was incapable of anything else.


    "And to think, you were the one who kissed me first." Another one of his laughs that I felt move straight from his chest and into mine. This felt so weird. "I am happy to be the first guy that you''ve kissed. And I am going to guess that Britt the bitch was the first girl that you kissed, am I right?"


    How the hell does he know that? How does he know so much about me? And what happened to that nice and polite Makai that everyone has been boasting about. And the one that has been here ever since yesterday. This is a completely different person from the one that I have seen so far.


    "Am I right?" I felt him nuzzle his cheek against me then as he encouraged me to answer him. Everything that he was doing made me feel like he was telling me that I was a girl and he was trying to seduce me. It was exactly what you would see a guy do in a movie. It was shit that I might have done, you know, if I had the opportunity.


    "N..n..no." I stuttered again.


    "Liar." He laughed, calling me. "Don''t worry, you''re not all that experienced but you''re still pretty good at it. Do you want me to kiss you again?" I heard myself scream inside of my head.


    ''YES! YES! YES!'' But I was not going to answer him that way, I was a guy and I wasn''t going to let him do this to me.


    "N..n..no." I tried to be firm but I stuttered again.


    "That didn''t sound too convincing." He had turned his face toward me and spoke with his lips pressed right up against my jaw. "Don''t worry, Ocean, I will be happy to kiss you again. I have wanted to kiss you every single day since that night on the beach. I have dreamt about it, I have masturbated to it. I have wanted you so bad."


    At that I felt him grind his hips against me, his firmness pressing against mine. I was not prepared for that. I had not expected it at all. He was telling me he had been thinking all the same things that I had been thinking. Doing all the same things that I had been doing. I should be asking him what it all meant. I should be trying to figure this all out. Instead, I let my fear take over and pushed him off of me the moment he pressed his dick against mine.


    "Don''t." My anger had flared so I hadn''t stuttered on that one word.


    Makai was now kneeling at the foot of the bed, crouching above my shins with a perplexed look on his face. I had raised myself up onto my elbows and was glaring at him while I panted, angrily.


    "Ocean?" He was confused and didn''t seem to understand why I had pushed him away from me. I felt bad for having clearly hurt his feelings but I didn''t know how to process what was going on.


    I looked Makai over from his face all the way down, over his bare chest and down to the massive bulge in between his thighs. That was when I felt a wave of fear wash over me. I didn''t know how to respond. I didn''t want to respond negatively. I didn''t want to hate Makai, but I didn''t know how to accept him. I had never done this. I didn''t think I was gay. I didn''t know if I was capable of this.


    I didn''t say a word after that. I just got up and left the bed. I couldn''t leave the room since I was half dressed with a massive hard on, but I couldn''t look at Makai right now. I just needed to be alone for a little bit. My only option was to hide in the bathroom.


    I ran into the only escape that I had and locked the door. I heard Makai chasing after me, calling my name.


    "Ocean?" He sounded so hurt, almost like I had just told him that I never wanted to see him ever again. "Ocean" he called out to me again as he knocked on the door.


    I heard Makai knock feverishly as he tried to get in, there was even a sort of desperation in the way that he was knocking.


    "Ocean, I''m sorry, I''m so sorry. Please, open the door." Makai sounded like he was scared that he had messed up big time.


    "I''m sorry Makai. I just need to be alone for a minute." I could hear the panic in my voice.


    "Ocean, I''m sorry. Please forgive, Ocean, please." I swear I could hear tears in the way that he was begging me.


    I ignored him as best as I could. I needed to get my body under control. Everything that had just happened had shocked me. I had not expected any of it. I hadn''t expected Makai to straddle me or talk so seductively to me. I hadn''t expected him to kiss me or to grind his erection against mine. Which, by the way, was an erection that he had given me.


    This was all so strange to me. I was confused. Way more confused than I have ever been in my entire life. I had never thought about a guy like this ever before. Not until Makai showed up.


    Then, he shows up and now all of a sudden I am fantasizing about kissing him and I am masturbating to the thought of him. And I am not just fantasizing about the kisses, according to Makai, I have actually kissed him twice now. And the first kiss had been initiated by me.


    Why? Why had I done that? How could I have done that? What made me do that? I can''t imagine what made me do that. What had even possessed me to do that?


    And now, I was hiding from him in the bathroom like a scared little kid, or some girl. I was so pathetic. But dammit, there was another reason I was hiding. I needed to take care of my body. That had been the hottest kiss of my life and I could feel so much blood throbbing into my groin that I thought I was going to burst. I needed to take care of it. And I had fresh material to draw on too.


    I had the feel of Makai''s lips, his tongue, his hands on my face, his chest pressed against mine, and even his lust hardened groin grinding against mine.


    "Oh God!" I groaned as I untied the pants that I was wearing and pushed them down. I don''t know if Makai was still outside the door. If he was then he was about to hear me masturbate to thoughts of him. Yeah, like that wouldn''t be embarrassing at all.


    I tried my best to muffle the sounds again just like I had done yesterday. With my fist stuffed in my mouth I stroked myself over and over again, my hips thrusting in time with my hand because I just couldn''t control myself.


    It took a while to calm the desire in my body. By the time that I left the bathroom it was well after midnight. I crept to the main room and planned to sleep in the chair but was surprised to see Makai in it. He was there the same as I had been, with just a pillow. I covered him like he had done for me and then went to sleep in the bed. I was nervous but confident that he wouldn''t try anything without my permission. At least, I hoped he wouldn''t.

 Chapter 49 - Makai - Uneasy Morning

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I can''t believe that I had said that Ocean looked good when I got out of the shower. To be fair I thought he was asleep and that it would be just as hard to wake up as the night before. I never expected him to grin and ask why I was talking to myself.


    I am pretty sure that at the time Ocean thought I was calling myself hot until he opened his eyes and saw me looking at him. He just looked so good, so perfect, and so vulnerable that I had to keep going.


    I reminded him of what had happened between us that night. I knew that he had thought it was just a dream. I knew he had played it off as just the alcohol playing tricks on his mind. He might have been able to forget it but I had been forced to live with the memories of his lips and his body everyday since that night. And dammit, I was at my limit of self control. I needed to show him how I felt about him. I needed him to know what I wanted from him.


    Though straddling him might have been a bit overkill. And kissing him like that probably was too. I know that I went too far when I pressed my erection against his and proceeded to grind out hips together. That had been the point at which he pushed me away and screamed one word that was clear of his nervous stutter.


    "Don''t."


    I was stunned. Not because Ocean had pushed me away from him but because I had been basically taking advantage of him. I was talking to him so rudely. I had forcefully kissed him. I had even pressed myself against him. Just because he had kissed me back and was aroused as well didn''t mean that I had the right to do any of that to him. He hadn''t given me any type of permission.


    In all honesty what I had done to him was horrible. Then I had said such despicable things to him. I had asked him if I was the only man he had ever kissed. The shock in his eyes and the stiffness in his body that had nothing to do with his groin told me that I was. I didn''t need to point it out. Then I pointed out that I basically knew he was a virgin because I could tell he had only ever kissed Brittney. Fuck! I am such an asshole. No wonder he got up and ran away from me.


    I don''t blame him one bit for locking himself in the bathroom and hiding from me. He was aroused because it was a normal bodily reaction. It had nothing to do with me. I was an idiot for thinking he liked me at all. I lusted after the guy so much and I just fucking ruined any chances I had with him. This was just great.


    After I tried and failed to coax him out of the bathroom, and after my many, many apologies to him, I just decided to go to bed. I propped myself up in the chair like he had done the night before and was asleep before he ever came out of the bathroom.


    I don''t know when he finally went to bed but when I woke up in the morning, courtesy of the sun playing peek-a-boo with the curtains and my eyes, Ocean was laying in the bed. He had also taken the same blanket from the bed that I had draped over him and laid it over me. At least he didn''t totally hate me. I hadn''t made him want to kill me or anything like that.


    When I pulled the blanket off of myself and folded it up I realized I was still wearing nothing but my boxers. That could very well be why he had covered me up. I might have made Ocean even more uncomfortable since I was being so indecent. It wasn''t any worse than our uniforms but it was in a different context so it made a difference. And I had never pressed my groin against Ocean while we were at a meet or a practice. If I had I probably would have traumatized him.


    I got up silently and got dressed. I didn''t want to wake Ocean yet since I didn''t know how much sleep he had gotten but I also knew we had to get ready for the day. Maybe I would just go to the lobby and then call the room from the courtesy phone. That seemed like a nice safe alternative.


    Right as I was about to leave the room and just call Ocean to wake him up he sat up in the bed. He sat up so straight and so fast that it was like he had been startled awake. I saw a look in his eyes that was like he was confused for a moment. He was looking right at me, blinking over and over as if he was trying to remember something important.


    I also saw the moment that the memories seemed to flood back to him. Ocean''s cheeks burned so red that I thought he might pass out from the over stimulation of blood to his brain. His eyes were also opened so wide that I could see the whites completely circling those beautiful irises of his. And lastly, I could see that he was hard. Now that could have been there when he woke up and it might have been caused when he saw me, I don''t know. I just know that Ocean looked so shocked and embarrassed right then that I didn''t think that he was ever going to talk to me again.


    I was wrong though, again. Because Ocean just turned his head so that he was looking away from me and spoke in a voice that I could tell he was concentrating on very hard.


    "Good...Morning." He managed to not stutter but he had still spoken very slowly. He was nervous.


    "Good morning, Ocean." I did my best to make my voice calm and even. "Can we talk?" I wanted to fix this if he was willing.


    "Not...Now." He was still speaking in that halting and slow way as he had from before. "After."


    "After?" I was confused. "After what?"


    "Tournament."


    "Oh, I get it. You want to talk after we compete. That is fine. I don''t want to ruin things before you win. Just, I want you to know that I am sorry. I didn''t mean to cause you problems last night." I put as much sincerity into my words as I could.


    "No...Not...Now." He sounded angry but he looked calm. This was so confusing and hard for me. Sometimes I just wish I didn''t have this attraction for him.


    "Ocean-."


    "LATER!" He snapped that one word at me as he got out of the bed.


    Ocean had grabbed his bag and went to get dressed. I felt like I had taken all the progress we had made and sent it back to less than how things were when we first met. Hell, I would rather go back to that first day when he thought I was there to take his place at the school. That would be so much easier to deal with than this situation.


    I didn''t want him to think I was running away, even though I was thinking about doing just that before he had woken up. So when he came out of the bathroom I was waiting for him.


    "Ready for breakfast?" I asked him with a smile to show that I was treating him the same as I had been before last night.


    "Pack..Our stuff." He was still trying his best to not stutter. It was making him sound kind of like a caveman. I thought it was adorable, but I wasn''t about to tell him that.


    "Yeah, we need to check out today, don''t we. Let''s make sure we have everything."


    We both searched the room, though it wasn''t very big. We made sure there was nothing that fell out of our bags that we might have missed. Then I checked the bathroom to look for forgotten items. I didn''t find anything, unless you want to count some white sticky stuff that I don''t remember being there before. I might be imagining things and I might not. Still, I had to hide the smile and laugh as I left the bathroom.


    We were once again the first ones at breakfast. We sat together again but this time it was awkward instead of comfortable. When the rest of the team showed up and Ryan and Ben sat with us, Ocean didn''t say a word. He was probably afraid that he was going to stutter again. I managed to play it off that he was just hyper focused and concentrating on the tournament. Ryan said he understood since we all four needed to compete today. We all wanted to just sit there quietly after that.


    I couldn''t stop myself from looking over at Ocean as he ate his breakfast, which I noticed was way smaller than yesterday''s.


    And I felt broken hearted when Ocean slid into the seat with Ryan which forced me to sit with Ben instead. I wanted what we had back. I had broken it all.

 Chapter 50 - Ocean - Tournament Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When I woke up this morning it was because I had heard someone moving around. I guess it was the exact same thing that had happened to Makai yesterday. The only difference between the two of us was that Makai didn''t have memories from the night before that had come flooding back into his head. Memories that had left his face burning red and his dick rock hard.


    I remembered everything that had happened. I remembered the kiss and everything that was said. I remembered how aroused we both were and how Makai had pressed our groins together so that we could feel each other''s erections. And I remembered how I had pushed him off of me and ran to the bathroom so I could hide away like a little bitch. It was so embarrassing.


    I was barely talking to him this morning because of it. I knew that if I tried to say more than one word at a time I would stutter like crazy so I was concentrating really, really hard. My hope was that when I got to the sports complex and it was time for the tournament I would be able to forget about everything that happened. I didn''t need everyone thinking that I had mentally regressed through the night and was now just a monosyllabic moron. Though, I am just there were people out there who would think that about me regardless.


    I was also doing my best to stay away from Makai as much as possible. I didn''t want it to be obvious. Nothing overly noticeable. I sat with Ryan on the bus, but he was part of our four man team. It wasn''t that far out of the realm of possibilities so I didn''t think that many people would notice or say anything. When we were waiting for our turns to compete in the group events I kept standing up and pacing and when I would sit down I would end up in between Ben and Ryan. Again, they were part of my four man team that I was competing with so I didn''t think that it mattered to anyone if I was sitting on the end next to Makai or in the middle between Ryan and Ben. As long as I was with my group right?


    The girls were up first in their first relay of the day. We were doing the same three relays today that we were doing yesterday. I know that our girls had the potential to do great, they were strong swimmers and there were only six teams in the finals for them. I watched tensely as the girls swam one after the other. After the four lap was done they were in third place. It was a great start.


    OK, now it was time for the first event for us guys. We were swimming in the same order as we were the day before so I was swimming last. Makai and I were the strongest swimmers on the team so we were supposed to gain back any time the others had lost for us and pull ahead if we could. We were all swimming as hard as we could and thankful we finished at about the same time as we had yesterday. We finished the first relay in first place.


    Alright, the second relay for the girls. They were pushing themselves at a really good pace. They were moving right and in perfect harmony. YES! They finished in second. That was awesome. If they keep this up they will finish in the top three.


    Second set for the guys. This relay was going to be just the same as the first one of the day. I had confidence in that. I gave a pep talk to the others that I, thankfully, didn''t stutter during. We were all energized and ready to go. Ryan swam first and got to Ben before any of the others. Ben went next and didn''t pull ahead but he didn''t lose the lead that Ryan had gotten us. Makai swam next and got a pretty big lead. Then it was my turn and I pulled ahead even more. I finished long before any of the other swimmers and we bagged another first place win. YES!


    Final race for the girls. It was time for them to give it their all. I never really rooted for them by name since I didn''t often care enough but this was a massive event for not just them but all of us. This would be something major for our whole school.


    "LET''S GO KATIE! GO WHITNEY! GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT ALEXIS! COME ON CASSIE!" I wasn''t the only one cheering, most of the others from our school were cheering for them as well. We were all rooting for our teammates. It worked. They didn''t bag first or second but they got third. They ended up in third overall which would give them a place on the podium. That was all they could hope for with how big this competition was. They could try again next time as well.


    Now I was nervous again. It was the last race for my four-man team. I could barely bring myself to watch as the others swam their laps. I could barely even hear what was going on. The words of the crowd was nothing but a giant blur to me. The only thing that I could focus on at the moment was the water, the way that it looked and the way that the light reflected off of it. The water was always calming for me. If I just focused on the water then I would be able to do this no problem. When it was my time to swim, I dove into the water as hard and fast as I could. By the time that I even started my first stroke I was almost a quarter of the way across the pool, I had projected into the water farther than I had expected. When I finished my lap everyone else was still swimming as hard as they could. We had finished first once again, that made all three races. We had gotten the top team prize. We did it.


    I was still in a state of disbelief when all the sound seemed to turn back on. The noise was deafening. The thing that I noticed most of all was our coach. He was screaming, his voice hoarse. He had done the same thing when the girls finished in the top three. The sound of my teammates screaming their joy, all of them, was what hit me next.


    We did it. We had taken the top spot for the team relay. I couldn''t believe it.


    I was still staring at the time board when Coach Dickson came over and grabbed my hand so that he could pull me out of the water. He was hugging me and jumping for joy. I seriously thought he was going to slip on the water that was all over the place but he managed to stay on his feet. He pulled me toward the rest of my four-man squad and was hugging us all at the same time. I guess he didn''t care that we were getting his clothes wet, he was just excited that we won.


    And I was in such a state of shock that I didn''t try to pull away from Makai as the coach pressed me into his side. Right now, this win meant more than anything else. It was something that made me feel like this past month had just been a fluke. Actually these past several months had. I had gone down hill because I was with that trashy slut, Britt the bitch. She was what had caused all the bad things to happen to me recently. I had let her corrupt me and it had ended up poisoning me.


    "You did it." I heard someone speaking to me in a soft voice. "I knew you could do it." When I turned I saw Makai right there standing by my left shoulder. He was smiling at me and looked happier than I had ever seen him.


    "You knew I could do what?" I asked him, confused.


    "You won."


    "We won." I corrected him.


    "Your times were better than mine." He looked like he was trying to prove something to me.


    "We will see in the individual competition." I just stared at him. It was only then I realized that I was not mad at him and I was not stuttering. I guess intense shock works to fix that little issue of mine as well.


    "Yeah, we will see. May the truly best swimmer win." He nodded at me.


    "No one had better throw races. I will never accept that. I swear I will punch you in that handsome face of yours if you throw a single race." I warned him.


    "You think I''m handsome." He grinned at me. Of course that would be what he focused on.

 Chapter 51 - Makai - Tournament Part 4

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Our team had just won first place in the four-man relays. Ben, Ryan, Ocean and myself would be on the podium at the top when they announced the winners in just a few minutes. Unfortunately, Ben was the only one on our team that was not going to be part of the individual events that would start with the semi finals right after the awards ceremony.


    Ryan, Ocean, Justin, Alex, Jordan, and myself were the only guys from Jasper High School that had made it to the next round. I had known that Ocean and I would make it, we were both really good swimmers, and I was really proud of the other guys to have made it as well. There were a lot of competitors that were taking part in all of these events so it was not easy to make it ahead in a competition like this.


    Our entire team had celebrated with a group hug, initiated by our coach as soon as it was clear that we were the winners. I only remember one thing from that entire time. Ocean had said I had a handsome face. I don''t care what the context had been, he still said it. That proved that he looked at me like that.


    I just remember standing there on the small podium that they had waiting for us. I had wanted to stand as close to Ocean as I could, but he managed to get on the other side of our coach while he stood there beaming like he was the one who had raced. He had gotten to stand on those podiums twice, and he had celebrated just as enthusiastically when the girls team had won.


    I couldn''t help but grin when I saw the happy smile that was on Ocean''s face. I had actually been afraid that he would not be able to swim at his best this morning. I mean, he had been really affected by what I had done last night. But, I couldn''t help it. I was at my limit, and he was just so tempting.


    Having been the one to swim with the best time both days, our coach had let Ocean be the one to hold the trophy in the photos that were being taken. There was one photo where our whole team, everyone from our school, had been grouped together and photographed with the eight of us that placed, guys and girls, in the front. I was next to Ocean that time, but I wasn''t able to enjoy it because it ended too soon.


    After the photographs, it was time for the individual events. We had one girl that was racing in that set. And as it turned out, today they would be racing all three of the female events first, then all the male events. It would happen twice since it was the semi-finals. and then we moved onto the actual finals.


    Cassie was the only girl from our school that had made it to the semifinals. She swam her hardest, and of the twenty girls that were part of the semi-finals, she made it into the top ten. She actually came in at number eight and would be moving onto the finals. This was major for her, just making it that far guaranteed her an invitation to the national event in the spring.


    When it was time for us guys to swim we had to narrow down the forty of us to just ten as well. It was going to be hard but I knew that Ocean and I were going to give it our all. By the time that the semi-finals were over, Ocean and I were almost tied at the top of the rankings. Points were given during these heats based on the position you finished in and the overall scores would determine who the winners were. Between the two of us we had taken first and second place over the last two days in the individual events.


    Just thinking about that made pride swell within me. The guy that I was so drawn to was only matched by me. Or I could phrase it the other way around, I was only matched by the guy that meant so much to me.


    After the semi-finals were over it was time for the sudden death matches for the girls individuals. I call them that because there would literally be no rest between their heats. They would swim one reset and swim the next. They would do this three times in a row and the top three swimmers when it was over would be the ones on the podium.


    We all watched on and cheered as Cassie swam over and over again. She was doing good, but she just couldn''t make it to the top three. She finished with fourth place though and that was amazing enough. We were very proud of her and celebrated as we should have.


    Now it was time for Ocean and I to see who it was that was going to take home the top prize. It was funny though. Now that the finals for us was actually beginning there was a look of pure excitement on Coach Dickson''s face. He had not one but two swimmers in the finals right now, and they had been finishing in the top every time. He was hoping that we would stay in those rankings and he would have bragging rights for a long time.


    None of our previous points would carry over for the finals. We reset for the semi-finals and we were resetting again for the last leg of this journey. That meant that Ocean and I were starting fresh with this.


    I had promised him that I was going to give it my all. I was not going to throw the race and let him win. I was going to try my best to actually win. I just hoped that Ocean would swim at the level that I knew he was capable of. If he did then he could definitely beat me, I had seen him do it. That was another reason I thought he was more like me.


    When the signal came to start the first race we all dove into the water at the same time. The ten of us were all swimming in the one pool at the same time and moved as if we were a well oiled machine. Though once we were in the water it was clear that parts of this machine moved faster than others.


    Ocean and I took the lead easily. This was the two hundred meter breaststroke. It was an event that Ocean and I would always be neck and neck on and that was made clear by the fact that he beat me by one tenth of a second. He could tell that I had not given him the win and there was nothing but pure joy on his face as he felt the happiness that came with being in the water.


    The next event for us was the two hundred meter backstroke. It was another one that Ocean and I were very good at. I think my only advantage here had to have been my height. I was just a little taller and my arm was half an inch taller than his. If it weren''t for that we would have tied but I touched the edge right before he did and secured myself the second event''s top score. We were tied.


    The last and final event was the two hundred meter butterfly, that was literally Ocean''s best and my worst. All he had to do was swim like he usually did and he would win. I wanted him to win. I would take it because I love swimming and of course I joined the team because I wanted to compete, but Ocean had needed this. He needed to see that he was one of the best on the team and only great things will come from being near me.


    Still, I had to give it my all. I needed to show him that I was not just going to hand him the victory. When the signal came I dove into the pool and gave it my all. I pushed myself to swim as hard as I could. I moved through the water like I was the water itself. I rejoiced at the way the water felt as it rolled across my body and how right it felt to be in its welcoming embrace.


    When I reached the edge of the pool I heard our entire team cheering. I thought it was for me until I looked to my right and at the tie board. Ocean had beaten me. He had finished ahead of me by twelve hundredths of a second. It had been so close during all three heats, we had been neck and neck, but Ocean had beaten me to win top prize.


    Ocean had won.

 Chapter 52 - Ocean - Tournament Part 5

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    My heart was pounding. I could not believe what had just happened. I could not believe that I had just won. I had placed first in the whole tournament. What did this mean for that time when I raced against Makai two weeks ago?


    Had I gotten faster or was it because I was sick? But, what about all the times he beat me when he first got here? Was I just unnerved by him or something? Why couldn''t I beat him back then?


    All of this was just so confusing. However, I was just happy to have won. I was glad that I could show them all what it was that I could do. And this would be something I could rub into Brittney''s face while turning her down when she came crawling back to me.


    Following all the events that filled the day, there were interviews and photographs to be taken. During the change up and reset for the guys to start their final heats the girls had already been interviewed. Apparently, the only ones left to be interviewed were the top three guys and some notable mentions that came close to the top spots. The remainder of the swimmers had already changed and were getting ready to leave. A lot of the schools, those that hadn''t made it to the finals or semi-finals, had already left or hadn''t even come back today.


    Slowly, the ten guys from the finals trickled away until it was just the three of us that had taken a top prize. And it was a prize too, not just a trophy. Each member of the group relays would take home between two thousand five hundred and ten thousand dollars worth of scholarships along with a two thousand five hundred dollar cash prize, the higher scholarships going to those that finished in a higher place.


    As for the individual winners, they each took home scholarships as well: ten thousand for the third place winner, twenty-five thousand for the second place winner, and fifty thousand for the first place winner. The cash prizes for these students were also higher. The third place winner would receive five thousand dollars, the second place winner would receive ten thousand dollars, and the first place would receive twenty thousand dollars.


    Adding this all up, that meant that Makai just got thirty-five thousand dollars in scholarships and twelve thousand five hundred dollars in cash prizes. And as for me, I got sixty thousand in scholarships and twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars in cash prizes. This had turned into an amazing day, and I was now able to tell my parents that I could help them pay for my college now. I definitely had a lot to be thankful for.


    The reporters that were there to interview us all seemed to take a liking to me and Makai. Unfortunately that meant that the third place winner was pushed off to the side after a while. He wasn''t all that happy about it, but he eventually walked off and joined his team.


    "You two boys are from the same school? Do you practice together a lot? Do you motivate each other to do better? Is there a constant rivalry going on between the two of you?" The reporter that was in the lead was firing off her questions like she was some paparazzi in Hollywood.


    "We''re pretty good friends. We train together at all of our team practices and occasionally outside of them. And, I would say that there is a little bit of rivalry between us, but that just motivates us to do our best. We''re still super supportive of each other, and I couldn''t be happier that the person who beat me today was him." Makai was able to answer their questions easily and make up stories about our lives. I mean, I guess none of it was fake, but he was spinning it into a really good friendship between us.


    "Would you have felt the same way, Ocean? Would you have been happy if Makai beat you?" She fired off more of her questions.


    "If he gave it his all I wouldn''t have cared. I just wanted to swim an honest race against him. If he swam as best as he could and won then I would have been fine with it. Makai is an excellent swimmer, and I am proud of him." I plastered on a smile and tried to do my best, just the same as he was.


    "You two seem to be really good friends. I bet that is just the best thing, to be best friends with your biggest rival. It must keep things interesting." This was from another reporter, a woman who looked like she was just a little bit older than we were.


    "Oh it is really cool. I like the fact that we can challenge each other all the time, but then we can just go to lunch together and joke like everyone else." Makai threw his arm around my shoulder, and I saw a series of lights flash in front of us. I was just glad that I had noticed them prepping their camera and had the time to prepare a smile for them so that we would come off as the best of friends.


    The rest of the interview was a blur. I had been a little more than shocked by what Makai had done during the interview. We managed it though, and I don''t think that I sounded like a complete moron. Thankfully, it all went pretty well.


    Our coach was the only one left waiting for us when the interview was over. Everyone was already out on the busses, waiting for us.


    "You two go and get dressed, we will see you out on the busses when you''re done. Don''t take too long, alright." Our coach was riding high with the excitement of the day. He had two teams place in the top three for the relays and two swimmers place in the top three for the individuals. He was the only coach that could claim that for the day''s events. He felt higher than a kite right now, and it was more than obvious.


    The coach left the building which was almost completely empty now. There were still a few staff members milling about, but the crowd from earlier was gone. Makai and I went to the locker room, one of the several they had that was designated for our team. It would only take us a few minutes to get dressed so that we could leave. It wasn''t that late in the day, and we could still get dinner after we got back to the school.


    I was hungry and so focused on the food that I almost forgot that I was going to be in the locker room, alone, with Makai. That could be dangerous. After what had happened last night I didn''t know what to expect.


    Makai, as he did at our school and at our last away meet, had chosen the locker right next to mine. We were bound to be side by side apparently so I hadn''t thought much about it. However, now I was looking at it completely differently than I had before.


    Was Makai sticking close to me because he liked me? That couldn''t actually be true. We were both guys. He didn''t like me that way. He just couldn''t. Could he?


    And, what did I think about Makai? I wasn''t gay was I? I didn''t like him like that did I? I mean, I had actually had a girlfriend. I have never thought about a guy like this until Makai showed up. But to be fair, I had never truly thought about Brittney like this either.


    I had never actually thought about anyone like this. I had never felt like I was drawn to someone the way I was drawn to Makai. He made me nervous and scared, but it also made me smile just to be around him. Just being in the same room with him both brought me a sense of peace and made my heart race so much that I thought I was going to pass out. What the hell was the matter with me?


    I couldn''t stop thinking about what it all meant while we were getting dressed. And I guess I was staring at him more than I usually did.


    "Do you find me that irresistible? That you just can''t take your eyes off of me?" I heard Makai''s voice as he turned toward me with a grin on his face.


    I had been watching Makai at the same angle that I had always seen him, he was facing slightly away from me, his left shoulder and most of his back facing me. His ass naked as he took off his uniform speedo. The muscles under his body rippled as he moved and worked to hold in his chuckle.


    "W..w..what m..makes y..you think I..I w..was l..looking at you?" I tried to pretend I didn''t know what he was talking about.


    "Aside from the fact that I can feel you burning holes into my back? How about there is also the fact that I can see your reflection in the lockers, and you haven''t looked away since we got in here."


    There was a sudden purr in his voice, something that said he was happy with the current situation. I watched, stunned, and he slowly started to turn toward me, happy that he had put on a pair of boxer briefs first. Since that was as far as I had gone though, we were both practically still naked.


    "W..w..what are y..you d..d..d..doing? I asked him as he turned and shifted his body toward me. Involuntarily I looked down the length of his body, just to make sure it was covered. It seemed he had put his bottoms a little too hastily since they were crooked and the waistband was slightly rolled. I saw, just under the line where his speedo would sit, a birthmark that looked just like mine. Only his looked more like a tattoo since it was shiny and almost a silvery green color. "W..w..what''s that?" I asked to try and distract him.


    "It''s a birthmark, just like yours." There was heat in his eyes and a strength to his voice that was a little too rough as it rolled over my body.


    It felt like he was walking toward me so I took a step back. He was walking toward me though because with every step I took he took another one and herded me toward the wall. It didn''t take long and soon I was standing there with my back pressed against the cold tile.


    "Why are you walking away from me, Ocean?" Makai''s voice held so much heat that it almost took the shiver away as the cold wall pressed against me. Almost.


    "B..b..because you were h..herding m..m..me over here.


    "I wasn''t herding you. I simply wanted to get closer to you. I always want to be closer to you." His voice was coming closer now, as he moved his mouth next to my ear. "I want you to know, Ocean, that I do not regret last night, or that night on the beach. I quite enjoyed them both and would love to do them again."


    "W..w..w..what?" My stuttering had been under control until I was alone with Makai, that was when it became so much worse. "W..w..why?"


    "Why?" He chuckled, and I had the urge to shiver, an urge that was hard to control. "Because I like you, Ocean. I have from the first time that I saw you. You drive me insane, and I want to be with you. I find you irresistible, sexy, funny, and you''re a damn good kisser."


    At that, Makai moved his mouth along my jaw. He scraped his lips, hot and wet, along my skin. The feeling caused me to shudder, and I couldn''t hold it in this time. When Makai''s lips pressed against mine, I groaned. It was the third time that we had kissed, and it was becoming a habit. His kisses were also better than anything that I had ever experienced with Brittney.


    I couldn''t stop myself. I kissed him back. Makai''s hands wrapped themselves around my waist as he pulled himself closer to me. Our hips pressed together, and Makai bent his knees just a little, one of which pushed itself in between my thighs as I grabbed onto Makai''s arms and pulled him toward me.


    When Makai pressed his tongue against my lips, I opened my mouth for him. His tongue slid inside with a sigh and explored the depths of my mouth like he was trying to memorize the lay of the land. I had never experienced something like this before.


    I didn''t want to let him do all the work though. A guy needed to do his fair share of the work after all. I tangled my tongue with his for a brief moment before I explored his mouth just as thoroughly as he had explored mine.

 Chapter 53 - Ocean - Riding Home

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The taste of his literally exploded across my tongue. The moment that I started to explore the depths that his mouth had to offer I could sense the flavor of him spreading throughout my entire head. The flavors of his mouth perfectly matched what I had smelled coming off of him the other night.


    As my tongue tangled with his I tasted oranges that had been coated with a thick, creamy layer of vanilla. It was almost like an orange creamsicle only instead of being cold like the frozen confection, it was hot and nearly burning me with the passion that I felt pouring off of him.


    Without even thinking about it I snaked my arms around Makai''s back and pulled him closer to me. The kiss hadn''t broken yet at all, and I wasn''t ready to let the feel of this go yet either.


    My right hand going up to cup the back of Makai''s head I held him in place for the kiss just a little while longer. My left hand, completely with a mind of its own, snuck its way down and around Makai''s waist, past his hip, and cupped his ass cheek. Before I knew it, I was kneading the tender, yet muscled flesh in the palm of my hand.


    I would have liked to say that I was the one who had broken the kiss. I would have liked to say that I was the one with the self control to stop what we were doing. But that was something I just couldn''t say at all. Makai, with his infuriating calmness, was the one to pull away from me first, and he elicited a groan from me when he did so.


    "Ngh!" I protested at the loss of his lips, and the heat that his mouth had provided me.


    "Shh." He tried to silence me as he chuckled next to my ear. "We need to hurry or someone might come looking for us. We don''t want them to find us in a compromising situation now, do we?"


    I understood what it was he was saying. I agreed with what he was saying. But my stupid fucking body didn''t want to listen. All my body knew was that I wanted to feel him pressed against me more. I wanted to kiss him again. I wanted to taste him some more.


    "Shh. It''s alright. We can do this again another time. Get dressed and let''s go. We will talk about this another time."


    I watched on in a daze as he turned around and grabbed his clothes. He didn''t look back at me at all as he dressed, but he did before he left the locker room.


    "I will tell the coach that you just needed a few minutes to cool your head. I will see you outside." He winked at me with a grin then left the room.


    I felt like I was hyperventilating for a moment. What the hell had just happened? What had I just done? I hadn''t just let him kiss me, which was the second time since last night, and the third time I had kissed him in just a little over a week. And the thing is, I had liked every single one of those kisses.


    I had liked them a lot more than I had ever liked kissing Brittney. Kissing her had felt like a chore, something that was more like a means to an end. An end that never came. She was something that was there, and the kissing wasn''t the worst, but it definitely wasn''t the best either.


    But why though, was kissing Makai so great? Why was it that having him, a guy, pressed against me was better than having a beautiful girl pressed against me? Did it matter who the person was or what that person was? Was it that he was a guy or did it matter that he just wasn''t Brittney?


    I mean, I could never imagine kissing Ryan, or Ben, or anyone else on the team. I had never fantasized about anyone else on the team slowly exiting the pool. And I definitely had never watched any of them from afar as they went about their daily life.


    Makai though, I could barely take my eyes off of him. I felt drawn to him in ways that made my heart thunder inside of my chest. And after moments like that, he also made my dick so hard that I couldn''t walk straight. God dammit, what the hell was I going to do?


    It took a lot of time to concentrate and make myself calm down long enough to get the excitement to pass. I managed and eventually I was able to get dressed. When I made it to the bus the coach was a little peeved, but he just grinned at me.


    "Come on, Ocean, we''ve got to get back. Let''s celebrate once we''re at home, alright."


    "Y..yeah, Sure thing Coach." I tried to play it off as I went in search of my seat. Of course, the only open seat was next to Makai, this time he was sitting in the back with his head resting against the window.


    When I sat down next to the guy that wound me up like a jack-in-the-box, I heard him chuckle softly.


    "Did you take care of your little issue?"


    "Yeah, no thanks to you." I growled at him softly.


    "Well, I could have stayed to help, but I didn''t think you would have appreciated that very much." I heard the answering murmur that was filled with a suggestive heat. "I will next time, if you want me to."


    "No!" I almost said it too loudly but caught myself at the last minute. "No, that''s fine. I''ll handle it from here on out."


    He was beginning to infuriate me. I don''t know why, but he was starting to act like everything that he did was just so amazing and perfect, and I should be lucky that he was there for me. Dammit, why the hell did he have to be so good at everything?


    It was already starting to get late by the time that the bus left the sports complex. Or, at least it felt late. It was still daylight at the time, but it was quickly fading. As the sun was going down, I noticed that Makai was starting to fall asleep against the window of the bus. I was growing sleepy as well, but I was trying my best not to nod off. I needed to stay alert. I needed to stay vigilant. I needed to stay on guard. I needed to wrap my little finger around his because it looked so soft and cute.


    DAMMIT! Why the hell did that thought pass through my head? And, to make matters worse, why the hell was I doing it? Why was I actually moving my left hand closer to him and stealthily wrapping my pinky finger around his so that no one else on the bus could see what it was that I was doing? It made me feel so much closer to him, it made me feel so connected to him. It made me want to lean my head against his shoulder and go to sleep against him.


    Just as my head was starting to inch closer to him, just as I could feel myself starting to prepare to use him as the perfect pillow, I saw him shift. He was still awake, and he knew what it was that I wanted. Should I stop now? Should I change my course of action so he would know that I knew he was awake? Or should I pretend I thought he was asleep the whole time, feign having been asleep the whole time myself, and pass the whole thing off as a dream gone bad?


    Yeah, like hell he would buy that at all. I just knew that this was going to be one hell of a disaster when we got off of the bus. And I was fucking tired as hell. I might as well get some rest while I still could. It''s not like I hadn''t slept with my head resting against him before. Apparently I had done it the other day, and he had quite enjoyed it. I wish I knew if I had.


    Stupid! That''s not what I need to be thinking about. I was scolding myself even as I rested my head against his shoulder, rejoicing in the warm, soft feeling of his strong arm. He made for a firm pillow but still one that I would use again, if I was given the chance. Before I even had the chance to think anymore, I was out like a light. It had been quite the tough competition today, and I knew that the two of us had been completely worn out.


    That''s all any of this was. That''s all any of this had been last night or today. None of it really meant anything. We were both just tired, sore, and worn out after having been traveling for so long.


    That thought saddened me but I knew it had to be the truth. What else could it possibly be? He couldn''t really like me like that, could he?

 Chapter 54 - Makai - Dinner

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I had been lounging with my head against the window when Ocean wrapped just his little finger around my pinky. Just our two little fingers were entwined, holding each other. And still, just that alone made my heart race, and my soul want to sing with joy. Ocean, whether he had fully admitted or not, had just accepted me. I knew that if I just kept going in the same direction that I was, I would eventually make him mine. Fully mine. I would have him in my heart, in my arms, and in my bed. I would be able to have him to love in every way possible. Then, I wouldn''t have to think of ways to end up near him; he would want to be around me.


    And the way that Ocean naturally wanted to lay his head against my shoulder so that we could sleep on the ride home from the meet, it was enough to make me scream for joy! You know, if I wasn''t pretending to be asleep. As it was, I just slowly adjusted myself before Ocean could rest himself against me and made a more comfortable place for him to lay down. I couldn''t have the guy that I liked resting uncomfortably while we slept together.


    After quite some time, I felt the bus come to a stop. I knew that I had actually been asleep since my head had been tilted down and to the side as it laid on top of Ocean''s. It didn''t feel uncomfortable to me at all. Actually, I really enjoyed waking up with the smell of him in my nose. The smell that perfectly matched the way that he tasted. It was like sipping a tropical drink while sitting next to a bonfire at the beach. It was so expressive and perfectly summed up Ocean.


    That flavor of his had spread across my tongue every time that I had kissed him. It was growing stronger and stronger each time and every time that I tasted him. I think that soon enough, I was going to be addicted to the taste of his lips. And it has only been a few times now that I have kissed him.


    I lifted my head and opened my sleep fogged eyes. I saw that Ocean was just waking up as well, conscious of the fact that he was laying against me. No one on the bus was even looking in our direction. I wonder if they just didn''t care, or if they thought we needed our sleep after all the heats we had swam today? Either way it didn''t matter to me, I had enjoyed my ride home next to Ocean.


    I made sure not to say a word to him though. I just grabbed my stuff that was stored under our seat. Ocean''s stuff, though, was halfway up the bus where he had put it when he sat with Ryan earlier this morning. Ben''s things were next to mine now, where I wished Ocean''s stuff would have been. I saw now that Ben was the only one aware that Ocean and I had been asleep during the ride back to our school. He didn''t say anything, and he just looked away innocently until Ocean moved so he could get the stuff that he needed.


    Once we were all off the bus, our weekend bags in hand, we scattered for our respective modes of transport. Most of the guys on the bus were heading for the cars that they had left in the parking lot over the weekend, like I had done. I noticed though, that Ocean''s car wasn''t there. He hadn''t driven himself on Friday. Why was that?


    The guys who hadn''t driven themselves had obviously called their parents and notified them of their imminent arrival so that they could come and pick them up. I noticed though, that Ocean seemed to be a little lost. I don''t think his parents were here for him since he had been asleep and therefore hadn''t called them.


    "I can give you a ride home." I offered him as I watched him try to think about what to do.


    "N..n..n..no that''s f..f..f..fine. I..I w..will call m..m..my parents." He stuttered so adorably. I knew now that he only did that when he was nervous around me. It made me smile.


    "Fine, I will wait. I don''t want to leave you stranded."


    I watched and listened as Ocean pulled his phone out and tried to ignore me. I could see every line of him lit up like a beacon by the streetlamp that was next to the parking lot. It lent an unearthly glow to him that just made me want to watch him even more.


    "Hey, we just got back, where are you?" The calm in his voice was strained, but would his parents notice it? "What?" The uneasy calm turned to shock now. "Why are you there?" Disbelief was settling in. "Hahh. That would take you hours. I could walk home long before then. It''s fine. Stay with Aunt Linda, she needs you right now anyway. I will be fine. I will see you guys tomorrow." There was another pause before a small smirk appeared on his face. "Yeah, yeah, I love you guys too. See you tomorrow."


    As he put his phone away I couldn''t help but think about how fortunate this was for me. I didn''t know what was wrong with his aunt, or why she had needed Ocean''s parents so desperately, but I was glad for her nonetheless. This gave me the chance to be alone with Ocean some more. He needed a ride home after all.


    "Come on." I said as I walked toward him. "Let''s go."


    "N..no, i..it''s fine. I..I..I can walk." He looked scared now. "Y..you can g..g..go without m..me."


    "Now Ocean, you don''t think I am going to leave you stranded out here all alone, do you? Yes, I know you can handle yourself and all that. That isn''t the issue. But you''re tired, hell I''m tired. I know you''re hungry because I am hungry. So come on, let''s get going; we will grab some dinner, and I will take you home." I grabbed him by the elbow to stop him from backing away from me now. "Come on." I pulled him along after me.


    "Y..you like t..to grab a h..hold of m..me d..d..d..don''t you?" He glared at me.


    "I could grab you somewhere else." I turned back to grin at him suggestively. "Or would you rather I kept my hand where it is?" The shell shocked look on his face was priceless and so adorable.


    "Y..y..you w..w..wouldn''t." He didn''t look like he believed that at all.


    "Not if you don''t want me to." I gave him as innocent of a look as I could. "But you are very tempting. Now, let''s go get some dinner, Ocean. I can only control myself for so long. If you make me wait here any more, I am likely to eat you, and I don''t know if you would enjoy that as much as I would." I winked at him, the suggestive notes in my voice letting him know that I was not at all joking. Hmm, he wasn''t running away screaming so that was a good sign.


    "I..I..I''m not hungry." His denial happened all of three hundredths of a second before his stomach growled loudly.


    "Yeah, and I bet you prefer the desert to a lovely beach scene as well." I laughed, taking him by the hand and pulling him hard so that he had no choice, but to follow me to my car. "Now come on, let''s go get some food."


    I wanted to take him to a nice restaurant. I didn''t want this to seem like a date to him, but to me that''s exactly what it was going to be. But, then again, I had seen the last two dinners we shared as dates as well whether or not he had. They were something very special for me. They had been filled with his smiles and laughter and made me so happy.


    This time though, Ocean seemed so nervous. I wanted to test the waters with him here, I wanted to do something interesting to see how he was going to react. It would be nice to see if I could find out what Ocean thought about me, even just a little, during this dinner. I hope he didn''t hate me for what I was planning to do. I really was doing it so that I could see how much he cared about me. I just wanted to move our relationship along a little. Just give it a push in the right direction.


    Once I had dragged Ocean to my car, and we were buckled in, it was time to take him out for a nice filling meal. Perhaps something that would leave me too full to try anything with him when we were done eating. I didn''t want to scare him off before I truly hooked him.

 Chapter 55 - Both - Dinner Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I couldn''t believe the things that this guy was saying. Seriously? He had grabbed my arm and then my hand and dragged me along behind him. Why was he always touching me and trying to hold onto me? Didn''t he know it made that part of me feel like it was on fire?


    And then there are the things that he has said to me. Not just now, but earlier today as well. He said things like he wanted to be around me. He wanted to touch me. He wanted to eat me. What the hell? Was he trying to make me laugh with that? I mean, we''re both guys, and on top of that we''re both the hottest guys in school, he couldn''t possibly want to be with me.


    I was lost in my thoughts as he pulled me along to his car. I had seen it before, parked in the lot, but I never really paid attention to it. It was a lot nicer than I ever thought it was. It was a black Lexus RC F. Why had I never noticed this car sitting out here before? It wasn''t the most expensive car in the world, but it was sharp and still cost nearly a hundred thousand dollars. I mean, my family was well off, but just how much did Makai''s family have if they let him keep this car here over the weekend?


    "Come on, get in." Makai opened the passenger door for me and held it so that I could get in, it wasn''t rude of him or anything, just unexpected. Honestly, he looked like he was holding the door for a date, despite the words that he had used.


    "D..do you t..treat all your d..dinner dates th..this w..w..way?" I tried to be playful and make it into a joke but he just grinned and tilted his head.


    "I treat them better when they admit that they''re on a date with me." He winked. "Let''s see how the night goes from here." I swallowed hard. What have I done? "Go on, get in. I need some food, now."


    I didn''t fight him anymore. I just slid into my seat and let him push the door shut behind me. When the black paneled door closed, and the overhead light blinked out, I was left, momentarily, in complete darkness. Makai had parked at a spot of the student lot that was far away from all the lights. Why did he want that kind of privacy? Was he a shady person or something?


    I tried to ignore it and push it out of my mind while Makai walked around the car and slid in behind the wheel. He made it look cool, smooth, and quite frankly, sexy as hell. I shouldn''t be thinking like that though. It wasn''t where I should be letting my mind wander right now. I needed to sort all this shit out before I let myself think about all of that.


    "What do you want to eat? I have somewhere in mind, but depending on what you say I can change it up." Makai''s voice was soft, pleasant, and full of an easygoing kindness.


    "I don''t care. Where you want is fine with me." I shrugged, letting him go where he had already decided on.


    "Sounds good." Makai started the engine and revved it a little before switching it into gear. He drove smoothly like he was gliding through water instead of shifting through lanes of traffic. I felt mesmerized as I watched him, his hands as he moved the wheel, everything that he did while he drove. And before I knew it, we were pulling up outside of Serafina''s.


    This place was nice. Very nice. It was an Italian restaurant that I have been to quite a few times with my parents; it''s popular with wealthier families and couples. Why the hell would he bring me here? I mean, the only thing that I could think of was the fact that they had really large portions so they were actually a good place for people like us to eat.


    When Makai pulled up, the valet came out immediately. They opened our doors for us, and we stepped out so that we could head into the restaurant. Makai took the ticket the valet offered, and we went into the restaurant together. It was weird, being here with someone other than my parents, but I guess it was fine.


    I was used to this place, but I didn''t think that Makai was. He was new in town and all. When the sharply dressed host saw us, he seated us immediately, and he even remembered me and remarked on the unusual circumstances that he was seeing me under.


    "Ocean, it is so wonderful to see you again. It is a shame that we do not have the pleasure of seeing your parents this evening." The man, Robbi, was the man that usually worked the door when I was here.


    "Yes, they''re visiting family at the moment. I am here with a friend tonight. We''re celebrating a big win at a regional tournament today." I smiled at him and tried to play it off. I didn''t want him thinking this was a date; he would tell my parents the next time they were here.


    "Of course, I know how wonderful you are, swimming is your passion. Well you sit tight, I will send Jonah over immediately."


    "Thank you." I nodded at him, I knew most of the staff here by name since my family liked to come here quite often. Most of them didn''t pay much attention to me because I didn''t try to draw it to myself. Jonah was one of the ones that would ignore me if I didn''t seek attention from him. That was fine with me, I didn''t want his attention anyway.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    It shocked me that Ocean was a regular here. I hadn''t planned on that. Oh, well, I would still do what I could to get him to tell me what he thought about me. I was hoping to hear that he was as crazy about me as I was about him.


    For now though, I noticed the waiter that was coming over here. He was eyeing me like I was a piece of candy that he wanted to devour. He wasn''t being overly obvious about it, but I could tell. Why wasn''t he showing that attention to Ocean? He was better looking than I was. Then again, until recently he had a girlfriend, perhaps the waiter knew that and didn''t think that Ocean was that type. If he only knew.


    This gave me an idea. I wanted to prove to Ocean that I was open to these types of relationships. That I was fine flirting with a guy. He didn''t know much about me after all; he didn''t know that I was a very open person.


    "Good evening gentlemen, welcome to Serafina''s. My name is Jonah, and I will be taking care of you this evening. Is there something that I can start you off with to drink?" Jonah was not giving off a flirty vibe, nothing too ostentatious, but still noticeable.


    "Good evening, Jonah." I purred back to him in a slightly flirty voice. "I would love a glass of sparkling water with lime." My smile was not excessive, but it told him that I at least swung his way.


    "Right away." He winked at me. "And for you, Ocean?" He asked as he barely turned to look at the man who so captivated me.


    "I''ll just have a coke." It looked to me like Ocean was a little upset. Huh, was that jealousy?


    "Coming right up."


    We sat in silence as we looked over the menus in front of us. Actually, we sat in silence while I looked over my menu, and Ocean glared at me. Did he not like my little flirting session with Jonah or something? I was glad that this opportunity presented itself so readily.


    When Jonah came back with our drinks, he asked if we were ready to place our orders. I was, and it seemed that Ocean already knew what it was he wanted as well so we got straight to business.


    "Go ahead." I pointed at Ocean, telling him to start.


    "I''ll have the extra large pasta bowl with meat sauce and the bread stick, salad, and soup combo." I noticed that even while Ocean spoke, Jonah didn''t look at him; he kept his body turned toward me, and his smile directed right toward my eyes. He was definitely flirting with me hardcore now.


    "And for you, Sir?" The words were polite and formal, but the purr said something completely different.


    "I''ve never been here before, and I admit I am a little lost as to what to get. It all just looks so scrumptious." I licked my lips as I looked over the top of my menu; that earned me an eye roll from Ocean and a grin from Jonah.


    "Well, let me help you decide." Jonah came closer then, his right hand brushing against my shoulder as he leaned down to point at the menu with his left. He was explaining what the dishes were and what his suggestions were.


    "Hmm. I still can''t decide. I think I will just have the same thing that Ocean is having; it sounds really good after all."


    "Alright then." Jonah looked a little sad, but wrote down the order. I hadn''t taken a single one of his suggestions and went with something simple. Still, he was smiling when he walked away.

 Chapter 56 - Both - Dinner Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    What the hell was he doing? Why was he flirting with Jonah like this? He was here to have dinner with me for crying out loud. Hadn''t he said that he wanted me? Didn''t he say that he liked me and wanted to be with me? Not that it mattered to me at all. I didn''t want him. I didn''t need him. I would just go and find myself someone else. I would just go and get myself a girlfriend or something.


    But, dammit, this was pissing me off. Makai made no sense whatsoever. He went from kissing me with enough heat and passion that I thought I was going to burn to death to flirting with this jackass right in front of me. What the hell was the matter with him? Why would he do this to me? Was he just playing games with me? That had to be it.


    This whole time it had just been a game for him. He had kissed me three times now, and it meant nothing to him. OK, I admit, I kissed him the first time, but I don''t even know why I did that. The other two though, he started them. He was the one that kissed me on the bed, and he was the one that kissed me in the locker room.


    He not only kissed me, he pressed his hips against me. He even pressed his dick against mine. That wasn''t the kind of thing you did with someone if you didn''t want something from them, right? That wasn''t the kind of game you played with them. That just led to confusion and heartache.


    Not that I was heartbroken. I was just fine. I didn''t care at all. He was just lucky it was me and not some other poor sap that he was taking for a ride like this. This would have ruined someone else. It would have destroyed them to see the guy that had just been flirting with them not even an hour ago flirting with someone else right now. That shit is hard to watch.


    And what was that, letting Jonah touch him like that? I would have punched the shit out of the creepy asshole if he pressed himself to me like that. It was wrong and rude. I would be saying something if I ever saw it happening again.


    I was sulking. I don''t know why, but I was sulking. I knew this whole time that Makai didn''t want me. I knew that he was just playing games with me. He may not have done the same thing that Brittney had done to me, but he was stringing me along for these last couple days. I''m just glad it was only one weekend and not several months like I wasted on that fucking tramp.


    At least I know, though. I know that Makai is just a manwhore playing with me. I don''t need to think about him anymore at all. I could force myself to stop thinking about him. I would force myself to stop imagining the way he looks when he is nearly naked, and water is dripping off his toned body. I would not imagine the way he looked when he was looming over me with his boxer briefs hastily pulled up, the waistband crooked and heat filling his eyes.


    I would also forget the way that he felt when he was pressed against me. His chest, his muscles, his bulge, all of it. I would force all these thoughts from my head. Just as soon as I was able to. Right now, I was fighting the erection they wanted to give me.


    "You seem distressed." Makai''s calm voice broke the nearly silent dining room, there were only two other tables with people seated at them right now.


    "A..a..annoyed is m..m..more l..l..like it. I..I..I just d..don''t want to b..b..be here right n..now. I would have l..left, but I am h..hungry and I s..s..suck at cooking." I shouldn''t have told him that. I''m so stupid.


    "Really? I will have to cook you something sometime." His crooked, happy grin made my heart race, and I didn''t want that at all. I didn''t want to be happy to see his smile or hear his words.


    "Th..th..that''s fine, y..y..you don''t n..need to worry about i..it at all." I threw away his offer and ignored him as best as I could. I was hoping the food would be here soon. The meal was not one that took a long time to prepare.


    "But I want to." He insisted with another grin. "I like to cook, I learned when I was young." I just ignored him this time, not saying a word.


    Ahh, there he is, Jonah was coming back out with our food. Thank goodness, I didn''t want to wait any longer for it. I knew that I was about to give in and start actually talking to Makai, and that would suck with how bad I was stuttering.


    "Here you are, gentlemen." Jonah set the plates down as he leaned in toward Makai. I noticed the way that his hand brushed against Makai''s as he positioned the plates for him. "Now, is there anything else I can get for you? Anything at all?" I could hear the desperation in the man''s voice. He wanted Makai to pay attention to him, he was so desperate. I never knew he was even gay until tonight. Or, maybe Makai just had a superpower that turned straight men gay. Well, it wasn''t going to work on me. Nope, not at all.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When our food arrived I saw that Ocean was pissed. He didn''t like how much Jonah was flirting with me. I hadn''t done much, really. It had just been a little light encouragement here and there. I hadn''t said or done anything to tell the man that I was interested in him. I just didn''t explicitly tell him that I was interested in someone else.


    After sending Jonah on his way, we started on our meal. No matter how much I tried to get Ocean to talk, he ignored me. He would grunt or give single word answers. That wasn''t very encouraging. However, it did tell me one thing. Ocean was jealous. And he couldn''t be jealous if he didn''t like me. So, this wasn''t exactly an exercise in futility or anything like that. This was actually something that was coming along nicely.


    The food was good. Ocean had really good taste. And they had some very large portions. I was worried at first because he hadn''t ordered a lot of food, but the extra large pasta bowl was like three meals worth at another restaurant. And add to that the basket of bread sticks, large bowl of salad, and the soup of the day it was a pretty good meal.


    We polished off all the food while sitting in semi-silence. I was happy though. I couldn''t stop smiling as I stared at Ocean. He was such an amazing guy: a great swimmer, smart as hell, nice to his friends, sexy and good looking as hell. Why wouldn''t I want him? I just needed him to see that I really, truly did want him.


    "Are you done?" Ocean asked me as he dropped his napkin to the table. He looked upset still, but at least he also looked satisfied. We had both needed a good meal.


    "Yeah, I think so." I smiled at him, but that was when Jonah came rushing over, a plate in hand.


    "Hey there, we''ve got this extra dessert that someone ordered. It''s already been paid for, and we will have to throw it out if no one wants it. Would you care to take it?" He was looking right at me when he spoke.


    "No, I don''t think so, but what about you, Ocean?" I asked him with a smile.


    "No, I don''t want it. I just want to get out of here." He looked very annoyed as he stared at Jonah. Yeah that was some hardcore jealousy there.


    "Then I think we will be going. Can we get the check please?" I grinned at Jonah, just to show him there were no hard feelings.


    "Sure, no problem. I can wrap this up for you if you would like. It will just take a moment. If you don''t want it, you can toss it out; that''s what we would be doing as well." He grinned at me to show that he really wanted me to take the sugary treat so I just smiled and nodded at him.


    Five minutes later I was collecting my receipt from Jonah after signing the credit card slip. I tried to refuse the box with the dessert, but he insisted that I take it with me, and he even winked as he pushed the receipt toward me as well. Why was that?


    "Huh." I nearly laughed as we were walking out the door, waiting for the valet to bring me my car.


    "What?" Ocean sounded angrier now.


    "He gave me his phone number."


    "That little shit." Ocean snapped as he turned and grabbed the box and receipt from my hands.


    I watched on, barely containing my laughter, as Ocean threw the dessert into the trash and ripped the receipt that contained the phone number into little shreds. After that he seemed to have realized what it was that he had done and stormed off. Whatever he was feeling, he didn''t want me to see it.

 Chapter 57 - Makai - Emotions Coming To A Boil

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Whatever it was that Ocean was thinking he was clearly annoyed by it. I had planned to push the idea of Ocean and I being together during dinner. I was planning on being a little over the top and flirtatious with him, but not in a bad way. However, Jonah had presented me with a pretty good opportunity instead.


    I didn''t need to push the idea of us being together if I could push him on with jealousy. I mean, it was clear that Ocean reacted to me the same way that I reacted to him. I think the problem here was that he had never thought about being with a guy before. It''s possible he still doesn''t know that he''s gay. Or he can think of himself as bisexual if he wants. I really don''t care how he looks at it, as long as he admits that we belong with each other.


    There is just too much going on with us to ignore it. I wanted to be with him so bad it was unlike anyone I had ever thought about before. Not that I had been with a lot of people but I hadn''t exactly been exclusive either. I was a man who believed in the freedom to express love, whether it was with a woman or another man.


    Did Ocean think that I didn''t want him or something? Was that the reason behind his hesitation? I had thought the reason was because he couldn''t imagine himself with me, but maybe I was wrong. Did I maybe fuck up by flirting back with Jonah? Dammit. This was complicated.


    "Sir?" I heard a voice call out to me as I watched Ocean walking away from me. He was no more than a dozen steps away from me so far, I could catch up to him easily. "Sir, your car." The valet called out to me again, getting my attention as he held the door open for me.


    "Thank you." I smiled at the man and slid in behind the wheel.


    I figured the best thing that I could do now would be to offer him a ride home and try to get him to get back into the car. So, like a creepy stalker in a white van, I followed him down the street at a slow and steady pace until I was right next to him.


    "Ocean?" I called out to him. "Come on Ocean, get in the car."


    "Go away." He didn''t look at me, he just started to walk faster and ignored me as best as he could.


    "Let me drive you home at least. Come on." He was still ignoring me and wouldn''t even look at me.


    I noticed that there was a small grouping of parking spaces coming up that angled toward where he was walking. I sped up a little and parked in the one that was closest to him. I then got out and waited for him to walk nearer to me. I was going to apologize for what had happened tonight. I didn''t want to cause issues like this. I just wanted to make him realize his feelings for me.


    I was standing directly in his path as he walked along the sidewalk. For a moment, I thought he was going to dart to the other side of the street or something to avoid me, he was watching me unhappily with every step that he took. Damn, I had really messed up this time.


    Thankfully, he didn''t try to avoid me. No, instead it looked like he was going to try and push right through me. I was going to try to talk to him again, I just hoped he would listen.


    "Look, Ocean, I''m sorry." I had just started to apologize to him, but he didn''t seem to want that.


    With a grunt of frustration, he grabbed my shirt and dragged me into the alley that was beside us. Did he want to fight me or something? What was up with this? What was he doing?


    I didn''t try to stop him. I was too shocked and taken by surprise to try and stop him from pulling me into the alleyway. The next thing that I knew I felt my back slam into the wall of the building just past the edge of the street lights.


    "Ocean, what-?" I don''t even remember what I was about to ask. The thought went completely out of my mind in the next second. While I was in the middle of asking him whatever it had been he pressed his mouth to mine.


    Eager, hot, hungry, and greedy. Those are the words that I would have used to describe the kiss that Ocean was currently pressing against my lips. His tongue slid into my opened mouth and devoured me. His mouth worked magic that I never thought was possible before right now.


    He had been holding onto my shirt still, both hands fisted into the fabric so that he could hold me in place, or so he could stop his hands from roaming over my body. I didn''t have a distraction like that, there was nothing to stop my hands from exploring him.


    I felt the burning itch of my palms as the desperate desire to touch him ached through me. I had felt his naked flesh under me once and I wanted to feel it again. Without thinking about it I slid my hands to his waist and up under his shirt.


    My fingers danced across his back and skirted up to his shoulder blades but it wasn''t enough. They felt perfectly sculpted and muscled under my fingers, but it wasn''t something that I could grab a hold of. I needed something that I could hold and squeeze.


    Now, and he pressed his chest even closer to me, deepening the kiss, I slid my hands down his back. I was no longer feeling skin against my palm, but I let my hands curve around his ass and gripped him tightly. I squeezed and luxuriated in the firm yet supple feel of him under his clothes. I wanted to feel that part of him fully naked. I wanted to hold all of him in my arms, unhindered by these barriers.


    Just as reason flew from my mind, and I reached for his waistband, determined to strip him right then and there, he came to his senses. He pulled his mouth away, but left his chest pressed against mine. His hands, which at some point had moved, were now pressed against the brick wall on either side of my arms.


    We were both panting heavily while staring at each other, frozen in the moment that we had been in. My fingers were on the button of his jeans. His bulge was pressed against mine in a sort of sword fight that I didn''t want to lose the feel of in all honesty. And there was a confused look of desire in Ocean''s eyes that told me everything that I needed to know.


    "O..Ocean?" I panted through his name as I tried to break through the lust that was filling my head.


    "M..M..Makai?" I don''t know if he stuttered for the same reason that I did, or if it was his usual stutter when he was nervous around me.


    "What are we going to do here?" I asked him, trying to determine our next move. That was when he finally realized what position we were in.


    Ocean jumped away from me and cleared his throat quickly. I watched as he fixed his clothes, nervous and uneasy. He didn''t seem to want to look at me for a minute.


    "What was that for?" I asked him. "Don''t get me wrong, I am glad that you did it, but why did you?"


    "I..I d..d..don''t know." He turned bright red and stuttered for a second before he turned to look at me with anger filled eyes. "B..b..but you kept toying with me. You were just playing with me. You were trying to lead me on. I don''t know what you''re playing at, but you''re using me for something. You flirted with me. You kissed me. You told me that you wanted to be with me. It was all a lie. None of it was-."


    That was when I cut him off. I reversed our position as I pushed him against the building opposite me and held him in place as I kissed him just as fiercely as he had just kissed me. I explored his mouth with my tongue and stole his moaning gasp as if it were the sweetest dessert in the world. When I pressed myself against him, my still firm erection pressing against his still equally firm dick, he moaned obscenely as if someone was playing with him.


    God, I wanted to play with him. I wanted to strip him down and do things to him that I couldn''t do in an alley like this. I needed to stop myself. I needed to do this right and not scare him off.


    With every scrap of self control I could muster, I pulled my lips from his, but I couldn''t pull myself away completely. Instead of leaving him entirely, I pressed my forehead against his, panting as I felt the thrumming heat of his body.


    "Does that feel like I was playing with you, Ocean?" I turned my head just a little then, leaning my mouth closer to his ear until my lips practically brushed against the lobe as I spoke. "Does this look like I was toying with you? Huh? No, it doesn''t. I have been fighting myself for control since the day I first saw you. And if I didn''t have the last shreds of that control, I would do something right here that I really shouldn''t."


    I pulled away from him just a little. I could tell that there was a heat in my eyes that was very intense. I didn''t know what he thought of it since I was too far gone at the moment to think clearly.


    "Just know this, Ocean, I want you. I thought I had been making that clear, but I guess I fucked up tonight."


    "Yeah, you did, when you flirted and tried to pick someone else up right in front of me." He glared at me, clearly hurt.


    "I only did that to make you jealous. I wanted you to accept that I like you, and you like me."


    "I don''t-."


    "Don''t you?" I cut him off. "Don''t you like me? Why else would you respond to me the way that you do? Why else would our bodies seem so perfect for each other?" I was still panting, my lust and need almost too much for me, but they were also being overshadowed by my anger. He was still denying it, even after what he had done.


    "But we''re both-."


    "What? Guys?" I cut him off again, not letting him finish his protest. "That doesn''t seem to matter now does it? I want you, Ocean. And if you want me, then I will be overjoyed. If you can''t seem to accept it, then I guess we''re doomed to fail." I finally pulled away from him, my body settling down at last. Even my hard on was gone. "Come on, let me drive you home." I waited for him to start walking, afraid that if I left first he wouldn''t follow me.


    It took a moment, but after staring at me in a daze, Ocean stepped away from the wall and walked back toward my car. I didn''t have to drag him to the car, I didn''t have to open the door for him. He went willingly this time.

 Chapter 58 - Both - What Just Happened?

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Fifteen minutes later I was sitting in my car parked in front of Ocean''s place. I couldn''t help but smile as I looked at the house. I knew that Ocean was looking at me like I was crazy, but I just couldn''t help it. I was happy.


    "Why the hell are you grinning like that?" Ocean snapped at me, I could tell that he wanted to laugh at the look on my face, but he didn''t want to let his guard down just yet.


    "Just happy." I turned to look at him instead of the house, I had the building memorized, and the house number written on the side as well.


    "Yeah? And what made you so happy all of a sudden?" He looked like he might have realized the mistake of his words as soon as they were out of his mouth.


    With a smirk, I leaned over to him just a little, I wasn''t anywhere near touching him, but he recoiled reflexively just the same.


    "Well, I could say that it had been winning the tournament with you. Or, kissing you in the locker room. Or you holding my hand on the bus ride home. Any of them I would consider amazing, wouldn''t you? But, let''s keep going, shall we? I will tell you everything else that has made me happy, just this evening. Since we got off the bus, I got to take you out to dinner. Then when I tried to talk to you and apologize for being an idiot, you dragged me down the alley and kissed me. Quite fiercely too, if I might say so myself. I know it was done in a fit of jealous rage, but that''s fine because it proves that, deep down, you like me and were jealous that someone else showed me attention and affection, and that I slightly reciprocated."


    "I''d say it was more than slightly." Ocean interrupted my long winded reply to him, and all I could do was smile wider. He didn''t realize what he was saying when he made small little comments like that.


    "I had been trying to get you to admit to yourself, if not to me, that you liked me. And in doing so I admitted the truth of the way I feel about you." I leaned in just a little more, bringing us just a little closer. "I want you, Ocean. I want you in every possible way that someone could want another person. I want all of you to be mine; I want your heart, mind, body, soul. I want it all!" I smirked now, seeing the shock fill his eyes at my seriousness. "And now, finally, to why I am truly happy right now. I am happy because I now know where you live. And I can come see you whenever I want to. That, to me, is more amazing than you could ever know!"


    With that, Ocean looked out the window at his house and then back at me. He repeated the motion several times like he had just understood what me driving him home had really meant to me. I had learned something really valuable here, and I wasn''t going to forget it, ever.


    "B..b..but, th..this is, m..m..my parents w..w..will, th..they m..might be, y..y..you c..can''t-." God damn, that stuttering of his could be so adorable when he was flustered like this.


    "Don''t worry, I know how to behave myself. But, I also know that your parents aren''t home right now. So, if you want me to stay on this side of this car, I suggest you head inside now. I will see tomorrow." I winked at him and nearly laughed when he hurriedly unbuckled himself to get out of the car.


    "Oh, and Ocean." I rolled the window down as I called after him when he shut the door. "It''d be really nice if I could drive you to school sometime, so that we could practice together after class." I laughed at his shocked expression and drove away. I had teased him a lot tonight, but with any luck, I had pushed our relationship ahead by miles instead of the baby steps we had been taking. I needed him to know that I was serious about him. I really did desire him.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Holy shit! What the fuck just happened?


    I couldn''t believe any of the shit that had happened today? Not winning the tournament, and nothing after. Actually, I think I was still laying on the bed sleeping while Makai was in the shower. That has got to be the most logical answer here.


    I tried to pinch myself, to wake myself up. I felt the quick sharp pain. OK, clearly I didn''t pinch hard enough, I just need to do it again. As I watched Makai''s tail lights retreat, I pinched myself on my thigh over and over again. I was pinching harder and harder with each one, but I wasn''t waking up. So, this wasn''t a dream. It had all really happened.


    I kissed Makai?! I hadn''t just kissed him once, but multiple times. And, I was the one who started it. I had kissed him on the beach that night, and I don''t even know why I had done it. And then he kissed me last night. Then again today, and..and.. OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE?!


    I was about to have a full on freak out over this.


    This wasn''t just me fantasizing about him when he was getting out of the pool. This wasn''t just me noticing him watching me in class or me watching him whenever I had the chance. This was me actually kissing him.


    I needed to think about this. I needed to process everything. I needed to let it all sink in. That was why I turned around and stomped into my house. After I slammed and locked the door behind me, I stomped up the stairs to my room. I needed to take a shower and wash the pool water off of me. I needed it earlier, but we didn''t have the time.


    I stripped as I walked across my room, dropping my clothes as I went. I would just pick them up later. I wasn''t in the mood right now. I needed the hot, soothing waters of the shower.


    In no time at all, I was standing naked under the spray of the water, rinsing the chlorine off of me while I tried to wash away my memories too.


    Then again, did I really want to forget? I mean, nothing that happened had actually been bad. I had actually enjoyed it all. Every time that I had kissed Makai, I had been aroused. Even back on the beach, I can remember that my body had felt hard when I pulled him toward me. The same thing happened last night when he pressed his groin against me. He was grinding his erection against my erection to prove that he wasn''t the only one hard from the kiss.


    And I already knew the guy made me hard. Thinking about him, hell smelling him was all it took to make me hard anymore. I had to masturbate almost constantly to stop myself from having a raging boner around him.


    Dammit, even now, thinking about the way that his body felt pressed against mine, and the way that I had held him in my arms, it was making me hard. Dammit, all I could think about right now were those kisses. All of them. All of the kisses had been intense. And all of them had gotten hotter and more each time.


    Right now, I was stuck with a thought that wouldn''t leave my mind. I wanted to feel Makai. I wanted to touch him. I wanted to run my hands down his back and grip his ass just like he had done to me. I wanted to feel his chest pressed against mine and the firm weight of his body pressed against me as I was laying under him. I wanted a repeat of when he surprised me last night mixed with the kisses from tonight.


    "OH GOD!" I felt like I was about to explode as I yelled to the shower, and the water that was falling around me. I couldn''t stop my arousal. I had only made it worse. I needed a release. And, I had to wonder, did Makai ever need to do this after we kissed? The words passed through my mind seconds before I reached down to grip myself. Just the firm pressure of my palm felt amazing right now, but it wasn''t enough. However, when I started to stroke myself that wasn''t what I truly wanted either.


    No, what I truly wanted was to feel him pressed against me again. I wanted to feel Makai, hard and full of desire, as he was grinding himself against me. That was what my body was telling me that it needed the most right now.


    Just the thought of it, the memories of it, were enough to finish me. I was able to end my problem and create a new one at the same time as I came sighing his name. I was falling for him. I was falling for a guy. Actually, I was beyond falling for him, I had already fallen for him and wanted him. When the hell did that happen? How the hell did this happen? And, why the hell did it feel way more right than anything I had ever had with Britt the Bitch?


    I didn''t think I would get an answer to any of those questions as I got out of the shower and dried myself off. I opted to sleep in just my boxers, sliding them on before sliding into my bed. I had one quick moment to think to myself that it was a shame we didn''t actually share that bed at the hotel. Not that I wanted to do anything with him, but just sleeping next to him would be nice too, right?

 Chapter 59 - Both - Morning After

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When my alarm went off in the morning, I felt like I hadn''t slept at all. I felt so tired that I just didn''t want to get out of bed. I know exactly why I had felt like that though. It was all Makai''s fault. If it hadn''t been for him, and the things he had said, and the things he had done, I wouldn''t have had such a hard time falling asleep.


    I guess I can''t really blame it all on him though. I had gotten jealous. I had let my emotions get to me. I had dragged him down that alley and kissed him with everything that I had. And I had been the one to think about what I had in the shower. He never made me touch myself to the memories of his body.


    I don''t really think that it had been Makai''s fault that I fell for him. It was just something that developed between us and pulled us together. But just because I was able to admit to myself that I liked him, it didn''t mean that I would be able to tell him right away.


    I mean, I could barely admit it to myself so how was I supposed to say the words to him? I had never even told Brittney that I loved her. I thought I loved her, and I implied it I guess, but I had never actually said it.


    Why? Why hadn''t I said it? Did I somehow, deep down, know she wasn''t right for me? Or was it because somehow, subconsciously, I knew that I shouldn''t be with her? Did I know that I never should have been with any woman at all?


    "H..have I been gay all along?" I whispered as I asked the quiet room. "A..am I really gay?" I couldn''t answer that, not really. I had dated Brittney so I wasn''t, right? But I was actually attracted to Makai in a way I had never been attracted to Brittney.


    Sleeping with Britt the bitch had been like something that I accepted as a reward that was to come for me eventually. When I got it, I got it. I never rushed her. But, my hands itched to touch more of Makai. I couldn''t get enough of the feel of him in the palms of my hands. Was that actually called attraction? I think it was.


    While I contemplated what was going on with me, my mom yelled for me from downstairs.


    "Ocean! You''re running late." Her voice was still sweet, but she was rushing me as well. I guess they had gotten back late last night or early this morning. "Get up, or you''re going to miss practice."


    "I''m too sick to go." I yelled down to her without leaving my bed.


    "Ocean? Are you OK?" She was rushing up the stairs as she came to check up on me.


    "He''s fine." I heard my dad as he grumbled. "Come on, son, get up."


    "I''m exhausted Dad. The tournament took a lot out of me, especially that finals round. I can barely move." I put on a little bit of an act as I said it; they would eat it up. I never wanted to miss school because I never wanted to miss practice.


    "Honey? Are you sure that''s all it is? Are you feeling anything else?" Mom came into my room then. I was glad I was covered up, I was only in my boxers after all.


    "I''m fine Mom, I''m just tired. I swam so much in such a short amount of time that it just took so much out of me. Coming in first place was worth it, but I am still exhausted."


    "You won?! Why didn''t you tell us sooner?! You little brat!" Mom smacked my foot then and laughed happily. "I knew you could do it though; I am so proud of you!"


    "Good job, son!" Dad called from the hall.


    "You stay in bed and rest up. I have like eight houses to show today so I probably won''t have time to come home for lunch, and I didn''t make much of a breakfast; I''m sorry."


    "I can fend for myself." I smiled at her. "I''ll be alright, I just want to sleep."


    "Alright. I''ll call you later, OK?" Mom kissed my head and left the room then.


    I heard both of my parents leave a little while later. I was finally alone in the house and alone with my thoughts. I really was tired though, so I decided to go back to sleep. However, right as I was on the verge of sleep, my phone rang. It was my coach.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Practice had actually started almost ten minutes ago, and Ocean wasn''t here. I was nervous. I was nervous when I didn''t see him in the locker room while we were getting ready. I was nervous when I went out with the rest of the team, and he still wasn''t here. What was going on with him? Did this have something to do with me?


    Well, I guess we will find out soon. Coach Dickson was on the phone with him now. I just felt my stomach clenching and twisting in knots the entire time.


    "Hey, Kai, are you alright?" I heard someone say next to my head, but I ignored them so I could hear the coach''s words.


    "Are you alright?" He sounded worried for a moment. Was there something seriously wrong? Was it Ocean''s head injury? What was happening? "Are you sure there''s nothing else? Could it be a bug?" At that the coach turned to look at the rest of us, most likely making sure that we were doing our warm ups. "Uh huh. Alright, well if you''re doing better tomorrow, I will see you then, but don''t push yourself, alright?"


    He hung up the phone then and looked right at me. There was a little bit of anger and fear in his eyes when he called out to me.


    "Rivers?"


    "Yeah, Coach?" I asked him as I looked up, abandoning my conditioning exercises and walking toward him.


    "How are you feeling? Anything wrong? Shores is under the weather, and you''re not looking too good yourself."


    "Well, to be honest Coach, I am a bit tired." That wasn''t a lie, but I was playing it up a little.


    "Go home. I don''t need the two of you getting sick, or the rest of the team either. Go get some sleep, and don''t come back to school until you feel better. If that is tomorrow, fine: if it''s Wednesday, that''s fine too. You guys need to take care of yourselves." The sternness in his voice was unexpected, but I wasn''t going to argue with him. I really was tired since I hadn''t slept much last night.


    I had spent most of last night thinking about Ocean; the rest I had spent thinking about how he was going to react to last night. It had left me with very little time to actually sleep. Well, since I was being sent home, I wonder where I should go. I mean, I wasn''t really going to go home now, was I?


    Nope, I was going to go where my heart took me. And my stomach. I was still hungry. My heart wanted to take me to Ocean''s house, and my stomach wanted to take me to the Waterton Grill. Well, there was no reason I couldn''t do both. I wonder if Ocean has had breakfast yet.


    After going to the diner to order food, a lot of food, I drove straight to Ocean''s place. It looked like neither of his parents were home so that was good. I don''t know if they came home yet or not, but I could tell that there were no more cars in the driveway than there were last night. I guess they could be in the garage, but that was a risk I had to take. Here goes nothing.


    I grabbed the two large bags filled full of food and walked up to the door. After ringing the bell, I waited a few minutes for someone to come down to answer it. I could hear whoever it was that was approaching; they had stumbled as they went down the stairs and grumbled a few times. Had I woke them up? It definitely sounded like that had been what happened. Oh, well, there was no taking it back now. I mean, I could hear them opening the door already.


    The next thing that I knew the door was being pulled open, and Ocean was standing there. His hair was a mess, his eyes were clouded with sleep, his chest was bare, and he was only wearing a pair of black boxer briefs that fit snugly against his curves in a way that I was very appreciative of.


    "Yeah?" His voice had been slightly annoyed, since I had clearly just woken him up.


    "Well, I certainly enjoy the sight, but I hope you don''t answer the door like that all the time." I grinned at him playfully as I eyed him up and down slowly.

 Chapter 60 - Ocean - Makai Is In My House

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Well, I certainly enjoy the sight, but I hope you don''t answer the door like that all the time." The moment I opened the door, I heard a voice that drove all thoughts of sleep from my mind. What the hell was Makai doing here? Wasn''t he supposed to be at school?


    "What the hell?!" I hadn''t meant to say the words out loud, but they slipped past my sleepy lips unhindered.


    "I brought you some breakfast. Coach said you were under the weather, and I was feeling tired so he sent me home." I heard the soft seductive notes in his voice and had to tense my whole body to stop myself from shuddering.


    "This isn''t your home." I growled at him. "Or did you get lost along the way?" He laughed at that, and it was a smooth, soft sound that felt like he was rubbing his hands all over my body.


    "Well, I was guided by two things when I left the school. The first led me to the diner so I could get some food." That was when he held up the two large bags that he was carrying.


    "And what else guided you?" I was curious, but still pissed that he was here.


    "My heart." He stepped closer to me and grinned. "I wanted to make sure that you were OK." He was now standing on the threshold of the door, basically inside already.


    "Cute." I glared at him, not at all amused. That was when I sighed and hung my head. "Fine, whatever, come in." I stepped back and let him in the house.


    "Thank you. Why don''t you get some clothes on, and I will find my way to the kitchen." He looked me over again, and that was when I actually realized that I had opened the door in nothing but my boxers.


    I felt my face flush red as I turned and ran back through the house. I was up the upstairs and in my room in no time at all. I can''t believe that I just did that. After hyperventilating and dressing as quickly as I could, I made my way back down the stairs and to the kitchen.


    Makai had already started to unload the bags of food onto the island in the middle of the kitchen, dishes sitting at the table ready.


    "I''m glad you didn''t take too long. I am hungry and didn''t want to wait." He was smiling at me like there was nothing wrong at all.


    "You could have gone home to eat, no one made you come here." I was still grumpy, I didn''t know if it was from seeing him here right now or from being woken up when I wanted to sleep. Either way, I noticed that I wasn''t stuttering because I was too busy being mad.


    "But then we couldn''t have had breakfast together. Aren''t you hungry?"


    I was ravenous, but I wasn''t going to tell him that. I was going to be stoic and ignore him. I was too tired and grumpy. However, I didn''t need to tell him, my stomach betrayed me again. It was just like last night all over again. The smell of the food had made my stomach growl and my mouth water. Damn my stupid body for showing my true feelings.


    "I guess that is a yes." He grinned at me as he finished removing all the food containers.


    "What did you get?" I asked him, deciding not to turn down the free food. He just smiled even wider.


    "Well, I didn''t know what you would want so I got a bit of everything. I have ham, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, french toast, hash browns, fried and scrambled eggs, biscuits, and toast." He really had gotten it all, the guy must really love food. "Oh, and I am sure you have it, but I got the works as well. I have some of all the jams and jellies, honey, and syrup. We''re covered for it all. So, let''s start dividing it up. Which do you prefer, biscuits or toast?" He gave me a suggestive grin then, and I didn''t know why.


    "Toast." I answered him honestly, but for some reason, it looked like I had just answered all of his prayers. He leaned across the island, getting a little closer to me before he spoke in a soft voice.


    "That''s good. I will let you have my toast as well as yours, if you let me have your biscuits."


    "Huh?!" I jumped back from him to see that he was laughing like that had been the desired outcome for his little joke.


    "You''re having fun with this." I glared at him.


    "Yes, and you''re either hating it or not nervous." He smiled as he pulled a stool out and sat in it, looking at me seriously. "Which is it? I know it''s one or the other because you''re not stuttering. You look a little annoyed, but I don''t think you''re that angry."


    I kept my mouth shut and ignored him. I didn''t want to answer that question. He was right, I wasn''t that pissed off. I thought I was at first, but I wasn''t. The whole reason I was being more like myself was because I was getting used to him.


    "Come on, let''s eat; then we can talk." That grin of his was annoying, but it was also nearly swoon worthy.


    We dug into our food then, eating our way through the mountain of food that Makai had brought for us. It was a lot, and by the time that we were almost done with it all, I was actually getting full. And I noticed that even Makai was having trouble eating it, and he had as big of an appetite as me, if not bigger.


    "That was good." Makai smiled, seeming sated.


    "Yeah, it was." I smiled reluctantly. "Thank you." I nodded at him.


    "So, why did you miss school?"


    He was starting with that right out of the gate when we were done eating? What the hell? Did he want me to lose the breakfast I had just eaten due to nerves? Damn him, stupid, annoying, good looking, sexy Makai!


    Why the hell did I think all those things about him?


    "It was nothing really. I was just tired." I tried to deflect it as I cleaned up the mess, then turned to walk out of the room.


    "Is that really all?" He sounded so worried about me.


    "Yes, that''s all." I snapped as I made my way to the living room near the front door. "I just didn''t sleep much last night."


    "Because of me?" He guessed correctly, but it was annoying that he was being so conceited about it.


    "Why do you think it was because of you?" I turned and snapped at him.


    "Well, you know." He looked nervous now. It was like he didn''t want to admit what had happened last night.


    Dammit, I knew he was just toying with me! I knew it wasn''t real for him! He is probably seeing how far he can push me before I snap. Then he will tell everyone what I did and it will all come back on me.


    "You know what? Get out! I don''t want you here anymore!" I pulled the door open and pointed toward the street. I didn''t want to wait and watch him go though, so I turned and ran up the stairs.


    "Ocean?"


    His voice called after me, but that was all for a moment. I heard the door slam shut and the thudding of my heart in my ear. When I made it to my room, I didn''t hear anything else. I most definitely didn''t hear him right behind me, and he followed me through the door.


    "Ocean?" He called out to me as he pushed his way into my room, into my personal space. "What the hell?!"


    "You''re just messing with me. I know you are." I could hear the sadness in my voice as I spoke. I had fallen for him, but this was just a game.


    "Didn''t we go over this last night?" He sounded confused. "Didn''t I tell you what I felt last night?"


    "Yeah, but then you were too embarrassed to even mention last night. It was like you were ashamed of it." I finally looked up and glared at him. I was leveling him with a glare so sharp that I felt like it should pierce him.


    I watched as the words played across his face. It wasn''t really taking a long time, but it was all moving in slow motion. The way he froze when he heard me snap at him. The shock that he seemed to feel. All of it was moving so slow that by the time that he spoke I felt like I was about to explode from nerves and anticipation.


    "How do you feel about me, Ocean?" My eyes went wide before I dropped my head to look at the floor.


    "I..I don''t know." I whispered. "But, I..I don''t hate you." I raised my head again, looking at him steadily. "I..I think I..I m..m..might-."

 Chapter 61 - Makai - Is This A Confession?

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I couldn''t believe it when Ocean suddenly got mad at me and told me to leave. He was so angry, for whatever reason, that he just opened the door and didn''t stick around to watch me leave. He just hurried up the stairs as if someone or something was after him. I guess someone was, though, since I pushed his door shut and immediately followed him.


    Normally, I would have been ecstatic right now. I was in Ocean''s house. I was following him up the stairs to his bedroom. I was learning so much about him and where he lived. But I couldn''t enjoy it at all. I couldn''t enjoy the fact that I would be able to pinpoint which window was his based on the room he walked into, and I definitely couldn''t appreciate the sight of his ass as he climbed the stairs ahead of me. Dammit, Ocean, you''re ruining this for me.


    When he finally made it to his room and stormed in, he tried to slam the door, hard. I felt a slight twinge of pain in my elbow as I caught the door and forced my way in behind him. I needed to talk to him, and it couldn''t wait.


    "Ocean?!" I yelled his name as he turned around, startled that I was there. "What the hell?!"


    "You''re just messing with me. I know you are." There was genuine pain in his voice and I didn''t know why.


    "Didn''t we go over this last night?" I was so confused right now. "Didn''t I tell you what I felt last night?" I thought I had. I remembered telling him in very precise words that I wanted him. Why was he still doubting me?


    "Yeah, but then you were too embarrassed to even mention last night. It was like you were ashamed of it." He had been looking down for the time being, but he suddenly raised his head and glared at me like I had just made fun of him.


    I tried hard to process what he had just told me. He thought I was playing with him? How in the hell did he think that? Did he not feel the heat and passion I had for him when I pressed my lips to his? Those lips that were driving me crazy even now.


    "How do you feel about me, Ocean?" I had to know, and for some reason his eyes went as wide as the moon when I asked him that. It was like he didn''t want to answer it but was for some reason compelled to.


    "I..I don''t know." He whispered toward the floor, too embarrassed to keep looking at me. "But, I..I don''t hate you." He slowly lifted his head again and looked me steadily in the eyes. "I..I think I..I m..m..might-." He was stuttering again. That was actually a good sign, it meant he wasn''t as angry right now. He was more nervous when he stuttered, and if he was nervous it meant that I had a chance here.


    "You what, Ocean? I need to hear it. Please. Tell me what you think about me. Tell me how you feel about me. Please." I begged him, putting as much of my heart into the words as I could. I let him know with the tone of my voice, and the look in my eyes that I wasn''t going until he told me what I needed to know.


    Ocean looked like he was trying to steady his nerves as he took a deep breath, but the way that it shook as he exhaled told me just how scared he was right now. I wish I had handled this differently, this was all my fault. If I hadn''t flirted back with that asshole last night he might not doubt me so much right now. Dammit, I needed him to understand.


    "Please, Ocean, tell me how you feel about me." I asked him again, my own voice shaking slightly.


    "I..I think I..I m..m..might l..l..l-." He was stuttering again, but that was all I could handle at the moment. I couldn''t control what I did next. He had been about to say something that started with an L, and since he said he didn''t hate me that only left a few different options. Like, love, lust, it didn''t matter, right now I would take any of them.


    With a gasp from the both of us I rushed forward. My gasp had come when I heard the words and the sounds that he had been uttering. Ocean''s gasp came when I rushed at him and pressed him to his bed.


    Ocean had been standing when I moved toward him, but I tackled him to the mattress and pressed down on him firmly. I felt him tense up immediately as I pressed my lips against his and kissed him with everything that I had.


    This was a hungry kiss, filled with passion and need that couldn''t have been sated with anyone but him. I tangled my tongue with his as I devoured all of him that I could. But nothing I could do in that moment was going to be enough for me. I needed more.


    I needed more of him. To touch more, feel more, to see more. Just more.


    I also noticed that Ocean wasn''t just laying underneath me like someone who was scared. He wasn''t just letting me kiss him. No, he had started to kiss me back, and I couldn''t have been happier. I needed him to know that what I felt was real, and that it was mutual.


    Ocean was gripping my shirt tightly in his fists as he held me against him. His hold was so firm that I would have needed to rip my shirt to break his grip, if I wanted to get away. Who said that I wanted to get away, though? I wanted to get closer and touch more of him.


    With hands that burned and ached with need, I pulled back just a little, just enough to break the kiss and create a little bit of room between us. I used that space to grab my shirt and pull it over my head.


    What I saw in Ocean''s eyes made my body tighten so hard that I nearly screamed. The lust and desire in them was unlike anything that I was expecting. If only I could get him to not run away anymore this would all be perfect.


    Moving past that, it was like Ocean was set on fire when he saw me pull my shirt off. He looked at my chest like it was a dessert that he had wanted for a long time. He just didn''t know that I felt that same way about him. He enticed me just by being in the same room with me. Dammit, I needed this right now.


    With a low, almost growling hum of pleasure I descended toward him. I didn''t meet his mouth though. This time I started to kiss him on his neck, jaw, and shoulder area. My mouth was moving all over as it tried to devour him sloppily.


    While I was devouring the taste and scent of him, Ocean was running his hands all over my back and chest. He was digging his fingers into my flesh, scraping slightly with the neat little nails that he had there. I moaned softly when I felt him digging his fingers in for more of me.


    Ocean''s hands moved lower while I kissed, licked, and nipped away at him. His hands reached down so that both of them cupped my ass. It was exhilarating to feel him holding me right now, gripping me the way that he was.


    I wanted to move onto another area though, and I couldn''t. Ocean''s shirt was in the way. I needed to move it to get to his chest. I didn''t want to break our connection though. I wanted to keep us pressed together for as long as possible. I needed to feel that connection with him and make sure that he felt it too.


    If I couldn''t pull his shirt off of him then I had no other choice. I gripped the soft cotton t-shirt around the neck with both hands and pulled hard. Instantly the shirt ripped and opened until halfway down his chest. I could have finished it, but that was enough to start with.


    I tore my mouth from his neck and traced the muscles down until I reached the swell of his pecs. My tongue swirled around his nipple for just a second before I sucked it into my mouth and bit down gently.


    "Ahh!" He cried out, his back arching as his head pushed against the mattress. The move brought his chest even closer to me and pressed him into my mouth.


    "Hmm." I hummed around the flesh that I was holding in my mouth, it tasted so good, like fresh pineapples covered in coconut shavings. It was like I could taste every part of his scent three times stronger than ever before. I couldn''t stop myself from trying to taste more of him. I bit down just a little more to hold him still inside my mouth as my hands moved down his body and to the waistband of his shorts.


    I needed him. I wanted him. I had to have him.


    But I knew it wasn''t the right time.


    I was fighting with myself here, and it was so hard. It was incredibly hard to stop what it was that I wanted to have happen right now. But I knew that I had to stop.


    Just as my fingers gripped his shorts, ready to rip them away, I stopped myself. It didn''t matter though, because that brought Ocean to his senses too. He had come out of the stupor that our passion had put him in. I guess I had as well, since I had stopped myself.


    "Stop!" Ocean yelled at me as I pulled back, already moving my hands away from his swollen groin.


    "I know." I was panting, trying to stop the swimming in my head. "I was stopping. I''m sorry. I know that no matter what just happened, that was too soon. Far too soon."


    I shook my head, causing more of the fog to dissipate as I turned to look at the guy that was still laying on the bed. His shirt was ripped and exposed his chest. My shirt was just there, laying above his head near the window, where I had thrown it in my haste.


    I saw that Ocean''s cheeks were pink, I didn''t know if that was caused by embarrassment from what happened, or if it was caused from the intensity of what we had just done. There was a difference, technically. One he might regret, the other he might lust after until he agreed to be mine.


    "Ocean?" I said his name, not looking away at all so he wouldn''t think that I was embarrassed by what had just happened. "I may have almost gone too far just now, but I stopped myself. Not because I didn''t want to; God that couldn''t be further from the truth. I want you Ocean, so bad, but I want you to want me as well. Not just in the heat of the moment, but all the time. I want you to want me when I''m not here. I want you to want me when you''re supposed to be serious and just can''t. I want to be the only person that you think about ever having sex with. I want to be the only person on your mind day and night. I want you, Ocean, because I really, really like you."


    "I..I think I could tell that." He eyed the bulge that was still throbbing between my thighs. "I..I don''t know what to d..d..do here." He looked me in the eyes again, apprehension in his eyes, but no fear was filling their hypnotic depths. "I..i..it''s just th..that, I..I..I think that I..I..I-." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath, settling his nerves. "I..I think I like you t..t..too."

 Chapter 62 - Both - What Do We Do Now

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "I..I think I could tell that." I was nervous when I spoke just now, I was scared and nervous as I looked at the huge bulge in Makai''s pants. "I..I don''t know what to d..d..do here." When I stared at him this time, I was finally looking into his eyes instead of his manhood, that helped to settle a few nerves at least. "I..i..it''s just th..that, I..I..I think that I..I..I-." I paused for a moment and took a deep breath, trying my best to settle myself. "I..I think I like you t..t..too."


    The look in Makai''s eyes when he heard those words was pure shock. It was like he couldn''t believe the words that had just come out of my mouth. He had repeatedly told me that he liked me, that he wanted me, and he had shown me all of that as well. I guess the least I could do would be to say it again.


    "Uh..uhm.. M..M..Makai, I..I..I uh, I uhm, really like you. A..a..and I..I um, probably have for a while now. I..I can''t m..make it through a day w..without thinking about you." I felt the nerves raging through me, but it looked like Makai was anything but nervous. The grin on his face was starting to get excited.


    "You think about me every day, huh?" He leaned in seductively and whispered the words. "How much do you think about me?"


    I glared at him, worried that he might already know what I was going to say. I didn''t want him to think that there was something wrong with me, but I didn''t want to lie to him either.


    "Too much." I clenched my jaws when I said those two little words. "So much that I am likely to get myself into trouble." I knew he would get the meaning of those words, or I hoped he would at least.


    "That''s a little vague." He was doing this on purpose, right? He had to know what I meant by trouble. "Can you explain it a little more?" Was he really asking this? Really?


    "W..w..w..well." I stuttered, again. "I..I am thinking about y..you s..s..so much that I need t..t..to touch myself." I felt my face light up and flame bright red. Immediately I buried my face in my hands and prayed that the floor would open up and swallow me whole. That was so stupid of me to say. What the hell had I been thinking?


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I did my best not to laugh when Ocean said that. He had been touching himself when he thought of me. It was flattering, arousing, and I knew it already. I had seen evidence of just how aroused we made each other. It wasn''t that hard to figure out. Or, maybe it was for Ocean.


    "You¡­ touch yourself?" I asked him with a slight amount of curiosity in my voice. "That''s¡­ exciting."


    He had his face buried in his hands still and he looked like he was too scared to look at me.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean. I already knew it. There is no reason to feel embarrassed about it either."


    "Oh God!" He groaned into his palms, pressing his hands closer to his burning cheeks. "Just kill me now."


    I threw my head back then, silently laughing. Dammit, he was so fucking cute right now. I just wanted to look at him and see those pink cheeks of his.


    "Ocean?" I called his name, trying to get him to look at me. "Ocean?" I called again because he still wasn''t looking at me. I needed to take matters into my own hands and force him to understand that this wasn''t a big deal at all. He needed to know that it was perfectly normal to fantasize about the person you''re attracted to. "Ocean." I said his name again as I pulled his hands away from his face so I could look at him. "It happens to me too. All the time."


    Finally, he looked up and stared at me. His eyes were so filled with shock and awe from what I told him.


    "I have the same problem." I made my voice sound smooth and seductive. "And I think about you at night, it causes that problem a lot as well. I don''t mind, it''s fun and I have lots of stuff to draw on ever since our first kiss."


    "Oh God!" He buried his face and blushed again, this time I did laugh.


    After a little while, it seemed that Ocean was calm enough to look at me. He seemed surprised to see me still sitting there. Did he think that I was going to leave? I don''t know because he didn''t say anything about it; he just ignored what had happened already today.


    "So, what do we do now?" He asked me as he ignored the blush on his cheeks.


    "What? You mean for the rest of the morning?" I was confused by his question, thinking about it as I slid onto the floor next to his bed.


    "No, I mean, about us." He still looked nervous, but I noticed that he wasn''t stuttering right now. That was strange.


    "What do you want to do about it?" I wondered; this time Ocean slid off the bed and sat next to me on the floor.


    Together we were resting our backs against the bed and thinking. I knew what I wanted, but I didn''t know what he wanted. I didn''t know if he would approve of dating me just yet. He was so new to this.


    "Look, Ocean, I told you what I wanted last night. But, I don''t know how you feel about that yet. I am willing to take whatever path at whatever pace you want. As long as I get to spend time with you, hang out with you alone once in a while, go out to eat once in a while, I will be happy."


    "So you want me to date you?" He glared at me as he tilted his head against the bed behind him. He looked relaxed and calm, but his eyes were the true tell to how scared he was.


    "No, friends go out together all the time too, you know. We can just be very close friends who make out from time to time."


    "Make out?" He laughed, and the sound was so nice it tightened my body again.


    "Yeah, I won''t be able to go without feeling those lips of yours. You''re just too good of a kisser, and you taste so damn good."


    "I..I..I do?"


    "Yeah, you taste just like you smell. Pineapples and Coconut, memories of the beach. Though, you also smell like a campfire, I''m glad that part of the scent isn''t in the taste." I laughed again, licking my lips for emphasis.


    "W..w..well, you taste just like you smell as well." He was blushing again.


    "And how is that?" I grinned and tilted my head toward him.


    "Y..y..you smell like an orange creamsicle."


    "That sounds delicious, it makes me want a popsicle." I swear he looked down at his crotch and then back at me when I said that. I laughed though, I wouldn''t do that just yet. It was too soon for that type of intimacy, right?


    "Uh..uhm." He was nervous again. "Y..y..you didn''t a..answer m..me. What do we do now?"


    "Let''s hang out. We can see where things go from there. As long as I can be with you, Ocean, that''s all that I want."


    "Th..that''s all?" He looked skeptical. "Nothing else?"


    "I don''t think you would be into public displays of affection, at least not yet. I will settle for this for the time being. I want to pick you up for school, hang out after practice, and watch a movie in your room. The little things, Ocean, I want the little things."


    "That''s doable." He grinned. "I like movies anyway."


    With that he got up and put something on for us to watch. When he sat back down I saw that it was a chick flick. A romantic comedy by the name of ''The Proposal''.


    "Seriously?" I asked him when I looked at the screen. "A chick flick?"


    "What? I got used to watching them with Brittney, some of them are really good."


    "I didn''t say no, now did I?" I chuckled. "I think it''s a good choice. Come on, let''s watch it."


    We sat shoulder to shoulder on the floor next to his bed and started to watch the movie together. It was a good end to the morning that we had shared so far. I also liked how we weren''t just next to each other, we were actually touching. His shoulder was against mine when he drew his knees into his chest and settled in to watch the movie.

 Chapter 63 - Both - Movie Time

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had been a little embarrassed when I turned the movie on for us to watch. Makai made it seem like it was somehow bad that I was putting on a romantic comedy for us to watch. Honestly, I never used to watch them until I got with Brittney. She used to want to watch them all the time, so I got used to watching them with her so much. And I studied some of them so I could talk about them with her.


    I guess that after a little while it got to where it became a habit. Plus, I mean, some of them are really funny, and I liked them a lot. They''re not just for chicks. Not really. There are a lot of funny parts to movies like those.


    But, uhm, well, while we were watching the movie, we kind of scooted really close to each other. And, uhm, I, uh, I think it was me that scooted close to him first. And I actually, uhm, pressed my shoulder against his when I sat on the floor next to him. I was still nervous though. That was for sure. I had pulled my legs in toward my chest and wrapped my hands around my knees, my fingers barely touching each other as I tried to decide if I was wanting to hide away or not.


    I could tell that Makai wasn''t nervous at all. He seemed as calm as could be while sitting there bracing his weight against the bed. I don''t know how he was doing it. I was fighting for control and was barely able to focus on the movie. It was one of my favorites too. I knew it well, but I couldn''t tell you a single thing that was happening in the movie at the moment. I was completely lost.


    I caught myself staring at Makai out of the corner of my eye. I wasn''t trying to. I didn''t want to. I had really been trying to ignore him and watch the movie. It just wasn''t working. And he knew it.


    "Am I that much more interesting than the movie?" He asked me with a low thrum in his voice. That sound did things to me that I couldn''t explain. Things that I didn''t want to explain right now. Explaining them would mean that I understood them which I most definitely didn''t.


    "Uhm."


    "If you were to ask for my opinion," slowly Makai turned to face me instead of the movie while he spoke, "I would say that you are infinitely more interesting than the movie."


    That was when Makai leaned in toward me, his chest pressing against my shoulder and causing me to lean away from him in nerves or fear or perhaps some other emotion.


    "Am I that interesting, Ocean?" He gave me a heated look then, his lips turned up in a lopsided grin and his seafoam eyes burning. The look was so alluring that I found myself wanting to answer him right away.


    "Y..y..yes." I can''t believe I just told him that. Once again I felt my face flush red, and I had the desire to bury my face into my hands. He wouldn''t let me though. The moment I tried to put my hands over my face Makai slid his hands over mine and held them, gently but firmly.


    "Ma..Ma..Ma..Ma..Ma..Makai?" I stuttered over his name and was barely able to finish it.


    "That''s a first, I don''t think I have ever been called Mama like that before." he smirked, as if daring me to say something in opposition to him.


    "B..b..b.but-."


    "You know something, Ocean, you''re so fucking cute when you stutter like that." He leaned in again and kissed my cheek softly.


    That was it. He pulled away after that. It ended just as soon as it started, and before I knew it Makai was sitting where he had been when we started and was staring at the screen.


    "Come on, let''s watch the movie." He was acting like nothing happened at all. What the hell!


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean currently looked like a deer in the headlights. That little peck had either been too much or not enough. Maybe a little bit of both. I loved it though, he was so fucking hot when he looked a little scared like that. It made him look so vulnerable and sexy. I don''t know why, but it was just so alluring to me. I couldn''t help but tease him.


    "Come here." I pulled Ocean to me with a firm grip on his elbow. He hadn''t been prepared for it, and it caused him to land full on against my side. His head crashed against my chest in the confusion, and I had to think to myself that it would be wrong to appreciate it, that I hadn''t intended it to happen.


    "Oomph." Ocean had exhaled in a huff when he collided with me at that time. "S..s..s..sorry." He apologized as he tried to pull himself away.


    "Why are you sorry? I pulled you toward me, didn''t I? I made you hit me. Now come on and watch the movie with me before I get bored."


    This time I decided to just readjust Ocean and hold him against my side. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pressed his head onto my chest right below my shoulder. It wasn''t very comfortable at first because he was sitting so stiffly.


    "Come on, loosen up." I encouraged him as I adjusted myself, moving my left leg around so that I wrapped it around him, cradling his left hip and letting him slide partially in front of me. With a little more maneuvering I got it so that Ocean was leaning back against my chest, and I was draped around him.


    I could feel how hard his heart was beating. His breaths were coming in pants  as he nearly hyperventilated at the way we were sitting and touching. This was made better by the fact that his shirt was still ripped and I was still not wearing mine. I could feel so much of him with my hands wrapped around his chest. And the feel of his face right next to mine was almost beyond my self control.


    For the moment though, hard as it might be, I was content. I could deal with just holding him in my arms and against my chest. Ocean, however, didn''t seem to be able to wait.


    "M..Makai?" He had turned his head and whispered my name right next to my face.


    "Ocean?" I breathed his name right back at him.


    "I..I..I uhm..-" He was nervous, but looking at me with hungry eyes.


    "Yes, Ocean?" I implored him to go on.


    "I..I..I uhm.. I want something." He seemed so uncertain of what he should do right now, but I knew I should let him do this, I shouldn''t be any part of this. It was his turn to grow.


    "What do you want?" I felt my lips graze against his cheeks as I asked him that question.


    "I.. I want.. I want you." He finally got the words out just as he turned in my arms and pressed his lips against mine.


    He had tackled me to the floor, his hands pinning my wrists above my head and holding me down until I could feel just a small amount of pain under his grip. His kisses were fierce and passionate and hungry. He was devouring me, starting with my tongue. Or perhaps my soul. I don''t know which he thought he was going to get first.


    I felt all of Ocean pressed against me, grinding his whole body against me. His chest, nearly bare under the ripped shirt pressed against the naked flesh of my chest. Next were the firm ripples of his muscles where they met mine. There was the large throbbing bulge in his shorts that pressed against me, inch for inch.


    If he wasn''t holding me down, I would be holding his body close to me. Or doing things to it that I shouldn''t be. There was just so much that I needed and wanted to be doing. I may not have been able to run my fingertips along his glorious body, but I was still able to return the passion of the kiss drop for drop.


    By the time that the kiss broke, I gasped and sucked in air like I had been without oxygen for way too long. That was fine, I would do it again happily if it meant that I would feel more of him.


    Right as he was about to place his mouth back against mine, just as he was close enough for me to feel the heat of his mouth and taste it''s intoxicating flavor, there was a sound that rang out from downstairs.


    "Ocean?" A woman called out to the house before slamming what sounded like the door.

 Chapter 64 - Makai - Awkward Moment

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When I heard the woman call out for Ocean and the door shut, I immediately knew what was going on. Mrs Shores was worried about her son and came home to check up on him when she got the chance. I don''t know what she happened to do for a living, but I knew that she was a loving mother. I had learned that about her when she was frantic for information about him at the hospital last month when he had gotten hurt. She loved her son very much, and I am betting that she would be worried if there was anything that made him willing to stay away from a pool, even if it was just for a day.


    "Oh shit!" Ocean cursed under his breath as he pulled away from me. His face was once again beet red. However, this time I think it was because he thought he was about to get caught red-handed, or hard-dicked, by his mother.


    Though there is nothing like pure fear to make a man lose some of the stiffness in his body. I was pretty sure that the both of us were already noticing a distinct lessening in that department.


    Ocean was moving in a hurry. He was actually thinking more clearly than I thought he would be. Actually, I had thought he would be so worried that he would just be stuttering uncontrollably.


    Then again, Ocean always does seem to be the most clear headed and calm when he is pissed off or angry. Getting his emotions all riled up is all it takes to get him into prime shape. Perhaps that is why before I had even had time to sit up off the floor, he had already thrown me my shirt so that I could put it back on, and he was taking off the one that I had ripped.


    "Aww man, I liked that one too. It offered such a great view!" I jokingly complained as he threw the ripped shirt into the trash can near his desk.


    "Haha." He pretended to laugh at me. "Put your shirt on before my mom comes up here." He whispered the words at me harshly.


    "Yeah, yeah." I whispered to him as I smiled softly as I pulled my shirt over my head. He had already pulled a new shirt over his head and was more or less presentable. There was barely any stiffness to his groin anymore. Thinking about your mother walking in on you could really kill a mood.


    It hadn''t even been a full minute since we pulled apart, and we were already leaving the room. I could tell there was little to no stiffness left in me at all since the mood had been killed instantly. And thankfully, it had seemed to be murdered for Ocean as well.


    Ocean was leading the way as he left the room first. As soon as he was in the hallway, he called out for his mother in a calm and steady voice. It had been completely different from the frantic shouts and yells she had made for him repeatedly when she came inside the house.


    "I''m fine Mom." He called out to silence her and grinned at how much she had been worried about him.


    "Ocean." She looked relieved when she saw him while she climbed the stairs toward us. "You didn''t answer your phone. I was so worried about y-." She stopped in the middle of a word and just looked at me, her foot poised on the step above her, she was almost to the top where we were. "Uhm, hello?" She looked nervous now, tilting her head like she was trying to think and remember something. "You...you''re Kai, right?" She had remembered me, that was good. This way I didn''t have to explain to her who I was or anything.


    "Yes, Ma''am. I am Kai. Makai Rivers to be exact." I smiled at her and nodded my head just a little in her direction. "It is good to see you again."


    "No, I would say it is good to see you again. I am so relieved you boys worked out whatever issues you had before and have become so close. How are you doing, Kai? Am I right in assuming you competed in the tournament this weekend as well?" Her smile was sweet and soft when she looked at me.


    "Yes, Ma''am, I did. Ocean and I were on the four man team which won first place, and I came in second next to Ocean in the individuals. It was quite an exciting weekend." I turned and smirked at Ocean for reasons that had nothing to do with swimming or competing.


    "Huh?" She seemed to understand something and laughed a little. "I see it was." There was a grin on her face, but a knowing look in her eyes. Did she understand the look I was giving to Ocean? Did she know that I had fallen for her son? This was weird, having her watch me with those warm brown eyes of hers was a little more intense than I thought it was going to be. She looked like she could be an intense person.


    "So, Kai, how come you''re not in school?" She crossed her arms and gave me a look that I now knew for sure was a universal mother'' gesture. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, her hip was cocked like one leg was always lifted a little.


    "I was a little exhausted this morning. After the coach talked to Ocean and heard he wasn''t coming he came and spoke to me. He didn''t want to risk my health so he sent me home for the day. Ocean and I were the only two from our school that were in the group of ten who had raced in the sudden death finals. It was exhausting. I guess it just took its toll on me as well. He told me that I needed to rest up, but I wanted to check on Ocean first. So, I decided that I should bring him some breakfast. After breakfast we were watching a movie."


    "Hmm." She smirked at me like there was something hidden in my words. "Well, I came back to check on Ocean because he wasn''t answering his phone. I had a small gap in my schedule so I rushed right over. I am glad to see that he was doing just fine."


    "I''m sorry Mom, I silenced the phone after the coach called." I watched as Ocean grimaced.


    "I know, you just wanted to rest." She rubbed his arm a little in a soothing gesture. "Just pay a bit more attention next time."


    "I will." This was a very touching scene, but I felt like I was violating something while standing here watching.


    "Ahem." I cleared my throat quickly. "I''m going to get going."


    "Would you like to come back for dinner, Kai? We would love to have you." I saw the shocked look on Ocean''s face, the fear in his eyes when he heard his mother''s words.


    "No, I think I should be with my family tonight. My parents have been out of town for a month now."


    "That''s a long time to be alone." Mrs Shores looked sad as she heard my news.


    "We have staff that are there as well. I am hardly ever alone with all of them with me."


    "That''s still a lonely life." She looked even more sad.


    "I am fine. But I am going to get going now. Can I talk with Ocean before I leave though?"


    "Oh, yes, of course, yes." With a smile she pushed her son down the stairs with me. When we got to the bottom we heard that his mother was in her room and celebrating something. Just what did she have to celebrate right now?


    Ocean quickly followed me outside but he didn''t say anything yet. He just looked at me nervously until we got to my car. That was when he couldn''t take it anymore.


    "What? What did you want? Why did you call me out here?"


    "I need your phone number." I smiled at him.


    "Need it?" He glared at me.


    "Yes, so we can hang out, and I can call you at night to tell you good night." I gave him a heated look.


    "Those don''t sound like needs to me." He was laughing now, joking with me.


    "Well, you can give it to me, or I can kiss you right here and hope that no one sees it." I winked at him. I knew that would get him, he didn''t like to stand out too much.


    With a quick voice Ocean told me his cell number so that I could save it. I then text him to make sure that he had my number.


    "Thank you." I grinned at him. "Now I can call you anytime that I want as well."


    "Ugh!" Ocean groaned like it was the end of the world. "Why do I get the feeling that you are going to be even more annoying now?"

 Chapter 65 - Ocean - Skipping School

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I couldn''t believe him. Threatening to kiss me just to get my phone number. Did he know how many prying eyes there were on this street? We would have been seen and probably photographed at least ten times. That would not have been good. So, in the end I was forced to give it to him. Though, in a way, I was kind of disappointed. I would have liked to ask him for his number first. I mean, I like him, right? Isn''t that something I was supposed to do?


    I was still grumbling about it when I went inside and nearly ran right into Mom.


    "Gah! What the hell woman? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I asked her when I saw her staring at me intently the moment I went inside.


    "Watch your mouth." She scolded me instantly like it was instinct or second nature, and then she continued like normal without missing a beat. "So, how come you didn''t answer your phone?"


    "I turned my phone on silent after Coach Dickson called me, just like I told you earlier." This was true, I didn''t want to be disturbed after that.


    "Then how did you know when Kai got here?" She was grilling me now like something was wrong. What happened to the giggling happy mom from a few moments ago?


    "He was ringing the bell and pounding on the door. I didn''t have a choice, I had to go and answer the door." I was telling her the truth, she would know if I lied to her. She always knew.


    "You didn''t see it light up? You didn''t hear it vibrating on the night stand or the desk? The movie didn''t sound that loud when I walked in." She looked like she was about to grin happily about something now, but she was desperately fighting it.


    "I didn''t notice it, Mom, I''m sorry."


    "Alright, fine. Just go do whatever you want. I need to get back to work. I ordered you some lunch though; it will be here soon. And when I get off of work I will make you a special dinner for having won the tournament."


    "Thanks Mom, but you don''t have to do that."


    "I know, but I want to."


    She hugged me then and kissed my cheek. She was amazing, and I loved her dearly. After she left, a large lunch with several dishes was delivered. I ate it in my room as I watched another movie. I took a shower after that and then watched another movie. I checked for chores to do around the house, but Mom had done them this morning so there was nothing for me to do at all. I was bored, so I watched yet another movie.


    For some reason though, both of my parents looked at me like I was something interesting throughout the whole meal. Mom had told Dad about Makai being here. They were both asking me questions about him, and what we typically did. And of course there was that one question that I knew that they were going to ask.


    "I thought you hated him. What changed?" Dad''s voice was steady, but his eyes were curious.


    "Phineas?!" Mom scolded him.


    "What? You heard him at the hospital. He sounded like he hated him."


    "Don''t explain yourself, you idiot. Just shut up." It was kind of funny watching them.


    "I thought I hated him because I was misinformed about things that were going on. With the issues cleared up, so is the animosity."


    "So, you like him?" This time it was Mom asking a question like that.


    "Steph?!" Dad scolded her.


    "Well? Do you?" Mom asked me, intensifying her need to know.


    "He''s a good guy, and I am sure we can be friends." That seemed to at least be enough for Mom at the moment. She just grinned and nodded like she was agreeing with something.


    Following that strange and awkward dinner I went to my room. I thought about doing my homework, but then I realized that I had missed school and I didn''t have any homework to do right now. I also thought about calling Makai, but I couldn''t. I had given him my number, but I didn''t have my phone on me at the time so I hadn''t been able to take his.


    Just as I thought about that though, my phone rang. It was a number I didn''t know, and I thought about not answering it. There was no way that Makai would call me when I was wanting to talk to him. That would be too convenient, right? Still, I should answer it, just in case.


    "Hello?" I could tell I was nervous; my voice was going to give me away.


    "Hi, this is Greg from the vehicle services department, I am calling about-." I ended the call and rolled my eyes.


    "URGH!" I made some sort of sound in frustration as I flopped back on the bed. "Stupid telemarketers, they had to go and get my hopes up."


    While I was laying on the bed wallowing about what just happened, my phone rang again. I didn''t want to even look at it this time, but I couldn''t not do it. I felt compelled to do it. I would kick myself if I didn''t. I lifted my hand that had the phone in it and looked at the screen. That was when I almost dropped it on my face. The caller ID said RIVERS, MAKAI. So his number wasn''t unlisted.


    Nervously, I answered the phone with it shaking next to my ear.


    "H..h..hello."


    "I even make you nervous over the phone?" His laugh that he was sending straight into my ear made me shiver.


    "Well, someone else just called. Literally right before you did."


    "Hmm, anyone I need to be concerned about?" He was joking with me, but I liked it when he did that.


    "Yeah, he sounded pretty good looking, too."


    "Then I shall fight to the death for your heart and your honor." I laughed at his over the top tone and words.


    "What do you want anyway? It''s getting late, isn''t it?" I had wanted to talk to him, but now that I was I didn''t know what to say.


    "Well, I thought that since we both like each other so much, it would be nice to tell each other good night. It can become a nightly routine for us. If you don''t mind, that is." I heard how hopeful he was; he wanted me to say yes. And to be honest, I wanted to say yes as well.


    "We will see; it will have to depend on how busy I am that night. I might not be able to."


    "Fair enough, but sometimes at least?" He was compromising.


    "Y..yeah. Yeah, sometimes."


    "That would be amazing." He was sounding excited now, and I was glad I could make him this happy.


    "W..well, goodni-."


    "Wait, Ocean, can I pick you up for school in the morning?"


    "W..why?" I barely stuttered, but I still did.


    "Because I want to make sure you''ll actually be there." He sounded so self assured and so confident, and I just wanted to smack him in his handsome face for it.


    "I will go, don''t worry."


    "For my own peace of mind, please?" Was he going to beg me? Seriously?


    "Hahh!" I sighed exasperatedly then continued. "Fine. Pick me up in the morning before practice. If my mom asks why, I will just say that you wanted me to go somewhere with you after school. That will be the best excuse that I can think of anyway."


    "Perfect, see you in the morning. Good night, Ocean."


    "Good night, Makai."


    With that he hung up the phone, the line dead, and my head racing. Why did I say he could pick me up? That is going to look completely weird. Just then I got a text message, it was from him.


    [RIVERS, MAKAI]


    Make sure you actually get dressed in the morning. Don''t come looking like a practice bum. I know you and some of the others do that every now and then.


    [ME]


    What the hell? That was rude! But fine, I will dress normally. Any outfit preferences, your majesty?


    [RIVERS, MAKAI]


    Is that ripped shirt an option? ???? ???? ????


    [ME]


    ?? REALLY ??


    [RIVERS, MAKAI]


    I couldn''t help myself. Wear whatever you want as long as it''s normal clothes. I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight.


    [ME]


    Night


    I was exhausted now. What the hell was going on? It was like this day had lasted forever and flown by in the blink of an eye. And it was all that guy''s fault.


    After barely sleeping, I got up and got dressed. Part of me just really wanted to ditch again. I needed a proper night''s sleep soon. I couldn''t keep going with these sleepless nights; I would crash and burn soon.


    After dressing in a pair of black jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, I went downstairs for breakfast. I ate quickly and rushed outside. Makai was just pulling in when I walked out the door. I didn''t hesitate, I just opened the door and got into his car. I shouldn''t be nervous to get in, right? I''ve been in it before, plus I do sort of, kinda, really like the guy.


    "Good morning." He was once again smiling at me like I was the best thing in the world. I have to say it did warm my heart to have someone look at me like that.


    "Good morning." I smiled and said it back.


    "Did you eat yet or are you still hungry?" I was confused now, his words made no sense to me, and he just pulled out of my driveway and went away from the school.


    "Uhm, Makai, the school is that way." I point over my shoulder.


    "I know, but the coach said we could have today off as well. So, we are going to skip school and spend the whole day together. We can do whatever we want."

 Chapter 66 - Makai - Date Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Uhm, Makai, the school is that way." Ocean was pointing over his shoulder after I turned out of his driveway in the opposite direction from the school.


    "I know, but the coach said we could have today off as well. So, we are going to skip school and spend the whole day together. We can do whatever we want." I was grinning as I turned onto the main road out of Ocean''s neighborhood. I turned away from town and toward the freeway entrance instead. "Don''t worry, I already texted the coach and told him that neither of us will be there today. I told him we must have caught a cold from the pool that day."


    "You lied to him?" Ocean sounded so shocked and offended.


    "Are you that upset about it? I can confess tomorrow when we go back to school. But if you tell him now, or then, you will most likely get in trouble as well."


    "You''re an asshole. You know that." The look on his face was not at all shocked or surprised, nor did he look angry with me. He was just joking so all I did was smile in return.


    "Well, asshole or not, I am taking you out to breakfast. I have been here long enough to branch out and try quite a few places. I have found a really nice one to have breakfast at; their portions are big enough that we will only need one meal each."


    "I find that hard to believe." He may have sounded skeptical, but he was looking excited.


    About a half an hour later, we were just sitting down at a booth in the back of the diner. There weren''t many people there since it was a weekday, and it was past the time for their rush. A waitress came right over and gave us menus and asked for our drink orders.


    "Can I have an orange juice?" Ocean asked her.


    "Sure thing, doll." She smiled at him.


    "I''ll have one as well, please."


    "Sure thing." She winked at the two of us and walked away.


    "Are you going to flirt with her too?" Ocean smirked at me.


    "If I didn''t already have someone that I liked and was currently on a date with them, maybe." I returned his smirk then looked at my menu.


    "Th..th..th..this isn''t.. W..w..w..w..we''re not on a.. Wh..wh..what makes you th..th..think that this is a..a..a..a..-" He wasn''t able to finish his sentences, any of them.


    "Isn''t it? I mean, I picked you up from your house, and I took you out to eat. And we''re spending the whole day together. Why wouldn''t it count as a date?" I asked him as I picked out what food I wanted.


    "N..n..no." I saw that he was shaking his head. "No. It can''t be. You didn''t ask me out, and I didn''t ask you out. So it can''t be."


    "Can''t we just consider the times that we''re alone with each other dates? You know, for me this is our fifth date." I grinned at him then had a thought. "Oh, no wait, our sixth. I count the night you kissed me on the beach as a date."


    "How the hell is that a date?" He nearly laughed, but still looked shocked.


    "Well, you kissed me for one, and I was there to watch the sunrise with you. You were just, you know, a little unresponsive the whole time."


    "I was asleep. That''s a lot more than just unresponsive." He shook his head while he laughed. "Wait a minute. You mean you stayed there the whole night?"


    "I wanted to make sure nothing happened to you. So I stayed. When it was morning, I went and got you a few things before going home."


    I saw the shock in his eyes. He really didn''t know that it was me? Who did he think would leave him donuts, coffee, water, and aspirin on the beach? Hahh, this guy is so clueless sometimes, perhaps that''s why he''s so damned irresistible.


    "Still, this isn''t a date." His petulant voice came out right when the waitress set our drinks down.


    "Are you ready to order?" She was grinning at Ocean because she had clearly heard what he said.


    "Can we have another minute, please?" I asked her and she nodded at me, no wink this time. "Look at the menu and pick your food. We can talk more about what we consider a date once we''re eating."


    "Fine." He picked up the menu finally, huffing as if he was mad. "Shit, you were right. Look at the size of that omelet." I giggled at his excitement.


    "See, I told you. Now, pick what you want so we can order."


    "I am getting that monster platter." He sounded excited. I knew what he had chosen because it was what I had picked as well. It came with a four egg omelet, a plate of toast, a plate of bacon, a stack of hot cakes, and a whole plate of hash browns. It was huge, and the whole reason I came here.


    "That''s good, so am I." He looked at me like I did that on purpose, and I just shook my head. "Uh uh, I had that picked out before you did."


    The waitress came back, and we placed our orders. Ocean actively avoided talking about anything aside from swimming until the food was delivered. He brought up the next away meet which was in a week and a half. It wasn''t an overnight meet though so I had no hopes of sharing a room with him this time, that sucked.


    He managed to talk about it though, non stop, until the waitress came back with a tray loaded with food. She set the almost identical plates in front of the two of us. The only difference was the omelets; I had ordered a western omelet and Ocean had ordered just ham and cheese.


    The food was good, and we spent several minutes just eating and not talking at all. But, I did say that we were going to talk over the food.


    "So, Ocean, this is a date, right?" I grinned at him as I chewed my food, I am sure it made me look a little insane.


    "Why do you want this to be a date? What would it change?" There wasn''t opposition this time, there was hope.


    "What would it change for today? Not much, I guess, I am going to do what I''m going to do regardless. But since I have admitted that I like you and want you to be mine, and you have reciprocated those feelings for me, I thought it was best to do what we can to test the waters."


    "Test the waters?" His eyebrow shot up at that. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Well, we''ve got chemistry galore, that is for sure. And if our only goal was to make out or do something else for the entirety of our time together then we would be fine. Though, I for one, would like there to be more to our relationship. Not that I don''t enjoy kissing you, because I really, really do. But, wouldn''t you like to be able to hang out without that being an issue? We need to get used to each other without the sexual tension."


    "Ha, and you think spending an entire day together is going to ease that tension?" He didn''t look convinced at all.


    "Well, it''s worth a shot." I just shrugged and shoved a large bite of hot cakes into my mouth.


    "It would only work if we kept our hands and mouths to ourselves. And I don''t see that happening. You have a habit of attacking me." He glared at me as he, too, shoved a bite of hot cakes into his mouth.


    Well, we''ve kissed seven times now, I think. And you''ve been the instigator in three of them. So, I really don''t think it''s always me, buddy. And you''re the one who started it, you kissed me first."


    "I thought I was dreaming."


    "So, you dreamed of kissing me even back then?" I made my voice low and seductive.


    "That''s not what I meant." He was flustered now, and his face turned red.


    "That''s fine, Ocean. I don''t care. What I care about is being with you now, and this is a date."


    "Do you think I am your boyfriend or something?" He leaned back in his seat and gasped.


    "I would like to."


    "What would that make you?" I didn''t understand his question.


    "I would be your boyfriend. What else would I be?"


    "But, I..I had a girlfriend. What would people say if I have a boyfriend next?" He looked down and blushed.


    "Tell them to fuck off. It''s your life Ocean, you get to live it, not them. And if you want to date me, then do it. I know that I would be more than fucking happy to date you. But I also understand if you want to wait to tell people. I don''t like the idea of hiding what we have between us, but it''s not easy on you yet. I understand that. We will move on when you''re ready. Just give me a chance, please. Go out with me Ocean, please. Let me date you, even in secret. We don''t need to tell people and we won''t do anything where anyone could see us. But when we''re alone let me be with you. Let me hold your hand while we watch a movie. Let''s talk and hang out like a couple would. Let me be there for you if you need a pick me up or to vent your frustrations. Let me care for you, Ocean. That''s all I''m asking for."


    "That''s a lot though." He was wide eyed and shocked after my little rant there. I can''t believe I went and said all that. I meant, it was all true, but I still shouldn''t have said it.


    "W..well, I mean, I would like to hang out with you. And you are right, I don''t want to tell anyone anything, I don''t even know what to call what we have, it''s so new and strange to me. B..but I do want to be with you. S..s..so we can try. Only for hanging out though. I don''t want to do anything else yet. I..I..I''m not ready for that." With flaming cheeks, he buried his face and started eating more of his food.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean. I won''t do anything today. I will keep to myself. No kisses, no touching. This will be a date to see if we get along without that chemistry. And I will never push you to do something that you aren''t ready for. That''s why I stopped myself yesterday. I knew it was way too soon, and I knew I shouldn''t do that at the time no matter how much I might have wanted it."


    "Yeah, I know you stopped yourself. We both came to our senses about the same time. I didn''t even have to tell you to stop, but I did it anyway."


    "We will only move on when you''re ready, Ocean. I won''t pressure you, ever. I want you to know that I truly care about you. I am not only after THAT."


    "That''s good to hear. But you know, you''re making me sound like the girl here." He glared at me when he said that. I wonder if Ocean was a top or a bottom? That will be interesting to figure out. Not yet of course, but when it was time it would be interesting.


    We finished up our breakfast, and when I went to pay, Ocean tried to give me some money for it. I refused to take it though.


    We finished up our breakfast, and when I went to pay, Ocean tried to give me some money for it. I refused to take it though.


    "Nope, I didn''t ask you on the date traditionally, but I did ask you to let me pick you up this morning, so I am paying." I winked at him. He blushed again, but just followed me. "Come on, let''s go see what else we can get up to today." I laughed as I put my hand on his back and guided him out through the door, and I felt Ocean''s back tense up in front of me.

 Chapter 67 - Ocean - Date Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was so fucking scared right now. Makai had just told me that he wanted this to be considered a date, and that basically, I was the damn girl for this date. OK, I guess all dates don''t need to have a guy and girl role, since you know, we were both guys. But, he was paying for the food, that made him the dominant one, right? Or, was that even a thing anymore? Did it even matter when it came to two guys? What was the protocol here?


    I had only ever been on dates with Britt the Bitch, and she was the worst when it came to dates. Most of the time it was just watching chick flicks and not even talking. We didn''t kiss, hold hands, or even have dates all that often. We hung out and talked once in a while, yes, but not as much as I thought we would. Honestly, I have been seeing more and more how little she actually liked me.


    But, I mean, I guess the reason I was freaking out so much was because I had always been the one paying for and planning the dates that I did go on with Brittney. Now, I was at Makai''s mercy, and I just didn''t know what he would do. What was going to be his idea of a date?


    If the last few days with him were anything to go off of, then he was probably going to just go rent a hotel room, drug me, drag me up there. Then I would just wake up several hours later with a bag of ice on my ass and no Makai in sight. No, scratch that, he would be there and probably begging for another round.


    Dammit! What the hell was he planning to do to me?


    I was freaking out over these thoughts as I felt his firm, strong hand push me through the door and out of the diner. He was pushing me toward the car, and I wasn''t even trying to stop him. Does that mean I didn''t mind whatever he did to me?


    NO! That''s not what it meant at all. I wasn''t going to let him do anything to me.


    "Relax, babe, I''m not going to do anything. Remember, I promised not to." Makai had leaned down and was whispering into my ear.


    "Y..you also promised t..to keep your h..hands to yourself." I reminded him.


    "Yeah, well, you didn''t look like you were going to leave if I didn''t help you. This will be the last. Unless, you ask me to touch you, that is." He smirked at me when I turned to look over my shoulder. "What? If you ask for it, I won''t deny you." After that he winked at me and went to the driver''s seat. "Come on, let''s go."


    Despite my fear, I got into the car with him. I probably sealed my own doom, but I did it anyway. When we left the diner, it seemed that Makai was driving toward the city. It looked like we were spending the day, or part of it, in LA. Why go there?


    It took us at least forty five more minutes of driving to get to the city, and another thirty to get to where we were going. The first place we went was a clothing store. It was an upscale store that sold name brand things. I had heard of the place, but I had never actually been here.


    "Come on." Makai got out of the car and beckoned me. "Or do you want me to open your door like a proper escort would do?"


    "NO!" I yelled at him as I unbuckled and got out of the car as fast as I could.


    "Good, now come on."


    "Makai?" I stopped him when I spoke.


    "Yeah?"


    "Why did we come to LA?" I didn''t understand what he had done.


    "I didn''t think you could relax if we stayed back there. I mean, we''re trying to hide what we have for now, right? I don''t think we could have fun, just the two of us, if other people we know might be around. I don''t want it to hurt you in any way."


    I never really paid much attention, but Makai always thought about me and how things would go for me. He never pushed things when others were around, he didn''t do or say anything that would make people suspect he had feelings for me. I needed to stop being so against him all the time. He had never done anything to hurt me.


    There were a few times he went a little far with the kisses, but I was right there with him every step of the way. That was until he would grind against me, but I think I was more embarrassed than anything else.


    "Are you coming?" He looked worried now, unsure if I was going to continue this date of ours.


    "Y..yeah." I shook my head to clear it of the fog and followed him toward the store.


    Makai was right, there was no one that we knew here. We didn''t have to worry about anyone seeing us. This might actually be fun, so I should probably enjoy it as much as I can.


    The inside of the store had more athletic type of clothing than anything else. That meant that it was right up my alley and from what I had seen of Makai, it was close to him as well. Though there were times he dressed like a typical rich boy.


    My family was well off as well, but I didn''t dress like it; or at least I didn''t think that I did. I tried to keep things comfortable and casual, that was my main focus.


    "Why clothes?" I asked him as he browsed the racks.


    "I ripped your shirt the other day, so I should buy you a new one." He didn''t even look at me when he spoke, he just continued to look through the clothes. "Don''t you like getting new stuff?"


    "I..I do. I mean, I uhm, I guess I do." I was making myself look like an idiot right now, and I felt my cheeks flush.


    "Then let''s pick out some clothes. A few for you and a few for me." He was looking like he was having the time of his life, I guess I should just get into it too.


    "OK." I smiled, just a little, but I did.


    "Great, come on."


    After that he led me around the store looking for things for both of us. He would get something, then I would. Back and forth it went until we both had our arms full. There was one shirt that we both wanted, but I was going to let him have it. Makai wouldn''t have that.


    "We will both get one. Look, there are two of them in our size."


    That made me blush again. What would people say if we went to school wearing the same shirt? Would they think we planned it? Would they think that we bought them intentionally? Would they ever think that it was just a coincidence?


    I didn''t stop him though; it made him so happy to be getting both of them that I couldn''t stop him from buying us the matching shirts. I was slowly getting to the point where all I wanted was to see Makai smile, or to hear him talking. I think I had it bad for him.


    After we left that store, we went to a few more. Makai was buying a lot of things for us both. New clothes, new shoes, new watches. And he didn''t even bat an eye at any of the registers.


    Honestly, I think Makai was lonely. I think what he wanted more than anything else, was someone with him every day. I don''t know if he felt the exact same as I did for him, but that was fine. For now, I would fill the hole in his life that was caused by him being alone all the time.


    After the shopping spree, Makai was hungry again. I had to admit that had made me hungry as well. So, we went to eat at a street caf¨¦ in the city. We ate outside and talked about the stuff we had just bought.


    Following lunch, we went to a movie. The theater was almost packed, and we were lucky to even get a ticket, but we did. Makai didn''t even ask what I wanted to see; he looked at the list of movies, saw the new romcom that had come out, and bought the tickets for that. We got popcorn, drinks, and candy.


    After we took our seats, all the way in the back row in the far corner, we settled in for the next hour and a half to watch the movie. We were sharing the popcorn, with the bucket sitting on Makai''s lap. The drinks were separate  as was the candy, but the popcorn was shared. I didn''t miss that this literally made me reach right toward Makai''s groin if I wanted to eat some of it.


    Nothing happened during the movie aside from a few innocent brushes of our hands. Though, each time that happened, I felt my heart race like crazy. It excited me for some reason, every time that he touched me, or when I touched him.


    I know what that meant. It meant that I was sexually attracted to him, but I already knew that. I could tell that the tension between us wasn''t just normal tension. It was an intense sexual tension that was beginning to eat away at me and consume me.


    Following the movie, I thought our date would be over, but I couldn''t be more wrong.

 Chapter 68 - Ocean - Date Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After the movie, we went to the beach. I had never actually been to the beaches here in LA so I was excited to see them. The problem was that I liked the beaches back home better. I wanted to just sit at my usual spot and watch the sun set there. I think Makai could tell too.


    "This isn''t where you want to be, is it?" He asked me with a knowing look.


    "Not really." I frowned. "I mean, it''s a nice beach, and I would love to swim in the water if I had a suit with me, but as far as feeling comfortable at the locale, I prefer the beach back home."


    "Do you want to go there now? We can make it in time for the sunset." He was smiling at me.


    "You could tell?" I ran a hand over the back of my head, a little embarrassed by the fact that he knew exactly what it was that I wanted.


    "I could see it in your eyes. I could tell that you wanted to be back there and watch it from your spot."


    "How do you already know me so well?" I asked the question without thinking, letting my honesty and vulnerability show.


    "Because I can''t take my eyes off of you, Ocean. You''re all I ever see, and all I ever want to see. When I go to school every day, I look forward to seeing you. Even before you would talk to me, all I did was watch you like a creeper."


    "I..I..I uhm, I watched you too, sometimes." I looked down, hiding my flaming cheeks. "I watched you across the classroom, I watched you swimming, I watched you as you got out of the pool with the water glistening off of your body. I don''t know when it started, but it was before that night on the beach."


    "I knew that you were watching me." He got closer to me then, his face inching toward mine. "I felt your eyes on me, and it made me happy."


    "I..I..I..I..I..-"


    "Don''t worry, Ocean. I''m not going to kiss you. I just wanted to get some of that closeness with you for a minute."


    After that he pulled away and started walking towards his car again.


    "Come on, we need to hurry to make it in time for the sunset. We can call and order a few pizzas and pick them up on the way, that can be dinner." I ran after him, hurrying to catch up to him. I didn''t want to delay us at all.


    We got on the road immediately and listened to music on the way back, singing along with songs that we liked. Makai could actually sing pretty good, which was the same thing that he said about me. When we got closer, I called and ordered three large pepperoni pizzas. I insisted on paying for those since Makai had paid for everything else. He agreed since I was so adamant. I also got us dessert and a few two liter bottles of soda.


    When we got to the beach, Makai parked where I usually did, and we walked to the tree that I usually sat on. There was no one on this part of the beach right now. And there was no one in the parking lot as well. It was as private as we could get right now.


    We sat and started eating, sharing the pizzas and talking. I was the one who started the conversation, but it quickly took a turn that I wasn''t prepared for.


    "So, Ocean, did you have fun today?" I didn''t look at him so I couldn''t see Makai''s face, but I could hear his seductive voice as he tried to lure me in.


    "Y..yeah I did." I answered him honestly. I didn''t even want to hide it from him.


    "Would you want to do it again sometime, soon?" That time he sounded nervous.


    "I don''t know if I would want to go to LA again so soon." I smirked knowing he was going to get a little frustrated by my answer.


    "That''s not what I meant. We could go anywhere. Would you want to spend a day with me again? Would you want to hang out with me more often?"


    "I wouldn''t be against it. But, do we really need to go somewhere?" I asked him as I finally turned to look at him.


    "What do you mean?" He didn''t look like he understood.


    "We could just go to my place or yours. Do we really need a big day out like this every time? Rich or not this shit adds up, doesn''t it? You can''t afford to keep spending money on me like that."


    "I would, if you wanted me to." He grinned, knowing that I wasn''t against us hanging out now.


    "Well, I don''t. I think we would be just fine watching a movie, or just hanging out with each other at my place or yours. We can practice together. Come here to the beach and hang out.  There are a lot of things that don''t involve shopping like we''re in some sort of movie montage." I glared at him then, because I felt like he had done that on purpose.


    "I''m sorry, I couldn''t help it. I may or may not have seen a few romcoms in my life as well, and well, I know they have those scenes. I wanted to make today special for you."


    "By basically making me the hooker in Pretty Woman?" He laughed at that and even I couldn''t keep a straight face.


    "Yeah, well, they end up together in the end so... You know, it was worth a shot." I just rolled my eyes and finished my dessert.


    "You''re lucky I like you." I laughed at him while watching the water.


    "Yeah? How much do you like me?" He grinned. "Are you willing to go out with me?"


    "Didn''t I just go out with you?" I was confused.


    "That''s not what I meant. I mean, even though there is no one I can tell in this entire town, can I call you my boyfriend? Will you date me? Will we have something between us every time we see each other even if no one else knows? When we''re alone can I expect to have random kisses or make out sessions? Can we be together?"


    There was a heated intensity in his eyes that was melting me from the inside out. If he continued to look at me like he was I would end up a pile of goo or something before long. Why did he have this power over me?


    "Ocean, will you let me date you with hopes of, when you''re ready, taking our relationship further?" He was leaning in towards me now, his face coming closer, and the heat in his eyes melting me even more. That moment I thought my skin was going to start burning from the heat, I needed to answer him. I nodded my head before I could manage to get the word out.


    "Y..y..yes."


    His lips were barely an inch from mine. I was waiting for him to kiss me. I could practically feel it already, I could taste that orange and vanilla cream flavor of him on my tongue already. Right when I thought he was going to press his lips to mine, he pulled away.


    "Huh?" I blink bewildered, suddenly lost and confused. "I..I thought you were going to kiss me."


    "I told you, I was going to keep my hands and my kisses to myself unless you ask for something. Why? Did you want me to kiss you?" He grinned knowingly; he knew that I wanted it, and that made me blush. I wanted to tell him no, I wanted to tell him that I was stronger than that, but I couldn''t.


    "Y..yes."


    He had been waiting for my answer, and the second the word was past my lips, he threw himself at me and pressed his lips to mine. I felt myself land in the sand behind the fallen tree that I was sitting on. Makai fell on top of me and held me close to him. Unlike the last time that we were at the beach, he didn''t straddle me and hold himself away from me, this time he was trying to get as close to me as he could.


    "I''ve wanted to kiss you all day." He whispered into my ear after he broke the kiss, his lips trailing over my ear.


    "I wanted to kiss you, too. I wanted it so bad that it was driving me insane." I held the back of his head in my hands, holding him in place as I whispered into his ear, I followed the whisper with a slow swipe of my tongue along the shell of his ear.


    "I feel like I could kiss you all night and not get enough of it." Makai''s voice was heated, but that was nothing compared to his hands that were inching their way up my shirt.


    "Ahh." I felt the hot heat as he rubbed across my stomach and I shuddered. "Makai." I called his name, not sure what it was that I was wanting at that moment.


    Things were getting heated, and I didn''t want them to stop. I wanted to keep going. And I could tell that Makai was all for that as well.


    Then the familiar sound of my mom''s ringtone cut through the silence of the night around us.


    "Dammit." I swore as I tore myself away from Makai.


    "My sentiment exactly." Makai agreed.


    I rushed forward and grabbed the phone from where I left it on the tree.


    "Yeah, Mom?" I asked her when I answered the phone.


    "Don''t you yeah me, Ocean. Do you know what time it is?" She was angry.


    "I''m sorry, I forgot to text you. I was hanging out with someone after school."


    "Uh huh." She sounded pissed. "Ocean, you better not be drinking again."


    "I''m not, Mom. I promise. I will come home right now, I''m sorry." She still remembered the night that I had passed out on the beach and came home hungover.


    "I will be waiting at the door for you." I knew she was serious about that too.


    "Dammit." I swore again after she hung up the phone.


    "So, I take it she''s angry."


    "She thought I was out drinking again. I kind of made her really mad at me that night."


    "I''ll take you home now. If you want, I can tell your mom that you were just hanging out with me all night. She will know you weren''t drinking."


    "I don''t know if she would believe you any more than she would believe me."


    "It''s worth a shot."


    Makai drove me home, speeding a little to get there quicker. When we got there, I got out of the car like I was a prisoner on death row trying to avoid their sentence. I knew she was going to be pissed at me.


    "Ocean Riptide Shores, do you have any idea how-?!" She stopped her question in the middle when she saw who was walking behind me. "Oh, Makai? I didn''t know he was with you." Mom smiled like everything was OK now.


    "I''m sorry Mrs. Shores. I should have had him call you. It was rude of us to leave you with no information as to where he would be." Makai was always so polite with my Mom.


    "No, it''s fine. I probably overreacted. I''m sorry to make you bring him home so soon."


    "It''s alright, we weren''t doing anything really. We were just talking on the beach." Not doing anything my ass, she interrupted us.


    "That''s sweet. I''m glad you were together. I hate the idea of you being alone. You know what, you should come to Ocean''s birthday party. I am sure he would like to have you there, won''t you sweetie? And I promise that we parents won''t be here or interfere at all, just as long as you all promise not to destroy the house." Mom was just making things worse right now.


    "I would love to come, and I will make sure that no one destroys anything. When is it?" Makai looked at me like he was not happy to have found out about the party from my mom.


    "Oh, in two and a half weeks, on the thirtieth. The day before halloween. He''s always had a Halloween themed party." Ugh, why can''t mom just stop talking?


    "That sounds great, Mrs. Shores, I will definitely be there."


    "I was going to invite you myself." I looked down, blushing.


    "I''m glad. And I look forward to the party."


    Makai left with a wave, and I went up to my room. I did not miss the smirk that mom was giving me as I walked up the stairs. What was up with her?

 Chapter 69 - Ocean - Making It Through The Next Week

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I hadn''t been in my room for more than ten minutes when my phone rang. I knew who it was before I looked at my phone. I had saved Makai''s number this time and given it a ringtone that would let me know it was him. Almost everyone in my contacts had a special tone so this wasn''t anything special. It was just normal.


    "Hey." I answered my phone as I flopped onto my bed.


    "Soo, that was an exciting end to our date. Your mom really does have bad timing, doesn''t she?"


    "You have no idea." I groaned as I thought about what was happening on the beach.


    "So, all your stuff is still in my car. I will give it to you tomorrow after school. I don''t want to do it during school because people will see us."


    "Yeah, that wouldn''t be the greatest, would it?" I chuckled, unsure about it all.


    "Also, why didn''t you tell me your birthday was coming up?" He sounded a little upset to have found out from a different source.


    "I was going to tell you, honest. But, all of this happened so recently that I hadn''t had much time to think about all of that. I mean, it''s new to me, you know?" I hoped he understood and believed me.


    "Yeah, I know. It''s all happened so fast, but I wouldn''t trade any of it. I''ve loved every second that I have been with you, Ocean. I hope you know that I wouldn''t trade our time for anything."


    "I know." I did too, and I was right there with him. I wouldn''t trade my time with him either. It has all been really, really good.


    "So, this birthday Halloween party, is it a costume party?" I could hear the smirk in his voice.


    "If it is then what are you going to wear?" I made my voice sound alluring and seductive as I asked.


    "Hmm, I have a few ideas. They would be specific to you though. Maybe I could wear a banana suit with nothing under it and make you peel me. Or I could come dressed as a present and with nothing underneath and let you open me. I would be a gift wrapped just for you."


    DAMMIT! Why was I getting hard at just the idea of those costumes?


    "I..I..I..I don''t care what you w..wear." Great, now he knew that I was nervous.


    "Hmm, really?" He laughed. "But seriously, is it a costume party or not? I don''t want to look like the token idiot."


    "Some people dress up, and some don''t. It''s always a mix. Halloween is fun for everyone, not just kids."


    "That''s true. Are you dressing up?"


    "M..m..maybe." I hadn''t planned to, but if he wanted me to, then I would.


    "Well, I will only dress up if you do."


    "We can talk about that later." I tried to end that part of the conversation.


    "Fine. By the way, I love the middle name. Now if I lose control I can just say I got caught up in the riptide." I knew he was going to laugh about that, everyone always did.


    "Ha ha, so funny."


    "I had to. Can I pick you up for school in the morning? This time I promise I won''t take you anywhere but school." I heard a pleading note in his voice.


    "Yeah, I guess. I will see you in the morning." I consented too easily.


    "Thanks. I will see you then. Goodnight."


    "Good night. Sweet dreams." It was what I always said to my mom and sister ever since I was little and it came out automatically.


    "I''m sure they will be, if I''m lucky they''ll be of you." My heart skipped a beat at that.


    "I..I..I..I..I..-" I was lost.


    "Haha. Good night Ocean." I heard the heat already filling his voice.


    When Makai picked me up the next day, I was waiting for him. I had gotten up early, got dressed and had breakfast all before he was there. When he pulled into the driveway, Mom was watching through the curtains. She watched as I got into the car, and Makai drove away.


    They probably thought it was weird, me having Makai drive me to school when I had my own car and all. But, I mean, he asked so I let him. And that''s what I would tell them if they were to say anything about it.


    Practice was the same as usual, except Coach Dickson seemed to be relieved that we weren''t dying or something. He was so happy to have us back that he didn''t say anything about us missing the day before. Our absences were excused as well, courtesy of Coach Dickson. He told the office that we got sick at the tournament after winning it, and since that win was already getting the school some major attention, they apparently wanted to take care of it also.


    We had gotten behind on homework as well. Missing two days of school did that to us. And with the advanced classes we took, we got a lot of homework. It was going to add up. We were given an extra week to do it though, since we had the rest of the week''s work to do as well. That was good, not too bad for us then.


    No one said anything about the fact that Makai and I showed up to school together. I know that there are other sets of friends who rode to school together even though they both have a car. There was nothing wrong with it, just two friends showing up to school together. They didn''t need to know that, in our case, we were d..d..dating.


    The rest of that entire week was about the same. Makai picked me up everyday and drove me home. We did our homework together at my house and ended up making out halfway through. That made it take me twice as long to do my work from now on, but that was fine. I wasn''t all that upset about it. Working with Makai though, we got through our homework that we missed pretty quickly and turned it in by Friday morning.


    Friday at lunch was when someone finally said something to one of us.


    "It looks like the two of you became pretty good friends." Ben grinned at us.


    "Yeah, well, we realized there was no reason to hate each other." I shrugged my shoulders.


    "We?" Makai looked at me skeptically.


    "OK, fine, I realized. You guys were right all along, Makai is a good friend. I just stopped long enough to realize it." I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment.


    "That''s good. I''m glad you''re friends. It was starting to cause all of us some tension and, honestly, I was waiting for you to either fight or something." Ben looked relieved, so that was good.


    "Are you going to Ocean''s birthday party?" Ryan asked him. "He has one right around Halloween every year."


    "I''ve been told about it. I''m probably going to go, yeah."


    "That''s cool. Ryan and I are dressing up this year; we didn''t last year and totally regretted it. You should dress up too, and then we can pressure Ocean into wearing something with us." Ben sounded like he was trying to get Makai to gang up on me. That would never happen.


    "Yeah, sounds like fun. I would love to see Ocean dressed up." I stand corrected, he chose my friends and ganged up on me. That asshole.


    "Whatever would I wear?" I tried to get out of it.


    "We''ve got a week, we can work it out. Trust me, we can get it done." Ben started to think.


    "I know." Ryan sounded excited. "We can get some of the girls from the swim team and do a whole Baywatch theme. It would be cool, easy to do, and right up our alley since we''re swimmers." He was grinning and proud of his idea.


    "Yeah, that''s awesome." Ben agreed. "Hey Cassie, Alexis, would you wanna do a Baywatch theme with us to Ocean''s party?"


    "Are Ocean and Kai dressing up too?" I saw the hopeful look in their eyes.


    "Yeah, the four of us and some of you girls." Ben was nodding.


    "Sure, sounds fun."


    With that, my fate was sealed. I now had to wear nothing but a pair of shorts to my party with Makai. I could already feel the heat coming off of him where he sat next to me. But at least I got to see that view too.


    Maybe I was really looking forward to my birthday after all. I would get to see a half-naked Makai the whole night. Only, I would be walking around with a fucking hard on most the entire night.


    I swear, if I didn''t figure something out for a form of release soon, I was going to be known as a goddamn pervert for the rest of my life. What the hell was I going to do about this now?

 Chapter 70 - Both - An Away Meet (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    All I could say was that these past two weeks had been the best of my entire life. I had gotten Ocean to admit that he had feelings for me, I had taken him on a real date, and we had been studying together almost everyday after school. Over the weekend he went with his parents to visit his family because they wanted to see him for his upcoming birthday, but every school day we got to spend time with each other during school and after.


    I especially liked that he didn''t flip out anymore when I kissed him. Like, when I was watching him more than studying, and he noticed, and when he turned to look at me I would capture his lips in a kiss. Those were the best moments by far. His lips were soft and full of a burning passion that equaled mine.


    Now, it''s been two weeks since we went to the hotel, and we had another away meet. This one wasn''t an overnight trip though, just a same day event that we would go to and then head home after. It was from Saturday at noon until whatever time that it finished up, most likely around six or so. We were also encouraged to drive if we could so that we didn''t need to have so many buses.


    I was driving there, but Ocean rode the school bus on the way there. I was hoping he would go out to dinner with me afterwards so that it could be counted as another date. Things had been getting hot between us lately, and I wanted to show him that I was after more than just his body, as hot as it was.


    Ocean and I weren''t put in the same groups for individual heats this time. The coach wanted to maximize the wins as much as possible. This was good since between the individual heats, Ocean and I dominated and took first. We even raced on separate groups for the relays so that we could take first in those as well. The meet today was in the bag for our school, and Coach was more than happy about that.


    I was also happy about being in separate races than Ocean; this way I was able to watch him as he swam. I could watch his sleek, slender, muscled body as he dove into the water. And let''s not forget that I was able to watch him as he got out of the pool with water glistening all over him. Damn that was the best.


    Though I had to make sure that I maintained my composure. If I went too far, then I would have to explain something to the others. I know Ocean wanted to keep our relationship a secret for now, until he was comfortable with it all. I knew the reason why, and I understood it too; we didn''t know what the people at school were going to say about us being with each other. This was actually safer for the both of us.


    Still, it was hard wanting him and keeping it a secret from everyone.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Damn that swim meet seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. And, like always, I was exhilarated by the end of it all. I won all my heats and Makai won all of his. Our school dominated, and the Coach was celebrating, a little too much.


    I had enjoyed the day for other reasons too. Makai and I weren''t swimming together so I got to watch him. That was cool. He is an amazing swimmer. He looked so natural in the water. Just the way that he moved in the water was beautiful.


    Following the meet we were all showering and getting dressed in the locker room. I was one of the last guys in there because Makai had stopped me and asked me something before we went in.


    "Hey, want to ride back with me and get something to eat? I know I am starving after today." The smile he was giving me would give away what was between us, but I couldn''t help but grin in reply.


    "Yeah, I''m pretty hungry." What would it hurt to have dinner tonight? That''s right, nothing.


    I was thinking about that as I walked into the showers. All the others seemed to be done and were almost dressed.


    "Ocean, hurry up. You''re going to hold the bus up." Ryan yelled at me.


    "Tell the coach I''ll ride home with Makai; you can leave without me."


    "OK, got it." He ran out of the locker room as I was still getting ready to shower.


    "Hurry up Ocean!" Makai grinned at me as he walked out of his shower with just a towel around his waist. The water was glistening on his chest, and I couldn''t stop my eyes as they traced a droplet that moved down toward his belly button.


    That little movement was so alluring, so sexy. By the time that I tore my eyes away and went into the shower stall I was already in trouble.


    I had been working so hard not to have that little problem of mine during practices or during school. Today had been so difficult, but I had managed to get through it. I had kept it at bay until now.


    I was still wearing my speedo when I turned the water on cold and tried to get it to go away. I couldn''t let this control me. At night in bed when I could let my thoughts run wild was one thing, but here in the showers at an out of town community pool was completely different.


    DAMMIT! I was so frustrated that I growled at myself, then cursed to myself because I just knew someone heard me.


    "Are you OK Ocean?" I heard Ben''s voice call out to me.


    "Y..yeah. I''m fine." I heard the strain in my voice as I answered him.


    "Are you sure? You don''t sound too good."


    "Y..y..yeah. I''m sure. I''m good."


    "OK, well, I''m going out to the bus. I will see you on Monday."


    The commotion in the locker room was still there, but it was steadily dying down. What wasn''t going down was my little problem.


    I couldn''t ''take care of it'' right now because I had been getting increasingly louder and louder when I did so. I used to be able to handle it silently, but not anymore. Now I had to muffle myself with a pillow.


    ''Come on, calm down. Go away. Don''t do this to me right now.'' I was lecturing myself, begging myself, and pleading with myself all to no avail. It was not going away. ''DAMMIT!'' I screamed at myself inside my head.


    Suddenly someone else was outside my stall. The last person that should be near me right now.


    "Ocean? What''s going on?" Makai had to have been dressed forever now, and he was waiting on me so that he could leave.


    "I..I..I..I am fine, I..I j..just need a few minutes." I was so on edge right now that I couldn''t talk without stuttering.


    "Ocean?" He sounded curious now, but not at all like he was going to leave.


    "I..I''m alright, M..Makai, I p..promise."


    I heard the sound of his footsteps leading away from me and was happy that finally the locker room sounded empty.


    ''Thank God.'' I thought to myself as I pushed the tight fabric of my speedo down my thighs and freed the troublesome erection that just didn''t want to go away. The tightness of the swimsuit was making things so much worse, but now having it at hand wasn''t making things any better either.


    I saw movement at the shower curtain that caught me by surprise. A hand reached in quickly and turned off the water. By the time that I had registered that it was Makai, he was already pressed against me. He had taken his shirt off, and his bare skin felt like flames against my overly cold body.


    "Ahh!" I basically moaned at the feel of the temperature difference.


    "It looks to me like you have a  little problem." Makai''s voice whispered raspily into my ear causing me to shiver.


    "M..Makai." I stuttered out his name. "W..w..what are you doing?"


    "I''m here to help you. Isn''t that what a good boyfriend should do?" He was talking in such a way that made me feel like he was going to go beyond anything we''ve ever done before.


    "H..h..help me h..how?"


    "Ocean, I think you could probably figure that out for yourself."


    I heard his words fall over me; they seemed to rub against me like sandpaper. The words along with his hand were moving down the front of my body from my chest to my stomach and still lower until they passed my hips.


    I didn''t expect it even though I should have, but I gasped in shock and surprise when Makai''s hand closed around my swollen, throbbing erection.


    "You''re so hard that you feel ready to burst. I''m going to help you out with this so we can head home."


    "H..h..help me h..how?" I asked him again nervously.


    "Ocean, just stand there and enjoy yourself."


    At those words, I felt his hand grip me a little more firmly and start to move. He moved his hand slowly from the tip all the way down to the base.


    "Ngh! A..aahhh!" I moaned obscenely as he started to move his hand up again. Goddammit that felt good. But I shouldn''t do this now.


    "W..wait. What if s..s..someone comes in?"


    "Shhh. Don''t worry, Ocean. They''re all gone. We''re the only ones left. But we should hurry before the cleaning crew comes in."


    "M..M..Makai w..w..wait." I told him to wait, to stop basically, but I was gripping his waist and holding him close to me.


    "You don''t really want me to stop, do you?" I shivered again at the sound of his voice in my ears.


    "N..n..no." I shook my head and answered him honestly.


    "Good, then let''s hurry up and get this done."


    I felt him press his lips to my neck then, kissing gently and sucking softly.


    "Ngh!" I moaned again at the combined pleasure of it. He scraped his teeth gently across my shoulder and my whole body shook. "Aahh!"


    "Shh." He shushed me again before pressing his lips to mine, swallowing the next moan that came from me.


    His hand was moving faster and faster now. His lips were devouring me hungrily as he muffled the sounds of my moans. My hands were roaming all over his naked chest, frantic to touch something. His right hand, the one not gripping me, was holding the back of my head for a better angle for the kiss. And my hips were rocking back and forth, helping him move harder and faster along the swollen length of me.


    Just his hand was driving me nuts. I didn''t know that it would feel this much better just to have someone else''s hands pleasuring me. I could feel the ecstasy of it coursing through me.


    "Ngh! Mmm! Nghh!" I was moaning into his mouth as I neared my end, but I didn''t want to let it be over yet.


    Subconsciously I felt myself pulling away from him. I didn''t want to finish, no, because then he would stop touching me. But the loss of his warmth was like a slow death to me so just pulling away from him was hard as well.


    "Nnngh, nnngh." I was whining into our kiss as I was conflicted about what to do.


    He broke the kiss then and whispered at me again.


    "Shh. Don''t worry, we can do this again another time. I promise. Just finish, Ocean. Just finish for me, baby." I stopped fighting it and pressed myself into his hand harder and faster.


    Moments later I was about to come, and he knew it.


    "MAK-!" He stopped the scream of his name with another kiss, muffling the sound so that it didn''t echo for everyone to hear.


    When he pulled away, I was panting, and he was grinning. I couldn''t believe what had just happened. I blushed fiercely while he grinned.


    "Now, I think you should get dressed." He chuckled. "Well, maybe after you rinse off."


    I looked him over and saw that he didn''t have anything on him, that was good. His jeans were a little wet from pressing against me, but that was it. There was no proof of what had just happened except for what was about to get washed down the drain. I couldn''t believe this.


    I rinsed off quickly and then dried off and dressed quickly. We went for fast food since it had taken us so long to leave the pool. When Makai dropped me off that night, he was still smiling like he had enjoyed himself a lot. I don''t see how though since he wasn''t the one who had been pleasured.


    Sometimes, he just confused me.

 Chapter 71 - Ocean - Getting Ready For The Party

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    This whole week I have been a little off. I mean, I had let Makai do ''that'' while we were at the community pool. How could I have lost control like that and let that happen? I had enjoyed it, that wasn''t in question here, but I shouldn''t have done it. And, then there is the fact that Makai looked so pleased when he didn''t have anything done to him.


    Did I want to do something to Makai, though? I mean, I have never done that with a guy. Well, to be fair I hadn''t done anything with a girl either. That night had been as close to sex with someone that I had ever gotten. It was exhilarating and really good. I didn''t know just masturbating could be so good.


    I think that, in truth, I wanted to see what things might be like with Makai. I want to try them more than I ever wanted to try them with the skank I used to be with. So, I mean, I guess that says a lot about me, and what I really want.


    I had tried to just ignore things all week and hide away in my room while I thought, but I couldn''t. I couldn''t hang out with Makai either, which was making things worse. Nope, I had to help get things ready for my party this weekend. So everyday I was busy shopping for food or last minute decorations that we didn''t already have. Then I had to help my mom and sister decorate.


    My sister, Julie, was the next youngest after me. She was three years older than me and was a junior in college. She was studying marine biology and wanted to look after the ocean. Her joke was she had to keep an eye on the Ocean so much when she was a kid that she just fell into the role naturally. I knew that she was just interested in the ocean because of me, because I was found on the beach the day that I was born, with my umbilical cord still bleeding.


    Still, that didn''t matter; what mattered was that I had spent an entire week unable to hang out with Makai. I was a little worried that he would be upset about that. Not to mention that Mom kept looking at me funny too, whenever I got frustrated.


    "Ocean?" Julie yelled at me as I grumbled my way through putting up decorations the morning of the party. "What the hell is the matter with you?!"


    "I''m just frustrated." I sighed.


    "Well, tell Brittney to take care of that for you." She laughed at me.


    "Julie!" Mom yelled at her.


    "I''m not with that skank anymore." My sister''s eyes went wide at that. "What? Didn''t Mom or Dad tell you?" I watched then as my sister slunk toward me. She had the look of a predator and was eyeing me like I was dinner. Her golden brown hair, hazel eyes, and even her sun-kissed complexion all helped to make her look like a wild animal, like a lioness or something.


    "No, no one told me. Then, who is it you want to see so badly? Who has their hooks in you now?"


    "Wh..what? N..n..no one. I''m not seeing anyone right now." She didn''t look convinced.


    "Julie! Come here." Reluctantly, my sister left me alone and went to my mom''s side. "Help me with this."


    My mom and sister started working together to hang something else while talking in hushed voices. I didn''t know what they were talking about, but they were making me uncomfortable with how they kept looking back at me with grins on their faces.


    I decided I was just going to leave the decorating to them and go help my dad in the kitchen. Most of the food for the night was going to be pizza, ordered and delivered later. And there would be a lot of pizza too. Still, my parents always made sure there were other options for my friends. This party of mine had stopped being a kids party when I entered middle school, and as I got to be in high school it was more of a house party than anything else. Still, I liked doing this, and I knew it was my last one, since I was off to college next year.


    "Hey Dad, need some help?" I asked him as I went into the kitchen.


    "You can help me with this tray here." He indicated one he had just taken out of the oven and needed to be transferred to a cooling rack.


    "Sure thing."


    I was working silently when my dad started talking randomly. At first I didn''t even realize he was talking to me since he talked to himself a lot.


    "So, is your ''friend'' Kai coming tonight?"


    "Huh? Oh yeah, I think he is. I..I mean he said he was. A..a..a lot of guys from the team are coming. A bunch of us are dressing up together in a group costume with the girls."


    "That''s cool. Make sure you make enough time for Kai. I think he''s feeling a little lonely since you''ve been busy all week." My dad smirked at me like he knew something that I didn''t.


    "What? W..what are you talking about?" I was confused by what he said, but also the way he said it.


    "Just, you know, you were hanging out everyday after school and now you''ve been busy all week. And he''s at home alone a lot, that''s what he said, right?"


    I hadn''t even thought about that. I hadn''t been able to see him all week, and if his parents weren''t home, then he was there by himself. Had I made him feel lonely?


    "But he will be here with you tonight, so he won''t be lonely anymore.


    "Th..that''s right. H..h..h..he won''t be." I nodded in agreement with my dad.


    "When did you start stuttering so much?" My dad looked at me with his head tilted to the side just a little.


    "I..i..it happened after th..the accident. Wh..when I hit my head." I was nervous right now, and my dad didn''t need to know that I only stuttered when I was nervous about something to do with Makai.


    "Huh, I didn''t notice before today." He laughed and got back to work on the food.


    I gave up then. It was time for me to just go to my room and wait for the party to begin. Today had already been long and taxing. I didn''t know how I was going to make it through this night if just the day was this hard.


    I hadn''t seen Makai after school all week. At school we were just friends and teammates, we couldn''t be anything more. At my house, we were able to be more, but not tonight. There would be too many people here for that too. I wouldn''t be able to treat him any different than I did the others.


    I wanted to treat him differently though. I wanted it to just be the two of us so that we could be alone together and¡­ and¡­ and¡­? What else did I want? What more did I want from Makai? Did¡­ did I want to have sex with him already? Or did I want to take it slow and just not go much past what we did last week? Or did I want to go back to just kissing him?


    I didn''t know. I couldn''t figure it out, not yet.


    For now though, I needed to take a shower and get ready for the night. I should also, preemptively take care of something so that I was less likely to have an issue when there were more people here than usual. I didn''t want my friends thinking I was a pervert chasing after the girls on the team or something.


    That''s why I thought about Makai while I showered and took care of myself. I needed to maintain composure later. That was the only reason and nothing else. I didn''t have any other motive behind it at all.


    After the shower, which was way longer than normal, I dried off and got ready for the party. I was wearing the red swim trunks from the TV show that we were all copying for tonight. I


    was just glad that we didn''t have to wear speedos or speedo shorts. I would not be able to hold my composure if I was forced to look at the exact outline of Makai''s¡­ well you know.


    I styled my hair like the idiots on the show, like anyone who was going to be going into the water would actually style their hair like this at all. They would keep it natural so no products got into their eyes. I slipped a whistle on around my neck that dangled between the swell of my pecs. I even had that little red first aid bag that they wore in the movie. This had been an easy costume to prepare for, and if it wasn''t for the fact that this was California and was still decently warm then I wouldn''t be wearing this right now.


    Now, I was ready and it was time to head down to say goodbye to my parents and then greet the guests as they arrived. It was almost time for the party to start. Why was it that for the first time since I have been having these parties, I was nervous. My heart was racing with each step that I took down towards the rest of the house, and it was only beating faster and faster.

 Chapter 72 - Both - Birthday Party

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I was dressed and ready for Ocean''s party. I was wearing nothing but the red swim shorts, medic bag, and a whistle. I didn''t have a problem wearing this to the party; it was more than we wore to a swim meet anyway. Not to mention, this would make it so that I could look at Ocean''s naked chest all night long.


    I was also arriving at the party early. I wanted to be the first one there. When I knocked on the door, a woman that I had never seen answered the door. She was pretty with hazel eyes, golden brown hair, and a natural tan. I wondered for a moment who she was before she started talking, then she made it clear.


    "Oh, I''ve never met you before, and I know almost everyone that Ocean does. Are you here for my little brother''s party?" So she was one of his older sisters.


    "That''s right. My name is Makai, I just moved here a little over a month ago."


    "Oh, so you''re Makai. I''ve heard about you. Come in, come in. I''m sure my brother will be happy to see you."


    She was grinning at me like she was wanting to tease Ocean with me. Did he tell his family about us? Based on the way that his sister was acting, I thought maybe he had.


    "Oh, Kai, it''s so nice to see you." His mom came into the hallway then, her purse on her arm and her keys in hand.


    "So, you met Makai then, Mom?"


    "Yup sure did, Julie; he was the one we met at the hospital. He''s the one that saved Ocean from the water when he was sick." Mrs. Shores was grinning now. What was going on with this family? "Ocean! You''ve got company." She yelled up the stairs, but I noticed she didn''t tell him who was here.


    "Yeah, I remember you telling me someone saved him, but not who it was. Funny you can tell me about my brother almost dying, but not that bimbo dumping him. That I had to find out today."


    OK, maybe he hadn''t told them. Did she ask Ocean if Brittney was coming today, and he told her about me, or did he just say that they weren''t together. I was so lost right now.


    "Hi Kai, nice to see you again. I''m sure Ocean will be down soon." Ocean''s Dad came in then, and I was starting to feel uncomfortable.


    "It''s nice to see you again, Mr and Mrs Shores, and it''s nice to meet you as well Julie."


    "Did I tell you my name? Or has Ocean been talking about me?" She was looking at me with intense eyes, I could see that she took after their mom.


    "I heard Mrs. Shores call you that a few moments ago." I was uncomfortable now.


    "Oh, right." She laughed. "I forgot about that."


    Finally, I heard Ocean''s footsteps as he came down the stairs. This awkwardness might finally be ending. Only there was an issue when Ocean got about halfway down the stairs. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at me.


    "M..M..M..Makai?" He hadn''t been expecting me to be here first. That''s a shame, I would have to let him know again how much I cared for him.


    "Hey." I smiled and waved. "Happy birthday."


    "Oooo." Julie called out softly and giggled.


    "Shut up. Leave them alone." Mrs Shores pushed her out of the house. "Bye boys, have fun. We will be home tomorrow."


    "Have fun! The pizzas are already here, and the food is in the kitchen; goodnight." Mr Shores followed his wife and daughter and shut the door behind him. I could hear Julie laughing outside, and Mrs Shores scolding her, but I ignored it. I only had eyes, or attention, for one thing, and that was Ocean.


    "Soo, that was fun." He grinned at me, but didn''t say anything. "Did you tell your parents about us?"


    "N..n..n..n..no." He finally managed to get the word out after a long time. "I..I..I..I don''t kn..kn.kn.know how they w..w..w..would take i..i..it." He was nervous, that wouldn''t do. He was about to have a party, and that meant there would be a lot of people here.


    "Well, I think they know. Or at least suspect something."


    I was walking toward him while I talked, moving up the stairs. I saw his eyes go wide, something was off about him tonight. What was it? Was he feeling something different today? Was he feeling that pull like I have been, lately? I know that right now, in this moment, I was feeling it stronger than I ever had before. Instead of a constant dull ache whenever I saw him it was like a throbbing in my heart. It was like I needed him more now than I ever did before.


    "Are you alright?" I asked him in a soft, gentle voice.


    "Y..y..yeah, I..I..I''m fine." I leaned in close to him, my chest pressing against his as I sought his lips. I could feel the rapid pounding of his heart as well, the throbbing in his chest felt even more intense than usual.


    "Ocean." I grinned, my lips ghosting over his. "I missed you."


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai pressed his lips to mine then, his tongue delving in between my slightly parted lips as he seemed to be conquering me. I didn''t know what was happening. The moment I saw Makai I felt like there was something pulling me toward him. It was all I could do to just stand there and look at him when all I wanted to do was jump at him.


    My family had been here, though, so I knew that I had to keep myself under control. Was it just because I had barely seen him all week except at school? Or was it because my dad had reminded me that Makai was most likely home alone all week and probably felt very lonely?


    I don''t know what was causing it, but it felt like something was amping up the way that I felt for him. Oh, and this kiss, God dammit, it felt at least five times more intense. Had they always been like this? I don''t know if they had been or not, but it was amazing.


    I found my hands wrapping around his elbows and pulling him toward me so that I was holding him against me. I didn''t want him to stop, I didn''t want his mouth to leave mine, but after a short few minutes, he pulled away.


    "I would say that was worth the week long wait." He grinned at me with desire-filled eyes. I was just marvelling at the fact that I was still standing right now when the doorbell rang. "I think you should get that. As long as you''re able to." He winked at me.


    I know what he meant. He was basically asking me if I had another problem. I had started to, that was for sure, but the bell took the wind out of my sails.


    "Y..y..yeah, I probably should." I shook my head and cleared the fog of lust from it. "W..will you stay after the party ends? I..I..I want to t..t..talk to you."


    "Of course I will, I want to be the last one to see my boyfriend on his birthday." He winked at me. "Now, go answer the door." He kissed my nose gently.


    I ran down the stairs with a grin on my face. I was in a really good mood all of a sudden. Before this, I had actually been sort of dreading the party. Now though, I was really glad it was finally here. The guys had been right, this costume theme was great, and Makai looked amazing.


    When I pulled the door open Ryan and Ben were standing there with Cassie, Katie, Whitney, and Alexis. Well, at least we were equal, four guys and four girls. It would look like we did this on purpose. The others probably did, but I just wasn''t in on it.


    "Hey, come on in. You''re a little early. Makai just got here so I was about to start the music." They all came in and said hi to me and Makai.


    "Hey Ocean, how come you''re the only one that calls him by his full first name and not his nickname?" Katie looked at me curiously.


    "I..I don''t know." I shrugged. "Probably because he has never referred to himself as Kai to me. He introduced himself as Makai that first day of school, and that was it."


    "So, you''ve only heard other people call him Kai?" Ben looked confused, one eyebrow raised as he looked at me.


    "Yeah, I haven''t really heard him say Kai either. Just you guys."


    "Huh, that''s weird he told us all to call him that, he said that''s what his friends call him." Cassie laughed. "I guess you''re not really his friend." I glared at her and almost snapped back at her.


    "He can call me whatever he wants; I don''t care one way or the other." Makai shrugged. "Both of them are my name, and I will answer to both."


    "Whatever you prefer, Kai. It''s your life." Ryan smiled. "Now let''s get some music on, and then get some group pictures."


    I did as I said I was going to do in the first place and put some music on for the party. It was starting to get dark already, so everyone was going to be here soon. I think altogether we were expecting sixty to seventy people this year. I didn''t invite the whole school, but I did invite the whole swim team.


    Just before everyone else got to the party, we all posed for pictures. We took turns pretending to be the victim so that someone had to pretend to be saving us; Makai was the one who was saving me. We also had pictures with all the guy''s,then all the girls, half and half. We couldn''t get the whole group until someone else got there.


    Thankfully Sarah showed up next and was more than happy to take the group shots as long as we sent her one. In each of the group photos, Makai and I were close to each other; still, I don''t think anyone noticed anything. We weren''t paying that much attention to each other, and they couldn''t tell just because we were standing close to each other, right?


    Anyway, it was now time for the party to officially start. And true to any usual birthday party, people were bringing gifts for me. Those were being put in the office downstairs, which was not a place they were allowed to go in otherwise.

 Chapter 73 - Both - Birthday Party Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The music was blaring, people were dancing, the food was being devoured, and everyone was having a good time. For the most part, the swim team had scattered. The only ones of us that had stayed grouped together were myself, Makai, Ben, Ryan, Cassie and Alexis. I have a feeling Ben and Ryan liked Cassie and Alexis, but they seemed to have eyes for Makai since they were staying close to him, and me since we were always standing close to each other.


    We were all dancing together and having a good time. I had gone through and talked to everyone that I could, but it was hard though because I was pretty sure more people were here than I had planned for.


    "I''m going to get a drink." Ben cut into the conversation we had been having.


    "I''ll go with you. I''m pretty thirsty myself. Anyone else want something?" I asked the rest of our little group.


    "I''ll take something." Makai was the first one to respond.


    "Yeah, me too." Ryan added.


    "Me too."


    "I''ll take one." Cassie and Alexis added.


    "Coming right up." I smiled at them and left with Ben.


    "This party is pretty good, but shouldn''t you be spending more time with the other people?" Ben asked me as we walked.


    "Nah, they all said hi, and they''ll find me if they want to. There are too many people for me to entertain them all by myself. This is fine."


    "OK, as long as you know what you''re doing."


    We went into the kitchen then so that we could get the drinks. Ben was going to carry a few, and I was going to get the rest. I helped him get his ready so that he could be on his way first. It would be best if the others could get their drinks sooner.


    I was in the middle of filling up another cup when I heard someone talk from the other side of the counter, someone that I really wish would have realized that they were no longer invited to this party.


    "Hey Ocean, baby. I''ve missed you."


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and Ben had gone to get drinks. I couldn''t keep my eyes off of the kitchen door though, as I waited for him to come back. I don''t know why, but I was anxious right now. I just felt like something was going to happen, like something was wrong.


    I watched as Ben came back out after a moment, but Ocean wasn''t with him. And a moment after Ben left the kitchen Brittney, the skank who used Ocean, walked into the room that my boyfriend currently was in. I had a feeling that the skank was going to try and get Ocean back.


    He was back to being number one. He had won the tournament and came in first place during the last meet. He was back to being the best, and that was what she wanted. She knew I wouldn''t take her, but I bet she thought that Ocean would take her back. Yeah, that was never going to happen.


    Still I didn''t want to let anything bad happen to Ocean. Who knew what that sluttly fucking bimbo was going to say to him. I didn''t want her ruining his night. Without thinking, I just walked away from the party immediately and followed her into the kitchen. I felt Ben''s eyes on me as I went though. I could tell he was watching me.


    "Hey Ocean, baby. I''ve missed you." I heard the fake cooing in her voice as she put on a show for him. I also saw that she was dressed like a fucking playboy bunny. Who the hell was she playing here?


    "What the hell do you want, you fucking twatwaffle?"


    "That was kind of mean, don''t you think?" She sounded upset for a moment then continued whatever it was she had come to say. "It''s been a long time, and I''ve realized that I was wrong."


    "I don''t care how long it''s been." He ignored her as he continued what he was doing, but I could see that he was upset, his hands shaking just a little.


    "Come on, Ocean." She slid up close to him and wrapped her arms around his bicep. "I''ve missed you. I want to be with you, Ocean. I''m ready." She blinked at him a couple times as if she were trying to tell him that what she was saying was really important.


    "Go away!" He snapped at her in an angry tone.


    "Ocean, come on. I am giving you another chance. Isn''t this what you wanted all along?" She stepped away from him and put her hands on her hips angrily. "You''re about to throw away something really good here. If you play your cards right, we could end up married."


    "Ugh, I shudder to think of actually being forced to live that punishment for the rest of my life." I couldn''t help but laugh. He was holding his own against her, but I still didn''t like her touching him the way she had. That pissed me off.


    "You don''t know what you''re doing here, Ocean. I can make or break you at school. You do not want to cross me." She moved her hands from her hips and crossed her arms over her chest. I saw that she was shaking with anger. I think it was time to step in to help.


    "Hey Ocean, need some help?" I smiled as I walked up to him. "Everyone is waiting on their drinks."


    "Yeah, that''d be helpful." He was ignoring her now, not even paying attention to her.


    "OK, come on, let''s get this stuff to the others." I picked up two cups, and he grabbed one.


    "Do not walk away from me, Ocean. I will not stand for this."


    "Hey, Kai, do you smell something? I think the kitchen needs to be cleaned." It looked to me like Ocean was trying not to laugh right now.


    "Yeah, I think some piece of rotten shit fell out of a cunt. When did you have cunt shit in the kitchen?" Ocean really did laugh at that one.


    "I don''t know, but I think my parents should call the fumigators. We don''t want this infestation spreading."


    "Grrrr!" The skank finally got the message and stormed out of the kitchen. When we made it back to the living room, we saw her slamming the door shut behind her.


    "Good, she''s gone." I laughed. "Now you don''t have to worry."


    "I wasn''t worried, but thanks for the help. That was pretty funny." I bumped his shoulder as he thanked me.


    "Any time." I winked at him as we walked.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Thankfully that bitch got the message and left the party. I wanted her to know that neither the number one nor the number two swimmers in the school wanted her. In truth, they wanted each other, but that didn''t matter to her; she didn''t need to know that at all. I was just glad that no one else saw what had happened.


    The rest of the group had noticed Brittney storm out of the house though and asked me about it when I got back.


    "What was that about?" Cassie looked confused.


    "She wanted me back." I answered honestly.


    "After what she did to you? That skank!" Alexis sounded appalled as she stared at the door. "I hope you told her no."


    "Do you think she would have left so angrily if I hadn''t?" I laughed. "She was pissed. Plus she threatened me."


    "What the fuck?" Ryan nearly spat his drink out before he managed to say those words. "How did she threaten you?"


    "She said she could make or break me at school. Like she would ruin my reputation or something." I shrugged. "I''m not worried. She actually thinks she has more clout than she does."


    "Yeah, I''d like to see her stand up against someone who swims as good as you." Cassie batted her eyes. It was almost as if she had something in her eye and was trying to get it out or something like that.


    "Yeah, it was funny, but Kai was there to help, which made it easier."


    "Ooooh, so you decided to call him Kai now?" I just realized what I had said, and I felt myself blush bright red. I couldn''t believe that I had just done that."


    "W..w..well, I thought I should call him what everyone else does. I mean, why be different." I was flustered now.


    "Well, I think you should be yourself." Ben looked at me with a strange look. "It''s easier to be yourself than what everyone else wants you to be." He was sounding sort of serious and intense for a moment, and I didn''t know what to say to that.


    "Y..yeah, I know. I am being myself, but it''s his preferred nickname right. I mean, I am not really changing anything except what I call him. He''s still my friend either way."


    After that the party went pretty smoothly. No other unwanted guests or skanks trying to ruin things. I was used to how this process went since this was the fourth one of these I''ve had since high school started.


    I was getting tired of everyone being there around eleven though, and I was ready for them to leave. Ben and Ryan didn''t have a problem with leaving; they could tell I was wanting to end the party early. Alexis and Cassie were a little upset, but they were OK with leaving. All of them and Kai helped me to get everyone out of the house.


    To make sure that he was the last one there, Kai busied himself with cleaning up while I searched the house to make sure there were no stragglers. Thankfully they had all left when asked to do so, and I was finally alone with Kai. Though we really did need to do some cleaning up.


    We each grabbed a trash bag and moved through the house as quickly as we could to clean it all up. The decorations could wait, and I didn''t care about the leftover food at the moment. I just wanted to get the trash all taken care of.


    It went pretty quick, thankfully. Maybe twenty minutes or so, and then we were done. Finally we could be alone with each other.

 Chapter 74 - Ocean - Birthday Present (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Damn, that was exhausting." I flopped onto my bed and sighed. "I am glad that I had the party and all, but I am fucking tired now."


    "You definitely look tired." Kai sat down on the bed next to me.


    "I''ve been going since this morning. My mom and sister made me get up early to help finish it all. As you can see, they always make me decorate the party like Halloween threw up on a birthday party. It''s always this eclectic mix of clashing decorations. I''m used to it now, and so are most of the guests, but still it''s a lot. And they ALWAYS go overboard. It was worse when both of my sisters were at home. Julie and Deliah were always very protective of me. My brother, Grantham, was protective too, but he is ten years older than me so I got away from more of his ''protection'' at a young age. He''s married now, and my sister-in-law has a baby on the way."


    "You''re talkative when you''re tired." Kai grinned at me.


    "O..oh. I..I..I''m sorry." I blushed again for like the thousandth time tonight.


    "No reason to be embarrassed. I think it''s cute." His smile was alluring, but his words weren''t.


    "I''m not cute." I puffed out my cheeks in annoyance.


    Apparently he liked what I was doing because along with the smirk he gave me, he leaned over me from where he was sitting on the bed. His hand was now right next to my head as he braced himself, and his face was getting closer and closer.


    "It''s ok to be cute. I know that even things I do can be considered cute. Especially if those things have to do with you. I don''t mind, because you''re the one that I like and liking you brings out my sensitive side."


    "B..b..b..b-." I was stuttering again, and he smiled more, and it was kind of cute, that smile of his.


    "I think that is cute too. The way you stutter. And it''s usually just for me. I like that." He was inching closer.


    "I..i..i..it''s either when I..I''m nervous talking to y..y..you or talking a..a..about you." I blushed again.


    "That''s good to know. I am the only reason you stutter, and I love that about you."


    His lips were just an inch or two away from mine right now. I couldn''t hold back anymore, I needed to kiss him. I grabbed the sides of his head and pulled his mouth to mine. I kissed him hungrily, needing to devour his mouth like he did to mine earlier.


    The kiss didn''t last long, but I was still panting by the time that it was over.


    "Kai." I breathed his name against his lips.


    "I''m glad you''re finally using that name when the others are around, but when we''re like this, please use my full name. I like the way it sounds when you say it." There was heat and need in his voice. Something that I both wanted to have him give to me, and that I wanted to give to him.


    "Makai." I sighed his name against his ear just before I ran my tongue across the lobe and pulled it into my mouth. I bit down on it gently, and he shuddered.


    "Ocean?" He said my name like it was a question.


    "Yeah?" I looked at him through eyes that felt misted and hazy.


    "I..I know that I said I was going to let you lead things, but can I give you something?" He sounded nervous, like he wasn''t sure I was going to say yes.


    "Like what?" For once, it had been him to stutter and not me.


    "Something for your birthday. Something special that I am certain you''ve never had before."


    "W..what though? What are you talking about?" I was confused and didn''t know what he wanted to give to me.


    "If I don''t tell you ahead of time, will you say no?" He was smirking now, like he had the upper hand. Dammit, I hated that he was right about that. I wanted to know what he wanted to give to me.


    "N..no, I won''t say no."


    "Is that a yes, then?"  He looked happy, excited even.


    "Y..yeah."


    The word was barely out of my mouth before he set his lips against me. He was biting and sucking his way down my neck, and to my chest. His hands were toying with me, gliding up and down my body, like he couldn''t decide what it was that he wanted to touch. Finally, his hand settled on my pecs, more specifically the nipple that was laying in wait there for him.


    I cried out when he pinched the little sensitive piece of flesh under his fingers. And the next second, his mouth closed over the other one. He was pinching the one on the right and biting and sucking the one on the left. Oh damn, that really does feel way better than I ever imagined it would.


    He was losing patience though, and after a minute or two of toying with me, he started to move his mouth away. I was slowly losing my mind and didn''t know what to do. I was basically just laying there and letting him do whatever he wanted to me. That wasn''t right though, was it? I needed to do something for him.


    While I contemplated as best as I could what I should do, he made me forget my own name with the way that he was teasing me with his hands and mouth. This was already more than I expected, and I didn''t know what was coming next.


    I found out though, really soon, when he wrapped both of his hands around my waist to cup my ass. Only he didn''t cup it from the outside, he slid his hands straight into the top of my shorts and grabbed my bare ass.


    "Makai?" I moaned at the feel of his burning hot palms holding me.


    "You said I could give you what I wanted, Ocean. Don''t you remember? Please don''t stop me now." He begged me, and I felt my body tighten at the sound of it.


    "O..o..ok." I gave in and decided that I wasn''t going to stop him no matter what he did.


    "Thank you, Ocean" He kissed my belly button before continuing his descent.


    Now that he knew I wasn''t going to stop him, Kai grabbed the waistband of my shorts and started to tug them down. I wasn''t wearing anything under them of course; they were swim trunks after all.


    Once the shorts were down, I was standing at attention; my erection was now plain for both me and Kai to see.


    "Now, that is a beautiful sight." Kai''s voice was deep, seductive, and raspy. I could tell that he wasn''t lying or making fun of me. He sincerely meant what he said.


    "M..Makai?" I was nervous now and not sure what to do.


    "Just trust me, Ocean. You will enjoy this."


    With that, he wrapped his hand around my shaft and settled himself between my thighs. I had an instance of clarity and knew what he was doing before he actually did it. The next thing that I knew he was sliding his mouth over the tip of my erection.


    OH FUCK!


    I had never felt anything like this before. What the hell? My first blowjob, and it was from Kai? How did he even know what he was doing? Has he done this before? Or had it done to him? I was a mess of questions and nerves, but they all flew right out the window when he started to move his mouth down my shaft.


    Slowly, he took all of me into his mouth. His tongue felt like it was cradling me as it slid slowly along my quivering member. This was the best thing I had ever felt in my entire life. I thought when he stroked me and helped me to masturbate was the best so far, but this blew that out of the water.


    Kai''s mouth was hot, wet, and sucked at me with a needy hunger. Once his lips reached the bottom of my shaft and kissed the base, I felt like I was touching every possible part of his mouth. That was hot and tightened me even more. He must have liked it though, ''cause he hummed out a laugh, and it vibrated around my dick in a maddening way.


    "OH GOD!" I yelled the words to my ceiling and for him to hear.


    Now it was time for him to set about creating a rhythm. He pulled back until just my tip was left in his mouth and then slid back down in quick, fast motions.


    "OH GOD!" I cried the words out again as he sucked me with everything he had.


    I lost control and followed some sort of instincts that I must have had. I gripped the back of his head. Holding fistfuls of his hair, I started to trust forward to meet his mouth and bury myself in the hot wet heat that was driving me insane.


    He wanted to be the one in control here though. He pried my fingers from his head, slowing his motions as he did so. After that he pressed my hands against the mattress and held them there as best as he could. I got it, he didn''t want me to hold him. When I moved my hands up so that I could put them under my head, he started his rhythm again.


    I was still thrusting though, and he didn''t want that either. He gripped both of my hips at the moment and held me in place.


    "GOD MAKAI, DON''T STOP!" He took my words to heart then, and while holding me still, he moved his head up and down at a maddening pace. I couldn''t believe what was happening.


    I was getting harder. I couldn''t explain it right now, but as he sucked me, I was actually getting harder. I knew I was getting ready to explode though. I could feel it. But I never usually got harder before I came. This was new for me.


    "W..w..w..wait Makai. I''m going to come. S..s..stop."


    He didn''t stop though. He just held me down and kept sliding his mouth over me again and again.


    "M..M..M..Makai! S..s..s..stop, I''m c..c..c..coming." He growled around me then, something excited and hungry at the same time. Dammit, that vibrating growl sent me over the edge.


    "AAHHH!" I exploded into his mouth, and he swallowed it all down.

 Chapter 75 - Ocean - Birthday Present Share (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Oh God, Makai, I''m sorry."


    I can''t believe I just came in his mouth. I tried not to. I tried to hold back. I tried to give him enough time to get away, but he just didn''t.


    "Why? Why are you sorry? I''m not." He grinned at me, with not a trace of anger or disgust in his voice.


    "B..b..but I..I came in y..y..your mouth." I was embarrassed again.


    "Yeah, so? I wanted you to." He climbed up the bed and knelt next to me.


    "You did?" I was confused. "Really?"


    "This is how it''s supposed to be, Ocean. Didn''t you enjoy it?"


    "Y..y..yeah. Yeah, I did. I..I liked it a lot." I grinned and accepted the blush that washed over me now.


    "Then that''s all that matters. I''m glad I could give this to you. I wanted to make you feel good for your birthday. It''s my gift to you. I did get you a real present though. Just in case this wasn''t enough." He winked at me.


    "Oh, it was enough. It was way more than enough. Goddamn was it enough!" I was laughing happily about what had just happened, not even caring or embarrassed about the fact that I was laying naked on the bed.


    I noticed something then. Makai was aroused. He had an erection, and there was nothing he was doing about it. Was he just going to ignore it? I know that he was better at making his go away than I was; we had talked about my issue a couple of times.


    I didn''t want him to make it go away though. I wanted to help him out. He had done something for me twice now, and I hadn''t done anything for him. That wasn''t going to sit well with me. I needed to please him, not just let him please me.


    I didn''t even ask him or say anything to him really. I just sprung to my knees and pushed him down on the bed in a similar way that he had done.


    "Ocean?" He was surprised by the move, but I could hear the excitement in his voice as he anticipated what was coming.


    "Let me give you a present now." I felt the words come out as a rumble, and I knew he could feel them vibrating through his body since my mouth was pressed to his chest just like his had been against mine.


    "But it''s your birthday." He chuckled, but didn''t try to stop me. I turned to the clock and saw that it was one minute past midnight.


    "Not anymore. It''s Halloween now, not my birthday."


    "Oh, so you want a treat for Halloween now too?" His voice was so alluring, I couldn''t get enough of listening to it.


    "Mmhmm." I licked across his nipple now. "And I think that I want an orange creamsicle. Do you know where I can find one?" I bit down on his nipple after I asked him, just as he started to answer me.


    "I..I-," He screamed it the second time, "I think that I might know where you can get one. If you know how to unwrap it, that is." He was toying with me as I made my way down his body.


    "I think I can figure it out. I learned from you after all." I hummed the words against his waist as I slid my hands around his body and into his shorts. I could feel the soft yet muscled definition of his ass filling my palms. I loved his ass; it was amazing, and I couldn''t stop myself from squeezing and kneading it for a moment while I licked at the tattoo he had just under the hem of his shorts. It looked like mine and intrigued me quite a bit. It had also been exposed when I invaded the shorts he was wearing; that had caused the waistband to roll just enough for me to see it.


    I couldn''t hold back anymore. I needed to see him like he had seen me. I grabbed the shorts and tugged at them fiercely. Unfortunately I was a little more eager than I had expected, and the shorts ripped just a little. Neither of us paid attention to it for the moment, and we just continued wanting each other.


    With the shorts off of him, his erection was now revealed. It was the first time I had actually looked at another man''s erection. And it was the first time that I could ever remember thinking that another man''s dick was beautiful and delicious looking.


    I tried to copy his movements as best as I could. I had never done this before, so I only had my recent experience to go off of. I slid the tip into my mouth and marveled at the fact that it really did taste the same as he smelled. It tasted like oranges and vanilla cream. That was amazing, and a little odd.


    I didn''t care though. I wanted to taste more of him. I needed to taste more of him. This was the best thing in my life right now.


    I slid my mouth down, lower and lower until I too reached the base of his shaft, and it felt like he was filling every part of my mouth. There wasn''t a part of my mouth that didn''t feel like he was filling.


    Now, it was time for me to pull back, slowly, like he did.


    "Ah, ahh. O..Ocean open your mouth a little more. Your teeth are scraping." I let my jaw go slack and pulled all the way off of him.


    "I''m so sorry. Did I do it wrong? I..I..I''ve never done this before." He was panting and still looked like he was enjoying himself.


    "No, you''re fine. But the teeth will get painful after a while. Not to mention, it was driving me nuts, and I didn''t want it to end already." He blushed now, like he was revealing too much.


    "So, you were enjoying it?" I was still nervous, I couldn''t help it.


    "God yes! Please don''t stop." He looked at me with pleading eyes, and I just grinned. I didn''t want to stop, especially if he was liking it.


    I settled myself between his thighs again, and grabbed his shaft once more. I opened my mouth a little wider this time as I slid my mouth down over him. This time, when I pulled back, I knew that I wasn''t scraping him.


    "OH GOD, OCEAN!" He called out with pleasure in a loud moan, and that made me happy. He had done so much for me already that I wanted to give that to him now.


    I started to move faster now, just like he had. I wasn''t moving as fast as he had though, since I was still new to this and learning the ropes. I didn''t want to displease him; I wanted to make sure that I did this the right way.


    Still, he must have liked it since he was panting and moaning repeatedly. A lot of the time he would moan wordlessly, but a few others he said something specific.


    "NGH! AH! OH GOD! YES! YES OCEAN, JUST LIKE THAT!"


    He was getting louder and louder the more that I sucked at him. I couldn''t get enough of him either. He tasted so good, and the feel of him in my mouth was actually really, really nice. And, not to mention, just the knowledge that I was pleasing him was a pleasure in and of itself. I now knew why Kai had been smiling last week. He had been happy to make me happy.


    "O..Ocean, I''m coming. S..stop. You n..n..need to stop." He was pushing at my head, trying to pull away from me. He thought, because of my response when I finished, that I didn''t want to do the same for him. I was going to give him exactly what he gave me.


    I grabbed Kai''s hands and pressed them against the bed just like he had done to mine.


    "O..O..Ocean? Are you sure?" He seemed nervous now, but on the edge of his orgasm at the same time.


    "MmmHmm." I hummed my response around his dick as I answered, and he screamed out in response.


    "OH GOD!" That had been enough to finish him.


    He bucked under me, and I felt the tip of his dick slide back just that much more as he exploded into my mouth. Even that tasted just like his scent. It tasted just the rest of him. I swear it was like a melted orange creamsicle just flowed down the back of my throat. It was hot, sticky, and delicious.


    "Oh God, Ocean. That was amazing!" When I rose to my knees above him, he was looking at me like he had never had anything like that before in his entire life.


    "Are you sure it was good? It was my first time."


    "Did I not just explode into your mouth? That should be answer enough."


    "I just didn''t want to be the only one getting something out of our relationship. I wanted to make you happy too."


    "You make me happy all the time, like when you acknowledge that we have a relationship." He grinned at me. "And I feel my own kind of pleasure when I make you feel good, Ocean. I like seeing and hearing the ecstasy in your voice. Last week and tonight, both made me so happy. But this was so much better, I will definitely admit that. I loved every second of it."


    I grinned then, happy to have made him feel good. I threw myself at him and hugged him tight then. I couldn''t get enough of him right now.


    "I think I have a problem though." He laughed.


    "What?" I pulled back scared that I had messed up.


    "You ripped my shorts." He laughed.


    "Oh shit. I''m sorry."


    "No worries, I will figure something out. If worse comes to worse, I can borrow something of yours to wear home."


    "Does it count as a boyfriend shirt if we''re the same size?" I laughed at him.


    "It will be for me, I will get to smell your scent even when I am not around you." He grabbed my arm then and pulled me toward him. "Come here."


    He pressed his lips to mine and kissed me. Compared to most of our kisses, it was innocent. He didn''t push it further nor did he try anything.


    "W..w..well, if y..you w..want you c..c..could stay th..th..the n..night." I was so embarrassed now, not sure how to say this. "I..I''m not s..saying th..th..that anything else w..w..will h..happen but, I..I..I''d like you to s..s..stay."


    "Oh yeah? And where would I sleep? Cause there is only one place I want to be tonight."


    "Y..y..you could sleep in h..h..here with m..m..me."


    "That''s exactly what I was hoping you''d say. And don''t worry, Ocean, I won''t push for anything else right now. I want it, but I will let you decide when you''re ready. Alright."


    "Y..yeah." I nodded at him. "S..s..so let''s get some clothes to wear to b..b..bed. I don''t know when my p..p..parents will be home t..t..t..tomorrow."


    "Then we should get some sleep while we can." He kissed my cheek then. "And I would appreciate the clothes to sleep in."


    I got up and found some shorts for him and boxers and shorts for myself. Once we slipped them on, without even leaving the room or giving each other privacy, we slipped into the bed. I was nervous again, not sure how to lay with him in the same place. I didn''t know how I was going to sleep at all.


    I rolled onto my side away from him, and he slid up behind me, fitting his body perfectly with mine and slinging his left arm over my body to hold me.


    "I think this would be better." He whispered in my ear. "Don''t you?"


    "Y..y..yeah, I do." I really did agree. It felt good to have his comforting warmth behind me.

 Chapter 76 - Makai - The Morning After

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I woke up in a way that I normally didn''t. I had wanted to wake up like this several times. I had fantasized about it a lot, but this was the first time that it was happening.


    I woke up with my arms wrapped around Ocean. I could feel his comforting weight pressed against my chest where his head was using me like a pillow. He had one arm held close to his body and the other slung across my body, holding me tight.


    His legs were tangled with mine as well; one of them slung over both of mine trapping them in place. I never knew he was a cuddler, but I was not at all upset about it.


    And being this close to him made that scent of his a lot stronger. Every breath that I took, I could smell and taste him. That flavor of having pineapple and coconut on a beach while sitting next to a campfire. It was so complex, just like my Ocean.


    And just that, the thought of him being mine, that was enough to make it all worth it; it was enough to keep me moving forward towards a life with Ocean that I didn''t have to hide from anyone.


    As I thought about how great this day had started, I was running my hand up and down his back. His bare skin under my fingertips felt like it was made out of silk; it was soft, smooth and perfect.


    I think that my fingers might have been tickling him somewhat because he started to squirm a little. I felt him stretch and heard him groan a little at having been woken up. Then, his hand came to rest on my chest, and I could feel him searching around. He had just realized that he was in bed with me.


    I thought he would just jump away and be scared like he has been in the past, but I was wrong. When Ocean opened his eyes and sat up, he just looked at me. His eyes were a little wider than they normally would be, but he didn''t look scared.


    "I..I wasn''t s..s..s..sure if you were g..going to be here when I..I woke up." He was slightly nervous, but I saw that he was also happy.


    "Where would I go? I didn''t want to be anywhere else." I watched as he blushed, shy but happy. "It''s not your birthday anymore, but I still want to be with you and spoil you."


    "You''re such an idiot sometimes." He grinned and threw himself at me. He pressed his chest to mine and kissed me.


    "Mm, if you''re going to throw yourself at me everytime that I am in your bed, I might just stay over every night."


    "Th..th..that''s not, I..I..I''m not throwing, it''s n..n..not like-."


    "Don''t worry, Ocean, it was a joke. But still, I wouldn''t say no if you ever asked me again." I winked at him as I stretched. "Now come on, let''s get up before I do something I shouldn''t."


    I didn''t miss the look on his face, which was two parts fear, one part worry, and three parts excitement. Yeah, those were a lot of parts, but it was the only way for me to describe that he was just as excited as he was afraid. Hmm, was he starting to accept me that much already?


    I decided that I needed to use Ocean''s restroom that was attached to his bedroom before I did anything else. I wanted to clean up as well as relieve myself. I spent just a few minutes in there before I was done, but by the time that I went back to the bedroom I saw that Ocean was dressed, and there was a pile of clothes on the bed, presumably for me.


    "I''m going to freshen up now, you can wear these." He didn''t sound nervous now that he was awake. I was glad that things were going so well this morning.


    "Thanks."


    By the time that he was done in the bathroom, I had gotten completely dressed; well almost, I was still missing a pair of boxers. I even had time to sit and replay last night in my head.


    Now that we were both dressed and ready for the day, we headed down to the kitchen. It was time for us to have some food.


    "I can''t cook, though." Ocean looked embarrassed.


    "I''m not surprised, most guys our age can''t."


    "Then how come you can?" He sounded jealous.


    "I''m home alone a lot, and I don''t always like the staff to be there with me. So, I''ve learned to cook for myself so that I can give the chef a break when it''s just me." Ocean looked surprised with what I was saying, his eyes popping out of his head.


    "You really are rich, aren''t you?"


    "My parents do well enough." I shrugged. "My dad is the CEO of the company but my mom is the president. The reason we moved here is because they moved the base of their operations out here. I came along because I had no reason to stay behind."


    "Well, that''s cool. My parents aren''t rich, but they do alright."


    The conversation was easy as I pulled ingredients from the fridge. There were eggs, milk, flour, and bacon. I was going to make homemade pancakes with bacon on the side. It wasn''t hard, but Ocean looked like he was very impressed. When he took the first bite his eyes went wide.


    "Holy shit, these are good." He really seemed to like it.


    We talked about a lot of different things, stuff that we liked and enjoyed, mostly when it comes to food. It was almost like a breakfast date. Then again, I basically counted it as a date anyway, since I enjoyed being with him so much, every time I was with him was special to me.


    Just as we finished eating the front door was opened. I could already hear the happy voices of his parents, though I didn''t hear his sister with them.


    "Well, hello there boys." Mrs. Shores smiled at us when they came into the kitchen. "That looks like a wonderful breakfast. Did you make that, Kai?"


    "Yes, I like cooking so I decided to make breakfast. I hope you don''t mind me having stayed over last night. I helped Ocean clean up, and it was quite late afterwards."


    "Not at all." She grinned. "Right, dear?" She elbowed her husband a little in the side.


    "Oh, yeah right. It''s fine. Thank you for keeping Ocean company for us."


    "It was my pleasure. My parents are away on meetings right now; they''re not expected back until sometime in December, so I enjoyed the companionship myself."


    "Oh my. They''re gone for that long? You poor thing." Mrs. Shores looked like she was sad for some reason.


    "It''s fine. I could have stayed behind at our house in Florida, but there was nothing to keep me there. This isn''t the first spur of the moment move my parents have had to make. I''m used to this life." I shrugged it off, but for some reason Ocean''s parents didn''t look like they accepted that.


    "You shouldn''t be alone all the time, Kai." Mr. Shores was shaking his head. "Eighteen or not, you''re still in school and need someone to talk to. You''re welcome here anytime you want. You don''t even need to call ahead if you don''t want to."


    "And of course, Ocean can keep you company at your place as well." Mrs. Shores added with a smile.


    "Thank you." They were really nice people.


    "Oh, I know." Mrs. Shores clapped her hands with excitement. "You should join us here for thanksgiving. That would be so nice, if you were to share your first thanksgiving here with us."


    "That''s so nice of you, thank you so much."


    I felt like Ocean''s family was very welcoming of me. That was such a relief. I don''t know what I would have done if they hadn''t liked me. Now though, I almost felt like I had their approval to be with Ocean.


    After we were done eating, I decided to leave. Ocean opted to come with me. He didn''t want to stay at home with his parents when they seemed so overly cheery, or that''s how he worded it anyway.


    "Besides, I want to see your place. I haven''t been there yet."


    "You can come over anytime that you want." I grinned at the shy way that he was acting. "I would never deny you the chance to come over to my place."


    "Oh, good. W..w..well, w..we can go now."


    "If you keep acting like that, I might get ideas about what it is that you really want." I winked at him and made him jump.


    "N..no, n..n..no that''s n..not what I..I meant. I..I just wanted to s..s..spend more time with y..y..you."


    "I know Ocean, don''t worry so much. I was just teasing you."


    "You tease me too much, you know that?" He glared at me.


    "Because you make it so easy." I ran a finger across his chin and smiled. "Come on, let''s go to my place. Maybe you can sleep over and keep me company." The shock and excitement were back. I can tell that he wanted to spend the night, but it would probably end with just that. It''s alright, I was patient, I could be a good boy, for a little while.

 Chapter 77 - Ocean - Makai’s House

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was in a hurry to get out of my house. I felt weird with my parents there with me and Makai, especially after what had happened last night. I wasn''t exactly ashamed of what happened last night, but I also wasn''t ready for my parents to know what was going on with us just yet.


    In all honesty, I still couldn''t believe that I did that last night myself. And I still couldn''t get over the fact that Makai knew what to do. Has he really done this with someone before? How many people has he been with before? I both did and didn''t want to know the answer to that.


    I rode with Makai back to his place. It had dawned on me that I didn''t even know where he lived. That was something I really should know, right? Considering that he was my b..b..boyfriend.


    I should get over it and accept that I was really dating him. What else could I consider it, really? I mean, I wanted to see him all the time, he makes me happy, and I fucking sucked him off last night. If that isn''t someone that I considered the person I was dating that I don''t know what was.


    "You''re awfully quiet." The object of my thoughts interjected as I contemplated our status.


    "I was just thinking, that''s all."


    "Nothing bad, I hope." He sounded a little nervous.


    "Are you worried that I regret last night?" I must have nailed it because I chose that moment to look at him and saw that he looked a little embarrassed and nervous.


    "Well, do you?" His voice shook just a little when he asked me that.


    "Do you?" I turned his question back onto him.


    "Not at all, but that wasn''t my first one so that''s different." There he goes confirming that he has more experience than me.


    "Really? How many have you had? Or how many have you given?" I glared at him, unable to control the emotions coursing through me.


    "Not many, for either, but I admit that there have been a couple."


    I felt the anger and jealousy burn inside of me. I already knew that I got jealous easily when it came to him. I figured that out a couple of weeks ago when he flirted with the waiter like a prick.


    "Huh." I turned to look out the window and didn''t say anything else for a minute. I didn''t like the idea that he had been with someone before me, but then again it happened before me so, should I really be jealous?


    "Ocean?" He sounded even more nervous now. "Ocean, are you alright?"


    "Yup. I''m just fine."


    "You don''t sound fine." More nerves, and was that a hint of fear? I didn''t know, because I wasn''t looking at him. "I''m sorry that I pushed you too far last night. I..I just couldn''t help myself. I..I really wanted to be with you more than I had before." I heard him sigh before he continued to talk. "I should have known that you would regret it. I''m so sorry."


    "I don''t regret it." I snapped at him, finally turning to look him in the eyes.


    "Then why are you mad at me?" I noticed that he had stopped driving, but I didn''t look out the window, I was too pissed off right now.


    "Because you''ve been with other people before me. I know I shouldn''t be mad, but that pisses me off."


    "You''re jealous?" He grinned as if happy about that fact.


    "Yes, Makai, I''m fucking jealous. Does that make you happy?" I felt myself panting when I was done.


    "Actually, yes it does. I''m not going to lie and say that I haven''t done anything, but I haven''t exactly been a manwhore or anything, so you don''t need to worry." I watched him shrug and smirk. "Anyway, come on, let''s go inside."


    I looked around me then. I hadn''t been paying attention to where we were or anything at all really, and somehow we had made it to his house without me even seeing the way to get there. Well, that sucks, now I don''t know how to get here.


    And, holy fucking shit! I didn''t even know that someone lived in a house like this inside our town. Were we still in town? We were in the middle of a large sweeping driveway, and I saw a big gated fence that circled the entire property to give them privacy. The house was huge and white with elaborate designs. The garage had multiple doors that opened up as Makai moved the car toward it. Was it on an auto sensor or something? Because I didn''t see him hit a button for it. There were several other buildings on the property that I couldn''t quite make out yet. This place was massive.


    "How rich are your parents?" I asked him. "I didn''t expect this." It flabbergasted me, literally, I didn''t know what to do or say. Should I even go inside this place?


    "It''s too much, honestly. It''s just the three of us. The staff doesn''t live on the grounds, but we did buy their houses too. I don''t like to be here all that much because when my parents are gone, it''s just me. The same was true back in Florida so nothing really changed much."


    "You really are always alone, aren''t you?" My heart was breaking for him as I thought about it. I didn''t want him to be lonely or sad.


    "I''m not alone when I''m with you." He grinned, and I just had to laugh at that cheesy line of his.


    "Alright, that''s enough cheese out of you, Mr. Velveeta." The both of us laughed as we got out of the car. I followed him inside as he unlocked the door and treated the place like it was any other house.


    The garage opened into a storage room that seemed to double as a work room. From there we passed through to the kitchen. I could see a large walk-in pantry off the kitchen. There were large side by side fridge and freezers; they were separate units so each one was massive. The entire kitchen looked like a place that you would cook for a whole party of people, not just one or three people.


    All of the rooms were massive, the living room, the dining room, even the hallways. Makai took me on a tour right away, saying something about him not wanting me to get lost when I was here. I could understand that since there were a lot of rooms, including eight bedrooms. Well, I guess when I stayed over I could have my own room. That was good, and bad.


    When we got to Makai''s room I was finally able to see what his personal space looked like. He had been spending a lot of time in mine lately, so I thought this was only fair.


    Makai''s room was massive, just like everything else. He had a large, king sized bed that was centered perfectly. The floor was a nice red oak colored hardwood and it was covered in dark navy blue rugs at key points near the bed, the sofa, and the reading nook near the window.


    "Your room is bigger than most studio apartments." I laughed as I looked around.


    "Yeah, but it doesn''t feel like home yet." He shrugged.


    "Did Florida feel like home?"


    "Nope." He shook his head and flopped onto the couch.


    "Then what feels like home to you?"


    "My answer used to be the water. I would feel the most at home when I was in the water and swimming. That was the simplest and easiest answer that I could ever give." His head was leaning on the back of the sofa with his arm slung over his eyes while he spoke so I couldn''t see most of his face even as I went to sit across from him at the other end of the sofa.


    "Used to? So the water doesn''t even feel like home to you now? Does anything feel like home anymore, or are you lost and adrift with no place to go?" He laughed at that, I almost did too'' it was melodramatic and sounded funny even to me.


    "Yeah, I have found somewhere that I feel comfortable. Somewhere that I want to return. Somewhere that feels like I belong."


    "Really? Where?" I was intrigued by his words and wanted to hear more about where it was that he wanted to go. Though it kind of hurt, if it meant that he wanted to leave.


    I watched nervously as he leaned forward, taking his arm off of his face and looking at me. He leaned in close, invading my personal space, but not touching me at all.


    "By your side. Wherever you are, Ocean, that''s where I feel the most comfortable." I could tell by the look in his eyes that he meant what he said, and that was what made it even worse.

 Chapter 78 - Both- A Day At Makai’s House

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    My heart was pounding. I cannot believe he just said that. Did he know what it would seem like when he said those words? Did he understand that to me, hearing those words, it would be like he was telling me that he loved me or something. He couldn''t possibly love me though. We haven''t known each other long enough for that.


    I mean, I liked him a lot, and it just seemed to be more each and every time I saw him, but that wasn''t love was it? That was just an intense attraction. Wasn''t it?


    I didn''t want to think about this right now, it was too soon. I didn''t know what to do or say at the moment though, so I was just sitting there frozen in place while he smirked at me.


    When he finally pulled back, I both felt relieved and empty. Why was I always so conflicted? And why was I always wanting him near me, no matter what?


    "Do you want to watch a movie?" His question was so normal that it threw me through a loop at first.


    "Huh?"


    "A movie? I have a lot, or we can stream something. Let''s hang out all day. When we get hungry, we can order something or we can cook together." He was smiling like this was turning into the best day in the world for him.


    "And what kind of movie did you have in mind?" I smiled back at him, that look on his face seemingly infectious.


    "Well, it is Halloween, we can watch a scary movie." There was excitement in his eyes, and I tried to keep it in mine too. I didn''t like scary movies, but he had watched the movies that I liked so I could do the same for him.


    "Sure. Did you have one in mind?" Oh thank God, my voice didn''t crack or squeak when I spoke.


    "A couple. Come on, we can watch in the theater room."


    "Wait, you didn''t show me a theater room." I followed after him as he raced out of the room.


    "Well, I had to leave some mystery, didn''t I?"


    Ten minutes later we were sitting in the reclining, movie style theater chairs. They were big enough for two people so of course we were sharing a seat. We had a large tub of popcorn, an actual tub. Who the hell just has popcorn tubs laying around their house? That was just weird. And there was a popcorn machine in the theater room as well. It was a legit, carnival looking popcorn machine, this wasn''t microwaved popcorn at all. Oh, the lifestyles of people who were way wealthier than others.


    Makai turned on the movie, and we started to watch it. I don''t want to say that we were snuggled together as we watched the movie, but that was basically the case. Our shoulders were touching as we leaned in toward each other. The popcorn tub was set between us as we angled our bodies to make room for it, this made our upper bodies come even closer to each other.


    Quite often our hands brushed against each other when we reached for the snack. In the past, I jumped when that happened. When we went on that date before, that is what happened every time he touched me. Now though, I let my hand linger against his whenever it brushed against him. And soon, we stopped eating the popcorn altogether, and we just held hands while watching the screen.


    I really, really wish this was a romcom, or a comedy, or a drama, or anything but a horror movie. This movie was freaking me out. It was full of jump scares that I should see coming but I never did. I jumped a lot, and I screamed, way more than I would have liked to admit. And I am very sure the laughs that came from Makai had nothing to do with the movie, and everything to do with me.


    ''Oh thank God, that''s finally over.'' I breathed a sigh of relief when the killer psycho in the movie was caught, and the two people that didn''t die made it out safely. Who the hell thinks up movies like this?


    "You seemed to have enjoyed that." Makai laughed as sarcasm dripped from his words.


    "Oh yeah, it was great." I grimaced. I know he could see through me already.


    "Why did you agree to it if you don''t like horror movies?" He was still chuckling at me.


    "Because you seem to like them, and you watched the movies I wanted to before. I wanted to do the same for you." I smiled at him in the most affectionate way I could.


    "I appreciate that, but are you going to be fine?"


    "It''s not going to give me nightmares." I snapped at him. "I am not a fucking child." That made him laugh.


    "Alright, alright." He may say that, but his reaction wasn''t changing at all. He still thought I was funny.


    "Oh shut up, you ass." I pushed myself out of the chair and grabbed another bottle of water from the mini fridge that was at the back of the room.


    "I really didn''t mean it like that. It''s just that, during the movie you looked really freaked out. I wanted to make sure that you were going to be OK. But when you said that about nightmares it was so funny I just couldn''t stop laughing."


    "Whatever." I drank half the water in one go then looked back at him. "What do you want to do now?"


    "Hmm, we can have some lunch and then go for a swim."


    "You''ve got a pool?" I was excited about that at first then I remembered something. "Wait, I can''t swim with you; I don''t have a suit."


    "You can borrow one of mine." He grinned at me. "I have more than I need, really. Come on, let''s go.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I took Ocean''s hand and pulled him from the theater room, and I didn''t let go until we were in the kitchen.


    "What do you want to eat? Anything specific? Or should I just make something quick and easy?"


    "I don''t care, just make whatever. When it comes to food, I am not usually that picky." He was so cute when he said things like that.


    "So, you''re picky about other things?" I asked suggestively.


    "Oh, shut up." He rolled his eyes and I laughed again.


    "This is fun. I haven''t laughed so much at home in years. It''s nice having you here."


    "So you can make fun of me?" He pretended to pout.


    "So I can flirt with and have a good time with you." He blushed again, damn he blushed easily.


    I started to pull things from the fridge. I knew that Ocean would eat a lot and so would I, so I needed to make something that was quick, yet plentiful. I was taking out vegetables, beef, onions, garlic, and a few other things. I also needed soy sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar. I was going to make beef stir fry with lots of rice.


    The food didn''t take long to make, and by the time we were sitting down to eat, I felt ravenous. It already felt like days since we had eaten those pancakes for breakfast. It seemed that Ocean felt the same too, since he started to devour his food the moment I set it in front of him. So far he seemed to be enjoying my cooking. I liked that, it felt good to cook for someone other than myself.


    After we were done with the food, I quickly washed the dishes. Ocean didn''t want to just sit there, so he offered to dry them for me. Between the two of us we got them done in no time at all. Now, with everything cleaned and put away, we could head over to the pool.


    Well, first we needed to go upstairs for a couple pairs of swim trunks. I really did have a lot of pairs of them. My parents tended to buy me new pairs when they went out of town, it was like a thing of theirs. I had several pairs that had never been worn.


    I had hoped that Ocean would just change in front of me after last night. He had gotten dressed in front of me after all of that happened, but no, he took his shorts into the bathroom and changed. When he was changed, and I was as well, I led him down to the back of the house.


    The pool was in a building that was attached at the back of the house. It was obviously fully enclosed, temperature-controlled, and a lot nicer than most places that you could find. There was a diving board, a slide, and lots of room for us to swim. The water went from four feet deep in the shallow end to ten feet deep near the diving and slide end. There were lounge chairs and even a sauna nearby. Again, it was too much, but I was happy to share it with Ocean.


    "Holy shit!" Ocean walked into the room, stepping past me as he looked around. "This place is awesome."


    "It''s nice, yeah." I was smiling at him and his excitement.


    As I stared at him I noticed one thing. The mark on his back near his shoulder blade had changed color. I hadn''t noticed it last night, but then again I wasn''t exactly paying that close attention to his back. It had most likely changed color because he had turned eighteen, just like mine had done.


    Now though, I could see that the birthmark on his back that matched mine was no longer brown. It was a shimmering bluish color with a hint of silver in it. It wasn''t that different from mine. Mine shimmered and had silver in it as well, only mine was green where his was blue. So, that meant he wasn''t the same as me, but he was similar.


    Hmm, what was he?

 Chapter 79 - Ocean - A Day At Makai’s House Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    This pool was amazing. I would love to have a place like this at my house. I would never get out of the pool. They would need to drag me out kicking and screaming to make me eat and sleep. I would spend all my spare time swimming if I had a pool house like this.


    "Want to get in?" I heard Makai''s voice trying to break into my stupor as I stared at the pool. "Ocean? Do you want to get into the water?" He grabbed my shoulder this time as he spoke.


    "Huh? Oh yeah." I rubbed my head in embarrassment as I turned to look at him. "I was just in awe of this pool. It''s like my dream come true. I would love to have a pool like this at my house."


    "You can come swim anytime you want." He smiled at me, enticing me to spend more time at his place.


    "Don''t make promises like that." I laughed at him. "You wouldn''t be able to keep them."


    "Oh, I don''t think it would be a problem." His smile was seductive and suggestive. I liked it, but it also gave me butterflies in my stomach that made me nervous. "Come on." He took my hand and walked closer to the water.


    "Don''t we need to rinse off first or something?" I was nervous as he took me straight to the water.


    "Nope. This is a private pool. I am the only other person that ever uses it. So, there is no one else to worry about with the germs from your body. Plus, I keep the water pretty clean, so if I had to, I would just clean it even more next time."


    "You really surprise me sometimes." I smiled at him again, unable to hold back my excitement.


    "Yeah, I like to keep people on their toes." He took my hand again. "Come on, do you want to just jump right into the deep end, or use the water slide? Both can be fun."


    "You pick, what should we do?" I saw him light up at that.


    "If we''re doing it together then I say we jump in. We will be able to keep holding hands the entire time that we''re jumping in." That made him sound kind of childish, but I had to admit that I liked the way that it sounded to me; did that make me childish too?


    "Sounds good. Let''s jump in."


    "On the count of three." I nodded at him to agree and so he started the countdown. "One. Two." He was smiling so broadly that I almost wished he would count past three. "Three!" With that we both took off running at the same time. When we reached a spot about six inches from the water we both jumped at the same time, perfectly in sync with each other.


    We soared through the air while our hands were still linked. When we crashed through the surface of the water and sank down several feet we were still holding onto each other. And further still when we swam to the surface of the water, we each only used the hand that wasn''t linked with the other person as we kicked our feet hard.


    When our heads broke the surface of the water, we still held hands while swimming toward the shallower water where we could stand. Through this entire process we both had either smiled or laughed, depending on if we were above or below the water.


    "That was fun." We were now able to stand on our own, but we were still linked together. "I had forgotten how much fun it was to just swim with someone for the hell of it and not for training. I haven''t actually swam for fun in years."


    "Neither have I." I was trying to remember back to when I was in the water and not training to swim faster or better. "It''s been so long since I''ve done this."


    "I''m glad we can do this. I''m glad that we can just have fun with each other like this. That proves to me that it''s not just a fling." The intensity in his words now, the shift he was taking, it took me by surprise. "This all proves that we can be together for real. The more we''re together, the more we get along, the more that is clear to me."


    Dammit! Why did he have to go and get all sentimental and sappy? Now that''s what I wanted to do. I didn''t want to ruin the date-like atmosphere since it was going so well, but I wanted him to know how I felt as well.


    "I..I know what you mean." I blushed as I thought about this whole situation. "When I am with you, I feel like everything is both calm and exciting at the same time. It feels like we could do anything and have a good time. That''s why I like you so much."


    "Ocean?" I don''t think he expected me to respond to him at all.


    "M..Makai."


    His name alone was the answer to the question that he asked me with my name. At least I hoped it was the question that he was asking me because I was already responding to it.


    I used my grip on his hand to pull us closer, lifting myself off the bottom of the pool in the process. When I came down I grabbed a hold of him and wrapped both of my arms around his head as I pressed my lips against his in a quick move. It all happened so suddenly that it took him by surprise.


    He recovered from his shock quickly though, as he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close against him. I was higher than him, due to the jump that I had made, so he had leaned his head back to accommodate my forceful kiss.


    Without breaking the kiss, Makai walked to the edge of the pool where he pressed my back against the smooth, tiled side. He pulled me down his body so that his head wasn''t tilted back so far and with that my body was slowly losing contact with his. That wouldn''t do at all.


    To stop the loss of physical contact, I wrapped my legs around his waist and pressed myself against him even more. This time, when he pressed forward it didn''t disrupt the way we were holding each other.


    I could already feel my body responding to him, and from the pressure he was giving me, he was responding just as much as I was.


    I shifted my hips just a little, just enough to allow his tightened and hardened member to slide between us. Once it did, I pressed myself against him again, grinding the both of us between us at the same time.


    "Oh God, Ocean." He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against mine.


    "Makai." I breathed his name. I had briefly used the nickname yesterday, but he wanted me to use the full name when we were alone, and that was what I was doing.


    I was being adventurous today, I knew that. I was doing things with him that I never thought I would ever do. But right now, I didn''t care, I just wanted to feel the pleasure and the hot heat of his body that seemed to feel like it was boiling the water around us; or was that my body temperature.


    "Ocean." He whispered my name again as he moved his mouth to my ear. The words hit my ear before his tongue did. He licked and nipped gently on the sensitive flesh causing me to shiver in his arms.


    "Makai." I breathed his name as he slowly drove me insane.


    My hips were still moving as I pressed our bodies together. The pleasure hadn''t stopped, and my breathing was getting more and more ragged, but so was Makai''s. He was feeling exactly what I was as well.


    I was right there on the edge, I was about to come when he stopped me.


    "Wait." He grabbed my hips and stopped me from moving anymore. Instantly my body protested the loss of his quivering erection pressed against me.


    "No, don''t stop." I whine.


    "Wait." He said it again and stepped back from me. "We shouldn''t do this in the pool." He looked at me with dark, heated eyes.


    I could see in his eyes that he didn''t want to stop. He wanted to keep going, just not where we were.


    "OK." I agreed, not really knowing what I should say at the moment.


    "Do you want to keep going? Do you want to do this?" His voice was serious and I could see a longing in his eyes that told me so much. He wanted me, and I could tell that my body wanted him. I didn''t know what I was doing in this situation, but following his lead had worked out last time so it should this time too, right?


    "Yes, I want to keep going. I don''t want to stop." I nodded as I spoke, letting him know that I was sure of my decision.


    "Don''t feel like you have to do this for me, Ocean. This is something that you need to be ready for. I know what it''s like to not be prepared for it. I don''t want that to happen to you."


    I didn''t know what had happened to him, but I know that I wasn''t going to regret this. I had made my decision.


    "It''s not for you, Makai." I pressed my lips to his for just a second before I continued. "I want this, I don''t want to stop."

 Chapter 80 - Ocean - A New Level Of Pleasure (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We hurried out of the pool then, moving as quickly as we could to get to the towels that were in a cabinet nearby. We barely dried off before we started at each other again. Makai was back at me and shoving his lips against mine like he was trying to sustain his own life with my mouth.


    His hands were exploring my chest and back while he kissed me as well. That was fine, since I was doing the same to him. I don''t even know how we made it back through the house and upstairs to his bedroom, but we did it somehow.


    The towels were still wrapped around our waists, trying to stop some of the water as we walked through the house. I don''t think they helped much since I could still feel the water pooling around my feet in Makai''s room.


    Oh God, I was glad that we were both already almost naked. We didn''t need to break the kiss to start stripping each other of the miniscule amount of clothes that we had on.


    I felt him pull my towel away and so I did the same for him. I was the first to reach for the clothes though. My hands were in his waistband a second or two before he grabbed mine. I tugged on the cloth that covered him, and he did the same to me. We were both still wet from being in the pool so the shorts were sticking to us, making it harder to remove them. I started to assist him by moving my hips and legs in just the right way.


    We gave up on removing each other''s clothes and worked on our own shorts. It took a minute, but we managed to get them off and were finally standing there naked before each other.


    "This is your last chance to stop all of this. Tell me now if you don''t want this."


    "Just shut up and let''s do this." I snapped at him before biting his lip. "I want this, Makai. I want you. I''m not scared."


    And I knew then that the words were true. The apprehension and nerves I had been feeling were all gone now. I really did want this. I couldn''t help it. It was like something was telling me that I needed this, I needed him.


    "Oh God, Ocean." He pressed his mouth against my neck then and turned me so that my back faced his bed. He slowly started to back me up until I felt my legs hit the edge of the bed, and I fell back on the bed, landing on my ass. "I will do my best to make this as gentle as possible, but I want you so bad that I don''t know how gentle that will actually be."


    I could hear something animal like in his voice, something that told me he was losing control of himself.


    "I am going to show you a good time though, from start to finish."


    "What do you mean by that?" I didn''t know what he had planned, but I was excited nonetheless.


    "Just sit back, relax, and enjoy."


    With that he dropped to his knees right in front of me. His hands were on my thighs and pressing my legs apart so that he could fit himself between them in his frantic rush. With no warning at all, and without taking his hands off of my thighs, Makai leaned his head forward and wrapped his mouth around my throbbing dick.


    "OH GOD!" I threw my head back and yelled at the ceiling as I felt him begin to pleasure me.


    Makai bobbed his head up and down as he sucked hard on my cock that was filling his mouth. He still wasn''t using anything except for his mouth. Unlike last night when he used his hands to guide things along, this one he was doing with just the mouth.


    "Oh God, Makai, that feels so good. But I want more too. I want more than just this. I don''t want to be greedy but I am. Oh God!" I screamed again at the end as I felt myself start to get close to climaxing. "Oh God, Makai, I''m going to come. Ah! Ah! Ah!" I felt him laugh around me. That slight little chuckle thrummed and hummed straight into me and made my eyes roll into the back of my head. "Oh God! Ah! Ah! M..M..MAKAI!" Collapsing back onto the bed, I screamed his name as I exploded into his mouth.


    I was panting and trying to stop my head from spinning when he climbed up onto the bed above me. He straddled my hips, trapping me in place as he did so.


    "Are you ready for more?" His voice seemed to hum or pur as he spoke.


    "If it''s half as good as that, then I am all for it." I smirked at him, opening my eyes just a crack to look at him.


    "I will make it as good as I possibly can." This time he was looking at me with eyes filled with affection as well as the heat from before.


    "Then I am ready."


    He moved off of me then and guided me so that I was lying all the way on the bed, my head resting on his pillows and everything. I felt his mouth touch my neck then, kissing gently as he reached over to get something out of the drawer that he opened in his nightstand. I don''t know what it was, but I didn''t care. I just wanted him to keep touching and kissing me.


    "Ocean?" He pulled his lips from me and whispered my name.


    "Y..yeah?" My voice was a little shaky from all the stimulation I had been experiencing.


    "I need to know, how do you want to do this? Do you want to look at me, or away from me?"


    I had to think about that for a minute to understand what it was that he meant. I didn''t understand at first that he was talking about how I wanted to have sex.


    "I..I don''t know. I..I think I want to l..look at you." That made him smile, that''s what I wanted to see. I wanted to look at him because I wanted to see the looks on his face.


    "OK." He kissed me again and I heard him tear something open, it sounded like foil.


    "What was that?" I asked him as I jerked away from him.


    "Shh, don''t worry, it''s just protection." I knew what he meant, but I hadn''t thought about the fact that we needed it. Still, it had taken me by surprise.

 Chapter 81 - Ocean - A New Level Of Pleasure Part 2 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean)


    His lips were back on me, ridding me of my worries just in time for new ones to appear. I felt something cool and wet press against me. Specifically at the opening in my ass.


    "Ahh." I cried out in shock.


    "Shh. It''s OK. I''m just getting you ready." His lips came back to mine again.


    I had the time to think about just one thing.


    ''Wait, who said I was going to be the one to take it?'' As soon as that thought went through my mind, I felt him slide one finger inside me, and my mind went blank.


    HOLY SHIT! Who the hell knew that this would be so..so..so good. What the fuck? All he had done was slide one finger inside my ass, and I already felt like my body was on fire. My head fell back against the bed and I even felt my toes curl a little. I also knew now what had felt wet when he touched me. I saw a bottle of lube on the bed, and it was open.


    "Are you ready for another finger?" He asked me in a soft, seductive voice.


    "Mmmhmm." I nodded then answered with a word. "Y..yeah."


    He slid another finger inside me and thrust them in and out. I felt like I was filled more than I should be but it was also really, really good.


    "Ahh! Oh God!"


    "Are you ready for me, or do you want more of this?" He was leaving everything up to me, he wouldn''t do anything if I wasn''t OK with it first. He was definitely doing his best to take care of me.


    "Y..you. I want you now."


    His eyes darkened at my answer, and he leaned down to kiss my cheek as he pulled his hand out of me. I saw that he pulled a condom off of his hand and tossed it into the trash can, that was good to know. He wasn''t inside of me with just his hand so his hand wasn''t dirty.


    Makai grabbed my legs then and lifted them toward my chest. He grabbed the bottle off of the table and poured it on himself, spreading it all over. Now another cold and wet thing pressed against me. It was probably only cold because my whole body was overheated with need.


    "Ocean?" He called my name one last time as he was poised at my entrance. I know he was asking me for permission, giving me one last chance to stop him.


    "I want you Makai. Please don''t stop."


    He didn''t need any other encouragement. With that he slid into me slowly. It was a lot more than just the two fingers that he had slid into me, and I cried out the moment I felt him enter me. It hurt and felt good at the same time.


    "Ahh! Ngh! AhAhh!"


    "Are you alright?" Makai halted when he got as far into me as he could. It didn''t feel like he was all the way in just yet.


    "Y..yeah. I''m g..good." I panted a little and let my body relax as much as it could. "Don''t stop."


    "But I hurt you." He protested and almost started to pull out of me, but I grabbed his hand to stop him.


    "Only for a second. It hurt a little because it was new. It felt good too though. Don''t stop, Makai, please don''t stop." I was pleading with him, and I saw that he was wavering. He wanted to keep going, but he didn''t want to hurt me. "Please." That last please pushed him over the edge.


    "Tell me if it hurts you too much, and I will stop, alright? Don''t take it for my sake."


    "Alright." I nodded and smiled.


    He started to slide into me a little more, my body had relaxed and stretched a little more to accept him. After a few more seconds, he was all in, and I felt like the connection was finally real.


    "Oh God, that feels good." I sighed as I threw my head back again.


    "If just that was good, then I want to see if I can make it even better for you." The apprehension was leaving his voice now, and he was ready to enjoy himself finally.


    "I can''t wait." I grinned at him.


    He pulled back then, not fast, but not slow either. For a second, I thought he was going to pull all the way out of me and make my body adjust again, but he stopped with just his tip inside of me. This time, when he slid forward he didn''t do it slowly, he did it at the same speed he had pulled back with.


    With nearly slamming force, he rammed himself inside of me.


    "AHH!" I cried out in pleasure as he fucked me.


    "Are you OK?" He halted and asked me for clarity.


    "Just stop talking and fuck me already." I could hear the desperation in my voice.


    "I can do that." He smirked and complied with my command.


    He pulled back and slammed into me over and over again. I tried my best to watch his face, his eyes, everything about him as he slammed into my body repeatedly. I was enjoying myself way more than I thought I ever would. I never pictured myself in this role, but it felt normal to me now. Actually, it felt amazing.


    I could feel Makai driving into me over and over again, and my body enjoyed it. My dick was getting harder, and it felt like I was even nearing another climax myself. Along with myself, I could feel Makai stiffening inside of me. I knew that meant that he was reaching his limit.


    "Look at me." He growled at me as he dropped his head to mine. I felt him press his forehead to mine, both were slicked with sweat or still wet from the pool, I wasn''t sure which. "Look at me Ocean, don''t close your eyes."


    He apparently wanted to look me in the eyes when this next part happened. And to top it off there was something else that he wanted to do that I wasn''t prepared for. He reached his hand down between my legs and began to stroke me in time with his thrusts.


    "Come on, keep your eyes on me." I could tell that he was having a hard time talking. It was like his voice was becoming a little more gravelly with each passing second. "Don''t look away from me. Come on."


    "I..I won''t." I didn''t want to look away. His eyes were so intense. But also, what he was doing was driving me wild, both his hand and his dick were pleasing me so much.


    "Come with me Ocean. Let''s come at the same time."


    "O..ok."


    I wanted to come. No, I needed to come. My body was begging for release, but I had been fighting it. I didn''t want the pleasure to stop if I came. When I agreed to come with him, I let go. I let go of my hold on the orgasm that had been wanting to take over me, and I felt Makai do the same.


    I emptied myself onto my own stomach since I was bent over in two, but I felt Makai explode inside of me. I thought he had been wearing a condom. Then again, I only heard one wrapper open, and he used that one on his fingers. That means that he just came inside of me. Well, it''s not like I''m a girl or anything, but still, this was another thing that I never thought I would experience.

 Chapter 82 - Makai - Connected

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I was still panting from what we had just done. I let my body collapse onto the bed next to Ocean, though I rolled to the side so that none of the mess that had exploded between us got onto the sheets.


    Ocean was panting nearly as much as I was, and his body was shaking just slightly. I had to wonder if that was from pain and remorse or from the exhilarating and amazing experience we had just had together.


    After a few minutes of silence, I was the first one to speak. It was after both of us had our breathing calmed down, and Ocean had stopped shaking.


    "A..are you OK?" I needed to know. I needed to know that he wasn''t hurt. I would hate myself if I had made him hate me.


    "Yeah, I''m fine." His voice was calm and steady, no hint of nerves or fear. "I''m just a little sticky now." He laughed, and I looked down at him. He was right; I had made him come in between us, and we were both sticky.


    "Sorry about that." I blush at the memory of the moment he had exploded between us; it was right before I exploded as well.


    "I just need to take a shower, that''s all." I saw him start to get up and then hesitate. "Scratch that, I think the shower needs to wait a few minutes." He groaned a little and settled back down onto the bed.


    "Are you sore? I''m sorry Ocean, I didn''t want to hurt you."


    "It''s not like I tried to stop you." He chuckled just a little. "In fact, I remember telling you not to stop."


    I had to grin as well as blush again at his words. He had literally begged me not to stop. That had been the best part of it all. Who wouldn''t be happy if their lover begged them like that?


    "Yeah, I remember it going that way too." The pleasure overtook me for a minute, but then I remembered the pain that he was in. "But still, you''re hurt and that is because of me."


    "Shut up." He snapped at me. "I''m not in pain, just a little sore."


    "What''s the difference?" I laughed at him.


    "Just shut up." He yelled at me again.


    "I knew we should have waited." I went to get back up off the bed. I wanted to do something for him, but I didn''t really know what that could be.


    "Hey." He grabbed my arm at the elbow and stopped me from getting off the bed. "You need to stop fucking apologizing right now. I''m going to start thinking that you hated it. I don''t know about you, but I happened to have enjoyed every minute of it."


    "I didn''t hate it. It was amazing, Ocean, it really was. It was so good I got carried away. I went too far and I-." He cut me off then by pulling me toward him and pressing his lips to mine for just a moment. When he pulled away, he smirked at me and spoke in a seductive voice.


    "Good, now just shut up, you idiot."


    This time when he went to get up, he managed it. He looked like it hurt him to walk just a little bit; why did that satisfy me just a little bit as well? I knew he was in pain, but I was so fucking satisfied by what we had done. Dammit, it''s hard being so conflicted.


    "Hey, where are your towels at?" He was just about to walk into the bathroom that was connected to my room.


    "I''ll show you." I jumped to my feet and ran after him into the bathroom.


    "Holy shit!" I heard Ocean''s awed voice when he looked around the bathroom. "This room is fucking huge." Ocean was staring around with his mouth hanging open.


    "Yeah, it''s pretty big. My bathroom back in Florida was bigger though."


    "OK, now I hate you."


    "What? I was just commenting." It was true, so I didn''t know why it was so bad.


    "You could fit my entire bedroom in your bathroom, and you''re saying it''s smaller than the last one." He rolled his eyes at me as he walked across the room.


    "Hey, I didn''t pick my life."


    "Yeah, yeah." He just laughed at me. "Now the question I have is how do you use this fucking shower. It looks complicated as hell."


    The shower in question was a rain shower with built in hydromassage jets. The controls were not conventional at all and even took me a long time to get used to them.


    "Come on, I''ll get it started for you. Take your time, but do remember that I need a shower too." I got the water falling from the top of the shower. "Do you want the water to fall fast or slow?"


    "Uhm, s..slow I guess, I don''t know how it will feel yet." He looked nervous about the shower, but was fine after we had sex? That was weird. "And, uh uhm, w..well y..you can, uhm, you can shower w..with me if you w..w..want to." He blushed crimson when he said that, but he wasn''t looking away. He meant what he was saying, but it had been hard for him to say that.


    "Well, if you''re inviting me, I won''t say no. I am sticky as well, and it would be a little more of a pain if we both didn''t get cleaned up right away."


    I stepped into the shower and held the door open for him. He took a deep breath and followed me in. After everything that we had done so far today, this was what was making him nervous. That was so adorably cute of him.


    We started by washing separately. The shower was more than big enough for the two of us. Soon though, we were being pulled toward each other. It wasn''t something that I think either of us was doing on purpose, but after less than two minutes our elbows were touching, and by five minutes one of us was brushing the other almost constantly as we scrubbed our bodies.


    I couldn''t keep my eyes off of him as he rinsed himself under the water, and I felt the same heated stare in his eyes when I was rinsing myself. His eyes on me felt like the caress of a hand. If he kept that up, then I would need to turn the water to cold. It was getting too hot in here right now.


    "M..Makai?" He called my name as I stepped out of the water that was falling on me.


    "Ye-?" I couldn''t finish my sentence when I looked at him.


    He had grabbed my waist and pushed me against the shower wall. The kiss he was giving me was full of need and hunger; it was like he hadn''t just been sated a little while ago.


    "Why can''t I stop wanting you?" He growled the words into my face as he pressed our heads together.


    "I don''t know, but it''s the same way for me." It was true. I had been wanting him for weeks now, ever since I saw him. It had been getting stronger and stronger over the last several days, and then last night at his house I nearly did something that I shouldn''t have. Well, I nearly did what I did this afternoon. The pull for him was just that strong.


    He kissed me again, and when he pulled away, I saw something on his face that I had never seen on him before. Besides the foggy, need filled eyes there were a few flecks of white on his cheeks. They were a pearl color and glistened slightly in the light that was coming from above us.


    When he leaned to the side and started to kiss down my neck to my chest, I saw more of the shining flecks on his shoulders and back. There were some on his arms, and when I looked down, I saw them on his legs as well.


    Well, that told me that I had been partially right about him at least. He wasn''t human, but he wasn''t the same as I was. If he were, then the scales would have been metallic and not pearl.


    "Wait." I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. I also used my hand to turn off the water so that it stopped falling on the both of us. "Wait, Ocean."


    "You don''t want to?" He looked at me with confusion in his eyes.


    "That''s not it. I do, I really do. But I don''t want to do too much too soon. I don''t want to hurt you at all."


    "But I told you I''m-."


    "I know." I cut him off. "Still, another go so soon might hurt you, trust me."


    His eyes darkened then, and he pulled back from me.


    "Yeah, that''s right, I forgot that you were so much more experienced than me. If you know what you''re talking about then I won''t push it." He turned around and stormed out of the shower.


    We had gotten in hurriedly, and I didn''t actually get the towels so I had to rush to get them now. I wanted Ocean to dry off in a hurry. I didn''t want him to have his first change here. That should be somewhere his parents could explain to him how to change back and how to control it. It was something that all of us creatures of the sea needed to learn when we turned eighteen.


    There was one other thing that was making me smile though. The mark on his shoulder that had just changed colors after last night had changed once again. Now, instead of being just the shimmering blue it was outlined in the green of mine and right in the middle of the trident symbol was a green M. I hurriedly looked down at my mark and saw that it was lined in the blue of his and there was a blue O in the middle. We were connected. The magic that dwelled within us both was already connecting us.

 Chapter 83 - Both - What The Hell?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I snatched the towel out of Makai''s hands and stomped back into the other room. He was pissing me off right now. I knew that he had more experience than me last night when he fucking sucked me off. A guy that is that willing and knowledgeable about it is definitely experienced. He even confirmed it and everything. So why did he have to keep throwing it in my face?


    I mean, he was probably right to stop me. If we did it again I don''t know how much pain I would be in after the fact. But still, to just stop me like that and tell me he knows what it''s like to go too far. Why did he know? How does he know? Who did he find it out with? These are things I both did and didn''t want to have answered.


    Right now I didn''t care if I got water all over his chair. I just plopped down in it and started to dry myself off. I had just set the towel against my leg when I saw something was on me.


    "What the hell?" I tried to wipe it off in a hurry. It was like a weird bug or something. But it wasn''t coming off. And there were more than one. There were several of them. White and shining in the light. "What the hell is this?"


    I started to try and get them off of me, and in the process, I noticed that I had them on my arms too.


    "Get off of me." I was wiping at the white dots that were all over me so much that I was practically hopping around, and I fell out of the chair.


    I landed on the floor still flipping out over the marks on me when Kai came running into his room.


    "What''s wrong?" He was on his knees next to me with his hands hovering above me like he wanted to help, but didn''t know what to do.


    "I can''t get them off of me. What are they?"


    He noticed then that I was frantically trying to get those white things off of me and laughed slightly.


    "Ocean, stop. You need to calm down. Now that you''re dried off they will go away when you calm down. Stop!" He pulled my hands away from my body so I stopped hurting myself in the process of trying to remove the spots.


    "What the hell are they? How did they get on me?" I was still flipping out, but he was trying hard to stop me.


    "Ocean, calm down. You need to stop. Look at me. Stop this."


    Makai grabbed my face and made me look at him. His face was calm, his eyes were serious, and there were silvery green scales scattered all over his face.


    "Stop." He told me again.


    "What the hell?"


    I was backing away from him, scared shitless, until I ran into his bed.


    "Why the hell do you have scales on your face?" I looked at the rest of him, thankful there was a towel around his waist right now, but I did see that there were scales on his chest, arms, and legs as well as his face. He wasn''t covered in them, but he had them scattered all over the same as I did.


    "You have scales too, Ocean. Calm down."


    "Yeah, but why?" My heart was pounding as he came closer to me.


    "It''s because of what we are." It was like he was trying to explain something to a small child and trying to calm a rabid dog at the same time. His movements were slow and steady, and he sounded like he was trying not to laugh.


    "What we are? Aren''t we human?"


    "Ocean, don''t you know what you are? Hasn''t anyone ever told you? Your parents should have. They have to know what you are, don''t they?"


    For a moment he looked uncertain, his eyes filled with worry.


    "Ocean, do you really think that you''re just a human?"


    "Why the hell wouldn''t I?! Aren''t you human? What are you?"


    "I''m a merman, and you''re something similar to me, if not the same."


    As he inches closer now, I saw that his scales were gone, and he looked normal. How had I never seen them before?


    "A m..m..mer.. A m..m..mer.. A m..m..merman?" There was a ringing in my ears as I tried to repeat the word.


    "Yes. You can tell by my birthmark. It''s the same mark you have."


    "Mine isn''t a tattoo like yours. Mine is just a mole." I denied any connection to what he was saying.


    "It was, until last night. That was when you came into your power. You turned eighteen and that unlocked the seal. The same happened to me. Mine was brown before I was eighteen and now it''s green and blue."


    "You mean green. There is no blue." I glared at him, shouldn''t he know his own mark better than me.


    "There wasn''t, until today. Last night your mark turned blue and shined like mine. Now, your mark is lined in green and has a green M; mine has an O and is lined in your blue. We''re connected Ocean. Our marks have responded to each other."


    I couldn''t wrap my head around what he was saying. This made absolutely no sense to me at all.


    "Didn''t your parents tell you what you are? Aren''t they merfolk? Or at least one of them?"


    "What the hell are you talking about?! I''m adopted, and my parents aren''t anything but human. I thought I was too. What the hell? What did you do to me?!"


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "I didn''t do anything to you, you were born like this." Ocean was panicking. It never occurred to me that he didn''t even know what he was. What would have happened to him if I hadn''t met him?


    "The fuck you didn''t. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Now I''m getting scales after we had.., after we had s..s..s.., after we had s..s..s.., what did you do to me?" I could see tears in his eyes as he tried hard to understand what was going on.


    "Ocean, listen to me. I didn''t do this to you. This was who you were, what you were, since you were born. I didn''t know that you didn''t know what you were. If I did, I would have told you."


    I had known what I was my whole life. I had known that I was a man meant for the water. That''s why I love swimming so much, and it''s why Ocean does too. He just didn''t know that about himself. How the hell could someone let this happen to him? Where are his real parents? Why did they let this happen to him? Where is his clan? Why didn''t they have him raised by someone else in the clan if his parents couldn''t or wouldn''t raise him.


    I watched as the guy that I loved was trembling with fear in front of me. I wanted to make him feel better. I wanted to make all of this go away. I just didn''t know how. For one, maybe he would feel better if one or both of us got dressed and weren''t sitting here naked. He tended to be more nervous when the clothes were removed.


    I got up and walked quickly to my dresser. I didn''t feel like looking for his clothes at the moment so I just grabbed two sets of clothes from my dresser and tossed a set at him.


    "Here, get dressed. We have a lot of talking to do." He caught the clothes and just stared at me like he didn''t believe what I had just done. "What? Would you prefer that we continue talking while naked?"


    I dropped the towel that was barely around my waist and started to get dressed right in front of him. His eyes popped open as he saw what I was doing and obviously understood what that meant. He looked down at himself and started to pull on the shorts that I tossed him.


    Once Ocean had the shirt pulled over his head and was fully covered he just stood there, staring at me as if he were a statue: rigid, stiff, and unnatural looking.


    "Come on, let''s talk about all of this while we eat something. I don''t know about you, but I am starving." I tried to beckon him out of the room, but he wasn''t moving. "I''m not going to hurt you, Ocean."


    "I..I didn''t think that you were going to." He looked embarrassed now. "I..i..i..it''s just that I..I..I don''t kn..kn..know what is going on here." He was shaking again, the fear of the unknown was more than he could handle right now.


    "Just come with me, Ocean. I will explain as much as I can. I don''t want to see you scared like this anymore. It pains me to see you like this." Finally, he seemed to have calmed down at least a little. Nervously, with slow tentative steps, he walked toward me. I was glad that he wasn''t trying to run away from me right now. I don''t know if my heart could take it if he ran away from me. I would want to follow him, but that would just make things worse. I needed him to trust me so that I could make him understand what was happening to him. It was the only way for us to move forward together.

 Chapter 84 - Ocean - What Am I?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was still scared and nervous as I followed Makai out of his room. Actually, scared and nervous weren''t the right words for it. What I was feeling was intense confusion. How the hell was this happening to me? What the hell was going on with me? And was what he was saying true? Could I be something that wasn''t exactly human?


    When we got down to the kitchen I sat on a stool at the island while Makai pulled out lots of different kinds of food. It was already getting late, I guess we had spent a long time upstairs after we had been in the pool. Now even though it was time for dinner, I wasn''t sure if I was going to be able to eat. I was too nervous for that.


    I just watched silently as Makai cooked the food. He was like a pro, even though he was only making hamburgers and a few simple side dishes. It looked and smelled so good that my appetite was coming back.


    When he was done cooking, Makai set a plate with several burgers on the table with bowls of the other food around it. He sat at the seat on the end and called me over to him.


    "Come on, sit down and try to eat something. I want to explain all of this to you, but we need to eat. I know you''ve experienced what it''s like when we don''t eat properly."


    "You mean when I ended up in the hospital?" I asked as I walked over to him. "That was because I wasn''t eating or sleeping."


    "Well, that''s worse. Now eat, please." He wasn''t making it a command. He was just trying to take care of me, like he usually did.


    "Fine." I sat down and started to pile food onto my plate.


    We ate in silence for a few moments before the quiet got the better of Makai. After a few he set aside his plate and started to talk.


    "Where do you want me to start with the explanation?" He was going to let me guide this? Really?


    "I don''t fucking know." I said as I wiped my mouth as I set my plate aside as well. "How about you start with just what types of creatures there are in the world that aren''t human. Because this is all news to me. I thought Mermen and other shit like that were fairy tales."


    "Fairies are real too, you know. Only we call them Fae." He laughed as he told me that little bombshell.


    "Great, now I know the answer to that burning question." I glared at him. "What else is there?"


    "Well, there are various types of non-human creatures in the world. There are the magic wielding creatures such as the Fae, Witches and Warlocks, Djinn, Genies, Gypsies, and I think there are a few more, but I don''t truly remember them all. Then there are the shifters, which is what we fall under. Merfolk are the main type that come from the sea, but there are others as well. Then there are shifters of almost all predator animals from hawks and eagles to wolves, bears, and wild cats. The non-human population makes up at least a third of the world''s population."


    "There are that many non-human people in the world?" I felt like my head was going to explode. "How do they all hide in plain sight?"


    "Well, a lot of them will be concentrated into their packs, clans, covens, or other groups. Some of them do not interact with humans at all, unless they have to. There are a lot of secrets in this world that even I don''t know."


    "So, you''ve been a uh, a uhm, a m..m..mer..mer..merman your entire life?" I could barely get the question out.


    "Yes, and you''ve been what you are your whole life. But if you''re asking if I had the scales and other parts that come with it my entire life, then the answer is no. Since I wasn''t raised in the water, I didn''t become a ''full'' merman until I turned eighteen."


    "How does that work?" This was actually kind of interesting. And I was learning a lot about Makai in the process.


    "Well, when merfolk decide to live primarily on land, they have to live by a certain set of rules. We don''t get our abilities until we''re adults. There are differences with us that people can tell if they were to pay attention. Like our appetite - all shifters, no matter the species, eat way more than a human."


    "Why? I mean I eat enough for several people, and I guess it''s because of what I am, but why?"


    "It''s because we have higher metabolisms. You will hardly ever find an overweight shifter. There are other things about us that are different from humans, like the way we heal. Your head wound closed quickly, but not as quickly as it could have. Had you not been so starved and exhausted, you might have healed it before the ambulance had even arrived. Then again, you wouldn''t have needed the ambulance anyway."


    "That would have been so much more convenient." I just shook my head at his explanation. If only I hadn''t fallen into the pool that day. Then again, then I wouldn''t have known all the stuff that I do now. "Wait a minute, why didn''t they notice that I wasn''t human when I was in the hospital?" Panic was setting in again.


    "Unless they did a full body and genetic work up, then they wouldn''t have seen it. The differences in us aren''t supposed to be that easy to see. And I doubt that they sent your blood work to a geneticist."


    "Yeah, but what if they did?" I was worried now; was some government agent going to come and dissect me?


    "It shouldn''t be an issue since your abilities weren''t activated yet. You would have looked like a normal human to them."


    I let that sink in for a moment. OK, so I probably wouldn''t be chased down by the men in black and treated like an alien; that''s good. Still, what the hell was I going to do? What was going to happen to me?


    "Makai?" I wanted to ask something, but I was nervous.


    "Yes, Ocean?"


    "What made the scales appear today? Why were they there?"


    "The water." His answer was quick and simple and exactly what I thought he was going to say.


    "Does this mean that I can never go into the water again? What about swimming? Why don''t you have the scales like I did?" More fear, more anxiety, seriously, was it ever going to go away?


    "I''ve learned to control it, and you will too. That''s what we all have to do. It''s the way that life is for us. My parents taught me, I thought one of your parents would have been a Merfolk too. I don''t know why your clan would have let you be adopted by someone that wasn''t one of them." He was shaking his head like he was flabbergasted.


    "I don''t know about a clan, but I was found on a beach the day that I was born. They said that my umbilical cord was still bleeding and everything."


    "Wait, are you serious?!" His voice came out louder than I thought it would, for some reason that shocked him a lot.


    "Is that bad?"


    "It means that you were adopted out like any normal human. Where the hell did your parents go? And what about your clan?"


    "Is that what a group of Merfolk is called? A clan? I don''t know anything about that. My parents didn''t either; I am sure about that. I am the third kid they adopted. Mom was in an accident and couldn''t have any more kids after my brother was born so they adopted three, and I am the youngest."


    "I had suspected that you were either adopted or had a step parent when I met your parents, but I didn''t think that you were adopted outside of the clan. This changes a lot of things. Your parents can''t help you with any of this. I mean, I know you said that you thought they were just human, but if they really are, damn."


    I watched as he shook his head some more. It was like he was trying to make all of this not real.


    "I think the best thing to do is for me to call my parents home so they can talk to you. They know more about this than I do, obviously. I am only four and a half months older than you after all." Well, I guess I just learned that his birthday was in mid June; that was something that I didn''t know already.


    "Aren''t they away on business?" I was confused.


    "Yes, and no. You see, my parents do own their company and travel a lot for work. But they also have to go back home for a bunch of meetings and things. They are diplomats for our clan. They''re pretty close to the top, since the leader of our clan is in a way related to us. My parents have been working on peace missions for the last year."


    "Peace missions? Is there a war or something?" I was just learning about being part of this world, and now I find out that it''s not even at peace. Oh, yay.


    "There are tensions at the moment between two of the clans, but there is no actual war just yet."


    "That doesn''t actually sound very comforting." I sighed and put my head down on the table. "I have another question, how long does it take to learn to control the scales? And is that all that happens?"


    "No, Merfolk get a tail like the legends. There are actually a lot of similarities with the stories to be honest."


    "Oh great, so I am going to get a tail everytime I get in the pool." My words were nothing but a long groan.


    "Only until you learn to control it." His voice was so calm that I had to look up at him. "We can practice together, until you get the hang of it."


    "Yeah, but I can''t go to practice. And I can''t go to school and not go to practice. Plus, we have a meet this weekend."


    "Yeah, you might need to skip that one."


    I knew he was right, but that didn''t make me feel any better. Actually, it just made me feel worse.


    "This is going to be hell, isn''t it?"


    "Not all of it." He was grinning at me now.


    "Oh yeah, what part isn''t going to be hell?" I just had to hear his answer.


    "Until you can control it, I suggest you stay here with me." The smirk that he wore was enough to light me on fire. Dammit, that wasn''t fair of him.

 Chapter 85 - Ocean - Getting Permission To Temporarily Live With Makai Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "There is one thing that we need to do though." Makai looked at me with a serious expression on his face. "This is more of a kindness since you''re eighteen now, but we need to ask your parents if you can live with me for the next week or so until you figure all of this out."


    "And you think they will just let this happen?" I glared at him, thinking about how protective my mom was of me. I couldn''t imagine her letting that happen at all.


    "It''s what we have to do. I will still go to school for a few days during that time, though that would mean that you would be here alone, but I can get our work and keep things updated. I am sure that like me, you don''t want to drop out of school. So, that means that we need to study while you''re here. At least we can explain to your parents that you won''t be skipping out on your work. And they can come to see you so they can make sure that everything is going smoothly. I also want them here when my parents explain something to you. They need to know what you are so they don''t flip out later."


    "And we''re just going to go and tell them all of this and expect that things will go so smoothly like it''s silk? Do you know how protective my mom is of me? Or how harsh she is?"


    "I will explain it all to them as best as I can." I watched as Makai stood up and started to walk out of the room. "Should we change first or go as we are?"


    I looked down at what I was wearing: athletic shorts and a t-shirt. It was an outfit that was typical of what I would normally wear, but for some reason I felt that a discussion of this magnitude needed something more. Makai was dressed similarly to me right now too.


    "Change; I think it would go over better if we''re presentable. The only problem is, the outfit I wore here isn''t much better than this." I felt the realization wash over me.


    "You''re already wearing my clothes, so you know we''re the same size. You can just pick something out of my closet. I have a lot to choose from."


    "Why am I not surprised?" I rolled my eyes, but followed him to his room.


    His closet was huge, like his bathroom. It was way bigger than any guy ought to have. Thankfully, it wasn''t packed full. He had way more clothes than me, but nothing like a diva or anything.


    When I chose the clothes that I was going to wear, I wanted to make sure that I looked put together and respectful. I chose a pair of black designer jeans that I would never have bought for myself. I paired them with a polished cotton polo that was a soft sky blue. It made me look like I was going to a country club or something. Still, it was better than going in shorts and a t-shirt.


    Makai wore a polo that was an emerald green, other than that we matched. I think he did that on purpose. Oh, and in the process of searching for clothes Makai pulled out a pack of brand new socks as well as a pack of boxers. I wasn''t going commando, but it still felt weird because I was wearing his underwear. He had never worn it, but still it had been bought for him.


    Soon, Makai was driving us back to my house. I felt like the closer we got the heavier the pressure on my chest was. I needed to get myself to calm down; I needed to calm my breathing before I got home.


    When the car was parked and we were walking inside the house Makai took my hand to offer me some support.


    "How do you want to do this?" He smiled at me encouragingly.


    "Well, I want to break the ice with something else. Maybe it will soften the blow a little."


    "Really? Break the ice with what?" He tilted his head just a little; it was cute, the way it made it look innocent.


    "I..I..I was g..going to t..tell th..th..them about u..u..u..us."


    The look in Makai''s eyes was of happiness and shock. I don''t think he expected that just yet. I still didn''t want people at school to know because they could be cruel, but my parents were a different story.


    "You''re willing to tell them that we''re together?" His grin just about melted me.


    "W..w..well yeah. I..I mean, we are together, right?" I felt nervous now, did he not want me to tell them. "Is i..i..it wrong t..t..to tell them?"


    "No, it''s not wrong. It makes me happy actually." I felt him squeeze my hand then; the warmth and the pressure gave me strength as I opened the front door.


    We couldn''t walk into the house side by side so I let go of his hand and went in first. He came in right after and shut the door. My parents were in the living room watching a documentary on TV. When they saw us, they turned the TV off and stood up.


    "Ocean? Is something wrong?" Mom looked at me with worry in her eyes.


    "Can we talk?" I felt like my voice was normal but it must not have been because Mom instantly looked scared.


    "Yeah baby, let''s go sit in the dining room."


    Mom led the way then went to go get some glasses of water while we waited. Dad was looking at me and Makai as we sat side by side on one side of the table. When Mom came back, she sat next to Dad across from us.


    "So, Ocean, what is it you need to talk to us about?" Dad''s voice was serious and held more tension than I usually heard from him.


    I looked at my parents as they stared at me, took a drink of the water, and then took a deep breath. I was not looking forward to what they were going to say right now.


    "Well, Mom, Dad, there is something that I want to tell you. Something about me."


    "Honey, if you''re going to tell us that you''re gay, or at least bi, and that you''re dating Kai then we already know."


    My mom''s words made my heart stop! It didn''t matter that her voice was soft and she was being sweet. The fact that she knew already was enough to damn near kill me.


    "How? How did you know?" That was all that I could ask her.


    "Honey, I knew how Kai felt about you that day you had your accident. I could see the worry, the heartbreak, all of those emotions of someone whose crush was hurt."


    "Yeah Ocean, it wasn''t hard to know how Kai felt about you. And then you told us that Brittney broke up with you, and we thought that things might go in a good direction for the two of you. You would complain about Kai a lot, but it was more like longing in my ears. You never stopped talking about him when at home."


    "Wait, I didn''t talk about him all the time." I denied it, shaking my head.


    "Yes, you did. But it was sweet. We knew that things were moving in a good way. Then after your tournament, things seemed completely different." Mom was smiling at me then at Makai and back again. "It was like new love was budding, and we were watching it. When I came home from lunch and found out that Kai was here taking care of you because you were sick, I knew that you had finally accepted him."


    "Yeah, and then you started riding to school with him every day and studying with him every afternoon. You were spending all of your time together." Dad was grinning at me, it was like he was happy about this. That''s good, I didn''t want him to be mad.


    "And then last week when you had to help with your party everyday we both could see how depressed you looked not being with him. Honey, we knew, and we approved. It was obvious, for us at least, because we''re your parents and we love you. We would never look down on you for this, baby. We will love you no matter who you choose to love. As long as you''re happy, we''re happy."


    I was completely flabbergasted. My mind was reeling with the information that I had just gotten from them. They had figured out that I was with him just from that. They hadn''t judged me negatively and they weren''t trying to tell me that I couldn''t be with him. This was so not what I was expecting.

 Chapter 86 - Ocean - Getting Permission To Temporarily Live With Makai Part 2

    "Well, I am glad that you approve." Makai spoke from next to me. He had been sitting with his hands in his lap while he listened, but at this point he brought his arm up and took my hand, holding it tight. "I hope you know how much I care about Ocean, and how much I want what is best for him."


    It sounded like Makai was using this as a segway to bring up the other reason why we were here; the real reason we were here.


    "Of course, Kai. I can see it in the way that you two look at each other. I am happy that he has found you." Mom was still beaming and sounding cheery. I had a feeling that the cheeriness wasn''t going to last. I wasn''t ready. I couldn''t do this. But I was out of time, Makai was already telling them.


    "Well, there is something else about Ocean that you don''t know. This one I am very sure that neither of you know about."


    "Oh, really? And what might that be?" Dad looked at him with a curious look as he thought about Makai''s words.


    "Well, the truth is, Ocean isn''t exactly normal. He isn''t like other guys, and neither am I."


    "Honey, if you''re referring to being gay, then like we said we know." Mom was laughing now, like she thought that Makai was being dense.


    "No, that''s not what I mean. I mean that Ocean isn''t like any other normal gay man. He is different, we both are. There are things about him, things that had to do with his origin and birth that are really hard for me to explain right now."


    "Well, maybe you should try." Dad raised an eyebrow at him and spoke a little more sternly than usual. He didn''t like roundabout conversations.


    "Here''s the thing, I want someone else to explain it for me. I think it will be better that way." Makai was keeping his cool and staying calm this whole time, all the while I felt like I was about to explode with nerves.


    "If you can''t explain it, then who can?" Mom was starting to lose her cheeriness just like I had predicted. Someone was telling her there might be something wrong with her son, and she didn''t like that.


    "My parents will be the better ones to explain it to you." Makai''s voice was steady, calm; it was like he knew how to handle himself in front of the lions that were my parents, because I could see them getting upset.


    "But your parents aren''t around all that often, are they?" Dad had a valid point.


    "Makai is calling them home. They are going to be in soon, hopefully." I explained for Makai, trying to be part of the conversation at least a little.


    "OK, fine, they can explain whatever it is that you want them to. However, I want to know why this sounds like you''re leaving, Ocean. Where do you think that you''re going? You''re still in school, for crying out loud."


    "How did you already know that I was leaving the house?" Her intuition was killer.


    "I am your mom, Ocean. I may not have given birth to you, but I know you more than anyone else on this planet. Now, the two of you come in here and tell me that I don''t know you as much as I thought I did? That''s not fair."


    "We aren''t trying to say that at all, Mrs. Shores." Makai was now trying to calm the beast that was soon to be Mom''s anger. "It''s just that there are things that he didn''t know about himself until today. Things that I guessed and thought he knew, but he didn''t."


    "Explain this to me Kai, I am confused." Dad was calmer than Mom was, trying to figure out what was going on.


    "Well, have you ever noticed Ocean''s birthmark?"


    "Of course I have. Who do you think bathed and changed him for all those years when he was a baby and toddler. It''s the cutest little birthmark." Mom was smiling and talking angrily. It was like she was mad that her parenting was being questioned and remembering happy times with me as a baby at the same time.


    "Well, it is a birthmark, but it''s not what you think it is either." Makai tried to explain it to her. "That birthmark told me that Ocean was like me, that he and I were from the same place. I have a similar mark on me that just looked like a mole until I turned eighteen."


    "What are you talking about? So what, having matching birthmarks doesn''t mean anything." Dad waved his hand like he was saying that was nothing.


    "How about you take a look at his birthmark now. I want you to see that and then my parents will explain everything else to you."


    "Fine. I will look." Mom got to her feet as she spoke. "But just to prove to you that his birthmark is just the same as it-." She stopped talking as she roughly pulled the collar of the shirt I was wearing.


    She seemed frozen in place and shocked. So much so that Dad went to stand beside her and looked at the mark on my shoulder.


    "Ocean? What did you do?" Mom sounded angry.


    "I didn''t do anything, Mom. It happened on it''s own."


    "It''s been colored in, did you get a tattoo over it?" Dad was angry as well.


    "No, I haven''t." I tried to make them understand.


    "This is why I am glad that you said you accepted and approved of Ocean being gay. It meant that you''re open minded parents that should be able to accept this as well. I just ask that you wait a few more days to find out the truth of it all."


    When Mom went back to her seat, there was shock in her eyes. She didn''t think that the mark was a fake, I could see that; though she didn''t know what to think right now.


    "Ocean, honey, are you alright?" Her voice was barely audible when she spoke, but I heard her, just barely.


    "Yes Mom, I''m fine. I just need to figure some things out. There are things about what I am, what all this means, that I don''t know anything about yet. I need to figure it all out though. I need to learn more about what I am before I can do anything else. I won''t be able to go to school for a few days because I can''t go to swim practice until I figure it all out."


    I watched as she went from worried to horrified.


    "You want to miss school? Absolutely not!"


    "There is no other choice. I have to. I need to learn to control what I am."


    "And that means that you can''t go to school?!" Dad yelled at me.


    "It means that I can''t go to swim practice. And there is no way that the coach will accept that unless I am not in school."


    "Ocean, just what does all of this mean? What are you planning to do?" I saw tears in my mom''s eyes then. I think she thought I was dropping out of school and running away.


    "I am going to stay at Makai''s place for a few days. Maybe a week. He will teach me how to control what I am since he has already learned himself. He will go to school a few of the days and get our work, but I will not be going. We will study and do our work. I will stay up on my school work while I work hard to learn what I need to learn." I thought I did well explaining it to them, but Dad looked angrier.


    "You mean that you just want a love nest." He was glaring at Makai now, like he thought this might be his fault.


    "No Sir, my place makes sense because there is an indoor pool for Ocean to practice in." That seemed to shock my dad, I guess he didn''t think of that as an explanation.


    "And he needs a pool to practice in?" Mom looked scared and worried.


    "That or the ocean, but the ocean runs the risk of people seeing what he is so it''s not that much better either."


    "Yeah, I guess you''re right" Mom hung her head and agreed with Makai.


    "And you can''t just go there everyday? You have to stay there?" Dad was just as defeated now. I think they both understood something was going on, but they didn''t know what, and that was making it all that much worse.


    "I think it would just be best if I stayed there." I gave them as sincere an answer as I could.


    "Ocean? You wouldn''t do this if you didn''t have to, right? You wouldn''t just leave us for no reason and make up an excuse?" Mom was crying now.


    "No, Momma, I wouldn''t do that. I promise." I felt my heart break when I saw the tears on her cheeks. "I love you Momma and you too, Dad. I would never do anything to hurt you, ever. This is just something that I need to do."


    I rose to my feet and went to hug them both, their arms wrapped around me like they were afraid something was about to happen to me.


    "I''m sorry for hurting you. I didn''t mean to."


    "I know, Ocean." Dad was the first to respond.


    "You be careful, Ocean. Whatever this is, you be careful."


    "Mr. and Mrs. Shores, you can come to my house to see him while we are there. Anytime that you would like, the door will be open." Makai smiled at the three of us holding each other close.


    "I just might do that." Mom nodded as she hugged me tighter. I couldn''t believe that I had hurt them like this.


    After everyone calmed down, I went upstairs to pack a bag. I thought it would be best to take some of my own things, especially my own boxers. I took all of my necessities from my room and my bathroom so that I would have everything that I needed. I also made sure that I grabbed all my books for school, my computer, and my chargers. I would definitely need those.


    When it was time to go, I almost felt like I was moving out. I knew that I wasn''t, but I felt like I might never be coming back. What did this mean for me? What did it mean for my family?


    "I still expect you to call me from time to time." Mom spoke sternly. It was the same thing that she said to my sister and brother when they left home.


    "Don''t think that you can just ignore us because you''re not here." Those were Dad''s signature words when someone moved out for college. Now I really felt like I would never be back.


    "Don''t worry, I will call you, and I will be home before long."


    Makai and I left then, heading back to his place and whatever unknowns that awaited me there.

 Chapter 87 - Ocean - Back At Makai’s

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I hadn''t expected that things would go so well with my parents. I thought for sure that they would put up more of a fight. Then again, as Makai pointed out, I am eighteen now, and I could technically go no matter what. I just didn''t like to upset my mom; she''s scary when she''s mad.


    It was late when we got back to Makai''s place, but I wasn''t ready for bed yet. I didn''t know when I would be ready to go to sleep with how much shit had happened today. Not to mention, I didn''t have to worry about school in the morning. One last thing that Mom told me before I left was that she would call me off school for the week. Now, all I had to worry about was whatever Makai had planned.


    Yeah, like that wasn''t somehow scary. I didn''t know what it was that he had planned for me at all and that made me nervous. It could have been anything.


    Then again, there wasn''t much that we haven''t done, so I guess I shouldn''t be scared in all honesty. And, it''s not like I had been afraid of him when we had done...that. So, maybe it will be fun, in some ways. Interesting at least.


    Still, when we had gotten inside I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was looking at Makai with a complicated expression when he finally broke the silence that was hovering between us.


    "What''s wrong, Ocean?" He asked me with a bit of a laugh in his voice.


    "N..n..nothing. R..really. I..I..I''m fine." That made him laugh even harder.


    "Sure you are." He sauntered closer to me, wrapping a hand around my waist and pulling me toward him until he could press his waist against mine. "And you''re not nervous at all."


    "N..n..no..no..nope. I..I''m n..n..not." I tried to deny it, but all I was doing was making it worse.


    "Uh huh." He smirked at me a moment before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.


    Whenever he kissed me, or when I kissed him, the nervousness seemed to go away. It was like kissing him was the most natural thing in the world to me. It calmed the nerves, but excited something else.


    By the time that Makai was done exploring my mouth with his tongue, he pulled away and looked at me with his face just inches away from me.


    "So, Ocean, why don''t you tell me what made you all nervous." His voice was soft, his smile was seductive, and I answered him without even thinking.


    "Well, I uh, I was wondering where I might be sleeping while I''m here."


    "Is my bed not good enough?" He tilted his head in confusion and looked like I had just hurt his feelings.


    "W..w..well I..I uh, I..I uhm, I didn''t think that y..y..you would w..wa..want me t..to s..s..sl..sleep w..with y..y..you." I was nervous again, dammit.


    "Oh, Ocean." He chuckled and smiled at me. "I wouldn''t want you anywhere else." The look in his eyes was heated and filled with desire.


    "B..b..but i..in the sh..sh..shower you didn''t want, I..I mean you stopped me and, I..I..I-." I couldn''t finish what I was saying.


    "That was because I saw that you were changing, and I didn''t think that right there in the shower would be the best place for the first time. So, I stopped you. Not because I didn''t want to be with you. I always want to be with you, Ocean. Always."


    I felt him press his lower body against me more firmly, and I felt that he was a little more firm now as well.


    "Do you believe me now?" I swear the heat in those words was enough to burn me, or at least make me melt.


    "Y..y...y..yes."


    "Good."


    He kissed me again, and we somehow wound up in his bed moments later. It was another round of what we had done this afternoon. I wound up with Makai taking me the exact same way. He had raised my knees and looked me right in the eye while taking me. It was intense, passionate, and felt just as good as it had the first time. Actually, maybe it had felt better since it didn''t hurt as much this time.


    When I woke up in the morning, I was still naked and I was wrapped in Makai''s arms with my head laying on his chest. I couldn''t help but think about the fact that just recently I would have jumped away from him in embarrassment, but now things had changed so much that I couldn''t even think about doing that.


    "Good morning." Makai rumbled as he stretched under me.


    "Good morning." I was glad I wasn''t stuttering right now. That would make things a little more embarrassing.


    "Are you ready to start the day?"


    "Hmmm." I stretched as I thought about it. "I don''t know if I''m ready to get out of bed just yet." I heard the sleep still fogging my words.


    "Well, we could always stay in bed and have some more fun." I blushed because that was not what I meant.


    "N..n..n..no, I..I..I was t..talking a..about s..s..sl..sleeping more." I stuttered uncontrollably.


    "I know. I was just messing with you." He chuckled. "Come on, let''s take a shower and then go get some breakfast. We have a busy day ahead of us."


    "M..m..maybe we sh..sh..should t..t..take our sh..sh..show..showers a..alone. Y..y..y..you know, a..after wh..wh..what happened l..l..last time."


    "Ocean, you''re so fucking adorable." He laughed and squeezed me tight.


    "I am not adorable." I grumbled and tried to push away, but he was holding me tight against him so that I couldn''t move at all.


    "Yes, you are. At least to me you are. Can''t I think that my boyfriend is cute and adorable when we''re alone?"


    Well, I guess he did have a point. I was his boyfriend, and we were supposed to be able to think that our significant other was cute when they did things that we liked. So, maybe he had a point; maybe I should let him call me that.


    "Fine, you can call me adorable, but only when we''re alone." My words were still a grumble as I glared at him. "I..I..I don''t want anyone e..e..else hearing th..th..th.those w..words."


    "You got it, my adorable little Ocean." He was grinning happily when I gave him the permission; he even pressed his lips against mine for a quick kiss. "And maybe you''re right, we should shower alone, otherwise we wouldn''t accomplish much now, would we?"


    After that, Makai got up and headed toward the bathroom. I heard the shower start in the other room so I decided to get up and look for something to wear. I didn''t exactly bring my clothes with me to Makai''s room so I needed to find something of his today. That was going to be an embarrassing thing again.


    I tried my best to not let it get to me though. I just searched and found something simple that I could put on after my shower. Once I had the clothes in hand, Makai was coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.


    "I left the water on for you." He grinned as he walked to his dresser.


    "Th..th..th..thanks." I had trouble getting the words out as I stared at his mostly naked body.


    "Hurry up there, handsome. I will go start breakfast."


    I rushed into the bathroom and started my shower. I was paying more attention to myself than I had before, and I noticed this time that almost immediately there were shining white pearly scales all over me. They were scattered in different key points, and it was enough to make me want to freak out again.


    I did my best to try and stay calm though. I knew that they would go away, eventually. I just couldn''t take long in the shower because if I did I would change completely, and that would be bad. I didn''t want that to happen when I was all alone.


    After I cleaned as quickly as I could, I dried off and got dressed into shorts and a t-shirt. The scales were still there, probably because I was nervous. I knew they would fade when my nerves did. For now, I just went downstairs and had a nice breakfast with Makai. This time he had made waffles and sausage. It was quite delicious and filling. Though I was a little uncomfortable because he wouldn''t stop looking at me the entire time that I was eating. It took me longer to eat, and I feel like I might have made a fool out of myself more than once while we were eating.


    After breakfast, we would be starting work. This would be my first lesson on how to control myself in the water. And to do that, I had to let the change take me completely. To tell the truth, that was even more nerve wracking. I was actually afraid to see what I looked like in the other form of mine. I was afraid for Makai to see me like that, even though he was used to it. I just didn''t want to think about it at all.

 Chapter 88 - Ocean - A Total Shocker

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We went to get into our swimsuits after breakfast. To be fair, Makai said that things would probably be easier on me if I wasn''t wearing the shorts, but I thought it would be better in the long run. If things changed, then we would address it. Until then though, I was going to wear the shorts for the time being.


    I guess I should have thought about that when I got dressed first thing after my shower but I hadn''t really thought about it. I just wanted to let things go the way they were, and where it all ended up. I was done trying to figure anything out right now.


    Well, I guess that wasn''t true. I was trying to figure out how to control the thing inside of me. Makai told me it was magic, but I didn''t really see that. I didn''t know anything about magic so to me it wasn''t anything like that. I might feel differently once I actually experience it fully, but for now I was totally against the magic theory.


    "OK, well, I guess we should just start with you getting in the water. We need to have you fully change into your other form."


    "A..a..and how do I d..d..do that?" I was nervous again. Dammit, until I met Makai I was never nervous about anything.


    "For the time being, it just needs you to get into the water and stay there long enough. It will happen on its own. That''s the way that it is for us. After that, we will work on stopping the change. And once you can stop, it we can work on you forcing it. You need to be able to control your form no matter the circumstances."


    "W..w..w..well, c..can you d..d..do it? C..can y..you ch..ch..change?" I had seen him with scales yesterday, but that was it.


    "Yes, I can. Do you want me to show you?" He was grinning now as he looked at the pool. "I can show you how I change before I even hit the water."


    "Uh, I uhm, I think I would like to see that, y..yeah." I noticed the excitement in his voice.


    "Alright, I will change for you, babe. Don''t you worry at all."


    I didn''t quite understand the excitement that was in his voice at the moment. That is, not until he started to take his shorts off and prepare to run toward the pool.


    I saw his tall, slender body with the ropes of wiry muscles flex and move. He was fully naked, and I was able to see every bit of him, every single piece of him, and it was turning me on.


    I watched as Makai ran and jumped over the pool. When he was directly above the water, it was like his body exploded. His legs were gone, and in their place was a very long tail. I could see thick muscles that looked like legs moving under the tail as he flexed and moved. The tail went at least two feet longer than his legs had been, maybe more. This put him up to over eight feet tall now, if not closer to nine.


    The light was glistening off of his scales as I watched him in seemingly slow motion. His tail was covered almost entirely in those silvery green scales from before. There were some pure silver spots and a few scatterings of blue and purple thrown in, but he was mostly green. Those greenish-silvery scales also dotted his arms, back and chest, and had I been able to see it, I would know that he had a few on his face around his cheeks and eyes as well. He was beautiful and glorious.


    The moment Makai hit the water at the deep end of the olympic-sized pool he started swimming faster than I ever thought was possible. He was moving so fast that it was inhuman. Which I guess was true since he wasn''t human. I watched him leap up out of the water and then dive back down for another quick lap or ten.


    By the time that he was done swimming, Makai was smiling giddily. He came to the edge of the pool and propped himself up on his arms. I saw that he had tiny little fins on his arms that looked like the little ones on his tail and his hair was all red just like the highlights he usually had. I hadn''t noticed those before, how could I have missed seeing them?


    "Come on, Ocean. Swim with me." He held his hand out for me, and as if in a daze, I walked slowly over to him.


    When I was close enough, Makai took my hand, and I sat on the edge of the pool. I didn''t protest or fight when he started to pull me into the water with him. I just rejoiced at the feel of the water as I slowly sunk into it.


    We were in the deep end, and I could swim, but Makai was choosing to hold me so that I didn''t need to force myself to stay afloat. He seemed to have that covered for the both of us. That''s fine, I was preoccupied with feeling the scales that were on his chest, arms, and face.


    I had thought that the scales would feel slimy and disgusting, but they were soft and smooth, and they felt like they belonged on him. I could feel the scales moving and shifting under my fingers, and I was surprised to see that they were moving even before I touched them.


    "My body is anticipating your touch. It''s eager for you to touch me." He was smiling at me in a nearly seductive way. "I see your scales are coming out too."


    I looked down at my arm and saw that he was right. My body was now dotted with the white, pearly scales.


    "It shouldn''t be long now until you change."


    I was still nervous, but I was also excited now. I wanted to see what I would look like as a Merman. I needed to know, needed to see, needed to feel what was different in that form.


    "Are you still afraid?" He whispered at me as he leaned in close.


    "Afraid to change?" I asked him just to make sure that I knew what it was he was talking about.


    "That, and me." His words reminded me that I had shown fear when I saw him last night.


    "No, I''m not afraid of either."


    I slid my hand up his arm, across his soft scales and to his shoulder. I didn''t stop there though, I kept moving my hand until I could cup his cheek in my hand. That was when I leaned in to him for a soft, gentle, tender kiss that spoke of feelings I wasn''t sure of just yet.


    "Makai, I.."


    I don''t know what I was about to say, but I felt pain all over my body at that moment.


    "What''s happening to me?" I asked in a panic as I felt my body try to curl in on itself.


    "You''re changing. The first time can be painful sometimes. I''m sorry, I should have warned you."


    "NGH!"


    I moaned in pain and struggled to get out of Makai''s grip. I needed to move, I needed to get away from the pain. I didn''t know how, but I needed to get away from it.


    I was doing my best to swim, but I was moving so slowly, and my head kept dipping under the water. I was almost to the point where I could stand on my own and that would lessen some of the worry. I needed to be able to stand up in the water, I needed to be able to hold my own head up above the surface. I just had to.


    Just before I reached that point, I felt like my entire body was on fire, burning me from the inside out. I could tell that I was going to lose control of my muscles and sink into the water. I even felt like I was going to pass out. I couldn''t let that happen to me, not now.


    After so much struggling, my body felt like it had burst, and I exploded inside the pool. I started to sink into the water, unable to move. The pain was gone though so that was good.


    Right now, all I wanted to do was float there in the water and not move. I needed to keep myself still so the pain didn''t come back.


    "Hahh." I sighed as I started to feel a little better. "Finally, no more pain." When I took a breath to speak again and felt the water rush inside of my mouth, I realized that I was breathing the water.


    I started to panic again, just a little, until I realized that it wasn''t hurting me. I was actually breathing the water, and it was like I was breathing air. Still I was hurriedly moving toward the surface of the water, kicking my legs like crazy until I was past the top of the water.


    "Haa haa haa haa." I was panting as I gulped in the oxygen and pushed the water out of the gills that were now behind my ears. That felt weird, that was for sure.


    When I turned in the water to look at Makai, I saw that he was so shocked that he couldn''t move. He was frozen in place and not saying or doing anything.


    "Makai?" I asked him apprehensively. "Is something wrong?"


    "Y..y..you''re not a Merman."

 Chapter 89 - Makai - A Total Shocker Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Makai?" Ocean called out to me nervously. "Is something wrong?" I was staring at him, frozen in place as I looked at what he had changed into.


    "Y..y..you''re not a Merman." My words rang through the echoing pool room.


    "What?" Ocean looked down at himself then, and his eyes popped open.


    Ocean was seeing the same things that I was. He didn''t have a tail, at all. He didn''t have the fins on his arms that I have. He wasn''t metallic at all. He looked nothing like a Merman. Honestly, I had suspected it. His trident color was not the same as mine.


    What Ocean did have was blue hair, a shining shimmering blue that matched his mark. Not to mention that his hair was a little longer than it usually was, nearly shoulder length. He had patches of the white scales all over his body, including his legs that he still clearly had. And, what was the strangest of all was that he had a thin, see-through green outfit over his body. I wanted to call it a dress, but I know that he would take offense to that. And there was what looked like a long braided piece of kelp that tied that dress like thing around his waist and a few of them in his hair. And I noticed that his face also looked a little more feminine than it usually did.


    I didn''t know what he was, but he wasn''t one of the Merfolk. I hoped that my parents would know what it is that Ocean turned out to be. And I hoped that my methods for controlling his change would work for him since he wasn''t a Merman.


    I don''t see how the method wouldn''t work though. He changed in the water the same as I did so that should mean that the repression method should be the same.


    While I was thinking about this Ocean started to flip out again.


    "What the hell? If I am not a Merman, then what am I? And why the fuck am I in a dress?" Well, at least he had admitted that it was a dress.


    "I don''t know what you are, Ocean. You''re a creature of the sea, that I know for sure. It was proved by you changing like this, but you''re not a Merfolk."


    "Did I change though? Aside from the scales, I just got put in these weird ass clothes. And, what happened to my shorts?"


    I looked over and saw the swimsuit he had been wearing. It had ripped off of him even though his body hadn''t changed shape. I looked through the water and saw that under that thin, see-through dress, he was naked. If I didn''t know any better, I would say that dress was made of kelp, but it looked like gossamer. That was weird.


    "We will get to the bottom of this, Ocean. I swear we will." I swam over to him and took his hand in my own. I tried to link our fingers but there was something in the way. "Huh?"


    "What?" Ocean looked worried again.


    "I think you have webbing between your fingers. Here, let me see." I pulled his hand in front of my face and looked closely at the space between his fingers. Yup, sure enough, he had a thin layer of skin between his fingers. That would help him to swim faster in this form.


    "Well? Do I?" He asked me in a panicked voice.


    "Yup, let me check your feet."


    I dove into the water and lifted his foot in front of me. Yup, there it was, webbing between his toes too. That was weird. Why didn''t he just get a tail?


    "You have webbing between your toes and fingers. That will help you to swim faster."


    "Really?" He looked like he was starting to accept it a little. "Let me see."


    Ocean started to kick his legs and move his arms. He was rocketing toward the other side of the pool, moving faster than I had ever seen him go. I think he might even be moving faster than me. That was pretty cool.


    He made it back to where I was in no time at all. It hadn''t even been thirty seconds since he left me.


    "That was fucking cool." He grinned as he smiled at me. "But now I need to know how not to wear a dress when I swim." His chuckle made me grin.


    "I don''t know, I kind of like it." I pulled him against me, pressing him against my tail.


    "Don''t even, I am not into cross dressing." His glare just made it even funnier, and I laughed hard. "Oh, shut up." He snapped at me.


    "Alright, alright." I caught my breath and calmed him down. "Let''s try to get you back to normal first."


    "Hey, wait a second, I just thought of something. I can float a lot easier right now. It''s like just thinking about not wanting to sink, and I am floating."


    "That''s different from me. I need to move my tail to make me float." I shrugged and thought about it. "Try thinking about not floating."


    "OK."


    In an instant, he sank to the bottom of the pool. After he was there for a second he frantically swam to the top of the water again, taking a big gulp of air.


    "Wait, can''t you breathe underwater?" I was shocked that it seemed like he couldn''t


    "Yeah, it just feels weird." I saw him turn his head and saw the gills behind his ears. Those, at least, were just like mine.


    "You will get used to it, here look." I showed him my gills. "It took me a while too."


    "Well, glad to know that I am not the only one." He laughed. "Alright, let''s get me human again."


    We moved to the shallow end of the pool so that Ocean could stand up and not have to worry. I changed back, standing there in my human form as I guided him.


    "OK, Ocean, what you need to think about first is the way the water feels on your skin. Does it feel different now than it did before you changed." I was trying to remember what it was that my parents had said to me back over the summer.


    "Yes, it feels smoother, easier to move in. And warmer."


    "That is the benefit of having scales." I smiled at him. "OK, now think about how the water feels against you when you''re human. The way you move and feel in the water when you don''t have scales."


    "Alright, got it. What''s next?"


    "Now, think of your body. Every part of you that is human. Think about how you usually look when you''re not in this form. How it is you want to look right now."


    I saw him close his eyes in frustration. He was concentrating hard, and it was showing on his face. It took a long time, but I saw that the hair started to become normal again and so did his skin. The dress disappeared, and he was just standing there in front of me, naked.


    "I..I did it." He smiled at me. "I''m back."


    "Yes, but if you don''t learn to control the magic of the change, then you will go right back to that form.


    Even as I said those words the scales were coming back.


    "Dammit." He swore as he fought the scales spreading over his body. "How do I stop it?" He asked me as he changed completely again.


    "After you are back in your other form, when you feel that heat of the magic spreading through your body, you need to push it back inside by whatever means necessary. Some people think of ice and other cold things to cool their body down. Some people push the magic with their mind into the dark corners of their mind. Whatever it is you choose to do you have to keep part of your mind on that at all times when you''re in the water. If you don''t, you will change, and quickly too."


    "OK, let me do this again."


    I watched him concentrate again. This time the change back to human took a lot less time than before. That was good, he was a natural at that part. Now to hold it back.


    I watched for several minutes and only saw scales appear for a second every now and then. After a little bit, the scales stayed gone. He was keeping them back.


    "I..I..I did i..i..it." It sounded like he was struggling.


    "Don''t think so hard. Just have one corner of your mind pushing back at the magic while you loosen up the rest of yourself." I tried to get him to act more naturally so that he could be more comfortable in the water.


    "O..O..OK."


    He took a deep breath and relaxed. I watched and waited for the scales to come back, but they didn''t. He was keeping them in the back of his mind like I had told him to.


    "Excellent." I smiled at him happily. "That''s perfect, Ocean."


    "I did it." He jumped at me, and I caught him in my arms, holding him against me.

 Chapter 90 - Makai - Practicing Concentration Under Extreme Circumstances (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Damn, holding him in my arms felt so good. Probably because I had changed back while helping him, and we were both currently standing in the pool completely naked. Even in the water, I could feel every part of him that touched me with intimate detail. Especially where our waists were pressed against each other.


    The more that I thought about it the more I wanted him. I needed to do something or this was going to get to be too much for me. Before I could even remember forming the idea, I leaned forward while I pulled him down for a kiss. The moment that our lips touched I felt his body jerk. It was like he hadn''t thought about the position we were in at the time.


    "M..Makai?" He sounded like he was confused and questioning when he said my name.


    "Ocean, what do you say we give you a test?" I smiled at him.


    "What kind of test?" He looked even more confused now, and worried as well.


    "Well, you need to stay focused, right? To maintain concentration even when you might be distracted by something else. How about we go ahead and see if you can do that?" I tilted my head down after I said that and kissed his neck.


    "O..o..oh." He stammered adorably. "S..s..so th..th..that is what y..y..y..you m..meant." I loved when he stuttered cause it was so fucking cute.


    "Yup, we need to test your ability to concentrate no matter what happens to you when you''re in the water. And don''t forget that the rain counts as being in the water too, so you need to be vigilant." I saw his eyes go wide. I don''t think that he had thought about that yet.


    "W..w..well, if y..you think th..that it w..w..would be for the b..b..be..best, then I think I sh..should take that t..test." He may have stammered but he was still smiling as well.


    "Good, I''m glad you''re eager to learn."


    That was the last of the words. After that, we were working hard on trying to touch and kiss every part of each other that we could in this position. I was also walking blindly toward the edge of the pool. Once I was there, I pressed his back to the side of the pool and used that as a way to help me hold him.


    He didn''t seem to mind. All Ocean ended up doing when I pressed him against the edge of the pool was wrap his legs around me and press his lips against mine. I could tell that he was just as frantic for me as I was for him. We had already been together a few times, but neither of us seemed to be able to get enough.


    "Ocean?" I said his name, asking him for permission before I tried to move forward at all.


    "Makai?" I felt his lip smile against my mouth as he spoke.


    "I want you, Ocean. I want to be inside of you." I spoke right into his mouth, our lips still pressed against each other.


    "Yeah, I want you too." I heard a slight laugh in his voice. "So, what are you waiting for?"


    God damn, I loved when he was like this. It wasn''t often that he showed this side of himself, and I was glad that it was only for me.


    "I was waiting for that." I smiled before kissing him quickly. "I was waiting for those words."


    I shifted his body then, running my hands over the lower part of him: his dick, his ass, his thighs, every glorious part of him that I could touch. He moaned with pleasure every time that I touched him.


    I had reached around him and started to play with him a little. That alone was enough to excite me. I was preparing him for me, and that meant that I would feel him soon. It wasn''t soon enough for Ocean, though. He wanted something more from me so he reached between us and grabbed a hold of me.


    I had already been hard and ready for him but the moment he touched me, the moment I felt him holding onto me, I felt myself harden even more.


    "Oh God, Ocean."


    "Too much for you?" He laughed.


    "Not really, but now I can''t get you ready." I growled the words as I lost control.


    With a grunt and a shift of Ocean''s body, I placed myself at his entrance and went to push inside of him. I was about to rejoice at the feel of him. And that was when he lost his control.


    Ocean''s body seemed to explode out at me and pushed me away. When I looked back at him, I saw that he was once again in his other form, complete with the longer hair and dress. Nothing had changed at all.


    "W..what the hell?" Ocean spluttered as he fought to get the water out of his mouth. When the magic pushed me away, he fell into the pool with his mouth open.


    "It looks like you lost control." My body was still at its limits, and I needed to be back with him and inside him as soon as possible.


    I moved as fast as I could through the water as I got to him. I needed him, wanted him so bad that I was on the verge of losing my focus and changing back as well.


    "I don''t care if you changed or not, Ocean. I still need you, right now." I pressed him back and lifted him in front of me.


    "B..but I''m in this form." He seemed worried about it for a moment, but I didn''t listen to him. I just pushed the long flowing dress up his body until it stopped at the tie around his waist. That dress really was thin and delicate to the touch, and it also went all the way down to his ankles, even in the pool.


    Now that I had him exposed though, I was ready to take him. I positioned myself again and slammed into him. I had gone in as far as I could before I knew it, and I was ready to take him roughly. This would be the roughest I had taken him out of our handful of times together already. I hoped he didn''t hate me for it.


    I was glad that we had moved down to the shallower end of the pool, it allowed me to get a good foothold as I worked to please him. I pulled out of him repeatedly, only to slam back into him as hard and fast as I could manage in the water.


    I slammed into him over, and over again. Hard and fast, mercilessly filling him and myself with pleasure. His arms had wrapped around my neck, and I felt him holding onto my hair. That sounded like a perfect idea, I wanted to touch his now as well. It was so alluring with its flowing look, and the fact that it was longer than before.


    I reached up and slid my hands into it, expecting it to just feel like hair. I was wrong though, it felt so much softer and silkier than any hair I had ever touched before. It was also moving and flowing like he was under the water, even though his head was clearly above it.


    God, that felt amazing as well. The feeling of his hair, the touch of his skin, the way that his body held me tightly, I wanted and needed it all. It was engraving itself into my soul.


    The words had just come through my mind when his name came out of my mouth.


    "OCEAN!" I said it loud and frantically moments before I exploded and collapsed against him.


    We were both panting, hardly able to breath. I also had a feeling that if it weren''t for me, he would sink into the water and use his gills to help him breathe. Damn that was amazing.


    When I looked at him again, he was still in his other form. He was, apparently, unable to shift back while we were still together like that. Trying to be considerate of him and help him out, I slipped from his body, but still kept us pressed together as best as I could. I didn''t want to lose the feel of him completely.


    "Ocean, are you OK?" I had been really rough so I didn''t know how well he had taken it all.


    "Will you stop thinking that I am made of glass and will break everytime?" He growled the words at me. "I''m fine."


    "Well, you were sore after the first time." I reminded him. "I just want to take care of you, that''s all."


    "Yeah, I know." He sighed and rested his head against my shoulder. "Last time I wasn''t sore after, but we did go straight to bed. This time, I guess that I need to wait until I try to walk." His words were quiet and soft, it was like I had embarrassed him, but in a good way. "And soon, we will have to switch the order, or rather position, of all of this." I heard the laugh coming from him then, and I couldn''t help but join in as well.


    "Whatever you want, baby. I will do whatever it is that you want me to."


    "Good." It sounded like his voice was filled with satisfaction. I''m glad. I would do whatever he wanted me to. I may prefer giving, but I am no stranger to receiving either. I have done it a couple of times at least.

 Chapter 91 - Ocean - A Visit

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After our little ''interlude'' in the water, Makai and I decided it would be best to get out of the pool.


    "I will have to clean it now, before we get back in. And, we should probably take a shower, you know." He was looking at the water like there was a problem. I couldn''t stop looking at him. He was still in his human form and naked. Me? I was wearing that fucking dress again with scales all over my arms.


    "Why the hell am I in a dress?" I mumbled to myself.


    "Because you changed." Makai said it so matter of factly, it was like it was normal for him.


    "Yeah, but why am I in a dress when I change? Why does this form have a dress? And why don''t I have a tail like you?" I knew that I was asking things that he couldn''t answer, but I couldn''t help it. I wanted the answers, there was just no one around who could tell me.


    "Don''t worry too much about it, baby. My parents might know what you are and how to change what it is that you''re wearing." I rolled my eyes at him when he said that. Not at the part about his parents, about what he called me.


    "Why do you call me that?" I asked him with a not so annoyed tone in my voice. I didn''t hate it, but I wasn''t used to it.


    "What?" He tilted his head like he was confused and didn''t know what I was talking about.


    "You called me baby again. Why?"


    "I did? I didn''t even notice that I did that. I''m sorry. I won''t do it again." He looked like he was sad when he said that.


    "It''s fine, as long as we''re not at school or anything." I couldn''t look him in the eyes when I said that. I didn''t want him to stop, I just wasn''t used to it, and so I was acting like an idiot. I really was an asshole at times.


    "OK, I will make sure that I don''t say it at school." He grinned and then changed the subject. "I am going to clean the pool, you go shower." He was giving me privacy for this part. Probably because we would probably just end up doing it again if we went together. Yeah, alone was best right now.


    "OK." I nodded at him.


    I was still in my other form when I left the pool. I wanted to make sure that I got upstairs before changing again. That way I wasn''t naked throughout the whole house. However, the moment that I was in Makai''s room, I changed back and went to shower.


    I was able to maintain control over myself this time, and there wasn''t a single scale on me when I got out. For that I was really proud of myself. I skipped back into the bedroom happily and dressed after I had dried off. Once I had all my clothes on, the door opened.


    "Oh, what a shame. I can''t see you naked." Makai joked as he walked into the room, completely fucking naked.


    "Well, I guess we both can''t walk freely through the house. One of us needs to have some dignity." I joked back with him pretending to be offended.


    "Hey, we''re the only ones here, and it''s not like I need to hide it from you anyway." He started inching his way toward me.


    "Uh uh, I just got dressed, you''re not getting my clothes wet. Go take your shower, you fucking horn dog." I started to leave the room, but his laughter followed me.


    "It takes one to know one, Ocean baby."


    "Fuck you." I said laughingly while I pulled the door shut behind me.


    Hmm. Now I had to figure out what to do. I mean, we could watch a movie. That would be good, and if I am there first, then I can pick the movie. We won''t have to watch a horror movie like last time. And I guess we could order a pizza for lunch since I was getting hungry.


    "Or I guess it would be dinner." I joked as I looked at the clock. It was almost five. When the hell did it get so late already? I was just heading downstairs to check for the address here so that I could order food when the doorbell rang. Who the hell could that be?


    When I went toward the door I saw two familiar faces through the glass in the door.


    "Mom? Dad?" I couldn''t believe they were here, or that they came unannounced. "What are you doing here?" I asked them as I pulled the door open.


    "Kai told us to come see the place so we know you''re safe." Mom reminded me.


    "Phoooooooowah." Dad whistled as he looked around. "Kai''s family is loaded."


    "Yeah, I thought the same thing when I first got here." I laughed, mostly uncomfortably. "I was just about to order pizza. We were training all day, and I took a shower. Makai is in the shower now."


    "They only have one shower?" Mom lifted an eyebrow at that.


    "No, they have too many of them. But Makai cleaned the pool while I went to shower."


    "Uh huh." Mom didn''t seem to be overly convinced.


    "Oh, I didn''t expect you tonight." I heard Makai''s voice behind me so I turned to look over my shoulder. "Come on in and take a look around." Makai was all smiles. "I was just about to make dinner."


    "I was just going to order pizza." I told him.


    "No, I can cook for you like I did earlier." He looked like he was beaming. Why did I feel like Makai and I were living together, and my parents were coming to inspect the house after we got married or something. That was never going to happen. I mean, it can''t, can it?


    "You cook?" Mom looked at Makai while she walked into the house.


    "I do alright." He smiled back at her. "Ocean, why don''t you show your parents around while I start cooking." He seemed overjoyed. "I will make something quick so it won''t take long. I''m hungry after practicing all day."


    "Yeah, me too." I nodded at him. "Do you want to take a look around?" I asked my parents.


    "Yeah, come on, let''s go." Mom took my hand and pulled me into the house.


    Mom was dragging me through the entire house checking different rooms for whatever it is she had in mind.


    "Damn, this place is too perfect." Dad laughed.


    "I thought he had a staff." Mom asked me.


    "Yeah, I wondered about that too. He did tell me that he sends them home a lot when it''s just him. They will supposedly come a couple times a week but they''re not working every day."


    "Huh." Mom must have thought my answer was interesting. "And which room are you sleeping in, Ocean?" She paused and looked at me closely.


    "Uh, uhm, i..i..in th..th..that one." I pointed at the door that she had opened not long ago and was clearly able to see it was Makai''s room.


    "You''re sharing a room?" Dad was shocked. "Way to go, son!"


    "Phineas!" Mom snapped at him. "Now, sweety, I know that you are new to this, and I don''t want you to feel pressured into anything. Please don''t do anything that you''re not ready for."


    "Uh." I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. I couldn''t answer her at all. That was just wrong.


    "Nice. I hope you used protection." Dad was just grinning away and taking it all in stride. Mom had seemed like she supported us, but now she was being firm and mean about it. What the hell?


    "Well, did you?" Mom glared at me. Well, there had been a condom, now that I thought about it. "Y..y..y..yes." I was finding it hard to speak or nod my head. This was embarrassing as hell.


    "Good." She relaxed a little. "I don''t want him taking advantage of my baby and being unsafe with him." I sighed, visibly relieved that she wasn''t angry anymore.


    After a little while longer, we went downstairs. I could smell the food instantly, and my stomach growled.


    "Sorry, the quickest thing I could think of was pasta." Makai yelled across the kitchen when we entered. "The ingredients for this cook really quick. Even toasting the bread in the oven with garlic and parmesan cheese. It doesn''t take long at all."


    The noodles were boiling, and he was pushing some chopped herbs into a pot of sauce. The scent of garlic in the room was strong since he had minced it himself. Damn, he was so good at this shit.


    "It will be ready in a few minutes. Ocean, do you want to grab some plates and cups so you can set the table?"


    "Sure." I couldn''t say no to that face of his. Mom came with me, grabbing some stuff to help, and dad did a little too, he brought the dinner napkins out.


    After the table was set, and the food was ready, we sat and ate. Mom couldn''t stop praising Makai''s cooking. I had to agree with her though, he was an amazing cook. I liked eating his food even more than my mom''s. Though maybe it was because it was him that had cooked it.


    Anyway, during dinner mom gave Makai her seal of full approval.


    "I am fine with my baby staying here with you. I can see you are taking care of him, and that you are not too much of a deviant. I don''t approve of you rushing into bed like that, but still I am glad he has you." That was both embarrassing and sweet. Thanks, as well as no thanks, Mom. But I love her and I was glad that she cared for me so much.


    After dinner they left, and Makai and I were alone together again.

 Chapter 92 - Ocean - A New Sort Of Daily Life

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The day after my parents visited, Makai went back to school while I stayed at his place. This was the way that it was going to be for the time that I was here. He would collect my homework while he was there, and I would work on it at night or the next time that he went to school. There was also the stuff that was posted online for us to do, which I was doing during the day while he was gone.


    While he was gone I would watch TV, play games, or practice in the pool. I could watch movies, read a book, or even sleep all day. There was a lot I could do, that wasn''t even the problem. No, what the problem I was actually having was that I still felt a little awkward being in Makai''s house, and being here alone only made that worse. For some reason, I had a feeling that as time went on, and I was here more and more, it would get easier for me. However, for now, it was still difficult for me to process that this was where I was supposed to be, where I needed to be. I liked it here, I wasn''t trying to say that I didn''t, but I felt better when Makai was here with me.


    I had to fend for myself when it came to food, but I was eighteen, and I could manage it just fine. I may not be able to cook like Makai, but I could manage something simple. Or, well, I should be able to. I''ve never actually cooked anything in my life before; not unless you count microwaving something. But I mean, how hard could it be?


    Oh, I found out just how hard it could be. I tried to make something that I found in a book in Makai''s kitchen. It looked simple and easy, so I thought I would try it. The pans now look like they''ve been ruined and need to be thrown away, and the kitchen is a fucking mess. Yeah, I am hopeless when it comes to cooking.


    I was better at cleaning though. Slightly. When I went to start trying to clean the massive mess that boiled all over the stove, and the spills from the counters, I found out that I was only marginally better at this job. I was, however, making progress. Slowly, but surely, the room was starting to look normal again and not like it had been the set of some horror movie where terrible things had happened in a kitchen. I didn''t even want to think about that, it made me shudder as soon as I thought of horror movies. Oh God, why did he have to show me that movie the other day? I was not the kind of person that dealt with scary shit at all. I just wanted to run away, and now it was coming back to me while I was all alone.


    It took me so long to clean up after my attempt to make lunch that I was still cleaning when Makai got home. He came straight into the kitchen because he most likely heard me moving around in there.


    "Well, it looks like you had an interesting day." He laughed as he looked around the room. "What happened in here?"


    "I tried to make lunch. It didn''t exactly go well." I was embarrassed that he had seen the mess, or at least what was left of it.


    "What were you trying to make?" He chuckled slightly as he grabbed a rag and started helping me clean up.


    "Just something that was in that cookbook you had in here." I turned away from him sheepishly, I didn''t want to see the look in his eyes when he knew that I couldn''t even cook when I was following a recipe.


    "All of those in that book are pretty complicated. You need to start with a beginners cookbook and work your way up from there. We can cook together if you''d like, so that I can teach you how to cook when I am not around." He wasn''t angry or didn''t seem to find it pathetic; instead he was willing to help me get better. Why, though? Why would he do that? I knew why, it''s because he liked me just like I liked him.


    "I..I..I..I think that w..wo..wou..would be better th..than m..m..me trying to cook on m..my o..o..own." I blushed as I pathetically stuttered my way through that. "Dammit!" I snapped at myself. "Why do I have to stutter like that?" Yeah, of course I didn''t stutter then.


    "Hey, I like it when you stutter." Makai came closer to me as he spoke, a little too close since he was pulling me into his arms. "I like your stutter cause it''s all because of me. You don''t stutter about anything or anyone but me. It''s either when you''re nervous or embarrassed talking to me, or when you''re nervous and embarrassed talking about me. That tells me that you like me enough to feel those emotions."


    I just rolled my eyes and smiled at him. If I tried to talk, I would just end up stuttering again.


    "I mean it." He laughed as he tried desperately to prove that he wasn''t lying. "And in fact, a lot of times that stutter of yours will turn me on." His voice got deeper and more seductive as he spoke. When I turned my head at those words so I could look at him full on, he surprised me with a quick kiss.


    The passion was immediate, and the heat was there, but the kiss couldn''t continue more than a few seconds because Makai started laughing the minute that my stomach growled loudly.


    "Well, I guess if you didn''t actually succeed in making the food for lunch that means you haven''t eaten at all, have you?"


    "Uhm, n..n..no. No, I haven''t." My face felt like it was on fire, and I knew that it was just about as red as it could be. Why the hell did I have to keep embarrassing myself like that?


    "Go on, order some pizzas while I finish cleaning up." He tried to get me to leave.


    "N..n..no!" I tried to be forceful, but I was still embarrassed. "This is my m..m..mess, and I will cl..cl..clean it up. You g..go order the p..p..pizzas." He grinned at my words.


    "Alright baby, I will order the pizzas for us." I saw the joy and amusement in his eyes. He thought that I had been funny, but he also got the chance to call me his favorite nickname for me, or that''s what it seemed like to me.


    "J..just g..go." I snapped at him.


    "Alright." He kissed the corner of my mouth quickly then got up to leave.


    I did my best to finish cleaning up as quickly as I could. I wasn''t the greatest, but I wasn''t the worst when it came to this job. It was all coming clean, but I was kind of slow at it. I guess that is what happens when your parents do most of the housework, and you''re not given any chores to do. I really was spoiled, wasn''t I?


    Still, I didn''t mind this. This new style of daily life that involved me being here with Makai. I may have fucked up royally, but he wasn''t mad and was even willing to teach me. And I liked that we were here together, all alone. I never once in my life thought that things would end up like this for me, but now that they have I don''t want it to end. I know that I will have to go home sometime soon, and honestly, that kind of made me sad.


    I had finished cleaning the kitchen and made it look as good as new, or at least really close to it, so I went in search of Makai. I found him in the living room, not far from the kitchen. He was just sitting down and looked like he was amused about something.


    "You''re a mess, you should go and change." He was right, my clothes had gotten really messy from the time that I was cooking and cleaning.


    "Yeah, I will."


    Running up the stairs, I stripped the dirty clothes off and went to clean myself up in the bathroom a little bit. I washed my face, arms, hands, and even my chest where there had been a lot of stuff that splattered on me. All in all, cleaning myself up took longer than I thought it would.


    Once I was dressed, I tried to hurry down the stairs. I knew that the food would be here soon and that Makai was waiting for me. I didn''t want to keep either of them waiting. Before I even reached the bottom of the stairs though, the doorbell rang. I guess the pizza is here.


    Before I even got to the hall, Makai had made it to the door. When he pulled the door open so that he could pay for and accept the order there seemed to be a little bit of hesitation. I saw him freeze up a little when he saw the person, and then I heard someone talking with him with what sounded like surprise in his voice.


    "Makai? I didn''t know that this was your place."

 Chapter 93 - Ocean - Caught?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Makai? I didn''t know that this was your place." Those were the words that the delivery guy had said, and I was already right by the door when I realized that I knew that voice.


    "Oh, hey Ben. I didn''t know you worked."


    Shit! Ben, as in Ben from the swim team, that Ben was who was at the door right now. Of all the people that could have shown up, why did it have to be someone from the team? That was probably, no, that was definitely the worst thing that could have possibly happened to me, to the both of us.


    "Oh, hey Ocean. I thought you were out of town?" Ben had seen me, of course he would.


    "Oh, uhm, hey Ben. Yeah, I am going back and forth between here and my aunt''s house. I stopped by to get my homework from Makai, that''s all."


    "Really? Seems like you could have gotten it from the school directly." Ben was looking like he thought this was all a little suspicious, I don''t think he believed me at all.


    "There were extenuating circumstances." Makai tried to explain to him. "My parents had to drive out there for work so they picked Ocean up and brought him back. His parents will be taking him back later."


    "Huh." I saw the nod and the narrowed eyes that we were getting from Ben at the moment. I know that he wasn''t believing us at all though. "Well, I have other deliveries to make. I will see you later."


    "Hey Ben." I called after him as he turned to leave.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean. I won''t tell anyone." He looked at me with serious and knowing eyes. "I''ve thought for a long time now that you two were either already together or would soon be an item. Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone."


    "Y..you knew?" I was flabbergasted. "How? How did you know something like that?"


    I was at a loss. I know that I hadn''t done or said anything when we were around the other people. What had caused it then? How did he know that Makai and I were together? What made him suspect us?


    "You really want to know, Ocean?" He turned back to look at me. "You want to know how I was able to know what was going on with you?"


    "Yeah, I think I do anyway." I could tell that the look on my face was a nervous one. It was most likely something that would make someone laugh if they saw it under different circumstances. "I mean, if you were able to tell that there was something going on between us then the others could too, right?" I was so on edge at the moment.


    "I wouldn''t be overly worried about them. I noticed because, unlike them, I am a little more like you than you think." What was he saying? Was he a merman or something like that too?


    "What do you mean like me?" Makai was just watching us talk while he held the boxes filled with pizza.


    "I, like you, have a thing for someone on the team. When I look at you and Makai, I can see the same look in your eyes that I know I have in mine. There is a pain and an ache inside of you that can only be filled when you''re near that one special person. There is a sense of completion that only that person can give you, even just by being in the same room with them. I saw that in you, in both of you, when you would look at each other. Not to mention, there was your birthday party a few days ago. When Brittney went to harass you in the kitchen, it was like Makai was rushing in to be your knight in shining armor." His words took me by surprise. He had noticed all of that because he likes someone on the team? "Only the guy I like doesn''t and will never know about it. He isn''t that type. I''m happy for you, Ocean. I really am. You got what, or shall I say who, you wanted."


    "Ben?" I felt so sad when I heard the last part of his response. There was pain and sorrow in his voice, and I knew that he was most likely a little bit jealous of me. "I''m sorry."


    "Don''t be sorry, Ocean. Ryan just isn''t that type of guy. I will love him from afar and stay with him as his best friend. That is all that I can hope for. Don''t worry though, I won''t tell anyone about you guys. That is not my secret to tell. I will be rooting for you guys, and I''m glad that you''re happy together." Ben and Ryan were the best of friends and have been since they started kindergarten. I couldn''t believe that Ben was telling me the person he loved was Ryan. That had to be hard, and I couldn''t even imagine how long he had been in love with him. How long had he been hiding his feelings?


    After that Makai put his arm around my shoulder as he held all the boxes with one hand. His arm squeezed me tightly as he started to talk to Ben directly.


    "Thank you for keeping it a secret, Ben. Ocean is wanting to keep it a secret at school. As you could probably guess, most of the team wouldn''t approve. I know things may not look hopeful for you right now, but you never know. Things could change."


    Was he talking about the time that I thought Makai was the worst person in the world next to skankzilla? He most likely was. I mean even I think that I was horrible to him in the beginning but he never gave up and I ended up wanting him as much as he seemed to want me.


    "I think he''s right." I grinned at Makai, then at Ben. "You never know what people will end up wanting, or what the truth in their heart is."


    "Yeah, maybe." He didn''t look hopeful. "I take it you''re still going to be out of school for the rest of the week like the coach said. And that you won''t be at the meet this weekend. I don''t know what is going on, but I hope that you come back to the team soon."


    After that Ben waved and left. I could see a slumped set to his shoulders, and the way that he was walking showed that he was bearing a lot right now. He was probably feeling the weight of what he felt and was holding it all in the best that he could.


    I just stood there watching Ben as he walked toward his car. He was going through a lot, more than I ever thought he was. The more that I see every day, the more I see that I was so self-centered. How was it that my friends didn''t abandon me years ago? Why didn''t someone tell me that I was such a horrible person? How could I be so selfish that I didn''t see the pain that he was feeling?


    As Makai walked back into the house with the food, I continued to watch Ben as I thought about a few things. I was going to do my best to be more receptive to how my friends were feeling, and what they were going through. And maybe I could organize things a little bit so that Ben and Ryan hung out with us a little more, which would give Ben more time with Ryan. That would be good for Ben, right? I would just need to make sure that Makai and I didn''t do anything couple-oriented while they were around. One reason why is so that Ryan wouldn''t find out about us, but also for the fact that I didn''t want to rub our relationship in Ben''s face.


    "Hey, Ocean? Are you coming to eat or what? I thought you were hungry." Makai''s words brought me back to my senses and my stomach growled right on cue.


    "Yeah, I am hungry. I was just lost in thought, that''s all." I shut the door after Ben drove away and then followed after Makai to the dining room. "I never knew he felt that way about Ryan. I thought they were just friends this whole time."


    "They are just friends, that''s the problem. Ben wants more but he doesn''t think that Ryan would ever be open to that. I can see where he is coming from though. Keeping the status quo and not changing things made it so that he doesn''t have to abandon Ryan altogether. If he was to try to push it, if he were to tell Ryan how he felt then he might never get to see him again. That would most likely devastate him."


    I thought about that for a moment. About what kind of courage it must have taken for Makai to tell me how he felt and then the type of control and resolve that Ben must have.


    "Did you feel the same way?" I asked Makai after I settled into my chair.


    "Yes and no. It wasn''t that long into knowing you that you made the decision for me. I had fallen for you the day that I met you. It was like a magnetic pull that was drawing me toward you and it only got stronger as time went on. When I met you though, you seemed to hate me for no reason." I felt that like a stab of pain.


    "At the time, I thought you wanted to steal my girlfriend, and then at practice you beat me in everything and I thought that you were then trying to basically steal my life. I was an idiot and an asshole." I hung my head in shame.


    "Misinformed and confused is what I would call it. However, when I found you on the beach and you kissed me, I knew that you must like me at least a little bit." His grin gave me butterflies in my stomach.


    "To be fair, I didn''t know that I liked you then. And I don''t even know why I kissed you." I buried my head in my hands for a moment.


    "You said you were trying to prove that I wasn''t real, however that was supposed to help. But the spark between us was real and I wasn''t going to deny it anymore after that, so I started chasing you for real. And in your drunken state your true emotions must have come out."


    I groaned now, my head still buried in my hands. How the hell had I been so stupid.


    "It''s fine though, Ocean. It all worked out for us. Come on, let''s eat, we can talk more later."


    I did as he said and started eating my food. I still can''t believe half the shit I did. I''m such a fucking moron.

 Chapter 94 - Ocean - So What Am I Really? Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    This new routine of ours was continuing. We spent that first day home together, and then Makai went to school on Tuesday. He stayed home with me on Wednesday, and now he was back at school today. Tomorrow, Friday, he wasn''t sure if he was going to stay home or go to school for half the day so he could get our work.


    I was currently sitting at the island in the kitchen on one of the bar stools, doing my homework and eating a bowl of cereal. I wasn''t going to try cooking again until Makai was here with me. I didn''t need a mess like that again; that was why today''s lunch was cereal.


    Suddenly, I heard the front door being opened with a key. I was certain that it was Makai coming home from school. But that made no sense at all, he was supposed to be there all day today. I slid from the stool and started for the front hall so that I could see why he was home so early.


    I was just about to call out to him and ask him why he was here, when I heard someone talking.


    "They shouldn''t be here right now, should they?" It was a woman''s voice, and it was one that I didn''t know. I know it wasn''t Makai''s staff either because they had come by yesterday while we were both here.


    "It looks like someone is here." A man''s voice responded when he saw me. "Hello there, young man."


    I was in complete shock. These were people that I had never seen before, but I was pretty sure I knew who they were anyway. The woman had long flowing auburn hair that looked like she was swimming in the water even though she clearly wasn''t, and there were pure, true red highlights in her hair. Her eyes were a pearly green color that were mesmerizing. The man had shorter hair that was dark brown with pearly white highlights, but his eyes were a familiar seagreen. These people could only be Makai''s parents.


    "Uh, uhm, h..hi." I nervously greeted them.


    "You must be the young man that our son told us about." The woman grinned at me. "It''s nice to meet you. My name is Analise Rivers." She stepped forward and held her hand out to me so that I could shake it. I took it slowly and shook it in a daze. I really wish they would have waited to show up until Makai was here. What the hell was I supposed to do with his parents here?


    "I..it''s nice to meet you." I did my best to be friendly.


    "There is no reason to be nervous, Son." The man said as he held his hand out. "I am Reef Rivers, Makai''s father. What''s your name? I am afraid that our son didn''t give us all the details about this situation when he called and begged us to come home." I hadn''t been in the room when he called his parents so I don''t know if he actually begged them, but I smiled at the thought of it. Makai wasn''t exactly the begging type in my mind, unless he was begging me for something, that is.


    "My name is Ocean." I answered him as I took his hand and shook it.


    "Oh, isn''t that precious." His mom grinned at me.


    "I''m sorry?" I was confused at her words, tilting my head and looking at her with my eyes narrowed a little.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t mean to be rude, sweetie. I just thought that your name was cute. Were you named by your parents?"


    "No, I was named by the child protective services agent that took me from the hospital. They thought it was a ''fitting'' name for me since I was found on the beach."


    "The beach? So your family truly did abandon you." Reef, Makai''s father, seemed to be upset when he heard that.


    "I wouldn''t know. I have no idea who my biological parents are, or what I really am. I just know that I was found and raised by my adoptive parents."


    "Oh honey, that must have been a shock to you then. To find out that you weren''t human when you thought you were your entire life."


    Before I had known what was happening, Mrs. Rivers had walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me. She was shorter than me by several inches and very slender, but her arms were strong as she held me close.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean, we''re here to help you."


    Mr. Rivers, however, was focussing on something else. He was looking at me with confused eyes and a worried expression.


    "I''m sorry young man, but did you say you have no idea what you are?"


    "Didn''t Makai tell you?" I was confused. "We found out that I am a child of the sea, as he said once before, but he doesn''t know what I am. I am not a Merman, that is for sure."


    "Makai hasn''t learned all of our histories yet. I regret to say that we kept him away from that culture for most of his life because we didn''t want him to rush off to the sea too soon. Chances are you''re a sea serpent or a selkie." Mr. Rivers didn''t seem worried at all, so I wasn''t either. As long as between the two of them and Makai we could figure out what I am, I didn''t care.


    "I hate to cut this introduction short, Ocean, but Reef and I need to clean up. We''ve had a lot of travelling to do, and it''s left its mark on us."


    "Oh, no worries, Mrs. Rivers." I smiled at her. "I will get back to doing my homework."


    "Sounds good. When Makai gets home, we will get straight to work on figuring this whole mess out for you."


    "Yeah, don''t look so worried about it, Ocean. We will get you taken care of soon enough." Mr. Rivers nodded at me. "Now, if you''ll excuse us."


    The two of them disappeared up the stairs and to their room. I didn''t want to take up any more of their time or keep them from doing what they needed to do, so I definitely wasn''t going to call after them. However, I wanted to let Makai know that his parents were home. If possible, I wanted him to skip practice today and come straight home. I wouldn''t be able to handle sitting here alone with his parents. That would have made me nervous as hell.


    I went back into the kitchen and dumped the last dregs of my cereal. It had gone all soggy while I was away, and no longer looked very appetizing. After washing the bowl and setting aside to dry, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and opened the message thread for Makai.


    :Me:


    Your parents are here.


    I sent the message as quickly as I could.


    :Me:


    Could you come straight back instead of going to practice?


    :Makai:


    What did they say? Is everything OK?


    :Me:


    Everything is fine. I''m a little nervous to be alone with them, but your parents are nice enough. Your mom hugged me.


    :Makai:


    HAHA, yeah, she is really friendly and open like that.


    :Me:


    It threw me off and made me even more nervous.


    :Makai:


    You need to stop being so nervous, baby.


    :Me:


    Oh shut up!


    I rolled my eyes at the text message that I had just sent him. He was being a dork, and he knew it. I wasn''t that nervous. It''s just that, you know, I just met his parents and that was nerve wracking. I was meeting my boyfriend''s parents without him even being with me. Who the hell does that?


    :Makai:


    Yeah, sure, you''re not THAT nervous. ???? ???? ???? ????


    :Me:


    Oh stop with those emojis.


    He was making me feel silly now. I was well aware of the fact that I was a nervous wreck half the time anymore.


    :Makai:


    But why? I think that the emojis could properly convey so many emotions. Especially the way that I feel about you.


    :Me:


    Oh really? And what emotions or feelings are those?


    I had a feeling I was going to regret asking that. Oh well, what was done was done. I would just have to deal with it for now.


    :Makai:


    Heheheheheh


    That evil laughter came before a message that made me roll my eyes and almost laugh myself off of the bar stool at the same time.


    :Makai:


    ???? ???? ? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????


    :Me:


    OH MY GOD! YOU ARE UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.


    Despite my text to him, I was laughing my ass off.


    :Me:


    Just come straight home after school, OK?


    :Makai:


    I will do better than that. I am skipping the rest of the day. I will be leaving here when the bell rings in five minutes.


    :Me:


    Whatever, see you soon.


    I was glad that he was on his way back already. I didn''t want to be here alone with his parents. And even though I wouldn''t admit it to him, I wanted to see him as well. Even though I had seen him this morning at breakfast before he went to school, I still missed him. Was I hopeless? I felt like I was. I felt like I was some hopeless idiot that was obsessed with the person they liked. UGH! What the hell was the matter with me?

 Chapter 95 - Ocean - So What Am I Really? Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    True to his word, Makai rushed right home. He was back at the house within twenty minutes and had rushed right through the door. I was still in the kitchen with my book open on the counter, and Makai''s parents were still upstairs.


    Makai came right into the room where I was and kissed me on my cheek.


    "Honey, I''m home." He joked.


    "Oh, hush." I was embarrassed enough because of his parents, I didn''t need that as well.


    "What? Aren''t you happy that your honey is home?" I just rolled my eyes at him and continued to work on my assignment. "Gah, you''re no fun at all." He joked with me.


    "No fun at all, huh." I said the words suggestively. "I guess I will have to remember that for later. If it''s no fun being with me, then I won''t make you suffer anymore."


    "You know that wasn''t what I meant." He glared at me while I chuckled softly. "Oh, come here."


    Makai grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me toward him. Before I knew what was happening, his lips were pressed against me. I didn''t expect him to do this while his parents were here. I mean, what if they walked in on us kissing like this?


    My body didn''t seem to care though. I melted into the kiss he was giving me and wrapped my arms around his waist. He tasted like he always did, oranges and cream. Damn he was like my own personal dessert, and I loved it.


    Before long the kiss had morphed and gotten more heated. His tongue was exploring my mouth and tangling with mine as he pressed me against the counter. My hands were beginning to play with the hem of his shirt and were about to slide up his body.


    That was, until someone cleared their throat very loudly.


    "Ahem."


    We broke apart, and I tried to step away but Makai wouldn''t let me. He kept a hand on my waist and held me against his side. All that was going through my head at the moment was ''oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit''. I can''t believe that his parents had just walked in on us like that.


    "Well now. I see why it was that you were so desperate to get our help." Mr. Rivers was grinning at us. Mrs. Rivers, on the other hand, wasn''t smiling as broadly as her husband.


    "I would have asked for your help regardless." Makai smiled at them. "But yes, Ocean is my boyfriend."


    "Yeah, we gathered as much." Mrs. Rivers just looked at us. "Just remember Makai, you will need to give this all up when you meet your mate." His mom''s words weren''t mean, quite the contrary she looked sad and was aiming those green eyes of hers at me. "I don''t want to see either of you get hurt."


    "I don''t intend on ever having anyone other than Ocean." Makai sounded determined and pulled me against him even more.


    "What do you mean by mate?" I asked her, curious to know what that meant for him.


    "I see that there is much about our people that you don''t know. Come now, let us sit in the living room and talk about this."


    "O..O..OK."


    Makai pulled me by the hand then and led me to the love seat in the living room. He was making a statement to his parents that he wasn''t leaving me. That actually made me feel a lot better.


    With us all sitting there, Makai''s parents started to talk. I was just supposed to sit there and listen to them explain it all. Even Makai was supposed to keep his mouth shut. That was kind of intimidating.


    "OK Ocean, to begin with, we are not human. But I am sure you already knew that." Mr. Rivers started the conversation. "We are what is known throughout the supernatural world as Sea Shifters. We are a species of shifters that turn into a creature that is from the sea. There are shifters in three different major groups: the Sea Shifters, the Reptilian Shifters, and the Mammal Shifters. There are many subspecies in each of those categories, but I don''t need to go over them all right now. What is important is that you are, as Makai said, a child of the sea. You are a shifter like us."


    "What this means, Ocean," Makai''s mom started to add to the explanation now, ''is that there is a certain level of magic within you and us as well. We cannot perform magic tricks or cast spells or anything. This magic of ours is limited to helping us shift and aiding in our healing abilities. You will likely have a super fast metabolism because of the magic that courses through you. This means you eat more than others and more frequently as well. The metabolism is what makes you heal faster and keeps you in top physical condition at all times."


    "Now, the thing about mates that Analise mentioned earlier is a special thing among all of our people, no matter what breed of shifter they are. Our mates are the same thing as soulmates that humans talk about. There is one person that we are destined to be with that has been chosen for us by the Goddess."


    "Goddess?" I couldn''t help myself, I had to ask what he meant. But still, I wasn''t supposed to talk right now so I was extremely embarrassed. I clapped my hand over my mouth and blushed. Mr. Rivers though just smiled and continued explaining.


    "The Goddess is the one who blessed us with our magic. She is the mother that started our kind. This is the same Goddess that blessed all the shifters. Her name is Nehalennia, the Moon Goddess. She has been watching over all of shifter kind for thousands of years and was the one who named our new Queen."


    "We have a Queen?" Makai and I said at the same time. When I heard his voice join me though, I turned to look at him. He didn''t know this?


    "It is recent. She ascended to that position just seven months ago. We had not told you yet, but yes we have a Queen now." He was nodding at us so that we understood it all. "But let''s get back on track here." He cleared his throat and brought us back to where he had been before. "The Goddess picks our mate for us. This is the person that we are meant to be with and who will bring us true happiness in life. They are our ideal match, and we know them right away because of the powerful magnetic pull we feel toward them."


    Right on cue, Makai and I looked at each other. If what Mr. Rivers was saying is true, then wouldn''t that make Makai my mate? I have felt that pull for a while, especially since my birthday.


    "When Makai finds his mate he will know it by that pull, the same for you as well. When he and his mate take the final step of the mating and come together as one they will mark each other." Mrs. Rivers added to the explanation.


    "Mark each other how?" Makai was the one to ask this. Didn''t he know all of this stuff already? Or did his parents keep this from him as well?


    "Your birthmarks will change to reflect the new mating." Mr. Rivers was the one to answer.


    "Change, huh?" Makai stood up then, and I didn''t know why. "Like this?"


    Makai pulled down the top of his pants just a little bit, just enough to show his mark to his parents. I had seen it of course. Several times in fact. I had noticed the change in the color and the beautifully written letter O that was now over top of it.


    "Makai?" Mrs. Rivers was in shock as she looked at her son.


    "Seriously?" Mr. Rivers'' eyes were opened wide.


    "Doesn''t this mean that Ocean is my mate?" Makai sounded happy with this development, and I admit that I was happy too. It meant that he wasn''t going to dump me when some random chick came onto him.


    "Oh my Goddess." Mr. Rivers laughed hard. "That is hilarious. Makai, you dork. You messed this up. You''re supposed to find a female mate."


    I felt my face burn red then. His dad didn''t approve of us. Why did I think that his parents would be as accepting of us as my parents were?


    "Oh hush. I got the perfect mate." Makai boasted as he sat down and hugged me to him. With fearful eyes, I looked at his parents, afraid of what they were going to say next.


    "Yeah, he''s perfect for you." Mr. Rivers was still laughing.


    "I''m sorry." I said the words softly as I looked back down. I didn''t want to see the disgust and ridicule that was going to come our way.


    "Why?" Mrs. Rivers asked me with her eyebrows raised. "Are you upset that you''re Makai''s mate?"


    "N..n..no! N..n..not at a..a..a..all." I stuttered as I hurried to answer her.


    "Isn''t his stutter adorable?" Makai squeezed me tighter, and his dad laughed even more.


    "Then what is it?" Makai''s mother seemed to be ignoring her son and her husband.


    "Y..y..y..you''re not happy. Y..y..y..you d..didn''t w..want Makai to b..b..be with m..m..me. I''m s..s..sorry that I''m his mate. I..I..I''m sorry I m..m..messed this up." I almost felt like crying. I had ruined things somehow. I had fucked them up so badly that his parents were going to hate me forever. They were probably going to kick Makai out, and they weren''t even going to help me figure out what I am or anything.


    Dammit! Why did I have to mess this up so much? I''m such a fucking failure at everything lately.

 Chapter 96 - Ocean - So What Am I Really? Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Ocean, no!"


    "Goddess no!" His parents started to speak at the same time. They seemed to be in agreement, whatever it was that they were saying. Still, I couldn''t bring myself to look at them. I couldn''t bring myself to watch as they glared at me with disgust.


    "Ocean, honey, we''re not upset at all." I heard Mrs. Rivers talking, but her words weren''t getting through to me.


    "I''m sorry that I made it sound like that." Mr. Rivers added. "I joke with my son a lot, that''s all. It''s a big thing between us. I''m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. There is nothing wrong with you two being together. We''ve long known that our son didn''t care one way or the other if the person he was with was male or female."


    "The only reason that Reef said that was so he could pull Makai''s leg a little. Usually, the Goddess won''t choose a mate for someone unless they could have a productive future. But I guess she will take into account that people could just be gay. The reason Reef said the mate was supposed to be female was so Makai could have children in the future. We will just have to accept it though, that there will never be children from our son."


    That shattered my heart. I was not just taking their son from them, but future grandchildren as well. I was horrible. What the hell did I do to these people?


    "No! Wait! Maybe there was a mistake. I..I..I don''t want you to not have grandchildren. I..I can''t be the one responsible for that. This is a mistake, it has to be." I started to pull away from Makai and I saw the hurt look in his eyes.


    "Wait, Ocean, what are you saying? You don''t want me?" There were tears in his eyes and pain in his voice.


    "It''s not that." I shook my head vehemently. "I do. I do want you. I lo-, I mean I like you a lot Makai. I really do. But this is wrong. I can''t do that to you or your parents."


    I was backing away from them now, slowly trying to leave the room. Then I would turn and run toward the door and down the driveway, and I would never look back again.


    "Ocean?" Makai stood and came after me. Before I could get out of the room, he had grabbed a hold of me and was looking me in the eyes. "Don''t do this. Don''t say those things. I don''t care about that, I only care about you. If we''re supposed to be together then no one else on this planet will be able to make me happy. And in the future, if we want kids we can find someone to help with that."


    "What the hell are you talking about? Stop talking like we''re going to get married and be together forever." I snapped at him. "You don''t know what is going to happen for us in the future. Stop saying things like that."


    "But it''s the truth, Ocean. Please, don''t leave me."


    I saw the pleading look in his eyes and then I looked toward his parents who were eyeing me with concern.


    "Makai is right, Ocean. You and him are the only ones that can make each other happy. That is what the mark means. Hasn''t yours changed to reflect him like his did to reflect you?" Mrs. Rivers was speaking softly.


    "Please forgive my joking nature." Mr. Rivers rose from his chair and came over to meet us near the arch in the wall that I tried to run through earlier. "I''m sorry, Ocean. I am not against you at all. And I agree with my son; you''re his mate and that makes you the best mate for him."


    I just stood there frozen as Mr. Rivers wrapped his arms around both me and Makai. He was hugging the two of us in a very serious, non-joking way. Mrs. Rivers rose to her feet then and walked onto the other side of us and added her arms to the hug. I was now being hugged by every member of the Rivers family, or at least all the ones that I knew about.


    "Please, Ocean, don''t leave our son." Mr. Rivers sounded like he was begging me now too.


    "Please, don''t leave me." Makai''s voice was filled with the same begging and sorrow that his dad''s was.


    I felt my heart settling down finally as they all held onto me. I couldn''t leave right now even if I wanted to, not with them hugging me like this.


    "F..f..fine, I..I..I won''t l..l..leave." I had to force the words out. "N..n..not yet anyway. If you find someone else though, I w..w..will step b..b..back and let you have th..th..them."


    "That will never happen." That sounded like a promise from Makai, but I didn''t know how long it would last.


    I felt their arms leave me one by one. First Mrs. Rivers left, then Mr. Rivers, and after a few moments of holding me tightly to his chest, Makai pulled away but he took my hand and pulled me back to the couch with him.


    "I think there have been enough delays." Makai spoke firmly before we actually sat down. I think we need to go to the pool and have Ocean shift so you can tell us what he really is."


    "Yes, I agree."


    "Let''s go." His parents nodded their heads and agreed right away.


    Makai still wasn''t letting me go. He dragged me from the living room and straight up to his bedroom so that I could put on a pair of swim trunks like last time. That was the only time that he let go of my hand, but he had stood there with his back against the door as if he was going to block my escape.


    "I am not going to run away." I told him in a soft voice.


    "You tried to." He sounded hurt.


    "So you''re going to hold me prisoner to keep me from doing it again." I laughed at him, but saw that he looked hurt again.


    "I.., it''s not.., that wasn''t.." He was floundering, unable to answer that question.


    "I was kidding." I sighed. "I''m sorry, Makai. I didn''t mean to hurt you or upset you. I don''t want to leave you. I never did, but I don''t want to ruin your future either." The tears that I had been holding back were streaming down my cheeks now, falling and landing on my bare chest.


    "You couldn''t ruin my future even if you tried." He said as he came closer to me. "I don''t want anyone else, Ocean. Just you." My heart soared, and I wanted to smile at that.


    "But.."


    "No buts." He snapped at me as he walked toward me in a hurry. "Don''t try to convince yourself that we''re not together. We are. And until you want to leave me for a reason other than ruining my future, I won''t let you go. Not for something as stupid as that."


    "It''s not stupid." I snapped at him. "What if ten years down the line you want a family and a wife, but you''ve been stuck with me that whole time?"


    "Then we will adopt or not because it''s what you think is best for me. I would die inside every day that you''re away from me. Dammit, Ocean, don''t you know how important you are to me?"


    I gasped at his words. What the hell was he saying? What did he mean? I couldn''t answer those, but I felt the intensity that he was giving me, and I did the only thing that I could think of. I pressed my lips to his gently, giving him a quick kiss.


    "I think I can tell. Because you''re important to me too." Finally he smiled at me, I wouldn''t leave him. I couldn''t leave him. I wanted to be with him too much.


    "Good." I think I had finally convinced him, so he wasn''t likely to guard the doors anymore. "Let''s go. My parents are waiting for us."


    I was glad I had kept the kiss quick and simple. I didn''t need to be turned on before they saw us. Not again anyway. I had really, really, really hoped that they hadn''t noticed the erection that I was sporting when Makai kissed me in the kitchen earlier.


    I sighed a little at the loss of his warmth pressed against me, but I let him lead me from the room. It looked like he was still going to be holding onto me until he was more than convinced that I wasn''t going to bolt toward the door at any moment.


    It would suck to try to run right now anyway. I mean, I was only in my swim trunks and, California or not, it was November outside. It would get chilly at night and the waters were pretty cold sometimes right now. Not to mention that I would look like an idiot if I was caught walking down the street like this. Nope, it was best for me to just stay here with Makai and wait for the awkwardness to pass.


    Oh, and then there was the fact that I was about to, hopefully, find out what I really am. And of course, we had to bring my parents here to tell them about what I am. Oh joy, that sounds like fun. Maybe I''ll run away from them instead.

 Chapter 97 - Ocean - So What Am I Really? Part 4

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai held my hand all the way to the pool. He didn''t even let go of it when we were once again in front of his parents. I just stood there, shaking with fear, as they looked at me with their intense eyes.


    "Alright, Ocean, you can get into the water now. Let the change come to you and don''t fight it." Mrs. Rivers was instructing me and telling me what to do.


    "You don''t have to get all the way into the water if you don''t want to." Makai added as he gripped my hand tighter. "You can just sit at the edge and put your feet into the water. That should be enough for you to change."


    "O..O..O..OK."


    I nodded at Makai and went to sit at the edge of the pool. He came with me of course and sat down next to me, still holding my hand. With Makai''s encouraging look, and the feel of his hand in my own, I let the magic wash over me when the water touched my skin. I didn''t fight it like I had been.


    The magic started to tingle in my toes first, the part of me that was submerged first. The itchy, tingling sensation crawled up my body. It wasn''t quite like a bug crawling along my skin, but it wasn''t that far off either. It was like something large yet soft was rolling up every part of my body in a slow and steady motion.


    Before I knew it, my entire body was tingling and trembling slightly. It was almost time for that explosive change that would burst from within me. Makai said that there was a way to stop the explosion, but it would take a while and a lot of concentration.


    I let go of Makai''s hand just before the magic in me burst. I didn''t want it to push him away like it has in the past. If I wasn''t touching him, then it didn''t affect him at all when I changed.


    The next second I was sitting there next to Makai in my other form, dress and all. I saw the look of joy on Makai''s face when he saw me, not at all put off by my other appearance. However, when I turned to look at his parents I saw a different sort of expression.


    I saw shock, surprise, and even a little bit of fear in their eyes when they saw me. I didn''t know what was wrong, but apparently I had done something that they hadn''t expected.


    "Oh my word." Mrs. Rivers put her hand over her mouth as she looked at me.


    "I never thought I would see this." Mr. Rivers added as he put a hand to his head and ran his fingers through his hair nervously.


    "What''s wrong?" Makai stood up and walked over to his parents. "What is wrong with this form of his? Why are you acting like this?" He was defensive and angry at his parents on my behalf.


    "Makai, don''t get angry. Whatever is happening is clearly my fault." I stood up to walk over to him and grab his hand again.


    "Nothing is wrong, Son." Mr. Rivers said and I don''t know if he was talking to me or Makai since he had called me son before as well.


    "Reef is right, there is nothing wrong, per se. It''s just that this is the last thing that we expected to see. We thought you would be a Selkie or Sea Serpent, we didn''t think you would be a Siren."


    "A Siren?" I asked them, not sure what they were getting at. "Are you referring to the ancient legends of the beautiful women that lured sailors to their deaths?" I tilted my head as I thought about this. "You didn''t mention Sirens earlier."


    "That''s because we thought that it was physically impossible for you to be one." Mrs. Rivers'' voice was a little higher pitched than usual when she spoke.


    "You see, Ocean, the Sirens are women, they always have been. The sailors they lured to their death weren''t actually meant to be killed. They were luring human men to mate with them, but they left them stranded, and they would then die as a result. The Siren genetics win out every time. For thousands of years, the Sirens have existed the way they are. Luring men to father a new daughter."


    "So they''re still killing people?" I gasped as I thought about it.


    "No! Not any more." Mr. Rivers hurriedly corrected my thought process. "They were told by the other Sea Folk that they needed to leave the men in a safe place after they used them so no more of them would die."


    "That still doesn''t explain why you''re so surprised and shocked about Ocean." Makai''s angry voice brought them back to him so he could try to work this out.


    "Yes, it does." Mr. Rivers spoke firmly. "Didn''t you hear, all Sirens are women. There has never been a male, until now that is."


    "Ocean, I think we just discovered why you were abandoned as a baby. Chances are your mother wanted to hide you so that no one would see that you were born a boy."


    I felt the sting of pain and rejection in my heart.


    "So, she was angry that she had a son?" I heard the words come from my mouth, but i didn''t remember saying them.


    "Could you imagine the ridicule that the two of you would have suffered if you stayed in your clan? There is only one Siren clan in the entire world. They are closed off to the rest of the world except for when they need to mate. They think that they are better than any other species in existence and therefore any ''birth defects'' are not tolerated. I have heard of them killing ugly babies or babies that were born with too much of their father''s appearance. They only wish to preserve the Siren beauty and genetics that they think are perfect. You would have been seen as an abomination, and your mother would have as well. If they knew that she gave birth to a baby boy and not a girl, they would have cast her out."


    Mr. River''s words were ringing inside my head, and my heart felt like it had stopped altogether. What the hell had happened? How was I even born then, if all Sirens are female. How was I even here?


    "Why didn''t she just kill me then? Why am I even alive? How am I even here?" I felt like I was spiraling out of control right now. I felt like I was underwater, and I couldn''t breathe. Only that wouldn''t be an issue for me anymore, I had gills.


    "In my opinion." Mr. Rivers looked at me. "I think she didn''t want any evidence to come back and haunt her. If she killed you and left you in the water then it was possible that you would have been found by the others. In my opinion, she swam far from where the clan was and left you on a beach that she thought you would never be found on. I am betting you that she thinks you are dead already."


    I swayed on my feet then, unable to bear what I was hearing any longer. Was he right? Had my mother really expected me to die when she left me on the beach? That fucking bitch.


    As I swayed, Makai caught me in his arms. He held me close to him, but didn''t say a word. He was just offering me his support.


    After a few minutes, there was another throat clearing.


    "Ahem." I wondered why Mrs. Rivers was clearing her throat now. "I am glad that we figured this out somewhat, but perhaps we can do something about the appearance of this other form of yours, huh Ocean?"


    "What?" I was confused.


    "It''s a little bit ''revealing'' isn''t it?" She was only looking at my eyes as she spoke.


    "I don''t think the boy has noticed." Mr. Rivers added.


    "What are you talking about?" I was so confused.


    "It''s a little bit see through." Mrs. Rivers explained.


    "More than a little bit." Mr. Rivers laughed. "It''s completely see through and leaves nothing to the imagination."


    "What?"


    I looked down then, never having truly looked closely at it.


    "OH MY GOD!" I screamed. "MAKAI! WHY DIDN''T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS!?" I had been standing here in front of his parents with my junk in full view because of this fucking see through dress.


    "What? I never noticed anything wrong with it." Makai grinned at me.


    "OF COURSE YOU DIDN''T, YOU ASS HAT!"


    "Haha, ass hat. That is hilarious."


    "Is there something I can do about this? A way to change what I am wearing?" I asked Makai''s parents as I hid my body behind that ass hat of mine.


    "Now that you know what your Siren form looks like you should be able to consciously alter it. The initial form would have been what nature intended for all Sirens to wear, but you''re a male Siren so that look doesn''t suit you. Try thinking about something else being on your body in that form. Imagine that look every time, that new outfit whenever you take on your Siren form."


    "OK, I just need to picture something else then. Hmm."


    I closed my eyes and thought about something else. First, I just thought about a pair of shorts, something that was much like swim trunks. They were green like the dress but a lot darker and not see through. I did my best to picture my body in this new form with the white scales and the green shorts.


    After a few moments, I heard Makai''s gasp of surprise, and then his words reached me.


    "You did it." My eyes popped open, and I looked down at myself. Indeed I had. I was now wearing a pair of dark green shorts instead of that stupid dress.


    "Oh thank God. I don''t have to wear that infernal dress anymore."


    "And it''s much easier on us." Mr. Rivers laughed.


    "Oh God, I can''t believe that I was basically naked in front of you guys. I''m so sorry." I buried my burning face in my hands.


    "HAHA! Don''t worry Ocean. At least we know what you''re working with now. I guess it''s no wonder Makai likes you."


    "DAD!?"


    "Oh, don''t give me that. It was funny as hell. And it was a great way to break the ice. There will never be anything worse than that so the boy should have no reason to be embarrassed in front of us ever again." I was mortified at Mr. Rivers'' words.


    "Actually, I think I will just be embarrassed for the rest of my life. Excuse me while I melt." That only made Makai''s dad laugh even harder. OH GOD!

 Chapter 98 - Ocean - What Does It All Mean? Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After the embarrassment started to fade, we all went back into the house. I had still been in my Siren form and the shorts I had been wearing were ripped off just like the last time so I needed to go up the stairs to the bedroom so that I could get dressed. Makai stayed downstairs with his parents this time, which was good. I didn''t need the added embarrassment and distraction of having him in there with me right now.


    I was moving slower than usual as I got dressed again. I put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt plus my socks. Makai''s family, like mine, didn''t wear shoes in the house so I wasn''t putting those on, but I also didn''t want to walk around barefoot. For some reason that just seemed wrong to do with his parents around.


    Trying to delay my return to the living room with them all, I even stepped into the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. I was just trying to stay away for a little more time, get a little more peace before I had to go and find out what all of this stuff meant about me and my life.


    Soon though, I had taken all the time that I thought I could. I needed to get back down there before Makai thought that I had jumped out the window and ran away. He was still nervous since I said I was going to leave earlier.


    The moment I opened the door to the hall I jumped back and screamed.


    "Ahh!" Once I saw what was in the hall, or rather who, I yelled at them. "Dammit Makai, what the hell you ass hat?"


    "Is that your new favorite word?" He was grinning at me.


    "It''s two words actually, ass and hat. And that''s what you are." I glared at him.


    "And you like me so much that it''s your new favorite. Ah, you''re so sweet."


    "Oh, shut up." I snapped at him as I pulled his door shut. "What are you doing up here anyway?"


    "You were taking so long that I thought you climbed out the window and ran away from here." He looked away from me with an embarrassed expression. "I..I was worried about you."


    "Did you think that I was going to leave you?" I felt the sorrow hit me. I was going to leave, earlier today before we had everything worked out.


    "Kind of." His eyes looked sad when he turned back to look at me. "I don''t want you to leave me. I don''t want to feel that type of pain."


    The emotions he was feeling made their way to me. I know what he would feel if we were to break up and not be able to spend time together. We haven''t been together that long, but the time that we have been together has been intense and amazing. I don''t want to lose it either. And when I was preparing to leave him, I felt that ache that he is feeling right now.


    "Makai." I grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward me until I could press my forehead against him. "I''m not leaving. I don''t want to leave you."


    "I..I don''t want you to leave me either." He was still nervous. I don''t think he could get that image of me trying to run away out of his head.


    "Look at me." I cupped his cheek to make him look at me instead of at the wall next to me. "Look me in the eyes while I say this." Finally he met my eyes, and I could see that broken piece of him, that piece that I broke because of my stupidity. "I am not leaving. Now that I know that I don''t have to leave you, I won''t. I don''t want to be without you anymore than you want to be without me."


    "Ocean?" I saw the shock and awe in his eyes when he heard the words that I had to say.


    "Makai I..-" I hesitated for a moment then tried again. "I..I uhm, I think that I might l..l..lo..love you." That was the hardest thing that I had ever said in my life. I didn''t know what he was going to do in response to that.


    That shock turned into happiness as Makai wrapped his arms around my waist.


    "Ocean?" He pressed his lips to mine then, slipping his tongue into my mouth when I gasped. He pressed me against the wall and deepened the kiss for just a moment. It didn''t last long though. He pulled away and pressed our heads together again just like I had done. "I love you too, Ocean. Oh God, I love you so much."


    Neither of us said anything for a moment. We just stood there staring at each other before we realized how much time had passed since I had come out of the room.


    "Come on, let''s go before your parents get the wrong idea."


    "Yeah, you''re right. Let''s go." Makai took my hand and started walking down the hall. I watched in shock as he brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of my knuckles. He truly was a sentimental man.


    By the time that we made it back down to the living room, it was getting closer to dinner time. I had been eating a pathetic lunch when all of this started, but that felt like it was years ago now. I was fucking starving now. And thankfully, there was someone in the kitchen cooking. It wasn''t Makai''s parents, instead, it was their personal chef.


    "I thought I would call in for dinner to be made. It will be ready before long. Probably just in time for your parents to get here." Makai''s mom smiled at me.


    "I''m sorry, did you say my parents?" I was shocked by her words.


    "Yes, I sure did. Our son happened to have their number so he called them up for us. I talked to your mom, and they are on their way." Mrs. Rivers was smiling happily as she spoke like this wasn''t something major.


    "Yup, we will be able to explain it all to them as soon as they get here." Mr. Rivers continued the conversation. "This will help to move things forward for you. Whether they accept you or not, you will find out tonight." For once, Mr. Rivers didn''t sound like he was joking. Oh, great.


    I groaned and buried my head in my hands as I slumped forward in my seat on the couch.


    "Hey, don''t worry." Mr. Rivers kept on talking after seeing my panicked expression. "If they don''t accept you, we can have their memories wiped, or you could just live with us."


    "You can wipe people''s memories?" I lifted my head and tilted my head in curiosity.


    "Goddess no." Mr. River''s laughed. "That was a joke. But the living here part was true. You don''t have to worry at all."


    "Ugh!" I groaned and covered my face again.


    "The table is set, Mr. and Mrs. Rivers. If there is anything else, please just call." The slightly older and more than slightly plump woman nodded her head with a smile before she left the house through a side door.


    Not two minutes after she left, the doorbell rang. I already knew who it was before Makai got to his feet and pulled me along with him, his hand still holding onto mine. He dragged me behind him until we got to the door, and he pulled it open to reveal my parents.


    "Ocean." Mom reached inside and pulled me to her in an awkward hug.


    "Hi Mom." I tried to sound happy to see her.


    "Is something wrong?" Dad asked me as he looked at Makai.


    "As you know, my parents are home, and they''ve come back specifically to help us figure out the mystery of Ocean."


    "And?" Mom was impatient as she urged him to continue.


    "Please, come in and join us for dinner. We can talk about it all then." Makai stepped aside so that we were no longer blocking my parents from coming inside. Mom eyed our hands with a slight smile, and my dad just grinned like he thought it was funny, or cool or whatever.


    Makai''s mom had grabbed a bottle of wine and some bottles of juice and water for us all to have at dinner. By the time that we were all seated, it was all set for us to enjoy a nice meal together. The only problem was that I was too nervous to even taste the food.


    Mostly, I was just pushing the food around my plate while the awkward introductions started. I was too scared about what people were going to say, and how my parents were going to react. I was frightened beyond belief. All I wanted to do was bury myself alive and never have to be embarrassed again.

 Chapter 99 - Ocean - What Does It All Mean? Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Ocean! Stop playing with your food and eat it."


    "Yes, Mom." I had jumped at the sound of her voice and straightened up before shoving a bite of the food into my mouth.


    "Honestly, I know you''re hungry. You''re always hungry. So why in the world would you intentionally skip a meal?"


    "I..I..I''m not sk..skipping it." I fidgeted for a moment as I thought of what to say. "I..I''m just n..n..nervous. That''s all."


    "Why are you nervous, Son?" Dad asked me with his eyebrows raised. "You have nothing to worry about." Dad was in his calm and kind mode today. I just hoped he stayed there instead of flipping over to his jokester side. Honestly, that would probably be the death of me.


    "W..w..we..we..w..we..well I..I..I..-"


    "Oh, just leave him alone, Phineas." Mom cut me off. "We will figure it out after dinner. The Rivers family was nice enough to invite us so let''s stay calm and be polite guests." Mom reprimanded my dad so that I didn''t have to answer him.


    "Yes, dear." Dad hung his head and started to eat. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Mr. Rivers was holding back his laughter after seeing what had happened.


    "We will make sure that everything is explained after we eat." Mrs. Rivers smiled at my mom. "There is nothing to worry about, Mrs. Shores."


    "Please, call me Steph. It''s the first part of my weird first name."


    "Of course, Steph, and you can call me Analise or simply Ana. And this is my husband Reef."


    "Reef? As in the things in the ocean?" Dad looked excited.


    "Yup?" Mr. Rivers nodded at him. "Just like a coral reef or something similar. And you''re Phineas. Hey, do you have a brother? Is his name Fer-?"


    "Oh, drop it." Mrs. Rivers laughed. "I knew you were going to ask that the moment I found out his name." She was shaking her head from side to side while covering her eyes.


    "Nah, I don''t have a brother named Ferb, I''m an only child." Dad answered him anyway.


    "See, he got it." Mr. Rivers was pointing at Dad with a smile. "That''s awesome."


    Dinner continued in a similar way while we all ate, or tried to. I still didn''t end up eating much. I was having all these mini internal freak outs every time that I thought about showing what I truly am to my parents. And it felt like dinner was just dragging on while our parents joked incessantly.


    Finally though, we were done eating and my time of reckoning was about to come.


    "I think the best way to do this is to just have Ocean show you what he really is. After that we can talk about everything that this means for Ocean, Makai, and for you two as well." Mrs. Rivers was obviously the more diplomatic of the two of them since she was the one who was leading this whole thing.


    "Alright, if you think that is best, then that is what we will do." Mom nodded at her


    "Lead the way, we''re the ones that don''t know what to do here." Dad smiled excitedly. "Is it wrong that I am excited to see this?"


    "Oh, it''s cool, trust me. And it''s much better now that we got him out of the dress."


    "DRESS?!" Both of my parents seemed to be in shock as they yelled that one word.


    "It wasn''t my fault." I snapped at them. "That form just came with the dress. I didn''t put it on intentionally."


    "I am so confused." Mom put a hand to her head, and Dad laughed. This was going to be strange. I just knew it.


    The six of us walked back to the pool. It was the second time that I was going to be doing this today, and I was not feeling any better this time around. Honestly, I might have taken off running in the other direction if Makai wasn''t holding my hand tightly. He was what was keeping me grounded. Then again, I also remembered that I told him that I love him, and that made me blush so this wasn''t quite the calm walk that it could have been.


    "So, what is it that we need to do?" Dad asked once we were next to the pool.


    "I suggest taking a seat over there; you might need to sit down for some of this." Makai was the one to answer. "I am going to show you what I am first, so that you are more prepared for when Ocean shows you his other self."


    "OK." With raised eyebrows, Dad agreed before he and Mom went to sit down.


    "OK, I will do this in the water."


    Makai took his shirt off and started to walk toward the pool. I worked really, really hard not to have my eyes rake over his sculpted back muscles and firm body as I watched him walk. I didn''t need my parents, or his, seeing that.


    He slipped off his socks next and then jumped into the pool with his shorts still on. Shortly after, though, he took off his shorts and set them on the tiled floor next to the pool.


    "I will now turn into my other form." His voice was even, steady and full of the confidence that I was lacking.


    It only took Makai a matter of moments to change. He let himself sink into the water and then came back up almost immediately with his hair different and scales scattered all over the place.


    Makai pushed off the floor of the pool with his tail, raising himself out of the water and showing off his body. After a moment or two, he slid his body out of the pool using his arms and was sitting on the tiled floor.


    "This is what I am."


    "K..K..Kai!?" Mom looked shocked. "A..a...are you a M..M..Mer..Mer..Merman?" It was good to know that my mom could stutter too.


    "Holy shit. That is awesome!" Dad was looking at my boyfriend with newfound excitement. Actually it wasn''t so much newfound since he was already excited; it was more a resurgence. "Are you a Merman too?"


    "No, Ocean is slightly different from us." Mrs. Rivers answered for me. "He still hails from the sea though, so he isn''t that much different than us when we get down to it all."


    "OK, I am a little confused. What is Ocean if he isn''t a Merman like you, Kai?" Mom was looking at me with curious eyes.


    "I will show you." I started toward the pool next but I realized that I had a bit of a problem. "Oh, I need to take these off first."


    "You can take them off in the shower room over there. Wrap yourself in a towel before you come out to the pool." Mrs. Rivers instructed.


    I did as she told me to, folding my clothes into a neat little pile and wrapping a towel around my waist. Without saying anything I walked back out to where everyone was and stepped into the pool. When I was sufficiently hidden by the side of the pool, I took the towel off and set it next to Makai''s clothes.


    Once I was in the water I let that feeling start to wash over me again. I didn''t try to hold it back. I let the power come to me and felt my body begin to heat up. It only took a couple moments before I felt myself start to change.


    I did as Makai did and pushed myself under the water, and once I felt the explosion inside of me I swam back up. However, unlike Makai, I couldn''t stand on my tail so I climbed out of the pool.


    "Ocean!" Mom covered her mouth when she saw me. I hurried to check that I was wearing the shorts that I had thought about instead of the dress.


    "Oh, thank God." I was wearing them, and they looked just like I had made them look before. The dark green shorts, too bad they looked like they were made of kelp or something like that.


    "You look beautiful." Mom gasped.


    "He doesn''t have a tail." Dad sounded a little upset. "I feel gypped."


    "Haha. Yeah, he''s not a Merman, so no tail. He''s also not a Sea Serpent or a Selkie." Mr. Rivers joked back with my dad.


    "I''m guessing those are other types of people like you guys. So if he isn''t any of those, what is he?"


    "He''s a Siren." Makai was the one that answered as he looked at me; his eyes were full of love and acceptance.


    "He looks amazing." My mom was walking toward me with her hand outstretched. "My baby looks so beautiful."


    "Mom." I blushed, but she got close enough to touch me.


    "Ocean, my little boy. You''re all grown up now, and you''re a Siren. I should have known something was different about you, with how much you love the water. And you were found on the beach as a baby. There were so many signs, and I just ignored them all."


    "Mom?" I was looking at her with eyes that were still uncertain. "Y..y..you don''t think that I''m some kind of f..f..freak?" That had been worrying me since the day I found out that I wasn''t human. I felt like my world was going to end, and that my parents were going to disown me.


    "No, honey. You''re beautiful, and you''re still you." I hugged her then, not even thinking about the fact that I was still covered in water. She didn''t seem to care either.

 Chapter 100 - Ocean - What Does It All Mean? Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai had wanted to hop back into the pool to change back but his clothes were wet, or at least his shorts and boxers were, so he had to stay that way until someone got him something dry to wear. My current look was deemed ''acceptable'' so I was forced to sit in the chairs that were near the edge of the room and wait for the show to continue.


    I was just really glad that the dress hadn''t returned. That would most definitely be unacceptable. And to be honest, being in a see through dress in front of my parents would have been worse than being in it in front of Makai''s parents.


    After a couple minutes, Mr. Rivers returned from Makai''s bedroom with some clothes and helped him to the changing room that I had used earlier. He came back out a few moments later, dressed and towel drying his hair.


    "Alright, let''s continue, shall we?" He smiled and sat down next to me.


    "What more is there for us to know?" Mom asked, full acceptance on her face. "We get that he isn''t human, and that he needs to work things out. But what more do we need to know?"


    "Well, there are a few things." Mrs. Rivers assured her. "For one, earlier you mentioned that Ocean was always hungry. That is part of what he is. He has a higher metabolism than a human and needs to eat more. It''s not just normal teenage boy behavior." Mrs. Rivers was smiling as she said that.


    "OK, so that explains his appetite, but what does the faster metabolism do for him?" This time it was Dad that spoke.


    "Well for one, he won''t get sick; he can, but it''s more rare. And he will heal an injury quickly as long as his body has the energy for it. Major injuries can still pose problems in some cases. However, a broken bone, even a stab wound could be healed in a matter of hours." Mr. Rivers was explaining this.


    "Ahh, that explains how he was able to leave the hospital so soon." Dad''s words caught Mr. and Mrs. Rivers by surprise, causing them both to do a double take and voice their shock.


    "Come again?"


    "What was that?"


    "At one of our swim meets, Ocean had been tired and starved. He hadn''t been sleeping or eating so he ended up losing consciousness. He hit his head and fell into the water."


    "And he was taken to the hospital?" Mrs. Rivers looked shocked.


    "Yes, to Trinity Hospital." Mom nodded.


    "Kai, you never told us about this." His dad didn''t look too happy about that.


    "Ocean, did they take any blood from you? Did they do any tests?" Mrs. Rivers was looking nervous now.


    "They did an MRI on my head and took blood. But this was before I turned eighteen, and Makai said that it shouldn''t be an issue since my abilities hadn''t been activated yet."


    "That''s possible." She didn''t look convinced. "We will look into this, make sure that nothing is going to come of that incident. We can shut it down before it does."


    "That is good to know." Mom looked relieved. "OK, so I guess there is more to know. Please, explain everything."


    From there the Rivers family started to explain the different types of shifters in the world, along with the fact that Vampires, Witches, Warlocks and Fairies (OK, Fae) were all real. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there really were werewolves in this world. That, to me, was more frightening and fantastical than anything else. Fucking werewoves.


    After explaining the various types of people, they explained that there was a Queen that ruled over us, who happened to be a werewolf. Oh, joy. They also explained a little about the shifter culture.


    Next, they went on to explain to my parents, and me, a semi in-depth account of Siren history.


    "The Sirens believe themselves to be the Queens of the sea."


    "Queens?" Dad interrupted Mrs. Rivers as she explained all of this to us.


    "Ocean is actually the first ever male Siren to be born. At least, to my knowledge." He continued, drawing gasps from my parents.


    "How do they reproduce if they''re all women?" Mom was too curious to stay quiet.


    "They lure a human man to reproduce. Now since they were banned from luring the men and abandoning them at sea, they usually go to the shore and meet a man; however, in the past it was like the old legends say."


    "OK, so human fathers and Siren mothers. I am guessing the Siren genetics are the strongest and always prove dominant?" Dad was throwing out his thoughts.


    "Yes. That is how they can continuously produce female offspring to continue the race." Mrs. Rivers confirmed that theory for mom. "However, we don''t know if they find a man they know will give them a daughter, or if the magic in them is what does it.


    "That is interesting, and would be nice to know." I had been thinking and listening this entire time, but I seemed to shock my parent''s and Makai''s when I spoke. It was like they forgot about me.


    "It would take some massive experimentation." Mrs. Rivers sounded like she didn''t want me looking into it at all.


    "OK." I tried to shrink away so they would continue and let me listen.


    "So, why was it that Ocean was found on a beach the day he was born?" Mom wondered and Dad''s eyes lit up with curiosity as well.


    "Most likely his mother put him on the beach hoping he would die, and not be evidence in the water for her misfortunes. If the others in the clan had found out that a male Siren was born, both of them might have been banished. She didn''t want that happening."


    "I have one, why was it that Ocean didn''t become a siren until his birthday?" Dad was more curious about this than the last question.


    "If a child of the Sea is raised on the land, they don''t come into their power until their eighteenth birthday. That is the way it is. The same happened to Kai over the summer." Mrs. Rivers'' explanation was enough for us to get it.


    "OK, so I am gathering that my son was a chance of fate born to a Siren, who was a stupid bitch and abandoned him on the beach, but that was fine because that meant that we got to raise him." Mom did her best to sum it up for us all.


    "Yeah, that''s about it." Mr. Rivers was chuckling as he answered her.


    I thought that this would be over now, but nope. They had other plans. Why was the Rivers family so thorough?


    "There is one last thing that we need to explain. That is how we find and know our mates." Mrs. Rivers continued.


    "Mate?" Mom was curious but raised a brow at the unconventional word.


    "Just think of it as our equivalent of a soulmate. Only there is magic behind ours." Mr. Rivers laughed. "We know our mates because we feel drawn to them. We have a sort of magnetic pull toward the person we are meant to be with. The Moon Goddess chooses a mate for us, and she is never wrong."


    "Does this mean that Ocean and Kai will have to break up?" Mom looked at me with a worried expression.


    "No, not at all." Mrs. Rivers shook her head.


    "You see, once a mate has been decided on, and the couple takes that next step, they mark each other. More specifically, the mark they were born with is modified to represent the person they have mated with."


    "It changes?" Mom looked confused for a moment then looked at me. She then pushed me forward and looked at the birthmark that she had seen on Sunday. She once again looked at the color and the letter M that was in there. "So...so...so this means that O..O..Ocean and K..K..Kai are¡­ they are.. they''re mates?" Mom had a hard time with that for a moment, but then I saw the look on her face, and it was a happy one. I think she was glad that I wasn''t going to have to leave Makai. She seemed to be feeling some sort of motherly protective love or something.


    "That''s right. They mated and marked each other." Mrs. Rivers added. "My son''s birthmark changed as well, the colors are inverted and he has an O on his."


    "So, does this make them married in the eyes of the Merfolk and Sirens?" Dad giggled, but I know he meant it as a halfway serious question.


    "Hey, at least the in-laws get along." Mr. Rivers laughed, that was when Dad high fived him while laughing as well.


    "Oh yeah, time for family boating trips."


    "YES!"


    "Phineas!"


    "Reef!" Our moms yelled at the same time which caused them to look at each other and giggle. "Well, I guess they weren''t wrong." Mrs. Rivers smiled at Mom.


    "Yeah, it''s better that we get along than if we didn''t." Mom smiled back.


    "Oh God, what is happening?" I groaned and buried my burning red face in my hands.


    "It could be worse." Makai laughed next to me.


    "Should we hold a real wedding for them?" Dad asked now.


    "DAD!" I screamed at him. "THIS IS SO NOT THE TIME!"


    "I am just trying to be supportive." He winked at me.


    "Not helping." I growled.


    "Fine."

 Chapter 101 - Ocean - What Do We Do Now

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    With all the talk of weddings finally over, we moved to the living room and got back to the serious discussion. I was glad that our moms were at least semi-responsible in this aspect; however, they were starting to find this all really fun and funny, just like our dads were.


    "OK, OK, OK. Let''s talk about all of this a little more. What do we do from here on? What can Phineas and I do to help Ocean?"


    "Well Steph, for starters, it''s protecting the truth of who he is. Does he have siblings?"


    "We have three other children that are all older than him. They don''t live at the house anymore though." Mom answered Mrs. Rivers calmly with an immediate response.


    "Good, so they won''t know what has been going on with him. For the time being, it is best that they don''t find out. Keep this a secret from everyone. Our world is supposed to remain hidden."


    Mrs. Rivers'' words made my heart start to race, and I could feel the blood draining from my face.


    "I..i..i..if it''s s..s..su..sup..supposed to b..be a..a..a s..s..se..secret then i.is it O..O..O..OK that m..my p..p..parents know about u..u..us?"


    My heart was pounding a mile a minute while I was trying to figure out if we had all made some sort of grave mistake. I imagined someone taking us all away to some sort of underwater prison. My parents drowning and me being locked up for the rest of my life.


    "No. It''s alright, Ocean." Mr. Rivers started to fuss in front of me like he didn''t know how to calm me down.


    "It''s OK." Makai wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his side, he squeezed me tight and rubbed my arm at the same time. "It''s OK, Ocean. Your parents needed to know. They are your family, and that is an exception to the rule."


    I tried to process Makai''s words, but I was still panicking.


    "Ocean!" Mom called out to me. "Since when did you panic about stuff like this?"


    "I don''t know. It''s just something that started to happen to me over the last month or so. Blame him." I pointed at Makai and tried to contain my anger.


    "Good, you stopped panicking." Mom smiled. "That usually works when you go into a spiral."


    "Huh?" I was confused.


    "She''s right, you know." Dad chuckled at me. "Whenever you went into a panic-fueled spiral when you were younger, we just needed to pull out something that trumped it. Usually that was anger or happiness. You got angry when you were called out on this, so that''s why you stopped your spiraling."


    I couldn''t believe my ears. This means that my parents have been manipulating me for a while now. Seriously?


    "That''s good to know. I will keep that in mind." Makai smirked at me like he had something devious planned.


    "You most certainly will not. I will not let myself become a slave to any of you. Stop trying to control me. This is wrong. You can''t-."


    Makai cut me off with his lips on mine. It was a quick kiss, just a peck really, but it was right in front of all of our parents.


    "What the hell?"


    "You were spiraling again. I thought I would try a shock route. Looks like that worked too."


    "You ass hat." I rolled my eyes and scooted away from him.


    "I think this is going great." Mr. Rivers sat on the couch across from me and wore a smirk that was just like his son''s.


    "OK, let''s stop torturing my son and get back to business." Dad sat on the couch that was to the side of mine. The three couches formed a sort of C shape along with the tables at the ends of them.


    "Yes, I agree. We need to figure out what we''re going to do now." Mom sat down next to Dad and Mrs. Rivers sat next to her husband.


    "What else do we need to figure out?" Makai was apparently just as confused as I was.


    "Yeah, we know what I am now. What else is there for us to do?" I seconded his question.


    "Well for one, are you coming home with us tonight?" Mom looked at me. "Have you gotten control over this? Will you be able to be on the swim team still? What is going to happen to you when you go back to school?"


    "Are there things we need to be on the lookout for? Are there people we should try to avoid? What should we do if there is a problem?" Dad added another slew of questions to the ones that my mom had already said.


    "W..w..well, I almost have full control over all of it."


    "I think Ocean should stay another night or two at least. Or until we go to school on Monday. That will be the first real test of his control. And I will be there to keep an eye on him. If he''s unable to control it, I will get him out of there right away."


    "He''s already been gone all week." Mom complained at Makai''s words.


    "It''s only been four nights, Mom. I will be back soon." I tried to soothe her.


    "Are you two going to be staying here?" Dad asked Makai''s parents with a lot less laughter in his voice than he had before.


    "We will be leaving tomorrow. We need to get back to our mission."


    "Mission?" Dad looked a little more excited now. "Are you secret agents as well as Merfolk? That would be amazing."


    "No, we''re not secret agents." Mrs. Rivers tried not to laugh.


    "That would be a hell of a lot cooler than what we are." Mr. Rivers looked like he was thinking about what his life would be like if he were a spy.


    "We''re diplomats. We work to help keep the peace between the three Merfolk Clans."


    "That sounds tiring. And you work as well, don''t you?" Mom looked like she was feeling upset now. "So you''re either away for work or for diplomatic work?"


    "Yes, unfortunately. It never used to be this bad, but since we''re working to keep our son out of the political snafu that is happening with our clans right now, our clan leader has decided to punish us by making us do extra work. We''re high up in the social rankings so there are many things expected of us; however, we don''t want Kai to be forced into that. If he chooses to not be part of that world, then he shouldn''t have to."


    Mrs. Rivers looked sad as she spoke, her eyes aimed right at her son.


    "The problem is, now they''re causing problems for us for keeping him out of it all." Mr. Rivers added, looking at Makai as well. "And because of that, we''re not home often enough."


    "I''m so sorry to hear that. And I guess that if my son was going to mate with a Merman, he couldn''t have chosen a better family to be part of." Mom looked like she was sad on their behalf. "I know that you will help us to keep Ocean safe."


    "Of course, he''s part of the family now, isn''t he?"


    "That he is." Our dads were nodding at each other as they spoke.


    So the plan was set into motion that I would be staying here until I went to school on Monday morning. Makai was going to school tomorrow and then the swim meet on Saturday. I was to do my school work and swim to stay in shape.


    When Mr. and Mrs. Rivers left here, they were going to contact someone that they knew in the government, as well as someone at the hospital. They were going to make sure that the secret of what I am was kept under wraps. They were going back to their place in the ocean until they were done with the peace keeping mission. They said they hoped they were home before Christmas, but they didn''t know for certain if they would be or not.


    Mom and Dad were supposed to just go about life as normal, especially after I got home. They were to not treat me any differently than they had before, and I was to be the same old Ocean that I was before I started getting scales and wearing that dress. Oh, thank God that dress was gone now.


    After everything was decided, my parents were heading home. Just like they did on Sunday before I came back to Makai''s place, they hugged me and acted like they were never going to see me again. I had to remind them again and again that I would be home in just a few days.


    I have to admit that it was a little sad to watch them leave. Makai stood with me on the porch as we watched my parents'' car drive down the driveway and through the gate to his place.


    "Are you going to be OK?" Makai asked me as I just stood there


    "It''s been a lot to take in today. In all honesty, I am not sure if I am going to be OK or not." I turned to look at him as I answered him honestly.


    "It''s OK, you don''t have to be good straight from the beginning. I am here with you; this is something that we''re going to accomplish together." His eyes were shining as he smiled at me, and it made me like him even more.


    "I know you will be." I slipped my hand into his with a grin. "And I am glad that you''re here with me."


    "There is nowhere else I would want to be. You know that, right?"


    "Yeah, I''m starting to realize that a little more every day."


    With that, Makai leaned in for another quick kiss. It was longer than the one he gave me just a few minutes ago, but it was nothing compared to the kiss this afternoon in the kitchen. And the problem was that it only made me want more.


    Too bad that his parents were here because we wouldn''t be able to do anything while they were here. Nope, it was just going to be PG rated flirting and snuggling for us tonight. Yup, I can see it now, that will literally kill me. I will literally be dead by the morning if I have to sleep with him without being able to do anything. Just kill me now.


    Well, at least we were both in the same boat.. We could just suffer together in silence.

 Chapter 102 - Ocean - The Night That Should Have Killed Me (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After my parents left, Makai''s parents decided to go to bed early since they had been traveling a lot for the last few days and needed to leave first thing in the morning. They said their good nights, as well and their goodbyes, since they were likely going to be gone before either of us got up in the morning.


    This development gave me and Makai the night to ourselves. We didn''t have much else to do aside from hanging out. I didn''t want to get back into the water again tonight, but I still needed to change. I had been straining myself to stay in this form for way too long without being in the water. It was causing me a lot of pain, literally. I was getting a headache from the effort of holding myself in my Siren form for so long.


    "Come on, let''s just watch a movie in my room." Makai pulled on my arm and led me up the stairs. "You can change, and we can just relax on the bed while we watch the movie."


    "Sounds like a plan to me." I said as I cradled my head in my free hand. "Can I get some aspirin as well?" I asked him as I let him pull me into his room.


    "Yeah, I''ll get it."


    Makai immediately left the room to go get us some drinks while I shifted back into my human form. That left me standing there naked in the middle of the room. God, how I wish I didn''t have to get dressed. I wanted so badly to be with him, but I knew that it wasn''t feasible with his parents home. So I slipped on a pair of boxers and was just about to put on some shorts when Makai came hurrying back into the room.


    "I got us some bottles of water." He said as he set them on the table. "And here is your aspirin." He held the bottle out to me so that I could take as many as I needed.


    "Thank you." I took it and unscrewed the top. I popped four of them into my mouth and swallowed them down with a long swig of the water.


    "You''re only supposed to take two." Makai laughed at me.


    "I know, but two never cuts it for me. I guess that''s part of our metabolism too." I wanted to laugh, but I couldn''t


    "Yup. You''re starting to understand all the unusual circumstances that there are with us."


    "Oh, joy." I rolled my eyes and cradled my head again.


    "Come on, let''s lay down." He took my hand again and pulled me toward the bed.


    "I''m not dressed yet." I complained as I fell onto the mattress.


    "You''re dressed enough. I feel overdressed actually." He joked as he pulled his shirt off. "There, that''s a little better." He was still wearing the pair of lounge pants that his dad had brought him earlier when he needed dry clothes. I knew he had boxers on under them, but that didn''t matter. He was half naked, and I loved the way that his chest looked anyway.


    "Yeah, better." I smiled at him, and he blushed a little.


    "Come on, let''s sit together." He pulled me to him as he grabbed the remote.


    Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting there, shoulders pressed against each other and fingers linked together with a romantic comedy movie playing. I know that Makai had chosen this movie because of me; he was always doing little things like that for me.


    The movie was nowhere near explicit, but that didn''t stop it from making me get a little too excited. There were some suggestive scenes, things that made it where the couple was put in a compromising situation. There was absolutely no sex in the movie, and it wasn''t a gay movie, but I still wanted Makai more than ever before.


    That want, that need for my boyfriend was making itself known as I ended up getting hard while snuggling next to him. I know that he noticed it, that was made very clear when he turned his head and started to kiss my ear.


    The kiss, the lick from his tongue that he added afterwards, and the slow tickle of his breath made me shiver right before he spoke into my ear.


    "Are you having a ''hard'' time there, baby." The way his words purred into my ear made me even more hard, and my whole body shook uncontrollably.


    "I..I..I might be having a l..l..little b..bit of trouble." I stuttered out the words and leaned my head back as his lips made their way from my ear down my neck and to my collarbone. "B..b..but we c..c..can''t d..do th.th.this right n..now M..M..M..Makai." I didn''t want him to stop, but he had to.


    "Why not?" His words rumbled against my chest and drove me insane.


    "B..b..be..be..because your p..p..parents are h..h..home."


    "Then I guess you should keep your voice down." He chuckled softly against my body. "Bite a pillow if you need to moan, baby, because I am not going to stop. My baby has had a hard day, and I need to take care of him."


    I couldn''t believe him. Makai was going to do this with his parents'' room right down the hallway. I was at a loss for words and just didn''t know what to do."


    "M..M..MAKAI!" I called out to him.


    "Shhh! Remember to stay quiet, baby."


    He moved his mouth further down my body as his hand slipped into the top of my boxers. The moment that his hand touched my shaft, I wanted to moan, but I needed to stay quiet. It''s not like his parents were right next door, but they were on the same floor, and I didn''t know how much things could be heard from outside the bedroom.


    "W..w..wait, I..I..I need to p..pl..ple..please you too." He was moving his hand slowly up and down my hard shaft over and over again.


    "But I want to please you, Ocean. That will be enough for me."


    "N..n..no, I want to please y..y..you too." It sounded like I was begging, probably because I was. "W..w..we can do it at th..th..the same t..t..ti..time." I was trying hard not to rock my hips in time with his hand that was pumping me.


    "If you insist."


    Makai pulled away from me long enough to take his pants and boxers off, I slipped my boxers off as well since he had only pushed them down my hips a little. When he came back to me, he kissed me hard and passionately, devouring my mouth until I groaned in pleasure for him.


    I noticed that he reached over into his nightstand drawer for something, but I didn''t pay attention to what it was that he got from in there. Soon, he was turning his body so that his head went further down my body but his waist was still near my shoulders. Once he was fully in position, his mouth was level with my erection, and my mouth was level with his.


    I had only done this the one time for him, but I had been eager to try it again. I knew that he had enjoyed it so I wanted to do it again and please him some more. I took his hard, hot dick in my hands and brought it to my mouth. Slowly, I licked the tip of it, and he tasted just like I remembered; like an orange creamsicle ice cream pop, only hot instead of cold.


    Before I could put his dick in my mouth I felt Makai''s mouth envelop me.


    "NGH!" I moaned with my hand pressed to my mouth to try and muffle the sound. "Oh God, Makai." He chuckled then, the vibrations went all the way through my body, and I almost cried out again. This time, to block the sound, I shoved him into my mouth and moaned around him. That got a moan from him and a purr of pleasure.


    "You''re getting better at this." He said as I started to slide my mouth over him and swirl my tongue around the tip of him. I wanted to tell him thank you, but I was too busy. I would just thank him by making him come.


    Or I thought I would. As I was just getting a good rhythm going, Makai did something that threw me off completely. I felt something wet and slick for just a moment before he slipped a finger inside of me. Actually from the feel of it, it was probably two fingers.


    "NGH! AH AHH!" I wanted to ask him what he was doing, but I was too busy making my muffled cries with my mouth full of him.


    Makai didn''t seem to find anything wrong with what he was doing. He was sliding his mouth over me constantly while at the same time he continued to slide his finger in and out of me. He was reaching a spot that made me twitch every time that he touched it, and I just wanted to scream, but I couldn''t.


    I did my best to keep going, but after a while his pleasing me got to be too much for me to concentrate.


    "M..M..Makai! I..I..I..I can''t keep g..going." I panted the words at him after I pulled my mouth away from him. He pulled his mouth away as well and spoke to me in a soft voice.


    "That''s OK, baby. Just sit back and let me please you."


    "N..n..no. I want us to c..c..c..come together." I gave him watery, need-filled eyes when he turned his head to look at me.


    "Alright."


    That was when he pulled his hand out of me, and I saw that he had a condom on his fingers again. He tossed it aside and cleaned his hands off with what looked like a baby wipe. After that, he turned his body around and positioned himself between my thighs like he was going to slide inside of me.


    "We''ll do this for now." He didn''t go to my opening though, he slid his hot, hard shaft right up against mine and gripped them together with both of his hands. "This will feel good for both of us, and you can stifle your moans easier."


    "M..Makai?" He was doing so much for me.


    "Shh, just let me do this." He leaned forward and kissed me quickly. "Let me love you like this until we''re truly alone, and I can make love to you." That made me blush cause he was now calling sex with me making love. That was a first for me.


    "OK." I nodded at him and immediately felt his hands start to move over my dick.


    Makai was rubbing both of us at the same time, and I could feel the throbbing heat of his erection against me. And it did indeed feel good just like he said that it would.


    "NGH!" I moaned a little too loudly.


    "Shh. Use the pillow." He smiled at me, and I could tell that he was feeling just as good as me.


    I grabbed the pillow like he told me to and pressed it against my face. The moment that Makai started to squeeze harder, and I was getting closer to coming so I bit the pillow, hard.


    "NGH!" I moaned and groaned into the pillow and jerked my head to the side. When I did that, I heard a loud rip. Oops, I think I just tore the pillow.


    I tossed the pillow aside, but there were already feathers falling from it.


    "S..s..s..shit." I was getting closer with nothing to stop the sound of the cries coming from my mouth.


    "Come here." Makai leaned toward me, and I sat up a little to meet him. "Come with me Ocean. I''m almost there, come with me."


    After saying that Makai pressed his lips to mine and pumped his hands a couple more times. When I exploded, so did he. When I moaned, so did he. And we both caught the sounds and swallowed them down in the midst of our kiss.


    When the waves of pleasure finally stopped Makai fell to the side and collapsed onto the bed. We needed to clean ourselves up, but for a moment all we could do was grin at each other.


    "Next time will be better." He promised as he got up and pulled me to my feet. I could hardly believe that because this time had still been really, really good.


    Still, I would let him show me a better time anytime he wanted. I wanted him almost constantly so that wouldn''t be a problem at all. The only problem seemed to be cleaning ourselves up afterwards. That was a bit of a pain. I didn''t mind it too much though. It was just proof of my love for Makai and his love for me.. This time, it was just mixed together.

 Chapter 103 - Ocean - A Really Long Day

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I swear Friday was the longest day of my life so far. Makai left for the morning practice at about six thirty in the morning after we made breakfast and ate together. OK, it was more me bumbling behind him while he cooked, and I tried to learn how not to die if left to my own devices. I was still completely lost in the whole cooking aspect though.


    I was used to the early mornings though, so it wasn''t that bad. It was what I usually did before school, but I had been absent for a while now, and I was losing my knack for school hours. Or so it felt. I did enjoy the goodbye kiss that I got from Makai though, it felt nice, almost like he and I were living together, and he was going to work or something. But wait, didn''t that make me the housewife, in that scenario? Dammit.


    After Makai left, I washed the dishes, no need to leave them for him when I could do them myself. After that, I went and got my speedo on. I had been practicing every morning after that first one. That had scared the shit out of me too much, and we had had a little bit of fun in the pool.


    Dammit! Just thinking about the first time that I let myself change into my Siren form and the test of concentration that Makai had given me was making me hard. Fuck! Why the hell was I so excitable?


    I knew why. It was because of Makai. He was so fucking hot, and his body was really, really, really nice. I used to not think about stuff like that, not until I had met Makai. He was literally the first man that I could ever really remember being attracted to, and the attraction was so strong that I didn''t want anyone else, ever. I guess that was the whole mate bond thing that they had been talking about as well.


    While I tried really, really hard not to think about Makai, I was swimming like I would usually do during practice at school. All the same drills, all the same runs. The problem was, I couldn''t tell what my times were. I was just swimming as fast as I could without changing forms.


    Just for the hell of it, at the end of my practice run, I wanted to see how it was that I swam as a Siren. I had been in that form a few times already, but I hadn''t actually swam in it yet. So, I took my speedo off and changed forms.


    I took my stance and counted down in my head. When I dove into the water the first thing that I noticed was that I could see a lot better than I usually did. I could feel myself gliding through the water like it was barely even touching me. And of course, I could breath in the water.


    But that wasn''t all it was. I was able to swim so much faster than usual. I think that had to do with the webbing between my toes and fingers. That would help me to push more water as I moved through it.


    I am not sure what the time was when I swam the laps, but I am pretty sure that it was faster than usual. If only I could swim like this when I was at a meet, then I would always win. I wouldn''t do that though. Not only could I get caught, but it would be cheating, and I wanted to win because I was good enough, not because I was cheating.


    After my practice, I went back into the house. Even doing the usual runs, it was still not even eight in the morning. That means Makai and the others hadn''t even started school yet. Dammit, what the hell? This day seems like it is dragging on forever.


    After what felt like five hours, but was actually two, I had finished all the school work that Makai brought home for me the day before, and I was officially out of stuff to do. So I guess I could make a sandwich. Makai told me to stick to them since they didn''t require cooking.


    Sandwiches in hand, I sat on the couch and turned on the TV to veg out for a while. I ate and watched ridiculous daytime television until I was sure that school was over. Nope, it was just one in the afternoon.


    "What the hell?"


    OK, someone had partially frozen time. That was the only excuse. It was moving so slow because it was partially frozen because of some evil villain using a ray gun made of ice on the clock tower or something.


    Yeah, clearly I have been watching too much cheesy TV and reading too many stupid comics because that was bad even for me. Still, what the hell am I going to do? I guess I could read a book. There are a lot here after all.


    I walked into the library and chose something at random. It looked like something that maybe Mrs. Rivers would be a fan of. It was a romance novel with a man and a woman on the cover. Well, I could give it a shot.


    I sat in the living room again and read. The book was good, and very erotic. It had some very explicit scenes in it. When I read them I just imagined that it was me and Makai in them, and that made me hard again.


    "GAH!" I groaned and tossed the book aside. "Dammit." It was well after six now. That book had actually killed some time for me, but Makai still wasn''t home. Practice should have ended at five thirty, and he should have been here already. I was wanting dinner, and we were supposed to cook together. I wonder if something happened.


    "Where is he?" I asked the empty house. "Why is he running so late?"


    Almost as if the words were a trigger that set events into motion, my phone rang with Makai''s ringtone.


    "Speak of the devil." I picked up my phone and slid my finger across the screen so that I could answer it. "Hey."


    "Hey, I''m sorry I am running so late. The coach ran practice late." I heard the sound of his car starting in the background.


    "Why did he run it late? He doesn''t usually do that."


    "In truth, it''s because you''re not going to be there tomorrow. He wanted to make sure everyone was prepared for the meet."


    "Shit. I''m sorry. I caused problems for everyone." I hung my head in shame and felt the guilt wash over me.


    "It''s fine, no one complained. Some of them were happy because they wanted to get the chance to compete more." I heard him laugh as he started to drive. "Anyway, I already ordered dinner before I called. I know you''re probably hungry, and I am starving. I am going to pick it up on my way. I will be home just a little after seven."


    "OK, I''ll see you then."


    "See you soon. Love you."


    "Love you too."


    I heard the phone click, and the call ended. He was on his way at least, but I was focusing on something else. He had said ''I love you'' at the end of the call. That was something that I had only ever done with my parents. Still, I kind of liked how it felt saying it to him. As embarrassing as it was just now, it had actually made me really happy.


    "I really am hopelessly in love with him, aren''t I?" I asked myself out loud. "Oh yeah, one hundred percent, head over heels, stupidly in love with him." I also answered myself and made myself blush despite the fact that no one was here.


    Makai finally made it home with the bags of food. We ate together and talked about what practice had been like this morning as well as the after school practice. It was nice, sitting there and eating with him like it was our normal every day routine. I guess that it had been for the last week.


    After dinner, Makai was more than a little worn out from the practice that he had been run through. Plus he had to be up early for the swim meet. For those reasons, we ended up just snuggling together on the couch and watching a movie. We didn''t go up to the theater room, we stayed downstairs.


    I woke up after who knows how long. I didn''t even remember falling asleep. I was laying mostly on top of Makai as he wrapped his arms around me. We had a blanket over us already, and he was sound asleep. I didn''t want to wake him up to have him move upstairs so instead I just laid my head back down on him and went to sleep. His phone''s alarm had been set for the morning so I didn''t have to worry about us oversleeping. We would be fine sleeping like this for the rest of the night. Besides, it was warm and comfortable.


    I smiled to myself and snuggled against his chest a little more.


    "Ocean." Makai said my name, and I thought for a moment he had woken up, but when I looked at his face, I saw that he was sound asleep. "I love you, Ocean." I smiled. He was talking in his sleep only to tell me that he loved me.


    "I love you too, you idiot." I was glad that he was asleep so that I didn''t have to hide my embarrassment.. Stupid Makai melting my heart like that.

 Chapter 104 - Ocean - The Thrill Of Victory Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai got up on time for the swim meet. I knew he would with the alarm set. Still, I couldn''t help but be a little sad that the night of cuddling on the couch had ended. I knew he had to leave, but that didn''t make me feel any better.


    We made breakfast together. This time I actually made the scrambled eggs; that was a first for me and I was so proud of myself. It even earned me a kiss from Makai as a reward.


    "These are the best eggs ever." He said while we were eating.


    "No, they''re not. They''re nothing compared to yours." I hung my head in shame.


    "They''re the best to me because my boyfriend made them for me." He smiled at me. "Maybe it''s your love that is making them taste so good." He was such a dork. His words made me blush, but I couldn''t look away from him. Dammit. Stupid Makai.


    After he left, I did about the same as I had done the day before. I killed some time until the swim meet was over and Makai got back from the school that was a couple of towns over. He shouldn''t be gone anywhere near as long as he had been the night before.


    Since he was going to be home early, we could have a proper dinner together that we will try to make together. I wanted to start being of more use to Makai than I have been lately. And I actually enjoyed cooking with him since it was fun.


    At some point during the swim meet, I got a text message from Ben.


    [BEN]


    Hey, just wanted you to know I haven''t said anything about you and Kai. It feels weird, you not being in school this whole week. I don''t know what is up with you, but I know that Kai is worried about you. He''s been making sure that everyone is being respectful of you since you''re gone. Some people tried to badmouth you for up and leaving, but he shut them down right away. And it''s fine anyway. Makai is winning all his races, and Justin and Ryan are swimming way better than usual as well. The three of them haven''t lost a heat yet. It looks like it''s going to be a full sweep for our school again. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what has been going on.


    It was nice of him to let me know what was going on. And I was glad that he was keeping our secret for us. He was a good friend if he knew that I was in town, and that I was staying with Makai and still wasn''t telling anyone. I should message him back.


    [ME]


    Hey Ben, thank you for that. I am glad that everyone is swimming great. They''re going to have to work hard when I get back though. I am still practicing. And I promise you that I will not miss out on practice or meets like this again. When I get back, you will all have to keep up with me again, LOL.


    [BEN]


    Same old Ocean. ????


    [ME]


    You''d be worried if I didn''t act like me.


    [BEN]


    True. Will you be back Monday?


    [ME]


    Yeah.


    [BEN]


    Good. See you then.


    [ME]


    See you.


    Later that day when Makai got home, he was carrying a bag full of groceries. He was smiling when he came in, and he kissed me on the lips the moment he saw me.


    "Ben told me that you already know, but the meet went amazingly well." He was walking toward the kitchen now, me at his side. "So, I wanted to make something special for dinner. We''ll be cooking it together after all."


    "What are we making?" I smiled at him.


    "Beef burgundy, it''s a nice meal, but pretty simple to make."


    "Cool."


    We went together into the kitchen to make the food. I don''t know what Makai''s idea of simple was, but this wasn''t what I would call a simple meal. Still, I did manage to help a little without burning anything. I even helped to peel potatoes and carrots, and they didn''t get totally mangled. Hell yeah, I was getting better at all of this. A little more practice, and I would be good to go.


    Shit! I just remembered, tomorrow is my last night here before I go home. I will be back with my parents, and I won''t be spending every night together with Makai.


    "Why do you look so sad?" He asked me while we were eating by candlelight in the dining room.


    "Nothing really. I just remembered that we only have one more day together before I go home. We won''t have a lot of opportunities to cook together anymore."


    "Shit, you''re right." He sounded like he almost forgot about that. "W..well, you could still come spend the night. We can cook together then." He was trying to sound hopeful.


    "The thing is though, would a night every now and then be enough? To perfect my cooking skills, that is." I was too embarrassed to let him know that I truly wanted to live with him. I didn''t know if he thought that was going to be too soon or not.


    "I don''t want you to leave either." He looked like he was just as upset about it as I was.


    "W..well then, I g..guess we have to m..make the b..b..best of the time that w..we still have t..to..together." That embarrassed the shit out of me. I was basically telling him that I wanted to do nothing, but fuck him until I left. I don''t know if he understood that or not though.


    "Yeah, I think we should do just that." There was a purr to his voice and heat in his eyes. Oh yeah, he understood it. "Why don''t you go and take a shower while I do the dishes. I already took a shower after the meet."


    Oh, God. He was telling me to go get ready for him. I was not going to pass up this opportunity. And, by the way, it wasn''t going to take long for him to do the dishes. We had washed most of them as we were cooking. That meant that he was likely to be done before I was, especially since he was already walking toward the kitchen with the plates.


    "You better go and hurry." He turned his head to wink at me before he disappeared into the other room.


    I ran from my chair and was up the stairs as quickly as I could get there. Running into Makai''s room, I didn''t even shut the door behind me as I made my way toward the bathroom.


    In no time at all, the water was running, and I was stripping my clothes off. Once it was warm enough, I would step in and clean myself as much as possible.


    Finally I was done. I had shampooed, washed, rinsed, and even repeated, making sure that my entire body was thoroughly clean. I wanted to make sure that Makai was not disappointed since he was looking forward to this as much as I was.


    I didn''t leave the bathroom until I was fully dried off. I wasn''t going to be able to do much while my body was dripping wet. So, it took me several minutes longer than it needed to.


    When I made my way into the room, the first thing that I noticed was the door was shut. The second thing I noticed was Makai leaning against the wall next to it with his shirt off.


    "Now that is a beautiful sight." He grinned at me as he took in my body. I had walked into the room fully naked.


    "Well, I had a feeling you would be in here." I laughed at him as I spoke. "I thought I would give you a bit of a show." He had pushed off from the wall and was sauntering over toward me.


    "I do appreciate a good show." His words rumbled out right as he got to me.


    I felt his hands slide over my body and wrap around to cup my ass in his palms.


    "Mmm." I moaned a little when he squeezed the cheeks tight in his hands.


    "I love it when you make those sounds for me too." His eyes were full of fire when he looked at me right now.


    "I want to make you moan for me." I grinned at him. "Tonight it''s my turn to take control."


    "Whatever you want, baby. As long as I have you in my arms, I don''t care."


    Our lips met then. The kiss was hungry and needy as we ran our hands over each other''s bodies. The way he felt under my palms, the way his touch made my skin tingle and the pit of my stomach twist with need; I loved it all.


    I was reaching for the fastenings on Makai''s jeans as I guided him back toward the bed. Just before he reached the mattress his jeans were opened and I let them fall around his knees and pushed the boxer briefs down with them.


    When I pushed Makai onto the bed I pulled the clothes off of his feet and climbed up onto the bed with him. Makai was scooting back to rest his head on the pillows as I moved up to hover over him.


    "This time, I will make you feel good." I said the words right into his ear before I licked up the shell and then pulled the lobe into my mouth. I gently bit down, and he moaned for me.


    "I always feel good with you." His whispered words came out in a moan.


    "This time it will be even better."

 Chapter 105 - Ocean - The Thrill Of Victory Part 2 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I set my mouth against his neck and began to lick and suck. He tasted so good that I couldn''t stop myself. By the time that I was done, and I pulled my mouth away, I saw that I had left a deep purplish bruise on him. Oopsies. Oh well, he had left hickeys on me so it was only fair.


    I took the time then to reach over toward the drawer that Makai had always gone to when we were getting into the heat of the moment. I saw that there was a pile of condoms and a couple small bottles of lube. ''Damn, he is prepared.'' I thought to myself as I wanted to laugh. I grabbed a couple of condoms from the drawer and a bottle of the lube. We would need them.


    When I looked back at Makai, he was just grinning at me. It was like he was waiting for me to say something about the drawer. I just shrugged and went back to work.


    I kissed my way down his body. Trying not to leave any more hickeys than I already had. Before long, I made it to the spot that I most wanted to be. I gripped his hard, hot dick in my hands and squeezed it just enough to make him moan for me.


    "Ngh."


    "Are you ready?" I asked him, excitement in my voice. This was new for me, but I was just going to be copying him so it was fine.


    "Yes." He moaned that word as well.


    I tore open one of the condoms and slid it onto my hand like he had done before. I put a little bit of the lube onto the condom and slipped my hand under him just as I put my mouth into his tip.


    I slid my mouth down at the same time that I pushed my first finger into him.


    "AH! OH GOD!" Makai moaned and shuddered under me. I hoped that meant that he was enjoying it, but I wasn''t completely sure yet.


    I didn''t stop though. I had an urge driving me to keep going. I had to please him and do this. It was a compulsion at this point.


    My mouth was moving in a steady rhythm, and I was now sliding two fingers in and out of Makai in a steady motion.


    "Ngh!" He moaned repeatedly. "Oh God Ocean, that''s so good!" His words were very encouraging.


    I couldn''t help, but think of how empty I was feeling right now though. It had always been Makai doing this to me, and I had always loved that feeling of being filled by him. That empty hollow feeling was making me feel a little sad.


    After several minutes I felt Makai pushing on my head, trying to stop me.


    "Wait! Stop! If you keep it up, I''m going to come." I pulled my mouth away and looked at him confused.


    "So what? Come." I grinned at him.


    "I want us to come together." He smiled at me. "Just like last time."


    "Fine." I couldn''t help, but smile back at him as I pulled away from him, pulling my hand from inside of him.


    I tossed the soiled condom away and cleaned my hand like he had done last time. Then I tore open another condom and slid it onto my dick that was already hard and waiting for him. I poured a few more drops of lube onto my tip and spread it around like he had done in the past.


    Once I was ready, I positioned myself at his opening and grabbed him around the knees. I could see he was working hard to be the submissive type for me right now. He was usually the one in control, the dominant one, the one that tended to my needs. There was the hollowness again.


    I pushed past that hollow feeling and slid inside of his body. I slid in as far as I could but it wasn''t quite all the way. Did I not prepare him enough? Did I not use enough lube? And why did I feel a stab in my heart at that moment?


    "Is something wrong?" Makai asked me with confusion in his voice. I squinted my eyes and looked at him with hollow eyes.


    "It''s not that something is wrong. I..I just feel empty."


    "What do you mean?" Makai asked as I just sat there, not moving.


    "I..I..I think I need you in me." I felt so horrible. "I''m so sorry, Makai. I can''t do this. I need to feel you inside me. I..I..I can''t take it anymore."


    I pulled myself from him and slid the condom off of me.


    "I''m so sorry." I was so fucking embarrassed. I couldn''t bring myself to fuck my boyfriend. What the hell was wrong with me?


    "Don''t be sorry. Some people are just the bottom type. That doesn''t mean that something is wrong, or that you''re not a man. It means that you''re a man that knows what he wants." He grinned at me and kissed my lips gently. "Lay down, baby. I will take care of you."


    "Y..you''re not mad?"


    "No. I prefer to be a top, but I have been a bottom before. It''s fine. I would have taken you if that was what you truly wanted. But it''s OK to want to receive it instead of giving it. That''s normal. Most people have a preference one way or the other."


    "Really?" I was finally starting to feel better about myself.


    "Yes, really. And I love being inside you more than anything so this is perfect for us." I was happy to hear that he was not upset, and that we didn''t have to stop. "Come on, lay down." He encouraged me again.


    This time I did as he asked while he grabbed another condom and prepared his fingers.


    "Now, let me do what I can for you." He prepared his fingers and grabbed a hold of my shaft at the same time. He slid his fingers into me and started to pump his hand up and down at the same time.


    "AHH! MMM! NGH!" I moaned constantly at the feel of him pleasing me. "OH GOD MAKAI! I LOVE IT! I LOVE YOU!"


    "I love you too, baby." His lips were playing around near my waist while he got me ready.


    "NGH! AHH! I..I..I ABOUT TO COME! S..S..STOP!"


    He did just like he had me do, he pulled away from me, pulling his fingers out of me and tossing the condom away. After that he prepared himself and positioned himself at my opening.


    "God, Ocean, you''re so fucking sexy." Those were the words he growled at me before sliding into me.


    "AHHH!" I screamed at the feel of him driving deep.


    Almost, he wrapped my legs around his waist, pulled my arms until I was sitting up and then repositioned his legs under me. I felt him slide even deeper than usual.


    "AH! AHHH!" I screamed and moaned from the feel of it.


    Makai was totally in control, and I loved it. I felt so much more excited when he was leading me and guiding me like this. Oh, this was what I wanted. A dominant Makai filling me up until I was ready to burst.


    It was time to move though and to accomplish that Makai gripped my hips and helped me to slide up.


    "Move with me, baby. Let''s do this together."


    "O..OK!" I helped with sliding myself off of him by using my grip around his neck. When just his tip was left inside of me, he pulled me down and lifted his hips off the bed at the same time. The resulting feeling had me yelling in pleasure.


    "OH YES, MAKAI! AH!"


    We created a steady, hard and fast rhythm after that. The pounding and slapping of our bodies was like the most beautiful music ever with our panting moans and screams providing the lyrics.


    I don''t know how long we were like that, but by the time that we both exploded with our orgasm, I felt like my legs were going numb from the way they were positioned.


    "MAKAI!" I called his name as I came.


    "Ocean!" He called mine as well.


    I collapsed onto the bed when we were done and panted as I felt him slide out of me. The next thing that I knew he was cleaning me off, and then he flipped me over onto my stomach.


    "I''m sorry, baby, but I''m not done yet. I need more of you."


    "Makai?" I was confused.


    He grabbed my hips then and pulled me up onto my knees. He positioned himself at my entrance again and slammed into me. This was the deepest he had ever been, and it felt even better.


    "Ah! AHHH! M..M..MAKAI!" I was completely taken by surprise as he started to slam in and out of me harder than ever before.


    He took me until I came screaming again. But he still wasn''t done. He took me over and over again that night. By the time that he was done I couldn''t move at all, and he collapsed onto the bed next to me. I could see the sun coming up through the curtains on the window. That was the last thing that I had noticed before I fell asleep.


    Damn that was amazing.. That was the last thing I thought before I passed out from the exhaustion our night of passion had caused.

 Chapter 106 - Makai - Back To School Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and I didn''t exactly get out of bed for much on Sunday. We made food and ate it, took care of necessities, and then went back to bed with each other. I have to say that it was quite the pleasant way to spend our time. And Ocean seemed to agree. Plus, we had to get as much time together as we could, since he was going home tomorrow after school.


    When Monday morning did finally roll in, I could tell that we were both feeling a little depressed about it. It was like we had actually been living together, now we were splitting up, and he was moving out. Why did it hurt so much just to think about him not being here with me every night?


    I mean, was it so bad to want him here with me? Wasn''t I allowed to be a little selfish from time to time? Dammit, why did he have to go home?


    I know why. It''s because he has a couple of wonderful and loving parents, and they would miss him. They have missed him and are sad that he isn''t there with them. M..maybe Ocean and I could get into the same college, and we could live together then? I could hope at least.


    We made breakfast together again. This was the third time that Ocean had successfully helped me make something for breakfast. It was nice, and I love eating my meals with him. Though after this morning, the only meal I could share with him was going to be lunch at school. Oh God, I just felt my heart break a little more.


    We cooked together, did the dishes together, brushed our teeth together, and got dressed together. It was like we were married or something, and our routines were fully synched or something.


    However, after I drove us to school, that was it for our happily little couple life. We were back to looking like just friends. I wanted to say fuck it, and let everyone know that we were together, but Ocean wanted to wait until we were out of school to be fully open about it all. I knew his reasons, but that didn''t make it any easier. I mean, if we were open about it all, I could kiss him in the halls between classes. But that could earn us the ire of more of the school if we weren''t careful.


    The first thing that we did when we got to school was head for practice. Of course that would be the normal procession of the day. And one positive of that was me being next to Ocean in the locker room. That was a little moment of excitement for me. Though I had to keep it under wraps.


    Honestly, should I even look at him? I might be caught looking at him. While I was debating what I should do, I was taking off my own clothes and preparing to get changed for practice.


    "Holy shit, Kai, what the hell did you do this weekend?" I heard Ryan call out and turned to look at him. By the time I saw his face, most of the locker room was looking at me, even Ocean.


    "What?" I asked him before I remembered the purple mark on my neck. Ocean''s hickey that he left on me. "Oh, this? Haha, I had a good time, that was all." I left it ambiguous.


    "A good time? That looks like you had more than just a ''good time''." Ryan was laughing at me.


    "Seriously? You have a girl? Who?" Justin was grilling me now, it was like he was trying a little too hard to try and find out.


    "I doubt you would know. They don''t go to this school." I laughed off his question.


    "They? Does that mean you have more than one? That is so fucking cool man. And I officially want to be like you." Alex was looking at me with reverent eyes.


    "It''s not that big of a deal." I shrugged it all off.


    "Kai, seriously, look at yourself. You have hickeys all over your neck, chest, even your stomach. Whoever she was, she must be seriously good in bed. And you could get any girl in this school that you want. You''re like my idol." I felt my ears turning red. If he didn''t stop, I would be blushing full crimson all over my face.


    "I bet she''s some babe in one of the universities. That seems like Kai''s speed. That''s it, isn''t it, Kai? That''s why we don''t know her. You got yourself a sexy older woman." Ben grinned at me, and I could tell he was just helping to deflect the attention a little more.


    "Well, you know me." I smirked at him and nodded. The nod was for appreciation of what he was doing since he knew the truth, but the others took it as affirmation.


    "HOLY SHIT!" That phrase was literally yelled several times before the coach poked his head into the room and yelled at them all.


    "Cut the shit and get to swimming. Do you think this is some sort of gossip session at a tea party?"


    "Coach, no offense, but that was lame." Ryan laughed at him.


    "Shut up and get dressed Johnson, I don''t need your commentary." Coach Dickson snapped at Ryan as his cheeks turned a little pink with his blush.


    When I looked back at Ocean, I saw that he was looking a little stressed out. I think he thought that this whole situation was going to get out of hand. I wouldn''t let that happen though. I was going to protect him as much as I could.


    When we were done getting ready, it was just Ben, Ocean, and myself in the locker room. Everyone else had already left for the pool.


    "Thank you." I looked at Ben and gave him a sincere look.


    "No problem." He smiled at me. "Though maybe next time, you should try not to leave any of those until after the season is over." He laughed a little, this time he was looking at Ocean.


    "I am certain whoever left those didn''t intend to do it at the time." Ocean tried really hard not to show how embarrassed he was. He did better than usual, but I could still read him like a well worn book.


    After that we went out to the pool with everyone else. I did my best to make sure that I was swimming in a different group than Ocean. I needed to keep an eye on him in case he started to change in the middle of his laps.


    I kept a really close eye on him, and when I was asked why I was staring, I told them I just wanted to see if he had been practicing while he was away.


    "If he slacked off all last week, then it will show in his times and his form."


    "Yeah, I guess you''re right." Jordan, another teammate I knew, but wasn''t overly close to, seemed to accept my answer like it was quite logical. That was when he and several other people started to watch Ocean run his laps.


    The good thing was that he was still in good form, not to mention I didn''t see any of those pearly white scales appearing anywhere. He had definitely managed to keep himself under control. And it also looked like he had gotten faster. I might need to tell him to tone it down a little bit. If he was moving too fast and broke world records left and right, then they would try to get him into the Olympics or something.


    I also had to wonder for just a moment how he could swim that much faster than me in either form if he didn''t have a tail to help. That was when I remembered that he had the webbing between his fingers and toes. That would help him out a lot.


    Was his webbing out now? Was that even something that he could turn off? I know he could stop the change with no problem. However, perhaps it was like how we were able to glide through the water. That happened no matter what form we were in, it was just way easier in the non-human form, but it wasn''t something that we could do intentionally.


    "HOLY HELL! OCEAN!?" The coach was nearly jumping for joy when Ocean finished his lap.


    "What''s the matter, Coach?" Ocean asked, clearly bemused. He wasn''t even out of breath after that swim.


    "What''s the matter? You want to know what''s the matter? You just broke your record."


    "Oh!?" There was a lopsided grin on Ocean''s face. "I..I didn''t try to."


    Well, that started a whole slew of questions. They all wanted to know what he had done to make himself faster. They wanted to copy him and do it too. Well, I doubt that any of them could turn into a siren. So unless they could, they were out of luck.


    "Really, I didn''t do anything special." Ocean was trying to get them to leave him alone. If they didn''t stop, I had a feeling that his embarrassment was going to make him lose his focus on his Siren form.


    "You know what, I think Ocean is telling the truth. He just truly got faster because he wanted it. I mean, think about it, what could he have done? He was already the fastest on the team. Maybe being away for so long just made him want it that much faster. I bet he won''t be nearly that fast again." I laughed it all off trying to draw them away from him.


    "Yeah, you might be right." They all started to agree with me.


    OK, I know I wanted this to happen, but that was way too easy. I mean, talk about being sheep. These people just followed the crowd or the most popular trend way too easily.


    As I pondered whether or not most of the team shared one brain to go along with their herd mentality, I saw Ocean start to mouth several words at me.


    ''Thank you.''


    ''No problem.'' I nodded and mouthed my words at him as well. I think I must have been right about his control starting to wane because of their hyper focused attention on him. Later today I would tell Ocean about swimming at a little bit less than full speed. He had to do things moderately instead of all at once.


    Now though, practice was over, and it was time for us all to dry off, get dressed and get to class.


    I guess there was one more benefit to school. Ocean and I were in all the same classes so we would see each other all day long.. We had even taken to sitting next to each other because none of our classes were assigned seating.

 Chapter 107 - Makai - Back To School Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    No one noticed it at all when we sat next to each other. No one asked why we were sitting together now. After all, it had started before Ocean had taken time off of school.


    They did, however, ask where Ocean had been. Even Coach Dickson had asked him after first period. Coach had needed to wait for practice to be over before he could say anything about it and ask why Ocean was away. However, class started too soon, and he had to wait until after the bell rang.


    "I was visiting family. My aunt is sick, and we weren''t sure if she was going to make it. It was pretty tense, and my parents thought it was best that I go to see her, just in case, you know."


    "So you were gone a week over that?" The coach looked pretty angry about it.


    "Hey, she is the only aunt that I have. I think it was a wise decision of my parents to take me with them." He shrugged and tried to put an end to that.


    "OK, then how was it that you kept up with your training while you were gone? And why did Rivers pick up all your work?" The coach wasn''t letting him end it so soon, and I saw that some of the rest of the class was listening in on what was happening.


    "My dad works in the same industry as his. So Makai was giving his dad the work, and my dad was picking it up from him when he went back to the office. It was weird, yeah, but it worked. I managed to get it all done while I was away. And the building my aunt is in right now has an indoor pool so I was using that to keep up with my training. Not many people seemed to be using it, but it was well maintained."


    "I just don''t believe this. You couldn''t just go to your aunt''s house after practice everyday or something?" The incredulousness in the coach''s voice was a little irritating.


    "To be fair, Coach Dickson, from what I heard from my dad, his aunt''s place is like four hours away. That wouldn have been a little impossible to do every day. That would have been eight hours of driving a day plus school and sleep. There wouldn''t have been time for practice, morning or afternoon, and there wouldn''t have been time for visiting his aunt at all. That just wouldn''t have been feasible." I tried to offer a little bit of help to him.


    "I wasn''t talking to you, Rivers." The coach snapped at me.


    "No, but I answered you anyway. I think you''re being a little bit unreasonable. If you just take a step back and think about this sir, I think you would see that." The coach glared at me for a moment then sighed.


    "You might be right." He was shaking his head. "It''s just, you''re a good kid Ocean, and I get the feeling that I am not getting the whole story here. I just don''t want to find out that you''re doing something that you''re not supposed to be doing. And of course, I don''t want to lose you from the team. We have nationals for that tournament this spring, as well as nationals for the school districts. I don''t want you quitting before you could even compete in those. They''re great opportunities, Ocean, and I don''t want you to blow them."


    "I won''t, coach, I promise."


    Coach sighed and looked around him. He could see that his classroom was already filled with the students for the next class, and the hallway was empty.


    "Dammit. Let me write you a pass for being late." He said those words right as the bell rang, letting us know that we were late.


    "Is it bad that I already want to go home?" Ocean looked at me with weary eyes.


    "Not at all. That was a little awkward." I told him and tried to look supportive.


    The rest of the morning went fine. None of the other teachers grilled Ocean about anything, however, Mrs. Brewer, our AP Physics teacher, was a little peeved with us being late.


    "Sorry ma''am, Coach Dickson needed to talk to us about something." I told her when I handed her the passes. She looked at us angrily for causing the disruption, but continued after that.


    That was the only exciting thing that happened after the strangely intense lecture from Coach Dickson. Yet, for some reason when lunch rolled around, I found myself already feeling exhausted from the day.


    "Ocean, man, where have you been?" Ryan sat down next to us with his tray of food. This was the first opportunity that he''s had to ask that question all day.


    "I was visiting family." He told him immediately.


    "That''s not what I heard." Alex sat next to us as well.


    "What did you hear?" Ryan smiled at him eagerly.


    "I heard he tried to run away with some girl and got into massive trouble with her parents."


    "That''s bullshit." Ben was sitting across from Ryan now and rolling his eyes. "Do you really think that Ocean would do anything that could potentially keep him from swimming?"


    "Yeah, you''ve got a point." Ryan laughed at him. "There is no way in hell Ocean could stop swimming."


    "You guys do know that I am right here, don''t you?" He was glaring at them each in turn as they talked like he wasn''t even here.


    "Well, in our defense, you haven''t been here in a week. We need to readjust to the idea of you existing again." Ryan cracked another joke.


    "You''re all assholes, you know that?" Ocean rolled his eyes and the five of us, even him, started to laugh. At least there was nothing overly different with this part of our day; it was just a different subject for our usual joking.


    The rest of the day seemed to be going just fine. There weren''t any major incidents at least. Not until after the bell rang for the day and a certain someone came up to Ocean with fake sincerity.


    "Oh, Ocean, I am just so happy to see you back. I just missed you so much." Brittney''s words were nothing, but cutesy sounding bullshit. I was proud of Ocean for what he did next. He just kept on walking past her without a single word in response. He didn''t look at her, he didn''t engage her, and he didn''t retaliate against her. He was acting like he didn''t care about her at all.


    "Don''t walk away from me, Ocean." It was the same thing that she had yelled at him at his birthday party just over a week ago. "I swear to God, Ocean, I will bury you if you keep trying to treat me like this." There was venom and rage in her voice as she screamed after him.


    "I don''t think you have enough clout to bury him." Ben laughed as he followed after us. "You may be popular, but you''re not as hot as you think you are." Ryan, Alex, and Pauly, all members of the swim team that were following us toward the locker room, all laughed at Ben''s assessment of the girl in question.


    I was glad that everything was going well, though I had a feeling that Brittney was going to try something. I just hoped that when she did the team stuck with Ocean instead of abandoning him. If things went like they did just now then it would be fine.


    After we were in the locker room, and everyone was getting ready for practice, I pulled Ocean aside for a moment. We hadn''t actually had a moment alone all day so this was the first chance I was getting to talk to him.


    "Ocean, you need to hold yourself back a little. If you keep swimming at your max, then everyone will start to suspect something." I didn''t want to sound like I was controlling or anything, but I had to tell him.


    "That was me holding back." He rubbed the back of his head and laughed as if embarrassed. "I don''t know how to hold myself back anymore than I already am."


    Shit! That could pose a problem in the future. I just really hope that no one starts to suspect him of something now.


    After practice, it was time for me to drive him home. For the rest of this week he would be driving himself to and from school. That kind of broke me as well though, since I had been driving him so much lately and had been with him everyday recently. Now I was going to be without him in the morning and the evening. I would have to try and make it through this time, I just needed to be strong and stay positive.


    After I kissed him goodbye inside the door and left, I could already feel the hollow emptiness that his absence left in me.

 Chapter 108 - Ocean - Back Home And So Lonely

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had actually made it home right before my parents. That meant for the time between now and when they got home, I would be alone. I was used to being alone. I was alone from time to time at Makai''s as well, so it wasn''t that bad.


    Still, even if I was alone, I knew that he was coming home to me soon enough. I knew that my parents were coming home soon, and that they would be happy to see me, but it just wouldn''t be the same.


    While I waited, I put my stuff away. We had put all of it inside Makai''s car this morning, and he helped me to carry it in, but he didn''t stay. I knew that if he had stayed at all, I wouldn''t want him to leave. So it had actually been me that encouraged him to go home right after we had gotten here. I couldn''t trust myself with him here.


    After everything was put away, I looked around my room. It almost seemed like a stranger''s home now. This didn''t feel like the place that I belonged. I belonged at Makai''s house. I should be with him. He needed me, and I needed him.


    When my parents got home, I tried my best to look happy. I could tell that my mom was overjoyed to have me back home with them.


    "Ocean, my baby boy. I missed you. You have no idea how hard it is to get used to not having any of you here." She was squeezing me tight; it was like she thought I was going to run away again or something.


    "I missed you too, mom." That wasn''t a lie, I had missed my parents. Who doesn''t miss the people they lived with for eighteen years? Still, the way that I was missing the man that I was in love with was so much worse than the way I had missed my parents.


    "I am going to make you a special dinner tonight. What do you want? Come on, name it." She was grinning at me.


    "I don''t know, you pick Mom. I can''t decide."


    "How about homemade pizzas. You love those. And I still have those crusts I made last time in the freezer."


    "Sure, that will be amazing."


    I let her start o dinner while I did my homework. It was like back to normal, but it just didn''t feel right to me. This wasn''t my normal anymore. This wasn''t what I wanted. Dammit, I am a horrible person.


    Here I was wanting to leave home so I could go and live with my boyfriend the moment that I turn eighteen. What kind of ungrateful kid am I? What kind of inconsiderate son does that? I truly was the worst.


    That night I swear was the longest night of my life. I was there with my parents, but I felt so alone the entire night. The only highlight that I had was when I called Makai to tell him goodnight.


    "I was just about to call you." I heard his voice after less than half a ring, which kind of proved his point.


    "Well, I was getting ready for bed and thought I should call you." I grinned as I settled further into my pillows.


    "I missed you." He sounded so sad, so empty when he said that. "It just wasn''t the same without you here."


    "It''s only been since this afternoon." I joked with him, but I felt my heart start to ache with just those few words. "I missed you too." I sighed. "I felt so alone even with my parents here. I don''t know how I''m going to survive."


    "We''ll figure it out." I could hear the same level of sorrow in him that I felt in me. "S..s..so Ocean, uhm-." I interrupted Makai while he stuttered and tried to say something.


    "Since when do you stutter?" I laughed softly at how much he was being like me.


    "It''s only when it''s something important to deal with you." I heard him take my words and spin them right back at me, but with a subtle twist.


    "What important thing could you have to say?" I wondered with another laugh. "I already know you love me, and I love you. What else is there?"


    "W..well." He stuttered again and paused for a moment. "Where do you plan to go to college?"


    "I was hoping to get into either UCLA, USC, or SCA. Why do you ask?"


    "I want to apply to all the schools that you applied to. I want to go to the same school as you. I want us to live together when we go off to school."


    "Are you serious?" I say bolt upright in my bed.


    "Yeah, I am. I want us to be together when we leave for college. I won''t be able to be away from you, Ocean. I know this will make me sound like a sad sack or like I''m clingy or whatever, but I love you too much to live without you. I know that I need to make it until we graduate, but when we get the chance I want us to live together. I loved this past week. It was the best time of my entire life."


    I felt like my heart was melting. He was telling me that he wanted me to live with him. He wanted me to go to the same school as him so that we could be together even more. Did he know how happy this was making me?


    "I''m sorry, Ocean. I shouldn''t have put that on you so soon. I''m an idiot." I could tell that he was starting to get the wrong idea.


    "NO!" I screamed, wanting him to stop. "I mean, yes, I want that. No, you''re not an idiot." I was floundering here. I thought I was good at swimming. So why then, did I feel like I was drowning? "I want to live with you too, Makai. I want to go to school with you. I should have thought of that too, but I guess that I was living too in the moment."


    "Are you sure?" He didn''t sound quite happy yet.


    "God, yes." I felt the most relieved that I had all day. "I think that is the best thing that we could do. God, just knowing that I have that to look forward to will make these nights away from you that much easier."


    I flopped back on my pillow as I thought about the time that we could have living together in the future.


    "I am so happy that you think it''s the best thing too. Oh God, Ocean, this is the best news I''ve heard in a little while." He sounded so much better now. The sorrow was gone from his voice.


    "Hey, what is it you wanted to study anyway?" I had never asked him that. To be honest, we had never truly talked about the future before. It was always the ''in the moment'' stuff.


    "I am going into medicine, pediatrics. Or at least that is the plan for grad school. Before that, I will be studying various sciences to help me. I am focusing on things that will help me in my career. What about you?" I was already laughing before he could finish asking me what I wanted to study.


    "I want to go into sports medicine. So I am focusing on that before I go to graduate school as well. It looks like we both had similar plans. Since we''re both trying to get into medical school in the next four and a half years."


    "I knew we were perfect for each other. We can have adjoining offices in the future or something." I heard his laughter through the phone. It was that cute and happy laugh that he often gave.


    "Yeah, we are perfect for each other."


    We continued to talk for the next hour or so. There was a lot that we ended up discussing that I never knew we needed to talk about before. We talked about whether we would live in the dorms or get our own apartment together. I was voting for an apartment, but Makai had made a valid point; what if we''re required to live on campus until we''re in a certain year. Some schools were like that.


    We talked about whether or not we would join the swim team while at school. We discussed how things would be while we were living together. There was just so much that never crossed my mind, and I was surprised that it had crossed Makai''s.


    The longer that the conversation went on, I started to think about something that Dad had said. He mentioned something about Makai and I basically being married in our ''shifter'' cultures. Is that possible? That would be interesting. It kind of felt like we were married when we were living together, so I guess that I wouldn''t be completely opposed to us getting married at some point in the future.


    Marrying Makai wouldn''t be a bad thing. If we were to live together, decide to marry each other and actually take that step, I had to wonder how much of my family would approve of it. Would my siblings abandon me? My aunt?


    Those thoughts were what was going through my mind when I drifted off to sleep. I had dreams about the future that night. Images of Makai and I in the future. We were living together and going to school. We got married with a lot of people there to support us. There was even a point in the dream where we had a son and a daughter. We must have adopted them or used a surrogate. I was surprised by the dream. I wasn''t opposed to being a dad.. If it was the life from my dream, then I would be happy to have it.

 Chapter 109 - Ocean - Missed You

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    This whole first week back had felt so surreal. We only had two more meets in the main season. Come the spring, we would be focusing on training more than anything and then the competitions. And just knowing that, knowing that it was all coming to an end, or a hold, when I was just getting back into the swing of things was a little unsettling.


    Not to mention, all week Brittney tried to get me to talk to her. She had come to see me on my birthday as well. That had seemed so long ago now, but it was only two weeks. Damn, that was a long week that I spent with Makai or what? And still it seemed like it had gone by too fast.


    The whole thing with Brittney was pissing me off though. Why was she trying so hard to talk to me and get with me? I didn''t want her, I didn''t want to see her or talk to her. I didn''t even want to think about her, so why was she causing me so many issues?


    Apparently, me ignoring her wasn''t doing the trick either. I would literally walk away from her right in front of everyone. I would walk away from her if we were alone. I would walk away no matter what she did or said. Even the time that she grabbed me by the arm and yanked me backwards. That bitch was strong when she was mad.


    "Stop ignoring me." She screamed at me this afternoon when I was heading toward the locker room. "I don''t like being ignored." She was furious.


    "I didn''t like being dumped just because I didn''t come in first place. But I had to deal with it, and so do you. It''s life, get over it." It was the first time that I had actually spoken to her when she tried to get my attention all week. The only reason I did was because she was taking her attention seeking to the physical level by actually grabbing onto me.


    "Come on, Ocean." She slid up next to me and started to wrap her body around me. "Let''s go back to how we used to be." She was trying to sound seductive and sultry, but it was just making me gag.


    "No thanks, not interested. Sorry, but that''s just how it is." I pulled away from her and shuddered at her touch. "And please, don''t touch me ever again." The crowd that had been watching us burst into laughs at the sound and sight of me rejecting Brittney.


    The whole school knew she was an attention seeking glory whore. All she wanted was to be paired with the best that there was. It was pathetic really now that I could see it for myself. The only bad thing was, I don''t think that she knows just how disgusting she truly was.


    "I swear, I will get you back for this, Ocean Shores. I won''t let this slide." She screamed at me as I walked on.


    "Uh huh." I ignored her.


    "Oh, did the pretty pretty princess get rejected by her would be prince?" Ryan mocked her as he walked by.


    "Maybe you should have appreciated what you had before you threw it away." Ben added. I had stopped and was watching them as they added insult to her injury.


    "Yeah, if you hadn''t been such a bitch to our boy, he wouldn''t have worried himself sick, and he wouldn''t have been hurt, and you never would have dumped him and been left all alone. This is all your skanky fault." Ryan''s words were less funny and more spot on, but he, and everyone around him still laughed hysterically. "Come on, Ben." He threw his arm around Ben''s neck and turned him to face us and away from Brittney. "Let''s get to practice."


    There was a look of excitement in Ben''s eyes when I saw him, and behind him I saw a knowing look in Brittney''s eye. Did she figure out Ben''s secret just now? I hope not.


    "You''re going to pay! You''re all going to pay! Just you wait and see!" Brittney was nearly frothing at the mouth when she screamed those words at us. We ignored her and walked away while the spectators were still laughing at her.


    Practice hadn''t been any different than it had been all week, and before I knew it, I was driving myself home to the empty house. My parents were still at work, and I was going to get everything done before they got home.


    I was hoping to go to Makai''s house tomorrow, stay over for the night and spend the rest of my weekend with him, so I knew that I had to stay home all day today. My parents were leaving early tomorrow to visit my aunt again, so it''s not like I needed to be home for them.


    I was just really happy that I could go back again. In all honesty, I was just trying to do my best to make everyone happy. My parents and my boyfriend had conflicting interests. They all wanted me with them all the time. The problem was, I didn''t want to hurt anyone by making the choice that I wanted to make.


    "Goodnight, honey." My mom called out to me, and she and my dad went to bed just after ten. I would be going in a little while, after I called Makai that is. After my parents had gotten home, we had eaten dinner together, and I was a good enough sport to play a few hands of cards with them. It was something that we didn''t do often, so I made sure to give it my all. I wanted them to be happy, that I was home with them and not to think that I was constantly and miserably lonely.


    When I called Makai at about eleven thirty that night I didn''t get an answer. That was a first. Makai would always answer when I called him. What could he be doing? Oh well, I would try calling him again in a few minutes.


    I went into my bathroom and brushed my teeth, washed my face, and got undressed for bed. When I settled onto my bed I tried to call him again. Still no answer.


    "Is he mad at me?" I couldn''t remember doing anything to upset him. Maybe he was mad about what had happened with Brittney earlier. I don''t know why he would be, but it was all that I could think of.


    With a heavy heart, I turned off my light and went to bed. I had planned on spending an hour or so talking to him, but now I wasn''t going to be able to. That was kind of sad. I wonder what is wrong.


    I had been in bed for maybe five minutes when I heard something outside my window.


    "What the hell?" I whispered to the silent room around me. "What is that?" It sounded like someone had just jumped from the tree to the edge of the room next to my dormer window.


    I flipped on my desk lamp next to the window in question and instantly saw a face staring back at me.


    "Holy shit." I fell to the floor when I saw them and had to calm my racing heart before I could stand up again. When I did, I opened the window and snarled at the person on the other side. "Dammit Makai. What the hell are you thinking?" I stepped back and let him climb into my room from the roof.


    "I''m sneaking into my lover''s room." He grinned at me. "Come on baby, doesn''t this make you happy." He slurred his words a little and seemed a little tipsy.


    "Were you drinking?" I asked him in a loud whisper.


    "I was lonely without you." He looked saddened now.


    "What the hell?" I rolled my eyes at him. "I thought the underage drinking was my thing." I laughed softly at him. "Why are you here?" I just shook my head at him as I asked that question.


    "I told you, I missed you."


    He crept closer to me and pressed his lips to mine. The next thing that I knew, he was pushing me down against my bed. I felt his tongue exploring my mouth and his hands followed along my body like there was a map that only he could see.


    While he pressed himself against me and drove me more and more insane, there was something that struck me as odd. I couldn''t put my finger on it for a moment. He smelled like liquor, his shirt was wet like he had spilled it on his clothes in his haze, and it had a strong scent as well. Under the booze, I could smell his typical orange and vanilla cream smell. His lips tasted like they usually did, as did his tongue, while he slowly made me lose my mind.


    Wait a minute, he tasted the same as usual. He didn''t taste like he had liquor on his breath. What the hell.


    "You liar." I snapped at him as I pushed him away.


    "What?" He looked at me like he didn''t know what I was talking about.


    "You haven''t been drinking at all."


    "How could you tell?" He laughed like it wasn''t that big of a deal.


    "Your kisses don''t taste like it." I told him then blushed like that was overly embarrassing to say.


    "Really." He purred the word into my ear. "I guess next time I need to swish it around inside my mouth before I sneak into your room, that way my breath will smell like it, and my kisses will taste like it."


    "Fuck you. Why are you really here?" I asked him again, relieved to know that he hadn''t actually been drinking and driving.


    "It''s still the same reason. I missed you. I wanted to sleep with you tonight. I have slept like shit all week, and I needed to rest up for our weekend." He looked ashamed to be saying this.


    "Why did you pretend to be drinking?" I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him in anger.


    "Because I didn''t think that you would let me stay otherwise."


    "My parents are right down the hall." I told him with a serious tone.


    "We won''t do anything, just snuggle like we did that night of your birthday. I just really need you in my arms tonight." I sighed, I couldn''t be mad at him. I wanted him with me too.


    "Fine, but absolutely nothing else." I warned him as well as myself with those words.


    I put on a pair of sleeper pants and a t-shirt. Makai borrowed some of my clothes and changed into them as well. That was the most excitement this night was going to have. I wouldn''t do anything with my parents'' room so close.


    We ended up laying like we usually did, no more kisses, no more sexy or romantic things at all. We laid together in my bed and drifted off to sleep.. It was the best sleep that I had gotten since I came home.

 Chapter 110 - Ocean - Weekend At My Place Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When I woke up, I felt my face pressed against something hard, firm, and hot. For a moment, I didn''t understand what was going on, and I was about to sit up in panic, however, that was when I noticed the smell that went along with the firmness that I was laying on.


    "Mmm." I hummed out a little moan of pleasure as I recognized that scent. It was orange and cream, like a dessert that was made just for me.


    Oh yeah, that''s right, Makai came to my window and tried to sneak in. He had actually scared the shit out of me. Dammit, seeing a face appear in my window out of nowhere was like a living horror movie. That fucking ass hat. Just remembering it made me pissed off at him.


    However, I then started to remember what had happened after he came into my room. The way that he had kissed me. The fact that he had pretended to be drunk just so that he had an excuse to be sneaking into my room. And the way that he had missed me since I wasn''t there with him at night over this past week.


    Truth be told, I had missed him as well, but we already knew that. I hadn''t told him how much, but I truly wanted to have his warmth while I slept. That was one of the things that I had been missing the most.


    While I was thinking about all of this, I thought of something else. Wait a minute, my parents were home. What would they say when they saw us both coming out of the room? Or would I be lucky enough that they were gone before we got up? I truly hoped that was the case. I didn''t want to explain to them the reason why my boyfriend was in my bed this morning.


    I stretched and groaned a little as I woke up the rest of the way. Finally, I opened my eyes and saw that Makai was already awake and looking at me.


    "Good morning, gorgeous." He grinned at me.


    "Morning." I smiled back at him and kissed his lips quickly.


    I saw the time on the clock then and nearly had a heart attack. It was after ten in the morning.


    "Shit! How did I sleep so long?"


    "Being in my arms was so relaxing that you just couldn''t help it." Makai smirked and gave me a smart ass answer.


    "Oh shut up. I don''t want to hear it. I''m still pissed off at the way you scared me last night." I glared at him as I propped myself up on his chest. For a moment, I was marveling at the fact that I would always end up sleeping with my head on him. No matter how we fell asleep, I wound up laying on him. I guess I just liked using him as a pillow.


    "To be fair, I didn''t mean to scare you." He was laughing now. "But I will admit, seeing you fall on your ass like that was pretty funny." His laugh turned into a guffaw, and I had to silence him.


    "Shh!" I wanted him to be quiet. "What if my parents come in here? Or what if they just end up hearing you?"


    "Oh, you got a message from your mom about fifteen or twenty minutes ago. I recognized the alert tone."


    "Shit."


    I just know that this wasn''t going to be good. I scrambled off of Makai, accidentally hitting him in the gut along the way as I moved.


    "Omph!" He grunted from the slight pain, but I was too preoccupied to notice.


    I picked up my phone and opened my messages. I had to know what my mom had to say, but in a way I was too scared to see it.


    [MOM]


    Hey sweetie, good morning.


    That couldn''t be all that she had to say. And I saw that Makai had indeed been right; it came in about fifteen minutes ago.


    [ME]


    Hey mom, good morning. I just woke up. What did you need?


    [MOM]


    Oh, nothing, I was just curious how your morning was going. Your dad and I left around six this morning.


    [ME]


    It''s going fine. Like I said I just woke up.


    [MOM]


    Did you have a pleasant wake up?


    [ME]


    What are you talking about?


    [MOM]


    Did you get a good morning kiss?


    [ME]


    HUH?


    Did...did...did she know that Makai was in here?


    [MOM]


    I''m asking if Kai gave you a kiss good morning yet.


    ????


    [ME]


    How did you know he was here?


    There was no denying it now. She clearly already knew it was true.


    [MOM]


    I wanted to come in and tell you goodbye this morning, but I saw the two of you snuggled up together. You were using him as a pillow, you know that.


    I buried my face in my hand. OH SHIT!


    [ME]


    I swear Mom, nothing happened.


    I had to make sure that she knew that much at least.


    [MOM]


    I know it didn''t. For one thing you were both dressed. For two, you woke us up when he came into the house. What did you do, jump for joy?


    [ME]


    I wasn''t expecting him, and when I heard him outside I turned my light on. Seeing his face in the window scared me and I fell on my ass.


    I thought brutal honesty was the best policy right now. My mom was a super sleuth and she would know it if I lied to her, even in a text message.


    [MOM]


    LMFAO, that is funny as hell. It''s so funny that your dad and aunt are about to keel over. Everyone at the restaurant that we''re at is looking at us all funny now.


    [ME]


    Gee, thanks. I am so glad that I could be of service to all of you.


    I was internally groaning at the idea of being the butt of their jokes all weekend long.


    [MOM]


    I am guessing Kai missed you and wanted to start your weekend early?


    Mom''s question hit the nail right on the head. She was so smart and intuitive that I knew she would see the truth, even being a few hours away.


    [ME]


    Yeah, that was his excuse.


    [MOM]


    Well, enjoy your weekend, but please do exercise caution. I love you, be good.


    [ME]


    Love you too, Mom. Tell Aunt Linda I said hi and tell Dad that I love him too.


    [MOM]


    Bye sweetie.


    [ME]


    Bye.


    "So how did it go?" Makai asked me as soon as I set my phone down.


    "She knows you were here. She heard us last night and saw you this morning.


    "Heard us? We didn''t do anything." Makai was laughing.


    "I am talking about when I fell, unceremoniously, on my ass." I glared at him.


    "You''re never going to let that go, are you?" He was laughing again.


    "No, I''m not."


    I got out of bed then and stalked to the bathroom so that I could start getting ready for the day. This was supposed to be our weekend to spend together, and I didn''t want to spend that time angry, so I needed to calm down.


    "Don''t be mad at me, baby." Makai said as he sidled up behind me in the bathroom while I brushed my teeth. "I didn''t mean to scare you."


    "I know you didn''t intend to do it, but you know that I hate horror movies. What part of that didn''t seem like a horror movie to you?" I asked him after I spit my mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and started to rinse it down the drain.


    "I was aiming for a romantic movie or romcom moment. I didn''t want to go all horror flick on you."


    "Hahh." I sighed at his words. "Just get ready for the day. I assume you need clothes now too?"


    "Well, I have a bag in my car down the street, but I wouldn''t say no to borrowing yours. I like when I get to wear them because I can smell your scent all the time." I knew just what he was talking about since I had noticed the same thing when I wore his clothes.


    "Fine, clean up then get dressed."


    I left the bathroom then so that he could do what he needed to do. I saw the wistful look in his eyes and something told me that he was going to make a joke about me staying. I wasn''t going to do that right now. I wanted to spend time together where we weren''t naked the whole time. We needed to have some alone time that wasn''t just about sex.


    I got dressed and went down to the kitchen. I had been planning on going to Makai''s this weekend so my parents'' hadn''t gone shopping yet. That meant that we didn''t have much in the way of food for me to pick from for breakfast.


    "Whatcha doin''?" Makai slid up behind me again, resting his head on my shoulder as I glared into the fridge.


    "I''m trying to figure out breakfast." I pushed the door shut without finding anything.


    "I can make you pancakes. And then later we can go shopping and spend the whole weekend here."


    "I thought I was going to your house?" I turned and faced him with confusion.


    "I just thought that staying here might be fun too." He was giving me a heated look. "Do you not want to have our weekend fun at your house?"


    "N..n..no that''s f..f..fine."


    "Good." He purred the word and reached past me to open the fridge. "Then let''s make breakfast."


    Makai then taught me how to make pancakes and we ate them together. The ones I made were OK, but the ones he made were amazing.. He was right, food cooked by your lover was so much better than regular food.

 Chapter 111 - Ocean - Weekend At My Place Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We decided to go to shopping just after breakfast. We were smart about it though. We made sure to appear as just friends while we were out. It did make me remember that date we had gone on though. I really did have fun that day, even if I was nervous as hell. To be honest I would love to-.. I mean I wouldn''t mind going on another date with him.


    We could go to the beach, or to see another movie, or just out to dinner. Then again, unless we left the city and went somewhere like LA, we wouldn''t really be able to do much even if we were on a date.


    I had been thinking about all of this while we were looking for the food that we would want to have over the weekend. Apparently, Makai had this big plan for what we could eat for lunch today and tomorrow, dinner tonight, and even breakfast tomorrow. It was a lot of stuff, but I could tell that Makai was really looking forward to it all. Not to mention that I would be able to cook with him again and that was a good thing.


    "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Ryan came up to us as we were heading toward the check out. "You''re shopping together now?" He laughed at us lightheartedly.


    "Can you believe that I called this guy up to hang out and he was floundering, unable to figure out what to eat all weekend because his parents were gone to visit his aunt again." Makai had thought up a cover story for us really quickly. I just wish that his excuses didn''t make me look like an idiot.


    "Haha. That''s hilarious." Ryan was grinning. "What, can''t you cook?"


    "I can. A little." I blushed as I answered him sheepishly.


    "No, he can''t. There was a time recently that he tried cooking and destroyed the whole kitchen." Makai was laughing his ass off at my predicament like it was truly hilarious.


    "Hey, I never had to cook before." I frowned at him and narrowed my eyes while he and Ryan laughed.


    "Hey, Ryan, I got it." Ben had called out to him as he ran up to us. "Oh hey, you''re here too."


    "Yeah, Kai is helping little baby Ocean with his shopping since he can''t cook. Though that''s some pretty intricate food for someone who can''t cook." Ryan eyeballed the food that we had in the basket.


    "That''s because I am going to cook it for him." Makai gestured toward me. "If I left this up to him to cook, I be hauled into the police station for manslaughter and arson charges because I left him alone in a kitchen."


    The three of them were laughing so hard that I could tell they were having a hard time standing up. I just knew that this was going to go on for a long time. Dammit, why did this have to happen? Why did they have to be here and almost ruin everything?


    "What are you two doing here?" I asked them as a way to end the laughter.


    "Oh, we''re going to the beach, so we stopped for some supplies." Ryan''s words were so matter of fact that it seemed like he was just telling me that the sun was up, and that we were living on planet earth. And even if that were so, I could still see the massive grin on Ben''s face. He was happier about this trip to the beach than he was letting on.


    "That sounds like fun." Makai''s eyes turned a little wistful.


    "You two want to come?" instantly that light in Ben''s eyes faded and he was just looking at me as if he wanted to tell me not to come with them.


    "Nah, I think we should head back to my place. Makai is going to make my rations for the weekend then he''s gotta run home too." I did my best to make things easier on Ben and I saw that he was wearing a grateful smile.


    "Yeah, I can see how your food is a little more important than going with us. Maybe next time." Ryan looked a little disappointed, but only for a moment. After that he and Ben started to get the rest of their beach provisions and were out of sight in moments.


    "That was nice of you." Makai smiled at me.


    "What?" I didn''t know what it was that he was talking about.


    "You know what I mean. You helped Ben out there." Makai knew it too, but he and I were both trying to stay quiet about it.


    "Yeah, I know. I thought that he deserved some alone time with Ryan." I thought about how much I enjoyed having Makai around and thought about Ben. If he felt even a fraction of what I did then he would definitely want to be alone with the guy that he liked.


    We finished our shopping, paid for the food and were about to leave when we were stopped by someone that we really shouldn''t have had anything to say to.


    "Ocean?"


    The person who had called me was Giovani Parisi, he was one of our rivals from St. Reece''s.


    "Gio?" I was shocked when he called out to me. We had gone to middle school together but when we went to different high schools, we drifted apart.


    "Hey, I''m glad you''re here. I am having a party in two weeks. You know, the weekend after Thanksgiving. I was hoping that you''d come." He was smiling at me like he used to when we were kids. It was hard to turn down that look in his eyes.


    "I don''t know. I mean, won''t the others be a little upset about me being there?" I didn''t need our rivals trying to take their anger out on me.


    "Nah, it should be fine. Come on, say yes. Please!" He was literally starting to beg me.


    "I think he''s a little bit nervous to be the only guy from our school there. How about I come with him?" Makai butted in, saving the day for me once again. I could kiss him right now, you know, if we weren''t in public that is.


    "Yeah, that''s fine. We don''t want the whole team to be there, that would be a little much. But you and I used to be friends so come on, come to the party. The both of you. Please."


    I was literally backed into a corner here, but he did say that Makai could come with me. That alone should make things easier on me.


    "Yeah, OK, I''ll be there."


    "Awesome. Let me get your number and I will send you all the details."


    Thankfully, that was the last interruption before we left the store. We were now free to go back to my place and have our weekend alone together. I was actually looking forward to being alone with Makai at my place now. I know that the location didn''t really make that much of a difference, but it would still be a little different than when we were at his place.


    Not to mention, the ''physical'' aspect of our relationship started in my bed, but we''ve still never done ''that'' in my bed. Not that it will change anything about it, still I wanted to try it at least once.


    Dammit, am I some kind of pervert freak now? Every single time that I am alone with Makai I start to think about sex. I envision his naked body and the way that it feels under my fingertips. I start to think about the things that he does to me, and the things that I do to him. And the things that we do to each other. It was all exciting but is usually left it so that I couldn''t be anywhere in public. Good thing that we were in his car right now. I didn''t need to explain why the outline of a certain part of my body was bulging more than a little.


    Yeah, I think that just about settles it. I am some overly horny deviant freak. What the hell had he done to me? Did he corrupt me with his passionate love making? I could be a total doofus and say it was what he left in me, and on me, but that would just to be a little too disgusting and groan worthy. It wouldn''t even be something that I could bring myself to laugh at.


    I was glad when we pulled back into my driveway. I needed to get back inside and away from people who might start thinking that I was something that was too dangerous to leave out in the public. They would start to follow me around and try to capture me so that they could lock me up in the loony bin.


    "GAH!"


    GAH! I screamed internally and out loud at the same time.


    "Stop being a drama queen and help me with your groceries." Makai laughed as he got out of the car. He didn''t know how lucky he was, being so confident in himself meant that it was easier for him to roll with the punches like he often did. "Come on." He called out to me again as he stuck his head into the car.


    He already had all the bags, so I just shut the car door and followed him inside. Whatever was going to happen would happen, no matter what I did to help or hinder it.. I might as well embrace it and deal with things as they come.

 Chapter 112 - Ocean – Weekend At My Place Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After we got home and put the groceries away, we just sat around and played a few different video games together. If it wasn''t for the fact that I was sitting on the floor between Makai''s knees, leaning back against him while we played, I would have said that it was just like hanging out with any other buddy of mine. It wasn''t though, because no matter how friendly I was with any of the other guys, I would never sit like that with anyone besides Makai.


    Makai had made a simple lunch before we started to play. I would like to say that we made lunch, however, it was more like I was just bumbling around behind him, watching what he did to try and learn how not to be a hazard to the world around me.


    As the day went on and the gaming session came to an end, we made dinner. Again, Makai did all the cooking and I just stood around looking like a pathetic idiot. Dinner was delicious, as was everything that Makai made for me to eat. Why couldn''t I be as good at cooking as he was?


    While we ate dinner, we sat in the living room, watching a movie. I wasn''t sitting between Makai''s legs this time, that would have been hard to do while we were eating, but we did have our legs slightly entangled so that they were wrapped around each other. It was just another way for us to be touching while we were sitting together.


    The movie we watched wasn''t a romantic comedy this time, but thank God it wasn''t a horror movie either. It was an action movie that had come out earlier this year that I hadn''t seen yet. I wasn''t paying that much attention to it since Makai and I were talking while we ate. I was enjoying my time with him here at my place.


    I was still hungry after the movie was over, but I didn''t want to have more dinner. I was thinking something else.


    "Want to get some dessert before we decide what we''re going to do next?" I grinned at Makai with a sly curve to my lips.


    "What kind of dessert?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me when he said that.


    "And I thought I was the pervy one." I rolled my eyes at him. "Come on, I want some ice cream." I grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet as I went into the kitchen.


    "I guess I could go for some dessert." His boyish grin was adorable, I wouldn''t even try lying about that.


    I meant what I said about the dessert though. I wanted something sweet, so I decided to have an ice cream sundae. That should be good, and that was something that I knew I couldn''t mess up. No cooking required, just assembly.


    I started to pull various cartons of ice cream from the fridge along with some whipped cream and cherries. I also got the chocolate fudge and chopped nuts out of the cupboards. I may have sundaes a little more than I should admit. Mom always said it made me look like a kid but I didn''t care.


    With two very large bowls and all the necessary items sitting on the island in front of me, I started to make our dessert.


    "Is there anything you don''t want on your sundae?" I asked him as I started to scoop the ice cream into the bowls.


    "Hmm, well, my ideal sundae would be you naked on the counter while I lick the ice cream off of you. So, if I am going off of that image then, I would say that your clothes shouldn''t be part of my sundae."


    I just turned to look at him with my eyes opened wide in shock. I had not been expecting him to say that and I was now in a bit of shock.


    "Uh..uh..uh..uhm..I uh, I uhm, I..I..I..-" My floundering and stuttering made him laugh uncontrollably.


    "Uh oh, I think I broke Ocean." He was chuckling and waving his hand in front of my face.


    "That was not fair. You shouldn''t joke like that." I scolded him as I started to make the desserts again.


    "Who said I was joking?" This time there was no laughter in his voice. He was being serious. Wait, he was being serious? What the hell?


    I did my best not to look at him, because I just knew that if I did, it would lead to my face burning so hot that the ice cream would just melt instantly. I had all the ice cream in the bowls and all I needed to do now was put the toppings. I started with the chocolate because it was usually what came next, or at least when I made them anyway.


    Unfortunately, the top for the chocolate stuck a little and when I got it, it spilled onto my fingers.


    "Dammit." I was about to wipe it off with a towel but, before I could, Makai grabbed my hand and stopped me.


    "I''ll get that for you." He smirked at me as he leaned forward at the same time that he brought my hand to his mouth. I just watched in shock as Makai licked the chocolate off my fingers with a long slow swipe of his tongue. "Mmm, cleaning up can be delicious." There was heat in his eyes and I could feel my body responding to him.


    As I looked at his face, I saw that he had a smear of chocolate on his lip. It had obviously happened when he had licked my fingers. Without thinking, I grabbed his shirt and held him still as I inched closer to him.


    I was moving slowly and I didn''t know why. I was just allowing myself to be sucked in by his magnetism. Finally, though, I was close enough to do what I wanted to. With my mouth right next to his, I gently licked my tongue across his lips and tasted the chocolate that was waiting there for me.


    "Mmm, you''re right. Cleaning can be delicious." Makai didn''t let that slide though. I felt him grab a hold of my waist and press me against the counter.


    I already felt like we were giving off way too much heat. We were going to melt the ice cream just by being next to it. Hell, we were going to set off the smoke alarms if we continued like this.


    "I think I will get my sundae." Makai laughed as he pulled away for just a moment. During the parting in our kiss, I felt him reach for the hem of my shirt and pull it up. I leaned back just a little to allow him to take it off me completely.


    That was when he pushed me. Only, he didn''t push me down, he pushed me up. I was now sitting on the countertop on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Being up there made it so that I was taller than Makai.


    Me being up higher didn''t seem to be causing a problem, though. Makai was making his plans for us known as he reached over and grabbed the chocolate that I had smeared just a little bit. This time though, he had dipped his finger into the jar and wiped it across my chest.


    Makai''s hot, wet tongue followed the trail that was left behind by the chocolate; I moaned involuntarily. His mouth always felt so good.


    "Ngh!"


    Makai wasn''t done there, though. Not by a long shot. I didn''t even notice when, but he had grabbed the can of whipped cream and sprayed it across my right nipple. That felt just as good as when he licked the chocolate off of me.


    "This isn''t fair." I whined a little. "You''re the only one who''s getting to enjoy dessert." I grinned as I complained since it wasn''t an actual complaint anyway.


    "So, you want some too then?" He smirked at me as he pulled away.


    "I''m the one who suggested dessert in the first place." I reminded him as I pulled his shirt up a little bit. "Of course I want some too." I heard the tiny little giggle in my voice.


    "Then I think we need to share, don''t you think?"


    "Mmm, I think sharing a dessert like this would be very good indeed."


    Makai slid me from the counter and stood me in front of him before taking his shirt off.


    "I think we''re going to have a lot of fun with our dessert tonight." As he spoke, I did the same thing that he had done and left a trail of chocolate on his neck. As I licked it away almost as quickly.


    "Mmm Mmm Mmm." I hummed my appreciation of the taste. "I think you''re right.." I purred the words at him as I grabbed the jar of chocolate.

 Chapter 113 - Ocean – Weekend At My Place Part 4 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    With a wicked grin and fiery eyes, Makai licked his lips. It was like he was still trying to taste the kiss that we had just shared. I could tell what he was thinking already.


    "Do you want to keep this going here or should we head somewhere else?" I heard Makai''s words and felt the excitement spread through me.


    "Hmm, dessert sounds good, but I think the bedroom might be more comfortable." I grinned at him as I thought about it.


    "Then let''s just have some dessert in bed."


    "All that wasted ice cream." I pretended to be sad about it. "We will mourn it later, though. I have other desires that I want to take care of right now." That was true. I had a craving for something sweet earlier, but Makai would more than satisfy that craving for me, with his sweet dessert-like flavor.


    "Good, because I think that we need to hurry up before I lose my patience and take you right here and now."


    With that, Makai and I each took one of the ingredients I had gotten out for making the sundaes. Makai had grabbed the whipped cream and I still had the chocolate in my hand from before. When we left the kitchen what followed had been a passionate flurry of kisses and fondling as we made our way up the stairs and to my room. That was one good thing about being at my place instead of his, the trip up to the bed was shorter.


    By the time that we got into my room and were ready to get into the bed we were already naked. We had stripped off the rest of our clothes. They were left in a trail that showed the progress we had made from the top of the stairs to my room. At least they were only upstairs and not all through the house.


    With a growl of passion, that also seemed like a promise of pleasure to come, Makai pushed me down onto the bed and then climbed up after me. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was planning on enjoying himself thoroughly tonight. That was good, because I planned to do just the same. I never could get enough of him.


    "Are you ready?" Makai seemed to growl as he spoke the words but didn''t wait for my answer. He had grabbed the jar of chocolate that I had brought to the room with us. He was already getting to work with it since the chocolate was being poured all over my chest and I felt him spread it around with his fingers as his heated look stirred flames inside of me.


    After he had put what he must have thought was an appropriate amount of chocolate on my chest and smeared it all over, Makai set the jar aside and instantly started to devour me when he dipped his head to my chest.


    The way that he lapped at my heated flesh with his skilled tongue made me squirm and moan almost instantly. I could feel that Makai had started low and was working his way up my body. He had started near my belly button, and by the time that his mouth was to my left nipple I was already more than willing to just have him in me, but the play was fun too. It was hard to decide which I wanted more.


    The decision seemed moot though, when Makai bit down on the nipple and I cried out in pleasure. His mouth worked wonders on me and knew then and there that I didn''t want him to stop. I would take all that he wanted to give me.


    He traveled further up my body then, to my collarbone and then to my neck. I felt him sucking, licking and biting my neck until I cried out again. When he heard my moan he finally pulled away from me and I saw the chocolate that had smeared around his mouth, when he looked at me I couldn''t stop myself, I had to pull him in for a kiss.


    That taste, the chocolate mixed with his orange and vanilla cream flavors, was enough to drive me wild. I kissed him fiercely and passionately until we were both breathless and panting.


    "I think it''s my turn." I purred the words as I flipped and rolled. In a matter of seconds, I had Makai under me. Since he started with the chocolate, I decided that I should start with the whipped cream.


    I took the can of cream and sprayed a line along Makai''s body, from his neck to just about his throbbing erection. It must have still been cold because he shuddered a little when the creamy substance touched his skin.


    Seeing him shiver made me smile. I was very happy that I could do something that would excite him like that. It made me want to please him even more. So, I moved next to him and pressed my tongue against his neck. I would please him and eat my dessert at the same time.


    The whipped cream nearly overpowered the oranges in his natural flavor, but that was because it brought out the vanilla part of him. I like the taste so much that I found myself unable to move slowly. I was lapping away at him so quickly that before I knew it, I was already at the end of the line that I had made.


    That was fine though. I could just add some more and focus somewhere else. And that was exactly what I did.


    I sprayed some of the cream on the tip of his cock and grinned before I pulled it into my mouth. Damn, did that taste so good. This was where his flavor was the strongest, the heart of where his desire came from. I enjoyed the taste of it so much, that I could do this for him every day.


    "NGH! AHH!" He moaned when I started moving my mouth over him, the pleasure already causing him to squirm. "O..O..Ocean." He called my name in a halting, stuttering way and I felt it twist in my gut with pleasure. "Damn Ocean, you''ve gotten so good at that."


    I wanted to thank him for the compliment but I was a little busy, and my mouth was a little too full. Instead, though, I just laughed and he moaned again from the vibrations the laughing caused.


    "FUCK!" He seemed like he needed to do something more, like he was about to go insane. And apparently, the way I was sitting was perfect for him.


    Makai shifted just his upper body and grabbed my waist. He pulled me toward him so that we were laying next to each other. The move caused me to pull away from him in shock.


    "What are you doing?" I asked him.


    "Giving some to you." He said as he grabbed the chocolate and added a couple drops to the tip of my cock. "Don''t stop, please don''t stop." He looked at me with desperate eyes and a pleading note in his voice.


    After he begged me not to stop, Makai slid his mouth over me and pushed his hips toward me, bringing his dick closer to my mouth. It was time for another dual session then. OK, I could do that.


    I slid my mouth back over the deliciously hard and hot erection in front of me and created a steady rhythm. Makai matched my rhythm and I knew that if we both weren''t busy, we''d be moaning from the pleasure we both felt. I did moan a little but it was with his erection in my mouth and it caused more vibrations around him.


    Soon, though, it was getting too much for me. If he kept it up I would not be able to stop myself from coming in his mouth. I knew he didn''t care but I didn''t know if he wanted me to do that for him just yet.


    It didn''t matter though, the decision was taken away from me when Makai came, spraying the back of my throat. I stopped holding back and let the release I had been fighting come.


    When I pulled away from Makai, letting his still hard and throbbing erection slide from my mouth, I laid back on the bed, panting and smiling while the ecstasy of the orgasm coursed through.


    "That was good." I told him breathlessly.


    "Yeah, but I am nowhere near being done." He lifted up onto his elbows and looked at me. "And I know you''re not either."


    "Not by a long shot." I laughed. "I am nowhere near ready to be done with you for the night."


    "Good." He grinned at me. "Because I want to have it all for as long as I possibly can."


    "You''re an animal." I joked with him.


    "Nope, just not human." He laughed, and I did too.. Neither of us were human after all.

 Chapter 114 - Ocean – Weekend At My Place Part 5 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai, who had promised that he wasn''t done with me yet, seemed to pounce on me. He was on top of me and moving me around to better suit his needs.


    "I think I will need to do more work to prep you than usual." He laughed into my ear. "I don''t have any of my usual supplies."


    "W..w..w...well, I..I..I. uh, I m..m..m..might have what we need already." This was an embarrassing thing to admit, but I had actually already stocked up on some supplies, just in case we ever ended up doing something at my place.


    "Really?" There was genuine shock in his voice, but the look in his eyes was pure happiness. "You actually went to buy some things for us to use together?" His grin made the embarrassment of buying that bottle of lube all worth it.


    "I wanted to be ready, in case something like this ever happened here."


    "That makes me so happy." He hugged me tightly and I could tell that he truly did appreciate the effort that I had made. "If that is the case, then I don''t see any reason to delay this much longer." He had flipped from sweet and happy to heated and needy in the matter of a second. Damn, he was good.


    I told Makai where the items we needed were, in the drawer next to the bed just like where he put his stuff. He pulled out the lube and a condom and prepped himself quickly. He dropped a few drops of the lube onto his tip and spread it around with one hand while moving the bottle to drip a little onto my opening. He hadn''t prepared me like usual so he was just making sure that there would be no resistance.


    After he made sure that we were both prepped as much as we could get for now, Makai lifted my knees and fitted himself against my opening in a way that let him look me in the eyes while we became one. With him in position, I could feel that, now familiar, rush that I got before he would slide into me. This was always one of my favorite parts, when he entered me, I felt that intense connection with him. It was the best. And a moment later, when he did finally slip inside of me, it felt like the best thing in the world.


    "NGH! Ahh!" I moaned and showed him how happy I already was. Nothing I had ever felt in my life was as good as sex with Makai. He was all that I needed in life.


    "Oh God, Ocean, being in you is always so perfect." He was mirroring my thoughts, having the same pleasure but from being in me rather than what I felt with him being in me.


    "I was just thinking to myself, that nothing was better than having you inside of me." I blushed as I admitted that to him.


    "I love you." He leaned down as far as he could with my legs in the way, he slid a hand behind my head and lifted me up for a kiss. "God, I love you." He pressed his forehead against mine as he said the words again.


    "I love you too." I smiled and looked at him as best as I could.


    With his head still pressed against mine, Makai spread my legs open further and pushed them up, lifting my bottom from the mattress a little. He was angling me so that we could have close, intimate contact while we made love.


    I felt him pull back and slide most of the way out of me, but he didn''t lift his head or pull his face away from me at all. And when he started to thrust in and out of me in a steady rhythm, he still kept himself pressed against me. This was a type of intimacy we had never shared before. Being this close while also joined was a first for me, and I loved it.


    Soon, though, the slow and steady rhythm proved not to be enough for Makai. He needed more, and I will admit, as much as I was enjoying that intimacy, right now I wanted and needed hard, hot passion.


    Makai finally pulled his head away from me and put his hands behind my knees. With that as his point to brace himself, Makai started to thrust into me hard and harder.


    "Ah. Ah. Ah. NGH!" I moaned with every thrust that brought him slamming inside of me. It was a passionate and pleasurable union; I couldn''t get enough of him. "M..M..M..Makai!" I forced his name out past my lips as I felt the waves of an orgasm start to build up within me again.


    "Ahh, I..I..I..I don''t think that I can hold out much longer, but I want more." I felt like I was going to explode, but I wasn''t ready for it to end.


    "It''s OK baby, you can come whenever you want. We can always go again later. This isn''t going to be it. We have the whole night together."


    "But I don''t want to come without you." I looked at him through eyes that were squinted as I fought to hold back my next orgasm.


    "It''s OK, baby, we will come together."


    With that, Makai let go of my left leg and grabbed a hold of my hard, throbbing dick. He started to thrust into me and pump his hand up and down over me at the same time. He was pleasing me in both ways and I was screaming with every thrust and pump.


    "AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! NGH! AHH!" I could barely see with the hazy glaze of arousal filling my vision. I didn''t need to see though, I only needed to feel.


    After a minute or two of him pleasing me in more than one way I was ready to come, but I wanted one last thing as I did. I put a hand behind Makai''s head and pulled him toward me. With my lips pressed to his mouth, I let myself go. He let go of me moments before I exploded and slid his hands behind my head to intensify the kiss just as he exploded as well. We each swallowed down the moans that we each gave while climaxing yet again.


    The kiss lasted longer than I thought it would. When we finally broke the kiss and Makai pulled away from me, I wanted to whine a little bit at the loss of his warmth. However that feeling of loss was nothing compared to how I felt when he slid out of me and left me feeling truly empty.


    Makai collapsed to the bed next to me, still panting from the exertion. Neither of us moved or said anything for a few minutes. We just lay there, reveling in the pleasure that we had just shared with each other.


    After a while though, I knew that I had to get up and shower. I had chocolate on me, not to mention the mess from my second orgasm. I desperately needed a shower.


    "Where are you going?" Makai asked me as I went to get off of the bed.


    "I need a shower." I said as I looked down at myself.


    "Yeah, I could use one too." He grinned and started to follow me.


    "Are you planning on following me everywhere I go? Like a lost little puppy dog." I joked with him as he came up behind me.


    "Not a puppy dog." He laughed into my ear. "I''m more of a horn dog." He reached around me and cupped my still semi erect cock and squeezed it just a little as he spoke, further emphasizing his words.


    "Yeah, I can definitely see that. You''re nothing but a giant perv."


    "Really?" He purred the word against my neck as we entered the bathroom. "If I am a perv, what does that make you?"


    "I guess, I am a perv too." I laughed at him. "Or a deviant." I added making him laugh harder than before.


    "I don''t think you''re a perv or a deviant, but I love you just the way that you are."


    "Yeah, yeah." I shook my head and blushed, he was embarrassing me. "I love you too, you dummy."


    We turned on the water for the shower and started to get ready to clean ourselves up. When it was hot we stepped into the shower and started to bathe each other. I washed Makai''s abdomen, those washboard abs that were full of swimmer''s muscles. I ran my hands along his back and scrubbed over his shoulders.


    All the while that I was cleaning Makai, he was cleaning me as well. The feel of his hands scrubbing away at my skin and washing my hair, it was perfect. I couldn''t get enough of it at all.


    And soon, I noticed that the both of us were once again responding to the touch of each other. I saw Makai start to harden and I knew that I was as well. I rinsed my hair then, my head leaning back under the water, and when I came forward, I was blindsided.


    Makai was kissing me. His lips pressed to mine and his tongue flicking against mine for just a moment.


    "I don''t think I can wait to have you again." His words were strained like it was hard for him to hold back. "Dammit, Ocean, you''re just to fucking sexy."


    He truly couldn''t wait though. He turned me around so that I was facing away from him. He pushed me against the wall and pressed himself against my opening. With no further warning he slid inside of me for another hot and passionate session.

 Chapter 115 - Ocean – Thanksgiving Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    My weekend with Makai had been way better than I had thought it was going to be. We enjoyed quite a bit of time alone together, both clothed and naked. We cooked together, slept together, and hung out together. It was just what I needed after being away from him for a week.


    And damn, if only a week where I was staying at my house and not his would make me miss him that much, then, what was I going to do when it was months before I got to spend this much time with him again?


    Once we went back to school for the week, I remembered that it was almost Thanksgiving. It was just a little over a week away, ten days. And there was the fact that we had a long weekend.. Maybe, just maybe, my parents won''t be mad when I told them that I was going to spend the weekend with him. It would be nearly three weeks home since that week I spent away. And I was only gone for a week, I mean, I had spent more time at swimming camp as a kid. They can live without me for three nights, right?


    The drawback to the holiday, however, was that my sisters and brother would be coming home for a visit. Julie had been here on my birthday and had actually met Makai, but Deliah and Grantham had never met him and, as far as I knew, had never even heard about him.


    And just because Julie had met Makai, that didn''t mean that she knew that he and I were dating. And none of them knew, nor could they find out, that I was a Siren and Makai was a Merman.


    Oh, I can hear it now too. They were going to make fun of me for being with a guy. I just knew it. And if they ever did find out about the Siren thing, they would make fun of me for that as well. They would ask me why I had to be the girl creature.


    Oh God, my life is going to be over. I was literally going to die on Thanksgiving, I just knew it.


    That was why I was both looking forward to and dreading that day. I just had to get through it and then I could go and spend the rest of the weekend with Makai.


    Oh, and a super fun thing that was going to happen, Makai was coming to dinner with us since his family was still out of town. It wasn''t him coming to dinner that had to be stressful. No, it was him coming to dinner with my siblings there.


    What the hell was I going to do?


    Before I knew it, that next week and a half passed. It was a blur of studying with Makai at my house, school, practices, and the next to last swim meet before the break in the season. The whole ten day prep period I had before having to deal with my siblings had ended way too soon.


    When I woke up on the morning of Thanksgiving, I felt the dread starting to settle over me, and due to the dread, I felt like I was moving slower than usual. I took a shower so slowly that I thought I had become a zombie now instead of a Siren.


    When I dressed I thought odd things to myself like:


    ''What do you wear on the last day of your life?''


    ''What would my judge, jury, and executioner like for me to wear for them this time?''


    ''Can you die from nervousness?''


    Of course, there were a few good thoughts in there.


    ''What would Makai like me to wear?''


    ''What is Makai going to wear? What if we matched? Would that be good or bad?''


    ''What is he doing right now?''


    Honestly, it was the positive thoughts about Makai that got me through my morning. Well, that and the text message that said he was on his way over. I knew that if he already sent the message, it meant that he was in the car. He would have sent it just before leaving his place. That means that he would be here any minute.


    Now that I was dressed, I ran down the stairs and into the living room. I was going to be the one that opened the door, just in case someone else happened to arrive at the same time as him. Thankfully though, when I pulled the door open he was the only one there.


    "Good morning." He smiled and nearly purred the words at me.


    "Good morning." I grinned back at him.


    Once he was inside, I felt my nerves spike through the roof. My siblings were going to be here any minute now. And they always rode together. Deliah and Julie were both attending the same school, Julie was a Junior and Deliah was in her second year of Grad School. And Grantham''s house was not far from their school so he always ended up driving them back for the holidays.


    While I waited, I was pacing the house, making a path through the kitchen, the living room, the dining room and the hallway. I knew that I was probably annoying my parents, or maybe not, since my dad was trying not to laugh and mom was ignoring me completely.


    While I was stressed and pacing, Makai had gone to the kitchen to help my mom cook. He wasn''t just good at cooking, he loved to cook, and Mom was taking full advantage of that. She had Makai dicing vegetables and prepping different things that would be cooked.


    Whenever I made my pacing trek through the kitchen, I would watch him as he worked. I loved seeing him cook because he was always so happy whenever he was cooking. That look in his eyes, the way they lit up, it was the cutest thing ever.


    "Stop wearing a rut on the floor." Dad yelled out at me on my twelfth pass through the living room. "Sit down and relax before you give yourself an aneurysm."


    "I just can''t relax." I told him the truth, but I didn''t tell him the reason why it was the truth.


    "I know." He laughed at me. "But I am sure that your brother and sisters will be nice enough to your boyfriend."


    I blushed crimson red when my dad said those words. That was the first time that I had heard one of my parents refer to Makai as my boyfriend. When the hell did he just start saying that like it wasn''t something major. I mean, I was glad that he and Mom approved, but I had just never heard them say that, at least I don''t remember it. There might have been times when I was too stressed to remember it all fully.


    "Come here and sit down." Dad patted the cushion next to him. I want to talk.


    "Hahh." I sighed and did as he asked. I knew this was better than pacing but sitting didn''t help with the antsy feeling that was boiling inside of me.


    "Talk to me son, why are you so worried about your brother and sisters meeting Makai?"


    "W..well, I''m just worried that they are going to make fun of me and turn it into a big joke."


    I looked my dad in the eyes now, letting him know what it was that I had been afraid of for the last week and a half.


    "Ocean." He shook his head at me. "I know that your siblings can be a little much at times, but you know they love you, right? Why do you think that they would turn this into a joke?"


    Dad just didn''t get it. He didn''t understand that they were nice, but they joked around a lot. Usually it was fine, but I didn''t want them turning my love life into their own personal joke. I want them to get along with Makai and I want things to continue to go well with us all for a long time.


    "I think you''re overreacting." Dad finally said when he realized that I wasn''t going to answer.


    At precisely that moment the doorbell rang. My time had run out. They were here.


    Dad got to his feet to answer the door and I rose too, but I didn''t head toward the door. I went to stand by the door to the kitchen.


    I knew that Mom would be out here in a moment and that there would be a lot of excitement at the door for a few moments. After that, they would all come looking for me. Is it too late to run away?


    Mom ran past me into the living room and over to the door. She was squealing happily and I heard her comment on the size of Rachel, my sister in-law''s belly.


    "Oh, it looks like you could pop at any moment, I can''t believe that you still have two months to go."


    "Yeah, it''s exciting."


    I did my best to tune them out, I was trying not to panic and I knew that I was failing miserably. At that moment I felt Makai wrap his arm around my waist from behind. He was offering me his comfort and support with just his touch.


    I lowered my guard for just a moment and turned to smile at him. That was when the party near the door moved into view of me.


    "Oh my God!"


    "Huh?"


    "Hmm."


    I turned to look at them. Julie was looking at me knowingly. I had a feeling Mom told her what they suspected on my birthday. However, Deliah and Grantham were looking at me with wide eyes.

 Chapter 116 - Ocean - Thanksgiving Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Well now, this is an interesting update." Deliah sounded surprised, but she grinned at me nonetheless.


    "Hmm." Grantham hummed again, as he looked between me and Makai, who had stepped away from me just a little bit when he noticed my family.


    That didn''t help at all though, since they had already seen his arm around my waist and the loving way I was looking into his eyes.


    "Hmm." Grantham hummed again as he looked between us, but this time there was a smile forming on his lips. Every time that he looked between us the smile seemed to grow bigger and bigger.


    After a moment or two, long after it had become uncomfortable, my sister in-law, Rachel, broke the near perfect silence in the house.


    "Ocean, I am so happy to see you." She came waddling toward me, her huge baby belly swaying from side to side.


    "I..i..it''s good to see you t..t..too Rachel." I stuttered as she hugged me. My wary eyes were still on my three siblings as they watched us.


    "And, who is this? You should introduce us to your boyfriend." She turned and smiled at Makai who was next to me.


    "It is lovely to meet you, Rachel. I have heard about you, but not enough. My name is Makai, and I am indeed Ocean''s boyfriend."


    "Makai!?" I snapped at him.


    "I knew it." Deliah clapped her hands while giggling.


    "Really?" Grantham smirked.


    "Haha, so it is true." Julie looked like she was about to start bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. My face was beet red and felt like it was about to catch on fire.


    My embarrassment didn''t stop those around me though. My three siblings came forward and started to greet my ass hat of a boyfriend that was standing right next to me.


    "It''s nice to meet you, Makai." Deliah was there first, her hand taking his and holding it as she shook it up and down. "I am Ocean''s older sister, and I am super sad to say that I have not heard anything about you."


    "I haven''t heard anything other than that you were his friend." Julie was pushing her way froward and trying to get Makai''s attention. "I wish you would have said something on his birthday, I would have been able to prepare everyone for this momentous day."


    Well, at least they were all leaving me alone for the moment. I was too scared and nervous for all of this. Makai, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the attention that my siblings were giving him. He was a natural when it came to talking to people and handling stressful situations.


    "To be fair, Julie, the last time we met was just after the start of our relationship. I wouldn''t have been able to tell you then because we were still figuring things out for ourselves." Makai''s smile was perfect. How was it that he could be so cool under pressure like this? Sometimes, I was jealous of him for things like this. Maybe if I was around him enough, I would be able to learn how to be more calm, cool, and collected.


    "So, baby brother, what happened here?" Grantham, who hadn''t said anything to Makai as of yet, was standing in front of me with a curious look on his face.


    "W..wh..wh..what are you t..t..talking a..a..about?" I stuttered as he looked at me intensely.


    "Why are you so nervous, baby brother?" He grinned at me. "You never used to stutter like this."


    "I..I..I..I don''t kn..kn..know what you''re t..t..talking about." Yeah, that was so not convincing or smooth at all.


    "Oh, Ocean started stuttering after his head injury. Then again, we''re pretty sure that''s about the same time that he started to fall for Makai''s charms so it could be that too."


    "DAD!" I snapped at him as he smiled across the room at me.


    "What? I''m just trying to be helpful." He winked at me.


    "Yeah, well, find a better way to do it."


    "Fine, fine, whatever. Come on everyone. Your mother and Makai worked extra hard on the food today, it''s time to eat."


    It was only a little after one in the afternoon, but our family would have the meal early and spend the rest of the day talking and eating more. This way we could all be lazy and let the turkey coma overtake us.


    The whole family seated themselves around the table, mom and dad sitting at the ends and opposite each other, my three siblings and sister in-law on one side so that they could stare at me and Makai, who was sitting next to me. I could already tell that this was going to be an exceptionally awkward meal.


    "So, Makai, my dad said you helped to cook for us." Grantham was the first one to start the questions when we were at the table.


    "Yes, my parents are often out of town, so I learned to cook for myself." His answer was short, to the point, and modest.


    "But he''s leaving out that his family had a staff that can cook for him, but he prefers to do it himself." Mom smiled at me and Makai like there was a hidden meaning there.


    "A staff? Really?" Deliah looked shocked at those words.


    "So your family is loaded with money then?" Julie smiled at him.


    "They do quite well for themselves." Makai nodded. "I guess you would consider us rich, even though that is not how I saw it when I was growing up."


    "Modesty will get you nowhere with them." Rachel smiled at him. "They will get all the details they can from you. They did the same thing to me."


    "Good to know, thank you Rachel."


    "He sure is polite." Grantham said looking at my boyfriend. "What the hell are you doing with my brother then? That little jerk isn''t that polite." He laughed and so did both of my sisters.


    "I don''t know, he seems polite enough to me." Makai was defending me to them, and still, I hadn''t said much at all.


    "Really?" Grantham''s eyes went wide. "Does that mean you were able to tame him and turn him from a feral beast into a gentle housecat?"


    "I am not a cat!" I snapped at him.


    "Of course you''re not, Ocean." Deliah smiled at me and leaned forward to pat my hand on the table. "You''re a dog. Or hasn''t Makai seen your true side yet?"


    When I heard her words I blushed fiercely, and it didn''t help that Makai actually answered that question of hers.


    "Oh, I have seen all of his sides, and I assure you that I love all of them very much."


    I buried my face and wanted to die right then and there. The cacophony of sound that came from their explosion of excitement and the resulting questions was enough to make me want to just drop dead.


    "Seriously? So you''ve already moved onto that part of your relationship?" Grantham sounded shocked and seemed to be in a state of disbelief.


    "Oh my God, Ocean. Really? I am so happy for you." Julie was her usual happy-go-lucky self.


    "Ocean! Did Mom and Dad know about this?"


    "We knew." Mom sounded approving.


    "Yeah, we already knew." Dad laughed.


    "Just fucking kill me now!" I said into my hands.


    "Watch your mouth young man." Mom snapped at me.


    "Seriously?" I sat up and looked at her. "I''m the one being reprimanded?" I couldn''t believe this.


    "You''re the one using foul language." She continued to reprimand me when I asked about it.


    "Fine. I won''t use that language right now, but seriously, why do you all have to make fun of me?"


    "We''re not making fun of you, Ocean." Julie looked at me with shock in her eyes.


    "That''s right, we''re happy for you and want to get to know your boyfriend." Deliah smiled at me.


    "They''re right. We''re not making fun of you, Ocean. We love you, want to support you, but we were also not told about this in advance so we''re taking the time to get to know this whole situation." Grantham was being kind, or at least it sounded like it.


    "S..so..so y..y..y..you''re not upset or disgusted to find out that I..I..I..I''m- that I''m gay?" It took me a minute to get that question out but I finally managed it.


    "Why would we be?"


    "Stop stressing so much."


    "We all love you, why would we care."


    "Ocean, I may not be your sister or brother, I''m only your sister in-law, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that as long as you''re happy then we''re happy for you." Rachel and all the others gave me their support.


    "See Ocean, you didn''t have anything to worry about." Makai looked at me and I smiled back at him.


    "Yeah, I guess you''re right."


    Right then, Makai leaned in and kissed my cheek. Julie, Deliah, Rachel, and Mom all squealed in delight when they saw that little move. Oh God, now I wanted to just disappear from sight. Stupid Makai.

 Chapter 117 - Ocean - Thanksgiving Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Thankfully, no one really said anything about Makai kissing my cheek. I guess they just saw it as part of the course since we were dating and all. Still, I was embarrassed by the looks on their faces. I swear my sisters and mom saw it as the cutest thing ever.


    The rest of the meal went really well, all things considered. Though, there was a time following the meal that made me really, really embarrassed. That was when my family started to ask questions about our relationship. Let''s just say that my sisters knew more about gay relationships than I thought.


    "So, Ocean, talk to us, tell us everything." Julie pulled me onto the couch to sit between her and Deliah.. I was just looking over at Makai helplessly. Silently begging him to save me. Thankfully, he sat in the chair across from us. Not so thankfully, my parents, brother, and sister in-law also came to sit in the room with us.


    "W..w..w..wh..what do you want to know?" I asked Julie apprehensively.


    "Don''t be so shy, baby Ocean, we just want to know all about your relationship with Makai." I gulped, the fear causing me to hyper salivate, or was that the urge to vomit causing that? Oh well, the fear was causing the nausea, so it was all the same thing.


    "L..l..like what?" I shrugged, pretending not to understand what she wanted from me.


    "Well¡­" Julie looked at me deviously. "Who asked who out? Who started this whole thing between you? I mean, my brother used to have a girlfriend so how is it he went from having one of the most sought after girls in school to playing for the opposite team?"


    "Maybe Britt the bitch was horrible in bed." Dad laughed at his own response.


    "DAD!" I yelled at him.


    "What?" He looked like there wasn''t an issue at all.


    "I never slept with that skank." I admitted to my whole family.


    "Oooh, scandalous. Why not? If you''ve already done that with Makai, then you''re not exactly virtuous. Oh, maybe Britt the skanky bitch was more honorable than we ever thought." Deliah added as she scooted closer to me.


    "She never wanted to have sex, so we never did." I admitted, not even embarrassed by it. "But, considering what happened, I am glad I never did. She''s a fucking bitch."


    "I just love this family''s vocabulary. You can hardly tell that we''re secretly pirates with how pristinely they speak." Mom glared at me as she spoke with full on sarcasm.


    "Sorry." We all said, even Dad who had been swearing as well.


    "I will allow it for right now. That bitch was a fucking whore, and I don''t like what she did to my baby boy."


    "MOM!" The four of us stared at her in shock. Dad, however, was laughing with his head thrown back and Makai and Rachel were trying to silence their suppressed laughter.


    "What?" Mom acted as if nothing had happened. "Let''s continue." She made a rolling gesture with her hand telling us to get a move on.


    "Whatever." Deliah rolled her eyes. "Can someone explain to us exactly what happened with Britt the skanky bitch?"


    So Makai, as helpful as he always was, regaled them all with the events that led to me and Brittney breaking up.


    "So, does that mean that you have been chasing him ever since?" Grantham asked Makai with a smirk on his face.


    "I had actually been trying to catch his attention from the day I first met him. For me it was love at first sight." Makai grinned at me as he spoke.


    "What about you, baby brother?" Grantham looked at me. "When did you fall for Makai?" I knew that I couldn''t keep from answering their questions, they wouldn''t let me stay silent for long.


    "W..well I uh, I..I uhm, I think that I started to fall for him before Brittney d..dumped me. I..I..I th..thought about him a..a..a lot. I..I would h..h..have dreams about him, a..and things like that."


    "Awe, that is so sweet." Rachel looked as if I had just melted her heart.


    "I think so too." Makai looked at me but his eyes didn''t say he thought it was sweet, he was clearly excited by that revelation.


    "So, who made the first move?"


    "MOM!?" I couldn''t believe that she was the one to ask that.


    "What? I don''t need details. I just want to know." She looked at me with sweet eyes.


    "Well, to be honest Mrs. Shores, Ocean made the first move, but he didn''t know it."


    "Oh, do tell." Julie leaned in with excitement in her eyes. That led to Makai telling them about the night on the beach.


    "Yeah, but the first conscious move was you." I snapped at him.


    "I didn''t deny that." He turned to look at me. "And that is a moment that I would love to keep private, just between the two of us." He winked at me and my sisters squealed.


    "Oh, why do I get the feeling that my brother is the bottom right now?" I was burning red as I listened to the conversation delve into the intricate roles between tops and bottoms and those that switch it up. At least, right now, my sisters were doing all the talking and I was able to slip away from them all. I couldn''t handle any more of that.


    After a few minutes, Makai came into the kitchen to check on me. He didn''t say anything, he just hugged me and held me close. We didn''t need words at that moment. We just needed each other. I knew Makai loved me and I knew my family loved me. I was the one that got embarrassed way too easily.


    After a while we went back out to the living room. No one asked us why we had left or what we had been doing and that was a relief. I think that they knew I needed to get away for a minute.


    It was time for my siblings to leave though, so we all walked to the door and gave hugs.


    "Take care, baby brother." Grantham said as he hugged me.


    "Come see us soon, when the baby is here." Rachel held onto me next.


    "I''m happy for you, baby Ocean." Deliah said as she came over next.


    "Don''t get so embarrassed, your life is yours and no one can ever make you feel bad about that. We love you and are happy for you." Julie was the last one to hug me.


    I also noticed that all of my siblings were hugging Makai as well.


    "Welcome to the family." Grantham first shook Makai''s hand then pulled him into a hug.


    "I am happy that Ocean has you." Rachel hugged him as well.


    "Be good to my brother." Deliah was next.


    "If you''re not good to him you''ll have to answer to us. But you seem like a good guy, so we''re OK." Julie both threatened and hugged him.


    Now that they were gone and the door was shut, I noticed a look on my mom''s face. Was she angry or sad about something? The look on her face was sort of a mix of both of those.


    "Come with us boys, we need to talk." Oh God, this didn''t sound good at all.


    The four of us went back into the living room, where we had spent most of the day. Mom and Dad sat together, holding hands. Makai and I sat across from them. And to make it more intimate, Makai put his arm around my shoulders.


    "Look, there is no easy way for me to say this." Mom was already making me nervous.


    "A..a..are you going to tell us that we have to break up or stop seeing each other?" I could hear the panic in my voice. I just knew that I couldn''t do that, it would kill me.


    "No!"


    "Not at all!" My parents immediately denied it.


    "Then what is going on?" I was confused by this.


    "Ocean, we love you. You are our baby boy. We want you to be happy, but what will make you happy isn''t the life that you have right now." I wasn''t following my mom''s words at the moment, so I looked over at my dad.


    "Look Ocean, we know you''ve been miserable since you came home. You''ve been back for less than three weeks and it''s clear to us that you are upset and miserable every day. We may not like it, but we understand that you don''t want to live with us anymore."


    "That''s right. We can see that you''re much happier when you''re living with Makai. It pains us to see you so upset by not being with him."


    "What are you saying?" I couldn''t process this right now, and when I looked at Makai I saw that he was confused as well.


    "What we''re saying, boys, is that you can live together again. We want you to be happy Ocean, and you too Makai. We know how hard this last week and a half has been on you. It''s been heart wrenching to see you so broken, Ocean." Mom was almost in tears.


    "B..but, if I live with him then you''ll be upset. I don''t want to see you cry."


    "We would have had to deal with this next year anyway. You were going to go off to college soon enough. This way, we can ease into the empty nest." Mom was smiling at me, but I could see the tears threatening to call at any moment.


    "What do you mean by ease into it?" Makai asked them.


    "Well, Makai, Ocean''s mom and I would like for the two of you to come to dinner with us once a week. That way we still get some family time."


    "That is more than doable." Makai smiled at my dad and nodded his head.


    "Are you sure about this?" I asked them once more. This might make me happy but it was going to make them miserable.


    "Yes, Ocean, we are sure. We''ve thought about it for a while now and we''re ready to let you go for now. But we want you two doing good in school and keeping up with practice. This isn''t some full time party that we''re giving you."


    "Absolutely, Mrs. Shores." Makai was nodding along with her. "Just like the last time that we stayed together, we will both make sure that we are responsible and do what needs to be done."


    "Thank you, Makai. I knew that we could count on you."


    My parents were giving me such a bittersweet look that it nearly made me cry. I had not expected that they would do this. I was happy, but I was also sad as well.


    "Come on, son. Let''s go pack up your room." My dad offered to help. That would be bad, considering what was in there. I didn''t need them to see the contents of a certain drawer.


    "I think Ocean and I can manage it, Mr. Shores." Makai answered for me.


    "I get it. Well, pack what you don''t want me to see then I will come in to help you. I am a man and I know that men have things that they don''t want parents to see in their rooms.


    "Yes sir. We will take care of that first." Makai nodded at him.


    "There are boxes ready for you in the spare room. We wanted to be prepared in advance."


    "Yes Ma''am." Makai nodded again to my mom''s words.


    For the next hour my parents and I packed up the things in my room. I was taking everything aside from my furniture with me. And you know that my mom wouldn''t let me just throw everything into a box. It needed to be done neatly.


    When I was all packed my parents hugged me, a lot. They told me that they loved me, a lot. And they told me to be good and come home once per week. This was surreal and felt way different than the last time I left with Makai.


    It was a good thing that we were taking both my car and Makai''s. We needed both of them to carry all of my stuff to Makai''s house. Once we got there, we unloaded the boxes but decided to unpack tomorrow. It was late and there had been a lot of stuff that had happened today.


    "Come on, Ocean. You look like you''re about to fall asleep on your feet." Makai supported half of my weight as he guided me up the stairs to his room. No, our room.


    We both stripped down to our boxers, our preferred way to sleep, and laid down. Makai held me in his arms as I started to drift off to sleep.


    "I''m happy." I heard his words when I was on the edge of sleep. "I get to hold you every night now." His words made me grin but I was too tired to respond.


    This was the start of a whole new life for me.

 Chapter 118 - Makai – Living Together

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The day after Thanksgiving, Ocean and I spent the day reorganizing my room. Or should I call it ''our room'' now. He was officially living with me now. We were sharing a room. I would be able to fall asleep with him in my arms every night. There was no need to be so frantic and have as much sex as possible anymore because it wasn''t like he was going to be going ''back home'' anymore. He was home.


    Ocean only brought his belongings and no furniture because that was all that was needed. I had some spare room in the dressers, but I think we were going to need some more. There was plenty of room for his stuff in the closet, for the things that needed to be hung up. But I think I should have another dresser or two of the same style delivered soon.. All I needed to do was call the same place that we bought this one from a few months ago. That was easy enough.


    There were some things that could share space. Like our books and DVDs, those could be put on the same shelves. Our secret drawer stash just got a little bit bigger when I added his supplies to it. All of our bathroom stuff fit just fine in my medicine cabinet. It was all going really well. Oh, and apparently, his parents were going to take care of the change of address for him, so that he could get his mail here from now on. The only thing that Ocean was going to need to do was go to the DMV and change his license. That was simple enough.


    All in all, the whole process of having him move in with me was quick and simple. And I never once thought that Ocean''s parents would give us permission to do this. I was glad that they did though, it was literally killing the both of us to live apart from each other, especially after that first week together. Being without each other was making us both miserable.


    We didn''t do anything special the first day that we lived together. It was a Friday but there was no school, so we basically just went to the store to shop for some groceries and replenish some supplies. We needed food for the two of us for the next week or so, plus some personal items. I knew that Ocean didn''t want anyone to know that we were living together yet, that would cause issues, so we were going to need to come up with excuses for why we were together all the time when we went out, that or we would have to shop alone, and I didn''t want to do that, I wanted to spend time with my love.


    Today''s excuse was going to be that I helped him last time, so he was helping me this time, payback and all that. While we were out, I was with the shopping cart while Ocean went to get a new bottle of shampoo for our bathroom. It had been taking him a long time so I decided to go and check on him.


    "Is this it?" I heard Ocean''s voice. Was he asking himself a question out loud?


    "Yeah, yeah, that''s the address. You still have it, that''s good." I heard another guy''s voice on the other side of the aisle with him and it made me pause for a minute.


    "OK, and what time?" Ocean asked the other guy.


    "Any time after seven would be fine. We''re good until at least midnight, so no rush."


    "Alright, sounds good. See you later, Gio." I heard Ocean start to walk away so I started moving to catch up to him. I didn''t mean to listen in on the conversation, but I knew what they were talking about anyway, so it wasn''t like it was a secret.


    "Hey." I called out to Ocean as he was about to pass right by me.


    "Oh, hey." He smiled and ran over to me.


    "So, Giovani was reminding you about the party tomorrow?" I asked him, letting him know that I had heard them talking.


    "Yeah, he caught up to me when I was grabbing this." He said as he put the shampoo in the cart. "Did you get worried about me? Thinking I got lost like a little kid?" He laughed and shook his head at me.


    "Well, you are my baby, just not that kind of baby" I lowered my voice so that only he could hear me, and I saw that his face went instantly red when he heard the words. "Yup, that is a good look for you."


    "You''re an ass hat." He snapped  and turned away from me. "What do we need next?" He asked as he tried his best to not look at me.


    We finished the shopping without running into anyone else and that was good. After getting home, I started to show Ocean some of the things that I had never showed him before. Like where some of the supplies we had bought at the store were supposed to be put. While we were doing that, I got a call on my phone and left him to put the rest of it away.


    "Makai." It was the maid that had come with us from Florida. "Your parents pay us to do our jobs, at least let us do them once in a while."


    "Fine, you can come and clean up three times a week at most." I had actually been thinking about this as well. I knew that my parents would prefer for me to have them here as well.


    "Good, and as for meals? Are you even eating?"


    "I am eating, Janice, I am. Hahh." I told her then sighed into the phone. "You can tell Yvette that she can come the same days that you do. But you need to be aware that I am not living alone anymore." I told her and immediately heard her cooing into the phone.


    "Ooooh! And just who is it that you have living there with you?"


    "My boyfriend is living with me." I decided to not beat around the bush at all. "And before you ask, yes my parents already gave their permission. They quite like him and approve wholeheartedly of our relationship."


    "I am so happy for you, Makai. I have wondered when you were going to find someone that you liked. You''ve been alone for a while, and I know that you had a broken heart after that last relationship of yours. As long as you are happy, Makai, the rest of us are too. I will tell Yvette about the new schedules, please text us and let us know what days you want us over."


    "I will. Have a good night, Janice."


    "Who was that?" Ocean asked as he put the last item away when I walked into the kitchen.


    "The maid. She wants to do her job." I laughed and shook my head.


    "Ahh, I can understand that. She doesn''t want to get fired after all."


    "I guess not. Well, I told her that she can come to clean three times a week and that Yvette, the chef, can come on the same days. So, that will make it so we only need to fend for ourselves three days a week."


    "Don''t you mean four?" He looked confused.


    "Nope, one night is for your parents." I reminded him.


    "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that." He laughed and rubbed the back of his head like he was embarrassed by the slip up.


    "Yeah, we can''t forget those weekly dinners. If we did, I am certain that your mom would kill us, well one of us. Me or you, whoever they deem to be at fault. Possibly both, since the other one of us would be an accessory to the crime."


    Ocean was laughing now, his embarrassment gone. I was always happy to see him smiling and happy. His smile was capable of brightening up my whole day.


    That day, after shopping, we tried to figure out what our new normal routine would be. We talked about what would be best days for the staff to come and whether we should both drive to school or just one of us. We finally settled on the fact that we would alternate driving our cars, that way it was like we were switching off on who was picking up who. Whatever we needed to do to make people think that we weren''t living together we would do it.


    Aside from planning and brainstorming, we just hung out like we usually did. That was another good thing about us as well. No matter what Ocean and I did, going out or staying in, we were always having a good time with each other. That was, in my opinion, the mark of a truly good relationship. When you didn''t need to do something to keep the love and excitement there, that was when you knew that you were with the right person. And I was so glad that I had already found him.

 Chapter 119 - Makai - Getting Ready For The Party

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Our second full day of living together was the day of the party that Ocean had been invited to. I had basically invited myself to the party with him because he seemed too nervous to go alone and, well, I was jealous of my boyfriend going to a party alone. I didn''t want anyone to try something with him. I may be overreacting just a little bit, but I didn''t care. I wanted to be there with him.


    "Makai? What should I even wear to this damn party?" Ocean was calling out to me as we got out of the shower and walked back into the bedroom. The shower had been a joint one, but it had been innocent because we had to get ready for the party. Ocean didn''t want to arrive too early, but he didn''t want to be too late. He was so cute when he was worrying about things like this.


    "Well, just try to look cool yet casual.." I called out to him as I followed him into our joint closet. I nearly laughed at the thought of where we were, and he noticed.


    "What''s so funny?" He asked me as he pulled the towel from around his waist.


    "Nice view." I grinned at him.


    "I know, but that''s not what I asked you." He tossed the towel into the hamper and started to search through the clothes.


    "Well, I was laughing because we''re in the closet together and, well, that''s what we are when it comes to everyone aside from our family." I saw him blush so red that his ears were like cherries and the staining went all the way down his chest and back. It was convenient that he was turned to the side, and I could just barely see both sides of him.


    "You''re so..so..so..-"


    "Sexy?" I pulled my towel off and threw it to land in the hamper with his while I moved closer to give him a sexy little private dance.


    "Annoying." He laughed. "I would rather go with annoying."


    "Really? I think you quite enjoy this." I said as I slid my hand behind his head and kissed him quickly.


    "Enough, we don''t really have time for this." He pulled his lips away when I broke the kiss, but he was making no effort to get away from me.


    "Yeah, yeah, I know." I smirked at him. "I just wanted to have a little fun. And as far as clothes go, here, wear this one." I pulled a shirt from my side of the closet and handed it to him. "It will go great with your eyes and hair." The shirt was a button up that was navy blue, and it had one wide red stripe just to the right of the middle. The stitching on the pocket was the same red as the stripe. It was a casual button up shirt that would be just fine for the party.


    "And what are you going to wear?" He asked me as he held the shirt against his chest.


    "I will wear this one." I said as I pulled down a black button up that had two thin dark green stripes on either side of the front. There was no pocket on my shirt, so while they had similarities, they were different enough that people wouldn''t think that I had coordinated them for us.


    "OK. So, just this and a pair of jeans?" He asked as he started out of the closet.


    "Yeah, here, these ones that I bought you when we were out will be good." They were designer jeans, black, and cut to suit his body well.


    "Thanks." He smiled at me and took the clothes that I gave him out to the bedroom. He was so fucking adorable. How did he not know how fucking adorable he was just then?


    I took my clothes then and went to join him in the room. I wasn''t going to miss out on seeing his cute body even for a second. I wanted to watch him get dressed.


    After we were dressed and our hair was styled, there was nothing else for us to do before the party. So, we were getting ready to leave and head to dinner before going to Giovani''s party. We went out to that same Italian restaurant that we went to that night after the tournament, the one where I stupidly let that waiter flirt with me.


    I had chosen this restaurant because of the abundance of good food that you got from them. I didn''t think that we would end up with the same waiter, though. So, imagine my surprise when Jonah came over to the table.


    He obviously recognized me though, because he was smiling happily as soon as he saw me.


    "Well, hello there." His whole face was lit up like some Christmas display. "I didn''t think that I would ever see you again. You never called me."


    "I never said I was going to call you. I never asked for your number." I informed him, making sure that I was going to keep my distance from him this time.


    "But I know that you wanted to go out with me. Why else would you have flirted with me so much?" He winked at me.


    "I am sorry about that, I was basically using you to make someone else jealous. I wanted them to admit their feelings to me."


    "Well, if you want to make that person jealous, it helps to have that person here with you." He giggled and came up next to me. Just as he slid his arm around me and intensified his flirting, Ocean stood up.


    "The person was there, asshole. And they are here again. Now get your hands off." He kept his voice low but there was no one else around. The part of the restaurant that we were in was basically empty, so it was just the three of us.


    "Oh, is that so?" Jonah eyed Ocean with a curious gaze. "I thought you had a girlfriend, Ocean. Do your parents know about this?" He was making threats that I wasn''t going to allow.


    "They do, and they accept us both the way that we are. If you''re thinking that you can make threats to get me to be with you instead, then you''re sorely mistaken." I glared at him. "And I will have you know, that my parents could buy this restaurant in the blink of an eye, so if you don''t want to find yourself without a job or worse, I suggest you do your job and stop trying to sexually harass your customers."


    "Fine." He rolled his eyes. "What can I get you?" He flipped open his leather bound order pad.


    "A new waiter." Ocean snapped at him as he sat back down. "I don''t want to deal with you right now."


    "That sounds like a good idea to me." I nodded at Ocean''s words.


    "Whatever." Jonah left as soon as we told him that he wasn''t wanted anymore.


    A minute or two later, the manager came by before another waiter did. He asked what the issue was so we told him, or should I say that Ocean did, and it made my heart skip a beat.


    "Young Mr. Shores, what seems to be the problem? I know that you haven''t had an issue with Jonah in the past, so what happened this evening?"


    "You want to know? He put his arm around my boyfriend and made a sexual pass at him. Then, when I told him to take his hands off he threatened to tell my parents about my relationship, which they already know about, by the way. I did not appreciate his rudeness as well as his threats."


    "My, my, that was not nice of him. I promise you that you will not have to deal with that any longer. I can just get you a different waiter every time or I can take further action. Your parents are very dear friends of mine, I don''t want to see this happening to you again."


    "I don''t think he needs to be fired unless he causes more issues in the future." Ocean said in response to the manager''s words, "As long as I do not have to deal with him, I think I will be fine."


    "That is more than understandable. I will send over someone new to take care of you, and your meal is on the house tonight."


    "Thank you, Roberto, that is nice of you."


    We were finally able to order our meal and enjoy a nice dinner after that conversation. Our new waiter, Humberto, was a lot nicer and more professional. He was apparently Roberto''s nephew and was part of the family that owned the restaurant. The food we ordered came out quickly, and was accompanied by free side dishes and dessert. They were taking care of us because of the family connections. That was nice. However, I didn''t like the idea of the meal being free, I liked to pay my way, so I left an obscenely large tip for Humberto to let them know that it wasn''t the restaurant that we had a problem with, just Jonah.


    Now that we had eaten our fill and were stuffed with lots of yummy food, it was time to go to the party. I was getting nervous for some reason, and I could tell that Ocean was too. He wasn''t used to this situation and I just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. I just didn''t know why I suspected something at all, I just did.

 Chapter 120 - Ocean - The Party Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was still trying to come to terms with the fact that I had said that stuff at the restaurant. I could only hope that Jonah didn''t know anyone that I know. I could only hope that he wouldn''t be able to tell people and then my secret with Makai would get out.


    It''s not that I was ashamed of being with Makai. I love him and I want to be with him forever, so shame has nothing to do with it at all. No, the reason I want to keep it a secret is that I know how cruel people are and I don''t want them to start causing problems for Makai and me.. That wouldn''t be fair to the man that I loved or me. Neither of us deserved their ridicule.


    And what if they tried to kick us out of the swim team? What would happen if we told everyone, and they wouldn''t let us be on the team anymore? No, for now it was best to just keep it a secret.


    I still wanted to be with him. I wanted to go out and do things with him, and it pained me that we needed to lie and make excuses about it. Dammit, why was it such a fucking Catch 22? [1]  Why can''t life just be a lot easier?


    When Makai drove down the street where the party was taking place, I could tell that there were a lot of people here. There was hardly anywhere to park on the street. We had to park at least half a mile from the house and walk the rest of the way there. And, the music was so loud that I was surprised that the neighbors hadn''t already called the cops about it. Then again, there might be several of them that were gone for the weekend because of the holiday.


    There were strobe lights coming from inside the house and the door was just standing open. I guess Giovani and his parents didn''t care who walked in right now. Oh well, I was just here for a little bit. I would enjoy the party for a bit then head home with Makai.


    "You made it!" Almost immediately after walking inside, Giovani ran up to us and yelled out to me over the music. "I wasn''t sure you were going to come, I''m glad you did." Gio was looking right at me when he spoke. "It''s nice to see you too, Kai." He said finally looking at Makai, but his eyes were back on me almost immediately. "It''s been a long time since you were here, hasn''t it?" Giovani threw his arm around my shoulder and started to walk deeper into the house while talking to me.


    "Yeah, not since eighth grade." I laughed as I thought about it.


    Giovani and I used to hang out all the time. We were the best of friends at one point, always in the same class since elementary school. But when he went to an opposing high school it changed things. We started to argue whenever we saw each other with our teammates, and we ended up at the point where we stopped texting or calling each other.


    At that point in time, it was hard to separate our friendship from our teams'' rivalries. I think it was the peer pressure of it all that was part of it. If we mentioned someone from the enemy school, then we were given the third degree by the upperclassmen. After months of that as freshmen we just ended up adopting that mindset.


    I''m glad that now, since we are the upperclassmen, we can show everyone that you don''t have to give up on your old friends just because they''re your rivals. That rivalry could possibly make you better friends. That was my opinion anyway.


    "Come on, you got to talk and hang out with me for a while. Catch me up on what''s been going on with you. Weren''t you dating some chick? Who is she? How have things been?"


    "Well, I am not dating her anymore." I said as I looked to the side at Makai. He didn''t have a very happy look on his face and I thought I knew why, so I slid Giovani''s arm from around my shoulder and moved to stand in the middle of the two guys.


    "Really? What happened?" He looked at me with shock on his face.


    "You remember that meet when I got hurt?" I asked him, knowing that he should remember it, he was there after all.


    "Hells yeah man, that was scary as fuck. I have been meaning to ask you, how''s your head? You looked like you were going to die that day." I could see the wonder and worry warring in his eyes.


    "I''m fine. My head is good too, nothing at all to worry about. Anyway, the girl I was with broke up with me that day." I brought the memories back to the front of my mind.


    "Seriously? Don''t tell me it was before the meet and that was why you ended up getting hurt." Gio laughed at me as he spoke.


    "It was worse than that." I shook my head and laughed. "That bitch came to the hospital that afternoon and broke up with me because I didn''t come in first place."


    "Shit. That is fucked up. Who the hell does something like that?" He was laughing despite the words that he was saying.


    "A skanky one." Makai answered for me.


    "You got that right, Kai. She sounds awful."


    "Yeah, then she tried to come onto me. I turned her down and told her what she really was." Makai was grinning as he said that.


    "Yeah? And what was that?" Gio asked.


    "Trash."


    Giovani laughed, long and loud when Makai said that. He was laughing so hard that he was holding his chest and put a hand on my shoulder to hold himself up.


    "That''s fucking hilarious."


    Things seemed to be going alright for the moment. Talking with Gio was just as easy as it used to be. Makai seemed to be having a good time. And no one was giving us a hard time for being here. It was all going really well.


    After we had been there for a little bit, I heard Makai ask me something, his voice hard to hear over the pounding of the music.


    "I need a drink. Do you want to get something?"


    "Yeah, I can use a drink." I went to walk away with him, but Gio stopped me.


    "It''s only two drinks, you can handle that, right?" I could tell that Gio was trying to press for a reason why we should be going together.


    "Yeah, I can get them by myself." Makai smiled and nodded. "I''ll be back in a bit."


    "OK." I nodded at him as he turned to leave.


    "Hey, do you remember the sword display that my dad had?" I heard Gio''s words right next to my ear.


    "Yeah, I remember." I smiled at him. "That was one badass display." I was remembering the half a dozen swords that were displayed back when I was younger.


    "He got a lot more. Come on, let me show you." I felt him tug on my arm to get me to follow him.


    "What about Makai?" I asked him as I looked in the direction that Makai walk.


    "Don''t worry, we will be right back. Come on."


    "Alright." I nodded and turned to follow him.


    It took a minute to get through the crowd of people that was in our way. This party was a lot bigger than the ones that I threw, so there was a lot less room available to move around. But after a few minutes, we managed to make it to where I remembered his dad''s office to be.


    When we went inside Gio walked across and turned on the lamp by the desk instead of the overhead light. That was fine, the dimmer light was easier on my eyes after the strobes from the party.


    "Here, take a look." Gio was pointing at the wall where the swords were.


    "That''s fucking awesome."


    The swords on the wall were all different types from medieval looking broadswords to Japanese Katana. He had added at least eight more to his collection since I was a kid and there was also a mace and axe in an ''X'' pattern, a war hammer, and several shields. His dad had one hell of a collection.


    "Yeah, Dad has been getting more all the time. Mom just rolls her eyes at him when he gets a new one." I was standing at Gio''s side now as I looked up and down the wall with the collection on it.


    "This is awesome. I wish I had something like this."


    "You could see it more often, if you came over more." His voice was right next to my ear when he spoke.


    "Y..yeah, but we don''t really have a reason to hang out at each other''s houses anymore. We''re not kids anymore." I turned and backed away just a little.


    "Then we could do things that were never meant for kids." He grinned and continued walking towards me.


    "What are you talking about?" I asked him as I took another step away from him and felt myself run right into the wall with the swords on it.


    "Oh, come on Ocean, you know what I''m talking about. I''ve had my eye on you since we were eleven. That was how far back I knew what I wanted in life. And I''ve seen the way that you look at the guys around you lately. I know that you''re into the same things that I am. I''ve wanted you for years, man, and I can finally get that from you. I don''t know if I would call it being in love with you, but I have definitely been crushing on you."


    Gio''s smirking face was now right in front of me as he placed his hands on either side of my head. I had finally figured out what it was that he wanted and I needed to tell him to stop this.


    "No, Gio, you''re wrong. This isn''t something that we can do together. I don''t-."


    "Really?" He cut off my protesting words. "Well let''s just see first."


    Without another word he pressed his lips to mine and forced his tongue into my mouth. My brain reeled for a second. Just a second. That was all it took for me to come to my senses and start to push him away.


    However, I didn''t have to push him anymore. He was already gone, and behind him, I could see Makai, his hand still fisted in the back of Gio''s shirt.


    [1] A catch-22 is a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules or limitations. The term was coined by Joseph Heller, who used it in his 1961 novel Catch-22. An example is:


    "How can I get any experience until I get a job that gives me experience?" ¨C Brantley Foster in The Secret of My Success

 Chapter 121 - Makai - The Party Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The moment that Giovani had told me to go and get the drinks by myself I just knew that something was up. He was planning something, and I could just feel it. Ocean didn''t seem to see it though.


    At least Ocean had made Giovani take his arm off of him. That had pissed me off the moment that I saw it. I saw red and wanted to tear the guy''s head from his shoulders. I couldn''t do or say anything though, not with all these people here. Ocean didn''t want people at school to know what was between us and all of these people knew the people at our school. Causing a scene here was not an option.


    I was a good boy.. I left them there talking while I went to go get us a couple of drinks. I wasn''t going to be gone long. I was going to hurry to the kitchen and grab the first two non alcoholic drinks that I could find. After that, I was going to rush back to them to make sure that Giovani couldn''t do anything to my Ocean.


    There were way too many people at this party, and I was way too uncomfortable here. This was just not a good place for me. Still, I would stay until my boyfriend said that he wanted to leave.


    The kitchen was just as crowded. There were people everywhere, and everything looked like it had become one giant mess with the party goers trampling through the whole place.


    There, in a giant metal tub filled with ice, well, water and ice, were drinks. I grabbed a few cans of soda and hurried back the way that I had come. I hadn''t even been gone for three minutes yet. If the path would have been a little more clear it wouldn''t have even taken me that long.


    Even though I wasn''t gone all that long, no one was waiting for me when I got back. Ocean and Giovani were gone.


    "Where the hell did they go?" I growled the words but they went unheard because of the music that was blaring through the room.


    I started to look around the room, over the heads of most of the people that were there. I didn''t see them at all. They were in the main room for the party.


    "Dammit!" I growled it a little louder this time.


    "Hey!" Someone shouted over the music. It was a girl. She was short, pretty, with super short bubblegum pink hair that was spiked in every direction. "Are you looking for your friend?"


    "Yes. Did you see which way he went?" I yelled back at her.


    "Gio took him to the office." She was pointing toward the back of the room. "I heard him mention his dad''s collection. It''s pretty sweet."


    "Thank you." I nodded at her, and she smiled in an attempt to seduce me.


    "No problem, sexy. If you want to spend some time with me instead of him, I wouldn''t mind." She winked at me and started to move closer to me.


    "That sounds like a good offer, but he asked me to get him a drink. Let me take that to him first." I pretended like I was going to come back soon.


    "Hurry back, stud." She went back to dancing where she had been before and I hurried off in the direction that she had pointed.


    Pushing my way through the sea of people was harder this time than it had been last time. For every time that I made it past one person, it seemed like four more magically appeared in front of my face. Where the hell were they all coming from?


    I didn''t care where they came from, all that mattered to me was that I made it past them. It didn''t even matter who they were, I was pushing myself past them roughly, losing my patience and feeling like I was running out of time.


    Right as I reached the hall beyond the party, I heard the sounds of voices coming from the other side of a door halfway down. The door was cracked open, and I could see a soft light coming from inside the room.


    "No, Gio, you''re wrong. This isn''t something that we can do together. I don''t-." I heard Ocean''s voice. It sounded like he was trying to tell Giovani no. But ''no'' about what?


    "Really?" Giovani had cut him off. He interrupted Ocean with his arrogant words and his stupid annoying voice. "Well let''s just see first."


    What the hell was happening? That was what I thought as I pushed the door open and heard Ocean''s muffled voice.


    "Mmph."


    The sight that met me when I opened the door had my anger flaring. I saw Giovani pressing his lips to Ocean''s who looked like he was stunned and shocked. He had obviously not been expecting the kiss, his eyes were still open for crying out loud.


    I hurried across the room and grabbed the back of Giovani''s shirt. With one quick tug, I pulled him away right as Ocean''s arms went to push against the guy''s chest. Good, Ocean had not accepted his advances at all.


    "What the fuck?" Giovani yelled after I had pulled him away.


    "That is my line. What the fuck do you think you were doing?" I asked him as I let go of his shirt and went to stand next to Ocean.


    "This has nothing to do with you, Kai. This is between me and Ocean." He was looking at me with pure hatred in his eyes.


    "Did you not even notice that he didn''t want you to kiss him?" I growled the words at him like I was a fucking werewolf.


    "Really? I didn''t feel him trying to push me away." Giovani smirked at me. "Seems to me like he liked it."


    "Hell no!" Ocean snapped at him. "I was just about to push you away, but he pulled you away before I could."


    "You don''t need to lie for his benefit, Ocean." Giovani smiled and moved in close to him again, or at least he tried to.


    "Get the fuck away." I pushed him away from my Ocean before he could get that nasty, arrogant face anywhere near him. "Stay away from him." I snapped at him. "Don''t you dare fucking touch him again."


    "Really? And what''s it to you, Rivers?" He growled the words at me as he got up in my face next.


    "It''s none of your fucking business." I yelled at him as I pushed him back, freeing up my personal space.


    "Fuck that. If you want to come into my house and put your hands on me then you owe me an explanation." I saw rage in his eyes. I knew that he wasn''t going to let this go but I wasn''t about to blow the secret that Ocean was trying to protect.


    "Come on, Ocean." I said as I grabbed my boyfriend''s hand and started to pull him toward the door.


    "Oh, so that''s how it is." Giovani spit the words at me angrily. "You want what I want from him. So, you''re pushing me to the side. That''s not playing fair, Rivers." Giovani ran after me and pushed my shoulder hard enough to unbalance my steps. "I refuse to let you have him. He''s mine. I knew him first."


    "Don''t fucking push it, Giovani. You won''t like how this ends." I warned him as I turned to stand protectively in front of Ocean."


    "No, this needs to be fair. Let him make his choice. Let him decide who he chooses to let fuck him. That''s the best option here."


    I couldn''t help it, I lashed out. I ended up punching Giovani right in the face and watched as he fell to his ass, blood on his lip.


    "You fucking asshole." He yelled at me as he wiped the blood away from his lip.


    "No, the fucking asshole is you. All you care about is fucking him, you said so yourself. I am fucking happy as hell that I met him before he saw this part of you. Ocean doesn''t deserve that. He deserves love, affection, and all that comes with someone that loves him."


    "What?" Giovani looked between me and Ocean with wide eyes. It was like he couldn''t believe what he had just heard.


    "It''s true, Gio. I am with Makai. I am dating him, and I love him. That''s the truth of the matter."


    "I don''t fucking believe this." I watched as the guy that just moments ago was yelling at us angrily put his head in his hand and shook it while he laughed. "Yeah, I definitely missed out. Too bad." He started to get to his feet and I offered him a hand to help him. Thankfully he took it.


    "Gio?" Ocean looked worried.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean, I won''t tell anyone. That''s what you''re worried about, isn''t it? Otherwise, you would have told me that you were with Kai from the beginning, right?"


    "Yeah, I don''t want anyone to know." Ocean hung his head.


    "Yeah, there are some people at school that still have a problem with me being gay. I can understand you wanting to keep it a secret. I''m sorry for kissing you. I shouldn''t have done that." Giovani looked over at Ocean and leaned in just a little. "Just remember though, if you ever want to try someone new, you know where to find me."


    "We''re leaving." I said as I grabbed Ocean''s arm and pulled him away.


    I didn''t let go of Ocean at all until we were at the car. I had felt the anger ebbing when Giovani understood the situation, but he had to go and piss me off again when he leaned in like that.

 Chapter 122 - Makai – Jealousy (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "You drive." I was barely able to get the words out of my mouth. The anger was still raging inside of me and making it hard for me to think.


    "Makai?" Ocean asked me when he heard my voice.


    "I am too angry to drive." I told him as I dropped my keys in his hand. "Just get us home as quick as you can, Ocean."


    I could tell that I was likely to do something that I shouldn''t if I didn''t get home soon enough. I might go back and beat the shit out of Giovani or I might do something else, who knows.. Whatever it was that I did though, it wasn''t a good idea.


    Ocean unlocked the doors and I hurried into the passenger seat while he ran around to the driver''s seat. He slid into the seat and pressed the button to start the engine. After he buckled himself in, he started to drive us back.


    "Makai, what''s wrong? Why are you still so angry?"


    I could not believe that he was asking me that question. How could he not know what the problem was? I was clearly still pissed about what that fucking prick, Giovani had done. How did he not see that?


    "Makai?" He called out to me again.


    "I am pissed about what happened at the party." I growled the words at him and saw him flinch just a little bit.


    "I..I..I''m sorry." He was keeping his eyes on the road and it was more than clear that he was feeling guilty.


    "I am not mad at you, Ocean." I assured him, trying to calm him down but the anger still burned in me.


    "Well, it certainly sounds like you''re angry at me." He said, obviously feeling hurt.


    "No." I tried to make my voice more gentle. "I am not mad at you. I am mad at Giovani. I am pissed about what he did to you. I am angry that he touched you. I am furious that he kissed you. And I am livid that even after he knew that we were together, he still made a pass at you."


    At that moment there was the sound of a text message coming to Ocean''s phone.


    "Uh, th..that''s Gio''s tone." I watched as he paled and pulled his phone out. He handed it to me without looking at it. "W..will you see what it is that he wants?"


    I opened his phone and pulled up the message. The edges of my vision, which had just begun to clear a little with the conversation that I was having with my Ocean turned instantly red again.


    "He says ''If you ever get tired of the same old flavors, you can taste me any time'', I guess he just doesn''t know when to quit, does he?" I didn''t think that anything was going to calm me down right now.


    "Don''t worry, babe, I will always prefer my oranges and cream." Ocean''s tone of voice was very heated when he said that. I could tell that he was talking about me in a sexual way. Not to mention that, this was the first time that he had ever called me babe. That made my body instantly react and I felt the fit of my jeans tighten to a pleasantly uncomfortable level.


    OK, I guess there was one thing that would be able to calm me down and sate my jealousy fueled emotions. When I heard those words coming from my mate''s mouth, I literally felt a switch flip inside of me.


    I couldn''t stop myself, I leaned across the center console in the car and pressed my lips against his neck.


    "M..M..M..Makai?" He stuttered in shock when I started to kiss him. "What are you doing?"


    "I need you, Ocean. I have to have you."


    "Can''t it wait until we get home?" He asked as a shiver ran through his whole body.


    "No, it can''t. I have to feel you now. I have to touch you now."


    "We''re almost there, come on, just wait. What the hell has gotten into you?" He seemed confused for a moment, but I ran a hand down his stomach until I could cup his growing erection and he seemed to forget all about it as he moaned.


    "Aren''t you happy about this, Ocean? I am so intensely jealous over you that I need to physically show you how much I love you and reaffirm our connection with each other." My mouth was still pressed against his neck as I spoke, and the feel of that much had tickled because he squirmed a little bit, enough that the car jerked just the tiniest amount.


    "S..s..stop!" He snapped at me. "We''re about to pull into the driveway, don''t make me crash." He wasn''t exactly happy with me at the moment, with how the car had swerved and all.


    "I won''t be able to hold back for long, Ocean. I need you. I have to have you."


    "Well, make it wait until I''m not driving anymore." He snapped at me.


    I didn''t do anything too bad while he drove us into the garage, but I didn''t take my hands away from him either. I couldn''t bear to break the connection between us. I needed his warmth to reaffirm that he was here with me.


    When he parked the car and hurried out of his door, I felt the loss intensify the need inside of me by ten times at the very least. He had pulled away from me when I still needed to touch him and the emptiness made me feel like I was going to explode, and not in a good way either.


    I hurried out of the car and caught Ocean by the arm as he tried to hurry past me into the house.


    "Makai?" He asked as I pushed him against the car door and pressed my lips to his. I was bound and determined to have him right here and now.


    "Ocean." I called his name when I broke the kiss, my lips hovering over his. I felt my dick tighten with just the thought of him.


    "What are you doing? Let''s go inside."


    "I can''t wait that long." I told him as I ripped the shirt that he was wearing open. No matter that I just ruined my own shirt, causing the buttons to fly in every direction.


    "Makai?"


    I was too far gone to stop. I needed him right now. I didn''t care that we were still in the garage and pressed up against the car. I needed him right now.


    I was already unbuttoning his pants and pushing them down along with the boxers that he had on under them. After that I pulled him forward just long enough to spin him around and tilt over the hood of the car.


    After pushing my own pants down, I positioned myself at his entrance and prepared to enter him. I didn''t want to hurt him though, jealousy-fueled sex fog clouding my brain or not, I knew enough to know that I didn''t want to hurt the man that I loved.


    I started to press and massage his opening while encouraging his body to make its own natural lubricant for us. After a moment or two he was moistened up enough that just me pressing lightly against his opening had me sliding inside of him easily.


    "OH GOD!" I cried out at the pleasure of him squeezing me tight.


    "NGH!" He moaned in pleasure as I slid all the way inside of him.


    "I love you." I leaned forward and whispered into his ear from behind before I pulled back slowly, letting him open for me more easily.


    When I pushed forward again I did so with a lot more speed and force.


    "AH!" He cried out again, his body arching as he pressed his ass against me trying to feel more of the pleasure.


    "Yeah, that''s it, move with me, Ocean. Rock your hips like you''re the waves of the ocean that I am riding." I encouraged him to move with me as I pulled back again. He did as I asked and shifted his hips just a little bit. When I slammed into him again he threw his hips at me, deepening our contact and making us both cry out this time, our moans mingling and echoing back to us in the large garage.


    We continued that rhythm, moving together like two beings crashing into each other with natural waves. It was intense, hot, and just what I needed. I had needed to feel him, to prove that he was still here with me. I had needed to prove that he was still mine. I had needed to show him how much I needed him.


    I fucked him hard and fast, and it drove us both to the peak of pleasure. We were both about to come together. Even in my haze though, I knew that I had to do something, I couldn''t let him finish exactly as he was. I pulled his jeans up just a little but right in time for him to finish and his whole body to spasm around me. His load exploded into his boxers while I exploded inside of him.


    We panted together for a minute or two before I pulled out of him.


    "I am sorry, Ocean, I needed you too bad to be gentle." I apologized with my mouth right by his head.


    "Shut up and let''s get upstairs." He spoke breathlessly as well.


    "What?" I asked him, confused.


    "I''m not ready to be done yet." He snapped at me. "So, if you want to make it up to me, get upstairs and fuck me again." With that he kissed me, hard and passionately.


    Well, who was I to deny my love what he wanted? I hurried up the stairs with him and gave him what he wanted, again and again. We both reaffirmed our love to each other throughout most of the night.

 Chapter 123 - Ocean - Shopping For Gifts

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After the party, Makai and I seemed to be even closer than before. When we were at home, and alone together, our love for each other was practically dripping from each word that we said to each other. I felt like there was nothing in this world that could come between us. It was like I was living the best life ever. I didn''t know how I had gotten this lucky, to be living with him and loving him like this, but it had happened. And I was so thankful for it too.


    Just after that long and exciting weekend, November ended and December began. I couldn''t believe how much time had passed already. Makai and I officially got together in the middle of October and it was already December.


    I guess there was just so much that had been going on when we first took our relationship to that point, that we ended up not even realizing when the one month mark passed.. This time though, I wanted to do something special for Makai for our two month anniversary.


    We hadn''t gone on a date together since that first day that we had started dating. Literally, the only time that we had been on a date was the day that Makai had asked me to date him. And I will tell you that, when I said yes to him that day, I never once thought that I would end being with him like this. I was happy that I was, though. This was the happiest I had ever been in my life.


    Hmm. So, our two month anniversary was on December the twelfth. And that was just shy of two weeks before Christmas. Both of those days were, conveniently, on the weekend. So, I think I can manage to plan something especially nice for both of them. Though, I am pretty sure that my parents are going to want us over for Christmas, and Makai''s parents could come home at any time. So, I guess the plans weren''t going to be one hundred percent set in stone.


    Sure enough, on the first Tuesday that I was living at Makai''s, so, technically, only five days into our cohabitation, Mom and Dad had us over for dinner and brought up Christmas. They did indeed want us over for an early dinner for the holiday.


    The dinner would be around the same time that we ate Thanksgiving dinner and, of course, the whole family was going to be there. Even my Aunt Linda was coming. Oh, joy. And now I am certain that everyone is going to find out that I am living with my boyfriend. Even more joy.


    Until that dreaded day though, Makai and I would just continue to be happy and to do things like we usually did. Spending every morning and night with him was too amazing for me to think that a little familial suffering would make it not worth it. And by suffering I meant that I would be suffering.


    Usually, Makai and I did our shopping together. All the shopping, whether it was groceries, household necessities, or whatever. There were some things that we were able to leave up to the housekeeper to get, but the bulk of it was for us. Today, though, I wanted to go alone.


    I wanted to buy something for Makai, some type of gift for our two month anniversary, and something to get him for Christmas. The problem was that he didn''t really need anything. And, knowing Makai, he would want something totally cheesy and corny.


    Thinking along those lines, I set off to try and find something that I could get for my boyfriend for our anniversary and Christmas. There were so many cheesy romantic gifts I saw that I thought that they would be perfect for him. I really didn''t know just how I was going to pick from them all.


    Lately, Makai has been taking a lot of pictures of us together at home. So, I was thinking a picture frame or two for us to put them in would be nice. Or perhaps a nice photo album that could be a reflection of our life together. Some things like that were what was coming to mind.


    There was a frame that was a side-by-side and folded closed, like a book, he might like that. We could put a picture of me on one side and him on the other. But then there was a silver frame that was shaped like a heart, and I just knew that he would love that one too.


    As for the albums, I didn''t want to get something frilly or anything. We aren''t girls after all, but most of them said things like family or something like that on the covers. There was one that I saw that looked cool, it was green and blue and had a spot in the front for a picture, so you knew whose pictures were going to be inside. There was also a place to customize what the cover said.


    I decided to get that green and blue album and the two picture frames. I knew that we could get more frames later. For now, this was a good start. I was still looking, though, because I wanted to get him some more stuff.


    I came across a display of Christmas ornaments that was in the same store as the picture frames. There were some that I just knew Makai would love. One ornament in particular stood out to me. It was two ceramic hearts lined in gold that were interconnected and it came with paint pens to personalize with names. At the top of the ornament it said ''OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER'' and at the bottom it had the year. This was perfect.


    I paid for those items and then went to find another store in the mall. The next stop for me was a place that sold some items that were not exactly family friendly. There were sexy clothes for men and women, many of them themed around anime and other shows, or even bands. They even sold adult toys in the back of the store.


    We didn''t need any of those toys, but there were some novelty and gag items that might be worth getting for the laugh. I went to the back of the store and found a thong that was nearly the same color of red that Makai''s hair was when he was in his merman form. I had to get it. There were a few other odds and ends I was getting from that store as well and I was about to pay when I heard someone speak up from behind me.


    "Ocean?" Her voice instantly grated on me. "What are you doing in here?"


    "Hahh!" I sighed, very audibly so. "I am shopping Brittney, what does it look like?"


    "Yeah, but you don''t usually like to shop in here." She came up to stand next to me just as the cashier finished bagging the items and I swiped my card.


    "Well, maybe I am not the same person I was when I was with you." I said as I slid the bag onto my arm along with the others.


    "Who are you shopping for?" She kept getting closer and closer to me as she spoke.


    "None of your business." I told her and turned to walk away from her after thanking the cashier.


    "Don''t walk away from me." She called after me as she came up to me again and wrapped both of her arms around my right arm, the one now carrying the bags.


    "Leave me alone." I snapped at her. "And don''t touch me." I yanked my arm away from her.


    "Come on, Ocean. I have apologized to you, I have offered to take you back, I''ve done everything. When are you going to stop all of this and just get back together with me?" This was the most open she was about all of this so far.


    "Wow! OK! Well, for starters, you never apologized to me. Two, I would have to be an idiot to ever trust you again. And three, I don''t ever want to get back with you. Have I made myself clear, Brittney? I. Never. Want. To. Date. You. Again." I dragged out my words at the end to make sure that she didn''t have any trouble understanding them. "Now, please, just leave me alone and let me be."


    "No!" She was angry at me. "Do you have someone else? That would be the only reason you wouldn''t want to be with me again. Stop bullshitting me. I want to know. Who is she?"


    "It''s not a sh-." I stopped myself and took a deep breath. I nearly made a huge mistake there. "I''m not bullshitting you. I just don''t want to be with you. I don''t have another girlfriend so just leave me alone and let me live in peace."


    Now that I had, hopefully, made her understand my feelings on the whole issue, I turned my back on her and walked away. I had to finish shopping. The last of which was just me buying some new clothes for Makai. He had just ruined the one shirt that I had been wearing and there was some cheesy Christmas stuff that I wanted to get him too.


    OK, I might be the one who enjoys the cheesy stuff more than Makai, but it was all good. With my shopping done, I headed home, completely forgetting about my bad experience that I had in the mall today and only thinking about heading home to have dinner with my love.

 Chapter 124 - Ocean - Asking Him Out

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I didn''t say anything that night after my shopping trip. I didn''t say anything about what I was planning to Makai. I wanted to get this date completely ready before I did or said anything about it. I wanted everything to be perfect for us. This was the first date for us that I was planning. I wanted nothing shy of perfection.


    I only had five days though, and that didn''t leave me with a whole lot of time to plan things out. I had a few ideas in my mind. Some things that I needed to set up ahead of time.


    Phase one for that night was calling and trying to get a reservation for the restaurant.. There was a nice place in LA that I wanted to try. I just hope that I could get us in with as little time that was left.


    I snuck away so that Makai couldn''t hear me and called the number that I had found online. The number rang several times before someone answered, I was about to hang up the phone when I heard the ringing stop and the voice on the other end.


    "Thank you for calling The Parlour, are you looking to make a reservation?"


    "Yes, I would like to make a reservation for two. For this Sunday, the twelfth."


    "Oh, I don''t know if that will be possible. We usually book up for months in advance. Let me see if there is anything available."


    I could hear the woman''s kind and professional sounding voice on the other side of the line just before she started to tap loudly away at the keyboard. I just sat there nervously waiting for her to tell me if there was anything available.


    "Oh, sweetie," I felt my heart sink at the start of her words, "it looks like you''re in luck. We had two cancellations today for Sunday. They''re kind of early, for four thirty and five that afternoon. Which would you like?"


    "Oh, thank God." I breathed a sigh of relief. "I will take the one at four thirty, that will give us time to do more after we eat."


    "That sounds so nice of you, sweetie. I hope your date enjoys it. Now just give me a name and a phone number and I will put you in." I gave her my name and number and, of course, got the usual giggle that told me that my name was funny. "You''re all set, hun. Have a good night and enjoy this special date of yours."


    "Thanks." I was grinning when I got off the phone and at that moment Makai walked into the room.


    "Who were you talking to?" He was looking a little confused at having found me hiding.


    "N..n..no one." I stuttered. "Just making an appointment."


    "Are you always that happy when you make an appointment?" He seemed skeptical when he looked at me.


    "W..w..well, it depends on the type of the appointment." I was just making this worse for me. Dammit, surprises meant lying and I didn''t like this.


    "OK. Well, come on, we have homework to do."


    That night nothing else happened. Well, Makai did ask me why I wasn''t paying attention when I was buying tickets for what we were going to do after we ate at the restaurant. I didn''t want him to know, so I hid my screen which made him seem even more suspicious of what I was doing.


    Well, I had the date planned out, for the most part, so I think I could finally ask him on the date at least. This was nerve wracking as well. I had never asked Makai something like this before and I didn''t know how to get the words started.


    I just had to dive right in. While we were sitting together, eating dinner, I started the conversation.


    "S..so, babe, uhm, d..d..do you want t..t..t..to g..go out on S..S..Sunday?" I royally fucked that up. How the hell could I have been so bad at this? I was so fucking pathetic. Ugh! I just wanted to bury my face and die.


    "So, you''re calling me babe again, I see. That makes the second time now." Makai completely ignored my question and focused on that little fact.


    "D..d..do y..you n..n..not l..l..like i..it?" I was so scared right now.


    "No, I like it just fine." He grinned at me and leaned over. "I love it in fact, but I know it makes you uncomfortable." At that, Makai pressed his lips to mine for a soft, gentle kiss. "That is why I love when I get to hear it." I couldn''t help but blush at his words. I loved when he said stuff like that, but it also embarrassed the hell out of me.


    "I..I..I will t..try to s..s..say it from time to t..t..time." I blushed crimson as I said those words. I think my head was so hot I was going to pass out like they did in anime and manga.


    "Good." He smirked at me in response to my declaration. "Now, about Sunday. We can go out, yeah, did you have anything in mind?"


    "I..I..I have a few things in mind." I didn''t want to give it away, I wanted to surprise him.


    "What''s the occasion? Or did you just want to go out?"


    I felt momentarily crushed. He didn''t know about the two month anniversary. Well, that''s fine I guess, I was the cheesy romantic one here, not him.


    "N..no, nothing s..s..sp..special. I j..j..just want t..t..to g..go out. Th..th..that''s all, r..r..really."


    "OK, what time should we be ready to go out?"


    "W..well w..we sh..sh..should get to th..th..the restaurant by f..f..four thirty. So, w..w..we sh..should leave here b..by three th..thirty." Dammit, my stuttering wasn''t getting any better.


    "I''m looking forward to it. I''m just happy that my boyfriend asked me out." He was grinning at me.


    "A..anytime, b..b..babe."


    At that, Makai grinned and leaned in for another quick kiss. I was just glad that I had managed to ask him out on the date and that he didn''t press for details about where we were going. I was a little sad still that I was the only one excited about our two month anniversary. That wasn''t that big of a deal though, it''s not like it was the one year anniversary or anything.


    I was really looking forward to the date now. All things considered. And I wanted to give Makai his gift that night, so I needed to make time for that as well. Hmm, maybe spending time on the beach at my spot will work. It will be secluded and late at night by the time that we even get there, so it will be just fine for us to be ourselves over there. It''s hidden as well so it''s not like most people could even see that part of the beach unless they came right up there to it.


    I spent the next couple of days planning what we were going to wear, and trying to decide if I should drive my car or his. I was the one driving though, since I asked him out on the date that was my job. Not to mention, he didn''t know where it was that I wanted to go.


    So, now with that all planned and the day of the date finally here, it was time for us to get ready. We showered together, like we always did and started to get dressed. When I handed Makai the clothes that I had picked out for him, a really nice pair of black pants and a silver dress shirt with black stitching and buttons, he looked at me with a curious smile.


    "You picked the clothes, that''s a new one."


    "W..w..well I.I just thought it would be a..a..a nice change of p..pace that''s all, babe." He chuckled and leaned in to give me a gentle kiss.


    "That sounds good to me, baby." That was all I got from him. He wasn''t objecting and he wasn''t looking for other clothes, he just started to get dressed.


    I had chosen similar clothes, but of different colors. I was wearing a pair of a very dark blue pants and a dark green dress shirt with lighter green stitching and buttons. We were both wearing nice dress shoes and styled our hair nicely. We were looking good by the time that we were all ready.


    Finally, it was time to leave. We walked out to the garage and were about to leave but Makai was walking to the wrong one.


    "We''re taking your car, right." He smiled at me.


    "N..no. I th..thought we could take yours. I..i..it looks nicer."


    "I don''t care about it looking nice. I just want to be with you." He was smiling and heading toward my car. That wouldn''t work, his gift was in his car, waiting for later.


    "B..b..but-."


    "Alright, calm down. We can take mine. Are you still driving?"


    "Y..y..yes." I nodded and ran toward the car.


    "Then let''s go."


    "OK." My nerves settled a little and my stutter stopped for now. "Buckle up, babe."


    Makai leaned in for another small kiss as he buckled up.


    "Let''s head out." He was grinning so much that I couldn''t help but ask why.


    "Why are you smiling?"


    "You called me babe again. That makes five times. I''m happy, that''s all."


    I rolled my eyes at him and started the car. He was just an adorable dork.

 Chapter 125 - Makai – Date Night Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    It was actually really funny seeing Ocean flounder like he did. I knew he had wanted to take my car, that was why I went to his. I wanted to mess with him and see that adorable face he would always make. He truly was cute when he was flustered like this. Sometimes I just had to push a button or two to see it, only when it was just the two of us of course.


    When I got into the car, I couldn''t help but grin and kiss my baby Ocean once more. He had called me babe again, and I couldn''t get enough of it. And I wasn''t sure but I didn''t think that he had picked up on the fact that I was rewarding him with a kiss every time that he called me that. It was like my own little training program for him. I would get him more comfortable with ideas of pet names while rewarding him with things that he liked. OK, that was totally wrong of me, but I couldn''t help it..


    I didn''t know what Ocean had planned for us tonight, but I had known that he was planning something all week long. He wasn''t very subtle about it, but that was fine. I loved that about him and I wanted him to stay as my adorable and sweet, albeit easily embarrassed, Ocean.


    Right now, I was sitting in the car, smiling and listening to Ocean sing along with the radio. I never knew how good of a singing voice he had, and it was so sweet. The song he was singing made me think about us.


    "We could leave the Christmas lights up ''til January. This is our place, we make the rules. And there''s a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear. Have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years?"


    I had never given much thought to this song by Taylor Swift, but I think I had a new appreciation for it now. And Ocean seemed to know every single word of it.


    "Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out and take me home. You''re my, my, my, my Lover."


    I just sat there and enjoyed the serenade that he didn''t even know he was giving me. With each line that passed his lips, I felt myself melting for him and that hypnotically sweet voice of his. Hmm, maybe that is part of his Siren ability, that just didn''t sound like normal singing to me.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand? With every guitar string scar on my hand, I take this magnetic force of a man to be my Lover."


    Those words were doing a number on my heart. If only we were older. If only we were ready for what that line was implying. Dammit, time wouldn''t be able to pass fast enough for me sometimes. But I would deal with it. I would wait. And I would enjoy every second of it.


    The song was coming to a close now, the music winding down. I just stared at him in awe while he sang the last lines.


    "Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out and take me home. You''re my, my, my, my; Oh, you''re my, my, my, my; Darling, you''re my, my, my, my Lover"


    I swear I was mesmerized by him when it came to a close. I just couldn''t take my eyes off of him.


    "D..don''t ever sing like that in front of anyone else." I said the first thing that came to my mind.


    "W..wh..what?" he was looking at me with a dazed look. "What are you talking about?"


    "Your voice is perfect. Too perfect. I want it all to myself."


    "Shit! I didn''t even know that I was singing out loud. Dammit." He pulled to a stop at a red light and put his face in his hands. "I''m such a fucking girl."


    "No, you''re perfect, and I love you just the way you are."


    "I..I love you too." He blushed when he looked at me then started driving again.


    I continued to be mesmerized by him the entire time that we were riding in the car. It didn''t matter that he wasn''t singing anymore, I could still hear the words inside my head, that sweet melody and his beautiful voice. If he ever decided to go pro with his singing he would top the charts, I just knew it.


    Ocean drove us into the city of LA and to a really nice restaurant. It was called The Parlour and neither of us had ever eaten here before. We had wanted to try it though, and I was happy that he managed to get us a reservation for tonight.


    Ocean was apparently pulling out everything that he knew about dates for tonight. He was trying to make this perfect for the both of us, but I know he was putting his all into this especially for me. And I loved him for that.


    There was a valet at the restaurant, Ocean just needed to pull up, tip the driver and hand over the key. That was simple, just like back at Serafina''s.


    Once we were out of the car and heading inside Ocean wrapped his arm around my waist to hold me close.


    "Ocean? Are you sure about this?" I asked as I pointed out his hand on my waist.


    "We''re out of town, the chances of someone that we know seeing us is slim to none." He had a point.


    "So, is that why you chose to have our date in LA? So that we could be more open with each other?"


    "Exactly." He smiled in response to my question. "Back in Waterton we can''t show our love and affection for each other in public, but here it''s fine." He smiled and started toward the door of the restaurant. Dammit, I loved him even more now.


    "Reservation for two."


    "Name?" The woman behind the podium asked when Ocean spoke to her.


    "Ocean Shores."


    "Ahh, it''s you. I have been meaning to ask since you called, is that your real name?" She smiled at him with eyes full of laughter.


    "Yes, it is." Ocean looked like he had dealt with them several times before and didn''t particularly find it amusing.


    "That is so awesome. I love it." She seemed super excited now as she clicked something on the computer before her and started to guide us to our table. "Come this way, gentlemen." She didn''t seem fazed at all by the fact that two men were holding onto each other. However, we had to take our arms off of each other''s waists and link our hands instead because the setup of the restaurant made it hard to stay side by side.


    "Here are your menus, Kirsten will be with you soon, she will be your server today." The hostess handed us the menus and went back to her podium.


    "I can''t believe that you managed to get us a reservation here."


    "It was pure luck, they had two cancellations and I called in time to get one of them. That was all."


    "Still, you got it, and that''s all that matters. Thank you, Ocean. I have been wanting to come here for a while now."


    "I know, we were talking about it not that long ago. That''s why I wanted to eat here with you tonight." He was smiling shyly, and I loved seeing that face of his.


    We ordered our meals as a couple, thinking about what we would both want to eat and planning to share it so that we got to try twice as many dishes. Not to mention, we both ate a lot of food, so we got to order a lot of different things anyway. Needless to say, when the waitress heard our order, she just about had a heart attack. That was funny to see though, nowhere near as funny as seeing her face when we were actually making our way through the stack of dishes with no problem at all.


    The food was really good too. We had ordered shrimp scampi, chicken cacciatore, grilled steak salad, pan seared mahi mahi, beef wellington, and so much more. It was quite the amazing spread, and I would have to say that I would definitely eat here again.


    "Shall we order dessert?" I asked Ocean as we finished eating the food that we had ordered.


    "No, I think we should have dessert somewhere else. Let''s go to the next stop on the list." He was looking excited now, I didn''t know he had more plans other than this, so I was excited to see where we were headed next. I didn''t mind though, I just wanted to spend more time with the man that I loved. This was shaping up to truly be a wonderful night.

 Chapter 126 - Makai – Date Night Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean took me by the hand and led me from the restaurant after he paid the bill. I had almost asked him how he was affording this since he didn''t work, but then I remembered the cash prizes that we won in the competition, and I knew exactly what he was doing. He was spending his winnings on me. That was really sweet and thoughtful of him.


    Once we were back in the car, I looked around us eagerly. I was starting to get excited about where my boyfriend had chosen to take me for the next stop on our date.


    When we pulled into the parking lot of the next place, I was both shocked and felt vaguely amused because I should have expected something like this.


    "The aquarium, huh? That is so ''dating sim'' of you."


    "W..wh..wh..what are you talking about?" He turned crimson when he heard my words.


    "I just mean that this is such a ''dating sim'' thing to see." I chuckled at his floundering.


    "Hey, some of those games have a really good-.. I mean, no it''s not. It''s nothing like that at all."


    "Uh huh." I wanted to call him out on his slip up but I didn''t, that wouldn''t be nice at all.


    "Wait, if you know it''s a ''dating sim'' thing then you have to have played them too!" He narrowed his eyes at me.


    "I never said that I didn''t. I just found it cute, that''s all." I unbuckled myself and started to get out of the car, prompting him to follow suit and get out of the car with me. "I was just pointing out that this is a situation that you see the MCs go on in the stories."


    "W..w..well, I..I..I just r..r..really wanted t..t..t..to g..g..go here w..w..w..with you." I noticed that Ocean''s head was lowered and he was looking up at me through his long and beautiful eyelashes, OK that was fucking cute as hell.


    "And I am glad. I like the aquarium. So come on, let''s go." I took his hand and we walked inside together.


    Ocean had even prepaid for our tickets to this place. He was really doing everything he could to make this perfect for us through and through.


    There were many different parts of the aquarium. We walked slowly through the halls with the smaller tanks first. There we saw a variety of different types of fish. There were clownfish, angelfish, yellow tangs, corral beauties, blennies, mollies, butterflyfish, cardinal fish, and so many more. They were all beautiful and I was having a good time.


    "Your scales are cuter than that one." I pointed to a really pretty clownfish that was swimming by, and I heard Ocean gasp before he turned to look around. He saw the same thing that I knew though, there was no one else around us right now. We were in a secluded corner.


    "Y..y..yeah, w..w..well, y..your merman hair is redder than that fish over there. A..a..and I think your r..r..red is w...w..way b..b..better." It had taken a lot for him to say that in public and I wanted to reward him for it.


    "Is that so, baby?" I leaned in toward him a little.


    "Y..yeah b..b..babe, i..it is." Good, he responded just like I wanted him to. I gave him his reward, a quick peck of a kiss right on his surprised lips.


    "Good."


    I pulled him along behind me as he recovered from our hidden moment. I was still walking slowly as I looked at the fish and I came across a small white fish swimming in some kelp. I couldn''t help it.


    "This one reminds me of you." I told him with a smile.


    "Really? Why?" He was staring at it trying to figure it out.


    "Well, for one it''s scales are white like yours. And for two, the kelp that it''s swimming in makes me think of your dress."


    "What?" He said that a little louder than I think he meant to. His words echoed through the nearly silent halls.


    "Shh." I put a finger to my lips and almost laughed out loud at his outburst.


    "What the hell?" He whispered back at me as he looked into the tank.


    "What? I personally love that dress. It left nothing to the imagination and offered me some easy access. To me, that made it perfect."


    "You''re a dick." He shook his head, but I saw that he was smiling as he walked away. He knew that I was right, and we had both enjoyed our time in the water that day.


    We continued our date from there. We would point out fish and make a joke about how it resembled either of us in one way or another. It was a fun way to continue it all. I didn''t want this night to end, but we had reached the end of our tour and there was nothing left for us to see.


    When we left the aquarium, it was already getting dark outside. I thought the night would be over after that, but I was wrong.


    "Let''s get some ice cream." Ocean took my hand and led me toward the car.


    "Do you want to get here or back home?"


    "Here, I don''t want to go back to hiding yet." There was excitement in his voice when he spoke, but I couldn''t understand why just yet.


    "What do you mean? I mean I know that we hide and all at school, but we''re just getting ice cream."


    "I know, but I can''t do this back home." With those words he pushed me against the car and kissed me. It wasn''t a long kiss, but it was heated and full of passion. And it ended way too soon for my liking. "I''ve been wanting to do that all day." He grinned and stepped away from me as he got into the car. "Come on, it''s time for dessert."


    "I''d say it is." I grinned and walked to my door to get in. "Can we just have more of that for dessert?"


    "You can''t eat a kiss." He laughed at me.


    "No, but I can eat you." I made my voice seductive and wiggled my eyebrows.


    "Oh, just shut up. Let''s get some real dessert to give us energy for what you want, you perv." He was doing his best not to laugh as he ignored me.


    "Now, that is what I am talking about."


    "What do you want?" Ocean asked me as he stood in front of the menu. "I''m just getting a chocolate cone. That''s what I am in the mood for."


    "You know what I am in the mood for." I joked with him. "But since that is definitely not on the menu, I will settle for getting chocolate cherry sundae." I leaned in close to his ear and made a crude joke. "You should know that I like cherries, since I took yours."


    "M..M..M..Makai!?" He whispered my name and I winked at him. "I fucking hate you sometimes." His face was flaming red. "Order my ice cream, I am going to sit over there."


    "Haha, alright. I''m sorry." I laughed it off as he went to sit at a bench on the sand facing the water.


    A few moments later I joined him on the bench, my sundae in one hand and his cone in the other.


    "Here." I was feeling a little ashamed of myself right now as he took the dessert from my hand. "I''m sorry." I saw that his face turned red again as he remembered what I said.


    "I..i..it''s fine." It clearly wasn''t. "Just d..d..dr..drop it."


    "OK." I would do as he told me.


    I couldn''t help but watch him as I ate my ice cream. His mouth moving and his tongue coming out as he licked the side of the ice cream before it melted.


    "Is it bad that I am jealous of your dessert right now?" I laughed as I felt myself harden a little.


    "You idiot. Yes it is. This is food. It''s not anything like that."


    "I know, but you look so sexy eating it. I want to feel your tongue on me instead.


    "Sh..sh..shut up." He was blushing again. "Dammit." He hid his face and turned away from me.


    "What''s wrong?" I was worried that I went too far.


    "Now you got me wanting it, and my face is so red that I am melting my ice cream." I chuckled at his words. He was so fucking cute.


    "I will give it to you later, I promise. I leaned in closer to him and rested my shoulder on his while we ate.


    When we were driving home, Ocean made a detour. Instead of heading back to our place, he turned toward the beach.


    "There is one more thing that I want to do." He said as he pulled into a familiar parking spot. "Come on." With that he got a blanket from the backseat and led the way to his spot on the beach. We had been here before, a few times, but we hadn''t been here since the day we officially started dating. I wonder if he came here today on purpose.


    "Let''s sit here for a little bit." He had the blanket spread out and was sitting before I even got to where he was.


    "So, what''s up with the blanket?" I asked him as I sat beside him.


    "I just didn''t want to get our clothes dirty." He was smirking like there was more to it than that.


    "OK." I let it slide and turned to look at the water. I was waiting for his next move.

 Chapter 127 - Makai - Date Night Part 3 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "M..M..Makai." He called out to me to get my attention after a few moments.


    "Yeah, baby?" I turned to look at him with an innocent look.


    "W..well, I uh, I know that you probably didn''t know this, and think I am stupid for knowing this, b...b..but t..to..today i..is our, uhm, it''s our-." He was so nervous that he was having trouble getting the words out and it was so cute. He hasn''t been this nervous in a little while. "T..today is..is..is-."


    "It''s our two month anniversary." I finished for him.


    "You knew?" He looked shocked as he heard my words.


    "Did you think I would forget. I mean, we both spaced out the first one because of what was going on at the time, but I won''t forget any others ever again. I love you, Ocean."


    "I love you too." He was grinning. "Oh, and I got you this." He blushed. "It''s totally stupid but I..I..I just couldn''t help myself."


    He handed me a gift bag that he had been hiding.


    "So, the blanket was to get this out here without me noticing."


    "Yeah." He answered me sheepishly.


    "Thank you."


    I opened the gift he gave me and looked inside. There were a few different things and I was going through them all individually. There was a new shirt, similar in style to the one that I had ripped the night of the party. There was also a photo album, a picture frame, and a Christmas ornament.


    "An ornament?" That was the one that threw me off the most.


    "Y..yeah. I thought we could have a tree and this would be our first ornament together." He was blushing and I felt my love for him growing even more.


    "That actually sounds perfect. And I can''t wait to fill these with pictures of us." I told him, indicating the frame and album. "Thank you."


    "Y..y..you''re welcome."


    "You know, Ocean. I have a gift for you too."


    "You do?" He obviously hadn''t been expecting that since he thought that I had not remembered.


    "Yup."


    I had been carrying his gift with me all day. It was in my pocket and waiting for him to choose the perfect moment like this. I was happy he finally got to this part of the night.


    I reached my hand into my pocket and pulled out a small, wrapped package. It was no bigger than the palm of my hand and it was nearly flat.


    "Here." I handed it to him and watched on with eager eyes.


    Ocean started to peel the paper with slow, careful movements. I could see the excitement in his eyes as he removed the layers of gift wrap.


    "Did you not want me to get to the gift?" He giggled as he pulled away more paper and I took it from him to put into the gift bag that he had brought with us.


    "You''re almost there." I assured him as I saw the top of the gift under the paper.


    The rest of the paper was pulled away and all that was left were the two small circles that had been inside. Ocean was looking between them and me with his mouth hanging open, clearly more surprised than I thought he would be.


    "Uh..uh.. M..Makai, what is this?"


    "I don''t want to consider them engagement rings or anything like that, it''s too soon and I know that. But let''s call them ''couple''s rings''. I wanted to give you a symbol of my love for you."


    The rings that were laying in the palm of his hand were white gold with a detailed milgrain detailing around the row of diamonds in the center.


    "You can''t see the insides of them with this low of light, but they''re engraved. On the inside yours says ''TO MY DEAREST OCEAN, LOVE FOREVER, M'', and on mine it says ''MY HEART BELONGS TO OCEAN''."


    "You''re unbelievable." He was still staring at them with disbelief.


    "Do you not like them?" I was starting to get worried now.


    "Actually, I love them." He was smiling at me now, looking as excited as could be. "But could we really get away with wearing them right now? People will notice the matching rings."


    "We can put them on chains and wear them around our necks until we graduate."


    "Makai?" He threw his arms around me then and kissed me. The kiss was everything that I wanted it to be: long, slow, sweet and filled with heat.


    "Ocean." I panted his name when he pulled away from me.


    "I know babe, I want you too." I kissed him softly at his use of that word.


    "Here?" I had to ask. I knew that he and I had never been in a place quite like this while together.


    "We just need to be quiet." He grinned at me. "But I am not sure that I can wait."


    "Neither can I." I kissed him and felt him shift in my arms. "What are you doing?" I asked when he took my hand from his chest and slid the ring onto my finger.


    "We don''t want to lose these right now, do we?"


    "You''re right." I took the other ring and slid it onto his finger. "There, all secure."


    I unbuttoned his shirt then and pushed it down his shoulders. He shivered a little because the air was chilly but he just pressed himself against me for warmth while he undid the buttons on my shirt as well.


    We were both moving slower than we usually did. There was a need between us but there was no rush, no hurry. We just slowly stripped away the clothes that we needed to take off and held each other, Ocean was sitting on my lap and I was licking slowly at his nipples while he kissed and nibbled at my ear.


    "Are you ready?" I asked him in a soft voice.


    "I am always ready for you."


    "We didn''t bring anything so I will go slow and make sure that I don''t hurt you."


    "I know. You''ve never hurt me, Makai. You never have and you never will. That''s one of the things that I love about you the most."


    "God, I love it when you say things like that."


    "And I love you."


    He pressed his lips to mine and I pressed myself against his opening. I gently eased myself forward and back, massaging him in that tender spot until it was naturally moistened and slick enough for me to slide in easily.


    "Oh God!" I moaned softly as he squeezed around me.


    "Exactly what I was going to say." He panted from the feeling of my invasion in his body as he pressed his forehead against mine. "I love the way it feels when you''re in me. It''s like we''re exactly how we were meant to be."


    "Yes. We''re a perfect match for each other and I love it."


    "Make love to me, Makai. Up until now, we''ve had a lot of hot sex, but I want you to make love to me now."


    "Yes, anything you say, Ocean. I love you so much." I pressed my lips against his as I started to rock the two of us gently.


    "Ngh." Ocean moaned softly but it was much quieter than usual.


    "You''re so beautiful. Amazing in every way. I need you with me, forever. Oh God, Ocean, I can''t live without you in my life anymore, that''s how much you mean to me now." I could feel the way my body was already pushing me toward that ultimate pleasure.


    "I need you too, Makai. I need to wake up to your face every morning and spend our days together. When I lived without you with me, it was terrible, life just isn''t worth living like that."


    We were reaffirming what it was that we had been feeling for each other this whole time. This was truly something that was filled with more love than lust. It was different than any of our other times together, but it was somehow much better as well.


    Soon enough, I couldn''t hold myself back anymore. I exploded inside of him and he came between us, spilling himself onto both me and him.


    "Makai." He panted as he called my name.


    "I love you, Ocean."


    We stayed like that for just a moment before we separated. We didn''t have the luxury of just sitting here to our hearts content. We were out in public and naked, and obviously just had sex. We needed to hurry up and put our clothes back on.


    "I think I should have held myself back." Ocean sounded worried.


    "It''s fine. Use the blanket, we can wash it when we get home." I pulled the sides of the large blanket up and started to wipe him down with it. "We will take a shower as soon as we get home and maybe have another go." I smirked at him.


    "You truly are the horniest person I have ever met."


    "I will take that as a compliment." I laughed at him as I pulled my boxers and pants on.


    "Do as you want." He was laughing as well. "I am going to just leave my shirt off. The pants will suffice for now."


    Both of us decided to just slide the pants on and walk back to the car with our shirts and shoes in hand. We didn''t forget the gift bag though. That had the first gift I had ever gotten from the love of my life. I was not going to forget that at all.


    We did as I suggested. After starting the washing machine we took a shower, thank God for multiple water heaters. We continued our passionate night once we were in the bed, once again moving at a loving, passionate pace rather than frantically and hungrily tearing at each other. This night would truly be the most memorable one of my entire life. So far at least.

 Chapter 128 - Ocean – Decorating Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was completely shocked last night. Makai hadn''t forgotten about our two month anniversary at all. He had remembered and he had even gotten a gift. And it was a gift that I never would have expected either.


    There was also the super embarrassing part where I put the ring on him like we were getting married or something. That was really stupid of me, I shouldn''t have done that. How idiotic could I be? Then he went and put the other ring on me, making it even more like a wedding or something.


    And here is the real kicker, when I took the ring off for school this morning, it was like my hand was already used to wearing it and I felt weird not having it on. I mean, I was still wearing it, but only as a charm on a white gold chain that Makai had gotten so it would match. I would wear it at school all day except for during swim practice, which, by the way, was over for the season now..


    We were still expected to swim at either school, the community center, or our homes if we had an indoor pool, but we didn''t have daily practices anymore. That freed up some time for us to do things in the afternoon now.


    Right as we were leaving school that day, I heard someone call out to me from the parking lot.


    "Hey, Ocean." It was Justin, not my favorite person on the team, but I would tolerate him as best as I could.


    "Yeah, what''s up Justin?"


    "How come you and Kai always come to school together now? When did that happen? And why?" He was looking at me with eyes filled with suspicions.


    "I don''t know, we just do. It''s better for the environment to carpool anyway, don''t you think? We''re hardly the only friends to carpool either."


    "Yeah, but it''s not like you guys live all that close to each other. Isn''t it a hassle to drive out of the way just to go to each other''s houses every day?" He wasn''t dropping it like I hoped he would.


    "I don''t think it''s all that much of a hassle." Makai shrugged his shoulders. I mean, he gives me gas money and I pick him up. This way only one car is being used and like Ocean said, we all have to do our part to save the environment."


    "Whatever, you two are just plain weird." Justin still didn''t seem satisfied with our responses.


    "What''s the big deal?" Ryan asked him as he walked over to us. "Ben and I ride to school together pretty much every day. I don''t see what your issue is."


    "You two have been doing that for years though, they just started out of nowhere. Don''t you find that strange? It''s like they''re dating or something. It''s not normal." That almost instantly made my heart race with anxiety, but I kept myself in control and didn''t panic.


    "That''s just plain stupid." Ryan snapped at him. "You looking at it and seeing way too much into it is what''s not normal. Just mind your own business and leave them alone, you moron."


    "Fuck you, Ryan!"


    "No Justin, fuck you. You''re being a fucking idiot about this. Now just shut up and drop it." Ryan stepped in between Makai and I and threw his arms over our shoulders, then started walking us away from the guy that he called an idiot. "You coming, Ben?" Ryan didn''t look at him, he just called out to him as he ignored the guy that was causing a scene.


    "Yup."


    "So, what do you guys say to a video game night this weekend? I haven''t been to Kai''s house yet and I hear that it''s massive. So I say we all hang out over there this weekend and binge on some games and junk food. It''s the start of our break, so I say it''s a good way to start it."


    "I think that sounds like a good plan." Makai grinned at him. "You guys can all come over anytime that you want to." I started to panic again. Would Ryan find out about us? What would he say? This could be good or bad depending on those two things.


    "Good, text me the address and I will bring Ben with me on Saturday. Ocean, I am sure you will find your own way there." He laughed and I wondered for a moment if he already knew. Though, when I looked at Ben with a raised brow, he shook his head as if to say, ''I haven''t told him anything''. I knew that I had to trust him, and hope that it would all work out.


    When Ryan slid his arms off of us and we got into the car, Makai turned to look at me with laughter filling his eyes.


    "Well, that could have been worse. I''m glad that it was all settled quickly and easily."


    "Me too."


    We chatted a little as Makai drove and at first, I wasn''t paying attention to where we were going. I thought we would be going straight home, but he was driving us to the store instead.


    "What are we doing here?" I asked him as he pulled into a space in the massive parking lot.


    "We need to buy some things."


    "Like what?" I hurried out of my seat as he quickly shut his door.


    "You''ll see. Come on."


    Once we were in the store, Makai went straight to the seasonal department. This was where they kept all the decorations for different holidays.


    "What is going on?" I was so fucking confused right now.


    "We''re getting some stuff to decorate the house." He was grinning. "Come on baby, it''s our first Christmas together." He whispered the last part so only I could hear it.


    "You''re an idiot." I rolled my eyes at him, but secretly I was happy. I loved Christmas and had been wanting to decorate.


    "Are we getting a tree?" I know that my eyes have already lit up.


    "I asked Janice and Yvette to get one for me this morning. It should be waiting for us when we get there."


    "Really?" I heard that my voice had gone up an octave when I asked that.


    "Yup, now come on. I don''t have anything to decorate the house."


    He started to push the cart through the aisles, and we picked out different things that we both liked. We made sure to keep our voices low and watch our surroundings. We didn''t want more people to think that we were a couple like Justin was already suspecting. We made sure not to look or act like a couple. And if someone were to ask, we would simply say that since Makai lived alone and he just wanted me to help him pick some stuff out.


    "Ooh, this one looks so cute, you should get this one." I made sure to phrase it all as if it were just for Makai to have for his place and that it had nothing to do with me.


    "You think so? Yeah, I like it, put it in the cart." He would grin, answer as if he was thinking about it and then tell me to get it.


    "Oh, this ornament is cool. What kind of theme did you want on your tree?" I so wanted to just get what I wanted but I had to do this as if I had nothing to do with it at all.


    I don''t know. What do you think I should do?" The way that he turned all my questions back on me made it seem like he could never make up his mind. To everyone else, he must have seemed scatterbrained and super slow.


    "I think that you should pick a color scheme for the main part of it, but you can add whatever ornaments that you want aside from that. That is a really good way to go about it."


    "Oh, so you mean that I could get these blue lights that make me think of my favorite person ever and make that my theme?" He wasn''t even looking at me as he started to put boxes of said lights into the cart.


    "Yeah, I guess that is possible." I was laughing at him.


    We ended up with way more stuff than we had planned on. We had to get a second cart just to carry it all. There were lawn decorations, wreaths, lights, ornaments, giant candy canes to line the driveway and sidewalk, there was a lot.


    "When are we going to put all of this up?" Those words were the first to come out of my mouth as soon as we were back in the car. I wanted to decorate everything all right away.


    "I guess some fast food for dinner and then a whole night of decorating might be the best option." His smile was full of love as he answered me.


    True to his words, Makai swung through a drive thru  to get us some quick dinner and we ate most of it in the car as we drove the rest of the way home.


    The first thing that I saw when we got inside was the massive tree that the two women had gotten. I have no idea how they managed to get this and set it up in the house by themselves. Though when I mentioned that to Makai, I learned that there was also a gardener that worked on the property and came when he was needed. He had probably helped them with it.


    This tree truly was massive, though. It was nearly ten feet tall and perfectly shaped. There were no bare spots or gaps in the branches. I don''t even know how they managed to find such a pristine tree, but I was glad they did.


    "Let''s do the stuff outside then we will do the tree. We want to get most of the stuff done before it gets dark, right?" My suggestion was met with a nod of approval and we set to work immediately.


    We worked together to get most of the outdoor decorations done in no time at all. The candy canes came first, lining the side of the driveway and sidewalk. I took half of them and held them in one arm while pushing them into the ground at equal intervals. Makai was on the opposite side doing the same thing. After that, we ran a string of lights down each side of the driveway and sidewalk. By the time that they were all down it almost looked like a candy lined runway, but it was cute, so that was fine.


    We had gotten an inflatable snowman family, a light up reindeer, there was even a Santa Claus that inflated and waved. All of those were quick and easy to set up, we just needed to stake them to the ground and plug them into the extension cords.


    When we started on the house, we decided not to put lights on the roof since neither of us were used to that, we didn''t want to fall. We did, however, put lights on the door, the bushes, and wrapped around the columns outside the house.


    We put a wreath on the outside of the door and then on the inside of the front windows on the main floor. We decided that we needed a little bit more than we had already, so we went back outside, took the lights off the columns, and wrapped them with a large ribbon with a little spacing as it went down so that it looked like a candy cane as well. Then we put the lights back onto them.


    Now that all of that was done, we put up a few decorations inside, but the primary interior decoration was going to be the massive tree. To fully decorate the tree, one of us was going to need to be up on the balcony, or on a ladder. There was just no way to get it all done without something to give us some more height.

 Chapter 129 - Makai – Decorating Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and I were decorating the house and the tree that I had asked to be brought to the house while we were at school. We were making great progress and I knew that we were going to get it all done tonight. It was going to be a little late, but it would still be done and that was all that mattered to me.


    When I realized that Ocean loved Christmas this much, I just knew that I needed to do this. I would do anything to see that happy smile on his face. There was also the fact that while we were decorating he kept singing Christmas carols without even realizing what it was that he was doing.


    "It''s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go. Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again. With candy canes and silver lanes aglow. It''s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.. Toys in every store. But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door." His voice was so mesmerizing that I would sometimes just stop what I was doing just to listen to him singing the different songs.


    "A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots is the wish of Barney and Ben. Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk is the hope of Janice and Jen. And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again. It''s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go. There''s a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well, the sturdy kind that doesn''t mind the snow. It''s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Soon the bells will start, and the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing right within your heart."


    When we started to decorate the tree, he was singing nearly nonstop. It was like having my own personal radio show tuned into my love. Ocean was so full of joy and the Christmas spirit that it made this whole experience worth it.


    "So, Ocean, should we put this ornament here?" I asked him as I held up the one he had given to me the night before. That had prompted me to do all of this in the first place.


    When he turned to look at it, he saw that I had personalized it like we were supposed to. It had our names written on it as elegantly as I could manage and when he saw it his eyes lit up.


    "You put our names on it." His beaming smile was already worth it all.


    "Yeah, I wanted it to be perfect, so I made sure to take my time and get it just right."


    "That is so perfect, babe." The words just slipped right out of his mouth like he hadn''t even realized that he had just called me that again. I noticed though, and so, I leaned in to kiss his lips softly. That was his reward for getting more and more used to using that word. He still didn''t seem to notice what I was doing, he just grinned after I kissed him and watched me as I put the ornament onto the tree.


    "Hmm, should I put this here, or should it go higher?" Ocean had a white dove ornament that clipped onto the tree branches and was trying to decide where to put it.


    "Let''s see." I stepped up behind him and took it from his hand. "I think it should go just a little higher." I was smirking but he couldn''t see it.


    I ended up clipping the ornament just about an inch higher than he had it at, probably less, but it was just beyond his reach.


    "That''s just about the same spot, it''s not higher at all." He snubbed my efforts.


    "Yes it is. I am taller than you so it''s higher." My chuckled words didn''t seem to go over all that well.


    "You''re half an inch taller than me, that''s all." He turned to face me while my hand was still up in the tree.


    "That still counts as taller." I let the heat fill my eyes as I brought my hand down to slide it down his back. "I get to reach a little higher than you, and I can look just slightly down as I stare into your beautiful eyes." He blushed instantly, and I pressed my lips to his again. This time the kiss was a little longer, a little more heated, and a lot more passionate.


    After a moment, Ocean pushed me away and was panting slightly.


    "W..we need to finish the tree before the night is over." I could tell that he hadn''t wanted to stop me, but he wanted us to get this done.


    "Alright. I can just give you another kiss when it''s time for bed." He shivered at my words, and we got back to work on the tree.


    The tree took us a little more time to finish. We had honestly bought way too much. That was fine with me, though, I was treated to another serenade of Christmas songs while we worked our way through it all.


    "Rocking around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop. Mistletoe hung where you can see. Every couple tries to stop Rocking around the Christmas tree.  Let the Christmas spirit ring. Later we''ll have some pumpkin pie. And we''ll do some caroling. You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear voices singing let''s be jolly, deck the halls with boughs of holly. Rocking around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday. Everyone dancing merrily in the new old-fashioned way."


    "I love your voice." I hadn''t even thought about saying those words, they just slid right out of my mouth when he was done singing the song.


    "Huh?" He looked up at me in a daze like he didn''t even know what I was talking about. "What are you talking about?"


    "You were singing."


    "No, I wasn''t." He shook his head in denial.


    "Yes, you were. You''ve been singing almost the entire time that we''ve been decorating. Even when we were outside." At that, his face turned even redder than it was before.


    "B..b..but, I never sing in front of people. Last night when you said I was singing, I hadn''t even noticed that I was doing it. I..i..it''s just that, I..I..I couldn''t help myself."


    "You love to sing, don''t you?" I had expected that much when I first heard him singing.


    "Yeah, but my sisters used to make such a big deal about it when I was younger, so I tried to stop myself from singing in front of people. I usually do much better than this, but I guess I''ve been slipping up because I was so comfortable with you." He looked so worried now.


    "What kind of fuss did they make?" I was curious now. He had completely piqued my interest.


    "They used to tell our mom to get me an agent and to make me famous. They would try to dress me up to look like a star and pretend that they were paparazzi that were trying to get a candid shot. They used to just pop into the room with me when I was singing and pretend to take pictures."


    "That sounds annoying." I wanted to laugh, but I didn''t think that he would like that at all. "So, after that you just stopped singing?" The thought of that made me feel a little sad, he had basically given up on something that he loved.


    "Yeah, basically." There was sadness in his eyes now.


    "Well, you can sing here anytime that you want. I love your voice and I won''t be a paparazzi. Also, I will always be your biggest fan. You can serenade me whenever you want to."


    Now, what did I say that would cause his face to turn this red? I was just supporting him as much as I could. I love him and want him to be happy.


    "Th..th..thank you." He forced the words out and forced a smile as well. Despite it being forced, I could tell that he was still really happy.


    "I love you, Ocean , everything about you."


    "I love you too, babe." There he went again, using that word. I had to lean in again and kiss him. This training was going so well.


    When the tree was just about done, I wanted to get another surprise ready for my boyfriend. There was something else that I had asked to be bought and brought to the house today. He didn''t know about this part of my plan.


    "Hey, I will meet you upstairs when you are done. There is just one more thing that I want to do, OK?"


    "Yeah, sure, no problem." He nodded at me but I could tell that he was suspicious about what I was doing.


    "See you in a minute, love you." I pecked him on the lips and ran up the stairs.


    Once I got to our room, I quickly stripped the sheets off the bed and threw them in the hamper. I had Janice go to the store and buy some Christmas themed sheets. She washed and dried them as well, and now they were folded and stored at my half of the closet.


    I quickly put the sheets onto the bed and made it as fast as I could. I also had a comforter that matched the theme of the sheets and tucked that around the mattress. Aside from that, there were a few decorations that Janice had gotten for my room. I hung a wreath on the inside of the bedroom door, both sides of the bathroom door, and the bedroom side of the closet door.


    There were some battery operated lights that looked like they were candles and perfect for the holiday, those I put on the desks, the nightstands, and in the windows. And lastly, I strung up several strands of Christmas lights. This part was a little rushed and didn''t look as good since I knew that I was running out of time.


    I managed to get it all done, though. There were ten strands of lights that went from the center point in the ceiling down to different parts along the wall. They made a bit of a canopy for the whole room, and I thought it would be perfect for my Christmas loving lover. I couldn''t wait to see his face.


    Just moments after I was done with the decorations, I heard him coming down the hall. I quickly sat on the bed and posed a little bit just to be silly. When he opened the door, I had the perfect spot to see the shock fill his face.


    "Wh..wh..what''s this?" He was grinning as he looked all around him.


    "I wanted to surprise you with the changes to the room. I barely had time to finish it all." The words came out on a breath filled with laughter.


    "You did this just for me?" I think he was on the verge of tears right now.


    "I wanted to make you happy."


    "Well, mission accomplished." He jumped at me and pushed me onto the mattress. "Thank you."


    My efforts earned me a wonderfully passionate kiss and a night filled with some naked cuddling. If it wasn''t for the fact that we had a late night last night and were already tired, I might have taken it further.


    I was content with this though. I loved being with Ocean in every way that I possibly could be. And any time that I got to just hold him in my arms and pressed against my chest, especially if we were naked, that was the best time of my life.


    That night, he fell asleep with me rubbing small patterns on his back and his face rubbing against my chest. What better way to sleep was there than that?

 Chapter 130 - Makai - Hanging Out

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and I made sure that everything in the house that indicated us being in a relationship was hidden. There were none of the pictures that I had printed out with the two of us together. There were no items with his name on it. And his personal items in our room had been hidden. I knew that this was for the best, but I hated having to lie and hide like this. It wasn''t good for us or the trust that our friends had in us. I longed for the days that we could be out in the open.


    At least we were still wearing our rings on those chains. I knew that he would never take them off unless it was for swimming. He loved that ring as much as I did, and since I gave it to him last weekend, I had seen him reach up and grab it like it was a good luck charm or something. That made me smile every time that I saw it..


    With the house ready though, we didn''t have much to do but wait for our two friends to arrive. I knew that they would want to eat while they were here, and while I could just order some pizza, I actually preferred to cook something. We would probably still need more food and I would end up adding to it with some pizzas, but I thought that a home cooked dinner would be nice too. Something that was easy to eat while we gamed in front of the ninety-eight inch TV in the game room.


    I thought that it would be easier to play in there than in my room, less chance of us being found out or anything like that. I wanted this night to go well, for Ocean''s sake. I would do anything for him.


    Ocean was all for helping me to cook the food for the night. He had actually been getting better, bit by bit. He and I usually cooked every dinner together and that was helping him to get to where he was no longer a hazard in the kitchen. I was so proud of him.


    Together the two of us worked on making chicken wings, bacon cheddar potato skins, baked ham and Colby sandwiches, mini crab cakes, bacon wrapped scallops and lobster mac and cheese bites. We also made some desserts that we could all share later. There were chocolate chip cookies, pecan pie bars, and seven layer brownies. Aside from all of that, which were all able to be eaten with your hands, and weren''t all that messy, I also made a big pot of spaghetti with red sauce that would supplement the food because we were all teenage boys and two of us ate more than most of the others our age.


    After all of that was done, it was just a few minutes to six and we barely had time to clean up before the guys got here. Literally, we had just finished sticking the dishes in the dishwasher and washing our hands when the doorbell rang.


    Ocean was pretending that he didn''t live here so he wasn''t the one to go and answer the door. Instead, he just flopped onto a chair in the living room and acted like a guest.


    "Comfy?" I asked him as I walked by.


    "Not at all, you''re not sitting with me." He winked and his cheeks became slightly pink. He was trying to be smooth and all that, but he was still just my adorable and bashful Ocean.


    "You dork." I shook my head at him and opened the door.


    I could see the two of them through the window next to the door as I walked up. They appeared to be joking around and there was a massive smile on Ben''s face. This was going to be a good night for him because it was more time that he got to spend with Ryan. I hoped that things worked out for him eventually, like it did for me and Ocean.


    "Hey." I waved at them as I opened the door. "Come on in."


    "You know, Kai, I had heard this place was huge, but it''s way bigger than I thought it would be." Ryan seemed to be in awe.


    "And I see you''ve decorated for the holiday. Was that your parents'' idea?" Ben was looking at the wide ribbon on the columns near the door.


    "No, my parents are out of town. That was all me."


    "Sweet, I didn''t take you for the Christmas superfan, but that''s pretty cool too." Ryan was laughing as he finally stepped inside and stopped looking at the decorations.


    "What can I say, I had the holiday spirit."


    When we went inside, they saw the massive tree before they saw Ocean on the couch.


    "Holy fucking shit! That is a massive Christmas tree." Ryan seemed unable to contain himself there either.


    "Yeah, the staff helped me to get a really good one. Anyway, don''t worry about that, come on. I have food ready and there is a mountain of movies and games upstairs waiting for us."


    "Sweet, let''s go." Ryan was already heading to the stairs.


    "Hey, dipshit, help us carry the food up there if you want to eat." Ocean laughed at him and his eagerness.


    "Lame." Ryan''s drawn out word made us all laugh, but he came into the kitchen nonetheless and helped us to grab some of the plates and carry the food up. It took each of us two trips to carry it all up there, I was just glad that we had a fully stocked fridge up there and didn''t need to carry the drinks. I had made sure to fill it earlier this week.


    The four of us settled into the game room and all I could do was look at the eyes of Ben and Ryan as they saw the massive screen on the wall. This was not a TV that you would find in most people''s houses. It required custom installation and cost over sixty thousand dollars. My parents truly were over the top sometimes.


    We started with playing some games while we ate. It ended up being a team match in a brawl style fighter and, of course, it was me and Ocean versus Ben and Ryan. A heated battle ensued and after the second match was over, we were tied and needed to fight another one to determine the winner. We were all also eating while we played. The food had been a massive hit, Ben and Ryan had been surprised to find out that we had cooked the food together.


    After the third match was over, we decided it was time to watch a movie instead of playing some more games.


    "I''m going to hit the head before the movie. Where''s your bathroom." Ryan stood and looked at me then the door.


    "To your left and two doors down on the right." I gave him the directions.


    "Thank you, I will be right back. Fire up that DVD player."


    Just after he shut the door, Ben turned to look at me with serious eyes.


    "Are the two of you living together now?"


    "What?" There was shock in Ocean''s voice when he heard that question.


    "Why do you ask that?" I was curious and slightly nervous.


    "You have an ornament on your tree that says, ''OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER'', and it has the year written at the bottom of it. Not to mention I am sure that it also has your names on it." Ben was a little angry that we had that, but why?


    "W..w..well, y..y..y..you s..s..s..s-."


    "Yes, we are." Ocean couldn''t get the words out, so I just answered him honestly. "I am sorry we didn''t tell you, but we''re keeping it a secret."


    "I don''t care, and I am happy for you two really, but you need to be more careful. I am sure you hid the pictures or whatever you might have, but you forgot that. Thankfully I don''t think that Ryan saw it at all."


    "Don''t think I saw what?" Ryan asked as he came back into the room.


    "N..nothing." Ben stammered.


    "Uh huh." Ryan looked at him with suspicion for a moment then at the two of us. "If you''re talking about that ornament, I saw it. I don''t care that the two of you are dating. More power to you, it doesn''t affect me at all, so I don''t care."


    "Y..y..y..you don''t mind that they''re gay?" Ben seemed shocked by that.


    "Why would I? I''m not gay so it''s not like they''re going to come onto me. They want to be together, fine. Honestly, I don''t blame Ocean for being turned off of women permanently after that skank had him. She could probably turn any man gay. She''d even turn a lesbian straight. Seriously, Ocean, you''re better off now."


    All four of us laughed at that. It was true and funny at the same time.


    After that, we watched a movie and then went back to playing video games. We ended up playing them until it got to be so late that the two of them stayed the night. They had their own guest rooms for the night and were shocked by the massive breakfast that Yvette made for us. It was a good weekend with our friends and an amazing start to our winter break.


    Now though, Ocean and I had two whole weeks with no school, no swim practice, just the two of us and whatever it was that we wanted to do. I am sure that we would be spending a lot of it naked and in our room but, aside from that, we had a lot available to us. I couldn''t wait.

 Chapter 131 - Ocean – Christmas Eve Part 1 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The night of playing video games with the guys had been fun, but I had been more than shocked to have been told that we forgot to move the ornament. That had led to Ryan figuring out that Makai and I were together. He didn''t seem upset though, so I guess that was fine. I just could not believe that we had made such a stupid and obvious mistake like that. That was not good at all. I needed to be more careful than that, we both did. We needed to be more vigilant than that.


    However, all of this did mean that Makai and I now had one more person on our side. We had another ally that might potentially deflect for us if something were to happen that we didn''t intend. Having Ryan in the know just meant that we had another defense in place, and I was OK with that as long as he was.


    We didn''t need to worry for right now, though. We were on break and, therefore, there was no school and no reason to hide. We could just be ourselves while staying at home and having fun with each other.


    The first few days of our vacation, we just watched movies and hung around a lot. That was basically all we ever did though; in truth, we''re very boring people. Though, this time I got to force Makai to watch all the Christmas movies, including the romantic ones where people find their soulmate for the holidays. Yes, Makai acted like he didn''t want to watch them, but he was smiling through them just as much as I was. We watched all the classics too, all the musts at this time of year.


    Aside from watching more movies, we also added some more to the decorations around the house and on the tree. We played video games, went on another date in LA. We watched the stars while lying in the grass outside. And, of course, we had a lot more sex. I don''t think that we would ever reach a point where we''ve had enough of each other. There was nothing better than being with Makai.


    On Christmas Eve, Makai insisted that we make homemade desserts, which I was definitely in favor of. There were many reasons that I was willing to make the sweet treats with him. One, it would help me in the kitchen so that I could eventually cook on my own. Two, it would give us more time together and that was never a bad thing. And three, I jokingly called Makai something that I shouldn''t have but it had gone over well enough. It went something like this:


    "Here, Ocean, put these on the cooling rack." Makai was handing me a pan that he had just taken out of the oven so that he could run over to the other oven and pull out the pumpkin pie bites.


    "Sure thing, babe." I had been calling him that for a couple of weeks now. I had noticed what he was doing every time that I called him babe. And, sure enough, at my use of the word he leaned over and kissed me quickly.


    "Thanks, hun." He thought he was being sneaky or something like that. I bet he thought he was training me to call him that or something. That adorable dork, I love him so much.


    I was using a spatula to move the salted caramel chocolate chip cookies over to the rack when Makai let out a sharp hiss of pain.


    "What''s up?" I dropped what I was doing and hurried to him.


    "Just burned myself, that''s all. I was trying to rush too much."


    "We''re not in a hurry, Santa baby, there is no need to rush." I swear, there was an instant and visible reaction in his eyes at those words.


    "No rush, huh?" He grinned and pressed his lips to my ear. "I think that we might be in more of a hurry than you might think."


    I was just glad that all the ovens were off right now, because Makai seemed to be determined to drive me insane with his hands and mouth that were both pressed to me. While he kissed, licked and bit my neck, he was pulling at the hem of my shirt and pushing me toward the wall next to the oven.


    "M..M..Makai." I was barely able to think straight with his mouth pressed against me like that.


    "I can''t wait, Ocean. I''ve wanted you all day, don''t make me wait any longer. Please. Don''t expect me not to react when you call me that."


    "Makai?" I was nervous because of where we were, but it''s not like we didn''t have sex outside recently. Here, in the kitchen, shouldn''t be that bad, right?


    "Ocean?" He pleaded with me as he lowered his mouth down to my collar bone. "Please, baby. Please."


    "Yes."


    That one word was all he needed to continue. He threw all caution to the wind and started to undo the fastening on my jeans. I wasn''t about to be the only one naked right now though, so I was tearing at his shirt, pulling it up and over his head as he kissed his way down my body and his tongue toyed with the nipples on my chest. I was already ready for him in more ways than one.


    Makai kept driving me wild with his mouth, hands, and fingers and slowly lowering his body to the floor until he was on his knees and kissing down the V where my hips narrowed into my groin.


    It seemed to me that Makai wanted to have a candy cane before stuffing the stocking. That was completely fine by me, the things he did with his mouth was enough to make my eyes roll to the back of my head, my knees buckle, and so much more.


    In no time at all, Makai had me fully naked and pressed against the wall. He was shirtless and on his knees in front of me. This was a very erotic sight, I had to admit that. There was nothing about this situation that didn''t turn me on.


    Makai held my firm, solid erection in his right hand while his left hand curved around the back of my body and gripped my ass firmly. He started out by sticking his tongue out and trailing it along my tip.


    "Ngh." I moaned softly, already feeling the intense pleasure that I knew he was about to give me.


    Slow wasn''t what Makai wanted right now, though. He was in a hurry and needed to be satisfied. He wanted to please me and fuck me. That was what his hurried and frantic behavior said to me right now. And that''s why after the initial lick, Makai slid his mouth over me and took me deep inside until I hit the back of his throat.


    Oh God, that felt good. His hot mouth closed around me and he gently scraped me with his teeth. It was perfect. And he was setting about creating the perfect rhythm that was both fast and sensual.


    "AH! AH! NGH!" I was moaning incoherently as he expertly sucked and then swirled his tongue around my tip.


    Makai was no longer holding my shaft with his hand, not needing to guide me to him anymore. Instead, he was now gripping me by both of my ass cheeks as he helped to thrust me further and further into his mouth. I had my hands braced on his shoulders as I fell forward, trying my best to keep myself held in an upright position. I was already getting to the point where I could barely stand up.


    "Ngh! M..M..Makai, I don''t think that I can last much longer." Obviously, he wasn''t going to pull away, I just wanted to warn him in advance that I was going to be coming soon. "Ah! Ah! Ah! M..M..Makai!" I screamed his name as I exploded into his mouth.


    We were moving on quickly. Makai was already standing up and moving to turn me toward the counter. I could tell that he was planning to push me against it, lean me over it really, as he fucked me hard. His massive erection straining at his jeans told me that he couldn''t wait much longer.


    "Ocean." He growled my name quietly just as I was pushed face first over the counter with my ass facing him. I felt his tip slide up behind me, ready to push inside of me and I shivered with desire and eagerness.


    That was when we heard something that made me turn pale. Our bodies jumped and we pulled apart as quickly as we could.


    "Makai! We''re home."


    Shit!


    I grabbed my clothes and headed into the back of the kitchen, toward the pantry. Makai was pulling his pants up since they were still around his ankles. This was so not a good time for his parents to come home.

 Chapter 132 - Makai – Christmas Eve Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Makai! We''re home."


    I had literally just been about to slide inside of Ocean when the door opened, and my mom yelled those words into the house. Talk about terrible timing.


    Ocean jumped and pulled away from me to grab his clothes. I saw the look of pure fear on his face and the fact that all the color had drained from his entire body. He was white as a ghost and scared shitless.


    I was pretty fucking scared myself, if I was being honest. I had my pants around my ankles and my shirt across the room. This was not the position that my parents should be catching us in..


    Dammit, why didn''t they call to say they were on their way home. They knew that Ocean and I were living together now, I had sent them word of that. And they knew we were intimate with each other. So why in the hell would they not let me know in advance?


    I couldn''t think about that right now though. Ocean was running, panicked, into the pantry to hide himself while I was pulling my pants back up. I hurriedly buttoned them and grabbed my shirt that was on the floor just as mom called out again.


    "Makai? Ocean?"


    "I''m in the kitchen, Mom." I pulled my t-shirt on, only to realize that it was Ocean''s and not mine. Oh well, Mom and Dad didn''t even know what half of my clothes looked like so they wouldn''t notice.


    "Hey, son." Dad called out just as I pulled the shirt into place. He and Mom were walking into the room and gave me a wary look. "What''s up?" I could see a smirk on dad''s face like he knew what had been happening.


    "W..we were just making some desserts." I tried not to think about the fact that I was just about to finish off my dessert. And that made me think about the fact that I hadn''t done anything since swallowing that. FUCK! I was talking to my parents with jizz breath.


    "Uh huh." He just nodded and looked like he didn''t believe me. "Where is Ocean?"


    "He''s in the pantry, looking for something." I was starting to panic now. "OCEAN!" I called out for him. "M..MY PARENTS ARE HERE!" He knew that already of course, but I didn''t want to make it seem like he had gone in there to hide from them. I just hoped he was dressed by now.


    "O..Oh, that''s n..n..nice. W..w..we..welcome back." Ocean finally came out of the pantry, his clothes in place and an extremely embarrassed look on his face. "I..I..I''m s..so g..glad that y..y..you could m..m..make it b..b..back in t..time for the h..h..holiday." He had walked over to stand next to me and we were both looking at my parents with palpable nervousness.


    "It''s good to be home." Mom smiled at him. "By the way, Kai, your fly is down."


    "Yeah, I guess we should have stopped for dinner before coming home, Analise. It would have given the boys a little more time. I have a feeling that we interrupted something with our unexpected arrival."


    "I do think that you might be right, Reef. Perhaps we should have called ahead of time."


    They were joking about the situation. I had already pulled up the zipper that I had mistakenly left down, extremely happy that I didn''t still have a hard on that would be stressing against my boxers and jeans. This was the most mortifying situation that I had ever been in before.


    "N..n..n..no. W..w..w..we weren''t, I..I..I m..m..mean th..that''s n..n..not-."


    "It''s fine, Ocean. We know what it''s like being a newly mated couple. It''s been a while for us, but we get it. In the future, we will make sure we call ahead of time so that you are not taken by surprise." Mom was being supportive even though she found our entire situation funny.


    "B..b..but-."


    "Hahh. Please never mention anything about this, or the fact that you even know about this. Please, Mom. This is the worst day of my life so far." I put my hands to my face and shook my head while my boyfriend continued to flounder.


    "Hey, blame yourselves. If you had been somewhere more private this wouldn''t have happened." Dad was full on laughing at us now. "Anyway. We''re home now, so no more doing things like that anywhere but your room. I am assuming you''re sharing a room, right?"


    Ocean paled even further. It was clear that he didn''t want to have this conversation anymore than I did. This was so awkward that I knew he was going to be nervous around my parents now for a long time.


    Thankfully, that part of the conversation didn''t last long. We ended up just going to clean up the kitchen and then sit down for a nice family dinner. Mom and Dad were happy to be home and having some of my cooking. They didn''t let me cook often when they were home because we had staff that did that for us, but when I did cook for them, they quite enjoyed it.


    Since we were eating dinner at Ocean''s parents'' house tomorrow, I had decided to make the full dinner for us to have here tonight. I was going with something that was traditional in our house. It was a honey, apple and maple glazed ham with several sides including stuffing, mashed potatoes, fried sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, corn, and a few others.


    The table was covered with food by the time that I was done with the cooking. Ocean had set the table for us, making it look fancy and festive. And when we all sat down at it to eat it just felt so normal and right. My family approved of him and his family approved of me, what else could I have asked for?


    "So, boys, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Mom asked me as she enjoyed the meal.


    "Oh, my parents have asked that we come over for an early dinner. It will be more of a lunch than anything else." Ocean answered immediately, nerves still present in his voice from earlier.


    "That is sweet. It sounds wonderful. I hope you have fun."


    "W..would you like to come with us?" He offered them without even thinking. I could have kicked him. Did he not remember what our dads were like when they were together? I just know that something would happen if we all had dinner together.


    "That would be lovely. What do you say, Reef?" Mom looked toward Dad who already had eyes that were filled with mischief.


    "I think it would be a lot of fun. I wouldn''t mind seeing Phineas again. He is a good friend after all."


    That was when more fear spread across my adorably clueless boyfriend''s face. He had finally realized that he had just asked for us to be made fun of by our dads. That was not exactly what I would have thought of as a good time.


    "Then I guess it is settled. We will go with you. Ocean, sweetie, be a dear and let your parents know."


    "O..oh, O..OK." He was nervous, now he was finally realizing all that was going to happen. It was too late now though, he had to deal with the repercussions. Maybe our moms would help us out a little. Or I hoped that they would.


    Ocean and I had slowly been adding presents to the space under the tree. There were even a few for my parents just in case they had made it home. I didn''t want them to think that we hadn''t thought about them. And we had a box filled with gifts for Ocean''s parents and siblings. However, the majority of the gifts were for me and Ocean.


    After dinner was over and Janice was cleaning up the mess, we had nothing else to do. The four of us went out to the living room and decided to watch a movie. It was just some normal, quiet family time. Following the movie, we all decided to just go to bed.


    Ocean and I had been on our best behavior since my parents got home and that was a little hard. I was used to hugging or kissing him so much throughout the day when we were at home. Not being able to was like torture to me.


    After we showered, separately because Ocean had insisted on it, we got ready for bed and slipped under the covers. We were most likely not going to do anything since my parents were home, so we ended up just snuggling with each other. I admit that I did take advantage of the closeness and grabbed onto Ocean''s ass while I kissed him.


    Hey, it was just a kiss. Albeit a hot, passionate, intense kiss that was driving us both insane. I had slipped my tongue into his mouth and was tasting that delicious pineapple and coconut flavor of his. It was better than any and all of the desserts that I was capable of making. Tasting his kiss on my lips was like tasting pure love. And, in my case, love tasted like a pi?a colada that I would never get drunk off of. Or maybe I was drunk. Love drunk that it.


    Whatever, that wasn''t the point. I was just happy that I got to kiss him and hold him until we both fell asleep, our bodies pressed together.

 Chapter 133 - Makai - Christmas Day Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    My Christmas started with the best gift I could have ever wanted: Ocean in my arms. What more did I need right now but the feel of his hot, firm body pressed against me? And then following that, I got the sweetest good morning kiss in the world.


    "Merry Christmas." Ocean had smiled at me with excitement in his eyes the moment that I had woken up. He was apparently already awake long before me.


    "Why are you already awake?" I groaned and stretched a little, but still not taking my arms away from him.


    "I woke up and was watching you sleep." His answer was immediate and honest, and I just couldn''t help but mess with him a little bit.


    "Damn, stalker much." I tried hard not to laugh when I was saying that.


    "N..no I''m not a stalker, I just love you." OK, that was too sweet for me to continue the joke.


    "I love you too, and you know that I was only joking."


    "Yeah, I know. Still, I was staring at you while you slept." He was embarrassed now. It was so easy for him to get embarrassed that it was endearingly sweet and cute.


    "You blush so easily." I squeezed him in my arms a little tighter and pressed against him.


    "Only when it comes to you, you know that, right?" He was being so adorable this morning that I don''t think he knew how much he was making me happy.


    "Yeah, I know."


    "Merry Christmas, Makai." He said the same thing to me that he had when I opened my eyes. And that was when he pressed his lips to mine and gave me a tender and sweet kiss. This one wasn''t charged with sexual energy. Instead, this kiss was just fueled by love and happiness.


    After that kiss, we got out of bed and got dressed. I noticed that Ocean was choosing things that were more ''festive'' looking. He pulled out a red t-shirt and a green button up to go over. That was about the extent of it, except that he had also mixed matched his socks so one was red and the other one was green. He had paired all that with a pair of black jeans and I couldn''t help but think that he was so adorable.


    I wanted to match him a little bit, since it was the holiday after all. I reversed the color choices for the shirts, green t-shirt with a red button up. I too selected a pair of black jeans. And to top it off, I took the other socks to the pairs that he had taken one from.


    "There, now we match but are flipped." He looked at me, including the feet and grinned.


    "I love you." He just shook his head at me like he couldn''t believe what I had done. His words and actions here didn''t match up but that was fine.


    "Come on, it''s Christmas, we need to get you downstairs to open your presents."


    "Before breakfast?" He sounded confused.


    "Is that a problem?" He was looking at me with wide eyes and I didn''t know why.


    "No, it''s just at my parent''s house we always had breakfast before presents."


    "That''s fine too, baby. Let''s go make some pancakes and bacon before we open the presents." That made him smile so wide that I just wanted to eat him up.


    The two of us worked together to make breakfast. He was really getting much better at cooking and I was so proud of him. He had made the pancakes himself while I focused on the bacon.


    "Good to see you can cook with your clothes on." My dad joked the moment he came into the kitchen while we cooked.


    "Reef!"


    "Dad!"


    "Oh, God."


    Mom and I yelled our responses, but Ocean just turned red and tried to hide away.


    "I was just joking. Geez." He was laughing despite just having us yell at him.


    "It was not funny." My glare was apparently nothing as he just laughed at me.


    "I''m sorry, Ocean. It was just a joke." Dad apologized to just my boyfriend instead of both of us. That was fine though, since it was Ocean who had been mortified by that statement.


    "I..i..it''s OK. B..b..breakfast is r..r..ready now." Ocean stuttered as he shut the stove off and set a plate piled high with pancakes onto the counter.


    "Thanks Ocean, this looks great." Mom smiled at him. "Merry Christmas."


    "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Rivers."


    "You can call me Analise, or even Mom. I know you have your own parents too, but you''re with our son for life now, that means you''re a part of our family."


    I saw the smile that spread across his face then. He was happy with what my mom was saying.


    "Then, I think I will call you Mom while here at the house, and Analise at my parent''s house."


    "Or you could call me Momma. That way your mom wouldn''t get confused with you calling us both mom." Mom laughed at him. She was really trying to get Ocean to call her mom at all times.


    "That might work too." My adorable Ocean grinned at that.


    "You can call me daddy-o." Dad cocked his fingers like he was shooting Ocean with his coolness.


    "No thanks." Ocean turned him down immediately.


    "W..what?" The shock was clearly written on Dad''s face and Mom and I laughed loudly. "OK, what about Big Papa?"


    "Nope." Ocean was shaking his head at him.


    "Daddy Rivers?" Dad tried once more.


    "Not gonna happen." Ocean wasn''t even looking at him now, he was just making his plate and preparing to eat.


    "Come on, son, you''ve got to give me something here." My dad was begging him now.


    "Reef with my parents, and maybe Dad while here, if you behave yourself." Mom and I couldn''t stop laughing at the shocked expression on Dad''s face. He had not expected Ocean to be anything other than embarrassed. This was epic and hilarious, and I loved every moment of it.


    After we all ate and enjoyed our breakfast we went into the living room to open our presents. I noticed that there were a few more now than there had been last night.


    "Why are there more?" I asked my parents, not knowing what it was that they had been planning.


    "I don''t know, maybe Santa came. It is Christmas, you know?." Dad winked at me, not nearly as sly as he thought he was.


    "Whatever." I laughed at him. "Let''s open them. We got some for you guys too, you know?" I told them as I started to grab the presents that were from me and Ocean to my parents.


    "That''s sweet of you, but you didn''t need to do that." Mom took hers with a smile.


    "I know, but I didn''t want you to have nothing just in case you were home for the holiday." That was my sweet little Ocean. Hearing him say something so nice to my mom and the resulting look of ''awe'' that I could practically hear was making this morning perfect.


    We all worked together to open the presents that we had gotten for each other. There was nothing overly special, just normal presents. Ocean had gotten us some albums and frames like he had for our anniversary. He had also gotten me some clothes, a few books, and some movies and games.


    I had gotten him similar items, all things that I knew he would like. It was really nice and calm. Mom and Dad had gotten us a few things, including some clothes, the latest model cell phones, and most of all cash which was their staple gift since they were always gone. However, there was something that they had put both mine and Ocean''s names on that was confusing me. It was about the size of a standard clothing box for gifts.


    "What''s this?" I asked them as I held it up.


    "Well, why don''t you open it and see." Dad''s voice dripped with sarcasm as he smirked at me.


    "Here, Ocean, you open it." I tried to hand it to him.


    "No, your name is on it."


    "So is yours." We were both wary of the gift.


    "Oh, just open it, both of you. Sit together and open it." Mom playfully yelled at us while she smiled. This wasn''t sitting well with me.


    Slowly, Ocean and I pulled back the paper to open the gift. It was a box, just like I thought, but it was way too heavy for clothes. I slowly pulled the lid off of the box and saw a stack of papers and a set of keys.


    "What''s this?"


    "I don''t get it." Ocean was as confused as I was.


    "OK, well, we might have done something bad." Mom grinned at us. "We might have had a friend of ours keep watch on your acceptance to certain colleges. And well, when we found out you both got into the school that you wanted, we might have planned ahead a little too much. If this isn''t what you want, you can feel free to say no. But, just in case, we got you two a condo that is near the university so that you can live together when you go off to school. And you won''t have to worry about the whole dorm situation." Mom was practically bursting with excitement as she explained all of this while I felt nothing but pure shock.


    "Are you serious?" Ocean sounded a lot more excited than I thought he would.


    "Is it too much?" Dad was looking worried now.


    "No, it''s not."


    At that moment Ocean flung himself forward and hugged both of my parents at the same time.


    "Thank you. This means a lot to me. Thank you so much."


    "Oh, Ocean, it''s our pleasure."

 Chapter 134 - Ocean – Christmas Day Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had never expected to get the gifts that I had this morning. Especially the one from Makai''s parents. Who would have thought that they would get us a condo that was near UCLA? And really, who would have thought that they were eagerly waiting for news from someone that was able to tell them that we were both accepted there? They had been a little sneaky about this whole thing, and it could be counted as wrong, but I wasn''t at all upset about it. I was actually super happy to be loved by his family like this.


    Now that the gift exchange was done and over with, though, it was time for us to head over to my parents'' house. This was the part of the day that I wasn''t exactly sure I was looking forward to. In truth, it was my fault that I was starting to dread it. I was the one that stupidly asked Makai''s parents to come to dinner with us. That had all been my fault.


    I didn''t have much choice though. I had to deal with it and just hope that our dads and my siblings didn''t cause us too many problems. Oh God, what were my brother and sisters going to say when they found out that I was living with Makai? Yeah, I just have a feeling that today was going to be completely mortifying.


    The four of us were going to be driving over to my parents'' house together because there was no need to take more than one car. But that also meant that I couldn''t escape the house without either Mr. or Mrs. Rivers. That was a little frightening as well.


    After we loaded the gifts for my family into the trunk, we rode over in Mr. Shore''s Cadillac SUV while I felt my heart thumping nonstop in my throat as I tried not to panic about the coming horrors.


    ''Just get a grip, Ocean. You brought this on yourself.'' I was yelling the words inside my head trying to calm down and reprimand myself at the same time. ''Just take a deep breath and don''t let them get to you. Stay strong.''


    Finally, we pulled up to the street and I saw my brother''s car in the driveway. Great, they did get here before us. If we were here first, then I could have tried to convince them that I wasn''t living with Makai. Now though, they would know for sure.


    Makai took my hand the moment we were out of the car and squeezed it tightly. I could tell that he was trying to comfort me. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he would protect me if the others got out of hand. He was the best boyfriend ever.


    Well, he was my only boyfriend ever but still. He was the best regardless even if he was going to be the only one that I ever had. I was smart enough to recognize him for what he was.


    Feeling a little calmer now that he was holding my hand, I led the way into the house. It was do or die time and I was ready to face the music.


    "Mom, Dad, we''re here." I could already hear the sound of footsteps coming toward the door. Too many sets. And it didn''t sound like Mom''s at all.


    "Ocean!" Grantham was the first to get to me and he slung his arm around my shoulders, standing on the opposite of me than Makai. "It''s so good of you to visit after moving away so abruptly like that."


    "Kai!" Deliah went to stand on the other side of my boyfriend and slid her arm around his waist since she was too short to put it around his shoulders. "Thank you for bringing my brother back home. We missed him since he doesn''t live at home anymore."


    "Merry Christmas! Come, come with us and have a seat. Catch up on old times with us now that you no longer live with the family." Julie grabbed my hand that was still being held by Makai, so essentially, she took both of our hands. With our hands in her two she pulled us and the three of them led us to our doom. They were also acting like I had run away from home and hadn''t been back for years. What the hell was the matter with them?


    "W..w..w..wait! D..d..don''t y..you w..w..want t..t..to m..meet Ma..Ma..Makai''s parents?"


    "Awe, look, he called him Mama."


    "I..I..I did not!" I snapped at Grantham and the stupid joke that he had made.


    "Come now, children, leave your brother alone." Mom came to my rescue before my siblings had managed to plop me onto the couch. "Hello Kai. Merry Christmas. And to you two as well. How have you been, Analise? Still busy at work. And Reef, Phineas is in the other room. I think he has been waiting for you."


    "Sweet." Mr. Rivers hurried into the next room over where Mom had indicated that my dad was. That was Dad''s office that he used for when he was at home. In truth, it was his and Mom''s office and they both used it when they needed to work from home.


    "We''ve been fine, Steph. Just truly busy with everything that has been on our plates lately. We didn''t get back until last night. Thank you for having us."


    "Oh, think nothing of it. The boys were going to spend the day together anyway, this just makes things easier for everyone involved."


    "Mom?" Grantham was sounding confused as he looked between our mom and Makai''s mom. "When did you get to know Kai''s parents so well?"


    "Oh, didn''t I tell you? We got to spend a good amount of time with Kai''s parents back at the beginning of last month. Now, let go of your brother. Deliah, let go of Kai. Let them sit and relax."


    "Oh come on, Mom, that''s no fun!" Grantham pouted, but he did as he was told to do.


    "I think there are some introductions that are in order now. Analise, these are the rest of my children. Julie is the next youngest after Ocean, she is in university right now. Then we have Deliah, they both go to USC, and Deliah is working on her graduate degree. And the oldest is Grantham, he is an IT Engineer. And this here is his wife Rachel, she is a graphic designer. They met in university and are expecting their first child next month."


    "It''s so lovely to meet you all." Mrs. Rivers smiled at them all. "I am Analise Rivers, Kai''s mom. That man that ran off already is my husband Reef, and we own and run our own software development company. We specialize in computer games and video games, but there is a lot more to it than just that."


    "It''s nice to meet you." Rachel was the first to welcome them among the sibling faction.


    "Thank you for coming, and Merry Christmas." Julie was next.


    "I am glad you could join us." Deliah smiled at her.


    "Cool, I love that you and your husband work together. I can imagine that will happen to my baby brother here. He''s already dressing like his boyfriend so it''s a logical step for them." Grantham laughed as he spoke.


    "Hey, he dressed like me. I was wearing this first." I protested the accusations from him.


    "Semantics. You''re both dressed alike, and I think that it''s adorable." My brother grinned at me then and I just wanted to smack him.


    "Don''t let it bother you, Ocean. He''s probably just jealous he couldn''t pull off the dress that Rachel is wearing. He couldn''t match his wife for the holiday." Makai pulled me close to his side and Grantham''s face dropped at his words. Everyone else, however, were laughing their asses off.


    "Hahaha! That was an epic burn. Thank you, Kai. Thank you for putting my brother in his place." Deliah was barely able to speak with how hard she was laughing but she got it out eventually.


    "Oh this shit is going to be fun, I think you''re a worthy opponent." My brother eyed my boyfriend with a wicked glint sparkling in his dark blue eyes. He may look a lot like my really nice and usually sweet mom, but he had my dad''s wicked eyes and was even more savage than them both when he truly wanted to be.


    "I look forward to that." Makai didn''t back down at all, even in the face of my brother''s clear declaration of word war. That''s fine, I knew that Makai could handle it. He would be able to go toe to toe with Grantham and I would be right there with him as he did.


    "Sounds like a party in here." Dad walked into the room with Mr. Rivers right behind him.


    "What''s with all the laughter?" The two of them were grinning like they had already cooked up the perfect plot for today. I was starting to worry even more now. With both of our dads and my brother being evil at the same time I wasn''t sure if Makai would survive. I was certain that I wouldn''t.


    ''I hope you''re ready to avenge my death, Makai, because I have a feeling that my heart will suddenly give out from the impending mortification..'' I prayed a little in my head to my boyfriend even though I knew that he wasn''t able to hear it.

 Chapter 135 - Ocean – Christmas Day Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about Dad, there is no party here. We''re just talking." I pulled Makai by the hand and sat on the love seat near the tree to avoid his sharp eyes.


    "Uh huh." I didn''t see his grin, but I could hear it in his voice. There was no way he sounded that excited and wasn''t grinning like a damn lunatic.


    "How about we just get to the present opening now? There is something for all of you. Analise, I hope you don''t mind, but your gift is homemade and sort of last minute." Mom was grinning but with embarrassment when she was finished speaking.


    "Oh, Steph, you didn''t need to prepare anything for us. I am sorry that we didn''t bring anything for you. We didn''t know until last night that we were coming here at all." Makai''s mom looked embarrassed now as well.


    "Yeah, Ocean did surprise us all with that one, didn''t he?" Mom''s words made my brother look at me with glee.


    "Yeah, baby Ocean, why did you go and drop this on everyone, now no one had the time to prepare."


    "I..I..I..I just w..w..wanted e..ev..everyone t..to b..be happy. Th..th..that''s all." I was sweating under the scrutiny that they were giving me.


    "I''m just messing with you. Geez, you''ve truly become a bumbling stutterer, haven''t you? Since when do you stutter so much?"


    "It all started when he became infatuated with Kai." Dad flopped in his chair opposite me and smirked at my brother.


    "Oh, so that was when. I thought the boy was just naturally a stutterer and my son thought it was cute and endearing. Who would have thought that Ocean only started it after he met my Kai?" Mr. Rivers sat on the couch and looked at me now.


    "N..n..n..no th..th..that''s n..n..not it. I..i..it happened wh..when-."


    "I know." Deliah interrupted me and my long drawn out stuttering. "It happened when he hit his head right? That was what he said last time."


    "Yeah, but did he tell you he only hit his head because he was thinking about Kai too much? Or that Makai was the one that pulled him from the water and gave him mouth to mouth resuscitation?" Dad was truly finding my predicament hilarious. That evil bastard.


    "I don''t care what started it or when. I do find it adorable and it''s not something to make fun of him about." Kai started to defend me. "Not to mention, who wouldn''t be embarrassed with all of you ganging up on him like this."


    "Yeah, I guess that would get to be embarrassing." Julie nodded along with Makai and I had hoped that the teasing would stop then and there.


    "Well, whatever the reason or the cause, it''s made my baby Ocean like a hundred times fucking cuter." Grantham chuckled and ruffled my hair as he walked past me to hit the floor in front of the couch, Rachel was right behind him at the end closest to me.


    "I am not cute." I snapped at him.


    "Ooh ooh, look at that! He doesn''t stutter when he is mad." Deliah pointed at me. "That is a new development."


    "You''re all mean." I crossed my arms over my chest and slumped in my seat.


    "I''m sorry, Ocean, but you''re just so cute. How can we resist?" My brother truly was annoying at times.


    "Enough of this, time for gifts." Mom put an end to the teasing for the moment and started to pass out gifts to all of us, including Makai and his parents.


    I watched everyone opening their gifts rather than opening my own. I saw that mom had made a bunch of her desserts and put them in a tin for Mr. and Mrs. Rivers. She had also made them a dream catcher that had seashells dangling from it.


    "This is beautiful, Steph. Thank you so much." Mrs. Rivers smiled at mom as she held up the handmade craft. "These have always been a fascination of mine, so I am truly happy to get this. Thank you, truly."


    "I am glad that you like it, Analise. I have been making them for years."


    Mom had gotten a bunch of baby items for my brother and his wife along with the other gifts. Rachel got a new camera lens and some more equipment for her photography hobby. My brother got some novelty items from the Disney store, mostly things that were Star Wars themed.


    Deliah loved everything to do with sea creatures, so she got a new book filled with artwork of sea turtles, dolphins and more. She was also given some new clothes and other items that would help her in her daily life since she was always so busy with her job at the marine mammal rescue center and her graduate classes.


    Julie was younger than the others and was more into music than anything else. She was given tickets to a concert that she wanted to go to and some clothes as well. She wasn''t working since she was still in university and Mom and Dad were the ones paying for everything for her.


    Makai had a pile of gifts as well and was opening them calmly. He was given mostly books, movies, and clothes that my parents had figured he would like after the talks we had during our weekly family dinners.


    While I sat here thinking about the gifts, I remembered that we had left the box of gifts that we brought in the car. I can''t believe that we forgot to bring them inside.


    "Ocean, aren''t you going to open yours?" Mom asked me when she noticed that I was just sitting there.


    "I was just thinking. And I realized that we left the gifts for everyone in the car." I answered her in a sort of distracted tone.


    "I will get them. You open your gifts." Makai kissed my cheek and then left the living room.


    As soon as Makai was out of the house my brother narrowed his eyes at me.


    "Soo, Ocean, when will the two of you be getting married?"


    "What?" I couldn''t believe the question that he had just asked me.


    "What? Isn''t that the next logical step after you move in together? That''s what Rachel and I did." He didn''t seem to see the problem with what he had said.


    "Yeah, well, you and Rachel were older than Makai and I are. We''re too young to get married." I yelled at him.


    "Actually, you''re not." Dad just felt the need to butt in.


    "He''s right." Mr. Rivers joined the bandwagon. "You''re both eighteen, you could elope and none of us could stop you. You''re able to get married whenever you want."


    "Well, obviously, I would like to be there, so I hope you won''t elope." Mom gave me a stern look.


    "That''s right. Makai is my only child. I would like to be at his wedding. Please don''t run off and get married without letting me be a part of it too."


    "Yeah, and I need to be there too. Ocean, don''t you dare elope." Julie looked sad as she spoke.


    "You had better not." Deliah glared at me.


    "I never said that we were going to elope. Geez, get a grip."


    I stood up to try and stop them from harping on this subject any longer. However, I made the mistake of leaning over to set the boxes that I had been given on the floor and the ring that I wore on the chain fell out. It was now dangling in full sight of everyone that was gathered here.


    "Oh, I see how it is." Deliah snapped at me.


    "You''re already married?" My brother gasped the words when he saw the ring.


    "Who is already married?" Makai asked as he came back into the house.


    "You!" His mom yelled at him.


    "No, I''m not." Makai looked confused.


    "Then explain that ring." She pointed at me.


    "Oh, that." He laughed. "That''s not a wedding ring, it''s like a promise ring." Makai didn''t seem at all phased by the intensity of the looks aimed at him.


    "Uh huh, like hell we will believe that story." Mr. Rivers joked with him.


    "What did you do? Run off to Vegas the moment you two moved in together?" Grantham sounded shocked. "Seriously, you two are unbelievable."


    "We''re not married." I snapped at him. "You''ve got it all wrong."


    "Ocean? Did you really go and get married without your mom there with you?" I could see the heartache that was in my mom''s eyes as she asked that question of me.


    "No, Mom, I didn''t."


    "Ocean, why would you do this to us." Mrs. Rivers looked just as sad as my mom did, there were tears in her eyes as well as my mom''s.


    "I swear Momma, we didn''t get married. Makai and I are not married. Honest."


    "Did you just call Kai''s mom Momma? That just proves it, you have to be married now." Julie''s voice joined the misconception that was going on.


    "I assure you all, we are not married. I gave that ring to Ocean for this month''s anniversary, that was all. We will get married after we graduate high school. We can''t very well get married while still going to school. Imagine the scene that would cause." Makai came to stand next to me and took my hand in his.


    "Really?" Mrs. Rivers gave her son an intense look.


    "Really, Mom, we''re not married."


    "Then I guess we get to plan a wedding for this summer then." My dad jumped up, excited about the announcement that I hadn''t even known was coming. I hadn''t even expected us to be getting married for a long time but apparently it was something that our family had been thinking a lot about.


    "What the hell is going on here?" I sighed and mumbled the words.


    "Ocean Riptide Shores, do not use that foul language on Christmas."


    "Why am I the only one being yelled at about it? Grantham has been swearing too."


    "He needs to stop too. Neither of you are too big for me to put over my knee."


    "Yes, Mom." I stood at attention immediately.


    "Yes, Mommy.." Grantham sat a little higher in his seat.

 Chapter 136 - Makai – Christmas Day Part 4

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Well, this was certainly the most interesting Christmas day of my life so far. It wasn''t particularly bad, really, just very unique. I was glad that our families seemed to be getting along. I mean, I knew that our parents had already gotten used to each other after that day everyone found out what Ocean really was, but it was nice to see that his siblings were just as welcoming and accepting of us all as well.


    They may tease Ocean a little, OK, a lot, but that to me just told me how close they were as siblings. They all truly loved him, and he really cared about them as well. Sometimes, I wished I had a large family so that I wasn''t so lonely all the time when I was growing up.


    I wasn''t alone now, though. Now I have a mate. A boyfriend. Someone to share my life with. And I will admit that I was a little happy when Ocean''s family and my family both started talking about us being married. If I was married to Ocean, then I would never have to feel alone ever again. The rest of my life would be spent with him by my side.


    However, moving beyond that now, it was time for us all to start heading into the dining room for the meal. It was only lunch time, but we were eating our ''Christmas Dinner''. I had learned by now that Ocean''s family had their holiday meals early so that they could just eat on that for the rest of the day and then they could just relax and spend time together for the rest of the day. They really were a close family.


    I saw that there had been extenders put in on the table in the dining room. It was the same table as last time, a beautiful dark mahogany that was high quality as well as durable. It had the air of something that might have been an antique, but it was so well maintained that it was hard to tell. Still, the table was now big enough for all ten of us that were in attendance to sit at the table for the meal.


    Ocean, myself, and my parents sat on one side of the table. Julie, Deliah, Grantham, and Rachel sat opposite us. Of course, Grantham chose the seat directly opposite of Ocean, who didn''t look all that pleased about the seating arrangement. Mr. and Mrs. Shores were sitting opposite of each other at the ends of the table. Mr. Shores was next to Ocean who was on the end of our side of the table.


    "I am so happy that my family and extended family is here to join us for this meal." Mrs. Shores started the meal by giving us a small speech. "Two years ago, I gained a new daughter, my third and final one, when Grantham married Rachel. Now, this year, I have a new son. Ever since Ocean started seeing Makai it''s felt to me like I have a third son. And while there is absolutely no rush for you two to get married, you''re still so young after all, I will still count Makai as part of the family forever. And you as well, Reef and Analise. You two are new friends as well as new family members. Thank you for being here with us and celebrating as one big family."


    Everyone clapped and applauded her words. She had been so welcoming and heartfelt that we just had to applaud. However, that was when Grantham stood up as well. He held his glass of wine in his hand and was about to give a toast, or speech, as well.


    "Thank you, Mom, for your lovely and kind words. Now, if you all wouldn''t mind, I would like to give a toast of my own." He paused and looked at me and Ocean sitting side by side. "Ocean, you''re my baby brother, my only brother, and I love you, man. Watching you grow up and become the man that you are now has been amazing and wonderful. If I could pick anyone in the world to be my brother it would still be you, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy and to know how much we all love you."


    Grantham paused for a moment and looked at every member of his family before he continued his speech.


    "From the day that Mom and Dad brought you home until today I have never once thought of you as anything other than my little brother. I hope you know that even though I rag on you and tease you, I only do it out of love for you. And now that you''ve found someone that you love, I am even happier for you than you could ever know. I may not understand everything that you''re feeling, but I know what love feels like. I know how it is to want to be with that person every minute of every day. Even though I might think that it was a bit too soon for you to move in with your boyfriend, I am still going to support you. I think that you will do just fine since you have his parents and our parents to help you out. Just know that all I ever want to see from you, baby brother, is a smile on your face and happiness in your eyes."


    Awe, I think I am going to cry. And if I am not mistaken, Ocean already was. Grantham, the guy who I had come to know as the perpetual joker and tease factory, was being so nice and sweet to his little brother. That was the best thing ever.


    While I thought about this though, Grantham started to add a little more to his speech.


    "And as for you, Makai. I am happy that my brother met you and all. And I really do think that you''re a good guy, what I know about you so far that is. But if you ever hurt my baby brother, just know that I will never forgive you and I will see to it that you regret whatever it is that you do to him."


    His words had turned fierce and protective. That was the sign of a truly caring big brother. I had already known that he loved his brother a lot, but if I hadn''t this would have helped me to figure it all out.


    "You don''t have to worry, Grantham. I swear to you that I will never hurt Ocean. I love him more than anyone in the world, and I will continue loving him for the rest of my life."


    "Good." Grantham nodded at me and sat down with a smile.


    "Great, well, now that that is all over, let''s eat." Mr. Shores seemed a little uncomfortable along with everyone else that had watched the exchange. Even Ocean seemed uncomfortable, even the tears had disappeared from his eyes.


    Now that the speeches were over, we all started to eat the wonderful meal that Mrs. Shores had prepared for us. There was a beautiful, golden brown turkey that was juicy and tender when sliced into. The turkey was sitting next to a pineapple and maple glazed ham. There were yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, au gratin potatoes, corn, broccoli, carrots, and several pies for dessert.


    It looked to me like she had spent the last few days doing nothing but cooking. And if this was the meal she was already planning, then she hadn''t needed to worry about adding two more people to the table. There was enough food to feed several of me and Ocean.


    The meal was amazing and the conversation that we had while eating was even better. Now that the heartfelt stuff was all said and done with, the teasing and joking started up again. Even Ocean''s mom and both of my parents had joined in on the laughter and jokes as they all teased us.


    The main topic of that conversation had been me and Ocean getting married over the summer. I swear they were all serious about it too. They had talked about where to host the wedding and what we could serve as the meal. Julie and Deliah were even planning out what tuxedos we should wear and how to decorate.


    I know that they were joking, or at least I think they were, but the more that they talked the more it seemed real. By the time that the dinner was done they had even picked a date that we could get married.


    Apparently, it would be before we had to go off to college and even allowed us to have a little bit of a honeymoon phase before school started again. Though, with the way that things have been going, Ocean and I were already having our honeymoon phase.


    The date that they had chosen, by the way, was July the ninth. Julie had even looked at the calendar on her phone to make sure that there were no conflicts with it and all that. It was after the holiday so everyone should be free as long as they weren''t out of town on vacation. It was also a Saturday so that made things even easier for an event like that.


    It was fun to fantasize about it, but I knew that it wasn''t going to happen anytime soon. We were still too young right now. We knew it, they knew it, it was simply just a fact. Still, it would be nice.


    With the dinner over, we all sat in the living room again and talked for a while longer. Mrs. Shores packed up food for everyone to take home, including me, Ocean, and my parents. I was happy to take it, she was a wonderful cook.


    Goodbyes were said. Mrs. Shores cried. Our dads got wicked looks in their eyes like they were planning something as they shook hands. And all the siblings hugged me and Ocean before walking out the door. It truly was a good night.


    I wanted to go home and finish celebrating. I had even told Ocean that in a text message as my dad drove us back home.


    [Me]


    Want to open one more gift tonight?


    [Ocean]


    And what gift might that be?


    I had to suppress my laughter as I typed out my response to that question of his.


    [Me]


    Me!


    [Ocean]


    Haha! Very funny.


    He wasn''t taking me seriously.


    [Me]


    What''s so funny?


    I had to let him know that I was serious.


    [Ocean]


    After what happened yesterday in the kitchen, do you honestly think I would ever even think about doing that while your parents are in the house?


    [Me]


    We had some fun that one time.


    I reminded him of the last time that my parents were in town.


    [Ocean]


    Yeah, and they probably knew what we did then too. Uh uh, no way, not going to happen. You''re never even allowed to get a fucking hard on while they''re here. You can wait until they leave!


    [Me]


    What if they''re back for good?


    [Ocean]


    Then you can wait until we move out!


    [Me]


    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


    Don''t do this to me baby!


    Ocean!


    Please!


    I need you!


    PLEASE!


    [Ocean]


    I mean it, Makai, I won''t do it until they leave.


    [Me]


    I''m kicking them out tomorrow!


    [Ocean]


    They will leave when they''re ready. It''s their house after all.


    [Me]


    Dammit!


    This was going to be pure hell. I was going to be blue balled until my parents left town again. How was I going to survive?


    Somehow, some way, I needed to find a way to live without feeling my man''s naked body pressed against me. Wait a minute! Does this mean that I can''t even shower with him until they leave? No! NO! I really am going to die if that is the case. This was going to be pure hell!


    Hurry up and leave, Mom and Dad.

 Chapter 137 - Both - New Years Eve Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    In the end, my parents didn''t end up leaving until early in the evening on New Year''s Eve. They got here on Christmas Eve and stayed all week before they had to get back for their work. So not only did they interrupt the last time that I tried to make love to my boyfriend, they then forced me to be blue balled all week long.


    I love my parents, and I was glad that they were here for the holiday and all, but I was ready for them to be gone long before they were finally loading up the car.


    "We will be gone for a few months this time." Mom was checking her purse to make sure she had everything as she spoke to both me and Ocean. "We will probably not be back until March, or possibly even April. I know that the two of you will be just fine here as long as you''re together, but please, do try to refrain from doing anything in the more public areas of the house. Just in case."


    "Yeah, I don''t want to have to worry about walking into my own house." Dad walked up and joined us, and I could see Ocean blushing beet red out of the corner of my eye.


    "Well, there is a simple solution to that too. Call ahead next time and we will be expecting you." I gave my parents a serious look that basically told them to leave already so that I could make love to my man. That look had apparently been a funny one for my dad because he started to laugh and looked at Ocean with a sympathetic gaze.


    "I''m sorry that you got saddled with my son. Seriously, he''s a handful sometimes, isn''t he?"


    "Wh..wh..what? N..n..no, no h..h..he''s n..not." Ocean stuttered out his reply while his face turned red again. He was still embarrassed about my parents bringing up the sex in the kitchen again.


    "Leave him alone, Dad." I said as I wrapped my arms around Ocean protectively and held him against my side.


    "I''m just showing him some sympathy for having a raging lunatic for his mate." Dad was still laughing. "Anyway, you boys enjoy the last few days of your time off and work hard when school goes back into session."


    Dad let the subject drop and put his arm around my mom''s waist.


    "Be good, both of you." Mom leaned in and hugged us both at the same time since I still had my arms around Ocean. When she pulled away, I could see the sorrow in her eyes for having to leave again, but there was also relief. I wasn''t alone anymore and that made her happy.


    Ocean and I walked onto the porch to watch my parents as they drove away. I knew that I was waiting to see the gates shut behind them to know that they were truly gone. Sorry Mom and Dad, but Ocean is more important at the moment, and so is my sex life. I will show you the respect you deserve next time, when I won''t be blue balled for so long.


    Literally the second that the gate closed behind my parents'' car, and I knew that we were truly alone, I turned to Ocean and pressed my lips against his neck right below his ear.


    "M..Makai?" He hadn''t been expecting me to attack him so soon. "N..n..n..not out h..h..here." His words said that he wanted me to stop, but the way that his hands had gripped my shirt and was holding me to him said that he wanted me to keep going.


    "I am glad that we''re finally alone. I want to have a date tonight. I want to be with you, Ocean." I whispered the words against his neck before I licked my way up the outer curve of his ear and made him shudder.


    "Wh..wh..what do you want to do?"


    "Would it be too crude of me to say ''you''?" I chuckled at my own words and Ocean shuddered again, most likely from the vibrations that my laugh sent through him.


    "A little." He laughed as well. "I''m not that easy, you know. I will need some love and attention first."


    Oh God, just hearing him play along with me was enough to make me fall in love with him even more. What was I going to do with him?


    "How about I go and pick up some dinner for us and we can have a nice date here at the house? We can have dinner in the bedroom and maybe watch a movie or something."


    "Hmm, right when I say I need love and attention you''re going to leave me all alone?" He laughed and pretended to be offended. "Yeah, go on. Get us something good to eat tonight. I will wait here."


    "Perfect." I kissed his nose and ran straight toward my car. I was glad that I already had my keys in my pocket.


    I had quickly formed a plan for tonight and I was just glad that I was going to get to follow through with it.


    As soon as I slid behind the wheel of my car, I brought up the phone number to Serafina''s on my search engine. Even as I did that, though, I saw Ocean heading back into the house with a smile on his face. Damn, he was so fucking hot.


    I ordered our usual from Serafina''s, but I also ordered a couple of dishes from the steak restaurant that was down the street from them. I wanted my man to enjoy tonight so he was going to have options for his dinner. I also made sure to order dessert from both places so he could pick and choose with those as well.


    While I waited for the food to be ready, I ran to the store. I wanted to restock on a few things that we were running low on, but I also wanted to pick up a few last minute items that I needed for this date idea that I had in mind. I just hope he liked the surprise that I was cooking up for him.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai was a dork sometimes. He was also so fucking adorable. Does that make him adorkable? Probably, but that was part of his charm. He was my adorably sweet and overly horny dork that I absolutely loved.


    As I watched him run toward his car at the prospect of us having a dinner date at the house, the amount of excitement that was in each step, I knew that no matter how the date ended up, it was going to be nice. He always planned such great dates.


    He was also horny as hell, so I already knew how this night was going to go. I didn''t have to wonder or worry about whether or not we were going to have sex tonight. That was a given. He all but pushed his parents out of the house just so we could be alone together. Yeah, he was going to fuck me like crazy tonight, and I was already looking forward to it.


    I may or may not have been counting down the minutes until Makai''s parents left. I wanted him as much as he wanted me. We were both left without the other day and we needed to finish what we started.


    I knew that he wasn''t going to be gone for too long, maybe an hour or so. I thought I would just end up watching TV or something while he was gone, but I was a little too nervous. I wanted to make sure that tonight went well, and he was planning on having dinner in the bedroom, so I thought that I would go up there and start to clean the room. I changed the sheets on the bed, vacuumed the floor, made sure that all the clothes had been put away, and got the table ready.


    The table was small, just big enough for the two of us to eat at. I also only had two chairs sitting around it. I draped a white table cloth over it, set out the dishes and silverware that I brought from the kitchen, and even prepared candles that we could light when he got back.


    With all that done, I went back to the living room to wait for him only to see him running through the door and right toward me with more bags in his hands than I expected.


    "Hey baby, let me set up the food. Meet me in like twenty minutes." He kissed my cheek and I called out to him.


    "I set up the table with the plates and silverware already."


    "Aww, you''re so sweet, honey. Then head up in about ten minutes. Or I can call you when I am done."


    "Alright." I shook my head at him and the secrecy he was trying to have.. He was truly trying to surprise me though so I wasn''t going to complain.

 Chapter 138 - Makai - New Years Eve Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When I got home, I was surprised to find out that Ocean had already cleaned the bedroom and gotten the table set up in our room. There was a white tablecloth over a table that was just big enough to fit all the food that I bought for us and the plates for us to eat off of. There was also silverware, and drinks ready for us.


    I could tell, just from seeing this, that he had been excited about the date the moment that I mentioned it to him, and this was his way of making the wait seem less somehow. I loved that he was already as excited about this as I was. This was going to be a good night. I could already tell that it was going to be beyond amazing.


    When I rushed into the room to set up the meal, I hid the third bag that I had come home with. This was the bag of ''supplies'' that I had bought for after dinner and dessert. I didn''t need Ocean to find them before I was getting ready later.


    When I started to set the food up, I saw that Ocean had also brought bowls and plates up to serve the food so that it didn''t look like we were eating take out for dinner. I would have loved to have cooked for him, but I needed to get the grocery shopping done first. Not to mention that I needed those supplies for our night together. So, it was just better all around for me to get the dinner while I was out.


    With the pasta in a large bowl and the steak elegantly displayed on the serving platter with all the side dishes put into the smaller serving bowls, it was time for us to get ready to eat. I know that I said I would call Ocean to let him know it was time to come up, but I wanted to ''escort'' him to this date of ours. So, for that matter, I walked down to the living room where I could see Ocean waiting nervously for my signal. He was always so nervous and shy, and that made me smile. I loved that cute side of him.


    "Ocean." I called his name softly and he turned to look at me with expectant eyes.


    "Makai." His grin for me was heart stopping and it made all this effort worth it.


    "Would you care to join me for the evening?" I was trying to sound formal and dignified but it was obviously making him want to laugh, judging by the look in his eyes. However, he played along with me and put on a false formal tone of voice as well.


    "Why, Makai, I thought that you would never ask." I wonder if he realized how often he naturally said and did the feminine sides of conversations. Like this one for example. That line sounded like it was from some girl being asked to dance at a cotillion. [1]


    "May I have your hand." I bowed slightly, continuing the whole debutant and suitor scenario that we had going.


    "You''re such a dork." He grinned and shook his head, which he usually did when he was nervous. "But I guess I don''t mind taking your hand. Only because it''s you, babe." I took his hand then as I leaned forward to kiss his lips gently.


    "I may be a dork, but I am your dork, my love. Always and forever your dork." That made him blush and it made me think about what our families had been talking about at Christmas.


    With Ocean''s right hand in my right hand and my left arm wrapped around his waist, I guided him up the stairs to our bedroom. I still got all giddy whenever I thought about that. Our room. This was our room. Every room I have from now on was going to be our room. That was simply wonderful.


    Before I had left the room, I lit the candles and dimmed the lights. There was music playing softly in the background as well. It was truly the most romantic that we had ever been while at home. This was the epitome of romance that I could think of.


    "Makai?" He gasped a little when he saw the room, and the food. "This is wonderful."


    "You set up half of it." I chuckled at him. "You already knew what it looked like."


    "I know, but seeing it like this is different. Thank you." He turned in my arms and pressed his lips to mine. "Thanks, babe."


    Even though he had just kissed me, I kissed him again. It was slowly becoming muscle memory for me to kiss him every time that he said that word. But he was also more comfortable with saying it as well and that was the whole point. I wanted him to call me more pet names when we were alone. I loved hearing them with his voice.


    I led Ocean over to the table, still holding his hand in mine. I pulled out his seat and got him seated before me. I was being the ever doting and loving boyfriend, showing him just how much I loved and appreciated him.


    "You got way more food than I thought you were going to." His eyes were huge as he took in everything that there was to eat.


    "Well, I realized that I didn''t ask you what you wanted, so I got more than one so you could choose." I blushed a little, because I truly had been inattentive and stupid when I rushed off like that.


    "It''s fine, you got my favorites, so you were still thinking about me." His easy grin made all the embarrassed chagrin leave me. "Plus, now I can have some of each and that is even better."


    "I love you." I couldn''t stop the words from coming out, but I didn''t care. He knew I loved him, so I was just reaffirming it for him.


    We made our plates then. Piling on the foods that we wanted to eat first. With our plates filled and our forks in hand, it was time for us to have a conversation. There was something that I was thinking about that I wanted to ask him.


    "Ocean, will you marry me?" Well, I guess I could have chosen a better moment to ask that question. It would have still been tonight, but it could have been when he wasn''t shoveling food into his mouth. He had a fork full of pasta that he was putting into his mouth when I asked him that and it led to him gasping and then choking on his food.


    "Urgh.. Ahem.. Huuh.. Urgh.. Ahem." He was choking and coughing so much that I ran to his side and was thumping him on his back. I was afraid that he was going to drop dead at any moment because I had been an idiot. Dammit, Makai, pay more attention than that.


    "Ocean?" I called his name worriedly when he took a long, deep breath, finally able to breathe again.


    "Huuuuu.. Hooooooo." He took a deep breath in and then out as he settled himself. "What in the fucking hell were you thinking?" He snapped at me. "Couldn''t you have waited until I wasn''t about to take a bite?" He wasn''t mad at the question though, that was good.


    "I''m sorry, I realized right away that I had fucked up. I''m so sorry"


    "Whatever." He shrugged it off and sat up straighter in his chair.


    "I meant it, though." I took his hands in mine and looked into his eyes while I knelt on the floor. "I know we haven''t been together all that long, but when our families were talking about us getting married over the summer, I found myself really wanting that to happen. I don''t ever want there to be a day when we''re not together. I love you ,Ocean. Please, marry me. Become my husband before we go off to school."


    There was shock in his eyes, but dare I say, that there was a hint of a smile as well. He was not completely opposed to the idea. There was hope.


    "Sit down, Makai, and let''s talk about this." His voice was soft and full of love. There was definitely still hope.


    "Yes, my love." I nodded and sat down in my seat eagerly.


    "Why do you want to get married before college? Why do you want us to be married so bad so soon?" They were logical questions, and I knew that I really did. Still, it was hard for me to articulate the reasons why.


    "I guess I just want a way for us to show that we are together that is permanent. It''s not going to change anything between us since we will be together regardless, but with us having to hide so much, I think that by the time that we go to college and no longer need to hide that we''re together I just want to have the most permanent and concrete evidence that we''re together for the world to see. I know that is a stupid and selfish reason, but that''s how I feel. I mean, there is also the fact that I love you more than life itself and that I wanted us to be together forever, united firm against anything and everything that might come our way. When someone asks me why I am right there with you all the time, I want to be able to tell them that I am just supporting my husband in whatever it is that he is doing. And I know you feel how intense this connection between us is, it''s the same for me as well. All I want is for us to be together forever and ever. And I am eager to be at that point where we can''t be separated for any reason at all."


    That was a little more in depth and sappy than I initially wanted it to be, but there was no going back now. I was just sitting there and looking him in the eyes as I waited for his response.


    He didn''t say anything for what felt like a long time. He just sat there and looked at me with an awkward grin on his face as if he didn''t quite know how to respond to me. I was starting to get nervous now, though. He wasn''t responding to my question at all.


    When Ocean did finally speak, I didn''t quite process the word at first.


    "Yes."


    "What?" I asked him, dumbfounded.


    "I said yes." He was looking embarrassed now.


    "Yes?" I was still stupidly confused.


    "Yes, I will marry you this summer." His cheeks turned bright red and I jumped out of my chair with excitement.


    "YES! Thank you, thank you, thank you." I dropped to my knees next to him again and kissed him softly.


    These rings that we both always wore around our necks now meant something else entirely.


    [1] Cotillion-


    1: a ballroom dance for couples that resembles the quadrille


    2: an elaborate dance with frequent changing of partners carried out under the leadership of one couple at formal balls


    3: a formal ball, especially one at which debutantes are presented (US DEFINITION)

 Chapter 139 - Ocean – New Year’s Eve Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I could not believe that Makai had just asked me to marry him. What the hell had he been thinking? Honestly! We''re still in high school, for crying out loud. Why did he want to get married so soon?


    Though, I did say yes. And I didn''t say yes just because I felt pressured to do so. No, I said yes because I really do love him and, well, I have been thinking about it too. It''s been on my mind ever since my family brought it up.


    And, well, just think about all the reactions we will get when we go off to school. That will be a little fun, awkward too, but still fun. Now that he asked me, though, I was excited about it. I mean, who actually gets to get married straight out of high school. That will be a story to tell people someday.


    After that nice and exciting part of our night was over, it was time for us to finish our dinner. Makai really had done good on setting up this date at the last minute. He had gotten my favorite foods, some great looking desserts, and blew my mind away with his out of nowhere question. This was already quite an amazing night. And I guess it was a great way to ring in the new year.


    "Did you have enough?" Makai asked me as he saw that my plate was getting empty.


    "Yeah, plus we have the dessert." I smiled at him as he tried to offer me more food. Normally, I probably would have eaten more, but I knew what was coming after we were done eating and I didn''t want to be too full for that. That might be a bit uncomfortable.


    "Which dessert do you want?" Makai was being so attentive and doting right now. Was this just because I had agreed to marry him?


    "Whatever one is fine with me. You pick." I tried to make him choose first.


    "No." He shook his head at me. "I bought two specifically so that you could have the one that you wanted out of them." He really wanted me to pick.


    "Then how about we share them both." He seemed to be elated by my suggestion.


    "You want to share them?" Excitement blazed behind his seafoam green eyes. That was a dangerous look, it made all sorts of thoughts run through my head.


    "Yeah, we can eat them together."


    I was encouraging the intimacy. I was trying to bring us closer. I wasn''t suggesting that we split the two desserts on our plates and eat them separately. No, I wanted us to share them. I wanted them to be split evenly by us bite for bite.


    I picked up the first dessert, a small take out container that had some cannoli from Serafina''s. They were good and I have had them several times before.


    "Come here." I grinned at Makai and he did just as I told him to. He practically fell out of his chair to kneel next to me again. The look he gave me basically said the words that his mouth didn''t. ''Yes, my love.'' He was such a dork.


    "Say ahh." I knew he would do it, so I didn''t have to worry about that. He opened his mouth and looked at me with his expectant eyes. I didn''t make him wait too long.


    I took one of the cannoli from the container and took a small bite of it. The thick and sweet cream mixed with the flakey and delicious fried pastry crust just seemed to melt on my tongue as soon as I bit into it. It was sweet, saccharine, and perfect.


    Now that I had taken a quick bite, I moved the pastry to Makai''s mouth. That expectant look of his had turned heated the moment he watched me bite the pastry first. He knew that I was meaning that I wanted him. That I was giving him a kiss as indirectly as I could with this maneuver of mine.


    I slid the dessert into my man''s mouth, and he bit down on it slowly, almost sensually. I felt a shiver run through me and it had been fueled by desire and need. He was already making me want to rush straight into bed. But I was having fun with this right now.


    "Mmm, that is good." Makai grinned at me and picked up the other dessert that he had gotten. It was a different take out container from a different restaurant. This one was filled with a couple of slices of cake that were topped with a thick layer of frosting. "How about I feed you a bite now."


    I watched as Makai swiped his finger through the frosting and licked it off of his finger. He did it again, coating his finger in the gold colored, sugary confection. With the frosting on the tip of his finger he leaned in toward me and brought his finger to my lips. I didn''t hesitate. I was more than happy to open my mouth and lick the frosting from his finger.


    His finger rolled across my tongue along with the sugary frosting. I didn''t taste the frosting at all though, all that my senses picked up was his natural flavor of oranges and vanilla cream. He tasted so perfect.


    "Oops." He smirked at me when he pulled his finger away from my mouth. "I got some on your lips." He was leaning close again, smiling mischievously. "I can take care of that."


    At that, Makai pressed his lips against mine. He instantly pressed his tongue to my bottom lip as he lapped away the frosting and encouraged me to open my mouth for him. The moment my mouth was open, he slid his tongue inside and deepened the kiss between us. It was passionate and heated, and exactly what I wanted at that moment.


    Several moments later, Makai finally pulled away from me. We were both breathless and I know that I looked needy. I couldn''t help it, I wanted him. I wanted him right then and there.


    "I''m going to take a quick shower." He pulled away from me, surprising me completely. "You can take one after me." He was already on his feet and rushing for the door.


    "What the hell?" I was so surprised by his abrupt departure. I mean, yeah we had been showering separately while his parents were here, but we were alone now. We didn''t need to do that now. When I followed him though, I saw that he had locked the door behind him.


    Did he not want to shower with me anymore? That was so mean.


    Well, I wasn''t about to just sit out here and do nothing. I was going to drown my sorrow and loneliness in sugar. Maybe I completely misread the situation and he didn''t want to be with me tonight. I mean, he had basically said that he wanted to fuck my brains out, just not in those words. So, why was he pulling away from me now? Did I do something wrong?


    I did my best to ignore it, to ignore him and the sound of the shower, as I ate my half of the dessert that he had bought us. I was a bit pissed off though.


    After about ten minutes or so, I heard the bathroom door opening. He was done and coming out in nothing but a towel.


    "Forgot my clothes." He chuckled.


    "No shit Sherlock. You all but ran away from me." I snapped at him as I strode past him and into the bathroom for my shower. Maybe now he would know that I was mad at him.


    I was just going to hurry up and shower. But then again, I wasn''t in a big rush to get back to the bedroom either. Maybe I should take my time and stretch this out as best as I can.


    My shower ended up being long and slow. I had the water on hot and was letting it relax the tension in my body. I scrubbed my body clean and made sure that I didn''t miss anything.


    Following the shower, I blow dried my hair, brushed my teeth, I even gargled with mouthwash and flossed thoroughly. I wasn''t going to skip a single step.


    Well, I too had forgotten my clothes as I stormed into the bathroom past my buttheaded boyfriend. Now I needed to wrap a towel around my waist and head to the closet.


    I made sure the white cotton towel was firmly in place before I opened the bathroom door. I was fully prepared to ignore him and just get dressed. That was, until I heard the sound of a party blower coming from the bed.


    When I turned my head to see what had caused the noise, I saw the most shocking site in the world.. This was way beyond anything that I would have been expecting from Makai, and I now knew why he had done what he did.

 Chapter 140 - Ocean - New Years Eve Part 4 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When I turned to see the source of the noise, I saw that Makai was sitting there on the edge of the bed and he was completely naked.


    OK, he wasn''t completely naked. He had on one of those New Year''s hats, the novelty glasses that had the numbers across the part that you wear, some festive beads, and a banner that said HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022. Aside from the novelty party supplies he wasn''t wearing anything else.


    As I just looked at him with shock on my face, he blew the party blower once more. It was one of those ones that unrolled when you blew into it. He was blowing it now and it was completely unrolled and twitching a little from the force of the air he was blowing into it.


    "M..M..Makai, what are you doing?" I asked him with shock written all over my face.


    "I wanted to ring in the new year with you." He was grinning at me with a mischievous look in his eyes.


    "D..did you already have this planned when your parents left earlier?" I was finding it a little difficult that he didn''t already have this planned in advance.


    "Nope, I thought about it after they left, and I asked you to have a date with me tonight."


    "Really?" He was surprising me with this even though he didn''t have that much time to plan it all out. That was insane.


    "Now, come over here." He smirked at me. "I''d rather blow you than this stupid horn." I rolled my eyes and laughed at his words. He wasn''t going to hold anything back now, was he?


    "You''re such a dork." I said as I walked right to him, excitement bubbling inside of me. Now I knew why he had wanted us to shower alone again. He wanted to set this up.


    "But I am a loveable dork, so that''s fine." The moment that I was close enough to him he grabbed my left arm and pulled me toward him. At the same time, he raised his other hand to pull away the towel that was wrapped around me.


    When Makai had pulled me, I ended up falling forward and pushing him back onto the bed. I was now straddling him while fully naked.


    "Well, aren''t you eager?" I did my best to sound seductive and cool while I grinned at him, but something tells me that I didn''t quite pull it off.


    "I''m always eager for you." I felt him lift his hips just a little and grind against me.


    "Is that so? Well, babe, I''m eager for you too."


    Just like I knew he would, he pressed his lips to mine as soon as I called him babe. He didn''t know yet that I knew what he had been doing with that word, but I did. I have known for a while now. The kiss had been way too short, and he pulled away too soon. "That was a nice one, babe." I smirked and let him kiss me again.


    When the kiss broke this time, I climbed off of him and sat in the middle of the bed, waiting for him to sit up and follow after me. I had a bit of a plan and I wanted to see what he was going to do.


    The moment that Makai sat on the bed right in front of me I said what I had been planning to say.


    "Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe" That was a lot of ''babes'' and that should get me the wildest kiss yet.


    There was one problem. The moment I said the word over and over he just looked at me like I was crazy.


    "Oh, come on! When the hell did you get so stingy? Where are my kisses?" I could tell that he was shocked that I knew what he had been doing. He must not have thought that I would figure it out. What a dork. "Am I not being rewarded for calling you ''babe'' anymore?" I started to feel a little down but at that moment his eyes darkened and he pounced on me.


    "Ahh!" I cried out as he pushed me back onto the bed now. His body was pressed firmly against mine with no space between us whatsoever. His lips were on mine and he was kissing me so deeply, so passionately, that I thought my mind was going to explode. I had gotten just what I wanted when I said ''babe'' so many times. This was the wildest kiss we have had in a long time, possibly ever. It was filled with so much raw passion and emotion, not to mention heat, that I seriously thought we might actually set the room on fire.


    He didn''t break the kiss before he started to move his hands across my body. His strong, firm hands were making their way across my chest and down my stomach. The touch was gentle yet firm and it was driving me wild.


    When his hand got low enough to grasp my firm, hard cock, I moaned in pleasure. With his hand wrapped around my shaft he started to slide his hand up and down in slow, dizzying strokes.


    "NGH!" I moaned again and again as he pleased me.


    "I''ve been needing your body pressed against mine all week." He growled the words into my ear after he broke our kiss. "I need you so bad that I don''t think that I can be gentle and slow tonight." He was nibbling the lobe of my ear after he finished his declaration.


    "I need you, too. I need you so bad. I feel so empty, like it''s been too long since you were inside me. I need you, Makai. I need you now."


    "Ocean" He groaned my name and pulled away from me.


    Even though we were both frantic to have each other, he wasn''t about to hurt me. He reached for the drawer where we kept our ''supplies'' and pulled out a condom and the lube. He wasn''t going to wear the condom when he fucked me, no this was for what he usually used them for. He was going to put it over his fingers so that he could prepare me for him.


    "Ocean." He said my name again like it alone was giving him pleasure.


    With his fingers ready, Makai crouched between my thighs. Without me even being ready for it, he slid his mouth over my shaft and took me in his mouth and at the exact same time he slid his fingers into my ass.


    I knew that he was going to prepare my opening, what I did not know was that he was going to suck me at the same time. I wasn''t complaining though, this felt so good. He was driving his fingers in and out of me at the same rhythm that he was sliding his mouth up and down over me. I was already moaning and panting for him, bucking my hips to feel more from both points of pleasure.


    "OH GOD!" I called out before exploding into his mouth.


    "Mmm, that was quicker than expected. You truly did need me, huh?" He chuckled as he positioned himself over me and pushed against my entrance. My legs were wrapped high up around his back to give him a proper angle and to hold onto him. "Damn, Ocean, I love you so much." He pressed his lips against my collarbone then and slid inside of me quickly.


    "AHH!" It felt so good that I called out for him.


    "That''s it, Ocean. Let''s scream in the new year. We will scream each other''s names all night as our way to celebrate." He was already thrusting in and out of me as he spoke. I don''t even know how he could concentrate enough to even talk. Dammit, I was feeling so good that I was rendered an idiot incapable of rational thought or proper speech. Shit, how did he do this to me every time?


    Makai thrust into me over and over again, pounding in and out of my body harder and faster each time.


    "NGH! AHH! AHH! NGH! NGH! AHH! AHH! M..M..M..MAKAI!" I couldn''t stop the sounds that were coming from me, and truth be told, I didn''t want to stop them.


    "NGH! NGH! OCEAN! NGH!" He grunted and moaned with each thrust, adding to the chorus that I was making for us.


    I came again, long before him. I sprayed it all over myself and Makai as he kept thrusting over and over. It wasn''t for a few more minutes that I felt him explode inside of me and scream my name.


    "OCEAN!"


    He wasn''t done yet. That was good though, because I wasn''t ready to be done either.


    This time, Makai wrapped his arms around me and pulled me up to him, pressing our chests together as he held me in his arms. This made me taller than him and I looked down into his eyes while he looked up into mine. This new position was more intimate, and I felt my heart flutter from just that thought.


    With this new position Makai couldn''t thrust into me as hard as before, but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t going to make me feel amazing. He was rocking his hips and lifting me off him at the same time. Every time that he rocked his hips forward, he would pull me back down on him and he would slide deeper and deeper into me. It was so amazingly intimate that I couldn''t get enough of it. Not to mention, I was already starting to climb that peak of ecstasy again. This was perfect, and wonderful, and everything that I could ever want.


    This time, we came together, moaning and screaming each other''s names.


    "OCEAN!"


    "MAKAI!"


    We still weren''t done. Makai, who had started frantic, then turned intimate and sweet, and was now becoming frantic again. He pulled me off the bed and pushed me over so that I was leaning against it, laying on my arms and face. My ass was sticking out into the air for him and he took advantage. He slammed into me hard and fast.


    "AHH!" I screamed out a little from the abruptness.


    He pounded me again and again. He was like an animal that couldn''t get enough. He was pushing me more than I expected though and my body just couldn''t keep up. After this time, I was ready to collapse.


    He didn''t let me collapse though. Makai just carried me into the bathroom and took me into the shower. We had to clean off the mess that I had left on us. And while we were in the shower, he took me again. I was literally not capable of walking by the time that he was done.


    Makai had to dry me off and carry me back to the bed. He laid me down and slid into the bed next to me. He snuggled up behind me and slid inside of me again. This time though, he was gentle and slow. It was more a slow rocking of hips than anything else. This time, He came before I did and I left it at that, I didn''t need to make another mess on our bed.


    Finally, with him sated, and my body unable to take anymore, I fell asleep. Not before looking at the clock and seeing that the time just switched to midnight.


    "Happy New Year." I sounded groggy to my own ears.


    "Happy New Year, my dear sweet fianc¨¦." He just had to remind me that we were getting married this summer.


    That was all I was able to think about as I drifted off to sleep. That was probably why I had dreams about our future again. I had that dream where we were married with a son and a daughter in the future. That dream, part of it anyway, wasn''t that far off.. I didn''t plan to adopt until we were older, obviously.

 Chapter 141 - Makai – Shopping

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Well, that was one hell of a way to ring in the new year. It was such an amazing night for the both of us. And to top it all off, I had asked Ocean to marry me, and he said yes.


    Who would have thought that I was going to ask someone to marry me when I was still in high school? Yeah, I definitely didn''t think that was going to be what happened to me when I was still so young, but I didn''t really care. I was happy. I had found my mate. I had found the one person that I was meant to be with for the rest of my life. I had found the one and only person that would make me happy forever and ever. This was the best thing ever.


    We stayed home on New Year''s Day, just basking in the glory that was our blissful life together. My mom and dad weren''t here now, so it was just the two of us. That meant that I didn''t have to worry about embarrassing my fianc¨¦ when I kissed him at random times. And I didn''t have to worry about him not wanting to snuggle with me while we watched a movie together. We were back to our normal lives.


    I was still kissing Ocean almost every time that he said babe. He had caught onto what I had been doing, but there was no reason for me to stop doing it. He liked that I kissed him for saying it, and I liked that he said it and that I got to kiss him. So, it was a win-win for us to keep the kisses going.


    On the second day of the new year, and the day before school was due to start again, we needed to get some shopping done. We hadn''t restocked the house in a little while and we needed a lot of things. It was just the two of us again, but we both ate a lot, so we needed a lot of food.


    When we left for this shopping trip, I decided that we should take one of the other vehicles in the garage. We were going to be getting a lot and I didn''t know if it would all fit into my car.


    I drove us to the normal store that we went to when shopping for groceries and other household items that we needed. We grabbed a cart and kept our distance from each other as we walked through the store.


    I couldn''t help but think that if we were open with our relationship, we could have a lot more fun while shopping like this. That wasn''t how things were right now though, we would eventually be open and let everyone know, but not right now. Not until we were out of high school. That was something to look forward to, going to school as a fully out and open couple. I couldn''t wait for that.


    "Hey, Makai, do we need more orange juice yet?" Ocean asked me as we walked down the refrigerated aisle.


    "Yeah, we should get some more. And grab a gallon of milk too. Oh, and some eggs." Mom and dad had helped us go through quite a bit of our staple items that we needed. That was fine, it was their house after all, but that just meant that we needed to replenish a lot of stuff.


    "On it." Ocean went to grab the items that I said we needed while I grabbed some cheese and yogurt. "Here you go." He set the items into the cart with a smile and looked around at what else was near us. "Is there anything else that we need over here?"


    "Nah, I think we''re done with this section. Let''s head over to the meat department, we need to get some more for the next couple of days until I have Janice or Yvette finish the shopping for us."


    "Alright sounds good."


    The two of us walked along the store and I could tell that Ocean was smiling more than he usually did. It made me smile which probably made us look like a bunch of creeps. Even now I could feel someone watching me which was probably because of the stupid grins on our faces.


    Once we were at the meat counter and looking at the selection that there was for us to choose from, I couldn''t decide on what to make for the next few days.


    "Do you have any preferences for what to have for dinner?" I asked Ocean so that he could be the one to pick for me.


    "Hmm, I don''t know, maybe some fried chicken, that sounds good. Or some balsamic glazed pork chops. French onion chicken sounds good too. So does beef burgundy. I just don''t know." He laughed at the difficulty he was choosing what to eat.


    "I can get the stuff for all of those and make them over the next few nights." I grinned at him as I started to make my selections.


    "Why are you guys having dinner together?" I heard a very unpleasant and extremely unwelcomed voice coming from behind us.


    "Huh?" Ocean gasped and spun around. "What do you want?" He glared at Brittney who was giving us a weird look.


    "Just what I asked a moment ago. Why are you guys eating dinners together. Are you living together? Why are you shopping together like this?" The look on Brittney''s face said that she found our entire situation to be wrong.


    "I''m just staying at Makai''s house while my parents are out of town." Ocean was ready with an excuse that was prepared ahead of time. It was what we planned to say if someone ever questioned us, but this was the first time that we had needed to use this excuse.


    "Really?" She didn''t look like she was convinced at all. "You''re eighteen, Ocean, why can''t you just stay home alone?" She glared at him.


    "You know I can''t cook." He retorted. "My parents don''t want me eating out all the time, so I decided to stay with a friend while they were gone, visiting my aunt."


    "Uh huh, right. That just doesn''t make sense to me at all. You''re an adult, a grown man. This just seems fishy, if you ask me."


    "Well, that''s cause you''re trying to find something wrong with it. I am staying in one of Makai''s guest rooms so that I can not starve to death. My parents didn''t even leave me with money to eat out for crying out loud."  I could hear that Ocean was starting to get angry and annoyed at her prying.


    "I can''t believe this." I could see that Brittney''s face was turning red. "This is what you prefer to me?"  She pointed at me with an accusatory finger. "You''re just fucking wrong, Ocean. I can''t believe you of all people would do this."


    "I don''t know what the fuck you''re talking about. You''re being stupid." Ocean grabbed the front of the cart that I had been pushing and started to pull it. "Come on Makai, I just want to get out of here."


    Ocean stormed off toward the check out without us getting any other groceries. I didn''t blame him, though. I was pissed about what had happened and worried about what was going to come next.


    We paid for the small amount of groceries that we had got, bagged them up, and loaded them into the car. We were in the car and halfway home before Ocean said anything else.


    "GAHHHH!" He screamed in frustration as he grabbed onto his hair and pulled it hard. "This is so fucking bad. She''s going to start telling everyone that we''re living together. She''s going to cause problems for us. She''s been out to get me since I rejected her attempts to get me back. She''s going to ruin us."


    "All she saw was us shopping together. There is nothing else that she can use against us." I tried to soothe him, but I don''t think that it was helping all that much.


    "No, this is going to end horribly for us. I just know it is. She''s going to turn the whole school against us. She is going to cause everyone to hate us. I just know that she is."


    "Calm down, Ocean." I spoke in a soothing voice. "You need to remember that most of the school doesn''t even like her anymore. She ruined her popularity when she tried to cause a scene last time. Don''t worry about it. We''re going to be fine." I didn''t like seeing him look so upset and worried. I wanted to make him feel better, but I didn''t know how.


    I had to agree with Ocean a little bit, though. Even though I wasn''t going to tell him this, I had a feeling that there was going to be a few problems for us starting soon. I didn''t tell Ocean, because I just knew that it would make him worry that much more.


    When we got home, I put the groceries away while Ocean went to swim. He was so worried and keyed up that he needed to do something to calm his mind. When I was done with putting everything away, I went to join my fianc¨¦ at the pool. I had hoped that swimming together would be enough to calm us both down at least a little bit. I don''t think it helped though, not really.


    The next day, we were supposed to go back to school, back to practice. That was going to start putting a lot more stress on the two of us, and if we added a rumor about us living together to the mix, that would just cause even more stress and issues.


    I''m sorry, Ocean.. I wish I would have been able to stop this from happening.

 Chapter 142 - Ocean - Back To School

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was dreading this. Every second of every minute of every hour that has passed since yesterday, when we ran into that fucking skank while Makai and I were out shopping. I had been dreading the moment that we left for practice.


    Did Brittney have time to spread her rumors? Did her network of cronies already have time to tell everyone at school that Makai and I were out together, Did Brittney think that we were dating? What was going to happen? What were they going to say?


    More importantly than what the rest of the school was going to say, will I still be allowed on the swim team? Will we be kicked off the team because we''re together? Will my entire swimming career be over? I just didn''t know what was going to happen and that is what scared me.


    "Makai, can we just skip school?" I asked him as I walked toward the car. Every step I took felt like I was getting that much closer to the execution chamber.


    "No, baby, we can''t. We need to go to school, or your parents will make you move back home." He took my hand and started to pull me toward the car door and eventually to my doom.


    "Can we switch schools? Or change to doing it all online. Anything. Come on, babe, please don''t make me go."


    "Come on, Ocean. You know that we can''t do that."


    I could tell by the look in his eyes that he really didn''t want to force me to go to school, but I knew as well as he did that I had to go. Honestly, if I waited until tomorrow to go then it would just be that much worse.


    In reality, if I just went to school and denied her allegations today, then she would have nothing to go on. Right? If Makai and I had a united front in the denial of any and all rumors, then it would all be OK.


    I really, really, really hoped that would be the case. Come on everybody, throw me a bone here. Don''t listen to a single word that she says. And for the love of all that is aquatic, don''t let them kick me off the team.


    Makai opened the car door for me and just waited there, looking at me sympathetically until I finally decided to move. There was no way to stop this from happening, I just needed to bite the bullet and deal with it, no matter what.


    I got into the passenger side of the car and Makai shut my door before he went around to get in and started to drive us toward the school. We didn''t talk at all during the drive. We just sat there in silence while Makai held my hand out of sight from the windows. I felt him squeeze it comfortingly a few times along the way, and I could tell how much he loved me with just that little touch. He was right, we would get through this. I just wish I could tell the herd of wild animals running amok in my stomach that. My nerves were still rampaging and I didn''t think that they would ever stop.


    "Oh, shit!" I said the words under my breath, but Makai still heard me. The moment that we pulled into the parking lot I saw Brittney waiting there. She was standing next to Justin''s car. Of all the people it had to be him. This was going to be even worse than I thought. We had an enemy on and off the team. Great.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean, we''ve been carpooling for weeks, there is nothing different about today."


    "I..I know." I tried to be resolute and firm in my belief of that, but nothing was helping.


    "Take a deep breath and don''t let them see you looking so scared. That is the best way to show them that they''re wrong."


    "R..r..right." I nodded at him, trying to look brave and unaffected. I am pretty sure that I failed.


    Makai parked in our usual spot, and we got out of the car. We each grabbed our gym bag like we usually did, and we started toward the school''s main entrance. Brittney and Justin had been on the opposite side of the parking lot when we parked, nowhere even close to where we were.


    "OCEAN!" Britt the bitch screamed my name as she ran up toward me. "OCEAN! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" She ran until she was standing between the doors to the school and where I was standing next to Makai.


    "Yeah well, I don''t want to talk to you." I did my best to remain calm.


    "Tell me right now why you won''t get back together with me. Are you dating someone else? Are you dating him?" She pointed at Makai as she hurled her words toward me.


    "I am not with you right now because I don''t want to be. I would have to be stupid to want to be with you." I was still calm despite the nerves that I was feeling.


    "Really? REALLY?" She was getting pissed off and that was clear to see. "There was a time that you wanted nothing else but to be with me. There was a time you thought I was hot. You called me beautiful, gorgeous and sexy."


    "Yeah, there was a time when I thought that, then I woke the fuck up and saw what a goddamn shrew you were. I thank my lucky fucking stars every day that you broke up with me. That is a holiday for me now. It''s now known as my Freedom Day. Stop trying to ruin that for me by coming around when you''re not wanted." I added a very real shudder at the end of my words, accomplished by thinking about what it would be like if I was still with her. Ugh!


    "Huh! Ocean!" She pretended to be offended by what I said. Hell, maybe she truly was offended by it, I don''t know. Still, I didn''t care, I just needed to get past her and into the school.


    "I don''t have time for this, Brittney. I need to get to practice."


    "Practice can wait." Justin snapped at me. "This needs to be settled right now or you''re not stepping one foot into that locker room."


    "REALLY?" I heard Ryan''s voice call out from behind us. "And who the fuck is going to stop him, huh?" Ryan was now standing next to me. Ben had joined us as well, standing on Makai''s other side.


    "You are being a dick, Justin. What the hell do you think you''re doing?" I couldn''t see Ben''s face, but he sounded as angry as Ryan had.


    "I don''t want them in my locker room." Justin snapped at Ben while pointing at me and Makai.


    "You''re a fucking idiot." Ryan sighed and grabbed me by the elbow. "Come on, Ocean, ignore the morons. Let''s go to practice." Ben did the same thing to Makai and together the two of them marched us straight toward the school doors, forcing Brittney and Justin to move out of the way. This was going to make things worse in the long run, I just knew that it was.


    Ryan didn''t let go of my arm until we got all the way into the locker room. The entire time that he was marching me along through the hallways, Justin, ''skank face'', and the rest of the team were following behind us.


    The rest of the team had been there to watch the scene that Justin and the bitch had caused. And while they hadn''t explicitly said things like ''you''re gay'' or ''you two are dating'' they made their position on it clear. And I just knew that Brittney was going to tell everyone that Makai and I were together in that way.


    Thankfully, there wasn''t time for Justin to start spreading rumors before practice started, I saw that he was working his way through the rest of the team while we warmed up. He started in the locker room and continued working his way through them all one by one while next to the pool.


    I felt their eyes on me. I heard their whispered voices but not their words. I could tell they were looking at me and Makai. I could tell that they were judging us and trying to guess whether it was all true or not.


    All of it, everything that was going on, was making my heart pound with fear. What was going to happen? What were they going to do? What were they going to say?


    I didn''t want them to start with the whole bullying thing, just because I happened to be in love with a man. That was the only thing that I wanted to avoid. I wasn''t going to break up with Makai, not for anything. I just didn''t want people to make our lives a living hell because we were together.


    Please! Please someone, tell me what to do. Tell me how to have it all. Tell me how I can be with the man that I loved and not have my daily life become the subject of scorn and ridicule by others. Tell me what I needed to do and I would just do it.


    No advice came. No matter how much I prayed and begged, I didn''t know what to do. And to top it all off, the entire team, the guys and the girls, were staring at me, Makai, Ben, and Ryan. The entire team seemed to have heard what it was that Justin had to say and they were judging us for it already.


    I had a feeling that class was going to be miserable today.

 Chapter 143 - Makai – Tense Situations

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I wanted to comfort Ocean. I wanted to take his hand and tell him that everything was going to be OK. I wanted to hug him until all of his stress was gone. I wanted to do so much, but I couldn''t.


    All I could do right now was walk to class silently while we ignored the rumors that people were whispering about us. I heard them. The other people in the halls weren''t being all that quiet while we were walking past them.


    "Do you think it''s true?"


    "I don''t know, that''s just what I heard."


    "What a waste. They''re both such a catch."


    "How, though? I mean, Ocean was with Brittney. It can''t possibly be true."


    "Hush, Makai is looking this way."


    "Do you really think that he is like that? I mean, he''s new here, could they be wrong?"


    "From what I heard, someone saw them together. Like together together."


    "I can''t picture it."


    "I won''t believe the rumors that Brittney spreads. She has it out for Ocean."


    Not all of the whispers were negative, but I just knew that Ocean was going to focus on the bad ones instead of the positive ones. We had allies among these people. They either didn''t believe her, or they just didn''t care. Not everyone was going to turn against us.


    I looked over at Ocean and the desolate look in his eyes. His face was a mask, a perfect poker face that didn''t have a crack in it at all. His only weakness was his eyes. His emotions were plain as day and clear for everyone to see in their beautiful gray depths.


    ''Be strong, my love.'' I offered him my silent support as we got to the door to our first class. We had made sure that we were getting to class with barely any time to spare. This way, no one could say anything before the bell rang and Coach Dickson started the lesson.


    Well, that had been our plan at least. Waiting in the classroom for us was Brittney. This was the only class that we had to worry about seeing her. Justin was in a few of our other classes, but this was the only one that this bitch was going to be able to ruin for us.


    "Ocean!" She snapped at him the moment he entered the classroom ahead of me. He did good, though. He just ignored her and went to sit in his seat at the back of the classroom. "Don''t you dare ignore me, Ocean." Brittney stalked over to him as Ryan and I took our seats on either side of him.


    "Go away, Britch, I mean Brit." Ryan spoke in an angry tone of voice as he interceded on Ocean''s behalf.


    "Fuck you, Ryan." She snapped at him. "I will talk to him about this now."


    "You can watch your mouth and sit in your seat if you don''t want to go right to the principal''s office." Coach came in then and glared at Brittney. She didn''t look very happy at the moment, but she started to turn away.


    "Fine, I''ll leave the three queers alone for now." She glared at Ryan like she was making fun of him as well.


    "Ha, that just proves how stupid you are." He spoke under his breath but she still heard him, it was clear by the look on her face that she had heard every word he said.


    The moment that the bell rang, the three of us were on our feet and on our way to our next class. We were out the door before she was, and that was a good thing. That would put people between us and make it hard for her to catch up to us. Not to mention, that we all walked a lot faster than she did.


    By the time that she was even remotely close to us, Ocean and I had caught up with Ben and were almost to our next class. Brittney was still chasing us down, calling after us.


    "Stop running away from me, Ocean. I demand answers from you. I deserve that much after you lied to me all that time."


    There were eyes on all four of us as we nearly jogged through the halls, but it was worse now that she was yelling at us as well.


    "Do you think it''s true?"


    "No, he was totally into her. He wasn''t stringing her along."


    "But they are together all the time."


    "Their schedules are totally in sync with each other."


    More whispers, more rumors, more talk about stuff that didn''t even concern them. What the hell was wrong with people? At my last school, back in Florida, there were no issues with someone being gay. Seriously, I think half the damn school was gay. It was an everyday occurrence to see a same sex couple walking along the halls. And in this era, with the way the world is now, can they truly act like it''s such a novel issue. There are gay people everywhere, even in politics dammit. Let us be.


    My internal ranting was interrupted when the four of us burst through the door to our next class. Waiting there for us, close enough to the door that we almost ran right into him, was Justin.


    "Oh look, the Tinkerbells are here." He smirked at us like he had made the perfect joke. "Don''t you four think you should just leave. No one wants you here. And I refuse to ever let you in my pool ever again."


    "Get out of the way, Justine." Ben snapped at our teammate, making fun of his name at the same time.


    "If I were a girl at least I''d be safe from a disgusting pervert like you." Justin was obviously trying to hurt Ben in any way that he possibly could.


    "You''re a fucking idiot, Justin. Ben isn''t gay, but if he was, he wouldn''t want someone as stupid and ugly as you. This JUST IN, Justin is a moron." Ryan snapped at Justin then pushed past him. That prompted the three of us to follow him and take our seats at the back of the room.


    "None of you are fooling anyone, you know. We all know that you''re a bunch of fruits. Ocean and his new boy toy that he picked up after Brittney deemed that he wasn''t worthy of her, and Ben and Ryan, the longtime closet couple. That is the most shocking to me, honestly. How long have you two been diddling each other? How long have you perverts been ogling the rest of us in the locker room? Same goes for you, Ocean. Why did you string along Brittney? Why did you date her and make her think you loved her when in reality all you wanted was a big fucking cock?"


    "JUSTIN!" The teacher had just walked in when he yelled that across the room for everyone to hear. "Out! Get out of my classroom right now! Mitchel, make sure he makes it to the office. I will be calling ahead to let them know what happened."


    "Yes Ma''am." Mitchel, who was sitting near the door, stood and followed Justin out of the room. He was still looking over his shoulder and glaring at us as he left.


    "The rest of you, open your books to the same chapter as yesterday. Review it and then move onto the next one. I will be back shortly."


    She retreated to the prep room that was between our class and the next one over to call down to the principal. Ocean didn''t move to get his book and neither did I. Actually, Ben and Ryan hadn''t either. I could see a shell shocked look on Ben''s face and one filled with laughter on Ryan''s.


    I knew that Ben was wondering how everyone else figured out his secret while Ryan was thinking that Justin and Brittney were morons for thinking that he and Ben were gay. He firmly believed that Ben was straight and that this only helped me and Ocean out as we went through this issue.


    This was not going to end well for them.


    The rest of our morning passed easily, now that Justin had been sent home. He was apparently given a two day suspension that covered the rest of today and then tomorrow, he wouldn''t be back to school until Wednesday. That was a slight relief. That meant that we didn''t have to deal with him in the other two classes that we shared with him, or at lunch. It also meant that practice was going to be a lot more smooth as well.


    The only problem that was left for us was lunch. That would be when Brittney was going to try to bombard us again. That wasn''t going to be a pleasant time but as long as we just did our best to stay calm and didn''t rise to her bait then we would be good.


    I didn''t know what was going to happen though, and that made even me nervous. I wasn''t nervous on my behalf. I was nervous on Ocean''s behalf. I didn''t care what anyone said about me. I only cared about my boyfriend and what he was going to go through. He had so recently entered this lifestyle. He wasn''t as used to it or open to it. I had known before meeting him that I was into men, he didn''t. I was his first boyfriend and that caused our experiences to be completely different. I just wanted to protect him more than anything else.. I would do anything to make sure that he didn''t suffer at all.

 Chapter 144 - Ocean – Disastrous End To The Day

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Practice had been like hell this morning. Then Brittney demanding answers from me when I got to class made the day even worse. And let''s not forget the stupid bullshit that Justin started when we got to our next class.


    I will never forget what he yelled at us across the room.


    "None of you are fooling anyone you know. We all know that you''re a bunch of fruits. Ocean and his new boy toy that he picked up after Brittney deemed that he wasn''t worthy of her, and Ben and Ryan, the longtime closet couple. That is the most shocking to me, honestly. How long have you two been diddling each other? How long have you perverts been ogling the rest of us in the locker room? Same goes for you, Ocean. Why did you string along Brittney? Why did you date her and make her think you loved her when in reality all you wanted was a big fucking cock?"


    How the hell did he know that Ben was in love with Ryan? Why did he think that they were already together? And why the hell did he and Brittney have to figure it out about me and Makai? This was quickly becoming the worst day of my life. I would even take passing out and nearly drowning in the pool over this. Not that I could ever drown again. Honestly, I could breathe underwater now.


    My only saving grace, my only solace for the rest of the day, was Justin being suspended and sent home. Apparently, the principal was so pissed off by what he said, and the problems he had caused in the past, that he threatened to expel him if he caused any more problems.


    The day was looking up somewhat better. I just had one more major hurdle to get through. Just one last massive anxiety fest for me to deal with, then I could pretend like none of this had ever happened. At least until tomorrow that is.


    Thankfully, Brittney was not in the cafeteria when Ben, Ryan, Makai and I went to get our lunches. We managed to get our food and sit at our table before I even saw her come into the room. She was clearly on a mission since she was not going to buy her food. She was being followed by a group of other students and it was clear that they were looking for us.


    The four of us were sitting at our usual table, with the usual people from our team. Why she thought that we would be sitting anywhere else was beyond me. I wanted to make today seem as normal as possible. That was the advice that I had gotten from Makai anyway. Don''t act like there is anything out of the ordinary. Don''t let them get to you. Just play it cool and ignore them all. That was what he had told me repeatedly and I was trying my best to follow that advice. I would do what I could to make sure that I was able to survive this catastrophe.


    The moment that those dreaded eyes spotted me, I saw the evil smile spread across her lips. She didn''t like losing and she didn''t like not being the top bitch in school. So, the fact that I had still been on a winning streak, won the competition, and I still wouldn''t take her back had really pissed her off. She was out for blood, and she could already taste mine.


    "Ocean Shores!" She snapped at me when she got close enough that she didn''t have to scream it at me. "I want to talk to you, and you will not run away from me this time. I have brought some friends to help me keep you in place."


    "So, your plan is to, what? Beat him up? Kidnap him? Assault him? What exactly are you planning to do here?" Katie, who was sitting just a few seats down from me, asked with a very angry tone of voice.


    "I plan to make sure he doesn''t run away from me this time." Brittney said it again.


    "What, if he does run away your mindless muscle mutts here will go and hold him down? Probably give him a few punches too, because you lied to them about whatever it is they think he did." Alexis added, turning her anger-filled eyes onto Brittney now.


    "He was horrible to me. He did the unthinkable." Brittney pointed her finger at me and put on a hurt expression. "I can''t believe what he did to me."


    "And what did he do, Brittney?" Cassie jumped in with the other girls. "He refused to go out with you again because you were the worst girlfriend ever? Oh no, someone call the police, the FBI, and men in the little white coats. Ocean is certifiably insane and needs to be locked away forever." She pretended to be appalled.


    "He lied to me about what he is." Brittney tried to press her issue.


    "He''s not a swimmer?" Katie asked, tilting her head.


    "His name isn''t Ocean?" Alexis put a finger to her chin like she was thinking.


    "He''s an international assassin?" Cassie looked like she was seeing dreamy little stars flying before her eyes. OK, she obviously wanted to live an exciting life. I just wanted something a little more calm now.


    "He told me he loved me, he told me he wanted me, he told me that he thought I was beautiful and sexy. And all that time he was gay!" She screamed that last part so loud that everyone in the entire cafeteria stopped talking and started to look at us.


    "I don''t see, how him refusing to date you now means he is gay." Katie shrugged.


    "Yeah, seems to me he just wised the hell up." Cassie crossed her arms in front of her chest.


    "Besides, if he is gay now, you probably made him that way." At Alexis''s comment the entire cafeteria started to laugh at the fuming diva.


    "No. He never wanted to have sex with me. He was gay before I got with him." She was trying to save face but that just pissed me off.


    "Fuck that." I stood up and stopped holding my tongue. "I wanted to be with you at the time, but you always gave me an excuse. You were a fucking bitch and the worst thing that ever happened to me. You dumping me the way you did while I was in the hospital ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me."


    "Seriously?" I heard other people start to whisper.


    "She broke up with him while he was in the hospital. Talk about a bitch."


    "He''s gay!" She screamed at me. "That''s why I broke up with him."


    "If you knew he was gay back then, why did you try getting back with him after he started winning again." Ben stood and walked to my side.


    "Yeah, why did you cause scene after scene because he ignored you if you knew he was gay." Ryan went to stand next to Ben, a smile on his face.


    "Shut up, Ryan. You and Ben are just the same. Another set of flaming fairies that''s on the swim team. I bet the two of you get off on checking each other''s junk out in those speedos. You fucking disgust me."


    Once again, Ben looked shocked by her words, but Ryan didn''t think anything of it.


    "I have never once checked out another man''s junk. And I never will. Neither would Ben. Isn''t that right?" He turned to look at Ben then, grinning. Only the look on Ben''s face was anything but calm and it was the furthest thing from laughter that you could expect. "H..hey, don''t let her get to you." Ryan tried to laugh. "She''s just trying to attack everyone right now." Ryan was doing his best to pretend like he wasn''t nervous right now.


    "None of this even matters right now. All of this just comes down to the fact that Ocean doesn''t want to go out with Brittney anymore, and because of that, she''s going on a bitch fit. Just ignore her. That''s all that we can do for now." My boyfriend was trying to come to my rescue.


    "Shut up, Makai. You''re just as guilty as he is. Which one of you started it, huh? Did you suck him off first or was it him that blew you? Come on, we all want to know."


    For some reason I felt my face flush. The memory of my birthday came flooding back. That was the night that we first officially did that with each other. But she had no way of knowing that.


    "Just drop it, Brittney." Makai practically growled at her.


    "No, I will not drop it. I know that you two are probably sucking each other''s cocks on a daily basis. You''re fucking disgusting. All of you. The four of you should be run out of this school."


    Just get over yourself and leave us all the fuck alone, Brittney. None of us care that you got your fucking rancid ass twat twisted in a knot. Go fumigate it and cry to your new boyfriend because we don''t want to hear it anymore."


    "I DON''T WANT TO HEAR ANY OF YOU ANYMORE! THE NINE OF YOU ARE SUSPENDED! GET TO MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!"


    Apparently, someone had called the principal and he heard the last of what was being said as he approached the cafeteria. We had apparently all been yelling loud enough that he could hear us. And since our large group seemed to be standing off against each other he decided to punish us all, especially since the four lackeys that Brittney brought with her looked like they were planning on fighting someone.


    All of us got suspended for two days. Coach was upset since that now meant that five members of his team had been suspended on the first day back from break. He was nice enough to forward us our homework for the next couple of days though. So, I guess it wasn''t all bad.


    "Hey, Ryan, why don''t you and Ben come to our place. I want to talk to you." Makai said as we were leaving the school. "Not to mention, if Ben leaves with me and Ocean with you, we can put some of these rumors to rest."


    "Y..yeah." Ryan nodded as he looked over at Ben. "I..I''ll drive Ocean to your place."


    With that, the four of us got into the vehicles we were taking back to the house that Makai and I were sharing.. I had a feeling that the rest of the day was going to be just as exciting as the first half of it.

 Chapter 145 - Ocean - The Truth About Ben

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had wanted to talk to Ryan while he drove. I had wanted to ask him what he was thinking about and why he looked so worried. But I didn''t.


    I knew what had caused him to look so worried. I knew what the problem had been. I knew exactly what was going through Ryan''s head without asking because I had seen Ben''s face too. We had all seen the shock on Ben''s face when Brittney called him out in front of everyone.


    I was probably just as shocked as he had been. How in the hell did she know that Ben was gay? And better yet, why did she think that Ryan was gay too? That was just strange in my opinion. There was nothing that they had ever done that showed that they were a couple.


    Hell, I knew that if they were a couple Ben would be the happiest man in the world. He said that he had been in love with Ryan for a long time. I bet he suffered a long time too. Makes sense though, since they have been best friends for so long. If he had fallen in love when they were in middle school, then he had to suffer all these years that they were just friends when he wanted so much more.


    "Ryan?" I finally managed to break the silence just before we pulled into the driveway.


    "I..it''s been a crazy day, huh? I didn''t think that they''d make up so many lies." I saw nothing but denial in Ryan''s eyes when he turned to laugh halfheartedly like he had made some sort of bad joke.


    "Yeah, who knew? Heheh" I laughed uncomfortably as well. I felt bad for Ryan, finding out about things this way, but I felt worse for Ben who never wanted anyone to find out. "L..let''s go inside."


    I didn''t want to show Ryan that I was nervous, but I think it was too late for that. I didn''t want him to think negatively about me and Makai when he found out that we knew about this and didn''t tell him.


    Both of them were our friends. I have known them for a long time. Who was I supposed to side with here? I mean, if I was going to side with any of them, wouldn''t it be Ben?


    Ben knew about me and Makai and didn''t say anything. Ben was in a similar situation as the two of us, so I could relate to him a little more. But both of them deserved my loyalty and friendship right now.


    Without saying a word in response, Ryan shut off his car and got out. The slamming of his door sounded like some kind of final warning or something. It was like he was saying he wasn''t going to listen to anything unless it was an assurance that this was all a big misunderstanding.


    I didn''t want to be left behind. I didn''t want him to think that I was afraid either. And for that, I needed to hurry out of the car and into the house. Dammit, he was really walking fast.


    Makai and Ben had pulled into the garage and were taking the door that led to the kitchen. Ryan would need me to unlock the door before he could even get inside the house. That was another reason to not take too long and to hurry after him.


    "I..I''ll get the door. H..hold on a s..s..sec."


    I rushed up the couple of steps and to the front door. It was just as large and lavish as always, but right now it felt miniscule and insignificant compared to the weight of the problems that we were all experiencing today.


    "Y..yeah, I just want to get this over with. I..I..I''m pretty sure that everything is just going to blow over soon. I..it''s not like they have proof of you two being together and of course, we all know that Ben and I aren''t like you." Ryan said those words as I unlocked the door, but I could tell by the reflection in the glass that he had immediately realized what he had said. "N..n..n..not that it''s wrong or anything. Th..th..there is nothing wrong with it at all. I..i..it''s just that I am n..n..not like that a..a..at all." He was flushed bright red and under normal circumstances I would have laughed at him about it. But right now, there was just way too much going on.


    Ryan and I went in through the front door at the exact time that Makai and Ben were leaving the kitchen and going into the living room. We happened to see each other as we passed from hall to room.


    The living room was large and spacious with plenty of seating for us and several more people. However, with the tense atmosphere that was following us and filling the space, it was like the space was now really small and made it feel like it was hard to breathe. Was it just me feeling this way or did the others feel like this as well?


    Ryan sat in a chair near the door, probably so that he could leave the room and the house if the need arose. Ben was sitting as far from him as he could. Makai and I mutually understood that we shouldn''t be too close right now either. For that matter, I sat close to Ben so that if he needed my help then I could offer it easily. Makai sat in the chair next to Ryan''s probably so that he could act as a mediator and help keep things calm and moving forward.


    As I sat there, looking at my two friends who were, for some reason, looking very uncomfortable right now, I couldn''t help but feel sorry for them. They needed to talk through this and work things out. I was sure that if Ryan gave it a chance, he would probably not want to end things with Ben. Whether they just stayed friends or if they ended up dating, they could never be happy together again unless they talked to each other. And that was exactly why Makai had invited them to come to our place.


    I had been sitting in my chair for exactly three tenths of a second and I was already sweating bullets.


    "I..i..is it h..h..hot in h..here, o..or is th..that just m..me?" I was already on my feet moving to turn the temperature in the house down a little so that it would make things a little more comfortable. "I..I..I''m going to g..grab s..s..some waters." I ran into the kitchen, feeling three pairs of eyes on me as I left. Dammit, they probably thought that I was the biggest fucking wuss in the world. This was going to get me made fun of so much. Shit!


    I didn''t care though. I needed to relax a little and having something to do helped me out a lot. I grabbed four bottles of water from the fridge and wished that I knew what else to grab just to make things take longer. Food would not be appropriate right now so there was nothing I could think of.


    Resigned, I sighed and headed back into the living room. I started to pass out the waters and caught Makai''s eyes as I went to sit down. I could tell that he was worried about me because of what had happened earlier today, but he wanted me to keep it together so that we could help our friends out right now.


    ''Just a little while longer, baby.'' That''s what I heard in my head when I looked into his eyes. I nodded and smiled at him, conveying my own little part of the private conversation.


    ''I know babe, I know. I just feel so worried and scared right now.''


    The look that Makai gave me after that was meant to convey both strength and love. He was giving me some of his strength and telling me that he loved me. That was all that I could ask for right now. With a smile I told him that I loved him too.


    Once everyone had their waters and I was once again seated with everyone else, I felt like there was a blade hanging over us all as we fought to see who was going to break the silence first. Was it going to be Ben? How about Ryan? Was Makai going to speak first to facilitate a friendly conversation? Don''t look at me, I was going to keep my fucking mouth shut for right now. I like where my head is, thank you very much.


    "T..today was crazy as fuck, huh." Ryan laughed, trying to act like there was nothing at all that was going to go wrong and that we were once again just going to play video games for the rest of the night. "Who would have thought that the first day back from vacation would have gone like this? Makai, you and Ocean sure know how to keep things interesting." He threw his head back and laughed, but it sounded forced. "Haha! Don''t tell me this is how you''re spicing things up."


    "I wish it was that simple." Makai grimaced as he looked at Ryan in response. "That would make things so much easier. "


    "Yeah, I figured as much." Ryan looked like he might finally be calming down a little bit. "Look, I know that you two are together and that part of what they were saying is true, but the rest of these lies are the-."


    "Not all of them are lies.." Ben stopped him, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock.

 Chapter 146 - Ocean – The Truth About Ben Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "W..wh..what do you mean that not all of them are lies?" Ryan sounded nervous as he stuttered then laughed as if Ben had been mistaken and he was trying to cover up the faux pas. "They said that we were dating. That is definitely a lie. We are not dating. We''re just friends because we''re not gay. There is nothing wrong with Ocean and Makai being gay, but we aren''t."


    I watched as Ryan closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and rubbed the base of his skull with his hand. He was stressed, nervous, and uneasy. This was not a good situation for him.


    "I know that we''re not dating, Ryan. I know that as well as you do." Ben sounded a little hurt and slightly angry as he responded to the blatant denial that Ryan had given him. "I know that I can never have what I truly want."


    "What.. What you truly want?" Ryan was confused, his face a mask of questions that he wasn''t brave enough to ask.


    "They said we were together, probably because they figured out how I feel and used it against us. I never intended for anyone to know." He looked at me out of the corner of his eye as he spoke. He obviously didn''t want me to tell Ryan that Makai and I knew that he was in love with his best friend.


    "How you feel? And how exactly do you feel? And what do you mean you didn''t want anyone to know? This doesn''t make any sense to me. Come on, Ben, just spit it out."


    "No." Ben shook his head and looked away in the face of Ryan''s anger.


    "Don''t do this, Ben. Don''t let them get to you. This isn''t real, this is just how they''re talking and getting to you. You don''t feel anything, right?"


    There were tears swimming in Ben''s eyes as he watched the anger filled hope in Ryan''s eyes. It was clear that Ryan was angry, pissed even, but he was still hoping that things would turn out the way that he wanted.


    I had a feeling that this was going to be the end of them. Ryan was so opposed to the idea of them being together because he isn''t gay. And I think he is going to let this ruin his friendship with Ben. No, this is too sad, too hard.


    "It''s not just them saying things, Ryan. It''s true. We''re not a couple. We''re not dating. And you''re not gay. But I am still in love with you. I have been in love with you for years. I don''t look at any other man this way. And I don''t look at women either. If you want to call me gay, then I know that I am only gay for you. I have resigned myself to being alone forever because you are all that I want. The only person that I can see a future with. I know that it is impossible to be together, there is no hope whatsoever, and that is fine. I am content to just be your friend."


    Ben poured his heart into saying those words. He made sure to tell Ryan that he knew they would never be together but now there was no going back at all. Ryan knew that Ben was in love with him. And Ben knew that Ryan was never going to accept him.


    "Ryan?" Makai called out to him, trying to get his attention. Ryan had just been sitting there with a stunned look on his face after the revelation that Ben had made. "Are you OK, Ryan?"


    There was still no response from Ryan at all. He was still just sitting there, staring at Ben with his mouth hanging open in shock.


    "Ryan?" I called out to him, trying to get him to speak but it didn''t help at all.


    "Ryan?" Ben called out to him and that was the one that got him back to his senses. Or rather, it got him to respond. It didn''t look to me like Ryan was in control of his emotions, so he definitely hadn''t come to his senses yet.


    "What the fuck!?" Ryan yelled and rose to his feet at the same time. "You are telling me that you''ve been in love with me for years? How many fucking years. How long have you supposedly been in love with me? What the fuck were you even thinking falling in love with me?"


    "It''s not like I chose to fall for you!" Ben rose to his feet as well. "I didn''t say ''hmm, I think I will fall for my best friend and be heartbroken every single day''. That was not a conscious decision of mine in any form. And you want to know how long. I don''t know exactly when I fell for you, Ryan, I know we were in middle school when I realized that I loved you. Seventh grade, maybe eighth. I am not completely sure, but I think that I have always been in love with you. Since we were five years old there wasn''t a day of my life that I didn''t want you right there beside me. I have always been drawn to you in some way. But I also knew that you didn''t feel the same way as me and that''s fine. I know how to keep a lid on my feelings."


    "Five years!" Ryan yelled at him. "You''ve been in love with me for at least five years!"


    Ryan was pacing around the living room now as he tried to blow off steam. Makai and I also stood up, not sure if Ryan was going to try and actually fight Ben over this. I hoped he wouldn''t. That would have been heartbreaking. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Ben was trembling with emotions. I wanted to make this all better for him, but I didn''t know how to.


    "Over these last five years, we had sleepovers, beach trips, lockers next to each other in the locker room, you''ve fucking seen me naked dude. Seriously. Is that why you stayed so close to me? Was it so that you could see the goods even if you couldn''t touch them? Was that the reasoning behind your infatuation with me all these years?"


    "That''s uncalled for." I yelled at him. "You and Ben have been friends for years. You wouldn''t have had any problem at all if he wasn''t in love with you. Don''t sit there and throw away all the good things you''ve been through just because you''re an idiot."


    "Fuck you, Ocean. This isn''t any of your business." Ryan was angry and lashing out at me now.


    "Calm down, Ryan." Makai tried to mediate it a little more as well.


    "I will not fucking calm down. I just found out that the man that has been my best friend for years has been secretly perving on me. He''s been watching me when I was naked just so he could get his rocks off."


    "I have not been close to you just so I could get my rocks off. We''ve always hung out, always done everything together. You would have thought it was weird of me to stop. I didn''t ever want you to know about this, Ryan. I didn''t want you to know because I didn''t want this to happen."


    "Yeah, well, I know now." Ryan didn''t seem to have anything else to say to Ben at that moment. "I know and I wish I didn''t. I wish that you weren''t in love with me Ben. I wish we could still be friends."


    With that, Ryan turned and stormed out of the living room. He was out the door before any of us had even reacted, and by the time that we reached the door, he was in his car and speeding down the driveway.


    "RYAN!" Ben called after him, tears streaming down his face. "RYAN!"


    I could not believe what just happened. Ryan ran out of the house. But on top of that, he had basically told Ben that they couldn''t be friends anymore. Does that mean that he is going to start ignoring Ben at school? Is he going to ostracize him in front of everyone? Is he going to make things worse for us all when we go back to school?


    I couldn''t bring myself to believe that he would be that cruel, that insensitive. Then again, he was hurting now too. He just lost his best friend. He just had to cope with some major life changing news. For him to take that and not be affected would have been the most unbelievable part of it all. But this was unexpected as well.


    "What have I done?" Ben asked but it didn''t sound like he was truly asking us that question. I think he was just in shock at the moment.


    "Ben, do you want to stay here for a while?" I offered him. I knew that Makai wouldn''t mind. "You can stay here for the night, or even until we go back to school. I know that you need to calm down, and so does Ryan." Ben and Ryan lived close to each other, and I knew that if Ben went home it would hurt that much more.


    "Y..yeah, I think I will. Th..thank you."


    "Don''t worry about it." Makai told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That is what friends are for."


    After he calmed down, Ben called his mom to let her know he was staying here. We also explained to her about the issue that happened at school was others causing a fight with us, but we were all blamed for it. She was still upset about it, but she also knew Ben was a good guy and didn''t do anything wrong, so she let it slide. It was settled that Ben would stay with us for a few days. I think his mom might have known what had happened, or part of it, since Ben was clearly still upset with pain and tears thickening his voice.


    I am not going to lie at all. I was definitely not looking forward to school on Wednesday. That would be the same day that Justin and Britt the Bitch went back to school and all the fighting would start all over again. We wouldn''t get any peace at all. And this next time, we wouldn''t even have Ryan there to back us up.


    Shit! What are the others going to say when they see that Ben and Ryan are fighting as well? Are they going to know that they got to Ben and caused this situation? Those fucking assholes.. They are the ones behind this and they are the ones that should be suffering, not Ben and Ryan. Dammit!

 Chapter 147 - Ocean – How Is Ben Doing?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Things were pretty quiet after Ryan left. I think that Ben was a little bit shell shocked after what had happened. I honestly should have seen it coming but I really didn''t want to see Ryan react the way that he did.


    I think, deep down, Ryan just felt betrayed because Ben didn''t tell him the truth. He hid it from Ryan for so long that when it finally came to light, it was like he had been lying to him.


    I think that the only person that Ben was lying to was himself. He was telling himself that if he just hid it forever, that he would be happy, and things would be just fine. That wasn''t how it was going to be, though. You can''t look at the thing that you really, truly want everyday and be happy. That is torture, not happiness.


    Ben was just sitting in the living room, he wasn''t moving, he wasn''t talking, he didn''t do anything at all. I was guessing that he was trying to think his way out of this situation. That was the only explanation that I had for this. He had to have been searching for a solution that would fix all of this.


    "Ben?" I called out to him while Makai was in the kitchen cooking. I would normally help him, but I wanted to talk to my friend for a moment.


    "Y..yeah?" Ben stuttered a little bit like he hadn''t even known that I was right there in front of him.


    "Are you OK?" I knew what the answer to that was going to be, and I also knew what the real answer was.


    "Yeah, I..I''m just fine." I knew he would say that. He definitely didn''t look fine. He looked miserable and ready to snap.


    "Are you sure? It''s OK if you aren''t, today was pretty bad for us all."


    "I said I''m fine." His voice got louder, and he spoke in an angry tone. "I''m sorry." He hung his head and immediately apologized for having snapped at me like that. "I shouldn''t have done that, I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine, Ben." I told him as I pulled a chair closer to where he was. "I would expect you to be upset. There was a lot that happened, and a lot of emotions were put to the test. I would honestly be more worried if you truly were just fine. Talk to me about it, please." I tried to get him to open up about it, but he was just shaking his head, refusing me.


    "I can''t." He finally spoke after just shaking his head for a little bit. "I can''t talk about it. I''ve kept everything hidden for so long, I should have continued hiding it and lying about it. I should have denied them at the school. I should have been as unaffected by it all as I usually am."


    "You''re only human, Ben. There is nothing else you could have done. There is only so much that you can take."


    "I am the one that decided to love a man that could never love me back. Suffering in silence was what I had to do."


    "Ben!" I snapped at him, angered by his words. "You didn''t decide to love him. It''s just like you said earlier, it just happened. You didn''t choose it."


    "But I am the one that chose to stay by his side even though I should have left him be. If I would have just distanced myself from him then I think it would have been better."


    "He would have asked you why? He would have wanted an explanation. That wasn''t an option either. It''s good that he knows now. You can find out how he truly feels."


    I tried to offer him encouragement, however it didn''t work because he just looked at me angrily.


    "Find out how he truly feels? I already know how he feels. He is disgusted by me. He hates me. He wanted nothing to do with me. You saw how he stormed out of here." He was pissed by my choice of words. I need to convey what it was that I was trying to get at.


    "He just found out about it. He hasn''t had the time to process it yet. Give him time, Ben. You don''t know anything for certain just yet."


    "I know. I know that he could never love me the way that I love him. That is just the simple truth of the matter."


    "Ben."


    "No, Ocean. Just stop. I know what I am talking about. I know you are just trying to help but please just stop."


    "Ben!" I snapped at him, trying to get his attention. "Just so you know, I hated Makai in the beginning. I was adamantly saying that I wasn''t gay. I didn''t want anything to do with him. But I realized how I felt after a little bit."


    I could see that Ben hadn''t expected me to say that. He still looked worried and sad, but at least the anger was gone from his eyes.


    "I don''t think that will happen this time." He shook his head.


    "You never know."


    Not long after that, Makai called us both to the table for dinner. It was a somber and quiet meal. None of us said anything at all. I was still really worried about Ben, and I wished that I could do something for him. I just didn''t know what it was that I could possibly do to make things better.


    After dinner, Makai showed Ben to the room that he was going to stay in for the next few days while I started to wash the dishes. Maybe Makai could talk to Ben and get through to him. That was what I was hoping for at least.


    When I was done cleaning the kitchen up, I went up to our room and straight to the bed where Makai was waiting for me. I sat next to him where he was on the edge of the bed. He looked as worried as I felt. I didn''t know what to do about all of this right now.


    "Did he talk to you?" I asked him as he put his arm around me, and I put my head on his shoulder.


    "No. I think we need to give both of them some time to cool off."


    "Yeah, you''re probably right." I nodded at him, trying to show my agreement but I could tell that my face was full of anger, fear, sadness, and heartache.


    "How are you?" Makai asked me as he put his other arm around me and pulled me onto his chest as he laid back onto the bed.


    "I''m f-."


    "Ocean Riptide Shores, do not tell me you''re fine. I don''t want a repeat of Ben. I want the truth from you." I nearly laughed at his words. He had used my full name and that was not something that anyone besides my mom ever did.


    "I''m pissed off. I''m angry. I''m scared, heartbroken, and everything else you can possibly think of. I want to make Brittney and Justin disappear from the school. I want to make the rumors stop and the stares to go away. I want things to go back to being normal and calm. And at the same time, I want to just tell everyone so that we''re no longer hiding it from them. I don''t know what I am supposed to do and it''s driving me insane." I felt myself starting to hyperventilate when I was done saying all of that.


    "All you need to do is love me and let me love you. One way or the other, things will work out as long as we have each other."


    I let him continue to hug me, holding me against him and rubbing his hand over my back repeatedly. It was soothing and comforting so I didn''t want it to stop at all.


    I needed it to stop, though. I needed to take a shower and get ready for bed. I needed to do a million and one other things too. But I couldn''t.


    I couldn''t bring myself to make his hand stop moving or to make his steady, even breathing from putting me to sleep as I laid there on top of him.


    "I love you, Ocean." His words sounded so far away and the touch of his lips on my head felt like they were barely there.


    "Luf yoo ooo." I tried to respond but my mouth already seemed to be asleep and I couldn''t get the words to come out properly. "Ont leeb me." I slurred my words again as I tried to ask him not to leave me. He understood it though and that was all that mattered.


    "I won''t leave you. I will never leave you."


    I let the sleep take me then. I stopped fighting the heaviness of my eyelids and fell peacefully into a sleep that I had hoped would be full of sweet dreams with Makai. Nope. I wasn''t that lucky.


    All night long I replayed the day''s events over and over in my head. I saw the rest of the team whispering and pointing at us. I heard Brittney''s shouted words first thing in the morning. Then there was the replay of Justin''s unbelievable bullshit and subsequent suspension. The culmination of the school day, the disastrous lunch came next. I think that part actually made me cry when it replayed in my head.


    And then that fight with Ben and Ryan replayed over and over again. And the pain in Ben''s eyes as he called after Ryan. That heartache was not something that I ever wanted to feel for myself, and I never wanted to see that on a friend''s face again.


    All in all, it was a horrible night, and I woke the next morning with tears streaming down my face and feeling like I hadn''t slept at all.

 Chapter 148 - Ocean - Things Arent Looking Good

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was glad that I didn''t have to go to school today. In all honesty, with everything that had happened yesterday, I was feeling miserable today. My head ached and throbbed like crazy. My eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, not to mention that they were puffy and red from all the emotions that I had been feeling. I refuse to admit that I had been crying.


    And to go along with all of that, there was a hollow, empty sort of ache in the pit of my stomach. That ache tended to act up when I either saw or thought about Ben. I think it was a sort of sympathy pain since I knew how I would feel if Makai had rejected me now that we were together. I know it''s not the same thing. Not by a long shot.


    To begin with, Ben and I were in opposite positions in our unique situations. When it came to who was the main person that would chase or love the other first, Ben was more like Makai, and I was more like Ryan. Though even that isn''t a good comparison.


    Ben and Makai are nothing alike. Ben was content with just silently loving Ryan for years. Makai actively tried to make me fall for him whether I was gay or not. I guess I did kiss him first, even though I thought it was just a dream. I am sure Ben and Ryan have never once kissed each other, though Ben has probably thought about it.


    The more that I think about it, the more I have to admit that our situations were nothing alike. Aside from me and Ryan not initially knowing that another guy was in love with us, there were absolutely no parallels or similarities. And because of that I was not able to help one of my best friends.


    The thing is, I needed to help both of my best friends. I needed to see how Ryan was doing too. I couldn''t abandon him right now. Without Ben to talk to, Ryan was probably feeling miserable and unable to vent.


    While Makai made breakfast with Ben''s help, I decided that it was probably best if I called Ryan to check up on him. The phone rang several times, and I was pretty sure that he was not going to answer. Probably on the last ring before the voicemail picked up, Ryan finally answered the phone.


    "Yeah?" He didn''t sound all that happy about the fact that I was calling him.


    "Hey, how are you?" I tried to keep my voice calm and level as I asked him that.


    "Fine." He snapped at me; he clearly wasn''t fine at all.


    "Do you want to talk about what happened?"


    "Why? Did Ben ask you to talk to me? Is he trying to get you to convert me or something?"


    "You know he didn''t. I don''t know why you''re being such an ass about this, Ryan. I am worried about you. You are my friend too, you know? I don''t want you to be suffering. That''s why I thought you might want to talk. I may not have had the exact same experience as you, but I can be an ear for you to talk to."


    I was doing my best to diffuse the time bomb that was Ryan''s emotions. I was pretty sure that he still wasn''t ready to calm down.


    "Hey, how about you meet me at the beach. We can talk and you won''t have to worry about Ben being there or overhearing anything."


    "Yeah, sure. I will head out now." I was glad that he accepted my suggestion.


    "Alright, I will see you in a few."


    I ended the call and grabbed my keys and wallet from the bedroom. I was about to skip out on breakfast, but I knew that it was for the best. I could eat when I got home. Makai noticed right away that I was getting ready to leave. He came over and kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear.


    "Where are you going?" I kissed him back and whispered so that Ben didn''t hear me.


    "I am going to talk to Ryan."


    When Makai pulled away, he was giving me a shocked look, however I knew that he wasn''t going to stop me. I could see that he understood what I was wanting to do and that he was approving of it as well. With a smile on his face, he started saying something that didn''t make sense right away.


    "Yeah, I can imagine your mom is pissed off. I am not surprised that she is demanding you come home. I have faith in you though, baby. I know you can smooth it over quickly. I will make sure that there is a special lunch for you when you get home. Give my regards, will you?"


    At first, I didn''t understand what he was doing. It was only after he kept it up that I knew he was giving me an excuse for leaving that wouldn''t make Ben suspicious.


    "Yeah, I don''t like getting yelled at so early in the morning." Not a lie. "So, I am going to go and smooth things over." Still not a lie. I didn''t reference my mom at all and everything I said was true so there was nothing that could give me away. "Sorry Ben, I won''t be able to eat breakfast with you guys. I will be back soon, though." I waved at him and hurried through the door to my truck that was in the garage.


    I was glad that Makai knew what was going on. And I was even more happy that he was playing along with me so that I didn''t have to actually lie to Ben. I didn''t want to sneak around like this, and I don''t really think they would be very happy with me getting involved with both sides of the dispute like this. But I couldn''t not get involved. I mean, they''re both my friends. I need to be there for both of them equally. And maybe I could smooth things over for them a little bit.


    It took me a little bit, but I finally made it to the beach. It was dead since it was the beginning of January and there were no tourists crowding it up. Not that we got a lot of tourists around here to begin with.


    I saw Ryan''s van in the parking lot, it was the only other one that was there. I knew that he was probably sitting somewhere close and staring contemplatively at the water.


    I parked and made my way out toward the water. I saw Ryan sitting there like I expected him to be. He was sitting directly on the sand, his knees bent and his arms resting on them. He wasn''t quite hugging his knees or anything, but it was a more vulnerable position then what I usually saw him in.


    "Hey." I called out to him as I sat down next to him.


    "Hey." He responded without even looking at me.


    "How are you feeling?" I had asked him on the phone, but he hadn''t responded truthfully.


    "I don''t know." His voice was shaking a little, but I didn''t let him know that I had heard it.


    "You don''t have to process everything at once, you know?" I tried to sooth him. "I did that when I was figuring things out."


    "He didn''t go home last night, did you know that? I tried stopping by to see if it all had really happened, or if I had made it all up or dreamt it or something. But he wasn''t there. I think that is what confirmed it for me." I think that this was good, so far at least.


    "I know, he stayed at the house with me and Makai last night."


    "Oh." Ryan''s voice was so monotonous right now. It was not hard to tell that he was hurting a lot.


    "What would you have said to him if he had been home?"


    "I don''t know, Ocean. I just don''t know. I mean, I have never thought about things like that. It''s always been us trying to get the girls together. But now that I actually think about it, Ben never tried to get a girl for himself, only for me. It was like he was the perfect wingman for me since he didn''t want a piece of the prize."


    I knew what he was talking about. All of us knew how Ben and Ryan were always trying to get girls. And even with all the ones that were interested in Ben, he never chose someone to go out with. He said none of them were his type. I know now that he was just trying to make Ryan happy. He truly would do anything for him.


    "Are you ever going to talk to him again? See him again?" I wanted to see if there was any hope that they would still be friends at least.


    "I haven''t decided." He hung his head and stared at the sand. It looked like he was just trying to use his knees as a pillow, but they weren''t actually supporting the weight of his head. "I''m not mad that he''s gay. That isn''t it, Ocean."


    "Then what is the problem?" I was confused by his tone and his actions.


    "I don''t know. It''s just, like, I feel betrayed or something."


    "Betrayed how? I don''t get it, Ryan." I tilted my head and tried to wrap my mind around it.


    "Look, I have known Ben since we were little. He should have told me that he was gay. Even if I couldn''t be what he wanted me to be, shouldn''t that have been my choice to make and not his? Shouldn''t he have told me what he was thinking and feeling all these years?"


    Ryan wanted to be the one to choose? Does that mean he would have tried being with him?


    "I would have turned him down. But I would have tried to still be friends. But knowing that he was hiding it from me this whole time makes me feel like he doesn''t trust me at all."


    "Yeah, I get it." OK, so he wouldn''t have tried being with him. But he would have tried to make the friendship work for them.


    "Well, think about it from his point of view. He didn''t know if you would even want to be friends with him if you knew what he felt. He didn''t want to lose you completely, so he suffered in silence all these years."


    "He suffered?" Ryan shot his head up and looked at me. "Why would he have suffered?" He didn''t understand this. Was it possible that neither of them would have been able to understand each other at all?


    "He kept it from you so that your relationship would stay intact. I am sure it would have hurt him a million times more to have told you and for you to have ended things than for him to hide it. Just like it is hurting him now."


    I saw the fear and pain in Ryan''s eyes. He knew that he was causing the pain that Ben was going through.


    "Ocean?" He called out to me after a little bit. His eyes were back on the water so he wasn''t looking at me. "Why did you start dating Makai? How did you go from dating women to being with him?"


    "I don''t know. For me, I had been with Brittney, but I never truly felt attracted to anyone. Not until Makai came along. There was just something about him that drove me crazy, and not always in a good way. I thought about him all the time, and whether I knew it or not, I wanted to be around him all the time. He kept pursuing me, but that was because I had kissed him once and didn''t know it."


    "How did you not know you kissed him?" He was laughing at me now, obviously thinking that I was stupid.


    "I was drunk as hell and thought I was dreaming." I went on to explain what happened that night on the beach.


    "So, was it that Makai wore you down? You said that the idea of being with him wasn''t doing it for you at first." He seemed oddly curious now.


    "I don''t think that was what it was. I think, deep down, I always wanted to be with him. I just didn''t know it. Plus, I got to the point where I didn''t want to be away from him. I couldn''t imagine him not being there. That was the real turning point for me."


    "Oh. OK." I don''t know if he got what I was trying to say or not. For some reason, he stopped talking for a little bit.


    After a little while, Ryan got to his feet. It was so abrupt and unexpected that it actually startled me a little bit.


    "I''m not gay, though. I can''t be with a guy." He shook his head and turned away from the water. "See ya later, Ocean." He didn''t say anything else, he just walked away and didn''t look back.


    "Ryan?" I called after him, but he didn''t stop.


    Shit, this doesn''t look good for Ben.

 Chapter 149 - Makai – Going Back To School

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    After Ocean went to talk to Ryan, Ben and I just hung around the house and watched a movie. Ocean wasn''t gone long and when he came back his less than happy mood was enough to tell me that the meeting hadn''t gone very well. And it helped to convince Ben that Ocean really had been yelled at by his mother.


    The three of us didn''t do much for the rest of the day. I think that we were just content to hide away from the world for the time being. Yesterday had been stressful enough that we wanted to just calm down and relax.


    Ben was in a marginally better mood as time went by. I think that he was just hoping that Ryan would get over things and the two of them could pretend that none of it had ever happened. Even though I wasn''t all that hopeful that his wish would come true, it was still good to pretend.


    When Wednesday morning rolled around, the three of us got ready for school with somber attitudes. Yeah, it was time for us to go back to school, but that also meant that it was time for Justin and Britt the bitch to go back to school as well. And let''s not forget about the bitchzilla entourage that she had following her around like she as some kind of celebrity. Yeah, seeing them was going to be so much fun.


    Can''t you hear the sarcasm? I think that I just got a nomination for an academy award or something, this acting of mine was getting so much better.


    In all seriousness though, I would put on a brave face. I would handle all the whispers and hide the truth, I would make sure that it was all taken care of because I loved Ocean and I never wanted to see him get hurt, ever. I would make things go back to normal. I would make sure that my fianc¨¦ had a good experience for the rest of his high school days.


    Thank God it was almost time for us to graduate. I didn''t have to worry about all of this for much longer. Just a few more months, that was all. A few more months and we would be free to tell the world.


    With that thought in my head, I got into the driver''s seat and started to drive Ben and Ocean to school. Well, I guess I should say us, since I was going too.


    "Oh look, they''ve become a threesome." Justin''s voice rang out across the parking lot the moment we got out of my car. "Isn''t this just perfect." He was laughing himself silly at his little joke.


    "Hey Ben, where''s Ryan? Did he not like the attention that you were getting from the others? He didn''t want to swap partners or something?" Brittney laughed as well, her voice was like a fucking hyena when she laughed, and it made me want to convulse in disgust. Ocean must have been desperate before he met me, why else would be put up with someone so vile?


    "Oh, come on Ben, don''t be sad. You found some other fruity fairies to form a menage trois with. Aren''t you happy? I, for one, am thrilled to see that you guys have your options."


    Did they think they were funny? And seriously, what the fuck was that skank doing here? There was no reason for her to be here when we were still going to swim practice. I know she was just wanting to cause more problems like she did the other day.


    I already had a headache.


    And that headache was getting worse now. The two of these morons were once again blocking the entrance into the building. They were trying to force us to listen to them. I wasn''t going to stand for it, and I was already preparing to say something, however Ocean beat me to it.


    "Get out of my way, you fucking dung beetle." Ocean snapped at Justin, he completely ignored Brittney.


    "Why the hell did you call me a dung beetle." Justin had obviously been so shocked by that insult that he stopped goading Ocean about being gay.


    "Well, why else would you be hanging around next to a pile of shit?" Ocean tilted his head in the direction of Brittney, indicating that she was in fact the pile of shit.


    "What the hell! You think you can call me a piece of shit and get away with it?" She started to scream at Ocean, her eyes narrowed and spit flying from her lips as she flapped that useless trap of hers.


    "Well, I was going to call you many other things. When you laughed, I thought of a hyena, but I wouldn''t call you that, it''s insulting." I loved him. He had thought of the same animal that I had.


    "Yeah, it is, so why would you insult me with something worse?" Brittney looked like she was going to play the victim right now. It''s what she did best after all.


    "No, you misunderstood me, shit for brains. I meant that it would have been insulting to the hyena, they''re actually quite intelligent."


    While Brittney just stared at Ocean, her mouth hanging open to draw flies toward her rotten core, the three of us just walked past them and into the school. That had been quite marvelous. Seeing Ocean stand up to them like this, that was what he needed to do. And there had been others that had seen it too. Other team members that saw the two of them still trying to harass us.


    Ocean, Ben and I were the first ones to get to the locker room and so we were the first ones to get to the pool. Coach was already there, his clipboard in hand. The three of us started to warm up with no problems at all. Half the team was at the pool warming up and there were no problems. Coach hadn''t even said a word.


    However, the moment that Justin came out of the locker room, walking straight toward the three of us, Coach started to walk over as well.


    "I know that you gentlemen have had some issues lately. Do not make me get involved. I will not have you fighting during my practices or during meets. This is the only time that I am going to warn you, do you understand me?"


    "Yes, Sir." Ben, Ocean and I agreed right away. Justin however just continued to glare at us for a moment.


    "Understood?" Coach asked again, matching Justin''s glare.


    "Yeah, sure whatever. I understand, Coach!" He sneered the last word, letting us all know that he wasn''t happy.


    Coach had only said he didn''t want us fighting during class or meets. I had a feeling that Justin was going to take full advantage of that wording. Yay, fun fun, this is going to be another fun day at school. And to make matters worse, Ryan never showed up at all.


    "OCEAN!" Brittney tried to start arguing as soon we got to class again but the coach was right behind us again.


    "If you don''t want to be suspended again, Brittney, then I suggest you take your seat. Now!" He didn''t give her room to talk. I think that was the only time in my life that I had been happy to have a teacher following me around.


    Justin did the same thing as soon as we got to our second class. The moment that we walked in, he tried to stand in our way again. However, the teacher had been in the prep room and saw what he was doing.


    "Take your seat, young man." She clearly remembered what he had said the other day. Hey, two for two. Does this mean that the teachers are protecting us or something? I don''t know if they were, but it would be kind of interesting to see if they all kept this up for the rest of the day.


    We didn''t have to put up with either Brittney or Justin for our third or fourth classes, but they were both there for lunch. The two of them along with Brittney''s goon squad were waiting for us.


    "How could you do this to me, Ocean?" Brittney was spouting the same crap as she did before. The three of us ignored them by eating our food and pretending they didn''t exist. Throughout the entire lunch break we were bombarded with Justin and Brittney''s stupid questions and crude remarks.


    Ocean was having a hard time ignoring them, I could see that he was starting to get upset listening to everything that they had to say. Ben wasn''t having the greatest time either. And he didn''t even have Ryan here to help him like he normally would. Ryan had always been Ben''s shield for everything, blocking out all of those that wanted to hurt him. Now though, Ben was alone, and it was taking its toll on him.


    Justin continued his attitude after lunch as well. And we found out that our luck didn''t hold out. The teachers for our fourth and fifth classes hadn''t had to deal with the incident on Monday, so they weren''t prepared for what was happening with us. Justin kept up the tirade right until the moment the teachers came into the room. That was the only time that he stopped giving us hell. I think he just didn''t want to get suspended again.


    After the day ended, it was time for afternoon practice. It seemed to me that Justin was trying to turn the whole team against us. He was whispering with them all afternoon, pointing in our directions and telling them God knows what.


    My headache was already a full blown migraine and I knew that it was just going to get worse and worse from here on out.

 Chapter 150 - Ocean - Ive Had Enough

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Wednesday had been the same as Monday had been. The only upside was that none of us had gotten suspended. However, that only made things more awkward and worse in a way. This meant that we had to endure it all day long and not just half of it. It meant that practice had been three times worse after school and then there were no breaks in between.


    After Monday''s torturous and tumultuous beginning we got to go home and have a day off before we had to go back to school and deal with it again. Now, though, it was Friday and this was the third consecutive day of Brittney and Justin pulling the same old bullshit. Practice was marginally better after Coach told Justin that he would not tolerate any fighting among us. And most of the classes were bearable because the teachers came in to keep an eye on us throughout the day.


    Lunch was the worst of it all. No matter where we sat, where we moved to, they followed us. I couldn''t enjoy my food, I couldn''t relax, I couldn''t do anything except lay there with my head on the table. It was miserable, so very miserable. And it was giving me the worst headache of my entire life.


    To make matters worse, I was trying to figure out ways to console and reunite Ben and Ryan. Ryan had skipped school on Wednesday and yesterday, but he was here today. He was here, but he was ignoring the three of us. I think he was a little pissed off because Ben had basically been at our house since the incident on Monday. He went home Wednesday night, and Thursday night as well, but he spent both days completely with us, and we picked him up and drove him to school yesterday and today.


    From what I knew, Ryan hadn''t even made an attempt to see or talk to Ben since Tuesday morning. Not since he told me that he went to Ben''s house to see him. I know he was mad and felt betrayed that Ben hid something so major from him for years, but I hoped that he would come to terms with his emotions soon and the two of them could at least talk.


    It was hard, looking at either of them. They both looked so miserable and heartbroken. Why couldn''t they see that they needed each other? Maybe not romantically, but it was clear that they couldn''t live without each other. They just needed to stop and think about it for a little bit.


    Following lunch, I just needed to get through the rest of the day and afternoon practice. My head was killing me. My patience had all but disappeared. And it wasn''t a secret from anyone that I was beyond annoyed. I could even see worry in Makai''s eyes every single time that he looked at me. I was angry at myself for causing him even more trouble and I was getting to the point where I just wanted all this torture and abuse to stop.


    Throughout my afternoon I had a lot of different thoughts and images run through my head. I thought about just beating the shit out of Justin, effectively putting an end to the shit that he was saying. And if I did that, it might possibly make Brittney shut her fucking trap as well.


    I also thought about just quitting school altogether. But that wasn''t really an option though, was it? My parents would kill me, not to mention that I''ve already been accepted to the university that I really want to go to. Quitting wasn''t an option, but I didn''t think that I could handle this for much longer either.


    Makai, Ben and I were walking toward the locker room, ignoring anything and everything that was around us like we had been for the rest of the week. It was while we were walking that it seemed like Justin had had enough of us just ignoring him.


    "Ocean!" He called my name at the same time that he grabbed the collar at the back of my shirt.


    He had grabbed a hold of my shirt so roughly, pulling it and slamming me back into the lockers that I was passing as I walked, that my shirt ripped along the seam. The t-shirt, which was just something simple and relatively cheap, was no longer wearable, it was just something trivial, but it still pissed me off and instantly made me start to see red.


    "What the fuck, Justin?" I basically roared the words into his face like I was some kind of angry beast.


    "I am done with you, Ocean. I am done with you ignoring me. You''re going to stand here and you''re going to listen to what I have to say."


    Ben and Makai, who had been walking in front of me, had already stopped and I could see the both of them trying to push through Brittney''s goon squad.


    "What the hell do you want from me, Justin? Huh? What the hell is it that you think you''re going to accomplish?"


    There were so many people around that I knew this was going to get back to the office. Justin was an idiot for doing this. He was just going to get suspended again.


    "What do I want to accomplish? Huh, let''s see." He smirked at me like he thought he was such a tough guy. "I want to make you miserable. So miserable that you quit the team, possibly school and life all together. I refuse to let you stay on my swim team. I don''t want to have to worry about what you are going to do while in the locker room with me. I don''t want your sorry ass anywhere near me when I am practicing or competing."


    "Could you sound more homophobic? Do you know what this sounds like to me, Justin? It sounds to me like you''re in love with me and jealous that I am not with you. That the rumors have me with Makai and not you."


    "Fuck you!" He screamed into my face, his spit unfortunately flying from his mouth and landing on my cheek.


    "Leave me alone." I told him as I used my ruined shirt to wipe my face.


    I tried to push past him then. I tried to leave and just ignore him, like I had been, but the moment that I tried to move, he grabbed my shirt and pushed me back against the locker with all of his strength. The push caused me to hit my head hard enough so that I heard a slight ringing in my ears after it.


    That was it, my patience was completely gone. The red in my vision that I was trying so hard to contain exploded. I felt like I was losing all control and I wasn''t responsible for what was about to happen.


    I felt my hand ball into a fist and started moving of its own accord. I hadn''t consciously moved to punch Justin, but when my fist slammed into the left side of his face and caused him to stagger backwards, I knew that it was too late for me to even think about it.


    "Leave me the fuck alone, Justin." I roared at him. "Just stop it."


    "You''re in for it now, Ocean." Brittney was marching up to me now, knowing full well that I wouldn''t hit her since she was a girl and much smaller than me. Not to mention, my mom had raised me to never raise my hand against a woman, ever. "I am going to be the witness for him. You''ll be arrested, you''re going to jail." She was standing next to Justin as he cradled his face. I could see blood pouring from the side of his mouth and a massive bruise was already forming on the side of his face.


    "Well, I think I have a pretty good defense because of the harassment you two have been throwing at me." I snarled at her.


    "You''re done for." Justin went to come at me again, his fist raised, but there was a loud shout from down the hall.


    "JEFFRIES!" Coach Dickson was coming toward us fast.


    "He hit me, Coach. This is just self defense." Justin was pointing at me while looking at the coach.


    "Yeah, and that blood on the locker behind his head is just a colorful show of self expression, right? You have no idea how it got there, do you? Or how his shirt got ripped?" Coach was glaring at him and not accepting anything that he was about to say. "You''re lucky it''s the weekend, or I would suspend your ass right now. As it is, Justin, I want you to go home now."


    "But-."


    "NOW!" Coach didn''t give Justin the chance to argue back, he yelled so loud that the entire hallway went silent after hearing it. "And you, Shores, go home. I can''t have you getting hurt worse because of this. If you feel dizzy at all, go to the hospital." I hadn''t even known that my head was bleeding after I was thrown against the lockers, but I guess that made sense with how hard he had thrown me.


    "The rest of you, go home, practice is cancelled for today. Go, get out of here. Oh, and Justin" Coach called after him as he started to walk away with Brittney.. "I may not be suspending you right now, but I am going to be talking to the principal about this, we will see you on Monday."

 Chapter 151 - Makai - Revelation

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When Justin had grabbed a hold of Ocean, I was pissed. I wanted to go and beat the shit out of him immediately. I couldn''t, though, thanks to the fucking assholes that were blocking my way. The five of them were literally holding me and Ben back from Justin and Ocean. I was about to lose it all together and just start punching them all, that was until Ocean stood up for himself and made that a moot point.


    "What the hell do you want from me, Justin? Huh? What the hell is it that you think you''re going to accomplish?" I saw the rage in his eyes and knew that he was done sitting back and letting all of this just happen to him.


    "What do I want to accomplish? Huh, let''s see. I want to make you miserable. So miserable that you quit the team, possibly school and life all together. I refuse to let you stay on my swim team. I don''t want to have to worry about what you are going to do while in the locker room with me. I don''t want your sorry ass anywhere near me when I am practicing or competing." He was literally telling him that he wanted to ruin his life and even make him kill himself.


    "Could you sound more homophobic? Do you know what this sounds like to me Justin? It sounds to me like you''re in love with me and jealous that I am not with you. That the rumors have me with Makai and not you."


    "Fuck you!" Justin screamed into Ocean''s face.


    "Leave me alone."


    When Ocean was trying to leave, and push past Justin, he was pushed back against the locker again. I saw the pain flash in my boyfriend''s eyes and the smear of blood that ended up on the gray metal behind him. That was when Ocean punched Justin in the face, hard enough to make him almost fall over.


    "Leave me the fuck alone, Justin. Just stop it." I had never seen Ocean that mad before. This was something truly new for me.


    "You''re in for it now, Ocean." Brittney screamed at him as she attempted to coddle Justin. "I am going to be the witness for him. You''ll be arrested, you''re going to jail." She was standing next to Justin as he cradled his face.


    "Well, I think I have a pretty good defense because of the harassment you two have been throwing at me."


    "You''re done for." Justin raised his arm and was about to hit Ocean when Coach Dickson showed up.


    "JEFFRIES!"


    "He hit me, Coach. This is just self defense."


    "Yeah, and that blood on the locker behind his head is just a colorful show of self expression, right? You have no idea how it got there, do you? Or how his shirt got ripped? You''re lucky it''s the weekend, or I would suspend your ass right now. As it is, Justin, I want you to go home now."


    "But-."


    "NOW!" Coach didn''t give Justin the chance to argue back. "And you, Shores, go home. I can''t have you getting hurt worse because of this. If you feel dizzy at all, go to the hospital. The rest of you, go home, practice is cancelled for today. Go, get out of here. Oh, and Justin." Coach called after him as he started to walk away with Brittney. "I may not be suspending you right now, but I am going to be talking to the principal about this, we will see you on Monday."


    It had all happened in the span of just a couple of minutes, but it was definitely a tense and infuriating couple minutes.


    As soon as the crowd around us started to disperse, I went to Ocean''s side. I couldn''t be overly concerned since we were at school, but he had been injured and I wanted to make sure he was OK.


    "Hey, how''s your head?" That was something that a friend would ask, right?


    "It''s fine. I didn''t even notice it was bleeding until the coach said something about it. I''m fine, it''s all good. Don''t worry."


    "That''s not a stance you should be taking, Ocean." Ben was worried about him as well. "You already had a major head injury this year, you don''t want to get hurt and have it cause problems."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take it easy. But really, it''s nothing." Ocean was probably right about it being nothing since we weren''t human and healed quicker than other people. Still, I was worried about him and wanted to do something for him. Hell, I would have liked to hold his hand, kiss him, something. Anything. "Come on, let''s go. Are you coming back to my place again?" Ocean asked Ben as he started to walk away.


    "Yeah." Ben just nodded as he answered and followed along behind Ocean, who I could tell was very tense and angry.


    "Ocean." Before I followed them, I whispered his name so quietly that I knew that no one was likely to hear it.


    "This isn''t over." I heard Justin yelling from the other side of the door as I went to catch up to Ocean and Ben. I had just seen Ryan standing near the door watching them when I heard the voice. It made me stop the words that I was about to say and hurry out the door.


    "Go away, Justin." Ben yelled at him this time. "Can''t you see it''s just you, Bitchney, and her little gang that are causing all these problems? You''re not turning anyone else against us, it''s just you relentless few. Come on, stop it already."


    "Go fuck yourself, Ben." Brittney snapped at him. "Better yet, go fuck Ryan. That''s what you want, isn''t it? Though I see he''s been ignoring you since he found out about it." She was sneering and laughing at Ben right now, and it was pissing Ocean off even more.


    "What''s it to you, Brittney? Huh? What does it matter what we do or who anyone else is dating or not dating? You''re just pissed that I don''t want anything to do with your toxic ass anymore. I''m done, got it, leave me alone." I was proud of my Ocean at that moment. He wasn''t taking any more of their attitude right now.


    "Just stop it, both of you. We''re so over it right now." I added as I walked to stand on Ocean''s right side.


    "Oh, just go stuff it." Justin snapped at me. "No one wants a sausage lover like you on our team or in our school."


    "Can''t you see, Ocean? I am not mad that you won''t take me back. I am mad that you left me for a fucking man." Brittney had tears in her eyes again, playing the victim. Almost the entire school was still in the parking lot as they watched on and not a single one of them were convinced by that display.


    "Oh yes, I left you. That''s why I made you tell me that I wasn''t good enough for you as I laid in a hospital bed. That was such an evil dick move of mine. I don''t know what I was thinking by doing that!" Several people laughed at the sarcasm in Ocean''s voice as he said that. "Fine, Brittney. You want me to be honest with you? Do you all want me to be honest with you?"


    I really didn''t know what he was about to do here. I could see determination and anger filling Ocean''s eyes and was about to stop him when he started to talk again.


    "Ocean, don''t-."


    "I am happy as all fucking hell that you dumped me. It took that for me to see what a fucking skanky piece of shit you were. Had I been with you long enough for you to have sex with me, I am sure that my dick would have fallen off. And guess what? It''s true. I am dating Makai. We''ve been together since my birthday. Big shocker, huh. I don''t know what to say other than seeing a truly vile and disgusting woman like you I was scared straight, or rather gay. I never wanted to look at or think about another woman in that way ever again. So, thank you, Brittney, for turning me gay. You could probably do it for any man. And I''ve been told that you could probably turn a lesbian straight as well. Congrats on that. Now, if you''ll excuse me."


    After that, I thought Ocean was just going to walk down the steps and to the car. However, that was not what he did. No, what he did instead shocked the hell out of me.


    Ocean turned to face me, a smirk on his lips and excitement in his eyes. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me toward him.


    Our lips pressed together hard as he kissed me passionately. I gasped from the shock of it, and he took advantage of the slight parting of my lips. After he slipped his tongue into my mouth my shock had passed enough for me to grab Ocean''s hips and start to kiss him back.


    "OH MY GOD!" Brittney screamed.


    "That''s fucking sick!" Justin made gagging noises. However, they were the only reactions like that.


    "YEAH! GET IT OCEAN!" Cassie cheered.


    "GO OCEAN! GO OCEAN!" Katie chanted.


    "OH MY GOD! THAT IS FUCKING HOT!" Alexis sounded like she was about to pass out.


    "YEAH! DON''T BE AFRAID OCEAN!" Several of the guys from the team started to cheer and show their support for us as well.


    "HAHA! I can''t believe he just went for it." Another guy from the team laughed but he was clapping.


    "What the hell is happening here?" Justin was sounding pissed off and angry when he asked the gathered crowd that question.


    "Don''t you all see that this is wrong?" Brittney added.


    "You''re the only ones that are wrong." Ben snapped at them as Ocean finally stopped kissing me. We were both breathing heavily when we turned to look back at the two assholes that were causing all this trouble.


    "There, now you all know. You can stop trying to cause problems because of it." Ocean shrugged his shoulders and started walking. "Satisfied?"


    "You''re so disgusting." Brittney looked like she was on the verge of tears.


    "No, Brittney, you are. What really is disgusting is your attitude. So shut up and drop it." Alexis stepped in front of her.


    "And we will testify that Justin assaulted Ocean first. So, you all better not try anything with him. Got it?" Katie stepped up as well.


    "Yeah."


    "Just drop it."


    "Leave it alone." Several other people that had been present started to support us as well. I saw the relieved smile that spread across Ocean''s face as he saw that. He was truly happy to have their support, and so was I.


    Finally, we were able to go. The three of us went to get in my car and I drove us back to mine and Ocean''s place.. Thank God this day was over.

 Chapter 152 - Ocean – Unexpected Visitor

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I think that I was in a bit of shock right now. Did I really pull Makai to me and kiss him like that? Did I really declare to pretty much the entire school that Makai and I were dating and then do something so ballsy as to kiss him in front of literally everyone?


    OH MY GOD!


    I cannot believe that I did that! I cannot believe that I had been so forward and open with it in public. Then again, after I did it, there had been a lot of cheering from everyone else around us. The team and several other people from the school were all cheering us on. Literally, the only ones still acting like they had a problem with it at all were Brit the Bitch and Justin the Jackass. They were the only ones that were ''appalled'' by the display that I had given them.


    Well, I guess I didn''t need to hide my relationship with Makai at school anymore. Now that they all knew the truth, there was no use hiding it. I guess I could call him ''babe'' in front of everyone now.


    Wait, scratch that, I would be way too embarrassed to do that. I am sure that my face would turn about thirty different shades of red if I did that in front of even one other person, let alone everyone else at school. And, OH GOD! But what if Makai called me baby in front of the others? That would probably be just as bad. GAHH!


    "Just what is going through that head of yours?" Makai asked me as he suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. That was a feat in and of itself, since I was currently cradling my head and moving around like there was something seriously wrong with me.


    "I..I..-, n..n..nothing." I shook my head, unable to actually answer that.


    "Really? Because it looks to me like you are having some sort of meltdown." He laughed at me and pushed on my shoulders gently to make me sit up a little more and look at him.


    "R..really, i..it''s nothing. I..I..I was j..j..just thinking a..ab..about today, th..that''s all." I chuckled nervously as I thought about it all.


    "Yeah, I figured that much out by myself." The smile that was on his face and the light in his eyes told me that he was happy with the way that the day had gone.


    "Y..y..you''re not mad? About th..this afternoon, I m..mean." I was a stuttering mess and I knew that made me look like an idiot in front of the man that I loved.


    "Not at all. I am happy that you kissed me in front of everyone. It meant that you loved me enough to show it to all of them." He was beaming at me with eyes so full of love that it made me squirm.


    "W..well, honestly, I..I actually did it b..because I was f..fed up with the way J..Justin and Brittney were treating us." I felt bad because he thought it was love and not anger.


    "Yeah, but you were only fed up because you love me and wanted them to stop besmirching the two of us."


    I hadn''t thought about it that way at all. He was probably right, to be honest. I just never really thought about it yet. At that moment, the doorbell rang and I looked up, fear in my eyes.


    "That will be the pizza that I ordered. I didn''t think that any of us would be in the mood to cook tonight, so I ordered out for a few to tide us over." I smiled at him, he was always so considerate of people, especially me.


    Makai walked over to the door, and I turned to look at Ben. He was grinning like he thought today had actually been a good one. Well, to be honest, today had definitely been better than the others, even if I did have my head slammed against a locker and had to punch Justin in his ugly face. It really had been pretty nice.


    "Oh?!" I heard the shock and surprise in Makai''s voice when he opened the door. I am guessing it wasn''t the pizza like he thought it was.


    "Uh, uhm, c..can I talk to Ben? Please?" That was a voice that both Ben and I knew well. Ryan was at the door.


    What was he doing here? What did he want? And most of all, how did he know that Ben was here?


    OK, I guess that last one wasn''t too hard to figure out. He had been coming here every day this week. It was only natural for Ryan to think that Ben was here today as well.


    "I''ll ask him." Makai said and started to step back from the door.


    "It''s OK. I''ll talk to him." Ben said as he stood up. I think that he was thinking about leaving the living room where we were, but he couldn''t bring himself to actually walk toward the door.


    "Come on in." Makai said as he backed away from the door and gave Ryan the room to come inside.


    The three of us were now watching with curiosity and disbelief as Ryan walked into the living room. He didn''t walk up to Ben, but he was looking at him.


    "Uh..uhm, B..Ben, c..can we go talk, i..in private?" Ryan seemed to be having trouble getting those words out.


    "No." Ben''s answer was immediate.


    "What?" Ryan clearly hadn''t been expecting that. "B..but-."


    "I will talk to you, and I will listen to what you have to say. But I will do it with Kai and Ocean in the room. I don''t know if I want to be alone with you right now." There was pain in Ben''s eyes. He was still hurting, that was easy to see.


    "I..I guess I deserve that." Ryan hung his head in shame when he heard what Ben had to say. "I earned that. I really did. I was an idiot and I want to say that I am sorry."


    Ryan looked up then and I could see the raw emotions that were in his eyes. I could tell that he had thought a lot about what he had done, and he had obviously come to some sort of conclusion.


    "I don''t believe you." Ben just shook his head at Ryan''s words.


    "B..but it''s the truth." The pleading in Ryan''s voice almost physically hurt to hear.


    "How am I supposed to believe that?" Ben took a step back and away from Ryan as he spoke. "You basically made me feel like an abomination for having loved you. If none of this stuff with Ocean and Kai had happened, then I never would have told you. I would have been content just being around you and seeing you be happy. But now you know and now you are disgusted with me." Tears were streaming down Ben''s cheeks now as he let out what he had been feeling.


    "No, I am not disgusted by you. I swear that I''m not. I was just surprised and shocked. I was upset that you hid it from me for all those years. I felt betrayed because you kept a secret that big from me and never told me. It wasn''t that I was disgusted. I swear that I wasn''t." No matter what Ryan said, no matter how many times he shook his head, I could see that Ben was not going to believe him.


    "You just want to end the feud. That is all this is about." Ben took another step away, but Ryan took a step toward him, chasing after him. "You don''t need to worry, Ryan. I won''t fight with you. I won''t argue with you. I won''t do anything to make you feel uncomfortable. You can just go back to ignoring me like you have all week. There is no need for you to pretend now. Just because the whole school knows about Ocean and Kai doesn''t mean you have to pretend to be friends with the other gay kid on the team. Just don''t worry about it, Ryan. Be friendly during practice and swim meets but that is all. You don''t need to push yourself to go above and beyond that."


    Was it just me, or did Ben sound like he was feeling a little more traumatized than I expected him to? I guess the things that Ryan had said to him had really hurt him. Just seeing these two looking at each other, the pain in their eyes, it was enough to make me feel physical pain and a tremendous bout of sorrow. Come on you two, communicate and work it out. You have to.


    "Ben, please, listen to me. I swear, you have the wrong idea. It''s not-."


    "No, Ryan, I don''t. I heard you loud and clear. I heard how angry, disgusted, and pissed off you were. I also heard everything you didn''t say. The things that you implied when you skipped two days of school just so you didn''t have to see me. When you didn''t call or text me back. When you went out of your way to make sure that we weren''t anywhere near each other. I understood exactly what it all meant." Ben was not holding anything back now. He had opened the dam and it was all flooding out.


    "No, you don''t! You don''t get it at all." Ryan was sounding angry again, just like last time.. Only this time, it sounded like he was angry for a different reason.

 Chapter 153 - Ocean – Ryan’s Revelation

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "I understood exactly what it all meant." Ben was not holding anything back now. He had opened the dam and it was all flooding out.


    "No, you don''t! You don''t get it at all." Ryan was sounding angry again, just like last time. Only this time, it sounded like he was angry for a different reason.


    "Then what, Ryan, what did you mean by all of that? If you don''t hate the sight of me, if you''re not appalled by me, then what? What kept you away from me all week? Why can''t we even be friends anymore?"


    Ben was huffing, his breathing heaving and irregular after he yelled at Ryan. I think that he needed to vent some of those feelings and get them off of his chest. He had been holding them all this entire time. If he didn''t vent them some time, then he was likely to explode at the wrong time at the wrong person. At least the object of his frustrations was here right now so he could point them in the right direction while venting right now.


    "If I misunderstood what all of that meant, then what did it all truly mean? Tell me Ryan! Tell me what I am supposed to think. What do you want me to believe here?"


    "I want you to believe that I love you too, dammit!"


    Well, now that was unexpected. After I had talked to Ryan on the beach things hadn''t looked very hopeful for Ben. I hadn''t expected that Ryan would come to this conclusion. I wonder what had actually happened?


    Looking across the living room, I saw that both Ben and Makai had been thinking the same thing as me. Maybe not about the beach, but about Ryan.


    "That is a nice little lie, Ryan, but I don''t believe you." Ben crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You don''t need to push yourself or lie to me. Just cut me out of your life, that is the best option that there is for us."


    "NO!" Ryan yelled at him. "I don''t want to cut you out of my life, Ben. I can''t live without you. That is what I have been telling myself this entire week. The entire time that we have been apart I have been miserable. I didn''t understand what it was that I was feeling at first, but it''s true. I can''t survive without seeing you every day."


    "Stop it." Ben was shaking his head. "Stop giving me false hope." He took another step away when Ryan stepped toward him again.


    "It''s true." The pleading note in Ryan''s voice already had me convinced. Though I can also understand what it was that Ben was feeling. He didn''t think that Ryan was being serious. He thought he was just trying to get his friend back, not gain a lover.


    "No. Stop it. Stop it, Ryan, please. I can''t handle you saying that only to take it away from me later." Ben was clearly brokenhearted. He didn''t want to hear what Ryan had to say because if it really wasn''t true then he would be completely destroyed.


    "Ben?"


    With a suddenness that I had not expected, Ryan sped across the living room and backed Ben up against the wall. Ryan had placed his hands on the wall next to Ben''s shoulders while Ben put his hands against Ryan''s chest, intent to hold him off.


    "Why won''t you believe me?" There were tears in Ryan''s eyes and his voice was shaking.


    "Why should I believe you?" The expression on Ben''s face looked nearly identical to the one on Ryan''s, with tears in his eyes and even his voice shaking.


    "I had to think, Ben. That was all. I needed to think things through and figure them out on my own. And what I discovered was that you mean more to mean than anyone or anything in my entire life. I can''t live without you. It took being away from you to understand that I actually am in love with you. Not having you there with me every day, not seeing you first thing in the morning before school, not talking to you, all of that was torture to me. And it wasn''t like I lost my best friend. It was like I lost my lover. I never saw you like that before but it''s true. I am in love with you, Ben. I don''t know how to be in love with you but I am. I don''t want to spend another minute away from you. I don''t want to fight with you anymore, I want you back. I need you. Please!"


    There was pure shock on Ben''s face. That had not been a speech he was prepared to hear. He hadn''t known that this was going to happen, and he hadn''t expected that Ryan to ever feel that way.


    "I..I just don''t know how I am supposed to trust you." I knew that Ben wanted to cry right now, but he was holding it in. "How can I believe this?"


    "Will you believe this?"


    Just as Ryan said that he moved his hand from the wall and placed it on Ben''s chin. He tilted the shocked face of my friend back and angled him to be in the perfect position for a kiss. Both Makai and I gasped in shock when Ryan pressed his lips against Ben''s.


    Ben seemed to be in too much shock to move at the moment. He was just standing there, his hands clutching loosely at Ryan''s shirt while he was kissed passionately and intensely. It was clear to me that none of us expected that Ryan would do that. I was glad that he did, though. I was glad that he came to terms with what he was feeling and how Ben felt. This was a positive step for them. This was definitely the best possible outcome in my mind.


    "R..R..Ryan?" After the kiss had been broken and Ryan pulled away to look into Ben''s eyes, Ben gasped and stuttered out that one word.


    "Can you believe me now?" Ryan was smiling now, happy to have been reunited with Ben.


    "I..I..I want to." It seemed like Ben still wasn''t sure of what was going on.


    "Please, Ben, please believe that I am serious. I love you. I really love you. And I am sorry that I was such an idiot. Please, give me another chance. Give me the chance to learn how to love you the way that you deserve. Please, Ben."


    There were no words. Not from Ben, not from me, and not from Makai. All of us were stunned into silence.


    "I..I..I-." While Ben was stuttering, the doorbell rang again.


    "Ahem. I am sorry about that. It appears the pizza guy is here. Uh, uhm, R..Ryan, would you like to join us for dinner?" Even Makai was a bit of a stuttering mess now. That was cute to see.


    "If Ben wants me to, then I would love to join him for dinner." I could see the happy smirk that was on Ryan''s face. He wanted Ben to be the one to ask him.


    "W..will you j..join me for d..d..dinner, Ryan?" He stuttered out the words as he blushed.


    "Is this going to be considered our first date?" Ryan smiled even wider.


    "WHAT?" Ben nearly shrieked right as Makai opened the front door.


    "What the hell?" I heard the pizza guy exclaim in surprise.


    "Sorry about that." Makai handed over some money and took the boxes. "Have a good night." He didn''t even wait for him to respond before shutting the door. "Come on, let''s eat."


    "Great. I get to have a date with my new boyfriend." At that, Ryan took Ben''s hand and dragged him toward the loveseat so that he could sit with Ben.


    "What the hell is going on here?" Ben was confused but still very happy.


    Well, it looked like things had finally worked out for them. I was happy for them, I really was. And now none of us had to hide anything from each other. Well, aside from the fact that Makai was a Merman and I was a Siren, that we still had to hide. But we didn''t have to hide our relationships. That was a good thing at least. And a relief too.


    The four of us ate together and talked about random things. Makai, Ben, and I grilled Ryan about what he had been thinking about and feeling that week. I admit that we also laughed a lot about the things that he said and did. And the shade of red that Ben and Ryan turned while we talked made me feel a little better. Usually, I was the one that ended up blushing all the time. It was good to see that others could blush just as easily.


    When the night was winding down and it was getting late, Ryan asked if he could spend the night at our place with Ben. That made me raise a brow, I didn''t think that he would be ready for something like that given that he had been ''straight'' until just recently. Then again, he and Ben had been having sleepovers since they were five. It''s not like they hadn''t slept in the same bed dozens of times before. Though, based off the new shade of red that Ben''s face had turned, I could tell that it would mean something different to the both of them now that they were ''dating''. I just hoped that they were both ready for what was to come.


    Regardless, Makai told them that it was fine and showed them to a guest room that they could use. I silently wished them luck just a moment before Makai took my hand and pulled me down the hall toward our room.. It was time for the two of us to be alone together too.

 Chapter 154 - Ryan - I Just Needed Time To Think

    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    All week I had been thinking. I had been trying to figure out what it was that was happening. I needed to figure out what it was that was going on with Ben and why he would say those things to me.


    I had never been against gay couples. I supported them wholeheartedly. When Ocean decided to flip sides and date Kai, I didn''t have a problem with it at all. I gave them my full support there as well. But, I guess, it was just something else entirely when you are the one that has to deal with this.


    I had wondered what it was that Ocean had been thinking about when he started dating Kai. I wondered why he had gone from dating a girl, albeit a shallow and disgusting girl, to dating a guy. I hadn''t been able to figure out why he had done it. So, I had decided to go ahead and talk to him on the beach.


    Yeah, that talk with him only made me more confused. I had tried to see Ben that morning only to find out that he wasn''t at his house. He had never gone home. He probably hated me more than anything or anyone right now.


    When I actually talked to Ocean, it just made me more confused. All I knew is that I wanted to see Ben. I had wanted to see him that night before I went to bed. I had wanted to talk to him on the phone all night after our fight. I had wanted to see him first thing in the morning. I had wanted so much for it to just be the way that things had always been for us.


    There had barely been a day over the last thirteen years that Ben wasn''t with me. We have literally spent almost every day together since kindergarten. We lived near each other, and we went to the same schools. We have always been there for each other. But now, he was gone.


    He was gone because I was an idiot and acting like him loving me was just a bad thing. It''s not like I really thought that at all. I was just hurt.


    This had been a major secret that he had kept from me. We told each other everything, literally everything. But he had hid that from me for years. I had felt so betrayed and hurt.


    Still, I was an idiot. And I was so miserable too. After not talking to Ben for over twenty-four hours I was so depressed that I felt sick. I was too depressed and too sick to get out of bed and go to school. I couldn''t even bring myself to move out of bed for anything but the bathroom for two days.


    My mom had been so worried that she wanted to call an ambulance and have me admitted to the hospital or something. I tried to tell her that it wasn''t that serious, but she wasn''t going to listen. If I hadn''t gotten out of bed to go to school on Friday then she was going to force me to be examined by a doctor one way or the other.


    I had no choice then. I needed to get up and pretend to be a living person again. I needed to shower, and to eat, and to do what normal people did. I didn''t want to, but I needed to do it.


    I had lost weight while I laid in bed for those two days. Not a lot but I saw it when I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror before I took a shower. I wonder what everyone else was going to say about it?


    Were they going to be mad that I hadn''t tried to contact them? Had Ben tried to call or text me and I was too miserable to have noticed. I saw that he had, indeed, texted me, just twice. And he called once.


    [MISSED CALL FROM Best Ben] ¨C Wednesday 3:45 PM


    [Best Ben] Wednesday ¨C 3:46 PM


    I saw that you weren''t in school today, even though the suspension was over. Is that because of me?


    [Best Ben] Wednesday 10:28 PM


    Don''t worry, this will be the last message that I send you. I am sorry. I truly am. I didn''t want this to destroy our friendship. I am sorry that I am who I am. Just move on with your life. I won''t bother you, and I don''t expect you to acknowledge me ever again. I will delete your number and block it so that I will not be tempted to contact you. For all I know, you''ve already done that to my number since you''re not answering me. I just want you to know that you were the best part of my life. I wish I could have that back. But I can''t. I can''t turn back time so I can''t have you back. I will learn to live without you. Have a nice life, Ryan. And again, I am truly sorry.


    I wanted to text him back immediately when I saw the messages that he had sent. I wanted to call him and tell him that I was the one that was sorry. I wanted to beg him to not leave me like that. But I couldn''t do any of it. I couldn''t text him or call him because he said he was going to block me. And my Ben was not someone that told lies.


    I cried over it while I took a shower, nearly depressed enough to go ahead and let my mom take me to the hospital after all. But that would be a waste. I wasn''t sick, just depressed.


    Another thing that I thought about in the shower, was what I truly felt. Why was it that I was so miserable about Ben telling me to leave him alone? Why was I so depressed when I didn''t get to see him for just a single day? What was actually going on with me?


    "C..could it be that I..I..-. Could it be that I am actually in love with Ben?"


    The moment I asked myself that question it was like a flood of emotions hit me. I knew right then and there that it was true. I really did love him. I had just never realized it because we were always together.


    To be honest, had he told me back in middle school that he loved me, I might have actually dated him. I can''t be certain that I wouldn''t have been stupid then as well, but I would have known that I didn''t want to live without Ben in my life. I would have known that I needed to see him every day just to function. I honestly and truthfully needed Ben in my life.


    "I..I..I''m in love with Ben." I spoke the truth out loud for the first time.


    All day at school I saw that things were still the same as they had been on Monday. Justin and Britt the Bitch were still making Ocean and Kai miserable with the occasional barb thrown in there for Ben as well. I had abandoned them during this time. I had let them deal with this without me. I was horrible.


    But Ben wanted me to stay away. He told me not to acknowledge him. I had to basically pretend that he didn''t even exist. I hated this.


    I love him, I wanted to see him, but I needed to hide it and pretend that he didn''t exist. Was this what Ben had felt for years? If so, I don''t know how he managed it. I''ve only known that I love him for a matter of hours and it was already killing me to be spending so much time away from him and keeping it quiet.


    OH MY GOD! I just watched Ocean kiss Kai. He just told the others to shut up and pulled him in for a massive kiss. And that was definitely not a quick little peck. That was a passionate, deep, awe inspiring, sexy as hell type of kiss. And Ocean was the one who started it with Kai. Kai didn''t just stand there either. Nope, he responded to the kiss like you would expect a man would when his lover kissed him.


    I was instantly jealous. I..I wanted to kiss Ben that way. I wanted to see what it would feel like if I  kissed him like that. I wanted to see what his lips felt like.


    DAMMIT! I was getting turned on. Not by watching Ocean and Kai, no not that at all. I was being turned on by thinking about Ben. I think that was even more proof. I had just never realized what it was that I felt for him.


    I need to tell him. I need to talk to him. I need to stop making him wait. I need to kiss him.


    For the most part, I needed to tell Ben that I just needed time to think. I needed him to understand that I loved him, that I always have, I just didn''t know it. And I didn''t know how to love him. I needed to tell him that I just needed time to think, time to work it all out. I was stupid after all. It really does take me longer to figure things out. Dammit, I can''t wait to see the look on his face when I tell him that I love him. I can''t wait to see what it is that he says in response to my heartfelt confession.


    I am so excited right now. Excited and nervous.. That was the best way to describe me.

 Chapter 155 - Ben - What Did I Just Hear?

    ~~


    Ben


    ~~


    I could not believe the way that the day had ended. I mean, seeing Ocean grab Kai''s shirt and kiss him in front of everyone, that was totally unexpected. However, it was empowering, and effective.


    Britt the bitch and Justin the Jackass were both stunned and completely silent when everything was done. I mean, it helped that the rest of the team, and the whole school really supported Ocean and cheered him on. I guess we were all worried for nothing. It looked like most of the student body didn''t care whether someone was gay or not. That was good to know. I just wished that the man that I loved didn''t care that I was gay.


    I wasn''t that lucky, though. He had come to hate me since he found out that I loved him. He ignored my text messages and phone calls. He skipped two days of school to avoid me. He was there today, yeah, but he completely ignored me. He didn''t even look at me when we were at school. He steered clear of me completely. I had ruined the best thing that I even had just because I decided to tell him the truth.


    I had to tell him, though. He would have figured it out eventually, with all the things that Justin and Brittney were saying about us. They would have made sure that Ryan knew exactly how I felt about him. I couldn''t go on lying to him anymore.


    As much as I knew that I needed to tell him, I wish I hadn''t. I wish I would have just kept it to myself. I would never be able to be with Ryan, but I could have loved him while staying at his side. Now, though, I couldn''t even do that. I was never going to be able to stand at his side ever again. That was the worst thing that I could ever imagine. And with that thought permanently lodged in my brain, I knew that my heart was never going to heal. I was going to be miserable for the rest of my life since I couldn''t have Ryan with me ever again.


    I was basically wallowing in these thoughts at Ocean and Kai''s place while waiting for the pizza to arrive. Ocean seemed to be flipping out as well. Most likely from the memory of his public display of intimacy with Kai. That would embarrass anyone. Well, almost anyone.


    While I thought about that, thinking about the things that Ocean had done while smiling at him, I heard the doorbell ring. I guess it was time for us to eat now. That was good, I really was getting hungry.


    Just as I thought that though, I heard a voice that I knew all too well.


    "Oh?!" I heard the shock and surprise in Makai''s voice when he opened the door.


    "Uh, uhm, c..can I talk to Ben? Please?" What the hell was Ryan doing here? And why did he want to see me?


    "I''ll ask him." Makai said and started to step back from the door.


    "It''s OK. I''ll talk to him." I was already rising to my feet, bracing myself for the angry words that Ryan was sure to have for me.


    "Come on in." Makai answered him.


    I was nervous, I was scared, I was a lot of things that I didn''t know how to explain. This was not going to be a situation that I was able to just deal with easily. I had a feeling that today was going to be a day that destroyed me.


    The first thing that Ryan did was ask if we could talk alone, but I told him no. I didn''t want to be alone with him because I didn''t want to deal with the fight that I knew was going to come.


    The only thing was, Ryan didn''t seem to be there for a fight.


    "I..I guess I deserve that." Ryan hung his head in shame when spoke to me. "I earned that. I really did. I was an idiot and I want to say that I am sorry."


    "I don''t believe you." I was in total disbelief of everything that was happening right now.


    "B..but it''s the truth." Ryan was almost crying as he said those words to me.


    "How am I supposed to believe that? You basically made me feel like an abomination for having loved you. If none of this stuff with Ocean and Kai had happened, then I never would have told you. I would have been content just being around you and seeing you be happy. But now you know, and now you are disgusted with me." Dammit, I was crying. Tears were flowing freely down my cheeks.


    "No, I am not disgusted by you. I swear that I''m not. I was just surprised and shocked. I was upset that you hid it from me for all those years. I felt betrayed because you kept a secret that big from me and never told me. It wasn''t that I was disgusted. I swear that I wasn''t." I still couldn''t listen to that and believe it. He was clear with what he was trying to tell me before. He didn''t want to have a gay friend that was in love with him.


    "You just want to end the feud. That is all this is about." I took a step away from him but he just followed after me. "You don''t need to worry, Ryan. I won''t fight with you. I won''t argue with you. I won''t do anything to make you feel uncomfortable. You can just go back to ignoring me like you have all week. There is no need for you to pretend now. Just because the whole school knows about Ocean and Kai doesn''t mean you have to pretend to be friends with the other gay kid on the team. Just don''t worry about it, Ryan. Be friendly during practice and swim meets but that is all. You don''t need to push yourself to go above and beyond that."


    I was trying to absolve him of all guilt and responsibility, but he kept following me whenever I took a step away from him.


    He kept trying to tell me that I was wrong. That I was misunderstanding him and that I didn''t know what he wanted to tell me.


    "If I misunderstood what all of that meant, then what did it all truly mean? Tell me Ryan! Tell me what I am supposed to think. What do you want me to believe here?"


    "I want you to believe that I love you too, dammit!" His words made my heart stop and my ears ring. What did I just hear?


    "That is a nice little lie, Ryan, but I don''t believe you." I crossed my arm over my chest as if that could protect my heart from his words. "You don''t need to push yourself or lie to me. Just cut me out of your life, that is the best option that there is for us."


    "NO!" Ryan yelled. "I don''t want to cut you out of my life, Ben. I can''t live without you. That is what I have been telling myself this entire week. The entire time that we have been apart I have been miserable. I didn''t understand what it was that I was feeling at first, but it''s true. I can''t survive without seeing you every day."


    "Stop it." I was shaking my head now, desperate to rid my mind of these words. "Stop giving me false hope."


    "It''s true." Ryan was following after me as I backed up again and he put his hands on the wall next to my head.


    "No. Stop it. Stop it, Ryan, please. I can''t handle you saying that only to take it away from me later."


    "Ben?"


    At that, Ryan put his hand on my face and kissed me. My brain stopped, my heart was a goner and I think I saw heaven. Yup, I must be dead. That was the only thing that could explain me thinking that Ryan was actually kissing me. Only, I could truly feel it so I knew it was real.


    "R..R..Ryan?" After the kiss had been broken and Ryan pulled away to look into my eyes, I gasped and stuttered out his name.


    "Can you believe me now?" Ryan was smiling happily, like he had gotten the best present in the world.


    I was frozen in shock. I didn''t understand what had just happened. I was at a total loss, but I admit that I was happy. I listened to a massive speech about how Ryan had needed time to think and understand that he has always been in love with me, he just didn''t know it.


    Following that tense little scene, the pizza had arrived and Ryan made a declaration that we were going to be having our first date by eating pizza together at Ocean and Kai''s place. This was still so surreal to me.


    I don''t think that I talked much at all during the meal. I just ate my pizza in silence while Ryan told me that he talked to Ocean on the beach about how he realized that he was in love with Kai and that was part of what made Ryan figure out that he loved me.


    Then he told me that he didn''t ignore me when I texted and called. He said that he had actually been so depressed from not seeing me that he was not able to get out of bed or even look at his phone. He was so hurt when he saw my messages and thought I hated him now. Dammit, this was all going so well that I just knew something had to go wrong. It was literally perfect.


    When it was time for us to be getting ready for bed, Ryan made a declaration while holding my hand to his chest.


    "I want to stay the night." He was grinning. "I know that Ben is staying here. Can I stay as well? Ben and I can share a room."


    "WHAT!?" I was so shocked that I screamed the word.


    "I don''t care, as long as Ben is OK with it." Kai looked at me, saying that he would help me to kick Ryan out if I wanted him to.


    "I..i..it''s f..f..f..fine." I stuttered again and I just knew that my face was beet red again. Dammit, why did he want to stay the night?


    Did Ryan even get what he was saying here? Did he truly understand what it was that he wanted us to be? I don''t think that either of us were ready for that.. I think that we needed to take things slower, so that Ryan could figure out if this was what he really wanted.

 Chapter 156 - Ben – Sleepover

    ~~


    Ben


    ~~


    What was I going to do? What the hell was I going to do? Ryan had invited himself to sleepover at Ocean and Kai''s place and I couldn''t tell him no. I couldn''t tell him that I was still too scared and worried about everything to spend time alone with him.


    I know that he only invited himself so that we could talk without prying ears and all that, or at least I hope that was why. Still, I didn''t know what to say to him, what to think about him.


    Dinner had been great, really. It had been perfect and allowed us to get to the point where we were talking to each other again. The problem was that I hadn''t been able to open up to him or talk about anything that really mattered. In truth, this ''date'' that he was saying we were having was no different than the times that we hung out as ''just friends'' with the guys. Aside from the fact that Ryan kept holding my hand nothing was different.


    Well, I guess the hand holding was enough of a start. But what we needed now was to do a lot of talking. We needed to understand each other and understand what exactly was going on.


    Maybe we could get that done tonight. If we could talk and get everything out in the open, then I am sure that we can move things along later. Much later. When we were both ready for it. Not that I wasn''t ready, but I had a feeling that Ryan wasn''t.


    "Good night, you two." Ocean smirked at me when he walked away from the room that they had shown us to. "Sleep tight." Did he just wink at me? Did he seriously think that something was going to happen between us tonight? Well, I hope he knows that it won''t. I just want to talk tonight. I needed to clear some things up between us.


    I stepped into the room, still mentally rolling my eyes at Ocean as I walked to sit on the chair that was next to the window. I heard the door click shut behind me, Ryan had come into the room as well. I was going to ignore him for a moment and collect my thoughts. That was my plan anyway.


    I hadn''t even gotten halfway across the room when I felt Ryan throw his arms around me and press his lips against my neck gently.


    "We''re finally alone." He said in a soft, almost seductive voice.


    "R..Ryan?" I stammered a little as he pulled me in closer against him.


    "I wanted to be alone with you all night. I''ve wanted to see you again since the moment I stupidly walked out that door on Monday. I have been miserable without you, Ben. I missed you so much."


    There were a lot of heartfelt emotions in his voice, and I could tell that he meant every word that he was saying. Not to mention, he was shaking slightly as if he was remembering what had happened between us this week.


    "Ryan." I said his name softly while turning in his arms so that I could look at him. Doing that broke his hold on me so he just put his hands on my hips instead of putting them back around my entire body.


    "Ben?" He was smiling at me happily, clearly happy that I was looking at him now.


    Before I could say anything else, Ryan leaned in and kissed me again. This was the second time that he kissed me. Well, the third if I counted the one he gave me a few moments ago on my neck.


    I enjoyed the kiss, I really did. I really didn''t want it to stop. I had finally felt his lips on me after all these years and it was amazing. But as amazing as it all felt, we needed to talk.


    "Ryan!" I said his name again as I pushed him away from me, breaking the kiss.


    "What? You don''t like it when I kiss you?" He looked hurt and confused now.


    "That''s not it." Immediately he looked happy again and was leaning in for another kiss. "But we need to talk." I held him back, my arms fully extended to push him away from me.


    "I don''t want to talk right now, Ben. I want to kiss you. I denied myself the love that we could have had for so long. I want to make up for lost time." He tried to lean in again, but I held him back from me with a little more pressure.


    "No, Ryan. We need to talk things out. I don''t know if I can trust you, or if I can trust this. I have wanted this for so long, and I know that this should make me happy, but I am more wary than anything else." Ryan looked hurt at my words. I didn''t want to hurt him more, but I didn''t want to wake up tomorrow to find out that Ryan regretted everything that he did tonight. I needed to know how he feels.


    "Ben!" He sounded like he was pleading with me to give in to him.


    "I mean it, Ryan. If we don''t talk about this, then I am leaving. I need to know a few things. I have to hear them with my own ears or we''re just a lost cause."


    "Alright." He stopped trying to get at me and pulled the footstool over in front of the chair that I had been heading for. He was going to sit there, right in front of me, while we talked. "Come on, let''s talk."


    I sat down and looked at him. I had known what I wanted to ask him. I had known what I wanted to say to him. Yet the moment I saw his handsome face and puppy dog eyes, it all flew right out of my mind.


    "You want to know why I came here tonight, right?" He started off for me, taking the lead like he always did.


    "Yes." I nodded at him, clearly seeing an opening into the talk that I wanted to have.


    "Fine. I will tell you. I don''t mind. I will tell you anything and everything from now on, Ben. You''re the man that I love, for crying out loud. And I can''t believe that I was so stupid that I couldn''t see it sooner."


    Ryan started to tell me everything that he had done after he left Ocean and Kai''s place on Monday. He told me how he went to my house the next morning and was so upset about not having been able to see me. He went into more detail about his talk with Ocean on the beach. He told me how he missed me so much that he was almost deathly ill. His mom apparently wanted to take him to be admitted to the hospital and have him checked out for some mysterious illness.


    I couldn''t believe what it was that he was telling me. The things that he was saying to me now were unfathomable. He said that he wished that I would have told him that I loved him years ago, so that we would have had that much more time together.


    Then he told me how he had gotten turned on thinking about me, about my lips and holding me. That was why he kissed me when he was trying to convince me that he was telling the truth, he apparently just couldn''t control himself anymore.


    I have to admit, I was liking what he was telling me. I mean, who wouldn''t like hearing that the person that they have been pining over for years was in love with them and wanted them more than anything else?


    The only problem was that I still didn''t trust his words. He could have just been caught up in the moment. He might not really love me at all. He could have just been keyed up from the events of the day and thought that he loved me. Then, when the morning comes, he will hate me and himself. I was scared of that happening. And I was almost one hundred percent sure that it was going to happen.


    "How many times do I have to tell you that I am serious?" He asked me when I expressed my fears to him. "I love you, Ben. I will shout it from the rooftops. I will announce it over the PA system at school. I will tell everyone. I will do anything that you want me to." He was holding both of my hands and looking up into my eyes from his position on the footstool.


    "I believe that is how you feel right now, Ryan. But how am I supposed to know that it will last? How am I supposed to believe that it won''t all just go away first thing in the morning. I mean, it all feels like you just decided to love me on a whim." Dammit, was that the sound of my heart breaking or his?


    "No! It''s not a whim and my love is not going anywhere. Dammit, Ben, I love you. I will always love you. You and only you. I want you to be there for me forever."


    "Damn, Ryan." I started to laugh to hide my embarrassment. "No one expected you to propose to me right away. I mean, I am not ready for marriage yet." I laughed harder and after a moment of shock, Ryan laughed as well. He finally realized what it was that his words had sounded like when he said them.


    "That isn''t what I meant, and you know it." He grinned at me. "However, if you want a proposal or something to prove that I love you then I will give you one." He smirked at me, knowing that I would tell him no immediately.


    "Hell, no!" I snapped at him. "Do you think that we need more of a reason for people to talk about us?"


    "It was a thought." He laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, now that we''ve talked, can we be a little more intimate and a lot closer?" He leaned in again, this time reaching for my shirt as he tried to kiss me.


    "Ryan!" I made his name into a scold for him.


    "What?" He leaned back again, a grin still on his lips.


    "What do you think that we''re going to do tonight?" I couldn''t believe that I had to ask him this question. And sure enough, he got one of those mischievous looks on his face as he rose to his feet, putting one hand on either arm of the chair.


    "Come on now, Ben. You know what is going to happen." His forehead was just millimeters away from touching mine as he leaned in.


    "We''re not having sex tonight, if that is what you''re thinking." I shot him down and he leaned back, just a little bit.


    "Why not? I want you, Ben. I want to feel you and to touch you. I want to learn the way your body feels as a lover and not as a friend."


    Dammit, that was almost enough to make my resolve crumble. Almost. But fuck! That had been so tempting, he wanted me, and I wanted him.


    "No, not tonight, Ryan. I think we both need to be ready, and I am not sure that you really are, or if I am." I crossed my arms to try and create a semblance of distance between us, a barrier of sorts.


    "I know that I am ready, Ben. I am more than ready to have you in my arms." He was leaning in again, trying to get intimate once more.


    "If all you want is me in your arms, then how about we just hold each other in bed while we talk. Nothing more than that." I hurried to make a suggestion that I hoped he would accept.


    "Can I at least kiss you while I hold you?" He traced a finger along my jawline while he spoke, like he was about to kiss me without me needing to answer.


    "Y..y..yes." Dammit, I stuttered.


    "Good."


    Ryan pulled me from the chair, helped me to strip off my clothes down to my boxers, then laid me in the bed. We were facing each other, and our arms were wrapped around each other''s almost naked bodies (Ryan was only in his boxers as well).


    "Come on then, let''s talk." Ryan prompted me before he pressed a kiss to my lips.


    We talked all night long. Well, until around three in the morning when we both fell asleep, still holding each other. I will admit, there was a little bit more kissing than talking, but we did talk about a lot of different things. And by the time that I fell asleep I was feeling a lot more calm, and a hell of a lot more horny. It was very hard to make Ryan keep his hands to himself. So very, very hard.. I don''t know when we will both be ready for that, but I don''t think that it will be all that long.

 Chapter 157 - Split - Ocean And Ryan

    **Ben and Ryan''s First Morning Together **


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    All night I had been wondering how Ben and Ryan had fared for the night. I didn''t exactly think that they were going to have sex their first night but, if they did, that was up to them. When Makai and I got up it was kind of late, but our two friends still weren''t up yet. I wonder if they had a late night?


    Breakfast was ready and on the table by the time the two of them came down, both looking a little more exhausted than I would have expected them to be.


    "So, did you enjoy your night?" I asked them with a smile on my face, I was just happy to see that they were still on good terms with each other.


    "It was a good night." Ryan grinned at me then at Ben.


    "Stop making them think that things happened when they didn''t." Ben snapped at him. "Nothing happened, OK! We just talked all night and kissed a little." He blushed when he said that.


    "No one said something had to happen." I knitted my brows together and looked at him with confusion. "I am just happy that you two are still doing good. I am glad that you''re together, I think you will be happy together." I was giving them all of my support.


    "Yeah, you guys looked great together last night." Makai threw in his support. "Speaking of, Ryan, how did you enjoy that kiss you planted on Ben? It looked to me like you have been wanting to do that for a long time."


    "Yeah, it was amazing. I didn''t even realize until yesterday how much I actually love Ben. I never put two and two together. But the moment that I realized it I stopped wanting to hold back. It was like a dam burst inside of me and I just needed to be with him. I am so glad that he didn''t push me away."


    Well, I guess things are going well for now. That was good. I would hate for them to go through all of that and end up not being able to come together in the end. I guess my views on things have changed a lot since I met Makai. I wonder if that is a bad thing?


    The four of us hung out all afternoon. I think that Ryan just wanted to spend some time alone with Ben where he didn''t need to feel like he had to hide things. I worried for a moment if his dad would accept him being gay. The same with Ben''s parents. I don''t know their parents all that well so I don''t know how they will take their sons being gay. That was something that we would all have to wait to find out.


    I tried my best to push the thought out of my mind while the four of us played video games and snacked on food that Makai and I made. It was a pretty good, albeit typical, day for us. It was what the four of us did whenever we hung out together. I was glad to see that this part of everything hadn''t changed. Honestly, that part was a huge relief.


    **Telling The Folks**


    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    I was happy to have spent the night with Ben. This was different than how things had been during previous sleepovers. This time I held Ben in my arms and kissed him tenderly. This time I actually understood that I was in love with him and that I never wanted to be apart from him for any length of time. Even now, driving him home and then going back to my place, I felt the painful sting of the separation, and that was just me going practically right next door to him.


    I did lean over and kiss him before he opened the door to get out. That had surprised him, but in a good way. I was happy to see that he returned the kiss, even taking the initiative to slip his tongue into my mouth and slide his hand up to cup my cheek. It was a deep, passionate, and perfect kiss. I had never thought that things would be this good this soon. But I was happy about it still.


    After Ben left, I drove the couple of driveways over to my house. I swear I felt like I was high. If this was what love was like, then it was no wonder that people wanted it so bad. And nothing that I had ever felt for the girls I had liked before came anywhere near this. This was something special and amazing. This was something that I needed to preserve and be proud and happy about.


    "What the hell has you in such a good mood?" I heard my dad''s voice call out to me and I practically skipped into the house.


    "I''m just happy, that''s all."


    "Yeah? Why?" My dad wasn''t the most pleasant person in the world. Most people tended to misunderstand him because he was a little rough around the edges, but he was a really good guy once you got to know him.


    "I''m just in love." I grinned at him.


    "Really? Isn''t that what you say about almost every new girl that you meet?" He chuckled at his own joke as he grinned at me.


    "This is different, Dad. This is something real and serious." I watched his eyes go wide with shock. I don''t think he ever thought that I would be serious about someone.


    "Well, damn son, I guess I am happy for you. Who is the lucky person? You gotta bring your new special someone over to meet me." I couldn''t help but smirk at him.


    "You already know them." I was all giddy now, ready to tell him all about how Ben and I were together now.


    "Who?" He tilted his head in confusion.


    "Ben."


    He didn''t seem to understand what I had said for a minute. He narrowed his eyes, knitted his brows, and tilted his head, all of them were signs of confusion and I didn''t know why. What was there to be confused about.


    "Say that again." He told me, a slight undertone to his voice.


    "I''m dating Ben. You know, my best friend. We realized recently that we actually love each other. It was just something that I couldn''t deny any longer. And I have to say, it''s an amazing feeling. I tell you Dad, I couldn''t imagine my life without-."


    "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING?!"


    There was no warning before he started to scream at me. His voice was full of anger and rage, his eyes were dark and menacing. My dad just looked scary overall. I normally wasn''t afraid of my dad. He had a temper but he rarely took it out on me. This, though, was not something that I expected.


    "What? What''s wrong?" I took a step away from him as I saw spit fly from his mouth. He was breathing so heavily that he actually looked like a bull about to charge or something.


    "ARE YOU FUCKING TELLING ME THAT I RAISED A FUCKING QUEER?! WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU, BOY?! I WILL NOT LET YOU DATE THAT BOY! HELL, YOU WILL BE LUCKY IF YOU EVER SEE HIM AGAIN, OR ANYONE! I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL BEAT YOUR ASS FOR THIS."


    "You can''t stop me. With all due respect, Dad, I am eighteen years old, and you can''t tell me who I can and cannot date." My anger level was rising as well, but I kept it in check. I was doing my best to keep my breathing level and my voice calm. It was hard, but I was managing it somehow.


    "Fine, if that is how you want to play this." He grinned at me like there was something that he had liked about my words. "I may not be able to make you break up with him, but I can kick your sorry ass out of my house. Pack your shit and go. I don''t ever want to see your disgusting face ever again. Go stay with that faggot of yours. Get the fuck out of my house!"


    He meant what he was saying. I knew that was true. He was advancing on me, and his fists were clenched. I didn''t want to fight my dad right now. He had probably been drinking again which meant that he would not stop until he sobered up. I wasn''t weak, but I wasn''t about to fight my old man either.


    "Fine." I said the word calmly. I didn''t need him anyway. I had a trust fund from my grandmother and my car had been a gift to me from my grandmother, which also happened to be in her name. I didn''t need my dad because he couldn''t stop me from taking what was rightfully mine. Huh, I wonder what my mom will say when she gets home to find me gone for good?


    Yeah, I was planning to use my trust fund for college, but I had scholarships from swimming and I had gotten some for my grades as well. School wouldn''t cost me so much that I couldn''t survive on my own. I would make this work. I would rent a place or crash with a friend until I went off to school.


    I stormed up the stairs and packed as much as I could into the duffel bag that had been in the back of my closet. I then took my small travel bag that I used for school trips and away meets and packed that as full as I could. I took clothes but I also took everything that was important to me. I probably wouldn''t ever get the chance to come back here and get more of my things later. This was going to be my only chance.


    After I grabbed everything that I needed, I raced down the stairs and out the front door. I needed to go, to get away. I hopped into my car and was about to shut the door when I heard the sound of another door slamming.


    At first, I thought that my old man was coming out to chase me or something, but it hadn''t come from my place, it came from Ben''s. He was carrying bags that looked oddly similar to mine.


    "Ben!" I called out to him and started the car. I was almost immediately at the end of his driveway and waiting for him to get in.


    When Ben slid in I saw that he had tears on his face. Who had made my Ben cry?


    "What happened?" I asked him as I leaned in to wipe a tear from his cheek.


    "My dad saw me kissing you before I went inside. He brought it up and my mom flipped out."


    "Really?" I never thought that his mom would do that. Then again, I never thought that my dad would kick me out either.


    "Dad is going to try to calm her down, but for now I am not allowed in the house. What am I going to do, Ryan?" Ben looked at me with pleading eyes. He didn''t have money at his disposal like I did. He actually worked part time to earn extra money.


    "I guess you will join me. I was just kicked out as well."


    "Your dad saw us kissing too?" He was confused for a minute.


    "Nah, I told him that we were dating. I was just so happy that he asked why, and I didn''t want to hide it so I told him. He kicked me out though, so now I am on my own.


    "I''m sorry, Ryan. I''ve ruined everything." He was about to sob again.


    "No, don''t say that. I love you and you love me. That is all that matters. No one messed anything up."


    "We have nowhere to go." There was desperation in his voice when he tried to deny my words.


    "We can probably go back to Ocean and Kai''s." I grinned as I thought about it. "There is no way they will tell us to leave."


    "Yeah, you''re right." There was a ghost of a smile on his lips.. That''s what I wanted to see.

 Chapter 158 - Makai - A Little Crowded (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and I had just seen our friends off at the door. I was glad that things were working out for Ben and Ryan, I really was, but I wanted to be alone with my boyfriend. I wanted to spend some time with him where it was just the two of us.


    "Come here." I grinned at him and pulled him to me the moment that he shut the door.


    "Huh?" Ocean was so shocked by my abrupt change that his mouth was hanging open.


    "I need to give you some attention." I smirked at him as I pulled him close to me. "We haven''t had any alone time all week. And I think you deserve something a little extra special for the way that you kissed me in front of the entire school. And I have to say, I was so fucking turned on by that yesterday. Had we been alone, I would have done something to you."


    "W..w..what would you h..h..have d..done to m..m..me?" I saw that he was smiling but he was also blushing and embarrassed. He was full of so much emotion that I just loved it. He was the best mate that I could have asked for.


    "I think you already know."


    I didn''t say anymore. I just pressed my lips against his as I led him into the living room. I kissed him and tangled my tongue with his until I had managed to lean him back onto the couch. He was laying on the cushions, holding onto me and kissing me back as fiercely as I was kissing him.


    At least he was kissing me. He seemed to think about something that made him pull back and away from me so fast that I thought he was going to get whiplash.


    "No! We can''t do this. Not in here anyway." He was trying to push me away from his body, but I wouldn''t let him.


    "Why not, baby?" I asked him, desperate to put my lips back on his as soon as I could.


    "What if your parents come home again? What if they walk in and see us again? We can''t do this in the living room, Makai. You remember what they said to us."


    He was panicking, and I have to admit that it was super adorable. I loved seeing this reaction from him right now. He wanted me, but he didn''t want someone to interrupt us again.


    "Don''t worry, baby." I leaned in a little and kissed the tip of his nose. "I made them promise to call before they came home, remember. Not to mention, they just left last week. They aren''t going to come back so soon. It''s not a quick trip to where they''re going, and they don''t have underwater taxis and things like that. At least, I don''t think they do." I laughed at the thought and wondered just what it really was like down there.


    "A..are you sure?" He was still nervous, but I was going to show him that we would be fine. I wanted him, no I needed him, right now.


    "I''m sure, baby. Let me treat you to something special. Please." I begged him just a little bit. Begging was never a bad idea when you wanted to get something from the man you were in love with. It almost always worked. Well, it did for me, anyway.


    "O..okay." Ocean relented with a smile as he looked at me. Damn, I loved it when he smiled at me like that.


    "Good." I chuckled as I started to kiss his neck. "I was going to do it anyway." He laughed as well but didn''t try to stop me.


    I started to undress him then. I also tried to do it slowly but that wasn''t working for me. I needed more of him as soon as I could get it. I yanked his shirt over his head and relished in the glory that was his magnificent and marvelously sculpted chest. He was pure perfection, slender with lean muscles that moved lightly and just enticed me to lick him all over.


    However, the licking all over could wait for when I had more patience and therefore more time to savor him. I had been deprived all week, so I needed to have him right now. I needed to show him how sexy and delectable that I thought he was.


    I quickly moved my mouth down his body, leaving a trail with my tongue along the way. I was already gripping the waistband of his jeans, having unbuttoned and unzipped them while I licked that fast line down his chest and belly. In a smooth, and quick, motion I slid Ocean''s pants and boxers down. I was too hurried to take the time to remove them properly for now. At that moment, I left them at his ankles, that was enough for him to make room for me between his thighs.


    With no hesitation at all, I pulled his already erect shaft into my mouth. Oh God, he tasted so good. This was the only moment that I stopped, or even slowed down, since I had him agree to giving me his all right here. I just held him there in my mouth for a moment, swirling my tongue around his tip and causing him to moan softly.


    "M..M..Makai!" He wanted me to hurry up, to do more. Who was I to deny my man?


    I started to give him a fast rhythm. I was bobbing my head up and down so fast that I thought I was likely to break some sort of record. Ocean was loving it, though. He was bucking his hips to make me take him deeper into my mouth and his cries of pleasure told me that he wanted this and so much more.


    I was going to give him more, I was definitely not going to hold back tonight at all. I was going to show him all that I-.


    The doorbell rang right then and there. DAMMIT!


    Ocean jumped and I swear that his heart leapt out of his mouth like some sort of cartoon image. OK, it didn''t really, but he looked so scared that it definitely could have happened.


    "W..w..who is that?" He asked me as he reached for his shirt. "Who would be coming by right now?"


    "I don''t know, but I think that I am going to kill them." I growled the words as I saw that Ocean''s beautiful erection was now completely gone. The mood was dead and I hadn''t even gotten to make my man happy.


    "Oh, just hush." He snapped at me. "I am going to get dressed now." He was already pulling his pants up his legs, covering all that glorious skin of his. Dammit, when he pulled on his shirt and hid that perfect chest from view, I wanted to punch someone.


    The doorbell rang again. That''s right. I had someone to punch. Whoever the fuck was at my door and had interrupted my playtime with my boyfriend.


    When the bell rang for a third time, I pulled the door open. It would serve the person right if I had my fist flying toward their annoying face at the same time. I didn''t, but it was a lovely thought.


    "Ben?" Ocean was at my side and looking at our unexpected visitors. "Ryan? What''s going on?" I could tell from Ocean''s face that he was worried about them. I hate to admit it, but I was as well. The look on their faces was enough to push all the intimacy from my mind.


    "What happened?" I asked them immediately. I could see that Ben''s eyes were red and that they were both upset.


    "We don''t have anywhere else to go." Ben looked up at me and Ocean with such a heartbreaking look in his eyes.


    "What happened, Ben?" Ocean asked him. "What could have happened in that short of a time?"


    "Our parents kicked us out. My dad and Ben''s mom. Apparently, his dad was OK with it, and my mom wasn''t home. Anyway, my dad went full on crazy and kicked me out. Ben''s mom did about the same. C..can we stay here?"


    I felt instantly sorry for them. And I wanted to help them. They needed the help, that was for sure. However, I also wanted to be alone with Ocean.


    When I looked over at Ocean, though, I saw that he was so upset, so hurt by what he had heard, that he couldn''t have told them no. His eyes were already brimming with tears and the moment that he looked at me I nodded. Yeah, they could stay. They needed our help.


    "Yeah, come on in. I can''t leave you with nowhere to go." My Ocean was stepping away from the door and beckoning them in. He was going to be the one taking point from here.. He seemed like he had some strange thoughts running through his mind.

 Chapter 159 - Ocean - Makais House Rules

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I couldn''t believe what Ben and Ryan were telling us. They had both gone home and were promptly kicked out of their houses just for being together. That was fucking stupid as well. I didn''t know what to think about that. It made so many fears and worries surface, ones that I didn''t even know that I had.


    Makai and I did what we usually did when we had company, which wasn''t often and was almost always Ben and Ryan. We took them to the living room where we sat and faced each other.


    This was completely different to how we were on Monday. The day that Ryan had been shocked to find out that Ben was in love with him. That day, I had sat by Ben to offer support and Makai had sat near Ryan, as if he was going to keep him in place or something. Hell, it was even different than yesterday, when Ryan came back to tell Ben that he loved him too.


    Today, Makai and I sat on the couch, sitting so close that our shoulders touched. Ben and Ryan were sitting opposite of us, on the love seat, close enough that they were touching as well. Not to mention that, when Ryan saw that Makai put his arm around my shoulder to hold me closer, Ryan copied him and put his arm around Ben.


    He was copying Makai''s moves. Well, that was a little awkward but also flattering. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all. Not to mention that there were worse people that he could have been imitating. I guess that everything was going to work out just fine for the two of them if Ryan was using Makai as a role model.


    "I still don''t think I understand what happened." I told them as I tried to wrap my head around it all. "Why did your parents kick you out?"


    "Well, for me, my dad screamed at me saying something along the lines of ''Are you fucking telling me that I raised a fucking queer? What the hell is the matter with you, boy? I will not let you date that boy. Hell, you will be lucky if you ever see him, or anyone. I swear to God I will beat your ass for this." I heard the anger and hatred in his voice. That made no sense to me. Ryan had always loved his dad, no matter what. But now he hated him. Now he had been kicked out of his house and his family didn''t want him. That was fucked up.


    "I can''t believe that your dad would say that to you." Makai was shaking his head in disbelief. "I just can''t fathom it. I know that not everyone is the same, but my parents took it very well. When I told them that I was bi-sexual they didn''t care. They just wanted me to be happy."


    "Yeah, well, my dad is just closed minded and stupid. I guess that is all that there is to say about it." Ryan just shrugged his shoulders like he didn''t care, but I could see the pain in his eyes when he spoke.


    "Ben, was it the same for you?" I asked him, not able to stop myself from asking the question.


    "Pretty much." He looked miserable. I could understand that, though. Ben had always been super close to his mom. She was such a sweet woman and I thought that if anyone''s parents would accept them it would have been Ben''s mom.


    "What did she say?" Makai asked, probably feeling the same as me. If Ben were to get this all off his chest, telling us so that he wasn''t bottling it all in, he would probably feel better.


    "W..w..well, sh..she uhm, she told me that I was an abomination. She said that if I wanted to be gay then I had to leave. She said that I was committing sins and that I deserved to burn in hell for what I was doing. I was told that if I stayed at the house, I would be forced to go to gay correction therapy or something like that. She told me to break up with Ryan and to never see him again. I tried to tell her that it wasn''t that bad, I just loved a man instead of a woman. That, whether I was with Ryan or not, I would still be gay. I am not attracted to women. That just infuriated her more."


    Ben paused for a moment to take a breath. I could see his face was simultaneously red and pale. There was a flush in each cheek from the embarrassment and from him rubbing the tears away from his face, but underneath those red cheeks, there was nothing but a white, almost ghost-like face. He had been through so much.


    "Ben, you don''t have to go home. You can stay here. You both can. We''re friends and we''ve been supporting each other all along. Why would we stop supporting each other now?" I smiled at him, trying to offer some semblance of support and relief to him.


    "Thanks, Ocean." He grimaced at that, but I think he was actually trying to smile at me instead. "What are we going to do, though?"


    I could see that Ben was doing his best to keep his emotions in check. He was trying to hold himself together during this hard time.


    "What are you talking about, Ben?" Ryan asked him with confusion in his eyes.


    "Where are we going to go? What are we going to do?" Ben elaborated for him.


    "You''re going to stay here." Makai reassured him. "You don''t have to worry about staying out on the streets or anything. You''re welcome to call our place home for the time being."


    "OK, but what about after that? What about college? What about food? What about everything that we need?"


    "I have my inheritance." Ryan spoke up, holding Ben tightly.


    "You''re supposed to use that for college. You can''t use that now." Ben was still about to cry.


    "Don''t worry about that. Just like you, I have scholarships. I was supposed to use my inheritance for the stuff that the scholarships didn''t cover. I don''t need that money for school. I am good. I will use it to take care of us."


    "NO!" Ben balked at Ryan''s words, clearly taken aback by it.


    "It''s fine. I want to do this. I want to take care of you, of us." I could see the loving look in Ryan''s eyes when he explained this to Ben.


    "Why?" Ben looked so lost as he asked that question. I know that he was the one that wanted this relationship at first, but he was weary and would not take anything in it for granted.


    "I want to. Because I love you, and I want us to be together."


    We spent a little while longer talking about what it was that we were all going to do for right now. Both Ben and Ryan were staying with us, at mine and Makai''s insistence. Ryan would help with groceries, and Ben would give Ryan some money back from his paychecks. I knew that this was all just a ruse. Makai probably wouldn''t take a penny from them. He would instead insist on them saving for when we all go off to college.


    After all of that was settled, I thought that we would call it a day, have a late dinner, then go to bed. Nope. That wasn''t it, apparently. Makai seemed to have something else to say.


    "OK. I am actually glad you two are staying here, I don''t want you struggling anywhere else or anything like that. However, I do have some rules." The three of us looked at Makai like he was crazy when we heard him start to speak.


    "What rules?" I couldn''t think of what he was going to say.


    "For starters, your room will be on the opposite side of the house from us. We all need our privacy. No walking into our room without knocking. Send a courtesy text or call before coming home sooner than planned."


    OH GOD! All of Makai''s rules were basically telling them to let us have sex in peace. I could smack the shit out of him for that. This was so fucking embarrassing.


    "In return," Makai continued, "we will give you your privacy and offer up the same courtesies to the two of you." There was such a peaceful look on my boyfriend''s face that I was sure he didn''t understand what it was that he was saying. This was insane.


    "No problem. I am sure that we are going to want our privacy as well." Ryan''s grin was a perfect copy of Makai''s as he pulled Ben in close to his side.


    "What the hell? What are you saying?" Ben asked him with shock in his voice and fear in his eyes.


    "Just that, eventually, we are going to want to take things further, right babe? Come on, you know I''m right."


    That was the point when Ben looked at me with wide eyes. We were both sitting here, stuck to the side of the man that we supposedly loved. And I know that we were both thinking the same thing. Or similar things at least. We were probably both saying to ourselves that these two idiots were too much alike in all the wrong ways. I don''t think that we should have them living under the same roof.


    Too late for those thoughts though, it was already a done deal.. SHIT! I have a feeling that Makai is going to embarrass the shit out of me.

 Chapter 160 - Makai – What Were You Thinking About? (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Now that we had things settled and we could finally end this night, I took Ocean by the hand and dragged him to our bedroom. Well, only after showing Ben and Ryan where the room they were to use was. It wasn''t the one they had used before, because that one was too close to my room, and I didn''t want them to hear me making Ocean scream in pleasure.


    I wasn''t even going to lie, I was so fucking horny that I wasn''t planning on letting him sleep all that much tonight. I needed him like I haven''t needed him in a long time. I was going to probably go a little too far tonight, but we were denied, then interrupted. I needed this too much to be gentle or slow. Sorry in advance, baby, but I can''t help it.


    The moment that I got my boyfriend back to our bedroom, I pulled him to the bed and sat him down. I wanted him, needed him really, but I needed to talk to him as well. I needed to ask him something important before I could tell him to take his fucking clothes off.


    "What''s wrong, Makai?" Ocean could tell that I was worried when I pushed him to sit down on the bed. There was still some residual fear in his eyes as well. I didn''t like seeing that look in his eyes at all.


    "What were you thinking about earlier? Why did you look so scared? Why do you still look scared?" Dammit, my voice cracked a little because of the worry that I was feeling for him.


    "I..I wasn''t scared. I''m not scared at all. I..I swear."


    "You really expect me to believe that when you can''t even say it without getting more scared?" I gave him a serious look to let him know that I wasn''t about to believe that at all.


    "I.."


    "Please, Ocean, tell me what you were thinking." I begged him, not wanting him to deflect anymore.


    Finally, Ocean lowered his head and sighed. I could tell that he was done with denying it all. His shoulders slumped and he looked resigned.


    "Alright." He took a deep breath, looked at me, then continued. "When I heard about what Ben and Ryan had to say, it made me think a lot of different things. I thought about how my parents reacted to me telling them that I was gay. At first, I was thinking ''man I am glad that my parents were cool about it and that they didn''t kick me out''. However, I then started to think about the fact that my parents were the ones to bring up us living together. Maybe they just wanted to get rid of me. Maybe they were tired of looking at me and knowing that they failed in raising me. Maybe they really do think the same things that Ryan and Ben''s parents think. And that made me feel like I was ruining everything for everyone and that I somehow was responsible for-."


    "Stop!" I held up my hand, refusing to let him even continue with that thought. Whatever he was about to say didn''t matter anymore. He didn''t need to think about it. He didn''t need to say it. It was not important at all. "Just stop, Ocean. Please." I took a deep breath to settle myself just like he had done a few moments earlier. "Alright, listen to me. You''re not in the same boat as Ben and Ryan. Your parents love you. I am sure that their parents love them too, but the difference here is your parents are also accepting you. They chose you when you were a baby. There is nothing in this world that would make them stop loving you. They offered for you to move in with me because you were miserable without me, and I was miserable without you. They are probably hurting everyday with you not being there."


    "Really?" He still seemed to be doubting it all.


    "Yes, really. You little idiot. They would never kick you out." I pressed my forehead against his and closed my eyes. "I''m sorry, baby. I didn''t know you were feeling like this. I should have paid closer attention."


    I just held him like that for a moment until we both calmed down. When I no longer felt my heart pounding, and didn''t hear how loud his was either, I knew that the fear was finally starting to settle down.


    "Ocean?" I whispered his name and made him turn his head to look at me. I know that I was about to push this too fast, but I felt even more compelled to have him now. I needed to make him forget about all of this negativity.


    The moment that he looked at me, I sealed his lips with mine. I slid my tongue into his mouth past his parted lips and swallowed the gasp that he gave at the sudden attack. He didn''t push me away though. Instead, he fisted his hands into my shirt and held onto me, pulling me closer against him.


    I was glad that he seemed to want me as much as I wanted him. I needed him like I needed air to breath. At the moment, I was struggling for breath and it didn''t have anything to do with the kiss.


    Without pulling my lips from his, I lowered Ocean back onto the bed. His head fell onto the pillow, and I straddled his legs while hovering above him. I was already unbuttoning his jeans, for the second time tonight.


    When Ocean finally pulled back he was panting and looking at me with eyes filled with need and desire.


    "Makai." He called my name softly and it made my dick harden ten times. I was going to burst with need if I didn''t have him soon.


    "Ocean, I love you." I whispered the words to him.


    "I love you too." He grinned at me. "But you''ve been taking care of me so much lately, and I think that I should return that favor for you now."


    At that moment, Ocean put his hands on my shoulders and started to push me away from him. He was raising up and guiding me to take his place at the same time. Soon, he was looming over me and pulling at my shirt while he kissed and sucked at my neck. I was going to have a hickey, but I didn''t care. That would just prove how loved I truly was.


    "I need you, Makai." I heard his deep, lust filled voice whisper against my ear. "I need you so bad."


    "Then take me, Ocean. Take all of me. I am yours now and forever." I held my arms out to my sides to offer myself up like I was a sacrifice that was going willingly.


    "I am going to devour you." He rumbled against my throat as he moved lower.


    I felt Ocean grip my shirt and start to pull it up. I raised my body up off the bed to make it easier for him to pull the shirt off of me in one quick movement. Once my shirt was gone, I pulled his off of him. I wanted him to be as naked as me.


    After we were both shirtless, Ocean started to claw at the waistband of my jeans. He was already unbuttoned but I wasn''t. Together, the two of us worked to strip each other of our final layers of clothing.


    Once we were both naked, Ocean pushed me back onto the bed again and looked at me with hungry, lust-filled eyes. He was devouring me with that gaze but I wanted to be devoured with his mouth instead.


    Taking things into my own hands, I grabbed Ocean''s hand and pulled him down on top of me. His body weight was like a sensual pleasure for me. It only added to everything that I was feeling.


    Ocean knew what I wanted, so he got right to work. His mouth kissed, bit, and licked its way down from my neck to my chest. There was a moment when he paused and licked my nipples, that caused me to cry out for him a little bit.


    Ocean didn''t stop there, though. Once he was content with my cries of pleasure, he continued to lower himself until he was perfectly positioned between my thighs. His hot breath was already flowing over my hard, heated shaft. I couldn''t wait for him to draw me into his mouth and start to try and suck my soul out through my dick. He was so good at doing this by now that I couldn''t get enough of it.


    "This is going to be good." His voice rumbled as he gripped my shaft right above my balls. I raised my head just a little bit and saw him lick his lips in anticipation. God damn, he was so hot right now.. Just the sight of that made me even harder.

 Chapter 161 - Makai – Devouring Each Other (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The moment that Ocean drew me into his mouth I moaned long and loud. I just couldn''t stop myself.


    "NGH! AHH AH!" That seemed to make Ocean laugh just a little and the vibrations from that slight laugh made me moan once more.


    "NNGGHHH! AHH!" He was already driving me mad as he set about creating a fast, intense rhythm. He would slide his mouth down, suck hard, pull back and then swirl his tongue around the tip of my dick. I swear that he was trying to make my head explode with this. It all felt so good, almost too good. Dammit, he really had learned so much quicker than I thought he would. Then again, he had given me a mind blowing blowjob since the very first time that he gave me one. It was like he just instantly knew how to please me in the best of ways. It was the same for me. I knew all of his special places and how he liked me to touch him. We were meant for each other.


    Oh fuck! I couldn''t even think anymore. I couldn''t think about anything except for Ocean''s mouth and the way that he was driving me insane. I was panting and moaning for him from the start, and it wasn''t anywhere near slowing down. If anything the pleasure was intensifying, almost doubling with each stroke of his mouth down my shaft.


    "OCEAN! OH! AHH! NGH!" I was just moaning and crying out random things at the moment. I don''t even know what it was that I was saying, my brain couldn''t process that much anymore.


    Before I knew it I was already at my limit. I lost control then and ended up doing something that I had never done before. I was gripping the back of Ocean''s head and sliding his head down my shaft while simultaneously thrusting my hips forward to slam into the back of his throat harder and faster. Ocean didn''t try to push me away at all, but deep down, in the back of my mind where the sanity was still intact, I knew that I had to be hurting. I couldn''t stop though, and Ocean was just gripping my hips and holding on for the ride.


    After a few more thrusts of my hips, I exploded into Ocean''s mouth. I hadn''t even thought about trying to pull out beforehand and I knew that Ocean most likely didn''t mind.


    "AHH! AHH! NGH!" I moaned as I emptied myself into my boyfriend''s mouth.


    I couldn''t wait for him to finish at his own pace though, I needed him, I needed to be in him. So, with that, I pulled myself from his mouth, grabbed his arm, and threw him down onto the bed. The only thing that I did stop to do, was grab the bottle of lube that was on the nightstand. We hadn''t even been putting it away lately. It was sitting there at the ready for when we needed it. Well, I fucking needed it now.


    I poured enough of the clear, slippery fluid onto his opening, pressed myself against him just a little bit while I worked it around. And the moment that I knew that I could slide in with no issues, I slammed all the way inside of him and heard him scream as he cried out with pleasure.


    "AAAAHHHHHHH!" He was gripping the blanket that was beneath him as I started to pound in and out of him as hard and fast as I could.


    "I..I..I''m s..so..sorry, Ocean. I..I can''t h..hold b..back. I..I..I n..need y..you. I..I h..h..have t..t..to have y..y..you. I c..c..can''t st..stop my..my..myself." It was hard to speak through the primal lust and the fierce pounding that I was giving him.


    "N..n..n..no!" I thought he was going to tell me that I needed to stop, that I was hurting him. But then he continued. "D..d..d..don''t stop. Pl..pl..please d..d..don''t st..st..stop." He was panting and moaning with every hard and fast thrust. "Pl..please d..don''t st..stop, M..M..Makai. I l..love i..it. I n..need it. I..I need you. Give me m..more. Pl..please."


    How the hell was I supposed to deny that? Dammit! He just made me harder and hornier. I couldn''t believe what he was saying to me.


    "T..take me, O..Ocean. I..I am y..yours. F..for..forever yours."


    I held Ocean''s hips so tightly that I knew that I was probably leaving bruises on him. I couldn''t stop that either. The way that his flesh moved and felt under my fingers, even that was turning me on. Dammit. This was the most intense that I had ever loved him. I didn''t know if it was the deprivation, the interruption or just a combination of the two, but this was the best night that we have ever had together so far.


    I rode him hard. I pounded into him fast. I felt like I was basically raping him, I was being that rough with him. But despite that, Ocean just moaned and cried out in pleasure, begging me for more. And I was intent on giving him more. Even when I exploded inside of him calling his name, I was not done. I simply flipped him over onto his back, rammed inside of him again, and pulled him up so that he was holding onto me.


    Now that I was on my knees, holding him up with my hands on his hips, I started to lift him up and then pull him down into my thrusts. This was a different position, more intimate than the last one, but I was still being rough and fierce with him.


    "AHH! AHHH! AHHH! NGH! MAKAI!" He moaned and screamed my name.


    "That''s right, Ocean, scream for me. Scream my name as loud as you can. I want to hear you, to hear your voice. Cry out for me with that sexy voice. Make it into a song for me. Sing for me, Ocean. Sing for me." I was talking like an idiot, saying stupid things again, but I didn''t care. I loved the way that his voice sounded when I took him like this. It was like a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic song that drew me in.


    "M..M..Makai, d..don''t talk like that." He moaned as he spoke and it made his words come out just as haltingly as they had been before.


    "Yeah, just like that. Moan and scream, just keep singing for me, baby."


    I couldn''t get enough of him. Even though I was on the verge of exploding inside of him once more, I was already thinking of the best way to take him again. I needed to have him over and over again. I couldn''t stop myself.


    After I finished sitting on my knees to take him, I pushed him over the bed and rode him hard while he bucked his hips and pushed back against me. He was trying to pull me in deeper and harder. He was so fucking amazing.


    After I exploded again, I made my way over to the desk chair. I sat down and pulled him backward on top of my lap. This was the slowest time so far tonight, but it was so different compared to what we usually did. I held his hands and helped him to balance as he pushed himself up with his feet on the floor. He rose and slid back down onto me until we both came, crying out in pleasure once again.


    The next time, I pushed his back against the mirror in the bathroom, holding his knees with my elbows. I fucked him right there against the bathroom sink. Thrusting in and out of him again and again. Not able to get enough, even when I exploded for the sixth time tonight.


    Following that time, I pushed him into the shower where I let the water hit us for the seventh and final round of the night. I pushed him against the wall of the shower, pressing his chest against the tile. With Ocean''s hands braced on the wall and my hands over top of his, I thrusted in and out of him again and again. This was probably the quickest that I reached a climax tonight, but I think it was because we had both reached our point of exhaustion.


    After finally sating ourselves, we washed up as quickly as we could and went back to bed. We dried off after the shower but nothing else. We were now too exhausted to move. I pulled Ocean against my chest and held him tight while we both fell asleep.


    I don''t think that I am likely to forget this night. Ever. This night was something special, something important. I knew that there was never going to be anything that could ever top what happened tonight, but I would definitely try to find something. There was no harm in trying to beat perfection. Even if you just came close to it, you were bound to have one hell of an experience.


    Those were the last thoughts that went through my mind before I drifted off to sleep while holding Ocean against my body. Damn, what better way was there to sleep than this? I can answer that question. There wasn''t one. This was the only way that I ever wanted to sleep for the rest of my life.. And I saw no reason why I shouldn''t be able to do just that.

 Chapter 162 - Makai – You Did, Didn’t You?

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I woke up still holding Ocean in my arms. My body was sore but in a pleasant way. It was like I had used muscles that had wanted to be used and they were singing with joy over it. I had a smile on my face and a song playing endlessly inside my head. I was definitely floating on cloud nine right now as I remember the blissful night that I had.


    "Good morning." I whispered into Ocean''s ear.


    "Ngh! Speak for yourself." He groaned into my chest as I held him. He sounded exhausted and worn out. Perhaps he hadn''t slept as peacefully as I had.


    "What''s wrong, baby?" I asked him as I pulled back, trying to get a look at his face.


    I saw that Ocean''s eyes had dark rings under them and he looked like he was about to fall back to sleep.


    "Are you OK?" I nearly leapt up in a panic. What should I do in a situation like this? Should I throw some clothes on and take him to the hospital? Should I call someone for help? What am I supposed to do?


    "I''m fine." He grumbled at me, his voice sounding exhausted. "At least mostly fine. I am just tired and sore. I don''t think we should go that much anymore. My body can''t take it." I smirked at the fact that he was basically just saying that he was tired still because I fucked his brains out. That was both making my heart soar and plummet into my stomach with nerves all at the same time.


    "I didn''t hear you complaining last night." I Joked with him as I kissed his forehead.


    "Yeah, and last night I didn''t feel the aftereffects." He tried to disengage himself from me and roll over but stopped and groaned again. "Ngh!"


    "Does it really hurt that bad?" I was worried again. I didn''t think that it was possible, but I guess I could have hurt him with how rough I was being.


    "It''s just muscle fatigue. I am physically fine other than that, it''s just sore muscles. Well, that and exhaustion. I think I need to get some more sleep and then take a hot shower or something."


    "OK. I will let you rest. Do you want to put some clothes on before I go to make you breakfast? I will bring the food up here for you to eat in bed."


    "Yeah, I will take some clothes. Well, I will try to put them on at least."


    I got up slowly, trying my best not to jostle him around too much. After that, I went to his dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers, some lounge pants, and a t-shirt. I wanted him to be comfortable, so all the clothes were chosen to fit that requirement.


    I didn''t make him move to get dressed, and thankfully Ocean didn''t fight me on this. He just leaned back and listened when I told him to let me help him get dressed.


    This was a first for me. I have only ever taken his clothes off of him. I''ve picked out his clothes before but I have never actually put his clothes on him.


    "I''m sorry, baby." I felt so bad as I saw the look in his eyes. He was really hurting and I truly hoped he was telling me the truth for the reason why.


    "I''m fine. Like I said, it''s just my muscles. You were really horny last night, and so was I. But I think seven times was a little too much."


    "OK, fine, next time we''ll stop at six." I couldn''t help myself when I made that joke. Ocean, however, didn''t seem too amused.


    "Hardy har har. You know something, Makai? That was so funny that I actually forgot to laugh. Wow, you must be the best comedian in the world."


    "And the award for the most deadpan delivery ever goes to Ocean Riptide Shores. Everyone give him a round of applause!" I pretended to give an award ceremony debut after he said that sarcastic, and very dry sounding, joke of his.


    "You''re such a fucking dork." He laughed and shook his head at me.


    "But I am your dork, and you love me." I blinked at him, feigning innocence.


    "Yeah, for some strange reason that I don''t know, I do actually love you."


    We laughed a little bit more while I helped him into his clothes. After that, I kissed the tip of his nose, tucked him back into bed, and left the room. I was practically skipping down the hall from all the pleasure I had gotten last night. And even though Ocean was feeling sore and tired, I know that he had enjoyed himself as well. I guess I couldn''t be too upset or worried about it right now. He was happy for the most part and I was very happy.


    I was still pretty much skipping when I went into the kitchen to make breakfast. I almost forgot for a second that we had two more people here, two house guests that were staying with us right now. I needed to make breakfast for them as well.


    "Hmm." I thought for a minute, trying to figure out what I was going to make. "I guess French toast and bacon would be a good idea. Oh, and some scrambled eggs as well. That sounds good to me."


    After I was done talking to myself, I started to prep the stuff that I needed for breakfast. I started to fry the bacon then got the bread battered up and fried. I made a heaping stack of French toast and a huge pile of bacon. I also had a full pan of eggs scrambled up and ready to go.


    Just as I finished taking the food off of the stove and putting in the serving dish, Ben and Ryan came into the room. I could feel them staring at me as I basically danced around the kitchen, humming and whistling to myself.


    "Where is Ocean?" Ben asked me while I started to make Ocean''s plate of food.


    "He wasn''t feeling that good this morning. So, I am taking him breakfast in bed." I danced over to the fridge and pulled out the milk and the orange juice. I knew he liked both when he ate French toast and he often couldn''t decide what one he wanted. So, I was taking him both.


    "Is he sick?" Ben was starting to sound worried about my boyfriend now.


    "Yeah, he said it''s mostly just him still being tired. He will be fine later."


    I wasn''t telling them what happened last night, that was between Ocean and myself. I didn''t want them to know about it at all. What happens in the privacy of my bedroom was not for them to discuss.


    While I was thinking that, I could tell that Ryan was staring at me intently. What the hell was his problem? Why was he staring at me like that? Was there something on the shirt that I was wearing? Did I spill the eggs on my clothes or something? What the hell was it?"


    "I am both shocked and impressed." Ryan finally spoke. "I wish I could say that I want some pointers, but I don''t think that I should be talking to you about that."


    "Huh?" I looked up at him, trying to figure out what he was saying.


    "I know you had a lot of ''fun'' last night. Congrats, man. But how the hell did you manage to do it so much that Ocean is stuck in bed? Did you do it too good or too bad?"


    "Ryan!" Ben shouted at him. "You don''t know what happened. So shut up." Ben snapped at him with his eyes wide open.


    "They had sex. I can see the proof on his neck and collarbone. He has a bunch of hickeys. I''m right, aren''t I, Kai? You did it, didn''t you?"


    "I..I.. n..no, you''re not."


    "OK, OK, don''t worry. I won''t ask about it. Your private time is your private time. I just hope that I can be that good one day. I want to render Ben speechless as well as-."


    "RYAN!" Ben shouted his name and smacked him on the arm.


    "OUCH! That hurt." Ryan was rubbing the spot that Ben had just hit.


    "Yeah, well, your face is about to hurt if you don''t shut up. Seriously. What the hell is the matter with you?"


    I started to laugh then. I think it was time that I left them alone. I needed to get back upstairs and have breakfast with my Ocean. After that, I would draw him a bath and put some epsom salts into it. That would make his muscles feel better.


    After breakfast and the bath, Ocean and I watched a movie in our room. I think this was a good thing as well. We needed to show Ben and Ryan that just because we all lived together in the same house, didn''t mean that we always had to hang out together. This private and alone time was something that we all needed to keep and preserve for ourselves.


    I made sure that I didn''t do anything else to hurt Ocean for the rest of the night. I just held him in my arms while we sat and watched a couple of romantic comedies and talked about random things. I didn''t, however, tell him about what Ryan had said this morning. I didn''t even want to think about what would happen if Ocean knew that Ryan had commented on our sex life.. That would probably make him die of embarrassment.

 Chapter 163 - Ocean – Wrapping Up The Weekend

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I only spent about half of the day lying in bed. Honestly, if it hadn''t been for the exhaustion, then I wouldn''t have had a problem at all. I was just fucking tired as hell from all the, uh, exercise last night.


    After resting for a long time, I was bored of being in the room, so I decided to go to the kitchen with Makai to make dinner. I needed to keep practicing or I might forget how to cook and get worse than I was before. As for right now, after these last couple months of practicing, I was actually starting to get pretty good in the kitchen.


    OK, I''ll admit that I was nowhere near as good as Makai was, but I hadn''t been cooking that long and I hadn''t been trained by a chef. I was trained by my boyfriend who liked to kiss me, touch me, and even worse things than that, while we were supposed to be cooking.


    The food always turned out good, but that didn''t mean that I was able to pay attention to the process every time. It was making my learning take a lot longer than it probably should have.


    Right now, I was heading to the kitchen and trying not to blush with the memories of the night before. I was just glad that Ben and Ryan didn''t know what we had done or why I had spent all day in my room. Or rather, what the two of them probably viewed as Makai''s room. Did it still count as my room since I moved in with him, into a room that was already his? I mean, I thought it did, but I was hardly an expert on those types of things.


    Anyway, I was trying to ignore that. I was going to be making lasagna with Makai and that wasn''t a quick process. I didn''t care though, it''s what I wanted to eat and Makai said that I could have anything that I wanted.


    We started with prepping all of the ingredients. There were fresh tomatoes, herbs, noodles, Italian sausage, cheese, and a few others. While the noodles cooked, I browned the meat and Makai started to make the sauce with the tomatoes and herbs. I wasn''t good enough for that just yet.


    After the basics were done, it was time to start layering the stuff in the pan. We were working together, and Makai was back to his old tricks. I would lean over to put in a layer of noodles or something, only for Makai to come up behind me with his ingredient. He would put his arms around me and force me to lean forward so that he could place his layer in the pan. He would also take that time to kiss my neck as well.


    "Stop it." I snapped at him when his breath made me shiver. I didn''t want the others to see us like this.


    "Fine." He chuckled into my ear, the rumbling movement from his chest to my back was making me shiver again. Dammit, stupid Makai.


    At that moment, Ben and Ryan came into the kitchen and I saw that, for some reason, Ryan was grinning at me like an idiot. That was the only word that I could describe it with. He looked like a total idiot at the moment.


    "Hey, you''re up." Ryan sat at the counter and continued to look at me with joy filled eyes. "See Ben, he can walk. You don''t have anything to worry about. You don''t have to-."


    "OH MY GOD! SHUT UP!" Ben went red and so did I. They knew that I had sex with Makai last night and apparently, they thought that I hadn''t been able to walk afterwards. Well, at least Ryan had.


    "What? It''s true." Ryan was still grinning like an idiot, because he was a fucking idiot.


    With my face burning red, I walked to the back of the kitchen near the pantry to hide for a few minutes. I didn''t want them to see me.


    "Hey, Ryan, try to keep some of those thoughts to yourself please." Makai was politely reprimanding our friend.


    "Huh? Did I do something wrong?" It was clear that Ryan didn''t understand what was going on. He didn''t think that he had made a mistake at all.


    "Ryan, you just embarrassed the hell out of Ocean, and me for that matter." Ben sounded nearly as embarrassed as I felt. I didn''t know what either of us were going to do with Ryan at this point.


    "What? I did? I..I didn''t mean to." Ryan was looking between Ben and me. I was still trying to hide my face, but I could see him look at me. Panic had taken over and replaced the happy look that he had been wearing. "I''m sorry, Ocean. I didn''t mean to say something that was going to embarrass you. I..I guess I am just still so happy to realize that I am in love that I can''t help myself. I..I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine." I tried to drain the excess blood from my cheeks and make the redness go away while I walked back to the counter to help with dinner. "I know that you didn''t intend to be mean when you said that, so it''s fine."


    "It is not fine." Ben countered my words and looked at Ryan. "I know you''re happy and all that. I am happy too. I never once thought that we would be at this point in our relationship, but please just calm down a little bit. We will move at our own pace, and we don''t need to copy anyone." He was calling him out for yesterday when he was mirroring Makai on the couch. "Also, try to read the room so you don''t embarrass our friends."


    "Yeah, I will. I''m sorry. I''m such an idiot."


    "Nah, you''re just new to all of this." Makai tried to soothe things over, I loved him for that. He was so nice to (almost) everyone.


    We ate dinner together after that, once we had it finished. The four of us watched a movie in the living room, then went back to our respective rooms and called it a night. I wouldn''t let Makai touch me at all though, I was still too tired from yesterday.


    When morning came around, we had to start figuring out what our new routine would be. There were four of us now, and it didn''t make sense that we should take two or more cars when we were all coming back to the same place. If there were plans for after school that would be different but other than that it was just a waste. Not to mention, Ben and Ryan both offered to help with the cooking as well, but they didn''t know that we had someone to come do that for us a few days a week.


    I will admit that it was a bit hectic, trying to figure out everything now. It wasn''t that we were overcrowded or anything, it was just that none of us had been thinking about school at all over the weekend, so everything was scattered all over the place. Not to mention that Ben and Ryan had both been kicked out of their homes and had to start their routine somewhere else entirely. It wasn''t an easy feat for any of us really, but especially them.


    And then there was the fact that I was nervous as all hell. I was worried about how the day was going to go. I mean, I had kissed Makai in front of everyone.


    OK, so it might not have been the ENTIRE school, but it was close enough to it. And I was certain that everyone that wasn''t there knew about it all by now. Everyone was going to be talking about me, about us. And I just know that Justin and Brittney were going to try something again today.


    It wouldn''t matter that I admitted to being gay, or that I confirmed that I was dating Makai, they would still try to do something about it. Them and their blatant homophobic mindset. Dammit, today was going to be horrible.


    I had to go to school though, even though I didn''t want to. Even if I was going to try and stay home, Makai would just drag me out of the house and to the car. Oh, and he would have plenty of help if he needed it, now that Ben and Ryan were living here.


    I had no choice but to go to school and face whatever bullshit was going to be waiting for us. Hell, maybe today would be the day that we were kicked off the team for being gay. I''ve been waiting for that boot to fall ever since I realized that I was, in fact, in love with Makai.


    It would be painful for me, but I would deal with it. Makai was more important to me than the swim team. I would choose him over some short term high school sports glory. I guess that also said just how much I have grown as a person as well.


    As we pulled up to the school, I noticed that we were running later than usual. The parking lot was filled with all the cars from those on the swim team that drove to school. I could see Justin and Brittney''s cars as well, but they weren''t waiting for us. I bet they thought that we weren''t coming today.. I bet they''re going to be surprised when they see us.

 Chapter 164 - Ocean – Kicked Off The Team

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    One by one we all got out of the car and ran toward the building. I happened to look up and see that Ryan had grabbed onto Ben''s hand and was holding it tightly in his. They were literally holding hands as they ran in through the front door of the school. It was clear to see that Ryan didn''t want to hide their relationship from anyone at all. I was happy to see that, but I didn''t know if I was brave enough to do that at school.


    The four of us ran through the quiet and empty halls all the way to the locker room, which was also quiet and empty. Silently, we got ready for practice as quickly as we could. It truly didn''t take any of us all that long, but we were all still late for the official start of practice. I felt so embarrassed as we walked out of the locker room and into the one where the pool was.


    Every single person in there turned to look at us as we walked in, the coach included. I felt my face starting to heat up as we walked over to take our places in line. My heart was racing as I thought about everyone judging me at the moment. I needed to get that under control too, I needed to calm myself down somehow.


    "Sorry Coach, we were running late." Makai gave the coach an excuse for us but he didn''t look too pleased when he heard it.


    "What the fuck?! Did you all go and have a fucking orgy all weekend or something."


    "JEFFRIES!" The coach yelled at Justin as he yelled over to us. "I don''t want to hear another outburst like that from you ever again." I could see the coach giving Justin a firm glare. "And as for the four of you, I want to see you after practice."


    "Yes, Sir."


    "Yes, Coach."


    "OK Coach."


    "Understood." The four of us nodded our heads and acknowledged that we would indeed see him after practice.


    Oh, there was no doubting it. That was going to be when we were kicked off the team. The coach was going to tell us that people like us weren''t permitted to be on the team and we had to drop from the roster. That''s fine, I would deal with it. I kind of wanted to skip practice then, but that was fine, I would give this last practice my all so that the coach could see what he was going to be missing out on when we left.


    After my stretching, I got ready to test my time for the relay. Makai, Ben, Ryan, and I were teamed together for the relay and all four of us hit our record time. We were definitely the fastest that was doing the trial run right now.


    See that, Coach? You''re losing all your best swimmers. I hope it''s worth kicking us off the team.


    "Heh, I didn''t know that blowing each other makes you swim so fast. Maybe it should be considered a cheat, you know, since you''re sucking each other off to win." Justin sneered at me in a not so quiet tone of voice.


    I saw the coach look at us but he didn''t say anything, he just went about timing the other swimmers as they practiced. It annoyed me a little, but I wasn''t going to let it bother me. This was my last day of swim practice, I just wanted to enjoy it.


    A little while later, the coach wanted to test me on my butterfly stroke. I prepared myself, got into position, and jumped at the precise moment that the whistle blew. I swam faster and harder than I usually did, probably thanks to being a siren.


    I didn''t need to actually get a breath of air before going back since I could breathe water now. So, with that in mind, I barely came up out of the water for a breath of air. I had to come up for the stroke, but I moved my arms quicker and didn''t worry about taking the breath on the way up, instead I took my breath on the way down and breathed in the water. With the water filling my lungs, I felt like I was moving faster than usual.


    Coach was smiling when I finished my laps, but he didn''t say anything at all. Justin did, though. The moment that I went to leave the pool he started to heckle me some more.


    "Hey, Ocean, do you know what you looked like just then? You looked like you were blowing the fucking water. Did you want the water to fuck you or something? Were you trying to give it a blow job so that it would help you swim better?" He was laughing at his own joke but no one else was saying anything else at all. With no opposition, Justin just kept going with his stupidity.


    "I don''t want to swim in tainted water, so why don''t you stop trying to fuck it. I mean, just because you''re named after the water doesn''t mean that you need to take it from the water?" He just wouldn''t stop laughing and that was starting to piss me off. I didn''t say anything though, I just continued to ignore him. "Come on, you fucking faggot, say something to me. Respond. Get upset. Cry. Do something, you fucking fairy."


    I could tell that he was pissed that he wasn''t getting a rise out of me. I was going to keep ignoring him just to piss him off even more, that would be fun.


    "Come on, little bitch boy, say something to me." Justin just wouldn''t stop it at all.


    "I''ll say something to you." Makai started but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.


    "Don''t. He isn''t worth it, Makai. Just let him be." I tried to tell him with my eyes that it was fine. I was fine, so he should be as well.


    "Eww! Look at the two of you, what are you doing? Are you trying to remember your last ass session or something? That''s fucking disgusting." Justin made gagging noises like he was going to vomit.


    "Shut up, Justin." Katie came walking over to my side and glared at him.


    "Yeah, stop being such an ass." Alexis walked up to my other side.


    "What, you two bitches became carpet munchers just because Ocean and Kai are off the market? Don''t worry, no one fucking wants you or your rotten ass pussy anyway."


    "That''s enough, Justin." I snapped at him. "I will deal with you berating me, but I will not stand for you doing it to them. If you''re so fucking pissed off about me being gay, take that up with me, you fucking closet case. However, I will not let you harass other people." My breathing was heavier now than when I had finished my swim. My anger rising and getting to a boiling point.


    "What the fuck did you just say to me?" Justin was charging at me, his fists clenched at his sides and his fury pouring off of him.


    "I said you''re a fucking closet case. It''s the only thing that makes sense. You''re so pissed because you wanted me, but I am already taken. Sorry man, even if I wasn''t with Makai, the thought of you would make me sick." I tried my best not to laugh in his face when I spoke. "Go take your homophobia somewhere else and look for someone else to diddle you, I''m not interested."


    "Fuck you, fairy boy. I will not be talked to like that. You better watch your fucking back, because I will get you for that."


    "Yup, I''m truly scared, Justine. I will be quaking in my boots every moment for the rest of my life.


    "Suck m-."


    "ENOUGH!" Coach interrupted whatever it was that Justin was about to say at that moment. I didn''t want to think about the fact that he was about to tell me to suck his dick, that would have made me physically ill just to hear. Thank you Coach for interrupting it.


    However, even though I was thankful that the coach had interrupted Justin, I still didn''t want to hear what he had to say to us. Coach looked pissed off, angrier than I had ever seen him before. I really didn''t want him to scream at me in front of everyone. Dammit, all of this shit has already happened, and it wasn''t even twenty minutes into practice. This was bullshit.


    Coach stomped over to where Justin and I were standing. Justin still had his fists clenched and I was doing my best to act calm. I think I was doing an OK job at it too.


    "I don''t want to hear another damn word about this. It has no place on my team."


    "Exactly!" Justin nodded in agreement with the coach. I knew this was coming, but this still made me feel shitty.


    "I will not tolerate the way that things are right now. I simply won''t stand for it." Justin looked so triumphant. I was so pissed off right now. I couldn''t even let us all enjoy our last swim practice. I got us kicked off the team early. "That''s why I want you off the team." Yup, I knew that was coming. My heart just stopped at his words. I stood there frozen and felt like a bucket of ice cold water had just been dumped all over me. "Get the fuck out of here and pack up your locker, Justin.. You are done."

 Chapter 165 - Ocean – Huh?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "What the fuck did you just say?" Justin was looking more shocked than I felt and that was saying something.


    "Don''t you dare talk to me like that, Jeffries." Coach was glaring still, but he wasn''t glaring at me, Makai, Ben, or Ryan. He was glaring at the awestruck Justin.


    "I will talk like that because this is fu-."


    "Don''t you dare finish that sentence." The coach cut Justin off once again, stopping him from finishing whatever it was that he was going to say.


    "Coach? Come on? Are you seriously going to take their side on all of this? Really? They''re fucking faggots. They''re pervs. They''re going to be trying to molest every dude on the team. Come on, kick them off, not me."


    "Shut up." Did the coach''s eyes just turn black with rage? Probably not, but they definitely looked a lot angrier now than they had just a few seconds ago. "Just shut up, Justin. Save yourself right now. I am not going to kick them off the team. They have done nothing wrong. Not to mention, they are the four best swimmers on the team. Do you think that I would kick them off and keep your mediocre, bigoted ass in their place? That''s what''s messed up in my opinion. The fact that you even thought that it was OK to be harassing the best guys on the team when you can''t even hold a candle to them. Yeah, you''re not horrible, but you''re not that great, man. And then there is the fact that you are discriminating against them. Do you seriously think that is OK? Really?"


    The coach was breathing heavily as he yelled at the guy in front of him. I seriously didn''t see this coming at all. How the hell had this turned out completely opposite of what I thought was going to happen? Where in the world did the reality that I knew go? I wasn''t mad at all. I was just curious to know what the hell was going on right now.


    "You can''t be serious, Coach. You want to let the queers stay on the team? Do you want to be sued when all the guys in the locker room get fondled, molested, and raped by them? Seriously? You''ll wind up in jail right along with those fucking fudge packers. You''ll be guilty by association since you didn''t stop it when you could." I swear, I didn''t know where the hell Justin was getting these things from.


    "Seriously? Do you really think that any of that would happen? Any of it at all? I think you''re a fucking moron. I think you''re too stupid to fucking survive on your own. Should we all be tossed into jail because we let a brainless idiot like you into the pool even though we know you might drown because of your overwhelming stupidity?" OK, I was being a little stupid and cruel here, but I didn''t care. Justin deserved that after everything that he had said about us.


    "Shut up, fag boy."


    "You shut up, Justin. You really are stupid if you think any of that is true." Makai snapped at him as he stepped up a little closer to me.


    "Fuck you, Ma-."


    "All of you shut up." Coach yelled the words so loud that they bounced around the room several times. "I don''t want to hear another thing from any of you." I watched as the coach took a deep breath and then turned to look at Justin. "You, get out of my pool. Get dressed, get your things, and never step foot in my locker room or my pool ever again. After he is out of the locker room, practice is over. This is the second practice that has been interrupted because of you Justin, and it is going to be the last." The coach was still fuming when he finished talking and started to walk away. However, he seemed to remember something and stopped halfway across the room. "Oh, and the four of you, come see me when you''re dressed. I still need to talk to you."


    "Yes, Sir." Makai, Ben, Ryan, and I all answered immediately. He hadn''t yelled at us, yet. But I was sure that it was still coming. I didn''t want to hear it, but I don''t think that we were going to be kicked off the team just yet. This day was definitely only going part of the way that I expected it to.


    The whole team just stood there in silence and watched the coach leave. The moment that he slammed the door to his office, Justin started again.


    "Look at the fucking mess you''ve gotten us in now. You fucking queers. What, did you blow the coach? Is that why he''s choosing you over me?"


    "Shut the fuck up, Justin." Toby, a freshman on the team, snapped at him when he decided to keep going. "We''re all over this. Just shut up and get out like the coach said."


    "Oh, does little Toby want to audition to be their next orgy member? You fucking qu-."


    "For crying out loud, Justin, just go. None of us want you here. You''re a damn leach. You suck the joy out of swimming, out of everything. Just go the fuck away." Henry went to stand next to Toby, he was a senior like me and Makai.


    "No one''s talking to you, Henry." Justin just kept making enemies.


    I watched as the entire team moved to stand behind us. It was me, Makai, Ben, and Ryan standing in front of all of them. Only Justin stood opposed to us as we stared him down.


    "Does this answer your questions, Justin?" Katie asked him with anger pouring off of her.


    "Yeah, can you understand it now, moron?" Alexis added.


    "Can''t you see that you''re the one that no one wants here?" Cassie crossed her arms and tapped her foot to let him know that she was annoyed with him.


    "Get the hell out of here, Justin. Go and leave us all alone. You know how tight the swim team is, and you''re not one of us anymore." Katie reminded him that he had been kicked off the team.


    "I don''t want to be on a team with a bunch of freaks like you anyway. All of you are just fucking disgusting."


    Finally, Justin turned to leave for the locker room. That was a relief, more than I could ever express. I was glad that the team stood with us though. I never thought that they would. I knew they were good people, for the most part, but I thought they would abandon us when they found out. Maybe I should have had more faith in them.


    I stood there with the rest of the guys as they gave us words of support and encouragement. The girls left sooner and went to get changed since they didn''t need to worry about Justin still being in the locker room.


    We had been standing there maybe three minutes when we heard a loud banging noise coming from the locker room. It sounded like something hard was hitting something metal. It wasn''t a metal-on-metal noise, but there was definitely metal in there somewhere.


    The rest of the team that was milling around made it into the room before us but only by a couple of seconds.


    "Justin just ran out." I heard Toby comment when I finally saw what had happened. There was a small wooden stool that had been in the locker room and someone, who was obviously Justin, had used it to beat the front of my locker door until it caved in. He must have wanted to get at my stuff but he didn''t have the combination.


    Well, I was glad that he hadn''t managed to get into it, but he had taken a marker from his backpack and written the word FAGGOT across the metal door. Well, he wasn''t original or anything, so I guess I wasn''t surprised.


    I wasn''t going to be able to open the door properly with it bent like that. I had to wait there in the locker room for the coach and the janitor to come and help me get into it.


    "Hey, Ocean, here." Henry was handing me a black piece of cloth. "I have a spare pair of shorts for gym. Don''t worry, they''re clean."


    "Thanks." I smiled at him and took them from him. "I''ll give them back to you after I wash them."


    "Yeah, no problem." He nodded as I slipped them on over my speedo. Thankfully it was already dried since it didn''t stay wet for too long.


    "Here Ocean, I have an extra t-shirt." Charlie, a junior who was taller and broader than me, was handing me a light gray shirt to put on over the sweats.


    "Thanks, I''ll give it back later."


    "No rush. You need it more than I do right now, man."


    Everyone was being a lot more accommodating than I ever expected. Too bad no one had an extra clean pair of socks or sneakers. My feet were a little cold while I waited here in the locker room.


    "Hey, Toby, want to study in the library with the girls? I heard them say that they were going there until class starts." Henry asked the underclassman as he went to leave the room.


    "Yeah, let''s go."


    The room started to empty out, but I wasn''t able to leave. Makai, Ben, and Ryan were also waiting with me since the coach wasn''t in his office anymore, he had gone to get the janitor and the principal.. We needed to wait for our ''meeting'' as well as to get my stuff.

 Chapter 166 - Ocean – The Coachs Talk

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was sitting there on a bench, shivering just a little bit, as I waited in the locker room. Makai had been leaning against the wall behind me, and Ben and Ryan were sitting on another bench that was across from me.


    "Here." Makai leaned over me and draped his jacket over me. It wasn''t like it had the same effect as if he had draped it over a girl''s shoulders or anything like that, but it was the thought that counted. I mean, he and I were basically the same size, so I needed to put my arms into the sleeves for the warmth. It did smell like him though, so that was good.


    "Thanks." I smiled at him as I slid my arms into the jacket. "But it doesn''t help my feet feel less cold." I joked with him as I looked at the frozen little appendages.


    "I can rub your feet for you, that will warm them up." He grinned at me, and I knew that he meant what he said.


    "Nah, I don''t want the principal to see you rubbing my feet. That would just stir up problems."


    "Whatever you say." He shrugged and sat down next to me, giving me some of his warmth.


    We didn''t have to wait much longer for everyone to show up. The coach walked into the locker room just a few minutes after everyone else left. He was followed by Mike, the janitor, and Mr. Daniels, the principal.


    "I want to know what happened here, right now." Mr. Daniels spoke first before anyone could do anything.


    "Justin tried to get into my locker. He smashed it with that stool." I pointed at the object in question and spoke in a calm voice as soon as he had asked for an explanation. Well, actually, he had demanded it.


    "And why did he do that?" He wanted a reason, but I didn''t actually have one for him.


    "I don''t know, Sir. Justin and I don''t really get along, but there is nothing in my locker except for my clothes and backpack."


    "I will be checking your locker as well as Mr. Jeffries." The principal didn''t sound all that happy at the moment.


    "Joe, I think I know why this happened." Coach spoke up, hopefully to help me out a little bit.


    "Yeah? And why is that?"


    Coach Dickson then started to tell Mr. Daniels all about the issues and tension that have been plaguing me and Justin. He didn''t hold anything back at all as he explained, well maybe he did hold back a detail or two. He told the principal all about the fight on Friday, but he did not tell him that I punched Justin when he slammed me against the locker, even though I knew that Coach knew about it. Coach didn''t just tell him about recent events either. He told him how Justin has been antagonistic since the day that we met on the team. I honestly didn''t know that he had been paying that much attention. How did he know that we had never been friends? The coach obviously noticed more than I gave him credit for.


    "So, you''re telling me that this other student has been harassing these four?" Mr. Daniels looked even angrier now than he had been a few moments ago.


    "Yes Sir, I was planning to bring it to your attention today, however, the situation escalated before I got the chance."


    "And what have you done about Mr. Jeffries so far?"


    "I have removed him from the team, which is just a start. I don''t think that needs to be it, though. He needs to face the consequences for his actions."


    "Agreed. I will see Mr. Jeffries later today. Until then, Mike, please open the lockers in question so that I can make sure that there is no contraband in them. After that, you''re all free to go."


    "I would like to talk to them when we''re done here." Coach added, making sure that we knew that we were not free to go.


    "Alright, I can understand the need to talk to them, Richard. I will step in for your class until you get back."


    There seemed to be some sort of unspoken agreement between the two men as they came to an agreement. That was fine with me. The sooner that they could finish this all and get me my shoes the better. I just needed to sit here and wait while the janitor opened my locker for me.


    Once it was opened the principal motioned me forward.


    "Anything I should know about?" He asked me but I shook my head in response.


    "Nope. It''s just my usual school stuff."


    The bag passed inspection and I was given the chance to finally put on my socks and shoes. I was already wearing clothes so I just decided to stay in them for the time being. I could change later. And I have worn a speedo all day before, so this wasn''t anything new to me.


    There was nothing of importance in Justin''s locker either, except for the marker that he had apparently used to write the words onto my locker. Now that all of this was over, the janitor and Mr. Daniels left the four of us alone with Coach Dickson.


    The moment the door to the locker room swung shut, Coach sighed and sank down onto a bench. He was clearly exhausted already. We never really saw him like this. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and with the way that he was running his hand through it, it was easy to tell why it was like that. When he raised his head to look at us I could see the strain and stress that was filling his eyes and drawing out the lines in his aging face.


    "You boys are going to be the death of me." He said the dire words but he was laughing slightly so I was a little confused.


    "Sir?" I tilted my head and looked at him.


    "I am sorry that I didn''t step in sooner than I did, Ocean. I should have put a stop to this, but I didn''t and that is unforgivable. However, I think I was hoping that you would stand up to him on your own. I didn''t want to hinder your personal growth and development."


    "I don''t really understand." I was still so confused by his words.


    "I''m saying that I knew that Justin and you didn''t get along very well, and when I saw things getting worse, I should have been there to stop it." The coach was acting like he was guilty of something.


    "But this was my problem, not yours."


    "You''re on my team and you''re my student. That makes you doubly my responsibility. As an educator, I failed you. I hope you can forgive me."


    "Yeah, no problem. I don''t think you did anything wrong, though." For some reason he just laughed at me and shook his head.


    "Is he always this oblivious?" He asked Makai with a grin.


    "Pretty much, but I love that about him." Makai, my supposed loving boyfriend, just made fun of me with my coach. That was mean, and so weird.


    "Look, Ocean, when I noticed that you and Makai were together, I had a feeling that this was going to happen. Justin is an asshole, and I knew he was going to flip out. I didn''t step in sooner though, because I wanted you to learn how to take care of these things on your own. I had to step in from time to time though, because I didn''t want things to get too bad for you. However, when I saw that he had caused you to hit your head, I should have put an end to it right then and there, instead of pushing it off until today."


    OK, I understood everything that he was saying. That wasn''t even an issue. However, I wanted to know how he knew that Makai and I were together. What did he mean that he noticed it?


    "Uhm, Coach, how did you know about me and Makai?" That was the only thing that I was capable of asking him at the moment.


    "Let''s just say that I knew some people very much like you when I was in high school. They got their fair share of bullying over it, and I was right there with them. I''m not gay, but with my last name and me being friends with the gay kids it made me a target as well. I recognized some of the same things in you that I saw in my friend growing up. The way your eyes were always on Makai during practice and class was just step one of it. I want you to know that I am OK with it all, and you still have your place on my team. I''m happy for you guys, having someone you care about is a good thing. Don''t squander it."


    "O..OK." I was stunned. Beyond stunned actually. I didn''t know what to do or say.


    "I know that you guys aren''t going to cause problems. And neither are you, right." He turned to look at Ryan as he sat with Ben. "You know that boy has liked you forever, right? Don''t you mess with him. If you''re serious that''s good, if you''re not, then tell him now." I guess Coach really did pay attention to us all.


    "I''m serious, Coach. There is nothing to worry about." Ryan smiled at him and squeezed Ben''s shoulders. I watched as Ben blushed and looked really happy. That''s good, I was happy for him too.


    "Good. I better not see you hurting him." With that, Coach stood up and started to leave the room. "If any of you need to talk to me, you know where to find me. I''m going to lock up my office, I will see most of you in class soon. And don''t worry I will write you a note Ben." With that, the coach left us in the locker room.


    "Well, that was interesting." Makai looked as exhausted as I felt. This day was already way too long. I was ready to just go home and call it a day. I needed to sleep, or eat, or something to make me feel better.


    That wasn''t going to happen, though. I still had to go to class. I needed to do my homework. I still needed to be a responsible person and follow the rules. If I didn''t, I might as well have been on Justin''s level, and I refused to sink that low. I was going to show that I was a good person, a good boyfriend, and a good friend.. I wasn''t going to become the problem kid now.

 Chapter 167 - Ocean – Didnt See That One Coming

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    As I sat there, staring at my feet, I sighed in some sort of relief that this crazy and hectic morning was finally over. Yeah, it hadn''t been a smooth morning at all. There had been so much that had happened that I couldn''t say, at all, that it was a good morning, but it had its good points.


    Now, though, it was time for all of us to leave and get to class. I was about to be the model student and show everyone, especially the teachers, that I wasn''t going to be causing any problems at all.


    The moment that I sighed, again, and got to my feet I felt someone pulling on my shirt. It made me think of that sort of fight I had with Justin last week. I say sort of fight because all he did was slam me into the lockers and I decked him in his ugly face.


    This time, though, it wasn''t Justin trying anything. It was just Makai pulling me in for a hug.


    "What are you doing?" I wondered quietly as he wrapped his arms even tighter around me.


    "I felt like you could use a hug. It''s not been an easy morning, and you''ve been a target from so much of the bullshit.


    "B..but you have been targeted too." I tried to point it out to him, but he just shook his head.


    "I am still considered the new kid so it''s not like it bothers me as much. You, though, you''ve known a lot of these people since you were little, you''re the one being affected. That is why I am giving you some of my strength. You can have it all if you want."


    With that, he pressed his lips to mine and slid his tongue into my mouth. He was kissing me passionately and deeply. It was like he was trying to make up for every negative thing that had happened to me lately.


    I liked the kiss, I really did. But I couldn''t really get into it too much right now because of the fact that Ben and Ryan were right there behind us, watching us. I didn''t want them to feel uncomfortable or anything like that because of us, so I needed to put a stop to it right away.


    The moment that I managed to push Makai away from me, I turned to look at Ben and Ryan. I didn''t see the response that I thought that I would. They weren''t looking at us with disgust or anything of the sort.


    Honestly, I don''t even know why I thought that they would, seeing that they were a couple as well. However, Ben was looking at us with a look of happiness, like he was glad things were working out for us, but he looked away the moment that I looked at him. Ryan, on the other hand, was looking at us with a goofy grin, like he wanted to kiss Ben like that, but the mood just wasn''t there. It was like a grin of anticipation. That kind of embarrassed me a little but it also made me happy.


    Were Makai and I really an example? Were we their relationship goals or something? That was a little odd to think about, but it was also a good feeling, just knowing that we were apparently that happy and loving with each other.


    OK,I admit that, when I left the locker room, I had a grin on my face. I was floating on a cloud of euphoria and there was nothing at all that was going to make me come down.


    Well, I thought that there wasn''t anything that could bring me down, but I was wrong. Dead wrong. Because what happened just moments after I walked out of the locker room jarred me back to reality faster than the speed of light.


    I was walking in the lead as we went toward our classes. Ben had just turned down a side hall to go to his class and the rest of us were on our way toward Coach Dickson''s class. I didn''t sense anything off at all, so I wasn''t on guard for the attack.


    Someone had been lying in wait for me. The moment that I walked past another hallway, someone darted toward me and tackled me through an open classroom door. I was about ten feet in front of Makai, who I had a feeling was daydreaming about the kiss we had shared in the locker room, so he wasn''t right there to pull me out of the way or anything. Ryan, likewise, was walking a few feet behind Makai and didn''t have the chance to try and intervene either.


    The classroom that I crashed into with the attacker was empty, one of the only three or four classrooms that didn''t have students in it at this time of day. While I was recovering from the tackle, the person who had attacked me stood and locked the door behind us. They also pulled the shade down over the window to block the view into the room.


    It was then that I was able to see who had brought me into this room. Justin was turning around and glaring at me while I shook my head to shake off the crash that had caught me by surprise. It also didn''t help that when I landed, my head had crashed into the teacher''s desk at the front of the room.


    "What the fuck, Justin?" I went to stand up, feeling a little unsteady at the moment. I didn''t make it to my feet, Justin was at my side before I could. His fist slammed into the side of my head, and I went sprawling again.


    I heard the sound of the punch reverberate through my head at the same time that I heard someone pounding on the door and screaming from the other side.


    "OCEAN! OCEAN ARE YOU OK!?" The pounding was incessant. "JUSTIN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" More pounding. "RYAN, GO GET THE PRINCIPAL, NOW!" Makai was frantic and scared. I could hear it in his voice.


    "Oh, listen to that, Tinker Bell. Your boyfriend is worried about you. And he should be too."


    Justin went to swing at my head again, but I managed to move out of the way just in time. Instead of hitting me, Justin''s fist collided with the metal side of the desk.


    "Ahh! That fucking hurt you damn pussy." He was cradling his hand against his chest as he glared at me.


    "Good. It was no fucking picnic for me when my head hit that earlier so it''s only fair that you hit it too." I was pissed and I wasn''t about to take this attack without fighting back.


    There was one problem, though. Justin was in a rage and would likely fight like an animal right now. I was far too rational to let myself become like that but that didn''t necessarily put me at an advantage. He would be willing to do anything to hurt me.


    As I thought about that, I watched Justin throw a desk toward me. I hadn''t even seen him grab the damn thing. I think my reaction time was still a little slow because of the blow to my head.


    I moved out of the way of the desk, mostly. It clipped me in my shoulder as I moved to the side. I felt pain begin to sear through my arm before the desk crashed into the whiteboard. Damn, that fucking hurt.


    "OCEAN!" Makai had likely heard the crashing sound on the other side of the door.


    "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON OUT HERE?" I heard an angry female voice that sounded like the German teacher, Mrs. Victoria.


    I didn''t have the chance to listen to what was going on out there, Justin was already throwing another desk at me. Was it just my imagination or was he stronger than I expected him to be? Was it just the adrenaline? I knew that could make it easier for him to throw the desks, but he was sending them flying at me, hard, with just one hand. Then again, they weren''t exactly that heavy, since they were single person desks.


    I was trying my best to avoid them as they flew one after the other. I avoided the second and third desks but the fourth one caught me on my side, and I fell to the floor with a loud cry of pain.


    "Shit!"


    "OCEAN!" I heard Makai call out again. How long have I been alone in here with Justin? It couldn''t have been very long at all, but it felt like it was taking a long time to dodge all of these desks.


    "Just where you should be, you fucking fairy. On your knees. I bet that is your favorite place to be, especially when you blow that bastard, Kai."


    "What the hell do you want from me, Justin?" I yelled at him as I struggled to breathe, that desk had actually caught me more on my chest than on my stomach and it was clear that I had, at least, bruised a rib.


    "To ruin your life like you ruined mine." He growled the words at me as he stalked closer to me.


    "How do you get that I ruined your life? You did all of this, I never did anything to you, you fucking dumbass."


    OK, maybe I should lay off the insults. I was still in a lot of pain and that just made Justin angrier. That anger was clear in the way that he sent his fist slamming into the side of my head again. Dammit, that ringing in my ears was back again.


    I needed to stop him, to tackle him or something. I just needed to find the right time for that, the right opportunity.


    "If you hadn''t been the top swimmer, that position would have been mine. If you hadn''t hooked up with Kai things would be different all around. Everything just went to shit because of your stupidity. You''re so fucking stupid!" Justin was breathing heavily as he forced the words past his clenched teeth.


    I saw him drawing back for another punch. He was going to hit my head again, but this was my chance. I sprung forward, with Justin this close to me it wasn''t difficult for me to hit him right in his stomach when I leapt at him.


    I tackled him to the floor, doing my best to pin him down. However, with Justin in a rage, he was able to call on his adrenaline for strength and I was having trouble holding him down. That, and he intentionally hit me in the side that the desk had hit, and that flare of pain caused my grip to slacken just a little.


    Before I knew what was going on, Justin had flipped us over and he was pinning me down instead.


    "Look at you, you fucking fairy. I bet you''re fantasizing about sucking my dick right now, aren''t you?"


    "Not at all, you fucking moron." I spat the words into his face but he didn''t seem fazed by it at all.


    "Yeah, you are, I can see it in your eyes. You''re a fucking freak."


    Justin was getting closer and closer to me with every word that he was saying. His face was just centimeters away from mine and I was afraid that he was about to press his lips against mine. I so didn''t want him to kiss me right now. That would just make me sick.


    "I know what it is you want. I can see it. I can sense it. You''re so fucking easy to read." He was still coming closer with every word. I could smell his breath and see every pore on his face. This was closer to Justin than I had ever been.. Please, don''t let him kiss me.

 Chapter 168 - Split Ocean And Makai – The Calvary

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Stop, Justin, don''t do this." I begged him as he came closer and closer. I could feel the misty dampness of his breath on my lips now. Any second now he was going to press his lips against mine.


    But why? Why was he going to kiss me? Didn''t he make fun of me for being gay? Wasn''t he doing all of this because he hated the fact that I was gay? I just didn''t understand what was going on right now. I mean, the only other thing that I could think of was that he hated that I was with Makai and not him. C..could that really be it?


    "Don''t you like this kind of thing?" His bottom lip lightly brushed against my mouth as he asked me that question. Dammit, that was too close to an actual kiss for my liking.


    I didn''t answer with words right away, his face was too close. I just shook my head violently from side to side, which hurt like hell. When I was done, I kept my head turned toward my right shoulder, separating our lips as best as I could at the moment.


    "No, Justin, I don''t like this. I don''t like you and I don''t want to kiss you. Now get off of me." I tried not to look at his face, but I couldn''t help it. It was too close for me not to look at it.


    "Oh, am I not good enough for you to kiss or something? You fucking queer. You need to just take it. Isn''t that all you ever do?" He laughed and pressed his lips to my cheek. He wasn''t kissing me, not yet. He was just talking right against me. "I will not be shunned. I will not be denied. I will do as I fucking please, Ocean, and there is nothing that you can do about it."


    I lost focus on anything and everything that was around us. All I could hear was the inner voice in my head screaming at Justin to stop all of this. Dammit! If only I wasn''t in so much pain and if Justin wasn''t so filled with rage. Why was I having such a hard time moving?


    I was about to scream in frustration, to yell or whatever I could do at the moment, but then, I was suddenly blinded by the light that was streaming in through the windows. I blinked my eyes several times, disoriented for a moment. Then, I saw Makai. He had both of his hands clenched on Justin''s shoulders and was about to throw him.


    Oh, thank God. Makai saved me from this whole mess.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The moment that I saw Justin tackle Ocean and force him into that classroom my heart just about stopped. And I think it actually did stop when Justin slammed the door shut and locked it.


    I barely had the time to see Ocean shaking his head, a small trail of blood being flung off as he tried to orient himself. That was all that I could see before Justin pulled the shade down over the window and blocked the window from view.


    Dammit! Ocean was already hurt. If he was disoriented from yet another blow to the head, then he could potentially be in a lot of trouble. I needed to get into that room. I needed to save him.


    "What the fuck, Justin?" I heard Ocean yell at him before there was a loud thud and a grunt of pain. Dammit! That painful grunt sounded like it came from my Ocean.


    "OCEAN! OCEAN ARE YOU OK!?" I started to pound on the door while screaming at him. "JUSTIN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" More pounding. "RYAN, GO GET THE PRINCIPAL, NOW!" I heard the frantic notes in my voice, but I didn''t care. We needed to get into that room and help Ocean.


    "Oh, listen to that, Tinker Bell. Your boyfriend is worried about you. And he should be too." Justin''s disgusting voice sneered on the other side of the door. I was going to fucking kill him for this. I swear. He was hurting my man and I was not going to let this slide.


    The next thing I knew, there was a loud metallic sound, like something hitting the desk that Ocean had been sitting in front of. At first I was worried but then I heard Justin''s angry voice.


    "Ahh! That fucking hurt you damn pussy."


    "Good. It was no fucking picnic for me when my head hit that earlier so it''s only fair that you hit it too." OK, so he didn''t manage to hit Ocean that time, that was good.


    Not long after that, I heard Ocean cry out in pain and a loud crashing noise from inside the room. That did not sound good at all. What the hell was Justin doing in there with Ocean?


    "OCEAN!" I pounded on the door some more and heard a teacher come out into the hall from the next classroom over.


    "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON OUT HERE?" The angry female voice screamed at me.


    "Justin is attacking Ocean." I didn''t even look at her. I just continued to try and open the door while pounding on the glass.


    "What?" She gasped as more people, students and teachers alike, came into the hallway. How did this happen?" She heard more of that crashing from the inside of the room just as I did.


    "Shit!" There was another painful cry on the other side. Ocean was obviously being hurt some more.


    "OCEAN!" I screamed again, pissed that I couldn''t get in there.


    "How long have they been in there?" Another teacher, this one a man that I didn''t know at all, asked as he came up beside me.


    "About two minutes maybe. Ryan went to get the principal. He was in Coach Dickson''s classroom. I don''t know what is taking so long." Just as I said that there were more loud sounds coming from the other side of the door. Muffled voices and crashing sounds.


    "Lucy, page Mike. Use the radio in your classroom." The male teacher next to me directed at the female that had come out first.


    "Yeah, OK." She ran back inside at his instruction.


    "The rest of you, go to the gymnasium. Clear the hallway, now." No one seemed to be listening though, since no one was leaving at all. "Now! He said the word a little more forcefully than the first time. They listened this time. All of them started to move and the other teachers were ushering them along the way as they listened to him as well. "Son, what''s your name?" The teacher asked me. It seemed like he didn''t know me anymore than I knew him.


    "Makai. Makai Rivers."


    "Ah, I get it." He knew of me, that was clear to see. Did the entire staff know that Ocean and I were dating? "Stop pounding on the door. We will get it opened soon."


    I didn''t want to listen to what he was saying but I guess that I had to. I needed to calm down a little or I was going to murder Justin when I went into that room.


    I hear rushing footsteps. They were coming from both ends of the hall. I turned my head and saw the janitor, just a few classrooms down on my left. And on my right was Ryan along with Mr. Daniels, the principal.


    The janitor was with us first. He had his keys already out in his hands, and I could see him thumbing through them so that he would have the right one when we finally got to us. That was good.


    The moment that Mike, the janitor, was at the door, he slid the key into the lock and opened the door. I didn''t waste any time. I pushed forward and was the first person in the room. The moment that the door was open, I heard what was being whispered on the other side.


    "No, Justin, I don''t like this. I don''t like you and I don''t want to kiss you. Now get off of me." Ocean had his head turned away from me and all I could see was the blood that was flowing slowly through his hair.


    "Oh, am I not good enough for you to kiss or something? You fucking queer. You need to just take it. Isn''t that all you ever do? I will not be shunned. I will not be denied. I will do as I fucking please, Ocean. And there is nothing that you can do about it." Justin was pressing his lips against Ocean''s cheek as he spoke, basically forcing a kiss onto him.


    I knew that the janitor and the teacher that was next to me saw what was going on. They could see Justin pressing Ocean''s arms to the floor and his lips on him. They could see the blood and the bruises that were already forming on my boyfriend''s face.


    I didn''t give them much time to process it though. I rushed forward, grabbed Justin''s shoulders and yanked him off of Ocean. I hurled him to the side and then rushed after him, intent on beating the shit out of him.


    "Hold on there, son." The teacher stopped me by putting his hands on my shoulder. "Don''t sink to his level."


    "He hurt him. He hurt Ocean." I snapped back at him.


    "And don''t you think that you would be better at Ocean''s side than beating up Justin?" He had a point. I didn''t need to kick his ass. I would see to it that he was punished for this later. Right now, Ocean needed me more than anything.


    The moment that I made it to Ocean''s side, that teacher was already standing over Justin, who was trying to get to his feet, and Mr. Daniels came running into the room with Ryan.


    "What in the world happened here?" The principal roared and I watched Ocean wince in pain. His head obviously hurt him a lot.


    I could see why he was hurting. He had several cuts along the left side of his face, his eye was swollen shut, and there was blood trailing from his left eye and ear.. That fucking asshole had hurt my Ocean and he was lucky to still be alive.

 Chapter 169 - Makai – My Ocean Is Hurt

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Ocean, are you OK?" That was stupid of me to ask, he was obviously not OK.


    "Just really sore right now." He whispered softly as he answered, like it hurt to speak.


    "I want answers, right now." The principal was furious. I saw him looking between the injured Ocean and the raging Justin.


    "I will tell you, as much as I know." Ryan walked up to him and began to explain the beginning.


    "I heard that part from you already, Ryan. I want to know what else happened."


    "From what I gathered, Justin tackled Ocean into this room, locked the door, and proceeded to assault him. When we managed to get inside, he had Ocean pinned to the ground and was forcing a kiss on him."


    At that, everyone in the room, aside from Ocean, looked at Justin. I saw that the assailant in this case blushed crimson.


    "I..I wasn''t kissing him." He refused that part of the accusation.


    "Then that wasn''t your lips that were pressed against him?" The male teacher crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at Justin from his position right next to him. I could see that this teacher was pissed off at Justin and what he had done.


    "I will handle the questioning for now, Mr. Garret. Please just make sure that the boy doesn''t leave the classroom. Mike, please go and call for the police." The principal was giving out orders.


    "Should I call an ambulance as well?" The janitor asked before he left the room. "That boy looks like he needs one. There is blood everywhere."


    "Yes, please have them send an ambulance as well." The principal answered as he walked over towards Ocean.


    The closer that the principal got to Ocean the more tense he seemed to get. For some reason he was afraid of what was going to happen next. Ocean even grabbed my hand and held it loosely. Was he not capable of holding it tight right now? That made me worry even more.


    "Ocean, can you please tell me what happened, in your own words. I want to hear it first." Mr. Daniels knelt beside Ocean, opposite of me, and looked at him. I could see that his eyes were lingering on the bruises and the swelling around his face as well as the blood that I could see was still flowing.


    "It''s just like they said." Ocean''s voice was sounding weaker than usual. Maybe this was because of the pain or maybe it was from something else entirely, I just didn''t know which one. "Justin tackled me into this room, where I hit my head. From there he punched me, threw those desks at me, and pinned me to the ground."


    "Did he kiss you as I was told?" I don''t know why the principal needed to know that. What the hell?


    "Yes, he did." Ocean sounded resigned and answered softly.


    "Then this isn''t just a simple assault case, it''s a sexual assault case."


    "Wait a minute!" Justin yelled across the classroom. "I did not sexually assault him at all."


    "Did you not pin him to the floor and forcibly kiss him? That, young man, is sexual assault." The teacher, Mr. Garret, snapped at Justin in a voice that was even yet somehow brimming with anger.


    "Mr. Garret is correct, Mr. Jeffries. You forced yourself onto another person. It doesn''t matter that you were both male students, it''s a sexual assault case through and through. And I hope that this goes without saying, but you are hereby expelled."


    The moment that those words were out of Mr. Daniel''s mouth, I heard the sound of the sirens in the distance. There sounded like there were two or three of them at least.


    "Mrs. Victoria." The principal called out and the female teacher from earlier stepped away from the door. I hadn''t even known that she was in there. "Please go back to your room and radio the office. I want the entire school to go to the gymnasium. We are going into lockdown mode as is customary with police presence in the building."


    "B..but Mr. Daniels, the suspect is already apprehended. Is that truly necessary?" Mrs. Victoria seemed confused.


    "I do not want poor Ocean to become a spectacle to the rest of the student body. I am sure that he would much rather not have them see him like this." The principal was showing a lot more consideration than I originally thought he would. I guess he was a better guy than I originally thought he was.


    "Oh. Yes sir, that makes sense. I will go right now." At that, she left the room.


    The PA system came to life, ordering the entire school to the gym so that they would be away from the police and ambulance that were due to arrive any second now. The noise outside in the hallways was barely muffled when the door was shut and Mike, the janitor, stood guard on the outside.


    "This is bullshit." Justin kept saying over and over again. I think that he was just pissed off that the principal hadn''t asked for his side of the story, but with so many witnesses and the injuries clearly revealing what had happened, there was no need. Or maybe he was going to ask him for his side when Ocean wasn''t around.


    Not long after the noise in the hall died down, the door to the classroom opened again to let a couple of men dressed in uniforms in. They were very clearly police officers. Ocean wasn''t looking at them that much, but Justin paled the moment that he saw them. The fucking asshole should have thought about the repercussions before he attacked Ocean.


    "OK, can someone explain what happened here?" The officer in the lead asked when he looked around the room, assessing the damage. I know that he was taking in the cracked whiteboard, the desks that were bent and strewn about, the blood that had splattered all around Ocean who was laying there, obviously in pain, and finally Justin who was looking pissed and scared.


    Between the principal, Mr. Garret and Ryan managed to get the whole story. They would need to talk to Ocean as well, but they started with just the three of them. While that officer listened to the stories and wrote down what had happened, the other officer walked around the room, writing down what he saw and noting things that would be listed as evidence.


    Before the story was done being retold, three people in paramedic uniforms came running into the room with a gurney. They took one look around and immediately saw Ocean laying on the floor so that was where they went without being told who needed the help.


    "What''s his name?" A female paramedic asked me as she sat a bag next to Ocean''s head.


    "H..his name is Ocean." I stuttered a little. It was a little nerve wracking to know that my boyfriend needed to be tended to like this.


    "Ocean, can you hear me buddy?" She asked him as she opened his eyes more than they already had been. The other two paramedics moved me out of the way, forcing me from his side so I could only watch on from afar.


    "Yessh." Ocean answered her but didn''t sound much like himself.


    "Can you tell me what day it is?" She asked him, and tell me your name."


    "Issh moonday. My neem is Osshen." Well, he knew what he was saying, he just couldn''t say it properly. If someone didn''t know the situation, they would think that Ocean was drunk. He wasn''t drunk though, and that meant that my Ocean was hurt really badly.


    "Ocean, can you open your eyes for me and tell me how many fingers I''m holding up?" The woman was still talking to Ocean while the other two were putting a blood pressure cuff onto his arm and a monitor on his finger. All of this happened while the woman held two fingers in front of Ocean''s face. "Come on, buddy, tell me how many fingers you see."


    "Shicks." That was slurred but I was pretty sure that Ocean had just said six, which was definitely not right."


    "He was more lucid earlier." I felt the panic rising inside of me. "He didn''t slur when he was talking just five minutes ago."


    "We need to get him to the hospital, now." The woman didn''t look at me, she just spoke while doing her job with the other three.


    "How bad is it?" Mr. Daniels asked as the paramedics started to move Ocean to the stretcher.


    "He has a concussion, at the very least." She answered him while using a pair of small scissors to cut Ocean''s shirt open.


    "And from the look of this some severe bruising with some possible broken ribs." The man that was working with her said in an even voice.


    "We''re taking him in now. Is there someone that will ride with him?" The woman asked the principal but I answered before he could.


    "I am riding with him."


    "Makai, son, I don''t think that is a good idea."


    "I do." I almost growled at him. "He is my boyfriend, and I am not letting him go without me." That put an end to the discussion. I was able follow him and the paramedics out of the room. As I did, I got the satisfaction of watching the lead cop put the cuffs onto Justin''s wrists. That was a good sight to see.. I would enjoy telling Ocean about it later.

 Chapter 170 - Makai – To The Hospital

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I followed the paramedics out of the school and to the waiting ambulance that was parked in front of the school. I was glad that the rest of the students had been called to the gym, otherwise they all would be watching us out the windows of the classrooms right now. Those on the front of the building anyway.


    I didn''t want to dwell on that, though. I just wanted to focus on my Ocean and see him get better. I also needed to contact my parents and let them know that Ocean was being taken to the hospital in an ambulance, again.


    Then, after I called my parents, I was going to have to call Ocean''s parents as well. That wasn''t going to be pleasant. They were probably going to get really worried and rush to the hospital. I couldn''t blame them, though, that was exactly what I was doing.


    When the back of the ambulance was opened up, Ocean was loaded inside of it and the female paramedic and one of the men that had been helping, climbed in with him.


    "Come on, kid, you can sit over here." The man said as he pointed at a jump seat that was pulled out and ready for me.


    I didn''t hesitate at all. I just climbed into the back of the ambulance and sat in the seat like I was told to. I even buckled up before they had to tell me to. I was going to follow the rules in whatever way that I needed to so that I could stay with my Ocean.


    "Hey, kid, you said you''re his boyfriend?" The woman asked me with a serious note in her voice.


    "I am not a kid." I informed her with a bit of an irritated voice, but I let it slide after that and answered her question. "But actually, we are more than that." I pointed to the ring that Ocean was wearing around his neck. "We got engaged last month." I pulled the matching ring out from under my shirt and showed her. "So, he is actually my fianc¨¦."


    "Ok, well can you tell me if your fianc¨¦ has any prior medical history? Is he allergic to anything? Does he take any medication?" She didn''t seem like she believed what I had said but she was pushing forward anyway.


    "No, he isn''t allergic to anything, he doesn''t take any medication, and the only prior medical history he has is when he passed out from exhaustion, fell, hit his head, and nearly drowned."


    "When did that happen?" She looked at me with wide eyes, like she thought it might be recent.


    "Back at the end of September of last year." Damn, I can''t believe that it''s been almost four months since that happened.


    "So, it''s relatively recent?" She was looking more closely at Ocean''s head now, concern in her eyes.


    "Yes, and last week on Friday, the same person who attacked him today slammed his head against a locker hard enough to draw blood. He didn''t go to the hospital that time though."


    "Why not?" She looked angry at me for not having made him go. She didn''t know that we healed faster than humans and that the blood had been done flowing before he even walked away from the lockers. This time though, the blood wasn''t stopping.


    Why? Why wasn''t the blood stopping? What was wrong with my Ocean?


    "I can''t really say why he didn''t go. I guess he didn''t feel the need to. He didn''t have any other issues, just a bump on the head." I tried my best to explain this all to her.


    "This is the third blow to his head in less than four months. This isn''t an issue to take lightly. He needs to see a neurologist when he gets to the hospital." She reprimanded me as she noted something in a chart that she had started for Ocean. I didn''t say anything, I just nodded at her words as I started to text my parents. If there was a god in this world, or anyone that helped people like us, then I hoped he would listen and make sure that my parents were somewhere with cell phone reception, and no water.


    [ME]


    Mom! Dad! Ocean has been hurt. We''re on the way to the hospital. He was attacked and he was slurring his words. I don''t know what is wrong with him, but I am worried about something happening to him while we are there.


    [MOM]


    What hospital are they taking him to? Try to make sure that it is Trinity. A friend of ours transferred there. They are working in the ER but have privileges in other departments as well.


    "Uhm, what hospital are you taking Ocean to? I need to let his parents know." I tried not to sound like I was up to anything when I asked them that, I just wanted to make sure that I was convincing.


    "Trinity. That is the closest to the school." Good, that worked out for us right now.


    [ME]


    They are taking him to Trinity, Mom. You can let your friend know that we are on our way right now.


    Mom didn''t reply right away, I assumed that she had called the friend in question. I could also guess that Ocean was the reason that this person was transferred to this hospital in the first place. They had needed to alter or destroy Ocean''s previous admissions record.


    [MOM]


    He will be waiting for you. His name is Malachi and he will take care of this. We are on our way home. Call Ocean''s parents now, let them know what happened.


    I didn''t want to call them while I was in the ambulance, especially since I made it sound like I had been talking to his parents when I was texting already. No, I was going to have to wait until we got there, and then they forced me to wait in the lobby until Ocean''s parents showed up again.


    I watched the paramedics work, I listened to what they were saying, but still none of it mattered or even made sense to me at all. All I knew was that my boyfriend was hurt and I hadn''t been able to protect him once again.


    I felt like a fucking failure. Dammit! Why did this keep happening to him? Why couldn''t I be fast enough, strong enough, whatever I needed to be? I just wanted to protect the man that I love. I just wanted to keep him safe and make sure that nothing like this ever happened to him again.


    When the ambulance pulled to a stop in front of the hospital and the doors were immediately thrown open, I saw how efficient these people were. There were about three people that had been waiting for our arrival. The man in the lead, the one who I immediately thought was the friend of my parents, started to give off orders to everyone else.


    I was in danger of being left behind as I hurried out of the ambulance and followed them. I would go until they forced me away from Ocean.


    "I''m sorry, Sir, but you need to wait out he-." A woman at the desk started to block me from coming along with the others but the man that I thought was the doctor interrupted her.


    "No, he comes with us." His voice was firm and sharp when he spoke, and I watched the woman flinch just a little bit.


    "Y..yes Dr. M." She nodded and dropped her hand that had been blocking me. I didn''t miss the glare that she gave me either.


    I didn''t care about her glare, though. I was just glad that this guy Malachi had let me through. I didn''t want to leave my Ocean''s side any more than I absolutely had to.


    The flurry of movement didn''t stop there. Once we got into the room where Ocean was to be treated, he was hooked up to a bunch of monitors. His heart rate was a little fast but everything else seemed to be mostly normal as far as I could tell. I hadn''t been hospitalized before, but I had read up on what the readings meant after the last time that Ocean had been in the hospital.


    "Makai? Did you call Ocean''s parent''s yet?" Malachi asked me as he got my attention. His voice was firm again but there was no anger in it.


    "Not yet." I admitted to him, but I had a feeling he already knew that.


    "Then go do it now. Stand in that corner over there, it''s vacant at the moment. Come back here immediately when you are done."


    "Yes, Sir." I nodded in agreement. There was no way in hell that I was going to disobey him. I had a feeling that he would ban me from the room if I didn''t precisely follow his orders. I didn''t want to chance that happening to me at all.


    I went to where I had been directed and dialed the number that I had saved for Ocean''s mom. She answered after just two rings, her voice somehow already filled with worry. Did she know that something was wrong? Did the school call her?


    "Makai? What is going on? Why isn''t Ocean the one that is calling me? What happened at the school? I got a call about the lockdown." Ah, that makes sense. When the school goes into lockdown mode, the entire district is notified by automatic messages. And since I was certain that this didn''t happen very often, Mr. and Mrs. Shores were scared.


    "Mrs. Shores, uhm, O..Ocean was attacked." I could barely get the words out.


    "What?!" She very nearly screamed that one word right into my ear. "What happened? Tell me, now, please."


    "Justin attacked him. Justin was kicked off of the team and blamed Ocean. While we were walking, he attacked him. I tried to save him, but Justin dragged him into an empty classroom and locked the door."


    "How is my baby? Is he OK? What is wrong with him?" I could tell that she was devolving into a blubbering mess. I didn''t like doing this to her, but I had to tell her.


    So, I did. I told her what happened and what the paramedics said. I told her where we were and how Ocean was the last time that I saw him. I knew that she would be here soon, probably even before Mr. Shores made it here.


    Now that this call was over, I was able to go back to my Ocean''s side. There was nowhere else in this entire world where I would rather be right now, than at Ocean''s side.. That was where I was meant to be.

 Chapter 171 - Makai – What Happens Next

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    When I walked back into the room, I saw that Ocean had been stripped down to his speedo. I had nearly forgotten that he had been unable to get into his locker earlier and therefore had to put the clothes that he borrowed over it. Well, the doctors just cut those clothes off of him, so I don''t think he will be able to return them to the rightful owners. Oh well, the important thing now was that Ocean was giving the entire hospital room a view of his impressive package as it was perfectly displayed in the speedo.


    Other than having Ocean there on the bed, practically naked, I could tell that the doctor, Malachi, was checking the severity of the damage that Justin had done to my boyfriend''s body. I looked on as well, feeling the anger well up inside me.


    "I want everyone except for the boyfriend out of the room, now." Dr. Malachi growled out his orders in that firm voice of his. I heard the nurses scoff at his command, but they left without saying anything.


    After a few moments, it was just me, Ocean and Dr. Malachi in the room. I was wondering what was going on, but I didn''t really pay much attention. I was focused on the dark purple bruising that was covering Ocean''s chest and stomach and I knew that was probably where Justin had hit him with a desk.


    "Do you see what I see, Makai?" The doctor spoke directly to me, and I barely understood what he had said.


    "Huh?" I shook my head, tore my eyes from the bruises and looked at the doctor with a little bit of embarrassment on my face.


    "Do you see what I see? Can you tell what happened to your mate?" So, mom told him that we were mated. Well, I guess if he was like us, then he knew what that meant for us.


    "You mean the injuries? Yeah, I can see them. I can see that he was hit in the chest with one of the desks, I only know that because they had been thrown across the room. I see bruises on Ocean''s arms that show that Justin had held him down by pushing all of his body weight onto him. That had probably been after Ocean had already received the other injuries. I haven''t seen the back of his head, but I have seen the blood and I know that he hit that pretty hard."


    "Good, so you have a good grasp on what is going on with him. Now, do you notice that, while, yes, he might heal quicker than a human, it''s significantly slower than other shifters?"


    I looked at Ocean then and thought about what Dr. Malachi was saying. He was right. If that had been me, I probably would never have ended up in the hospital in the first place. I would have just healed it by now. Ocean, on the other hand,  was having trouble.


    "D..do you think this is because he is a male Siren? Do you think that this has something to do with what he is and why he is that way?" My heart was racing. I didn''t think that Ocean was going to be in this much trouble. I thought that now that he was an adult, now that he had come into his full power, he would have no trouble healing and that he would be just fine.


    "I guess that is something that I am going to have to research about him now, isn''t it?"


    Wait a minute! He was talking about turning my boyfriend into his research project. That wasn''t right. Was it? I mean, what would Ocean have to say about that? And, well, I think it would be better if we did know what it was that was different about him, but what if Ocean didn''t want to be studied by this man.


    "I..I think that we need you to have Ocean''s permission before you can start to do any research on him. What if he doesn''t want it?" Dr. Malachi smirked at me and my words. Did he plan on doing it anyway? That would just piss me off.


    "You love him, don''t you? I can tell. That''s good. You two need each other. Now, I need to document all of Ocean''s injuries because I am sure that the person responsible is going to be held accountable. To do that, we need to detail them and photograph them. Also, just in case Ocean were to start to recover quicker than he is now, I didn''t want the others to see it. That is one of the reasons I sent them away."


    "Only one of the reasons?" I tilted my head and looked at Dr. Malachi. "What are the others?


    "I wanted to be able to talk to you freely. I can''t ask you about Ocean if the others are in here." I saw the ghost of a smile on his lips. It was such a faint smile that I wondered for a moment if the man even knew how to actually smile.


    "What do you want to know?" I was weary of this man, even though he was helping my Ocean.


    "I need to know about his previous head injuries. The chart from the paramedic says he has had other head injuries. I know about the one from September, I was actually the one to help to make sure that there were no information leaks with that. Thankfully, no one looked too closely at his blood, they just checked the basics and that allowed him to go unnoticed. But what other injuries has he received since then?" This man was truly trying to keep our secret for us. He was a good man, at least I hoped that he was.


    "Just one other injury. It happened three days ago, on Friday. Justin, the same person that attacked him today, slammed him against a locker twice. The second time was hard enough to draw blood, but it wasn''t much. We didn''t think that he needed to see someone over it." I hung my head in shame. What if it was a lot worse than either me or Ocean had thought that it was? What if we had made things worse by not getting it checked out?


    "No, that doesn''t really sound like something that needed to be checked out by someone, not like this one. I''m guessing that when Ocean hit his head today, he hit it a lot harder than the other day. Actually, from what I could see, it looked like he hit his head on the corner of something hard."


    "The teacher''s desk. Justin tackled Ocean into a classroom, and they fell into the desk. Ocean hit it head first." I did my best to explain to him what had happened as it repeated in my head.


    "Yeah, that would explain it." I watched as Dr. Malachi took photographs of Ocean''s chest, face, and the back of his head, all the while thinking about something.


    After a little while, he finally looked at me before speaking.


    "Look, Makai, I am going to level with you. It''s dangerous for Ocean to be in here. If things were to be discovered about him, it would be hard to keep our world a secret for very much longer. So, because of that, there are some things that we need to discuss." I know that Dr. Malachi was right. I knew that what he was saying made sense, but I didn''t know what to do about it.


    "OK." That was all that I could think to say about it all.


    "We need to do the basics here, make sure that Ocean is out of the woods and well enough to leave the hospital. Then, he needs to go back to your place where I will continue his care there. We all need to work together to make sure that this all stays hidden from the humans."


    "Got it." I nodded in agreement. He was right. That was a good plan. Ocean could recover at home much easier than in the hospital anyway, as long as someone was making sure that he was doing OK.


    "We will work out the logistics of it all later, but as long as you all agree to that, then I think that we are good to go. I will keep a close eye on all of his test results while he is here, so just relax, also you should insist on following along with him wherever he goes." I nodded again, not even bothering to say anything this time.


    Now that it was all settled, Dr. Malachi started getting back to work. Apparently, the next step in all of this was doing a scan on Ocean''s head and some x-rays of his chest and the spot on his upper arm that looked like he had been hit by one of the desks as well. It was all going to take a little while, but I was allowed to go with him as he went to the various parts of the hospital. I couldn''t be in the room when they were doing the scans or the x-rays, but Dr. Malachi went with him.


    "Hey Dr. M, why are you paying so much attention to this one patient?" The man running the CT asked him as he went to go inside.


    "Let''s just say that this boy is connected to some deep pockets." He grinned at the man and winked at me, clearly telling me that he was placating the man as best as he could.


    "Must be some pretty deep ones to tie you up all day." The man just shrugged his shoulders and didn''t say anything else.


    Well, Dr. Malachi wasn''t wrong. Ocean was connected to a wealthy family. My family had been amassing its fortune for generations so there was a lot of money floating around. Still, I hoped he wasn''t really doing this for the money.


    When the tests were all done, Ocean and I were taken to a private room. Obviously, Ocean was being admitted for the time being, and he was being given VIP treatment.


    Waiting in the room when we got there were Ocean''s parents. They had obviously rushed over but Ocean had already been taken up for testing.


    "Makai!?" Mrs. Shores ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me the moment that we were in the room. "What happened? No one will explain it all to me properly. All I got was your brief explanation. And how is my baby doing now?" At that moment, Dr. Malachi came in.


    "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Shores, I am Dr. Malachi, I am taking care of Ocean right now." I noticed the hesitation on Mrs. Shore''s face, she was nervous about the secret.


    "He''s one of us." I told her with a smile so that she could relax.


    "Oh, thank goodness." She sighed. "Phineas and I aren''t, we are human, but we know the necessity of the secret."


    After the introductions were all done and over with, it was time to get on with the explanations. Mostly, it was time for the doc to tell us what was wrong with Ocean.


    "Well, he has a concussion, and there is a slight amount of fluid build up around his brain. I want to have that removed as soon as possible which is why I am glad you are here. Ocean needs a lot of special care right now, but we need to do this in a way that won''t amass much suspicion. Now, while he was having his scans done, I took the liberty of having his blood typed, and just as I suspected, he can''t take donor blood form the hospital, that means that he will need to have someone else provide it for him."


    "I will." I immediately offered. "If I am able to, then I will share my blood with him." The doctor smiled like he knew that was going to happen.


    "I will test you, Makai, so that we can see if you match him or not. If so, then you need to donate enough for Ocean to have the surgery and you can''t leave his side at all, in case we need to do something else as well."


    "I don''t care." I spoke firmly. "I am going to marry him this summer, I will do anything I can for him." A gasp behind me reminded me of the fact that we hadn''t yet told his parents, or mine for that matter."


    "Oh my goodness, Makai!" That started a whole new conversation that I knew was going to last a long time.


    "I will be right back Makai, so that I can type your blood."


    I spent the next five minutes explaining to Ocean''s parents how we had agreed to get married over the summer after what happened on Christmas. Following that, I was found to be a match for Ocean, thankfully, there were fewer blood types for us sea creatures and we tended to match each other pretty easily.. Now, we could prepare for the surgery and get Ocean on the track to recovery.

 Chapter 172 - Split

    Makai - Procedure And Recovery


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Dr. Malachi was definitely not going to wait for very long. He was already making preparations to have Ocean taken straight to surgery. I was sitting in the room next to Ocean''s bed and watching his face, while a nurse that the doctor trusted drew blood from my arm. They were going to take a good chunk of blood from me, so I was told that I needed to stay here while Ocean went to have the procedure.


    Yeah, like hell that was going to happen. I was going to go and wait right outside his room like I was supposed to. I was his mate. I was the man that needed to be there with him at all times. Dammit, why were they trying to keep me away from him.


    The problem ended up being that as soon as it was time to wheel Ocean out of the room for the procedure, I fell backward on my ass when I stood up.


    "Hold on there, son." Mr. Shores had to catch me before I fell to the floor. "Come on, sit back down." He guided me back toward the chair that I had been in before.


    "But I need to go with him." I tried to say it clearly, but apparently, my words slurred a little bit, because what came out sounded way different. "Buut I neeeb to go wiffim."


    "Yes, I know you want to go with him, Kai, but you need to rest here." Mrs. Shores was also trying to stop me from getting up and leaving the room. "Phineas and I will go and be with Ocean for right now. We will be back as soon as we can, OK?"


    "Buut."


    "No buts, mister. You sit here and behave." She snapped at me, and even though her voice was calm and sweet, and the words themselves should have made me laugh, I felt fear from the intensity of her eyes. Ocean was right, she was scary.


    "Fiiine." I consented to let them leave without me and just slouched onto the back of the chair.


    "It''s not that bad, Kai. You just need to remember this is what a good partner does. If you plan to still marry Ocean, then you need to understand that you need to take care of yourself as well." I tried not to listen to Mr. Shores''s words, they were right, but that didn''t make me feel better. "Sit here, save your strength for now, I know you will be staying with Ocean tonight, right?" I nodded at him and that seemed to be it. Ocean''s parents left the room and I was all alone in the room.


    Or at least I thought that I was. No sooner had Ocean''s parents left the room, did I hear the sound of someone walking closer to me. I could vaguely make out the shapes of Ben and Ryan.


    "What was that that Ocean''s dad said about getting married?" Of course it was Ryan that asked that question. Dammit, they had heard it now, so there was no point in denying it.


    "Ocean and I are getting married. I already asked him and he said yes." My words were still very slurred, but it was embarrassing me so I preferred to only think about the fact that I was saying them right, in my head at least.


    "What!?" Ben sounded shocked.


    "When?" Ryan asked me almost immediately after Ben''s shouted response.


    "This summer." I was barely able to move, so I was still slouching in the chair. Damn blood, why did it make me weak to donate some to my boyfriend?


    "What''s wrong with you, dude?" Ryan was looking scared, from what I could see anyway. "This is how Ocean was when they found him, right?"


    "I''m fine." I struggled to keep my hand steady while waving away his words. "I just donated blood. Ocean is having surgery and he needs my blood."


    "Why?" Ben was the one who was worried now. "Couldn''t they just get blood from the hospital?" Shit, I couldn''t tell them the truth.


    "We both have a really rare blood type." I made up the lie on the spot.


    "That''s really cool. Really, to find two people dating each other with the same rare blood type." Ben didn''t know how rare our type really was. If he did then he would rethink that comment.


    "Yeah." That was all that I said in response.


    Now that things had been settled, I just needed to sit here and wait for answers. This was going to be the longest couple of hours of my life. Good thing I had Ben and Ryan to talk to.


    I learned from the two of them that Justin had been taken into custody shortly after we left. The rest of the students were dismissed and sent home after the police and paramedics were all gone.


    The blood and mess in that classroom hadn''t been cleaned up yet so it sort of became a spectacle. They all knew that Ocean, Ryan, Justin, and me were the ones missing from the classroom, and that Ryan was still at the school after it all happened, so they were supposedly making bets on who was hurt and who had hurt them. Though not surprisingly, they had all guessed it correctly. That most likely had to do with Justin''s crazy and erratic behavior lately.


    Well, I couldn''t do much about what everyone was saying, but I was glad that Justin had been arrested. Though he, too, was taken to a hospital for evaluation, just to be safe. He had better be at a different hospital.


    Dr. Malachi ¨C Keeping Secret


    ~~


    Dr. Malachi


    ~~


    I walked next to the boy as we wheeled him to the operating room. I had hoped that my time here at this hospital was almost done. I didn''t actually need the money that I was making, and I preferred my quiet life in the small town that I had moved to. Still, I came here to help some friends of mine with a problem that they had encountered. I didn''t expect that the problem would repeat itself.


    I guess that I needed to stay in town until that boy was determined to not be a threat to us anymore. I know that he was Analise and Reef''s family, not by blood but by bond, but should that really matter? Should he be allowed to jeopardize us like this?


    I know it wasn''t his fault though, and that was why I tried not to judge him too harshly. Not to mention, he himself was an anomaly. That is what initially piqued my interest when Reef called me. I was shocked to hear that there was a male Siren, as far as we knew, he was the first and only of his kind to be born as a male.


    He would be an interesting study, that was for sure. That was why I was still here. This had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this boy''s mate looked so pathetic when he saw his boyfriend lying helpless on the stretcher. It had no bearing whatsoever on the fact that underneath my tough exterior, I was nothing more than a mushy little softy that helped too many people.


    Dammit.


    I scrubbed my hands as I prepared to go into the operating room with the neurologist. I was getting a lot of evil looks from the people that were around me. They thought that I was overstepping my bounds.


    Even Dr. Castellanos, the neurologist, thought I was stepping on his toes.


    "What the hell are you doing here, Malachi?" He asked when he barged into the prep room.


    "I was asked to stay with the boy. He is my patient after all."


    "Yeah, and I am the fucking serpent god, Quetzalcoatl. Since when do ER docs babysit patients?"


    "Since their pocket change could buy this hospital and bulldoze it to the ground without batting an eyelash." I gave him a serious look. OK, Reef and his wife were loaded, but I think they would take pause before doing that. They could, mind you, but they wouldn''t.


    "Fine, but don''t get in my way." Castellanos rolled his eyes as I stepped away from him and walked into the operating room.


    What none of them knew, was that I was just making sure that nothing happened during the surgery to make them think that Ocean wasn''t normal. I needed to protect the secret.


    Thankfully, the boy did alright during the surgery. The excess fluid was drained away so he should start to recover soon. I knew that I needed to get him back to his room ASAP and talk to the mate and the parents. Thankfully, I didn''t need to hide things from them, even though they''re human. Though, that was a whole new topic that I could research as well. Humans that adopted a baby Siren. What had happened to the boy growing up, and, did they truly not know?


    I went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Shores, they were waiting in the chairs closest to the door in the family waiting room. I could tell they were anxious and, adopted or not, they loved their son very much. That was good to see.


    "Mrs. Shores, Mr. Shores-." I held my hand out toward them intending to shake their hands, but they hopped to their feet and were already interrupting me.


    "How is my baby boy?"


    "How is he, Doctor? How''s Ocean?"


    "He seems to be fine. He will be taken to his room for recovery. The fluid was drained and he didn''t require the transfusion after all. The blood had been marked and I promise that I will keep an eye on it, just in case he does need it later. He should wake up before too much longer. Right now, the two of you and Makai can wait with him in his room."


    "Thank you." Mrs. Shores grabbed my hand that I had intended to give her, but she was shaking it more vigorously than I expected. "Thank you so much."


    They were especially worried about their son. Too bad not all parents are like them.. That would have made things a lot better for a lot of people.

 Chapter 173 - Split – Waking Up

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I was still sitting in Ocean''s room when his parents came in with smiles on their faces.


    "How did it go?" I asked them, hopping to my feet and rushing over to them. The weakness from having given blood had already faded. Rest, along with eating some lunch, helped my body to recover.


    "He''s fine. The doctor said he should wake up before much longer." Mrs. Shores was smiling so broadly with her relief that I knew right then and there that my Ocean would be OK.


    "Oh, thank God." I sighed in relief and could have collapsed back into the chair if it had been close enough.


    "The doctor said they were going to bring him back to his room soon. We can wait with him here." Mr. Shores added with almost as wide of a smile as his wife''s.


    "Good, because I didn''t plan on going anywhere. I had told Ben and Ryan as much before they left to go back to my place.


    "We will wait here with you, Kai. I want to be here when my baby wakes up."


    The three of us started to figure out where we were going to sit when Ocean came back into the room. For some reason, his parents vetoed my suggestion of me sitting in the bed with my boyfriend. Did they have no sense of love and mate bonds inside of them? Yeah, I know that they didn''t get it. Still, it was a bit annoying.


    We hadn''t gotten it all settled yet when Ocean was wheeled into the room by a nurse. She looked up at the three of us, all suddenly quiet, and entered nervously. I could tell that she was a little put off by the fact that we were all in here waiting for the patient and that we all stopped talking the moment we saw him.


    She didn''t end up saying a single word while she was in the room. She just pushed the bed into position, put the monitors in the right places, hung Ocean''s IV bag, then scampered out as fast as she could.


    "What? Are we that intimidating?" Ocean''s dad joked when the nurse was gone. I wanted to laugh, to joke back and agree with him, but I didn''t. I was too caught up in the fact that Ocean was back in the room. I had my Ocean back here with me and just looking at him broke my heart into a million pieces.


    I was stuck somewhere in between relief and heartache when I saw him. I was happy he was in here with me, I was happy to see him, to smell him, and to sense his presence. However, I could barely stand to look at the bandages that were wrapped around Ocean''s head. There was a tube in his throat to help him breath since he had been under general anesthesia. And I could see a cast on his right arm where he had been hit earlier.


    "A..a..are you sure he''s going to be OK?" I asked Mr. and Mrs. Shores as I slowly approached the bed that Ocean was laying on. "H..he looks so..so..so..-" I couldn''t finish the sentence, I didn''t even know how to. What was it that I was actually trying to say right now?


    "I assure you, he should be just fine." The voice that spoke startled me just a little bit. It was Dr. Malachi and he had just walked into the room. "The procedure went just fine so Ocean should wake up soon, and there should be no adverse effects."


    "You keep saying ''should''. He ''should'' wake up soon. There ''should'' be no adverse effects. Can''t you answer anything with a definite?" I didn''t want to be arguing with the doctor right now, but I couldn''t stop myself. I was just too worried by his choice of words. What was going to happen to my Ocean? How could I help him?


    "I am afraid that I can''t, Makai. You should know enough by now that medicine is not a game of definite answers. There are so many times that we think things will go one way and they end up going the other. That doesn''t mean that we should lose hope and abandon all chances. We just need to stay strong and be there for the people that need us. And right now, Ocean is the one that needs you."


    I felt the fear settle in to stay but it was also joined by determination. Dr. Malachi was right. Ocean needed me and I wasn''t going to let him down at all. I was going to stay right here, by his side, until he woke up and could go home. I would do whatever it took to be there for my mate. And I was going to make sure that he was pampered and loved when we finally got him home.


    Hell, Ocean is going to be so spoiled that he won''t know what to think or do. That didn''t matter, though. I wanted to take care of him, now and forever.


    While removing Ocean''s breathing tube, the doctor explained to us everything that had happened during the surgery. He explained how there was blood and other fluids that had built up around Ocean''s brain and it needed to be removed so that the pressure in his skull wasn''t too much and ended up causing him more trouble. He said that they had acted quickly enough that he didn''t think that there would be any permanent damage.


    I truly didn''t want to even think about the fact that there was a chance that there could be any permanent damage to my Ocean. What if my mate woke up without his memories? What if something was permanently wrong and I would never have the same man back with me? I would still love him no matter what, but I feel like I would die a little inside when that part of him died and disappeared as well.


    "Please, Ocean, wake up. Wake up and be the same sweet, loving, annoying little smartass that I have always known. Don''t forget me. Please, don''t forget me." I said the words softly some time after the doctor had left the room. I felt the eyes of Ocean''s parents on me as I spoke, but I couldn''t stop myself from saying them. I knew that I was probably breaking their heart, and I didn''t mean to, but I just couldn''t help it.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I didn''t really know what was going on. I could tell that I had been asleep, but I didn''t know for how long. I could hear beeps around me and I swear I could smell the sterile environment of a hospital.


    OK, but why was I in the hospital? What had happened to me?


    I remembered being at school. Justin got kicked off of the team and got really pissed off. He was pissed off enough to destroy my locker in the locker room. He was so pissed off that he.. that he.. that he attacked me.


    SHIT!


    I remember what happened now. I remember that Justin had tackled me and made me hit my head. AGAIN! He punched me several times. IN MY HEAD! And he threw desks at me. What the hell was the matter with him?


    Seriously. He had basically tried to kill me, and for what? Being gay? And can someone explain to me why it seemed like he was trying to kiss me? Did he actually kiss me? Because I distinctly remember his lips pressed against my face.


    BLECH!


    I heard something then. The room had basically been quiet but I heard someone talking now.


    "Please, Ocean, wake up. Please, wake up and be the same sweet, loving, annoying little smartass that I have always known. Don''t forget me. Please, don''t forget me." That was Makai''s voice. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears and it was making my heart hurt just listening to him. But there was something in his words that caught my attention.


    Did he tell me to wake up and not forget him? Did they really think that I was that bad off? Was I that hurt that they thought my memories could be affected? I mean, it''s true that I didn''t know what all had happened while I was out, but I didn''t think that it was that bad.


    Well, hearing what Makai had to say, I just knew that I had to mess with him. Just a little bit. I mean, I couldn''t help myself. This had to be done.


    I tried to open my eyes. They almost felt like they were glued shut, they were actually quite hard to open. I heard Makai and some other people start to stir around me.


    "He''s moving." Makai''s voice was the first to respond.


    "Is he waking up?" Figures that my mom would be here too.


    "I think he is." Dad as well, just what I thought.


    "Come on Ocean, wake up." Makai''s voice again.


    Just as Makai said my name, I finally managed to get my eyes open. Finally, I was fully awake and not just mentally coherent.


    "Ocean!" Makai moved in close to me, his face filled with joy. "Thank God, you''re awake."


    "W..who''s Ocean?" I acted bewildered for a moment. "Who are you?" I watched as Makai''s face dropped and pain filled his eyes.


    "Ocean? You don''t-."


    "I''m sorry, bad joke. I shouldn''t have done that." I felt horrible the moment that I saw his face. "I''m so sorry, Makai. I didn''t mean that. It''s just, I heard you ask me not to forget you, so, I stupidly played this prank."


    "Dammit, Ocean." He snapped at me. "You just about gave me a heart attack. AGAIN!" He threw his arms around me and held me close.. "Thank you! Thank you for waking up."

 Chapter 174 - Makai – Plan For Recovery

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I couldn''t believe what Ocean had pulled when he opened his eyes. He had heard me pleading with him to not forget me, so he decided to pull a prank on me. Dammit, that wasn''t funny.


    Still, it was exactly what I would expect of him. Ocean may be sweet and sensitive most of the time, but he did have that little rebellious prankster side to him as well. So, to be honest, I wasn''t all that shocked to learn that he had pranked me that way.


    Oh, I was plenty worried and upset in the initial moment, but when he saw how upset it made me, Ocean immediately apologized and felt really bad for what he had done. Like I said, he was so sweet and sensitive. Most of the time.


    "Ocean, honey, that was uncalled for." Mrs. Shores reprimanded her son the moment that I pulled away from the hug that I had given him. "How dare you scare us all like that? I was worried sick about you and here you are playing games."


    "I..I''m sorry, Momma." The tone in Ocean''s voice was one of remorse and sorry. I know that he regretted doing that.


    "It''s fine, Mrs. Shores. I think he learned his lesson." I wanted to protect my love from everything, even his own mom.


    "Just don''t do it again." She glared at Ocean one last time before she pulled away and finally smiled at him. "Now that you''re awake, we can all relax a little. I was so scared when I got the lockdown order from the school."


    "Lockdown? When did the school go into lockdown mode?" Ocean, who was still laying on his back, asked me with curiosity on his face.


    "Ah, well, while you talk about that, I am going to go get the doctor." Mr. Shores left then, avoiding the conversation but looking immensely relieved.


    "Makai? What is my mom talking about?" I saw Ocean start to sit up but I put my hands on his shoulders and stopped him.


    "Wait, don''t sit up. Not until the doctor sees you at least." I sighed and looked at him with fear filled eyes. "I will tell you. I will tell you everything that happened if you need me to."


    I could see that he was looking at me with confusion. I was still wondering if he truly did remember the day''s events. Had he lost any of it? Any at all?


    I started with the morning and explained what happened. Ocean seemed to remember that and got a little annoyed that I insisted on retelling it to him. From there, I let my anger and depression take over at the same time as I told him about when he was attacked.


    "Hey, you didn''t have the chance to stop it." Ocean snapped at me. "I was walking too far ahead of you and Ryan. That means that it was my fault. I heard you trying to basically break the door down to get in there after me. I know that you didn''t abandon me."


    He was being way too sweet to me. He didn''t have to be so kind or so forgiving with me.


    "Thank you, Ocean. Still, I blame myself. You''re my boyfriend, I need to protect you."


    "We protect each other. However, when we can''t stop something from happening, we will make sure that we''re right there with each other when it''s over." He took my hand in his and squeezed it tightly. He was telling me that he was happy that I was with him right now.


    "There is nowhere else I would rather be, than by your side." I smiled at him too as I squeezed his hand back.


    After that, I continued to tell him about what had happened, the parts that he didn''t know about. He had started losing his memories of the morning at this point. He didn''t remember the paramedics showing up, or the police. He didn''t remember the principal asking what had happened. He didn''t even remember that this was all being considered a sexual assault. And let me tell you something, he was shocked to learn that part of it all.


    "Sexual assault?" He spoke a lot louder than he had intended when he said that and blushed at how loudly it came out. "But he didn''t rape me or anything."


    "No, but he kissed you, held you down, and physically assaulted you. When you add it all up, it falls under the sexual assault category." Ocean''s mom explained it all to him before I could.


    "T..th..this just seems a little odd." He looked shell shocked. I think he was trying to process what he had been told. He was trying to come to terms with the fact that, legally speaking, he was being considered a rape victim. Well, he was a victim alright. He had been attacked by another person and wound up in the hospital. That was probably easier for him to process than the other part of it all.


    "What''s going to happen now?" He asked me, his face still filled with shock.


    "Well, Justin was arrested, so I guess he will be charged with his crimes and go to jail.


    "Will I ever learn why he did this to me?" He didn''t actually ask that of either me or his mom, or even his dad who just came into the room. "Why did he choose to go psycho on me like that?" Again, his voice was too quiet to count as him talking to me directly.


    "Ahh, hello there, Ocean. It''s nice to meet you." The doctor came in just a few seconds later.


    "Who are you?" Ocean couldn''t stop himself from asking that question. I think he was feeling a little overwhelmed and that was taking his polite attitude away.


    "Yes, we haven''t met yet, not exactly. My name is Dr. Nikolas Malachi. I am the one that has been taking care of you since you got here." He smiled and then leaned in to lower his voice to speak in a whisper "I also happen to be a shifter from the sea similar to yourself."


    "O..oh." My adorable little Ocean was shocked by the doctor''s declaration.


    "I was called in by Analise and Reef after they learned that you were in the hospital last time. It''s a good thing that I was still here, so that I could take care of you now."


    "OH?!" This time Ocean understood the seriousness of all this. "Th..thank you. And I''m sorry."


    "You didn''t ask to be attacked, Ocean, and I know that. But I would like to know why you didn''t just heal. I will need to run some tests on you and try to get to the bottom of all of this." Ocean looked scared but he just nodded. I think he felt like he was indebted to the doctor.


    After that initial introduction was over, Dr. Malachi led the conversation into something else. He started to explain to us all that Ocean shouldn''t remain in the hospital for too long. The longer that he was there, the more danger that we had of the secret being exposed.


    "I recommend you recover at home. I will stay there or visit daily until you are fully healed. I will become your personal physician until this has all passed us by."


    "What about the hospital? Won''t they need you here?" Mrs. Shores asked him with a curious look.


    "They will make do. I am a good and efficient doctor. I will make sure they have what they need to get through the time without me. And, I will stay here at Trinity Memorial until Ocean and Makai move to the city. I don''t need to chance that something else will happen to them.


    "Are you sure about that?" Ocean looked like he didn''t want to end up owing the man too much.


    "It''ll be fine. Now, come on, let''s get you sitting up. The sooner you do, the sooner you can start recovering some more."


    Dr. Malachi lifted Ocean''s bed and started to examine him. He checked the incisions and I started to feel relieved about this all. Ocean was healing. He was talking normally and sitting up. Everything was going just fine right now. The fact that he was alive and well was all that I needed to know to make me happy as could be.


    After we were all satisfied that Ocean was OK, we started to work out what the plan for his recovery was. We decided that it would be best if Dr. Malachi stayed at the house with us since I was told that I absolutely cannot miss that much school. Geez, Ocean''s mom can be so firm and mean sometimes.


    While I would alternate taking a day off with each of Ocean''s parents and any siblings that offered to help him, the doctor would be at the house at all times. He was the constant that was going to make sure that Ocean was OK at all times.


    Ocean could do his homework and I would turn it in for him. Once he was feeling up to it, he could go back to school but swimming had to be put on hold until the doctor cleared him.


    I didn''t care how long it took, I just wanted him to get back to being himself again. And, no matter how long it took, I would be right there by his side the entire time. I was never going to leave him. Not now, not ever.. He was stuck with me for life.

 Chapter 175 - Ocean – What Has Happened

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After I first woke up, my dad had gone to get the doctor. He checked me out and said I was looking good. The plan ended up being that I would stay in the hospital most of this week to satisfy the rest of the hospital staff and to make sure that I was indeed healing properly. However, after that I would go home and finish my recovery there.


    I was actually really shocked that I had been hurt as bad as I was. I didn''t think that someone like me, a shifter, would be able to get hurt this badly. I was beginning to think if there was something wrong with me. Something in my genetics that made me more human than the others. I mean, I was the only male Siren, I was guessing that had to account for some of my issues. Right?


    Still, it was disheartening to know that I was a supernatural being and yet I was unlike all the other supernatural beings that there were in the world. Why was it that I couldn''t just be normal in some sort of society? I wasn''t human and deep down I never felt like I was truly part of the world around me when I was growing up. And now that I know I am not human, I don''t fit in with the shifters and other people like me.


    That is probably because there weren''t any other people like me. Not exactly anyway. I was not the same as other Sirens. I wasn''t the same as Makai. I wasn''t the same as my family. I was literally an outsider through and through.


    Was that why Justin had targeted me? Was it just because I was gay, or was it because he could tell that I was different than everyone else? What did he see in me that made him want to attack me? What caused all of this?


    And while I was on the subject, when exactly did all of this stuff between Justin and me get this bad? Yeah, OK, we''ve never exactly been friends with each other, but we had been civil toward each other. We had been on the same damn team now for four years, so what had changed? What had caused all of this?


    I tried to remember. I tried to think about all of my interactions with Justin over the last few weeks, the past couple of months, hell even over the last few years. It wasn''t hard to remember most of them. He and I only really hung out with the rest of the team. There was nothing else that had bonded us.


    In the beginning, I guess he and I hadn''t actually hated each other. There was a time when he and I were almost friends. When we first joined the swim team together back in freshman year, we kind of got along. But, for some reason, we started to fight a lot toward the end of that year. If I remember correctly, I had actually beaten him out for first quite a bit that season and he hadn''t liked it very much.


    Still, losing to me and gaining a rival had actually spurred a sort of truce between us. He would tell me all the time that he was going to be me. Yeah, he called me the golden boy and he made fun of me whenever he got the chance, but it was nothing like it was now.


    If I had to pinpoint something, I would say that everything started to change around the time that I met Makai. Was it just because he was jealous of me and Makai having a rivalry and a friendship? Although he found out later that we were lovers instead of friends.


    Was Justin just jealous that he and I never became friends at all, and then Makai and I became close really quickly? I guess that could be part of it. I doubt that was what it was, all of it anyway.


    Ugh, all this damn round and round in my head was starting to give me a headache. I couldn''t figure any of this stuff out. Honestly, it was starting to make me feel dizzy right now.


    "Gah!" I grabbed my head and cried out in frustration.


    "What''s the matter?" Mom hopped out of her chair and ran to my side. Makai was already getting up from his spot next to me as well, worry written all over his face.


    "Are you in pain, Ocean? What can I do? What''s wrong?" Makai was so worried about me that it melted my heart and made it race all at the same time. He was such a good boyfriend to me. Sometimes I didn''t feel like I deserved someone like him.


    "It''s nothing." I tried to pass it off and act like I hadn''t just scared the shit out of the three people that were in the room with me.


    "Don''t give me that. You cried out like something was hurting you. Now tell me what''s wrong." Makai snapped at me, so devoted, so loving, so pissed that I was trying to hide things from him.


    "Really, I am not hurt. I just acted like an idiot because I was thinking about something, and it frustrated me to no end. I''m fine, really." Makai narrowed his eyes at me, but he slowly lowered himself into his chair.


    "OK." Good, he was finally starting to believe that I wasn''t in pain or whatever. "Just, make sure that you tell me if anything changes. Anything at all."


    I needed to watch the way that I reacted to things for right now. I didn''t want to worry Makai at all. He was going to be so paranoid for the longest time. It was probably going to be annoying, but I would deal with it. I loved him after all.


    "Well, if you''re doing OK for now baby, your dad and I will go and get some lunch. Will you be alright without us?" Mom looked like she was almost too nervous to leave me.


    "I will be fine, Mom. You and Dad go ahead and enjoy yourselves. I will see you when you get back."


    "OK, baby. I will be back soon. And I am going to call your brother and your sisters while I am gone. I will make sure that they come and visit you. Last time they didn''t because you were only in the hospital for one night, but you will be here for a few days now. This time they will want to come and see you."


    "Alright Mom." I kissed her on the cheek as she leaned in toward me. "I will see you in a bit."


    "See you soon, Ocean." My dad came over then and leaned forward just enough to kiss the top of my cheek. I probably would have been embarrassed by this display if it was anyone other than Makai in the room with me, or if I hadn''t just had a brush with death. I think my parents deserved the extra love right about now.


    It wasn''t more than five minutes after my parents left, that I was sitting and talking with Makai and his words got interrupted by a loud sound.


    "I hate being in the hospital." I laughed at him. "This place is like a torture chamber to me." Makai was smiling at me as he listened to my feeble joke.


    "When we get back home, I think that we should-."


    "Urrurrruwaurrruarrr."


    "Is there a dinosaur in here?" I narrowed my eyes and looked right at Makai. I knew what that sound was, but I wasn''t going to let him slide right away. It was too funny. "Or is that some previously undiscovered prehistoric creature that has come back to life to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting citizens of the world? Ooh, I know, it''s Godzilla''s twin brother, Stomachzilla.


    "Oh hush. It''s the middle of the afternoon and I haven''t eaten since before practice this morning. I''m fucking starving. Honestly, I am surprised that you aren''t."


    "Actually, now that you mention it, I am pretty hungry. But the food here sucks. We''re gonna need to ask the doctor if we can get some good food in here or I''m going to die." That made Makai laugh and roll his eyes at me.


    "Would you like me to go and ask the doctor then? Maybe I can get you some pasta or something like that."


    "Oh, my hero." I put on a falsetto and batted my eyes at him. He only laughed louder.


    "Already, stop with the jokes now. I''m going to go ask." He stood, leaned forward and kissed my lips gently. "I will be back as soon as I can. Don''t go anywhere."


    "Now who has the jokes?" I shook my head at him. "I have a damn catheter for crying out loud. I can''t get up even if I wanted to. That would fucking hurt."


    Well, with that embarrassing declaration, my boyfriend left me alone in the room. I was just going to sit here with my eyes closed and contemplate what it was that had actually happened to me. This day had been such a damn cluster fuck that I didn''t even know how to process it. I needed to sort my thoughts and clear it all up. Now that I was alone, I actually felt like I was able to do just that.


    "How the hell did all of this end up happening? How did it get to this point?"


    "That''s what I would like to know."

 Chapter 176 - Ocean – Why?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "How the hell did all of this end up happening? How did it get to this point?"


    "That''s what I would like to know." I had only been talking to myself, I did not expect that someone would answer me. Especially not this someone.


    "W..what are you doing here?" The words stuttered for a moment on their way out. I snapped my head up, causing myself more than a little bit of pain in the process. Now that I was looking toward the door, I was staring into the face of the last person that I wanted to see.


    Looking at his cold, anger filled eyes made my heart just about stop and my blood run cold. I normally wouldn''t be this afraid, but I had no other choice right now. I was laid up, without the ability to move too easily. I had a cast on my arm, bandages wrapped around my head from the surgery, and I had wraps around my chest from the broken rib. I was in no state whatsoever to be fending off this psychopath.


    "Look at that, you''re scared of me." Justin grinned and sauntered into the room. I don''t know how he managed to get here, or how he managed to escape police custody, but I really wished that he wasn''t here. Dammit.


    To make matters even worse, just as Justin was walking into the room, he shut the door behind him. He was cutting off my only avenue for help. And yup, sure enough, there went the lock clicking into place. This really, really wasn''t good. What was I going to do now? How was I going to make it out of here alive this time?


    "I..I''m not scared of you, Justin. I just don''t want anything to do with you."


    "Yeah, sure, that''s all that it is." He sneered at me as he came closer to me. "You''re a pansy ass little fairy that is scared of me. I know what it is. I know how you are. You''re a little fairy that wants it from every guy that you see. Isn''t that right, Ocean?"


    "Hell no!" I snapped at him, anger bubbling up inside of me. "There is only one guy that I want. He is the only reason that I am gay. I love him and I don''t ever want anyone else. If it wasn''t for him, then I would still be chasing women. That doesn''t matter though, because I have him now. I don''t want you. I don''t want any other man. Just Makai, just my.. my boyfriend."


    "Just him, huh? No one else? What, is no one else good enough? Am I not good enough? I mean, what would it matter to you as long as you were being fucked, right. That''s all that you want. That''s all that a little fucking fairy like yourself wants." Justin looked crazed. Something was seriously wrong with him. I didn''t know what it was, but I knew that he was not himself. This wasn''t the Justin that I used to know.


    "No, Justin, that''s not all that I want. You don''t know anything about me. You don''t know what it is that I want or what I need, none of it. So just leave me alone." I was raising my voice, hoping that someone would hear me, that someone would come and open the door.


    "I know. I know exactly what it is that you need, Ocean. And I''m going to give it to you."


    Before I could respond, or resist, Justin leapt at me and pushed me down on the bed. My head slammed down onto the pillow with such force that I cried out from all the pain that I felt. I also felt his hand clamp down on my wrist with enough force to instantly bruise it. Honestly, it almost felt like he was trying to break my wrist.


    The moment that Justin''s upper body slammed into my chest, I felt the screaming pain from my broken rib. The pressure of his body, the weight of it, was pressing down on me and causing the pain to be intensified nonstop.


    "Ahh! GAHH!" I cried out as I tried to get Justin off of me. The problem was, I was still weakened from the earlier attack, the unconsciousness, and the surgery. Dammit, I had barely even been awake, and here I was being attacked by the same psychopath again.


    "I''m going to give you what you want, Ocean. I heard you begging for it. You begged me for it every time that you invaded my dreams. Every time that I heard your voice. Every single time that I remembered the way you sang to me. I heard the way you begged me for it."


    "I didn''t, Justin. I swear I didn''t. Get off of me. Leave me alone."


    "No!" He yelled right into my face. "You made me this way. I wasn''t gay. I didn''t want men. I never once thought about this until you started begging me for this. Now, it''s all that I can think about. It''s all that''s been in my head. I hate you for this, Ocean. I hope you know that. I hate you for this and I will never forgive you." He looked like he was on the verge of tears, but he was so angry as well. "I''m going to give you what you''ve been begging me for. I''m going to give it to you to make the desire stop. I don''t want to want you. I don''t want to be with you, but I can''t help myself. I can''t get you out of my head. Not since I heard you singing. So take it, Ocean. Take it and make it stop."


    Justin seemed like nothing more than a crazed lunatic with how he was talking, but his words gave me pause. What was he saying? He couldn''t get me out of his head? He blamed me because he heard me singing and now this is what is happening. What is he talking about?


    I tried to think about it but that was when Justin pressed his lips to mine and forced his tongue into my mouth. The revulsion hit me then. It was full of anger, disgust, and revulsion. I didn''t want Justin kissing me, I didn''t want him touching me.


    But I had to wonder about something. Was all of this actually my fault? Had Justin actually heard me singing and then became crazy like this? Did it just get worse and worse over time after that? Was that what had happened here?


    I remember that Makai told me that my voice was captivating. My family loved my voice as well. But nothing ever happened to Makai or my family when they heard me. However, they already loved me. They might not be affected by it.


    Was all of this happening to me because I am a Siren? Did.. Did I sing without remembering it and cast some sort of Siren song spell on Justin? Am I truly the one to blame for all of this?


    I..if that were to be the case, then¡­ then Justin would be just as much of an innocent victim in this as I was. Actually, he would be more innocent than me. Because, if I truly was the one to bespell him, then this is truly all my fault. Even if I didn''t mean to do it, it''s still my fault.


    With enough effort and a lot of struggling, I finally managed to push Justin away from me. Finally, I could draw a breath and say something to him. Despite that fact, Justin was still trying to press his lips to mine.


    "Wait, Justin, just wait." I tried to make him stop, to make him listen to me.


    "No. I won''t wait. I won''t stop. I need to make this feeling go away." He was yanking at the hospital gown that I was wearing and his hand was sliding down the front of my body. I felt him glide across my naked crotch, shifting the catheter that was still inside of me and that, aside from disgusting me, hurt like hell.


    "STOP!" I yell at him. Justin''s hand didn''t stop though, he just went lower until his hand cupped my balls and squeezed with a firm pressure.


    "I can''t stop. I have to make it go away."


    How was I going to make him stop this? What could I do? What could I say to him to release him from this spell?


    "I release you, Justin. I don''t want you in my power anymore." He wasn''t stopping. His mouth had found its way to my neck, and he was kissing and biting at me. "Stop!" I nearly cried the words, not wanting to experience this anymore.


    If just telling him that I released him wasn''t enough, then what was I going to do? What options did I have? I had to think. I needed to figure this out, and quick.


    I had gotten us into this mess with my singing, maybe singing would get us out of it.


    " ?- Stop this now. Neither of us want this. Stop this, please." Finally, I was getting through to Justin. He pulled back from me, sitting on his knees as he just looked at me. That also happened to be when I heard someone pounding on the door outside. Had they been there the whole time and I just didn''t notice? It was possible. I was a little distracted. Still, I needed to keep going. I needed to release Justin from my Siren song. " ?- Stop this, please. I don''t want it any more than you do. Put me at ease. Get down and move away from me. Listen to my pleas. Listen to my voice. I want you to forget about this, please. I know you had no choice."


    I was making up the lyrics on the spot, but they were working. When I asked Justin to get off of me and move away, he did. This was coming along nicely, if I do say so myself.


    " ?- I release you, Justin, I don''t want this anymore. I release you Justin, my spell shouldn''t be what you live for."


    I watched as Justin''s eyes clouded over for a second before he seemed to slump to the ground. He looked like he was lost and didn''t know where he was.


    "I..i..it''s over." He looked and sounded so relieved. "It''s finally over." There was nothing less than pure joy in his eyes right then. "Thank you. Thank you, Ocean. Thank you for making it stop."


    He looked at me then, his eyes so full of relief, and it was like he finally just looked at me for the first time. I watched as he took in the state that I was in. The torn gown, my exposed body, and most of all, all the injuries that I had sustained.


    "Oh, God. I can''t believe I hurt you like that. I''m so sorry, Ocean. I''m so sorry." He looked like someone had just destroyed his whole world. And that someone was me. "Please, Ocean, forgive me. I''m so sorry. I''m so sorry. Please forgive me, Ocean. I''m so sorry.. I''m so very sorry."

 Chapter 177 - Ocean – What Do I Do Now?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Oh, God. I can''t believe I hurt you like that. I''m so sorry, Ocean. I''m so sorry. Please, Ocean, forgive me. I''m so sorry. I''m so sorry. Please forgive me, Ocean. I''m so sorry. I''m so very sorry."


    What was I supposed to do now? How was I supposed to deal with this? I mean, I just found out that some of the worst things that had ever happened to me in my entire life, had actually been my fault.


    I didn''t mean to bespell Justin. Hell, I didn''t even know that it was possible. But now, seeing how things were turning out now, I could tell that it had to be true. Justin''s life would be over, his future would be ruined, and he would go to jail for assaulting me. And it was all because I had sung a damn song.


    I don''t even know what song I sang or when. I don''t know if this was happening because of Makai showing up and I sang because I was happy, or was it sometime before then? Had he been feeling like this for years and now that I had been with Makai, a man, he knew I was gay he somehow thought that I actually wanted to be with him this whole time? I didn''t really know what his thought process was or how long he had suffered, but I know that somehow, it was all my fault.


    " I''m so sorry. Please forgive me, Ocean. I''m so sorry." He wasn''t stopping. Justin just kept repeating those words over and over again. It was like all the horrible things that he had said and done were crashing down on him and he couldn''t control his emotions at all.


    I heard some shouting on the other side of the door, but I wasn''t able to concentrate on it enough to figure out what they were saying. I could just tell that someone was trying to get into the room.


    "Justin, I know you didn''t mean to hurt me. I know that you couldn''t stop yourself.


    "I couldn''t. I don''t know why I did it. Please, Ocean, please help me. I don''t know what to do. I..I''m just.. I''m just so sorry, Ocean. Please forgive me."


    "I forgive you. And I promise I will try to make this all better. But, I''m afraid they''re going to arrest you first."


    "No. I don''t want to go to jail. I don''t know what happened. I don''t remember why I did it. I remember what I did, Ocean, but I don''t know why I did it."


    "I know, Justin. I know. I will talk to someone about it soon, and I will fix it."


    I felt bad. I needed to make this whole situation go away. I needed to save Justin''s life now, as awkward as that might seem. I needed to do what I could to fix all of this.


    "Justin, I think you should unlock the door now. There are quite a few people who want to get in here." I thought if he unlocked the door and I was still OK, that would somehow help Justin''s case a little bit.


    "Yeah." He nodded his head and got to his feet. "Yeah, I need to open the door. The doctors need to come in here. Makai too, I guess. He is going to be mad at me. He is going to beat the shit out of me. I deserve it, though. I deserve to die for what I did to you."


    "No, you don''t. You were not in your right state of mind, Justin. You didn''t mean for this to happen."


    "I''m sorry, Ocean. I really am."


    After saying that one last time, Justin unlocked the door and all hell broke loose. The door was opened so suddenly, that it nearly caused Justin to fall over.


    "Ocean!" Makai came running into the room and saw Justin standing right in front of him. "What did you do to him this time, you son of a bitch. What? He was still alive, so you just needed to take care of that?"


    "I''m sorry, Makai. I didn''t mean for any of this to happen." Justin''s tear streaked face seemed to throw Makai off. He didn''t expect to see a remorseful and repentant Justin standing in front of him.


    "Ocean, are you alright?" Dr. Malachi came rushing into the room behind Makai, as did two police officers.


    "Goddamn you little son of a bitch. You slippery little fucking turd. How the hell did you disappear from that bathroom, huh?" The cops put a pair of handcuffs on Justin and held him firmly.


    "I..I don''t even remember." Justin looked at the officers that were holding him.


    "Yeah, like I am going to believe that. Your health has been confirmed and there is nothing wrong with you. I don''t even know why we were forced to bring you here in the first place. This ass hat."


    "Hey, isn''t that the victim from the school." The other officer saw me sitting on the bed and I hurried to cover myself a little more. I had nearly forgotten that Justin had ripped the hospital gown and exposed my privates when he was on top of me.


    When Makai saw what I was doing, there was a red hot flash of anger that filled his eyes. He knew what had happened, or part of it, and if the cops hadn''t been here he would have retaliated against Justin right then and there.


    "Yeah, it is. You fucking came over here to try and finish him off?" The cop was just as angry.


    "No, it wasn''t like that." I tried to make things better right now. I needed to stop this from getting any worse for him. "Justin just came to talk to me, to apologize to me."


    "Apologies aren''t going to save him." The cop snapped back.


    "Yeah, but me dropping the charges would." I snapped back at him.


    "I think your parents need to answer that one, son. Not you." The cop nearly laughed at me like I was being an idiot. Did he think I was just being a softy because I was gay or something?


    "I am eighteen. I can make that decision myself." I glared at the laughing cop. These two that had been put on guard duty seemed to be useless and stupid. I hoped the other cops would be better than this.


    "Yeah, true. But are you sure you want to do that?" The non laughing cop asked me with a serious expression on his face. "He nearly killed you, kid. Don''t you want him to pay for this?"


    "He wasn''t himself when he did that." I tried to explain.


    "Was he on drugs? If so, we can book him on that."


    "NO, he wasn''t on drugs." I answered too forcefully.


    "Yeah, the doc would have told us if he was on drugs." The cop shrugged.


    "I don''t want to press charges. I want you to let him go. Please." I spoke insistently and I saw that Makai was looking at me like I was crazy.


    "Ocean, baby, are you sure you want to do this?" He came to my side then and took my hand. "He almost killed you. I can''t bear to even think what I would do without you."


    "I''m sure, Makai. And I promise that I will explain it to you later."


    "But-."


    "I''m sure, Makai. This is what I want. This is what we need to do."


    "Alright. If you say so. Then I won''t stop you. But I want to hear it all later."


    "And I will tell you. You and Dr. Malachi both." I looked at the doctor who was equally shocked by my choice to drop the charges. "Please, officers, let Justin go."


    "Whatever, it''s your choice kid." The laughing cop took the cuffs off Justin then. "This is your lucky day, kid. You nearly kill someone, sexually assault them, and you still end up getting off scot-free."


    "Th..thank you, Ocean." Justin rubbed his wrists and looked at me with relief in his eyes. "Thank you so much."


    "Justin!" Makai called after him. "Don''t leave town. I want to talk to you later, got it?"


    "Y..yeah, I get it. I will be around."


    "Good."


    With that, Justin ran out of the room and I was left alone with the cops, Dr. Malachi, and a very angry looking Makai. I knew that they all wanted answers, they all wanted to know why I had decided that Justin could go free. I couldn''t tell them that, not all of them. So I needed to wait until the cops left.


    They insisted on getting a statement from me about what happened in the room before they all came in. I told them an abridged version that didn''t include Justin assaulting me. I told them that he just wanted to talk to me and to apologize to me. Makai could tell that I was lying and I knew that he wanted to know the truth, but he had to wait.


    After that was all done and over with, the cops gave me some speech about why I was making the wrong choice and why I should change my mind. I wasn''t going to listen to them though, because they didn''t know the whole truth.


    "Thank you, officers, but I think I will stick with my decision. I won''t be changing my mind anytime soon. Just so you know, this is the right decision."


    "Yeah, sure it is, kid." The cop that liked to laugh rolled his eyes at me and turned to leave the room. "Don''t call us the next time that that guy kicks your ass."


    With that, the cops left and I was left alone with Makai and Dr.. Malachi.

 Chapter 178 - Makai – I Want An Explanation

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Thank you, officers, but I think I will stick with my decision. I won''t be changing my mind anytime soon. Just so you know, this is the right decision." I couldn''t believe what was happening. How? How could he have just told the cops that he didn''t want to press charges? How could this be happening?


    "Yeah, sure it is, kid." The cop that had been laughing this whole time just rolled his eyes at my Ocean before he turned around and left the room. "Don''t call us the next time that that guy kicks your ass."


    Oh, that cop was lucky that I couldn''t do anything to him. If he wasn''t a cop and if I wasn''t in a hospital filled with witnesses, then I would have kicked his fucking ass right then and there. Yeah, I might be pissed as all hell about what was happening right now, but that didn''t mean that I was going to just accept that some fucking prick just spoke like that to my boyfriend. That stupid asshole better watch his mouth around people, especially victims of vicious assaults that were making horrible, horrible decisions right now.


    The moment that it was just me, Ocean and Dr. Malachi in the room, I turned to look at my adorable, sexy, stupid boyfriend that had just made one of the biggest mistakes of his entire life.


    "Ocean, what the hell did you do?" I snapped at him the moment that I could unstick my tongue and form words.


    "Makai, you don''t understand, it''s-."


    "You''re right, I don''t understand." I snapped at him angrily as I interrupted his words. "Why? Why did you tell them you''re not pressing charges? I can see that he assaulted you again. Your wrist is covered in bruises, there are tear stains on your cheeks from the pain you felt. Your gown was torn and exposing your fucking dick to the room. And I can see a goddamn hickey on your neck that I know for fucking certain that I didn''t give to you. So yeah, I don''t know why you would drop the charges when you were clearly physically and sexually assaulted again. What the hell?"


    I could see the way that Ocean''s face crumpled when I spoke. I think he had somehow hoped that I wouldn''t have figured out what had happened to him after I left the room. I think he thought that he had hidden it all. Well, there was no way for him to hide the fact that I saw him exposed for everyone to see. Not to mention the giant purplish bite mark on his neck. Justin had clearly been frantic, or overzealous, or something when he went after my boyfriend. That was not something that I was going to let slide. This was something that required Justin to pay, and if I could, I would make him pay with his fucking life.


    "I''m sorry for disappointing you, Makai. You just don''t know what happened. It''s hard to explain, but all of this was my fault. Everything from the taunts and fights at school to everything that happened today. It was all because of something that I did."


    "What in the actual fucking hell?!" I roared the words way too loudly.


    I could not believe the words that were coming out of my boyfriend right now. He was blaming himself for all of this. How? Did Justin get to him? I mean, aside from physically. Did he manage to brainwash and manipulate my boyfriend in that short amount of time? How the hell did this happen?


    "Ocean, this was not your fault." I took his hands then and tried to sooth him. I needed to make him see reason now. I needed him to understand. "You''re the victim. This was all Justin''s fault, not yours. He did this to you. He hurt you. Why can''t you see that?"


    "No, Makai. It''s not as clear cut as you think it is. There''s more to the story than what you know. You see-."


    "Ocean, son, Makai is right. This was not your fault. I have seen victims blame themselves before. They think that they were attacked because of something that they did but it''s never their fault. When someone makes the choice to attack another person like this, it is never the victim''s fault. You have to understand that, son. It''s not your fault." Dr. Malachi was doing his best to make Ocean see that this was all just crazy.


    "No. It is. You have to listen to me. Please. Both of you, please ,just listen to me." Ocean looked so scared and worried right now. What could possibly be going through his mind right now? And how was I going to fix all of this?


    "Fine, Ocean, we will listen. I won''t interrupt you anymore. I am all ears." I sighed, sat in the chair next to the bed, and held his hands in mine. I needed to touch him to make sure he was real and that this wasn''t all just a bad dream. Then again, I would rather all of this just be a dream instead.


    I watched as my boyfriend took a deep breath to steady himself. He closed his eyes, let the breath out slowly, then turned to look at me.


    "Listen, Makai, this really was all my fault. Justin wasn''t responsible for what he did because of something that I did. Something that I did to him without meaning to." I didn''t answer him, I just nodded to let him know that I was following along. "You see, I don''t know when or where it happened, but Justin heard me singing."


    OK, so Justin heard my boyfriend''s beautiful voice, how did that change anything at all? I didn''t understand, but apparently, Dr. Malachi did.


    "Oh!?" He seemed to instantly understand what Ocean was talking about and he looked so worried for a moment. "That actually explains a lot."


    "How? What does it explain?" I asked him, still angry that I wasn''t understanding this.


    "Makai, when Justin heard me singing, he was put under a spell. I didn''t mean to, but for some reason he kept getting messages in his head that I wanted him. He must have heard me singing after I got with you. I didn''t even know that I was doing it, but it had to be about love or sexual desire. That is all that I can think about when I try to put it together. But he said that I was begging for his touch and that he needed to make the voices stop. He hated me for feeling the way that he did because he isn''t gay but was feeling compelled to take me."


    "So, he was bespelled when you sang?" I was still confused. "But I don''t understand, I wasn''t affected by your voice when you sang in front of me."


    "Ah, there is an explanation for that." Dr. Malachi gave me a knowing look. "You are Ocean''s mate, so you will not be affected by him."


    "And what about his family? He said that he used to sing all the time when he was younger. Why were they not affected by his voice? Hmm?" I was looking for a way that it wasn''t Ocean''s fault at all, and it was still just Justin''s fault.


    "That is easy to answer as well. His family already loved him. They loved him as a son and a brother. There was no need for them to be affected by the Siren''s Song. That, or the song was less effective when he was that young." Dr. Malachi looked like he wasn''t completely sure of the reason, but he was acting like he knew everything, nonetheless.


    "Still, that doesn''t make it Ocean''s fault. Justin attacked him because he was an asshole. He hurt my boyfriend and he should have to pay for it." I was losing this fight here and that was annoying me. However, there wasn''t much left for me to do about it.


    "No, Makai, you still don''t get it. Had Justin not heard me singing, he never would have done that to me. It was all the power of the Siren Song." Ocean''s eyes were pleading when he looked at me.


    "Ocean is right. The Siren Song can do many things to humans. They can make them desire someone so much that they would go to war for them. They will attack them if they can''t have them. And they even gain strength from it. The strength is so that the men that the Sirens attract can survive the encounter. So, that explains how he was able to hurt Ocean so badly as well. He was fighting with strength that was more than an average human''s." GAH! Why did Dr. Malachi has to say that?


    "Shit." I had lost the argument. They were right and I was wrong. Dammit! I didn''t want any part of this to be my Ocean''s fault. I know that he is going to internalize this incident because it was his fault and all that.


    "Now, do you see, Makai? I had to tell them to let him go. I know that Justin won''t hurt me ever again. I know that he will just go back to being the guy that didn''t like that I was better than him at swimming." Ocean sounded so weak and hurt just from saying these words.


    "Look, Ocean, you might have inadvertently caused this, but that doesn''t mean that it is your fault. You didn''t mean for this to happen. You didn''t want this to happen to either of you. So don''t blame yourself." I didn''t like that he was trying to make himself into some bad guy here.


    "No, Makai, it is my fault. I shouldn''t have been singing. I shouldn''t have done that to him." Ocean hung his head in shame and that broke everything inside of me.


    "It was an accident, Ocean. You didn''t do it on purpose. You didn''t know that your singing would have that effect on people. None of us did."


    "I should have. I am a Siren, for crying out loud. I know the legends. I should have known better than to ever sing again. I vow never to sing again, for the rest of my life. I can''t do it. I can''t let that happen to anyone else."


    "Ocean?" I stood up abruptly then and pulled Ocean into my arms. I needed to calm this broken heart of his. I needed to make him feel better. I had to make him understand that he was not to blame. If Justin wasn''t to blame, then no one was. Ocean didn''t mean for this to happen anymore than Justin did.


    "By the way, son, how did you break the spell?" Did Dr. Malachi really have to ask that right now?


    "Oh, well, I tried to just tell him that I released him, but it didn''t work. In the end, I.. I uhm.. I had to sing to him to break it."


    "More singing?" I asked with shock in my voice as Ocean blushed embarrassedly.. After that, we all three started laughing at the absurdity of it.

 Chapter 179 - Makai – Back To School

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Well, needless to say it was a busy day. Ocean had been attacked, twice. He had surgery, he had released his assailant of all responsibility, even though I think he still deserved to pay for what he did. And then, after that, we had the lovely time of trying to explain to Ocean''s parents the reasoning behind him letting Justin go. They weren''t very happy either.


    I stayed with Ocean until visiting hours were over and the scary ass fucking nurse chased me away from him with a scowl and clipboard. He wasn''t alone though, since they were letting his mom stay with him through the night. Apparently, even though we were engaged they wouldn''t let me stay with him. They didn''t think that the engagement was real or whatever. Stupid nurses.


    I was also told that I needed to go to school the next day. WHY!? Didn''t they understand what I was going through? I mean, my mate was laying in a hospital bed and nearly died. Why did they all expect me to just get on with my life like nothing had happened at all. This was driving me nuts.


    So, completely against my better judgement and desire, I got up Tuesday morning and got ready for swim practice. This was going to cement things for the rest of the school. They were going to know who was involved in the entire fiasco that had happened.


    When I pulled up to the school, I saw someone that I really didn''t want to see. Justin was just getting out of his car and heading to the front door of the school.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" I shouted at him and raced up to the steps of the school.


    "I am only here to get my things." He hung his head in shame. "I am here before school starts so that I don''t interfere with anyone''s day." I could tell that he didn''t want to be anywhere near me at all. "Look, Makai, I don''t know why I did that to Ocean. I know that we haven''t been friends since we were younger, and I honestly don''t know why. There was a time when we were decent to each other. A long time ago, back in freshman year, we were somewhat like buddies. But then things changed. I don''t remember what it was. I don''t even remember why it all happened. I just know that one day I started to loathe the sight of him, and it didn''t make sense to me. It''s been that way for years. And it was like an instantaneous thing too. I''m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I swear, I truly didn''t want to hurt him."


    "For years now?" I was confused. I thought Ocean had started to sing because of me, that was what he had thought too. But, is it truly possible, did he bespell him that long ago? Then, what was it that caused things to get so much worse?


    "Yeah, it was weird, it was like, whenever Ocean was involved, I would go into some sort of trance-like state. When he was around, or whenever he was mentioned, or whenever I would even think about him. It was the strangest thing, and it just kept getting worse and worse. Then, when he and Britney broke up it was like something inside of me snapped and it just got worse. Every new thing that I learned about Ocean seemed to make a rage build inside of me. It was like an uncontrollable fog of anger and jealousy, but I didn''t want to feel it."


    "You''re not making much sense." I grabbed my head and shook it a few times, trying to get all of his words to fall into place.


    "I know, it doesn''t make any sense to me either. Have you ever heard a song on the radio or just heard someone talking and it grates on your nerves and makes you angry?" He looked at me with eyes that were so much more innocent than I ever expected them to look. "Well, that is sort of what I was feeling. Only it was like, constant. Whenever a thought of Ocean went through my head, it was like anger surged through me in uncontrollable waves, and it was slowly driving me insane. Oh God, I can''t believe what I''ve done over the years. And yesterday, how could I have done that?" At that moment, Justin fell to his knees and covered his face while he started to sob.


    "Justin?" I was not expecting this today at all.


    "Ocean should still press charges against me. He should send me to prison for the rest of my life. I''m a horrible person. He needs to tell them to arrest me. They need to haul me away and throw away the key."


    "Hahhhh."


    I sighed long and loud when I heard what Justin had to say. I was glad that Ocean wasn''t here to see this. If he saw how broken up Justin was he would blame himself even more.


    "Hahh." I sighed again, unable to stop myself. "Listen Justin, I want you to come talk to Ocean later. Some time when he is out of the hospital. I want to figure all of this out."


    "Are you going to convince him to press charges against me? He needs to. I know that I was relieved yesterday because I wasn''t going to jail, but the more that I think about it, the more that I hate myself for what I''ve done. Tell him that he needs to punish me. Tell him that I need to pay for what I have done."


    "I will tell him, but what he decides will be his own choice. I want you to understand that this meeting is to talk about the future and what needs to be done. There is no guarantee."


    "OK, I understand. I will meet with you whenever you want me to. Here." At that, Justin grabbed a pen and a piece of paper from the bag on his shoulder. He used them to write down his number and pushed it into my hands. "I will be waiting for you to call me. I will help you to convince Ocean that I need to pay for my sins."


    After that, Justin didn''t have much more to say. He just ran into the school and disappeared.


    "This isn''t what I expected." I sighed again before heading to the locker room.


    Well, I guess nobody wanted to practice after yesterday. No one was in the locker room, and no one was in the pool. Come to think of it, I should have known when I didn''t see Ben and Ryan getting ready this morning.


    Well, I was here early for nothing. Having nothing else to do, I started to look for the coach. I wanted to give him an update on Ocean. He would be worried about him as well.


    I couldn''t find the coach in his office or in his classroom. I was about to check the teacher''s lounge until I saw him out of the corner of my eye in the office. There was the coach, the principal, and that teacher from yesterday, Mr. Garret. I hurried into the office so that they wouldn''t disappear from my line of sight.


    "Makai?" Coach called out to me almost immediately. "What are you doing here?"


    "I didn''t get the memo about practice being cancelled." I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "So, I was here too early."


    "Oh, well, thank God you didn''t run into, uhm-"


    "I saw Justin outside. That is kind of why I want to talk to you all."


    Following that, I went into the office to talk to the three of them. I told them an abridged and edited version of what happened between Ocean and Justin. I told them that the situation was being resolved and that I knew Justin couldn''t come back to school for what he did, but I asked that he be accepted into the online school that they offered for the remainder of the year.


    "Why do you want to help him? After what he did, why would you try so hard for him?" The coach didn''t seem to understand why I was saying all of this.


    "I have my reasons, and I know this is what Ocean would want. By the way, we can ban Justin from graduation. He shouldn''t be allowed to join everyone else, but I do think that he needs to graduate. What he does with his future after that will be his own choice."


    I followed up my request by telling them that Justin had a medical issue that caused all of this. An issue that I was personally going to see to it that Dr. Malachi helped us to fix. By the time that I am done with all of this, Justin won''t remember that he doesn''t have a medical issue that led to all of this. Also, I can personally see to it that Justin would never cause this kind of problem ever again.


    There, that was settled. I did my good deed for today. Nobody could ever say that I wasn''t a truly kind and compassionate man. I even helped those that I didn''t think truly deserved it.


    "I hope you know what you''re doing Ocean, because I am staking all of this on the stuff that you told me yesterday." After another long and drawn out sigh, I went to class and started this very long day.. I was already ready for it to be over. Was it two thirty yet?

 Chapter 180 - Makai – Assembly Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Oh, great, an assembly. This is just what I need. I get to sit through this massively uncomfortable charade as the people in charge try to explain to the students what actually happened yesterday. Yay. So fun. Can I just go home already?


    I shuffled to the gym with everyone else. Ryan was right next to me from the start and Ben joined us along the way. None of us said anything as we moved with the crowd. The two of them just looked at me with eyes that were filled with concern and worry. They were still upset about Ocean and didn''t know what was going on. I needed to tell them about everything later, I needed to explain it all to them.


    Ryan, Ben and I sat in the back of the bleachers once we got to the gym. I wanted to be away from the annoying and watchful eyes of everyone else. I had already been dealing with everyone staring at me since I got to class this morning. They knew that I knew what had happened yesterday, but they had, so far, been unable to ask me anything about it. Even the people in the hallway on the way to the gym had stared at me and whispered, not too quietly. It was all quite annoying.


    Once the entire school was present, seated, and quiet, the principal stepped to the middle of the gym where there was a microphone in place for him and for the rest of the staff to use. I saw him search the crowd of gathered students, and his eyes lingered on me for a moment before continuing.


    "Hey, guys, you might hear some things during the principal''s explanation that don''t make sense and that don''t add up for you. Do me a favor and keep it to yourself for the time being and I promise I will explain everything to you later." I didn''t look at either Ben or Ryan, but I know that they heard me. I watched as the two of them jumped and slightly recoiled like they had been slapped in the face unexpectedly or something.


    "What are you talking about?" Ryan didn''t sound so happy right now. "What won''t add up?" His voice was just a whisper as he leaned in toward me, but I still heard it.


    "Makai? What did you do? Does Ocean know anything about all of this? Tell me that this isn''t going to be what I think it is. Please." Ben sounded so upset it was hard to tell if he was angry or worried.


    "Just trust me and don''t get upset when the principal starts explaining. I promise you this is all according to Ocean''s wishes." That made both of them gasp but none of us had the chance to keep up the conversation, the principal chose that moment to start addressing the school.


    "Thank you all for joining us today for this assembly. I know that you are all still confused and looking for answers after yesterday''s events. Today, I would like to clear up a little bit of the confusion and fear that you all must have right now."


    There was a small amount of murmuring that broke out at the principal''s introduction to the gathering. Several of the students looked around themselves, clearly looking for something, or someone. I had a sneaking suspicion that they were looking for me. This was why I had chosen to hide myself away.


    "Now then, as you all know, the school went into lockdown mode yesterday. That is not something that happens here often. Actually, let us be honest, I can''t remember the last time that it happened to us here. I know that there are troubles in the world right now and that all of the possible horrors of the situation most likely flashed through your minds. For that, I apologize. We should have explained things to you yesterday, but there simply wasn''t enough knowledge yesterday to do that. Today, however, we know more of the details and can explain to you what had happened."


    The principal paused again and looked around at the students once again. I think he was gauging them, checking to see if they believed him right now or not. I don''t know about everyone else, but I knew that this was the point that the principal''s whole story was going to be nothing but one big lie. I couldn''t complain, though, since I was the one that had asked for him to lie. In truth, he was doing this based on my lie to him because I couldn''t tell him the truth. It was just one lie after another. Would it ever end?


    "Now, yesterday morning, on the way to class there was an accident. At the time we were uncertain whether the incident had been caused by another individual or not, so we were not able to share the details of the situation. At the time of the accident, two students who had had a disagreement earlier in the morning were talking and working out their differences. During that talk, completely without fault to either party, one of the students was injured."


    "WHAT!"


    "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WITHOUT FAULT?"


    "WASN''T HE ATTACKED?"


    "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"


    The students all around us started to yell out their objections to the principal''s explanation. At the same time, both Ben and Ryan turned to glare at me with matching looks of fury and sadness.


    "Makai, how could this happen? Why is he saying that?"


    "What the hell, man? What is he doing?"


    "Calm down, you two." I turned to look at them and gave them as reassuring a look as I could. "The principal is doing what I asked him to do. And I only asked him because of Ocean. I will explain it all to you later. Please, just wait and I promise you will know what is going on."


    "You''d better tell us, and you better not leave any of it out." Ryan looked angry as he stared at me.


    "I don''t like this, Makai, but I will reserve judgement until later."


    While we talked, the principal and the rest of the staff were working to calm everyone down so that the conversation could be continued. They were having a hard time of it though, since everyone was objecting with their opinions and rebuttals. This was not going very well for them.


    Ugh! I hope they can calm all of them down soon. All of this screaming and the raucous objections were giving me a massive headache. Then again, I think that most of my headache was caused by my irritation with the fact that I wasn''t with Ocean right now. I wanted to be there with him and to know how he was doing today.


    "Hahh!" I sighed as I thought about it. I hadn''t even been able to talk to him earlier when I called. His mom answered the phone and told me that he was sleeping so I had to wait. I just wanted this day to be over so that I could rush to the hospital and see him as soon as possible.


    The voices around me weren''t calming down. If anything they were getting worse. I was holding the side of my head while I watched the staff trying their best to fix this. However, that was when I saw Coach Dickson slowly walk forward until he was beside the principal.


    The coach didn''t take the microphone from the principal before he spoke. Nope he just glared at the crowd of students and yelled out in a voice that was loud enough to be heard over them all. He was used to making himself heard, he was a coach and a teacher.


    "ENOUGH!" His voice rumbled out and rang above the sound of everyone else. "I don''t want to hear another word from anyone that has not been given permission to speak." At that, every student in the attendance stopped talking and stopped moving.


    For a moment, I wondered if the coach had somehow killed them all with the force of his voice. That, or he might have put a spell on them like Ocean did to Justin. No matter what it was that he had done, it was impressive. I mean, how many people in this world could do something like that? I had a feeling that there weren''t all that many, at least not that many in the school at least.


    "There, Joe, I think they will stay quiet and listen to the rest of what you have to say now." The coach grinned at the principal and started to walk away.


    "Thank you, Richard. That was a big help." Everyone was still recoiling a little while the two men had their little exchange. I didn''t care. All I wanted was for this to get a move on so that I could get out of here. I had a feeling that I wasn''t going to make it through this whole day. I was ready for school to end and it hadn''t been a session for all that long. Dammit, I just wanted to see my Ocean. I wanted to see my boyfriend. It went beyond want, actually, it was a deep, longing, aching need that I was trying to ignore since it couldn''t be filled just yet.


    "I will see you soon, Ocean." I whispered just before the principal started to talk again.. Ugh! Even his voice was starting to grate on my nerves like it was nails on a chalkboard or something like that.

 Chapter 181 - Makai – Assembly Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Now, I ask that all of you refrain from interrupting me again. We will allow for some questions to be asked once I am done explaining things to all of you. Now, settle down and take your seats."


    The principal gave his instructions and waited for the kids that had leapt to their feet to sit back down. There was the sound of shuffling and moving around as one by one those that had stood up sat down again. I noticed that, not so coincidentally, all the ones that stood up had been members of the swim team.


    All of them had been there yesterday when Justin and Ocean had had their little argument. They also knew about the fact that Justin had taken a stool and beaten it onto the door of  Ocean''s locker in the locker room.


    More than anyone else in the entire school, the swim team knew what had been going on and suspected what had happened to Ocean and why Justin wasn''t here at school today as well. They weren''t accepting the principal''s lies.


    Damn. I would need to talk to them and tell them that this was all the ''truth''. I needed them to believe the story or things would end up turning out bad for us all.


    I pulled my phone from my pocket and started to group thread with the entire swim team. Even Ben and Ryan were in the text group, but I whispered to them before I started to type the words to the group.


    "Play along." I didn''t say anything else to them, and I knew that they were confused about that cryptic message at first.


    [ME]


    Hey guys. I know that the stuff the principal is saying may surprise you, but it is all true. Please, believe him and don''t cause any more problems.


    "Now, as I was saying, the incident yesterday was of no fault of the student that was injured nor the one that he was talking to. Both students suffered injuries during the incident, but one only received minor injuries while the other was more severely hurt. They were both taken to the hospital for evaluation for those injuries."


    Yeah, this was all sounding fishy to my ears. Was that just because I knew the truth, or was it because the principal was a terrible liar? I didn''t know which one it was, but it was kind of sad to listen to this explanation from him. Hahh! Why did I feel like it was going to fall on me to make sure that everyone believed what the principal was saying? Oh well, what was a little more lying? I mean, I have been lying to them all since the beginning and I have only added to the lies one after the other.


    [KATIE]


    Come on Kai, we know that it''s not true. Justin was after Ocean. We all saw it.


    [ALEXIS]


    Yeah, he was disturbed and crazy. He did something to Ocean, didn''t he?


    [BEN]


    No, Kai is telling the truth. Don''t worry.


    [RYAN]


    Yeah, listen to Kai, he knows more about it than us.


    "I know that all of you have been speculating about who it was that had been hurt and how they are doing. I want to clear some of that up a little bit so that you will all know how your classmates, teammates, and fellow students are doing."


    The principal tried to smile but I saw that he was having trouble making it look real or convincing. This was not going well. Would all the students in the school believe that he was just nervous about Ocean''s condition? God, I hope so.


    "Now, I am sure that many of you have deduced that it was Justin Jeffries and Ocean Shores that were injured yesterday. The two were talking privately, trying to work out the issue that they had had earlier in the morning when there was a partial collapse of the ceiling in the classroom that they were in."


    That was a novel idea. I hadn''t known what he was going to say happened. I hadn''t actually stuck around this morning when he was talking with the others, so I hadn''t been part of the planning process. Still, I guess it could have been a good explanation. Assuming that none of the students had looked in the classroom and saw that the ceiling was just fine.


    "Now, during that tragic accident, Ocean was directly below the falling debris. Justin had tried to push him out of the way but he was still struck by the large and heavy objects. Ocean also suffered injuries during the fall when he was pushed out of the way. Justin in turn, had been hit with the debris on his head and back. Both of the boys were taken to the hospital where they received treatment for their injuries."


    There were whispers then, but they weren''t very loud, so the principal didn''t pause to make them be quiet. He just started to speak again, drowning them out.


    "Justin was treated and discharged, but he requires follow up care from specialists that he will be seeing soon. For that, he will not be back in school for quite some time, possibly for the rest of the school year. As for Ocean, he is still in the hospital but he is listed as being in stable condition. He will be going home to rest before too much longer. Once he is fully healed, he will return to the school."


    The whispering stopped, but this new silence was somehow worse. I could practically hear the curiosity in the hearts of all the people that were surrounding me. Thankfully, the principal didn''t pause for long after his explanation.


    "I plan to have some cards delivered to Ocean at the hospital, they will be up here for you all to sign soon. There are also cards for Justin that you could sign as well. They will be next to Ocean''s. I want the boys to know that we support them both and want them both to recover soon." There was only a slight pause this time before he continued. "Now, is there anything that any of you would like to ask about what had happened yesterday?"


    Several hands shot into the air, and this was where the rest of the staff that were standing near the principal came in handy. They were going to help call on the students so that they got the names right.


    "Yes, Alaya?" A female teacher called on what looked like a freshman girl.


    "I..I heard that Justin had a weapon and attacked Ocean. I heard that the school was put into lockdown because shots had been fired from his gun. Is that true or not?"


    "No, absolutely not." Hey, look at that, the principal looked like he was telling the truth now. Well, that was because he was telling the truth now but still.


    "OK." Alaya sat down and they moved onto the next kid.


    "Go ahead, Riley." Mr. Garret called on a guy that was in front of me. He was on the swim team and seemed angry.


    "If Justin wasn''t as injured as Ocean, how come he won''t be coming back to school this year? Is he being expelled? I want to know the truth."


    "Calm down, Riley. Justin received a head injury that requires special attention. I can''t go into further detail since it would violate privacy, but I assure you that Justin is seeking treatment. He also hasn''t been expelled. Instead, he is switching to the online school format until the year is over. He will be receiving his treatment but still going to school so that he does not fail."


    "Does that mean that Justin was more injured? Should we be more worried about him than Ocean? I mean, Ocean will be back soon, but Justin won''t be back at all. Come on, tell us." Brittney didn''t want to be called on, she just jumped out with her words, but no one seemed to want to validate her words. After a moment, the principal did answer her.


    "They received different kinds of injuries. It is not comparable."


    "YEAH! OCEAN ALMOST DIED, BUT JUSTIN WAS JUST FINE." I heard someone else yell. Apparently, it was someone else that sympathized with my boyfriend.


    "Settle down." The principal called out to the kids that were starting to yell. "This is not the time to let our emotions get the better of us.


    "I don''t care. I want to know what happened. I don''t want to hear these vague explanations and lies. I want the truth of it all." Brittney, now standing on her feet with her hands on her hips, was glaring at the principal.


    "And I want you to sit down and behave. You are being disrespectful." This was the coach who had stood and spoken loudly and firmly at Brittney.


    There were a few more questions, but it seemed that most of the kids believed what the principal had to say. Even the team was coming around even with what they knew had happened yesterday.


    Now that we were all getting ready to leave the gym, the cards were ready for us to sign. I stayed in my seat as I watched the whole school line up to sign the cards. I was also a little happy when I saw that everyone was signing the cards for Ocean, but only about a quarter of the school signed the one for Justin.


    Yeah, I know he was actually not at fault here, but I was still salty about it all. I didn''t like that he had hurt my boyfriend, even though he had been bespelled and not responsible for it all. He was still the one that did it and I was glad to see that most of the people felt the same way as me.


    Now, I  could get back to the rest of my day and then get out of here to see my Ocean.

 Chapter 182 - Makai – It Couldnt Be Peaceful Could It?

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The morning seemed to be dragging. I mean, after the assembly. But then again, it dragged before and after that as well. Now, though, with everyone whispering about the assembly and the ''incident'' I felt like every minute was lasting an eternity.


    When lunch finally arrived and I was able to relax a little, albeit still among the whispers, I sighed in relief. I had been so tense and annoyed all morning that I just felt like I couldn''t breathe.


    "This day is hell." I said as I flopped down onto the bench at the table I usually sat at with Ben, Ryan, Alexis, Katie, Cassie, and a few others. Ocean was usually here as well, but he obviously wasn''t here today.


    "Oh, you''re just pissed because you have to be here with us losers instead of with Ocean." Katie laughed at me as she sat down across from me.


    "Yeah, we''re not cool enough for Sir Kai. We''re just lowly girls, nothing as big and important as THE Ocean." Alexis joined her and made her jokes as well.


    "Hey, maybe if we all pretended to be Ocean, he would like us more." Cassie sat on Katie''s other side and looked at me.


    "Don''t even try it, girls. Ocean is all that he thinks about. Trust me when I say that. He is completely obsessed." Ryan was now sitting next to me, his tray of food in his hands.


    "I don''t know if I would say obsessed, but he''s definitely hyper focused on him. But hey, that''s what love is, right?" Ben sat on my right, opposite of Ryan and came, somewhat, to my defense.


    "I am just tired, annoyed, and I want to know how Ocean is doing. His mom isn''t letting me call him while I am at school. When I tried between classes, she just angrily yelled at me and said that I needed to focus on my education and take lots of notes so that Ocean could catch up when he was out of the hospital." I felt miserable and lonely, even though I was surrounded by my friends at the moment.


    "HAHA! That''s funny. And just like the Mrs. Shores that I remember." Ryan laughed at me.


    "Yeah, I am learning that she is like this more often than not. She''s scary." I mumbled the words as I agreed with him.


    "Oh, that''s for sure. I remember some of the times when Ocean did stupid stuff when we were younger. She would just look at him with this really scary look and he would instantly apologize and make sure to never do it again." Ben was laughing as he agreed with Ryan.


    "That''s nothing." Katie piped up. "Did you ever meet his sister? Man, she was scary. I remember when we all went to Ocean''s house for his birthday when we were freshmen. His sister literally stared down any girl that got close to him. I wonder if she knew Ocean was going to wind up with a man or something. Still, she didn''t want to let anyone touch her precious little brother at the time. It was scary at the time, but I can appreciate the adorableness of it all now. I mean, she would hug Ocean to her and say things like ''oh, my little baby brother, I love you so much, Ocean'' and he would try to push her away while saying something like ''get off me you crazy brat, leave me alone''. Man did that piss her off, but it also just made her want to snuggle him even more. It was funny, in retrospect. It was scary at the time, but funny now."


    "Oh, I remember that, but his brother was even worse." Alexis chimed in. "I remember back then I had this huge crush on Ocean. I was talking to my friend about it at the party and his brother overheard. He came up to us with this friendly look on his face and said something like: ''Oh, you like my baby brother, Ocean, well you can''t have him. He is too important and precious to our family. Stay away from him. Just love him from afar. I tell you it was such a relief when his siblings stopped coming to his parties." All of the girls just started to laugh together as they reminisced about my boyfriend''s past.


    I liked this. I was learning a lot about Ocean that I had never known before and I was learning about what his family was like as well. This was so much fun for me. And it was actually putting a smile on my face. I wanted to learn even more about Ocean, his family, and when he was younger. I had a feeling that I would never find this stuff out unless I heard it from third party sources.


    It was definitely helping me to feel a lot better. I wasn''t with my Ocean, but I was talking about him, and that was pretty good in its own way as well. Dammit! I just wanted to go and see him right now. Why did I have to be here at school while he was hurt and needing me? Why couldn''t I go and see how he was doing right this minute?


    And I really wish that things would have kept going good like this. If only things would have just stayed between me and my friends like that. That would have been the best way for me to spend my lunch break. Even though I wasn''t eating I would have considered it a good lunch.


    But no. Things couldn''t stay like that. No matter how much I wished that things would be peaceful and easy for me for once, life had other ideas for me. Dammit! Why couldn''t it be peaceful, huh? Why couldn''t it have been peaceful and easy for me for once? Didn''t I deserve that much? Didn''t I deserve to be happy and peaceful?


    "Makai Rivers!" I heard a very unpleasant and unwanted voice call out to me from across the cafeteria. I didn''t need to turn to see who it was, I knew who had called out to me the moment that I heard that eardrum ruining sound. "I hate you, Makai Rivers. You ruin everything." Ugh, that piercing voice, it truly was painful and grated on my nerves.


    Slowly, I lifted my head from the table and turned to look at the person that had called out to me. I took my time doing it because I really didn''t want to see what she wanted, or even look at her. This was going to be a nasty and unpleasant confrontation and I would much rather continue to just talk about the good stuff with my friends.


    She was standing there, glaring at me with her hate-filled eyes practically dripping venom and daggers flying from her eyes. Her hands were on her hips, feet spread wide as she huffed and puffed. I actually thought that fire might spew from her disgusting mouth as she breathed so heavily.


    "What do you want, Brittney?" I rose to my feet and turned to face her. I knew that she wanted a big confrontation in front of everyone, hence the scene she was already making. At least she didn''t have a gang of goons with her this time. Not having to deal with the goon squad from last time would make this easier on me.


    "What do I want?" She scoffed at me. "Like you can''t figure it out on your own." She just spat the words at me in anger and flipped her disgusting looking hair.


    "Nope, I can''t think of anything. Aside from the simple fact that you just want to annoy me, I don''t know what on earth you could possibly want." I made it quite clear that I was annoyed and pissed off at her right now. She was ruining what was looking like a good time talking about my Ocean. Damn her and her fucking attitude.


    "What I want, Makai Rivers, is for you to leave. I want you out of our fucking school. Ever since you got here it''s been one tragedy after another. I think it''s you that hurt both Ocean and Justin. Just like you hurt Ocean back in September. And you turned him gay just to steal him away from me. You''re toxic. You''re disgusting. You don''t need to be here in our school. None of us want you here."


    Hmm. That was news to me. I looked around the room at all the people that were listening in and thought about how many of them would want me here and how many of them wouldn''t. I knew that there were at least a fair few that wanted me here but I didn''t know about the rest of them.. So, how full of truth were her words? From the faces that I could see looking at me, I didn''t think that she knew what the rest of the students wanted at all.

 Chapter 183 - Makai – Confrontation

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Brittney, why are you doing this? I mean, really, what is the real reason behind you doing this?" I just rolled my eyes and tried to ignore her stupid ''better than you'' attitude.


    "I just told you, Makai, none of us want you here. You almost killed Ocean and Justin. We all know that it was you. You were the one there when Ocean nearly died last time. And you were there this time. We all know that you''re a sick, sadistic, perverted psychopath."


    "You know that, huh? You know all of this stuff about me that I didn''t even know about myself? Wow, you must be a psychic or the world''s best detective. They should pay you for your deductions, Brittney."


    "Huh? Deductions? I didn''t take anything, least of all money."


    "Hahh!" I sighed while slowly wiping my hand across my face. I didn''t want to see her for a while, and this blocked her from my view. I mean, how could she be so stupid. "You''re a real winner, Brittney. A total number one for sure." I was laughing as I said it, there was no way for me not to. I mean, it was fucking hilarious as all hell, insulting her like that.


    "I am number one, Makai. And you''re nothing but a piece of shit, murdering, psychotic asshole."


    "Alright, enough." I snapped at Brittney, unable to take her bullshit anymore. "I have dealt with this long enough. I am done with you and your stupid ass attitude. Get over yourself, Britchney. No one wants to hear your voice anymore."


    At my declaration of what no one wanted, there were shouts and cheers of agreement and approval. The rest of the people in the cafeteria were already starting to back me up. That was good.


    Oh, and it went beyond just them cheering me on when I made a statement. First, those closest to me, specifically the swim team members, started to yell at Brittney for me.


    "Shut the hell up, Skankney. No one wants you here. However, we all want Kai here. He''s a good guy, a great friend, and a hell of a swimmer. All you care about is artificial popularity and status. No one wants you. You''re disgusting." Alexis was the first to jump in and yell at her. The next was Katie.


    "Oh good God, someone save us. It''s Trashney. No wonder the entire cafeteria stinks now. Quick, everyone plug your noses. You don''t want to vomit on your lunch, do you?" Katie, and most of the people in the cafeteria were laughing by the time she was done.


    "Hey Crotch itch, I mean, Crotchney, no that''s not right either, Shitney? Anyway, whatever and whoever you are, you better leave Kai alone. Everyone in this school knows what kind of two face, cheating, backstabbing, nasty ass whore you are. You may have fooled some of the guys in the past, but you always needed to hop from one man to the ''next best thing'' because you couldn''t keep them long enough. And then, you stupidly thought you were so much better than everyone that you dumped any good ones you got. You''re a fucking moron." Charlie, from the team, yelled at her next. I think him not being part of our little ''group'' hit Brittney a lot harder than the others because she had not expected this.


    "You watch your damn mouth, Charlie. Do you want people to find out any of your secrets?" Brittney was threatening him but he just stood up and walked to my side and stared her down like she was a spectacle of some kind. Maybe we could compare her to a dung beetle that was struggling to move its shit.


    "Go ahead and try it, Shitney. You ain''t got nothing on me. I am not some scandalous person. I dare you to try and find something out about me. Go ahead, I am waiting."


    "W..w..w..we..wel..well that isn''t the point." Brittney just stuttered and couldn''t figure out what to say next. "I will find something and I will blast it to the whole school."


    "More like ''fabricating something''." Charlie laughed. "Haven''t you learned anything yet? We don''t believe your damn lies. This isn''t the Shitney show, this is the real fucking world. Get your head out of your ass and start seeing it for what it is, you dumbass."


    "You will pay for this, Charlie. I swear you will."


    "Oh no." Charlie put his hands to his face and faked a look of fear while he pretended to shake uncontrollably. "Please, Shitney, don''t hurt me. I can''t handle it at all."


    There was more raucous laughter following the exchange between Brittney and Charlie. Honestly, I was so happy to have him on my side. And following him, there were a lot of other people that stood up and started to say things to her one by one.


    "You tried to be a queen for too long, Shitney, but you''re just a joker."


    "You''re stupid, ugly, and nobody likes you, leave us alone."


    "Stop trying to spread your disease around our school, Shitney. No one wants you here."


    "Oh my God, I have always hated that bitch. GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    On top of other people telling Brittney to leave, there was now a chant of GO AWAY HO spreading throughout the room.


    "You should just drop out already, nobody wants you here, Shitney."


    "GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    "Yeah, you won''t have a date to the prom, they probably won''t even sell you a ticket."


    "GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    "I bet she couldn''t get a date in the first place. She was going to come with her brother or something."


    "GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    "Just drop out Shitney. No one wants you here.


    "DROP OUT! DROP OUT!"


    "GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    "DROP OUT! DROP OUT!"


    "GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    "DROP OUT! DROP OUT!"


    "GO AWAY HO! GO AWAY HO!"


    The insults digressed into nothing more than the two chants. It was all truly funny. And I have to admit, seeing the tears streaming down Brittney''s face as she listened to them made it all that much better.


    "See, look here, Brittney, you were wrong about who they wanted to leave. That''s such a relief. I mean, I already changed schools this year, I don''t want to do it again." I smirked at her, showing her that I wasn''t at all fazed by her attitude and bullshit.


    "You''re going to pay for this Makai."


    With that, Brittney narrowed her tear filled eyes, balled her fists, and started to stalk toward me.


    "Just stop it, Brittney. I don''t hit girls. Even trashy, cum guzzling, pieces of shit like you. Actually, especially ones like you because I don''t want to catch anything."


    "FUCK YOU!"


    At that moment, Brittney threw herself at me, her hands no longer in a fist. Now she was making claws with her fingers and she was clearly aiming for my face.


    "Fuck off, Shitney." Katie stepped away from me at the same time that Alexis did.


    "Go to hell, Shit Face."


    Together, the two girls caught Brittney mid leap and tossed her back onto the floor. They technically hadn''t hit her and all they did was stop her from hurting someone else. Still, we could all tell that Brittney was about to fake an injury."


    "You will pay for that." She snarled at them.


    "Try it."


    "Yeah, just try it, Skankney." Alexis glared at her. "You were about to assault Kai. He could sue you dumbass."


    "I will kill you, Makai. I will kill you and all those that helped you."


    "ENOUGH!"


    That was the principal. Hmm. I wondered when he was going to intervene. I had seen him at the door watching what was going to happen.


    "No, it''s not enough." Brittney got to her feet. "I''m leaving this school. I don''t ever want to come back to this place ever again."


    At that, Brittney got up and limped out of the room. I was more than happy to see her go, and apparently so was everyone else that was there. The moment that Brittney walked out the door, the entire cafeteria started to cheer with delight.


    "Katie, Alexis, please refrain from violence in the future." The principal had walked over to us so that he could be heard above the roar of the crowd.


    "B..but sir, she-."


    "I know what she did, Katie. That is why you are not being punished. And I thank you both for not hitting her when I know that you probably wanted to. Hell, even I wanted to." He grinned at us, winked, and walked away.


    Well, that was one hell of a comment from the principal. I just hope that things could finally start settling down and getting better.


    "Oh, I just remembered, Makai." The principal stopped and started to come back toward me. "Can I count on you to take Ocean his card that everyone signed today?"


    "Yes sir. I can even make sure Justin gets his. I am going to be seeing him really soon."


    "You''re a good man, Makai. Thank you."


    "I am only half as good as I am because I have Ocean in my life sir." I smiled at him, letting him know that love was the reason that I was being so reasonable and calm about everything.


    "Yes, well, that is a good thing as well. I hope he gets better soon, so you have him here with you. You''re a wreck without him."


    He laughed again and walked away once more.. What a strange and unique principal.

 Chapter 184 - Makai – Going Home

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Well, that had been quite an exciting school day. I can honestly say that I never, ever, wanted to have another day like this one ever again. Then again, it was nice seeing everyone diss Brittney like that. Not to mention all of the new names that they had come up with for her. Those were quite hilarious.


    Anyway, now that lunch was over and the rest of the day to go with it, I just wanted to hurry to my Ocean''s side. However, his mom said that I couldn''t come until four. That was when we were ''switching off''. Dammit, I shouldn''t have texted her when school was almost over. That was probably what had made her so mad at me.


    [ME]


    Hi Mrs. Shores, school is almost over, I will be heading straight over afterwards so that I can see Ocean. How is he? Any changes? Tell him I will bring him anything that he wants.


    [MRS. SHORES]


    Get back to work, Kai! Stop texting in class. You need to focus. I swear, I will not have a son in-law that neglects his studies. If you don''t stop texting during school, then I will ban you from this hospital room and you can see Ocean when he comes home. Remember, Kai, while your parents are away, I will be taking care of you.


    [ME]


    I''m sorry. I will pay attention. Don''t ban me from the room!


    [MRS. SHORES]


    KAI! I just told you not to text until school was over. For that you are not allowed to switch out with me until four this afternoon. That is your punishment.


    [MRS. SHORES]


    And Ocean said to bring him some dinner and clean clothes.


    [MRS. SHORES]


    Love you, Kai. Now get back to work.


    I didn''t dare respond to her after that. I needed to make sure that I was out of school, hell I would be at home before I texted her. I didn''t want her to think that it was too early if I texted or called right as the bell rang. That would probably just make her even more mad at me than she had been before.


    I did my best to pay attention in my last class, taking thorough notes so that Ocean could read them later. Mrs. Shores had been right about something at least. I needed to make sure that Ocean didn''t fall behind at school and to do that, I needed to make sure that I gave him what he needed.


    Was I going to text about him or his condition while in school? Was I going to let myself get distracted and potentially incur the wrath of a scary mom? Was I ever going to get on the bad side of Ocean''s mom?


    The answer to all of these questions was nope. I just did my best to follow the rules until the day ended and the bell rang. I could wait that long, right?


    The moment that the school day ended, I got ready to go home as quickly as I could. Ben and Ryan were following right behind me as they hurried out to their car. Since we drove separately today, we had to leave separately as well. I got into the driver''s seat and out onto the road not even three minutes after school let out.


    I beat Ben and Ryan home by about five minutes or so at least. I don''t know how I had gotten so far ahead, but I had. Oh well, I was home and that was all that mattered. I just needed to wait a little bit until they got there. However, waiting gave me downtime and all I could think about was Ocean. I wanted to see him. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to hug him and hold him in my arms. I needed to know that he was OK and that nothing had gotten worse. Damn, those few minutes of wait led to a lot of dark thinking for me.


    When Ben and Ryan pulled up, I got the front door unlocked and was waiting for them before I went inside. They both looked at me with knowing eyes and shook their heads.


    "If you just give us a key, we could have gotten in without your help." Ryan called out when he stepped out of the car.


    "Yeah, I know, I will have some extras made for you. Yvette or Janice will take care of it soon, I promise." I nodded at him as I agreed that he was right about what could have happened. Then again, I was banned from going to the hospital until four anyway. I still have an hour until I can leave.


    "Come on, stop brooding and just leave already." Ben laughed at me.


    "I..I can''t." I mumbled the words softly and Ryan instantly asked me what I said.


    "What was that?"


    "I said that I can''t leave yet. I..I''ve been banned from going there until four."


    "HAHA! What did you do? It has to be bad if Ocean''s mom is keeping you away." Ryan was having fun with this as we walked toward the door.


    "I texted about Ocean while at school. She is definitely mad at me now." That made both Ben and Ryan start laughing at me as I opened the front door.


    At first, I thought that maybe Janice was in the house, cleaning or something. There was a sound coming from the living room that I initially thought was the radio, but then I realized that it was two people talking.


    And those two people were my parents. Wow, they made it home sooner than I thought they would. Well, they had to be on land, or inside the city of the merfolk. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to answer my text messages yesterday. And yes, the merfolk cities had magical Wi-Fi and cell service that allowed for texting and phone calls. My dad had told me about it once when I was younger. I had thought it was a lie, but mom confirmed it for me and that was when I finally believed him.


    "Mom? Dad?" I called out to them, still shocked that they were here.


    "Your parents are here? I thought you lived alone." Ben asked me.


    "Yeah, why are they here?" Ryan wondered.


    "Contrary to that thought, young man, we do in fact live here. However, we are not here that often because of other obligations." My mom seemed a little pissed off as she responded to Ryan''s question.


    "I..I..I''m sorry, Ma''am. I didn''t mean a..a..any d..d..dis..disrespect." Ryan was really scared with my mom glaring at him.


    "Whatever." She waved away his words. "Makai, what are you doing? I thought you would be rushing to take care of Ocean. Or am I wrong? Did something happen between the two of you? Why are you hanging out with friends while he is in the hospital?"


    Ooh, that was one frosty glare that mom was giving me. Is Elsa here? Did someone just freeze the whole world? Is this another ice age? Nah, it''s all just my mom.


    And what was making matters worse was that her gaze seemed to be filled with even more questions. Ones that she hadn''t said out loud.


    ''Who are these boys? Why are they here? Why are you acting so irresponsible? Do you need me to come home more often and fix things for you?''


    Yeah, all of those sounded mean and scary to me. Dammit, why were moms so evil? I mean, I love my mom and I love Ocean''s mom, but they are both so scary.


    "Makai, your mother and I rushed back here because you told us that Ocean was hurt. That was not an easy trip to make on such short notice." I could tell from my dad''s words that he and mom had been somewhere in the ocean. So yeah, making it home in just over twenty-four hours was not an easy task for anyone. It made me feel bad for making them rush so much.


    "I know, and I am glad that you came home so quickly. I am going to see Ocean in the hospital in just a little bit. I am happy that you''re here. You can come with me and see him." I tried to sound reassuring for him and mom, but that only made the two of them glare at me more.


    "Makai! How can you be this flippant about all of this? Why did you bring friends home to hang out with when you''re going to be leaving to see Ocean? That is highly irresponsible."


    "N..no, Mom, it''s not like that." I was trying to fix this, but it wasn''t working.


    "OK, if it''s not like that, Makai, then who are they?" Mom glared at me, but she was pointing at Ben and Ryan.. "Who are they and why are they here? Explain yourself."

 Chapter 185 - Makai – New Housemates

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Start explaining, son." Dad joined mom in her interrogation. Dammit, this was not going to be easy.


    "W..well, these are friends of mine and Ocean''s. They are on the swim team with us."


    "OK. Are they going with you to visit Ocean?" Mom narrowed her eyes at me like she already knew that the answer to that was going to be no, but she was daring me to try and get away with a lie anyway.


    "No, they aren''t. They came back here because they are-."


    "I am sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Rivers. My name is Ben, this is my boyfriend Ryan, and we''re staying here with Makai and Ocean. I am sorry if we overstepped your boundaries. We can pack our things and leave immediately. Come on Ryan."


    After apologizing Ben took Ryan''s hand and started to step away from me. I could sense the same fear in him that I had been feeling since my mom looked at me so icily.


    "Hold it!" Mom nearly snapped the words at them, causing both Ben and Ryan to freeze in place. Ben turned around completely, but Ryan only turned enough to look over his shoulder. He looked like a child that just got caught trying to sneak away from the cookie jar.


    "I..is there a problem, Mrs. Rivers?" Ben sounded so tense and apprehensive that I swear I could feel it physically leaking into me.


    "All three of you in the living room. NOW! I want to know what has been going on and I want to know now." Mom was pointing to her right, into the living room, but her eyes never left the three of us.


    "Come on, boys. Let''s all sit down and have a nice, long talk." Dad backed Mom up and started to lead the way into the doom room.


    I had never once thought of the living room as the doom room, but I am now. There was no other way to put it right now. I swear that just walking into the space made me feel doomed.


    DAMMIT! I had been so busy since Friday, when everything with Ben and Ryan went down, that I hadn''t had the time to call my parents and let them know what was going on. Shit! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!


    Would they forgive me if I fell to the floor, groveling and begging for forgiveness? No, they would probably just call me weak and tell me that I was making a disgrace of myself or something like that. Granted they had never said those things to me before, but I could just imagine that it would happen now.


    The three of us decided, completely without talking and apparently simultaneously, to band together as one to give a united front to my mom. What I mean by that is that all three of us sat down on the same couch at the same time.


    While mom looked at me with the most evil and harshest of her stares, she looked at all three of us in turn. I could tell she was trying to figure out what it was that let me let these two humans start living in a house filled with creatures of the sea. Yeah, she wasn''t going to be happy with me. She was probably going to scream at me some more after Ben and Ryan left.


    "Explain." Mom pointed at me. To me it both looked and felt like the stare that you got from the evil monkey that lived in the closet in that stupid cartoon [1]. I couldn''t tell my mom that though, since she would literally murder me for making that reference in respect to the way that she was looking at me.


    "W..w..well, last week had been pretty intense for all of us." I turned to look at Ben who was sitting in the middle on the couch. "Ocean''s ex found out that he is gay, and that he and I are dating. Her and some other people in the school were making our lives a living hell. There were a lot of nasty words thrown our way, but they didn''t stop with us. Ben and Ryan here are a couple as well." I looked at Ryan and told him with my eyes that I was going to leave off the majority of what happened with him and Ben last week.


    "OK, so that hasn''t explained anything to me yet." Mom was still angry.


    "W..well, I am getting to that." I recoiled a little. I didn''t want to disappoint her, but I didn''t want to hide this from her either. What the hell was I going to do? "A..anyway, neither Ben''s nor Ryan''s parents knew about them being gay or in love before last Friday. When they did find out, after everything that had happened at school, both of them were kicked out of their homes."


    "It''s true, Mrs. Rivers. My mother told me to either leave or go to gay therapy camp to be fixed." Ben shuddered as if the very idea was horribly disgusting. Which, of course, it was.


    "And when I proudly told my dad that I was happily in love with and dating my best friend, he kicked me out. He told me that he never wanted to see me again. I was honestly afraid that he was going to hurt me. He balled up his first and everything. The first place that we thought to go so that we weren''t out on the street for the night, was here. Ocean and Kai are our friends and they have been with us and supported us from the beginning."


    It was very easy to see that Ryan was a lot more charismatic and for that easier to talk than Ben did. Ben was clearly nervous right now while Ryan was hiding it a lot more with his calm attitude.


    "Makai, tell me everything that happened. Do not leave anything out. I want to know how these boys came to stay here." Mom was still glaring at me, however I thought that I could see an infinitesimal amount of softening around the corners. Maybe we wouldn''t all be turned into frozen sculptures after all.


    "OK. I will tell you."


    I took one last look at Ben and Ryan, a sort of ''sorry guys'' look. I was going to be truthful, to the most extent possible. I started with what happened on Monday. I even told my mom how all four of us along with several other students got suspended. That seemed to make both of my parents a little more angry than they had been before. Oopsies.


    I told her about the conversation with Ben and Ryan where Ben confessed to Ryan and how Ryan left. I explained everything that happened those couple of days until we went back to school and how things got worse and worse until Friday.


    I didn''t tell my parents who it was that caused the problems, I didn''t need them to know that because they might go and have someone eliminated or something. They were looking like gangsters right now.


    By the time that I got to what happened Friday night, when Ben and Ryan came back to our house, both of my parents sighed in exasperation.


    "So, you instantly let them stay because Ocean gave you puppy dog eyes and about the two lost pups that were at the door?" Mom was actually laughing by the time that she was done asking if she had the long and short of it right.


    "Basically, yes. And it''s not just because Ocean wanted to let them stay here. Ben and Ryan are my friends as well. I wanted to help them. I would hope that if the situation had been reversed that they would have helped me and Ocean out. I know that you would never do that though. You two are the best parents in the world." It couldn''t hurt to lay on some compliments, right?


    "Cool it, Makai. You''ve said enough." Mom glared at me. Damn! I couldn''t even compliment her.


    I was nervous now. I thought that she was calming down and that things might have been getting better, but now I wasn''t so sure about that. I basically just needed to sit here and wait for the verdict to fall.


    "Isn''t it odd, dear? When we left in September, we only had one son. When we came back in November, we had two. And now that we come back in January, we have four. Is it just me, or do our children double every time that we leave now?" There was a note of laughter in my mom''s voice.


    "Yeah, I know. Somehow, we ended up being the owner and operators of a gay frat house." Dad laughed as well. After the two of them laughed for what felt like an uncomfortably long time, mom suddenly stopped and glared at me.


    "I will let your friends keep on the way that they are, Makai, but I do not want to come back and see that there are more people living here. Do you understand me?"


    "Yes mother." I nodded as I spoke.


    "And we will be talking later as well. Right now, let us go and see Ocean. I am sure that you are worried about him. You can fill us in on what happened to him on the way."


    "Y..yes." I jumped to my feet and turned to look at Ben and Ryan. "S..sorry guys. I have to go. I trust that you will be alright while we are gone."


    "We will be fine. Tell Ocean that we say hi." Ben smiled at me, nervous yet relieved at the same time.


    "See you later man."

 Chapter 186 - Makai – Promise And Explain

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I ran upstairs to start packing a bag for Ocean. His mom had said that he wanted some clothes and some food. That was doable. The food I would buy on the way so that it was still warm and had all the essential utensils included. I needed to call and order that though, so I did that while I pulled things from the drawers and closet.


    I didn''t know how long Ocean was going to be in the hospital, so I decided to just take him clothes for two days right now. That would last until the next time that I went to visit him if his mom kept this pattern up and made me stay away tomorrow.


    With a bag packed for Ocean and some clothes for me thrown into my backpack, I ran down the stairs and out the front door. My parents were already waiting for me in the car. Or at least Ben and Ryan said they were, and they didn''t have any reason to lie about it.


    I nearly jumped into the backseat, that was how excited I was about finally getting to go back to the hospital and see my Ocean.


    "Someone is excited." Dad laughed at me.


    "More like eagerness. I am not happy or anything that I have to see the love of my life in the hospital. However, I am eager to see him. I feel empty and lost when we are apart like this. I need him in my life. I need him near me. When he is lost to me like he has been these last two days, I feel like the world is unbalanced and it is hard for me to breathe. I need him by my side so that I feel normal again."


    My dad started to laugh again as he put the car into gear and drove away from the house.


    "That was how I felt about your mother when we were first together. I needed her with me at all times. It was like an obsession or a compulsion. That closeness just fueled my very existence. So yeah, I know what you''re feeling, son. It''s intense, but in a good way."


    My dad had hit it spot on. Everything that he said was true for him and me. Ocean was the fuel that kept my world going. It was like he was the sun at the center of my universe. The universe that consisted of just the two of us.


    "So, we''re just heading straight to the hospital, right?" My dad asked me as we started toward town.


    "No, we''re stopping to get dinner for Ocean. He wanted some food. I ordered some for all of us as well as Ocean''s parents. I thought that it would be nice for all of us to eat together.


    "Yeah, that will be nice." Mom sounded happy when she heard that. "I haven''t seen Steph since Christmas, which wasn''t that long ago but with all that has happened it feels like months."


    "I know how you feel. Phineas and I didn''t get to talk much lately."


    "NO PRANKS OR JOKES!" Mom and I snapped at dad at the same time.


    "Aww man, you''re no fun." He pouted like he was a child.


    "You heard me, mister." I pretended to be the parent, which just made him laugh.


    We drove in silence for a few minutes, aside from my dad''s laughter. After a little bit, my mom decided to ask some questions about Ocean''s attack.


    "What happened, Makai? What happened to Ocean yesterday? How come he ended up in this position?"


    "Do you want the official story from the school, or the true story?" I saw the surprise flit across her face before she could hide it again.


    "Why are there two different versions of the truth?" She didn''t sound too happy at the moment.


    "W..well, I needed to tell the school a lie about it, but I will get to that later. Let me tell you the truth."


    "OK." Mom didn''t look too pleased at the moment.


    I told her about what had happened during swim practice yesterday morning. I told her how Justin''s attitude got worse and he was trying to turn the team against us but it wasn''t working. Then I told her how Justin was kicked off of the team and destroyed Ocean''s locker.


    "So, this Justin fellow is the one that hurt Ocean?" Dad supplied the confirmation and question at the same time.


    "Yes, he did." I nodded and continued my explanation. I told them how we talked to the principal and the coach.


    When I got to the part where Justin tackled Ocean into the classroom, they were both pissed off and ready to avenge my boyfriend. When they discovered that Justin locked himself in the room and beat Ocean while also kissing him, they were ready to murder him. They were so mad that I was actually afraid to continue the story. But I needed to.


    I told them how Ocean quickly got worse at school and was rushed to the hospital. They were scared when they learned that Ocean needed to have surgery to relieve pressure in his head.


    They were happy and relieved when they heard that Ocean had woken up and looked like he was going to be OK. I knew that they thought that was the end of the story though, so when I continued it made them both drop their jaws in shock.


    They got even more furious with Justin when they learned that he went to Ocean''s hospital room and locked them in there, just the two of them. They were as pissed off as I had been when they found out that Justin had assaulted Ocean again, even fondling him and biting his neck.


    Though, I would say that the peak of their anger came when they learned that Ocean dropped all the charges against Justin and told the cops to let him go.


    "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS OCEAN THINKING?" Mom practically screamed in the confined space. "Why the hell did he drop the charges against that.. that.. that boy?" She said the last word like it was an insult. I guess she couldn''t think of an insult bad enough.


    "He had to, Mom. You don''t know the whole story yet."


    "I don''t need to know the rest. I will be talking with Ocean when we get there."


    We parked then, finally getting to the restaurant to get the food. I could tell that neither of my parents wanted me to get out to go get it yet. I needed to continue.


    "Listen, Mom, Ocean had to drop the charges because Justin wasn''t responsible for his own actions." I tried to explain it to them as best as I could.


    "Really? And what happened to make it so that he wasn''t in his right mind? Huh?" She crossed her arms again and glared at me.


    "Justin was under a spell. He wasn''t responsible for his actions."


    "Under a spell? And who put him under that spell? The fairy Godmother?" Mom was letting her usually calm and nice demeanor go completely.


    "He was bespelled by Ocean." Hers and Dad''s eyes widened so much that I thought they were going to fall right out of their heads.


    "How? How did Ocean bespell him?" Dad was the one to ask this.


    "He sang and Justin heard it."


    "I don''t get it." Mom started. "How did Ocean singing cause-?" That was when she stopped, clapped a hand to her forehead, and shook her head. "I get it now. Ocean is a Siren. He can bespell people, specifically men, when he sings. Damn, I did not see that coming."


    "Exactly. And since Ocean figured out what had happened based on Justin''s ramblings, he couldn''t press charges against him. Personally, I would have still pressed charges against him, but Ocean is too soft hearted for that. It''s one of the best things about him as well as one of the worst things about him." I laughed and Dad nodded in agreement.


    At that moment, Roberto knocked on the window of the car.


    "Hello, Kai, I saw you in there and brought your food. Did you think it was not ready yet? You could have called me. I would have told you." Roberto''s thick accent and happy smile was so different to how things had been in the car recently.


    "I am sorry Roberto, my parents and I were just talking."


    "Ahh, your parents. I see you look alike. Hello, hello, your son is a good boy. I hope you like the food." He held up two large bags that were filled with take out containers.


    "Yes, he is a good son." Mom smiled through the window. "Thank you, and I cannot wait to try the food."


    After we took delivery of the food that I had ordered, it was time for us to get to the hospital.


    Finally, I could see my Ocean.. Finally, I could hug him, hear his voice, and recharge my soul; all when I got to see my Ocean.

 Chapter 187 - Ocean – Visits Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Alright Ocean, I am going to head home now. Kai will be here any minute, and as much as I love the two of you, I don''t need to see your PDA''s." My mom actually had the nerve to shudder like something was disgusting.


    "We are not that bad. We don''t do public displays of affection in front of parents. It''s like an unspoken rule." I glared at her as I heard her laugh.


    "You do it more than you think. You might not kiss, but you''re always being so cuddly and going goo goo and gaga over each other. It can be a little too much for a mother. Come on and give me a break here, Ocean. I love you, but I don''t want to see that." She shuddered again and that just made me want to laugh now.


    "Alright then, go. I want to see Makai when he gets here anyway." I hugged her when she leaned in and felt her lips against my cheek when she kissed me.


    "I will call you later to check up on you, but I told the hospital to let Kai stay tonight. He is just as much your family now as I am, and he is over eighteen. They shouldn''t give him any trouble. Especially since Dr. Malachi talked to them as well. If they do say something, call him and he will take care of it."


    "OK." I kissed her cheek after answering her and felt her pull away from me. "I love you, Mom." I smiled at her and told her what I knew she wanted to hear. It was the truth though, so I didn''t mind saying it at all.


    "I love you too." There was sorrow in her eyes, like she was sad to be leaving me here in this place alone.


    "I will be fine. Call me later or I will call you. And I will be out of here soon, so don''t worry about me at all."


    "I know, sweetie." She leaned in and kissed me once more before she grabbed her purse and left me. "I will see you tomorrow."


    With that, my mom left. Since Justin had come back to the room yesterday, it was the first time that anyone had left me alone in a room. I know they were all worried about me and scared because of what had happened, but I was fine, for the most part, and I would be getting out of here soon. They didn''t need to worry that much anymore.


    I could use the few minutes alone to think and process everything that had happened. I was going to do that yesterday, but that didn''t exactly go according to plan. Not to mention, I was even more humiliated after that incident.


    Trust me when I tell you that Makai didn''t like hearing the details of either attack. And he was especially not happy when he heard that Justin had grabbed me in a certain place while giving me a hickey. That had nearly sent Makai into a homicidal rage. At that time, he hadn''t cared that Justin was acting under the Siren''s song, he just wanted to see Justin''s head roll.


    I don''t blame him really. Had the situation been reversed I would be just as pissed off. Jealousy and possessiveness seem to come with the territory of being mated. I, like Makai, have adopted a ''don''t you dare touch what is mine'' type of mentality.


    As I thought about all of this, and tried to process what happened yesterday, I heard the door to my room start to open and then close softly. I had been sitting there with my head leaning back against the pillow and my eyes closed. I knew that Makai would think that I was asleep so I decided to fake being asleep to see what he would do or say. This was a rare opportunity for me.


    Only, there didn''t seem to be any rush for him to get to me. He seemed to have stopped halfway across the room and was just standing there. What was he doing? Why was he just standing there? I was about to open my eyes and ask him but there was no need.


    "Such a pathetic sight." I heard the voice of my least favorite person, but she was closer to me than I had thought based on the footsteps. She must have moved almost silently after she was halfway into the room. "I fucking hate you, do you know that?"


    "What the hell are you doing here?" I snapped my eyes open and glared at Brittney''s face. Her eyes were angry, and her face was filled with disgust. She looked like she had just stepped in a pile of dog shit with her brand new shoes and was pissed off about it.


    "I am here to destroy you, Ocean. This is just another stage in my plan. I have turned everyone at school against you and Makai. Ben and Ryan as well. All four of you are nothing but gay outcasts now. You won''t ever be able to go back to school. You will be tormented every minute of every day. If you do, you''ll just end up being driven to kill yourself. That''s what you should do anyway. Put yourself out of your misery and just end it already." I saw the glee in her eyes as she spoke. She thought this was all just a game like the things she said would never come back to bite her in the ass.


    "Fuck you, Brittney!" I snapped at her and gave her a look so full of loathing that it was a shock that she didn''t physically feel it. Then again, she might have felt it if she wasn''t such a raging bitch. "I know that you''re lying to me, so just cut the shit and leave me alone."


    "No, Ocean, I don''t think that I will. You see, I turned eighteen last month, so there is something that I would like to try out." I could see that Brittney was grinning at me and looking as if she truly wanted to do something, but I didn''t know what she had planned. I was bracing myself though. I would fight my damnedest to make sure that I kept her at bay without hurting her.


    "And what might that be, Bitch, I mean Britt?" I couldn''t help but use the little insult to her name.


    "When I am done with you, Ocean, you will never speak to me like that again. Hell, I could turn you straight and make you mine. I can do anything that I want." She was maniacal now. I really didn''t like what she was saying. It was freaking me out.


    "And just what are you going to do?" I glared at her while staying completely on edge.


    "Just listen." She smirked at me and leaned forward until her face was just inches away from mine.


    At that moment, Brittney started to sing. She was literally singing right into my face, and I could see the smug and conceited look on her face while she did it.


    "? Hear me now Ocean. Listen to my voice. Hear my words and follow my orders. You won''t have a choice. You will leave the school. You won''t want to come back. You will leave Makai. You will run away and never come back."


    What the hell was going on here? What the hell was she trying to do? What was the matter with her? I didn''t get this at all, but she didn''t seem to be done either. Not to mention, her rhyming skills sucked, and her lyrics were shitty. Too bad it wasn''t over yet.


    "? If you come back to school, you will kill yourself. If you don''t leave Makai, he will kill you. No one wants you Ocean. Doesn''t that make you feel bad?"


    "Uhm, Brittney, what the hell are you trying to do?" I had to put an end to this. It was just getting worse and worse. And there was also the fact that her lyrics were really dark and cruel towards me.


    "What the hell are you talking about? I am singing to you. You will need to do everything that I say. That is how it works."


    "How what works?" I asked her with my eyebrows drawn in, reluctant to feel the curiosity that was bubbling inside of me.


    "The fucking songs. They''re supposed to make you do whatever I say."


    I could see the anger on her face, and it was getting so much worse. She was pissed at me, all because I didn''t really understand what she was wanting from me.


    "So, that''s how it is." I heard the door fling open and Makai''s voice come in from the hallway.


    There was a moment of chaos and confusion. Brittney spun to face the door and saw Makai staring at her with his parents on either side of him. The way that Makai and his parents were looking at Brittney showed me that they knew what was going on, but I simply wasn''t following along.


    "Makai?" I called out to him, shocked and happy at the same time. Despite my being clueless at the moment, I was elated to be seeing him.


    "Hello Ocean. I missed you." He seemed just as relieved as me when he saw me. That was so easy to see in his green eyes and the set of his lips.. Even though he was so mad at Britt the bitch, and was just looking at her with pure loathing, he was looking at me so kindly and sweetly.

 Chapter 188 - Visits Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I had just been heading to see my Ocean. His mom had texted me to tell me that she had already left so that she didn''t get in the way. She was a good person, and this was more evidence of that. She was acting like we were too showy, but she wanted to give us more alone time together. That was the reason behind this, I was sure of it.


    With a grin on my face and the bag of food in my hand, I walked confidently into the hospital and toward the room that my boyfriend was in. The door was shut, but that was no big surprise, however I heard voices from the other side of the door and that was a surprise. Especially since I was hearing someone that was highly undesirable coming from the other side of the door.


    "? If you come back to school, you will kill yourself. If you don''t leave Makai, he will kill you. No one wants you Ocean. Doesn''t that make you feel bad?"


    "Uhm, Brittney, what the hell are you trying to do?" Ocean sounded confused but not like she had done something to him, just like he didn''t understand what was going on.


    "What the hell are you talking about? I am singing to you. You will need to do everything that I say. That is how it works!" Brittney screeched at him in annoyance.


    "How what works?" Oh, my adorable little Ocean, he was acting so clueless right now. And I wasn''t even in the room so that I could see his face. I was missing out completely.


    "The fucking songs. They''re supposed to make you do whatever I say."


    I really didn''t like the implications of what she was trying to get at. She was basically implying that she was trying to bespell Ocean with her voice and song. Was she trying to imply that she was like Ocean? Or did Justin tell Brittney about what happened to him? Nah, I don''t think that he did. He felt too sorry to be that vindictive. So, was she really more like Ocean than I ever thought that she was? How is that possible?


    I was about to find out how it was possible though. She was singing a song that was supposed to make my boyfriend kill himself if he went back to school. Basically, she didn''t want Ocean to find out what everyone at the school had said to her. That was priceless.


    "So, that''s how it is." I said the words loudly while I pushed the door open hard and made it bounce off the wall.


    "Makai?" Ocean called out to me, shocked and happy at the same time. He was so happy to see me, but I could tell that he was still so clueless about what was going on.


    "Hello Ocean. I missed you." I smiled at him and reveled in the glory that was him. I had hated being away from him for even one night. I had needed him, and I knew that he had needed me too. The look in his eyes told me that.


    "What in the fucking hell are you doing here, Makai?" Brittney turned and glared at me. She was giving me a look that said that she was angrier than she had ever been in her entire life.


    "I am here to see my boyfriend. What in the fucking hell are you doing here Bitchney?" I walked over to the table and set the bag down so that I didn''t do anything terrible to the food that I had brought for my Ocean to enjoy. "Have you already forgotten what everyone at school said to you? That is one short memory, if I were you, I would get that checked out."


    "Fuck you, Makai. I don''t need your bullshit right now. You''re going to rue the day that you ever mess with me."


    At that, Brittney put her hands on her hips, took a deep breath, and started to sing while grinning at me.


    "? Go away Makai. Jump out the window into the sky. Die now and never com-.. Mmph!"


    Well, Brittney had started to sing, but she wasn''t given the opportunity to keep going. My parents had recognized what was going on and stepped forward to stop her. Now she was trying to get me to kill myself. Man, she was a sick and twisted bitch. Not surprised, though, I already knew that was how she was.


    "You can stop that right now, young lady." Mom snapped at Brittney as she placed her hand over the bitch''s mouth.


    "One more attempt at that and you will face even more serious charges." Dad added as he grabbed Brittney''s arm as if he was about to arrest her.


    "Mmphm." Brittney shook her head and screamed through my mom''s hand incoherently. "Gemph or haan oomph mm momph." The words were distorted but I could make them out. Mom, however, didn''t know what they were or pretended not to.


    "What was that? I didn''t quite hear you." She slid her hand away and made Brittney repeat herself.


    "I said: get your hand off my mouth." Ooh, the bitch was pissed off right now. This was fun. I was staring at her wickedly while my parents held her, and Ocean just looked on with wide eyes. He was still not sure what was happening.


    "You tried to bespell him." I practically growled like an animal at the stupid bitch''s face.


    "And how do you know about that?" She looked like she wasn''t going to admit anything. "You don''t have a clue what I am, you pathetic piece of shit." She was definitely playing with the wrong people right now.


    "Really, Brittney? If what you said to Ocean is true and the way you tried to use the song is any indicator, then I can easily surmise that you are a Siren."


    The pure shock that settled on Brittney''s face at my declaration was priceless. It was legitimately the most hilarious thing that I had seen in a long time. I enjoyed every second of seeing that, but I would much rather see my Ocean than her face.


    "H..how? How do you know that? H..how could you? W..what are you?" Mom was the one to smirk at her then. She was giving the bitch her most evil of mom looks.


    "You''re not the only special person around here, Brittney. There are plenty more than just you, and from what I could see, the others are a lot more powerful than you are."


    "Ooh, that was a good one, Mom." That made Brittney''s face drop. She hadn''t been expecting that these people were my parents.


    "You''re his mom?" There was a hint of disbelief in her voice at that moment. "If you''re his mom and you''re like me that means that he.. that he.. that he''s like me." I didn''t think that anything could shut Brittney up like that. Well, apparently disbelief could shut her up quite effectively.


    "That''s right, Bitchney, we''re like you. Well, mostly. We''re not Sirens, but we''re from the sea. So is Ocean, by the way. But you don''t need to know what we are. You''re not worthy of that information."


    "I don''t fucking care what you are. I know what I am and that is all that matters. My mother is a Siren and she told me that our people have powers over others. We can make them do whatever we want. Since I turned eighteen I now have my powers and I can bespell the whole world if I want. I am going to make the world love me and make everyone at that fucking school regret everything that they''ve ever said to me. They''re going to be nothing but losers and I will be the leader of the world."


    "Wow Brittney, those are some seriously megalomaniacal aspirations. What in the actual fucking hell are you thinking?" Even I, who is not a Siren, could figure out that someone would step in and stop her before those dreams could come true.


    "She''s drunk on power." Dad answered for me. "It has happened in the past. Sirens come into their powers and think they are the best of everyone and everything. The various clans have had to deal with them when they happened to start causing problems." Dad was explaining this, but it didn''t look like Brittney was going to listen to him.


    "No one can stop me. I will be the one to stop everyone else. I will make it all into my new world." She was laughing hysterically now as the door to the room opened up.


    "What in the world is going on in here? I had to tell the nurses that Ocean was watching a very loud show on the TV." Dr. Malachi came into the room with an angry set to his jaw.


    "Perfect timing, Abraham. We need some help with this young lady here. She''s a Siren who is powerdrunk." Dad turned to the doctor and gave him a smile.


    "Good lord."


    At that moment, Dr. Malachi left the room and came back within about thirty seconds. In his hand was a vial and a syringe. We all just watched on as he prepped the needle. Even Brittney didn''t say anything as she watched him. It wasn''t until he started to take the syringe toward her that Brittney started to panic.


    "No. No. Get that away from me. NO!"


    "What are you going to do?" I asked him as I watched him jab the needle into her arm.


    "She''s going to take a nice nap and go into the custody of the authorities." Dr. Malachi grinned as he answered.


    "But would they know what to punish her for?" I was confused now, and my Ocean was still just watching with wide eyes.


    "I never said she was going to the human authorities now, did I?"

 Chapter 189 - Ocean – Visits Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Just as I watched Brittney slump to the side as if she were definitely unconscious, I had to say something. These last several minutes had been so confusing for me. I was lost and didn''t know what to think.


    "Hold up. Wait a minute. What the hell is going on here? Are you all serious right now? Is Brittney seriously a Siren t-."


    "Yes! She is a Siren, Ocean. That is what we are saying." I hadn''t expected Makai to interrupt me or for him to look so serious when he stopped me from talking. Did he not want me to let Brittney know what I was? Was that why he hadn''t told her and why he stopped me? Well, I guess that makes sense. I am not exactly a normal Siren. But she was asleep, why did he feel the need to stop me still? Did he think that maybe she was just pretending, or that she might still be partially conscious?


    "But how is that possible?" I decided to change my tactic here. "I didn''t think that there were any Sirens that lived outside of their little community." Now, in case Brittney was still listening, she would know that I at least knew a little bit about the Sirens without me giving away what I was.


    "That is something that we will have to work on finding out." Mrs. Rivers looked at the girl that had caused so much trouble, and I could tell that she was angry. She definitely didn''t like Brittney at all.


    "Reef, help me get her into a wheelchair and into another room. We will hold her there until the others get here." Dr. Malachi was still helping Makai''s dad hold Brittney up so that she didn''t fall to the ground. Together, the two of them moved quickly and efficiently. I had to wonder if they had ever done this before. I mean, was it a common enough thing that they were used to hauling unconscious bodies away? If so, that would be kind of morbid, and slightly interesting. Just what was it they usually did?


    "Ocean, I will come back to check on you soon. You can rest here with Makai and Analise." The doctor nodded at me before he left the room.


    "I will be back soon, Ocean, but I am really glad to see that you''re OK." Mr. Shores smiled at me, for once he wasn''t joking.


    I sighed the moment that they had left the room. I was still reeling and at a loss. I mean, seriously, what the hell just happened?! I had not expected that bomb of truth to be thrown at us and I didn''t know how to process it.


    There was one positive thought. I wasn''t flipping out about finding out that Brittney was a Siren. When I had found out the truth about myself, I had been so scared and nervous. Looking back, I think that I really hurt Makai that night.


    "Well, that was unexpected." Makai sighed and grimaced. I knew that he was not happy with what had happened either. "I am glad that she is gone though." With that, Makai turned and gave me the sweetest smile I had ever seen on his face.


    "Yeah, I am glad she is gone too." OK, I was no longer able to look away from Makai''s face. All I could see right now was the light in his eyes that always shone when he was with me. I could see the happiness in every line of his face. And I could see the love that he had for me just pouring off of him. It was the best thing in the world, being with him.


    "I missed you." Makai walked closer to me slowly. "It was so hard to be away from you when I knew that you needed me."


    "I was taken care of. My mom was here and doted on me. But I won''t lie, I would much rather have you here with me." That seemed to be the key to make Makai move faster. He hurried to my side then and threw his arms around my shoulders. I felt him hold me close against his chest while he pressed his cheek against my hair. With my ear pressed flat against him, I was able to hear his heart beating loudly. He had obviously been as eager for this hug as I was. I felt like my heart was about to pound right out of my chest.


    "I love you, Ocean. I love you so much." He was talking but it didn''t actually sound like he was talking to me. It felt more like he was talking at me. "I love you too much to see you in pain like this. Please stop getting hurt like this. Please stop giving me heart attacks because I think you''re going to die before we can spend our lives together."


    OK, that made me want to cry and pull him down into the bed with me at the same time. I wanted to let him know that I was still here. I needed to let him know that I wasn''t that hurt anymore and that I most definitely wasn''t dead. And I needed to let him know how very much I loved him as well. However, just as my hands flexed at his back, with the intention to pull him into my hospital bed, I heard a sound that made me jump.


    "Ahem." Mrs. Rivers cleared her throat and the two of us jumped and separated as quickly as we could.


    "H..hello Momma. H..how are you? It''s been a while." I called her momma like I did back on Christmas. She did give me permission to do so and, well, maybe the word would soften whatever blow she was about to give me. I could clearly see that she was not very happy with me.


    "Ocean, son, you need to take better care of yourself." And with that, the face that I thought was mad at me, cracked and showed her true feelings. She was crying and almost sobbing when she hurried to take Makai''s place and hugged me in a very similar manner that Makai had. She was cradling my head like I was a baby and holding me tight with worry.


    I couldn''t help myself. I wrapped my arms around her and patted her on the back.


    "I''m sorry, Momma. I didn''t want to worry you or anyone."


    "I know. But you are a part of our family now. You need to make sure you don''t do anything that would take you away from us. We love you, Ocean."


    "I know Momma." I patted her some more as I listened to her. "I love you too, Momma."


    I had not expected any of this to happen. I didn''t know why she had responded this way. But in a way, I was happy that she had. It meant that even with everything that had happened, Makai''s parents still accepted me and cared for me.


    "Hey, why am I being left out here?" I heard Mr. Rivers call out from by the door. "Is he not my future son in-law as well? I love the boy too. He is so adorably precious and easy. It''s perfect." He didn''t stop talking as he walked over to my other side, opposite his wife, and hugged me right along with her. "Don''t scare us like that, son."


    "Yeah, OK Dad." I took one arm away from Mrs. Rivers, no Momma, and wrapped it around Dad instead. Huh, here I was calling Makai''s parents Momma and Dad. I had two sets of parents and neither of them included my birth parents. Wasn''t that funny?


    "YAY!" That was all that Dad said at that moment. He was such a dork.


    Following the emotional hello from Makai''s parents, we all sat down to eat. Well, I was already sitting, but everyone else sat down to join me. And it was a great dinner. Makai had gone to get me all of my favorites from Serafina''s. He was the best ever. I was the luckiest man in the world to have Makai with me.


    And to further prove how much he loved me, he got me some dessert for after the meal. He knew that I loved cannoli, so he had gotten it along with everything else.


    On top of that, the entire time that we ate, Makai sat right next to me. Some part of him was touching me at all times. He would have his knee pressed against mine or our shoulders would touch, sometimes he would have his hand on my hand or thigh, other times he would wrap his arm around me. The entire time, he was staying right at my side to show me how much he loved me and needed me.


    In response, I would hold his hand back, or I leaned my head against his shoulder. I could feel that need for touch, that desire for contact. I knew exactly what it was that Makai was feeling right now. It was like I had been in physical pain without him here with me and I hadn''t felt it until I saw him again. It had only been since last night, but it felt like forever.


    Aside from showing how much Makai and I needed each other, there was nothing else that happened during the meal.. That was odd. Didn''t Makai''s parents want to talk about what had happened? Didn''t they have questions? Why did I feel like this was going in a direction I didn''t want?

 Chapter 190 - Ocean – Visits Part 4

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I quickly found out why Momma and Dad weren''t talking while we ate. They were saving their lectures and disappointments until after we were done eating. All their questions, everything that they wanted to say, I knew that it was coming now that we were done eating. And I was very, very, very afraid of it.


    Makai moved up to sit right beside me on the bed. It was a bit of a tight fit, but we managed to make it work. Well, we only managed because he was practically pulling me into his lap so that we were sitting on top of each other. Actually, I was sitting on top of him, but that didn''t matter. We were sitting intimately close to each other.


    Once Makai and I were seated, not so properly, Dad and Momma pulled their chairs closer to the bed and turned them so that they were looking right at me. They were both looking so serious. I think I would rather have the joking Reef back than this serious one. I don''t know if I was going to like him now that he was being so serious.


    "First off, Ocean, how are you feeling? Honestly. Don''t hold anything back from me." Momma asked the question with her arms crossed in front of her in what should have been an angry stance but the concern on her face ruined the whole scheme of it.


    "I''m fine, Momma. Really, I am. I was confused yesterday and in some pain. But I am doing a lot better now, I promise." I did my best to let them know that it was all over with now and we can move on.


    "When Makai texted us to tell us what had happened to you, we were both very worried. I can just imagine how your parents felt when they heard about it from him. We may not have known you for very long, Ocean, but you''re a son to us now. You''re going to marry our son after all. We''re family." OK, I had never heard or seen Makai''s dad acting so serious before today. This was definitely a new one for me.


    "I know, Dad. I am sorry for worrying you both like that." I felt ashamed, like I had done something wrong.


    "Don''t apologize." Makai put a finger under my chin and pulled my head back up so that I wasn''t looking down anymore. "Don''t ever feel sorry for what someone else has done to you. This is not your fault, Ocean. This was beyond your control."


    "Now that you bring that up, Makai, who should we lay the blame on? Ocean has chosen not to press charges against Justin for what he did to him so who is going to be punished for this crime?" I hadn''t expected that Momma would want someone to pay like this. This was not what I wanted when I told the cops to let Justin go. He didn''t deserve to go to jail for what he did. He didn''t know what he was doing.


    "Why does someone need to pay for this? Can''t we just let it go? It wasn''t something that any of us wanted to have happen, it was an accident."


    Dammit. I was trying my best to make this all go away. I was ready to forget that it all ever happened. I could convince everyone at school that I had amnesia and didn''t remember what happened so that I didn''t need to talk about it. I could even tell my siblings that as well, but I knew that Makai''s parents and my parents knew better than that.


    "You were nearly killed, Ocean. Do you not understand that?" Momma didn''t seem all that happy with me right now.


    "I know. But if anyone was at fault, it''s me. If anyone needs to be punished, it''s me."


    "Ocean, it wasn''t your fault. You were the vic-."


    "NO!" I interrupted Makai as he tried to take the blame from me. "No! Just stop it. It was my fault. I did this, but I didn''t know that I was doing it at the time. I didn''t know that I was able to bespell Justin like that. And I don''t even know when I did it. I don''t remember singing at school recently, but he had to have heard me and that is what caused all of this."


    "Well, actually Ocean, there is something that I found out today." Makai looked like he was having a hard time. He was avoiding my eyes as well as his parents. "I ran into Justin this morning and when I was talking to him, I found out that he has actually been under your spell for about three years now. I think that the sheer length of time that he was under the spell is what led to the violence. I don''t know what song he heard you sing either so that could have something to do with it."


    "Wait a minute! Makai! You didn''t say anything about this earlier when you were explaining things to us. Why didn''t you tell us that he had been under the spell for so long?" Makai had just earned the wrath of his mother and I could tell that she rivaled my own mom too.


    "I didn''t want to tell you vital information before I gave it to Ocean. He is the one that is the most important here. He needs to know this stuff and make the decisions. No matter how much the rest of us want to control the outcome, we can''t make the decisions for him.


    "Yes, I know that, you are right." Momma hung her head now as if she were ashamed of herself for having gotten angry. "I am so used to being in charge of things, I guess it''s dictating my life now." She laughed nervously now.


    "It''s fine, Momma. I appreciate you being here to help me through all of this."


    "I am still more concerned with why he needed to be here in the hospital in the first place. He is an ''other'', he shouldn''t need to be helped by doctors and have life-saving things like this unless it is a very serious injury." Dad was looking at me with his eyes filled with curiosity now.


    "Well, to be fair, I had been hit in the head a lot. That is what led to all of this. And now that the head issue is taken care of, I am healing a lot quicker than the humans. The nurses and the other doctors are going to get suspicious of me."


    "Yes, we understand that, Ocean." Momma nodded her head at me. "We are making arrangements to get you taken home as soon as possible. From there Dr. Malachi will take care of your recovery personally."


    "Don''t you mean he will study him like a guinea pig? He seems more interested in studying him than helping him." Makai must have heard something from the doctor that I hadn''t, or that I don''t remember hearing.


    "He will take care of Ocean. You do not have to worry about it, Makai. And if he happens to learn a little bit more about Ocean and why he is so different, then is that really a bad thing?"


    "I would rather you put Ocean first, Mom." Makai looked a little angry at his mom. "Still, let''s move on from this topic. I want to go back to the one about punishments."


    "Makai?" I was floored by what he said. He really wanted to talk about that right now?!


    "It''s fine, Ocean, just listen to me. I have a plan. I am going to make sure that no one needs to be punished and that Justin won''t remember anything at all."


    "And how do you plan to do that, Makai?" Dad asked him with his eyes widened. He was clearly curious.


    "I have already put the plan into partial play. I am going to have Dr. Malachi tell Justin that he found something on his medical records from yesterday. We''re going to convince him that he has a brain tumor and that Dr. Malachi will take care of it. He will be hypnotized by Ocean and made to forget all about this whole incident. We can make him forget a few other things as well so that his amnesia will not look suspicious. That is basically the entirety of the plan. In the end, no one will be left suffering because everyone can move on with their lives."


    I was listening to Makai''s plan with my jaw slowly dropping. He really had put some thought into this. And it might actually work out. Now we just needed to get everyone else on board with it all.


    "Are you sure that is a good idea? I mean, having Ocean sing to him a second time?" Momma raised her brow as she brought up her concern.


    "It would actually be the third time. I had to sing to him to release him from the spell." I blushed, not wanting to admit that to them.


    "OK, so singing was what it took to break it. Well, if that is the case, then he might never break the hypnotism if Ocean sings to him again." Dad was ready to agree to it. Momma, however, needed more time to talk it out.


    After about an hour or so, we had all figured it all out and it seemed that both of Makai''s parents agreed with how to go about this process now. That was good. Now that we had a plan all we had to do was put it into motion.

 Chapter 191 - Makai – Visits Part 5

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Just after we settled the plan on what we were going to do about Justin, there was a knock on the door a second before it was opened. Dr. Malachi was coming in and I saw that he was feeling a little stressed. His eyes gave it away.


    "Is everything OK, Abraham?" Dad asked the man as he came into the room. This was the second time that Dad had called Dr. Malachi by his first name. I guess that proved that the two of them were friends.


    "Yeah, I''m alright." He shut the door while sighing and went over to the last open seat in the room. That was when he dropped his professional attitude completely and literally fell into the chair. "I''m just so exhausted. That stupid girl woke up and before the friends we called could come and get her. She was ranting and raving like a fucking lunatic."


    I was slightly taken aback by this display from someone that I had only thought of in a professional manner. Then again, I had to remember that he was a person too and he would get frustrated and irritated when things like that happened. I am sure he kept himself in check during that time but right now he knew he was among friends, so he was relaxing just a little.


    "Yeah, she sure was something else." Dad shook his head and laughed.


    "You can say that again."


    As he said that, Dr. Malachi raised his head and looked at all of us in the room. He seemed to remember then that Ocean and I were still in here with him and my parents. I watched as his face visibly changed. He shifted from a tired normal person to professional and kind doctor.


    "Now, Ocean, how are you feeling? I imagine that you are doing a lot better than you were yesterday." He was getting back to his work now that he had a momentary show of weakness.


    "Yes, much better." My sweet Ocean just nodded his head in agreement with the doctor.


    "Good, good." There was a smile on Dr. Malachi''s face, and it made me remember the talk about him researching Ocean. I didn''t like that idea, but then again, it might be a good idea. There might be some things about my Ocean that aren''t normal. Who knows what is different with him being the only male Siren that we know of?


    "So, Abraham, when can my boy get out of here?" Dad asked him, framing the question almost as if it were me that were in the hospital. I was happy that my parents and my boyfriend were so close. That made the future that much easier when it came time for us to be on our own.


    "Already one big family, are you?" The doctor grinned before continuing. "Actually, that is part of the reason that I came back in here just now." He straightened his tie and stood up, once again looking like the picture of professionalism. "He can go home tomorrow. However, we are going to go under the cover story that his family wants him to be cared for personally at home. He will be receiving his care directly from me at your house. That part is not going to be a lie. I will be checking on him regularly over the next few months. I need to make sure that there are no other issues that arise from what happened to him yesterday. I mean, this is definitely not something that you normally see with people that are like us." He was looking right at Ocean, his eyes locked onto my boyfriend''s eyes. He was definitely curious and intent on following through with that research. Well, I guess that I will need to keep an eye on him to make sure that nothing bad is happening to him.


    "Alright, so he can go home tomorrow, that is good. How long until he can go back to school?" Mom asked what seemed to be the most important to her.


    "Next week. That will be fine in my opinion. Maybe the middle of the week or at most the following Monday. We do need to make this seem like a more believable human case. So perhaps the week after would be more optimal."


    I felt Ocean shrink in on himself as he heard the doctor''s words. He didn''t want to wait that long to get back to normal life. And with that thought, I had another question to ask him.


    "How long until he can start swimming again?" That made Ocean raise his head and look at me. He truly did want to know that. It was important to him and me both.


    "Hmm, three weeks for the team, this weekend for your private pool."


    "No offense Doc, but how did you know we have a private pool?" I couldn''t help but ask him that after his response.


    "Well, for one thing, I know that your parents would make sure that you had a place to swim at all times. And for two, who do you think helped you to find your house? I have a designated real estate agent that they used." There was a smirk on the doctor''s face as he answered my question.


    "I guess that is a good enough answer." I laughed.


    What followed that conversation was a rehashing of the plans that we had thought of to take care of Justin. Dr. Malachi already knew about the Siren song affecting Justin, but he didn''t know for how long he had been bespelled. He was quite shocked to find out that little tidbit and was surprised that he had endured the call of the song for that long. The song obviously made him want to be with Ocean, even against his freewill. His will was trying to exert itself over him and that is where the anger came from. He was fighting the spell the entire time but couldn''t stop himself from doing any of the things that he had done. It was truly an amazing situation. The more that I listened to him speak the more that I actually felt bad for Justin. I didn''t want to, but I did.


    With that finally done and over with, my parents and the doctor left, and it was finally just me and my Ocean left in the room.


    "I thought they were never going to leave." Ocean said, sounding relieved. He had been just as eager to be alone as I was.


    "Same here." I smiled at him, still sitting right next to him in the small hospital bed.


    "I was miserable here at the hospital all last night. I haven''t spent a night away from you in a couple of months now and that was difficult."


    "I know." I smiled as I leaned in toward him, slowly leaning him back against his pillows. "I wasn''t able to kiss you at all." Finally, for the first time in what felt like ages, I pressed my lips against his.


    If I had believed in a different religion, or if I was a more poetic man, I might have had some beautiful words to say about it right now. However, I wasn''t, and I didn''t. All I knew was that I was so in love with the man that I was holding against my chest and kissing gently. To me, this was the best feeling in the entire world.


    "So, was school truly horrible?" The moment that I broke the kiss, Ocean asked me the question that had obviously been weighing on his mind.


    "Well, the principal had an assembly. Oh, and I have a card for you from everyone at school. They all signed it during that assembly. It would have been different during the assembly, but I talked with the principal about Justin. I made sure that things didn''t go the way that they initially were. There are no charges being pressed against him, and he isn''t expelled. However, he will be doing the online school for the remainder of the year. The good thing about that is that he can still graduate and go to college. His future isn''t lost to him at all."


    I saw that light in Ocean''s eyes then. He was happy and relieved at the same time.


    "You did that for me, didn''t you?" His smile was so heartfelt and totally worth it.


    "I did. That and because after I talked to Justin, I felt that he wasn''t as at fault as I originally thought. I am still angry about what happened, but there is no one to be angry with. Not Justin, and not you." I was going to make sure he stopped blaming himself for yesterday.


    "Thank you." The hug I got then was almost better than the kiss. Almost. Still, it was pretty amazing. The way that he clung to me and showed that he appreciated me and loved me. Man, was there anything better?


    "Oh, and the entire lunchroom chanted ''go away ho'' and ''drop out'' to Brittney. It was quite the epic scene. She had been trying to get me to leave the school since I had almost killed you and Justin."


    "What in the actual hell?" Ocean was so shocked by that statement that he almost leapt away from me.


    We held each other and talked into the night. There was some kissing, but nothing too deep and passionate. We never knew when the nurses were going to come in and check on Ocean.


    When we fell asleep that night, I insisted on holding him in my arms all night. It kept his heart rate on the higher side, but I kind of liked that part. I got to hear the way that he physically responded to me.


    Nothing beyond that happened, it''s not like it could have. We were still in the hospital after all.. And we were pretty tuckered out after the long talks of the day.

 Chapter 192 - Ocean – Going Home

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had only been in the hospital for two days. Not even two full days. Well, I guess it was two full days, but I was unconscious for the first part of it, so it didn''t feel like that long to me. Still, I was eager to get home. I didn''t want to be here anymore. I just wanted to go home and spend some time with my boyfriend.


    Also, I wanted to get out of this damn hospital gown. I hadn''t been wearing my own clothes since before swim practice on Monday. When I was sent to the hospital, I had been wearing someone else''s shirt and sweatpants over top of my speedo. I mean, come on, talk about embarrassing. And to make matters worse, I was constantly being exposed whenever I moved around. That was so annoying.


    So, when Makai pulled out the clothes that he had brought for me to wear home I was so happy. Finally! Finally, I could cover myself properly. Then again, I didn''t mind being exposed to him and only him. He was the exception to the rule, the one and only person that I ever wanted to see me like that.


    I didn''t take a shower here at the hospital, even though I needed one. I wanted to take one at home instead. You know, just to be safe. What if I let my control slip because I had been injured? I couldn''t risk someone finding out about me because of my stupidity. No, it just wasn''t safe for me to take a shower here.


    "That''s fine, wait until we get home." Makai smiled and reassured me when I told him what I had been thinking. "I would much rather wash you when we get home."


    Damn him. He was making me get all excited. And it''s not like we could do anything when we were there. I mean, his parents were going to be home. Not only that, but I didn''t know how much I would be up to. I was technically recovering so it''s not like I would be able to do a lot, even if I wanted to.


    "Stop thinking dirty thoughts." Makai grinned at me. "I can take care of you without it leading to what you''re clearly thinking about right now." I blushed crimson at Makai''s words. He knew me well enough that he was able to read my thoughts perfectly just now.


    "Can you blame me?" I slid up next to him while I was getting dressed, my chest bare and my pants still in my hands, only my boxers and socks on at the moment. "I mean, I have one of the sexiest men alive as my boyfriend. Of course I will think about those things."


    "Yeah, I know. And you''re right, you do have one of the sexiest men alive as your boyfriend. And it just so happens, that I have the other sexiest man as my boyfriend. Don''t we make quite the pair?" At that moment, Makai slid his hand around my waist and held me against him. He didn''t kiss me, he just held me intimately and looked at me lovingly. That alone was enough for me at the moment. All I needed was to feel him, his soft supple skin, firm grip, and loving touch. I needed to feel that while it was mixed with the soothing scent that was him.


    I wanted to stay that way for a long time, but we toned it down after just a few moments. As much as I craved his touch, I didn''t want to risk being caught by someone who happened to come into the room. We needed to hold off on all of that for the time being. Also, my mom was on her way here to drive us home. We needed the ride since Makai had ridden here with his parents yesterday and, therefore, didn''t have a way of taking me home on his own.


    To be honest though, I am pretty sure that my mom would have insisted on driving me home even if Makai did have his car here. She would want to take her son home because she was worried about me. And I was so disappointed in myself for making her worry like that.


    After I was dressed and ready to go, the nurses came in to give me my instructions while also commenting that I was making the biggest mistake of my life for having requested to go home already. They just didn''t know what was really going on.


    "If you have headaches that won''t go away, you get a fever, you''re dizzy or nauseous, those are signs that you need to come back to the hospital immediately." The nurse was giving me a list of things to remember but I wouldn''t be needing them.


    "Alright, will do." I nodded and showed that I was going to be a good boy after I left the hospital.


    "No strenuous activity, no drinking or illegal substances, nothing that would leave you inebriated or impaired in any way. Those will only exacerbate your situation." Damn, what did she really think about me? Yeah, OK, I have drunk alcohol in the past, but I gave that up when I found the love of my life. I wasn''t making those stupid mistakes anymore.


    After she was done with her instructions, it was time for me to leave. Makai carried his bag with my things in it, not that I had that many with me. I was forced to ride in a wheelchair until we got to the covered driveway.


    Mom got out of her car when she saw me and opened the front passenger door for me.


    "Come on, baby. It''s time to get you home." She wanted to help me into the car, but Makai had already beaten her to it.


    I didn''t need their help either way. I was perfectly capable of getting out of the wheelchair and moving to the car alone. Hell, if I would have let him, Makai would have carried me like a princess until he sat me in my seat. That would never happen though because I would never let him do that to me.


    Mom really wanted to take me back to her house, the home that was mine until not that long ago. I knew that she wanted to have me near to check on me, but I was going to go to my new home. I was going to be with Makai. She could come to check on me every day if she wanted to.


    The moment that we got home and walked through the door, we were practically ambushed by Ben and Ryan. Not to mention, Makai''s parents. They were eager to get me inside and onto the couch so that I could rest. They were all treating me like I was fragile and broken. I guess that was to be expected after what happened.


    "Calm down everyone, please." I tried to get them to leave me alone. "I am fine, all I want to do now is rest and get better."


    "Yeah, we know that, you idiot. That is why we''re making sure that you sit there and don''t do anything else, stupid." Ryan, the ever present and friendly idiot, was the first to respond. He was such a good friend and always so blunt. I liked that about him.


    I did my best to enjoy the afternoon with them all. I had lunch with Mom, Momma, Dad (Makai''s) Ben, Ryan, and of course Makai. The food was delicious and had been prepared by Yvette, Makai''s family chef. She was the one who had taught him how to cook when he was younger, so I already liked her style of cooking.


    While we ate, we all talked about different topics. There were talks about school, about the future, about college, but there were no talks about what had happened to me. It seemed to me like everyone was trying really hard to avoid that subject altogether.


    When dinner came around that night, Mom had gone home but everyone else was still here. I had only sat around talking to people and watching TV all day, so I wasn''t as hungry as I would usually be, but I was bored out of my mind.


    After we ate, I told them all that I was tired and wanted to just take a shower and go to bed. Which wasn''t all that much of a lie. I was tired, but more like I was tired of what I had been doing, or rather not doing.


    Not to mention, I wanted to have some alone time with my boyfriend. We had only had our alone time at the hospital last night and that wasn''t nearly good enough. We hadn''t had any form of privacy, so I was craving more from him.


    In truth, I think that I just wanted to feel connected with him. Emotionally, not physically.. It was like my body, my heart, and my soul were all lacking something, and I needed to replenish it with some time that was just the two of us, a bed, and some snuggles.

 Chapter 193 - Ocean – Taking Care Of Me

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "I will go with you, Ocean." The moment that I suggested leaving everyone that was downstairs and going up to my room, Makai leapt to his feet and started to come after me. I knew that was going to happen though, so I had been prepared for it.


    "Alright." I didn''t say anything else as he came to my side and put his arm around my shoulders.


    Makai walked like that all the way up to our room. He didn''t want to leave me at all. And of course, I didn''t want him to leave my side either. This just felt so comforting at the moment that I was weary about what was going to happen next. Things were too perfect when he was with me.


    "Do you want to take your bath?" Makai asked me as soon as we were in the bedroom. "I will help wash you." There was a slight smirk on his face. I could tell that he was thinking that he was being sly at the moment, but I had been expecting this from him as well. I mean, he said something similar to this at the hospital as well.


    "Yeah, I think that would be good. I could use some nice relaxing time." Hey, I said I knew that it was coming, not that I was going to try and stop it. I mean, I would have to be an idiot to want to stop him from taking care of me.


    "Good, just have a seat and I will take care of everything." Did I ever mention how much I love this man? He was so good to me that he was borderline too perfect.


    I did as Makai told me to and sat on the bed while he went into the bathroom to get things ready for me. I had known that he was going to be overly attentive when I got home and knew that it was futile to stop any of it. That was why I was being so agreeable to him at the moment.


    I will admit, I was already quite tired from everything that had happened over the last couple of days. While I sat on the bed waiting for Makai to get things ready, I almost fell asleep. It was a struggle to keep my eyes open, but I managed it until he came to get me.


    "Your bath is ready." Makai was looking down at me where I was reclining on the bed. His hand was outstretched so that he could help me to my feet. Like I said, overly attentive and definitely overly protective.


    After I took Makai''s hand, he pulled me to my feet and kissed my cheek gently. He didn''t say anything else, he just kissed me and then pulled me along behind him into the bathroom.


    Makai had done way more than I expected him to, he had gotten the bath ready with hot, bubble filled water. I could smell some scented oils or something in the water, perhaps it was grapefruit or something similar to that. Aside from getting the water ready, Makai had lit candles all around the room and dimmed the lights so that they were soft and easy on the eyes.


    "I know you had a headache earlier, so I wanted to do this to make you feel better." He seemed almost embarrassed to say that. Why would he be embarrassed now of all times? I didn''t understand him sometimes.


    "Thank you, babe. This means a lot to me."


    After another quick kiss, Makai started to reach toward the buttons on my clothes so that he could undress me.


    "Do you think that we should be doing that right now?" I asked him with worry in my voice.


    "As much as I would like to, Ocean, that wasn''t my intention. Unless you wanted to take a bath with your clothes on." I blushed when I realized what he had been trying to do.


    "S..sorry. I will take them off." I tried to push his hands out of the way but he wouldn''t let me.


    "No, I will and then I will wash you. That is what I came up here for. I am going to take care of you."


    "Washing me is one thing, I can undress myself." I protested as I once again tried to move his hands.


    "Nope, it''s a full service deal. I am going to undress you, bathe you, dry you off, massage you, and help you get dressed. So just stop fighting me on it, OK." I saw a glint in his eyes that told me he was quite enjoying himself.


    "Alright, fine, do whatever you want." I let my hands fall to my sides as I stopped fighting him, there was also a smile on my face at that moment.


    A few moments later, Makai had fully removed my clothes and I stepped into the tub''s soothing and hot water. Just sitting there and soaking was relaxing and making my body feel better. I hadn''t realized how tense I had been since I woke up yesterday. The water though, was already relaxing that tension right out of my muscles.


    While I sat there with my eyes closed, I heard Makai moving behind me. I couldn''t figure out what it was that he was doing until I felt him slide into the extra large tub with me. My eyes popped open, and I saw that he was naked and was coming toward me with a bottle of soap and a loofa.


    "I couldn''t wash you all that well from out there, could I? No, I needed to be in here with you." I didn''t say a word, it wouldn''t have done anygood anyway.


    Makai proceeded to move until he was sitting behind me and had me leaning against his chest. He made sure that I didn''t move too much, and every time that I did move, he moved me right back to where I had been before.


    Makai washed my hair. He washed my shoulders, my back, my chests, my arms, my legs, and the most sensitive part of my body that had an involuntary reaction to his soft, tender touch. He made sure that every part of me was clean and relaxed by the time that he pulled the stopper from the tub and drained the water.


    When he helped me from the tub, he did just as he said he was going to do. He took a large, oversized towel and started to dry my entire body. This time, he started from my feet and made his way up. He took my right foot first and slowly moved the towel up my body and dried me up to my thigh. After that he did the same thing to my left leg. All of that was done with him kneeling in front of me and my stiff erection.


    When he slowly rose to his feet, he cupped my balls with his towel-covered hand and dried them as well. He wasn''t saying anything, just working. He didn''t even say anything when he towel dried my cock that was standing at full attention.


    Finally, I was fully dried and Makai set aside his towel. He was still wet, but not as much as he could be. A lot of the water had dripped off of him while he worked on me.


    "Come on, let''s get you to the bed. I need to massage you now." He took a couple more towels in his arm and then pulled me by the hand until we were back in the room.


    After making me lay in the bed, Makai proceeded to dry himself off the rest of the way. I will admit that watching him rub his own body with the towel was very erotic. It shouldn''t have been, but it was. I was getting harder and harder just watching him.


    "Roll onto your stomach." He grinned at me when he saw my erection, but he ignored it and grabbed a bottle of lotion.


    "What are you going to do now?" I asked him, confused.


    "You need to be massaged and moisturized. I was just going to do them both at the same time rather than doing them separately. That is, unless you want me to do them separately. That would just mean that I get to touch you even more." Those words caused another sly glint to fill his eyes. Damn, I could feel the heat coming off of him from here. No, wait, that might have just been the heat from me. I was both aroused and embarrassed at the moment. My cheeks were flaming red, but my dick was hard as hell.


    "W..wh..whichever way you would p..prefer to do it." I stuttered out.


    "Hmm, interesting choice of words. However, that will have to wait. You need to recover and rest. I don''t want to hurt you."


    Damn, that smirk of his made me want to throw all of my caution to the wind and just pull him down on top of me. That was how sexy and seductive he was being. Didn''t he realize what he was doing to me? Damn him.


    "Come on now, Ocean. Roll over so that I can massage your back for you. Or I could start with the front."


    "N..n..no, th..that''s fine. I''ll roll over." If he started with the front I would probably lose all of my self control. I needed to do my best to behave myself right now.. So, with that in mind, I rolled onto my stomach, making sure that I positioned a certain something in just the right way so that I wasn''t trying to poke my way through the bed.

 Chapter 194 - Ocean – Taking Care Of Me Part 2 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "It''s just a massage, Ocean. Why are you responding so much?" I could hear the grin that he was wearing. It was evident in his voice with the way that he was speaking. He was proud of himself for being able to turn me on without having to do much at all.


    "Maybe I am just thinking about when it won''t just be a massage." I tried to make up some sort of excuse that he might be able to believe. It wasn''t a very good one though.


    "Uh huh." He answered while he laughed at what I had said. "Just do your best to relax and enjoy the massage. I promise you that I won''t try to jump on you until after you are healed."


    Dammit. He was going to torture me like that? What did I do to deserve such cruelty? Yeah, OK, he was pampering me and treating me so well. But, I mean, he was going to leave me hanging? Or rather pointing? That wasn''t right at all. Come on, Makai. Don''t you want to take care of all of me?


    Too bad he couldn''t hear my silent question. Actually, no, it was a good thing that he didn''t hear it. I didn''t want to hear him explain to me why he couldn''t take care of me. Dammit.


    "Just relax, Ocean. You''re way too tense." I felt Makai put his hands on my back then. He was feeling the muscles and the way they were all stiff.


    "I can''t relax." I whispered so softly that I was sure he hadn''t heard it. But I was trying to do as he told me. That or it might look like I was trying to suffocate myself as I pressed my face into the mattress.


    Makai''s fingers felt like they were infused with magic. The moment that he started to rub my back with his lotion-covered fingertips, I moaned obscenely and pressed myself even further into the mattress. I could literally feel the tension and stress melting away from me while he worked.


    "Oh God, Makai. That''s so good. Please, don''t stop." If someone had been outside of our bedroom door, they would think that something else was going on. Granted, we were both naked and I was sounding like some sort of porn star.


    "I won''t stop, Ocean. I won''t stop until you feel better."


    "You have no idea what you''re saying. I can, and just might, take full advantage of your words." I meant it as a joke, something to be playful and fun, I didn''t expect his response though.


    "You can always use all of me, Ocean. My words, my body, all of it." He chuckled but then added an addendum. "Well, when you''re healed, that is." Dammit!


    I tried my best to keep quiet after that. I didn''t say a word when Makai climbed up onto the bed with me. I didn''t make a peep when he moved from his spot next to me to sit on my thighs.


    "I need the extra leverage, you''re so tense and tight right now." Not a good choice of words there, Makai. That just made me even more horny. Hurry up so I can stop agonizing over what it is that you are doing to me!


    I was lost in the massage that he was giving me. I was lost, but still conscious enough to know that I needed to stay quiet. Well, mostly quiet. I was still moaning involuntarily. I couldn''t help it. It just felt so amazing.


    After he was done with my back, Makai massaged my shoulders and then my arms. After my arms, I felt his hands glide slowly down my back, across my ass, and to the tops of my thighs. He worked his way slowly down each leg, one at a time.


    I tried not to squirm and to keep the moaning to a minimum while Makai firmly massaged my thigh muscles, calf muscles, and feet. It was hard though, because he, either accidentally or intentionally, kept brushing his fingers against a certain place.


    "Well, the back is all done. Time for me to work on the front." I snapped my head up and looked at him with wide eyes when he said those words. What the hell was he talking about? "Don''t look at me like that. I need to finish what I started. Let me massage the rest of you and apply the lotion as well. You don''t want to only be half done, do you?" Please, someone, anyone, tell me why he was looking so mischievous.


    I decided to just do as Makai said without fighting him. He already knew that I was turned on, so it didn''t matter that he was about to see me at full attention. I just rolled to my back, my cock standing straight up, and reveled in the look of appreciation that I got from my boyfriend.


    Without a word, Makai started to massage me from my neck to my shoulders and then to my chest. When his hands moved down past my stomach and to my waist, he stopped. He was just getting to the good part, but he ignored it and moved to the foot of the bed. What the hell?


    Now, Makai was once again massaging my feet, but this time he was massaging the tops and side instead of the bottoms. He moved up from there to my ankles and then my calves. When he was massaging my thighs, I had to work really hard not to thrust myself up toward him.


    I thought for sure that he was going to skirt around my most sensitive bits. I thought that he was going to stop massaging me altogether or just move to another part of me. I couldn''t have been more wrong.


    The moment that I felt Makai''s hand slide up between my thighs and cup my balls I gasped. Just that touch was amazing but it also surprised me too.


    "W..w..what are y..y..you d..doing?" I stuttered again, feeling so nervous at the moment.


    "What does it look like?" He grinned at me. "I am still massaging you."


    "B..b..b..but I..I thought.. I thought that you and I weren''t g..going to.. going to d..do a..anything u..until I w..was.. until I was b..better." Damn that was so hard for me to say. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Makai was rolling my sack around in the palm of his hands as he gently squeezed and kneaded the tender area.


    "Well, ''we'' aren''t going to do anything. I am just going to take care of you, Ocean. And there is a part of you that is so tense that it most definitely needs to be massaged. I am just being a devoted fianc¨¦, that is all." Damn him. He was doing this on purpose.


    It may not be the full shebang, but it was something. And like they say, something was better than nothing.


    Makai didn''t wait at all. He grabbed my shaft in his other hand and started to ''massage'' that as well. Only this massaging was happening in a long, slow stroking motion that that made me moan a lot more than any of the other massages did.


    "Ngh! M..M..Makai!" I called his name, but I did my best to keep my voice low.


    "It''s OK, Ocean. Let yourself relax and feel good." I had closed my eyes when he started to stroke me, but I whipped them open now. He had sounded and felt a lot closer to me now. Especially since I could feel his breath on my overheated skin.


    I watched him take me into his mouth then. Damn that warm, wet sensation was always one of the best things that I had ever felt in my entire life. He pulled me into his mouth and slid his lips all the way down to the base of my shaft. I felt him relax his mouth around me to take me a little deeper and that almost made me give in right then and there, but I wouldn''t let that be the end of this.


    When Makai pulled back, he swirled his tongue around the tip of my overly hard and overly hot dick. He slid his mouth down again, a little faster this time. And that was what set the rhythm for his motions.


    I couldn''t sit still and relax anymore. Not with what he was doing to me. I was thrusting my hips up to meet his mouth, and I grabbed one of the pillows to put over my mouth to muffle the sounds of my aroused moans.


    Still, I was loving every second of what Makai was doing to me. He was leaving no part of me unmassaged. He was making sure that I was fully satisfied. I had to wonder though, did he have this planned when he came up here, or was it only because I was so turned on by him and his touching me?


    Dammit! I couldn''t finish my thoughts on that. I tried to think about something else but all I could focus on was his hot, wet mouth as it slid up and down my shaft.


    I wanted Makai to do more. I wanted him to suck me harder. I wanted him to play with other parts of me while he pleased me. I wanted him to take his mouth off of me and flip me over so that he could fuck me hard. But he wasn''t doing anything else.


    I was on the edge of my oblivion, teetering on the verge of my climax but he was still staying at the same pace and nothing else. I wonder if there would be more when he was done.


    That was my last thought before I exploded into his mouth. He had done what he wanted to, he had made me come and the tension in my rock hard cock was already lessening. Though there was nothing else.


    "There." Makai whispered as he leaned forward and kissed my stomach, just below my belly button. "Now you have been fully satisfied."


    "Not quite." I panted out the words while I hid my arousal filled eyes with my arm slung over my head. "I want more."


    "Too bad, baby. I can''t give you more until you''re all better."


    "I am all better. If I wasn''t then I wouldn''t be home." I tried to plead my case but apparently, he wasn''t going to buy it at all.


    "Nope. You''re not all better until the doctor tells us that you are one hundred percent good to go. I don''t want to hurt you, Ocean. So, I will not be doing anything else for now." He kissed my stomach again but then he stood up and left the bed. "I am going to go get our clothes."


    "Tease." I whispered the word as I tried not to blame him for leaving me wanting more.


    "Hush. You know that when I am given the ''go ahead'' I will be making you scream all night long."


    Dammit! Now I am hard again.

 Chapter 195 - Ocean – The Doctor Comes To Visit

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Momma made Makai go to school the day after I got home. She told him that he had spent the entire previous day with me, so he needed to be responsible and just go to school. Her exact words had apparently been right along the lines of what my mother had told him before.


    "Who else is going to make sure that Ocean has all the information from his classes? If you skip school, then he will fall even more behind. Do you want his grades to suffer?"


    Throughout her entire argument with Makai, Momma never once referenced his grades or him falling behind. She was apparently only focused on me and my grades. She didn''t want me to suffer because my boyfriend was being ''selfish''. I don''t see how him wanting to spend time with me was selfish, but I did understand what she was saying about school. I didn''t want to get behind and wind up failing because of this whole incident.


    The problem with Makai going to school though, was that I was basically left home all alone. Momma had to go into the office for something, that was the first time that I actually heard of either her or Dad going to their actual place of employment. Well, technically, it wasn''t their place of employment since they were the two people that owned and operated the company.


    Still, it was strange seeing it happen at all. Dad, a.k.a Reef, had gone to find out some information about Brittney. He wanted to know what was going to happen to her and what part I needed to play in the whole thing. Honestly, I hoped that I didn''t need to do all that much when it came to her being punished for what she had done.


    You see, unlike Justin, Brittney knew full well what she was doing. No one had done anything to her to make her act the way that she had. Justin, on the other hand, had been bespelled and that had caused him to act so hostile and violent. That had all been my fault and I would take responsibility for that. I would not, under any circumstances, take responsibility for Brittney and her crazy ass psychotic ways.


    Well, I guess I wasn''t at the house ''all alone'' like I had said. The maid and chef were here. I think everyone was still too worried about me and my ''condition'' to let me be anywhere fully alone. And because of that, I was being watched like a hawk by them.


    Though, there was an upside to having a chef keep an eye on me. At the current moment, I was currently sitting in front of a very large and very delicious breakfast. Yvette had outdone herself and I was loving every second, and every morsel, of it.


    "You eat just like Makai does." She commented as she watched me eat the food. "You seem to enjoy it so much, not to mention you eat just as much as he does and yet you are so fit. I don''t know how you boys manage to do that." She was laughing as she commented about that.


    "Well, we''re teenage boys, as well as swimmers. We have very fast metabolisms." I wasn''t lying about the metabolisms, I just didn''t add that there was a third factor in it all as well.


    "Yes, I can see that. Oh, to be young and as in love as you two are. I am so happy that you have found each other." I blushed as she continued to talk. I couldn''t help it. "I do hope that you two will let me be the one in charge of cooking at the wedding."


    I nearly choked on my food then. Someone had told her about the upcoming wedding and that was completely embarrassing. Who was it that was talking about it? Who would have told her about it? UGH!


    Oh well, there was nothing that I could do about it now. What was done was done.


    "I wouldn''t have it any other way, Yvette. You''re the best chef in the entire world." I happily shoved another big bite into my mouth and watched as she blushed now. I guess I had gotten my payback.


    Following my breakfast, I was just sitting in the living room with nothing to do. I was planning on watching a movie or something, but that was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. I didn''t know who it was, but I got up to check anyway.


    "Dr. Malachi?" I nearly jumped when I saw him there. "W..what are you doing here?"


    "Do you not remember, Ocean? I am here to provide your homecare. Are you suffering from memory loss? Do you have amnesia, son?" Dammit, I was making him think that there was something seriously wrong with me.


    "No!" I answered quickly and loudly. "No, I do not have amnesia. I just didn''t think that you would be here so soon. I also didn''t think that you were actually going to visit me at home. In truth, I thought that was just another part of the lie."


    Why was he grinning at me? Why was he looking at me like I was some dim witted child that he was about to manipulate and take advantage of? Someone, anyone, help me. Please.


    "Ocean, I would never lie about taking care of someone. I took an oath to care for people, and I always honor that oath." He stepped inside the house and shut the door. "Not to mention, there is so much about you and your ''condition'' that we need to research and find out about. I would never pass up the opportunity to do some research."


    Uh oh, I was nothing more than a specimen to him. No wonder I felt like I was about to be swallowed up by a giant predator. And that reminded me, I still didn''t know what type of ''creature'' Dr. Malachi was. I wasn''t getting a Merman vibe from him, but I still felt like he came from the sea like Makai and I did.


    "Janice, you and Yvette are free to go. I will watch over Ocean until Analise and Reef return home." Well, apparently the scary doctor here knew the staff of Makai''s family. That meant that he had come here quite often. Often enough that he knew them and ordered them to leave.


    Part of me wanted to beg them not to leave. I wanted them to stay here and protect me from the man that was watching me so intensely. I didn''t though. Mostly because I thought that Dr. Malachi would just dismiss my pleadings and make them leave anyway.


    Once we were alone, Dr. Malachi walked over to sit on the couch.


    "Sit Ocean, I won''t bite you." Yeah, I knew that. I wasn''t afraid of being bitten. I was afraid of being dissected.


    "U..uhm, Dr. Malachi, what is it that you want right now? I just left the hospital yesterday, there can''t have been that much of a change in my condition since then, could there?"


    "No, I highly doubt that there has been much change, aside from you slowly getting better. However, I truly do wish to speak to you. I want to learn more about you and your origin, Ocean. I want to know how it is that you came to be. And, I want to learn any secrets that your genetics are hiding from us." There was a scary amount of intensity in his voice. So much so that I felt compelled to just do what it was that he wanted me to. I had been standing in front of the chair, watching him, but when he said that and looked at me with those dark eyes of his, I felt like I had to obey him no matter what. So, I just let myself sink into the chair and sat like he had told me to.


    "D..D..Dr. Malachi, w..wh..what species are you?" The moment that the words were out of my mouth I clapped my hand over my mouth in shock and horror. "I am so sorry. I didn''t mean to ask that. That was incredibly rude of me." My face was on fire at the moment.


    "It''s fine, Ocean. You''re new to this culture of ours, so I will let it slide this time. And to answer your question, I come from the sea, just like you, only I am a more rare specimen than you are. Well, not you specifically but your race. I think you might be the most rare specimen on the planet, but that is only speculation."


    "Well, don''t stop there, what rare specimen are you? You can''t just leave me hanging like that." I laughed, my curiosity boiling over.


    "I am a sea dragon. We''re a race that lives much longer than the other sea creatures, but we don''t find mates or have families all that frequently. A lot of us will live and die without ever having a family."


    "Shit!" That sounded like the loneliest species in the entire world. How horrible would it be to never find someone to love and settle down with? I could never imagine my life without Makai in it. Not now that I met him anyway. But to not even have a chance at that type of happiness, that had to be rough.


    "Stop looking so heartbroken on my behalf, Ocean. I am perfectly content with my life right now. If I find a mate, that is fine, but I am OK with how things are. I mean, I would have to be right? I have dealt with it all for over a hundred years now."


    HOLY SHIT! Dr. Malachi was over a hundred years old!

 Chapter 196 - 0196 Ocean – The Doctor Comes To Visit Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Dr. Malachi had quite the calm look on his face. I don''t know about anyone else, but if someone were to tell me that I had to be OK with the fact that I might live for hundreds of years without ever having someone to love, I would tell them to go to hell. I could never do something like that, and I didn''t know how he was able to do it either.


    I tried to look in his eyes, I tried to see something that told me that he was lying about being OK with his situation. I couldn''t, though. I couldn''t see anything other than his typical whatever look. He truly didn''t seem to care that he just told me he had been alone for over a hundred years.


    And now that I thought about it, how old was he going to get? How long do sea dragons live? What kind of abilities did he have? Dammit! I was so fucking curious now. All I wanted to do was ask him a million questions. I wanted to know everything about him and where he came from. I wanted to study him the way that he wanted to study me.


    "Let us not dwell on my origins, Ocean. They are not a mystery to anyone. What is a mystery is you and that is what everyone needs to focus on right now." He just crushed my hopes of learning anything else. He just destroyed my newfound dream of understanding a sea dragon.


    "I know I am the only male Siren, as far as anyone knows, but how am I a mystery?" I know I was being dense. It was done on purpose right now. I just wanted to hear what he had to say.


    "As you said, Ocean, you are the only male Siren that we know about. I am not sure if you were the only one ever born, but I can assure you that you are the only one to ever reach maturity." His words made me remember when I found out what I was. It made me think about how Momma and Dad had told me that the Sirens would murder the ugly babies to preserve the beauty of their people.


    Honestly, thinking back on that and having met Brittney in person, I couldn''t hardly believe that I was like them in any way. How could I be part of a people that was like that? How could I be anything like them?


    And then, those thoughts made me think about how I used to be. Even as recently as the beginning of this school year. I had been so shallow because I had been following the ''ideal'' that other people thought was right. I had never even met my Siren family, but I had acted like them for so long. Damn! How did I even have any friends left after the shitty attitude I had?


    "Sometimes, I wonder how I even made it to where I am now." I sighed and buried my face in my hands.


    "What are you talking about?" I seemed to have surprised Dr. Malachi and made him feel very uncomfortable.


    "I used to be so shallow and cared way too much about what people thought of me. I guess I was more like a Siren than I ever thought I was, even with the positive influences in my life." I felt my eyes sting as I fought to stop myself from tearing up. That wouldn''t do me any good. I was better than that now, and I would never go back to being like that ever again.


    "It''s that old debate about nature versus nurture. Sometimes we can''t overcome who we were meant to be and sometimes we can. I would say that you are doing quite well for yourself, Ocean. You have genuine friends, a mate that loves you, parents that would do anything for you. You''re truly a special guy. And that there, is my honest opinion." It meant a lot to me, it really did. He didn''t know that much about me to truly think that, but I was glad that he said it nonetheless.


    "Thank you." I smirked but I tried to hide my face so that he wouldn''t see it.


    "Alright now, enough of that. It''s time to figure out the mystery that is Ocean. I wanted to get to the bottom of all of this." Now I could hear nothing but pure excitement in his voice, and he was once again being all intense and intimidating. Geez! This man was nothing but a giant mood swing.


    "Do what you need to do, Dr. Malachi. I will be as cooperative as I can be."


    "Good, now let us do what I need to do first, and that is give you an exam for the injuries. After that, we will work on the deep mysteries of the ''Ocean''." He laughed at his own stupid joke but I had heard plenty of those growing up so it hadn''t phased me.


    The injuries he needed to check included my head, where it had been hit as well as where they had cut into my skull to relieve pressure from the fluid gathering there. There was also my ribs, my arm and my shoulder area. I hadn''t been hurt in a lot of places, but after my head had been hit hard, it was like everything was taking its toll on me even more.


    The first thing that Dr. Malachi checked was my head. I hadn''t been wearing any bandages since I got home from the hospital since the wound wasn''t open anymore. There was no incision or anything like that causing anything to get worse. It was literally like nothing had happened to me at all. Well, aside from the fact that part of my hair had been cut shorter. I was going to need to get a full hair cut soon so that it didn''t look so stupid.


    "The wounds on your head are better, but I still want you to be careful for the next couple of days. You hit it pretty hard, and concussions can cause some serious damage." He wasn''t looking at my face when he spoke, so I didn''t see his face at all. I had to judge by the tone of his voice what he might be thinking when he said that. His voice was calm and even, not emotional or worried at all. Those were all good signs.


    "Your shoulder here is already better, you just have a little residual bruising. You will have full motion again by tonight at the latest, if you don''t already." He was just continuing on in that same tone of voice that he had used before. Only this time, he was moving my arm all around while he spoke.


    "Your wrist is fine, so that is good." Again, he was moving my wrist all about as he spoke and checking the range of motion. "OK, take your shirt off now. I need to see those ribs."


    "What? No dinner first? Makai was never so forward." I joked with him. In truth, Makai had been quite eager and insistent, but he did buy me dinner at the hotel and then again after the trip.


    "Ha ha. Does your mate know you make those kinds of jokes?" Dr. Malachi didn''t look too enthused.


    "I''ve never made them before, so I guess the answer is no." This time when he laughed, it was real.


    "HA HA HA HA! That''s priceless."


    I did what he said after that and took my shirt off. I felt him press around on my chest, feeling the bones beneath.


    "They''ve all healed. No more breaks or cracks. That''s good. I don''t know what it was that had caused you to get injured so easily, but you are healing like you should."


    "So, just another mystery?" I smirked at him.


    "The mysteries of the ''Ocean'' run deep." Damn him and his jokes. I even laughed that time.


    I put my shirt back on after that and the two of us sat across from each other to talk. This was the part of the visit that I knew Dr. Malachi was most looking forward to. He wanted to find out more about me, what differences that I have.


    "So, Ocean, tell me." His fingertips were pressed together under his chin as he stared at me.


    "Tell you what?" He had to be more specific than that. I didn''t know what he wanted me to talk about right now.


    "Everything. I need to study you, to research every aspect of your life that I can."


    "Hahh." I sighed at the inevitable tediousness that was going to follow. "There really isn''t all that much. Aside from when I was found and when I met Makai, I had a pretty normal life."


    "Explain it all to me, please." He insisted.. "Tell me about when you were found. What do you know about it?"

 Chapter 197 - Split – Answering The Doctors Questions

    (THE TRUE ORIGIN OF OCEAN AS ONLY HE KNOWS IT PART ONE)


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "You want to know about when I was found? B..but wouldn''t that be better to ask my parents? I mean, I was a baby. How am I supposed to know what happened that day? It was literally the day that I was born, right? I couldn''t possibly tell you what happened that day."


    "Couldn''t you?" Dr. Malachi looked at me with eyes that almost seemed to be hidden in shadows. Which was strange. He wasn''t sitting in the darker part of the living room. Instead, he was sitting with the window facing him, the light streaming in. He should be nothing but visible. Still, his eyes were hidden in shadows and I couldn''t quite see what they looked like at the moment.


    His eyes themselves were dark, so with the shadow over them I could barely see them at all. I was trying to focus on them, trying to see the color that I remembered was in them as I thought about his words.


    His eyes were blue, but dark blue. They were actually a true midnight blue. But I couldn''t see them right now at all. Not to mention, my eyes were playing tricks on me right now. Dr. Malachi''s usual brown hair was starting to change colors. It looked like his short brown hair was now longer and flowing behind him in a wavy white and dark blue. It was hypnotic, but I was still only able to see it out of the corner of my eyes.


    I tried to see everything that was happening to him, it wasn''t just his hair that was changing, but I couldn''t look away from his eyes. I could see his skin was now mostly white, like pure white, but that wasn''t all it was. It seemed to be covered in scales and there were glowing blue swirls inside of his scales.


    Why did he have scales right now? Why did he look so odd right now? Was this his true form? I really wanted to ask him. I wanted to look at the rest of him. I wanted to see all of his true form. I had never even known that there were sea dragons, this was such a great opportunity for me.


    "Ocean." Dr. Malachi called out to me in a deep, yet soft voice. "Listen to me, Ocean."


    "I''m listening to you." My voice came out of my mouth, but I wasn''t the one making it do that. Or was I? What was going on here?


    (A BRIEF HISTORY OF DR. ABRAHAM MALACHI AS WELL AS OCEAN''S EXPLANATIONS)


    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    I called out to Ocean with my dragon. I had partially shifted and was using the innate ability that all dragons have, whether they were sea dragons, wind dragons, fire dragons, or earth dragons. I hadn''t explained who and what I was to Ocean completely. I had told him that I was a sea dragon, and I let him think that meant that I was just another sea creature like him.


    While in truth, I am a creature of the sea and that is how I came to know his future in-laws, that is not the only place that I belong. I, like all the others of my kind, am one of the rarest and most mythological creatures that there are on this planet. And because of that, I have learned a lot about hiding things and learning things.


    Unlike the fire dragons that are my kin, I don''t horde gold and money. No, I horde knowledge. All of the previous sea dragons had done the same. They were the type to seek information, often at great personal risk and hefty prices.


    Times have changed though, and that information is easier to come by, but no less desired. My kin and I have spread through the various bodies of waters that cover the world, seas and oceans mostly.


    In all of my time in this world, which has been longer than most but less than quite a few, I have learned a lot about the other inhabitants of the water. The merfolk are a great friend to the sea dragons, having so much in common with each other, they are our natural allies. Merfolk and the other shifters of the sea, aside from the Sirens, have always worked with us.


    The Sirens, of which I know plenty about, have never been accepting of anyone except for themselves. That is part of the reason why I was intrigued by this case. Even more so the other day when I learned that the instigator in this whole situation was another Siren, a female one of course.


    Sirens hate the outside world. They don''t want to let outsiders in, and they don''t share their secrets easily. The fact that there managed to be not one, but two Sirens, living in this smallish town was quite surprising.


    The girl, Brittney, was not much different than the other Sirens that I had come to know. She was selfish, self-centered, egotistical and a fucking bitch. Ocean, on the other hand, was different. He cared for others, he loved others, he thought of them when making decisions, and he was a man.


    How could a researcher such as me not be excited when they find out about a MALE SIREN?! When Analise called to tell me about Ocean back in November I initially didn''t believe her. I actually told her that she had to be mistaken and that Ocean couldn''t possibly be a Siren. Also, I scolded her for her bad joke with the boy''s name. I mean, come on, who in the world would name their child Ocean Shores, and for that child to also be a creature of the sea. That was way too coincidental.


    Still, here we were. Me sitting here hypnotizing the world''s only known male Siren so that I could ask him questions about things that he couldn''t remember on his own. I was bringing out some of my true looks and pouring magic into my eyes. It was what I needed to do to put him under my spell.


    "Ocean." I called out to him in a soft, powerful voice. I had poured so much magic into my voice that it was also helping to pull him under. "Listen to me, Ocean."


    "I''m listening to you." He answered me immediately, but I could still tell that he wasn''t fully under yet. He was still partially conscious.


    "Close your eyes, Ocean. Close your eyes and remember everything. Close your eyes and answer my questions. Let us work together." That did it. That finished him off. His eyes finally slid shut and his voice stopped speaking in the back of his mind.


    Unlike most people tend to think, thanks to the movies, Ocean''s head did not slump forward or fall to the side. He didn''t hunch over, and he didn''t look like he had fallen asleep in the chair.


    The truth is, when someone is hypnotized, they are not actually asleep. We may tell them that they are asleep because that is the easier way to describe it to the person being hypnotized. In all actuality, sleeping had almost nothing to do with enchanting someone into a fugue state. The only thing at all that might be considered asleep is the consciousness. Other than that, the person is physically awake.


    I was sitting across from Ocean as he just sat there peacefully. His eyes were closed. His face was relaxed. And he was ready for me to delve deeper into his mind.


    I could have made Ocean do whatever it is that I wanted him to. I could have made him say or do anything and he couldn''t stop me. However, I wasn''t an evil man and all I wanted was knowledge. And this was something that I had already talked about with Reef and Analise. This was necessary for finding out where Ocean really came from.


    With Ocean in this state, I could access his memories that are either locked away from trauma or blocked by age. I needed Ocean to remember a time before he was ever truly conscious of being a person. He needed to remember the first few hours and days of his life. He needed to go back farther than any other person that I had ever hypnotized before.


    "Ocean, can you still hear me?" I needed to make sure that our connection was still there and still strong enough to do what we needed to.


    "Y..yes. I can still hear you, Dr. Malachi." His voice was void of any and all emotions. He literally sounded like a flat, monotoned robot. That meant that his mind was in the In Between. This In Between was where I needed to go as well. I needed to follow him and make sure that I didn''t just hear the memories that he was telling me about, I needed to see them for myself.


    "That is good, very good. Wait for me where you are. Look around you and tell me what you see. Where have you gone?" I was guiding him so that I could guide myself.


    This next part was something that went beyond hypnotism. I was going to leave Ocean in this safety net that his mind created so that I could see his memories without him. I didn''t want him to learn anything that might be potentially damaging to his psyche but I needed to see where he came from.


    "I..I''m standing on a beach. Staring at the ocean. I am at my favorite spot, the place I go when I need to think and work out my problems." Good, that meant that he was in a safe place.


    "That''s good, Ocean. Keep describing it to me but do not move. Stay right where you are on the beach.. I will be there soon."

 Chapter 198 - Dr. Malachi – Oceans Oldest Memories Part 1

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    "Tell me more about the beach, Ocean. Tell me all about it." My words were still spoken in that powerful, magic infused, hypnotic tone. That was to keep him deep under my spell while I stepped out of my consciousness and walked into his. This was not something that I would do with just anyone. It was a good thing that I was very good at this maneuver too, because it could cause damage to the mind of your patients if you weren''t careful.


    "There is a large fire pit. Something that I started working on when I was twelve and would go to the beach. There is a large white driftwood branch that I pulled over there with the help of my brother. It is positioned so that I can see the fire and the ocean at the same time. Smaller branches and logs are around the fire pit, but they are smaller than the original one."


    "What else is there? What can you see when you turn your head?" I had to keep guiding him as he spoke in that monotonous voice.


    "The waves are crashing onto the beach. It''s not the pure sandy beach like you find further down. This part of the beach is near the trees, and it''s covered in pebbles and rocks. But those rocks have been smoothed over by the water that washes over them every day. The sun is starting to set in the distance and that has made the colors of the sky change and reflect on the water. It''s so pretty that I can''t take my eyes off of it. The different shades of yellow, orange, and red are mixed with the clouds and the water. I love when I get to see this. Sunset at my favorite spot is better than almost anything. This is only beaten by the view at sunrise."


    This boy inherited more than just his father''s Y chromosome. He inherited a poetic heart and a truly beautiful soul. That was something that most Sirens could never hope to possess.


    I did my best to follow his words into his mind. While he spoke, I slipped out of my own mind and felt my consciousness leave my body. This was the most difficult part of this whole process. I needed to leave my body but keep my eyes open when I did. If my eyes closed, then Ocean would wake up. And if he woke up while I was inside his mind, that could trap me for a little while. I wouldn''t be able to get out until he went to sleep for real and opened his mind once again.


    My consciousness wasn''t like a see-through version of my body moving out of and then standing up to look back at my real body. No, it wasn''t anything like that. That would be too much of what Hollywood wanted us to think.


    What did happen, was that there was a small, nearly invisible cloud that rose out of my chest. There it spiraled and coalesced in my lap until there was a tiny little version of myself standing on my lap. It looked child-like compared to the real me. And yes, it looked like I did at the moment.


    The small, barely visible version of myself had the white and blue scales that made up my dragon body. There was a swirling head of magic hair that was blue and white. And there were even little clawed hands and feet that made up my In Between form. Half human-half dragon, that was what I was right then.


    While Ocean spoke, describing what he saw to me, I moved forward. And yes, I am talking about my tiny little chibi-looking version of myself. That little me was where my mind was right now, so that is the me that I was controlling.


    I am capable of seeing things in this state that I never could while in my physical body. Things like the string of words that Ocean was saying. He was talking to me and hypnotized by me so everything that he was focused on was coming directly to me. His words were literally acting like a bridge between us. If he hadn''t been in this state, I would have needed to hop from word to word as he spoke like some sort of weird parkour expert. The idea was funny at the moment and I almost wished that I would have to do that right now so I could pretend to be in the cheesy action movies where people run up the sides of buildings and things like that.


    I didn''t need to jump and leap from word to word though, so I just ran quickly across the word-bridge that he had made for me. I wanted to hurry even though I knew I had plenty of time. Analise had threatened her son to keep him out of the house. Still, if someone came in and disturbed us, it could cause problems.


    The bridge took me right to Ocean''s face. I was literally standing there looking at his closed eyes and long lashes. He was such an innocent looking boy.


    I needed to focus though. I needed to keep moving and not let myself get distracted. I had to get inside of his mind and that was not exactly an easy step to this process.


    I needed to push my way into his mind. Most people fought me tooth and nail even when they agreed to this whole process. It''s not like they did it on purpose, it was their subconscious that was fighting me on their behalf. Most people didn''t like their innermost thoughts to be invaded and so they didn''t let me in all that easily.


    Not to mention, I literally had to walk into Ocean''s head. I had to leap onto his shoulder and push my way into his mind from the outside. That was physically exhausting, and I wasn''t even in my real body. It didn''t matter that I was just a part of my own mind, when I woke up I would be physically exhausted.


    "Ocean, I am going to enter your mind now. I am going to join you on the beach, OK?" Even in this state I spoke with the same deep and hypnotic voice.


    "O..OK." He agreed and didn''t argue, which was good. We will see how much he fought me when I tried to walk into his mind.


    I took a deep breath because, yes, even metaphysical beings needed to breath from time to time. I steeled my nerves and braced myself for the massive fight that I knew I was about to have.


    Only, that fight didn''t come at all. What the hell was going on?


    The moment that I started to push my way into Ocean''s mind, past his ear, his hair, his scalp, skull, all of it, I was pushing my way inside of him and he wasn''t fighting me at all. This was the first time that someone''s psyche had not tried to revolt and boot me out of them. I was honestly so surprised that I didn''t know what to do. I was not expecting this at all.


    "Are you OK, Ocean? Is everything still good with you? You stopped telling me about the beach that you were looking at." I spoke to him as I entered his mind, and I felt the words enter my mind before the sound did.


    "You seemed busy. I didn''t want to distract you. I am sorry." What the hell was up with this kid? He wasn''t like the other people that I have encountered before. He put up a strong front and tried to act tough, but that wasn''t really him, was it? He was highly empathetic and sensitive. I think that he knew what was coming long before I entered his mind and that was why he didn''t fight me as I entered. That, or there was something else about him that I didn''t know about.


    For the first time in my entire life, I entered someone''s consciousness without fighting my way into it. I walked into his mind and entered the image of the beach that Ocean was seeing. It truly was a beautiful picture, and I could easily see why this was the place that brought him peace.


    "Hello, Ocean." I called out to him when I saw him standing there, waiting for me.


    "Hello, Dr. Malachi." He didn''t look nervous or scared like some of the people that I entered did. He was calm and at ease.


    "I want you to wait here for me while I look around. Can you do that for me?"


    "Where are you going to go?" He still hadn''t moved at all. He was just standing stock still while he spoke.


    "Have a seat, Ocean, let me tell you what I am going to do." He immediately did what I told him to, and I sat next to him on the tree. Ocean was watching the ocean, which was something that sounded funny but also interesting.


    "What are you doing, Dr. Malachi? Why are we here?"


    "Do you know where here is, Ocean?" I wanted to know how aware he was.


    "We''re inside my mind, aren''t we? We were at my home and now we''re inside my mind."


    "Yes, we are. And the reason we are here, Ocean, is because I need to know more about the day you were born than what your parents can tell me. I need to see who your mother was and what happened to you. This is the first step into finding out why you are what you are." I tried not to be too rude or anything as I explained things to him."


    "So, you''re going to look at my memories?" He seemed ready to accept it so easily.


    "Yes, Ocean, I am."

 Chapter 199 - Dr. Malachi - Oceans Oldest Memories Part 2

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    "OK." I literally saw Ocean shrug his shoulders out of the corner of my mind. "You''re already here so it''s not like I have much of a choice." He turned and grimaced at me. "Just don''t look at anything embarrassing." He blushed a little.


    "I won''t." I laughed at him. "Don''t worry, I am only looking at the day you were born and the first few days that followed that."


    "See, you''re going to see me naked. That is so embarrassing." He laughed as well, cracking a joke about his infancy.


    "I will let you know if you were a cute baby." I rose to my feet, preparing to leave right then.


    "I already know that I was." He laughed again. "I was told that by my parents and my siblings."


    "You''re a Siren, I bet you were very cute. And your family would have been very enamored with you."


    After I assured him of this, I started to walk toward the beach. At least while I was here I wasn''t that little chibi version of myself.


    "I am going to go into the water now, Ocean. I am going to go into your deepest memories."


    He didn''t respond at all. He just watched me as I stepped into the water and shifted into the other version of myself. I was not a very large water dragon that could swim so much easier through his sea of memories. And it was possible that he might remember seeing this form and would be a little less curious about me.


    I dove into the water and stretched my limbs that had been cramped up for way too long. It felt amazing to stretch them out and feel the water around me. Even if this was just metaphysical and it didn''t affect my body in the real world, it was still a nice feeling.


    I knew that the water, the actual ocean, would be where a Siren man named Ocean would keep his memories. It was poetic and punny all at the same time. He was a strange kid, but also a good kid. And that was why I wanted to help him and know about him.


    I swam lower and lower, diving deeper into his memories. Contrary to what I had told Ocean, I had to pass by all of his most recent memories before I could get to his memories from when he was little.


    I passed by the day that Ocean came home from the hospital, and it was clear that his mate wanted to take care of him. As thoroughly as possible. I didn''t stick around, but I saw that his mate was treating him to a happy time.


    I watched the attack that he went through, the stuff that happened at his school, his Christmas, and so much more. Well, I could say that these two boys had a healthy sexual appetite. They had a lot more sex than I typically had, and they have only been together for a few months.


    I made it past their time together and then the memories started to fly by. I saw Ocean getting younger and younger. He was very obviously a man, just like you could tell now, but he was always a little bit on the pretty side. He seemed to have looked thin, delicate, and slightly feminine when he was younger. I wonder if he ever had anyone say anything to him about that when he was growing up? And how fiercely those siblings of his defended him.


    Based on these memories, they protected him more than he actually realized. He was lucky that he had these people to help him grow up. If he had had a different family, then things might have been a lot different for him.


    Time was moving swiftly now that I had reached his childhood and he had fewer memories. There was less to wade through and get past.


    I saw that Ocean was a pretty little boy that loved to sing for his family but had been too shy to sing for anyone else. The singing was his Siren side, the shy part was not. That must be part of who he was and what made him different.


    There were some things that gave me pause when I reached Ocean''s memories as a baby. He would be with his mom getting a bath.  The mother would tell the toddler that bath time was over and that would make Ocean start to cry, but it wasn''t a normal cry. The cry would be almost musical and it would cause a mystified smile to appear on his mom''s face. After that, the mom would extend the bath time for the little boy that loved the water so much.


    There weren''t many signs like that, but there were some things that I saw that made it evident to me that the boy was not human. His parents, who were human, never noticed though. They did good raising him despite it all, and that was all that mattered.


    Finally, I was able to see the bottom of the ocean that was the boy''s memories. I could see the sea floor and knew that I would soon find the oldest memories that he possessed.


    I saw Ocean when he was a baby, being held by a woman I hadn''t seen in any of his memories yet.


    "He was found last month on the beach. No one has claimed him, and he needs a home." The memory panned out and I saw the parents that had adopted Ocean looking at him with tear filled eyes.


    "I will give him all the love that I can. He and the others will all be so close." There were three other kids behind them, all of them smiling happily as they looked at the baby boy that was to be their brother.


    Another memory showed the little baby sitting on the beach. He was not far from where his favorite spot was, actually I think that it was the same. I wonder if Ocean knew that this was where he was found or if this was a subconscious thing that he had done.


    The baby was crying nonstop, it was just before sunrise and there were hardly any cars on the road. I couldn''t see anyone around the beach, not even the mother who left the boy there. I could tell that Ocean had just been born not long before. He still had his umbilical cord attached and it was bleeding from when it was cut. This was literally less than an hour after he had been born. That tells me that his mother was close to the shore, or at least, she had been when she gave birth.


    I could hear a shout in the distance. A man had heard the baby crying as was running toward the beach.


    "What the hell?" He looked scared and pissed. "Someone left a baby by the water." I saw that Ocean was actually about to be hit with a wave and that the man was worried he would be washed away or drowned if he didn''t get to him.


    He wasn''t that far off, really. The more time that Ocean spent out of the water as a baby, the faster his gills went away. If a merchild or siren child left the water too early, they had to stay away until adulthood. It was a sad consequence for the sea folk.


    "Call 911. Someone get an ambulance and some cops here."


    The man was running as fast as he could as he shouted toward the people behind him. He got to the baby just as the water crashed over him. Ocean was not swept away, but he had gotten water in his mouth and was coughing while he cried incessantly.


    "Shh. Shh. Shh. It''s OK, little one, I have you." The man was taking his shirt off and wrapping the baby in it. "Look at you, you were born only hours ago. Who would do this?" The man looked around and tried to see if there were any prints for the mother or whoever left the baby. All he saw were prints coming out from and going back into the water. "Did she come out of the ocean?" He asked and the baby stopped crying a little. "You like that word? Ocean?" The baby calmed down some more. "I think you should be named Ocean if you like it so much."


    There were sirens now and police were running onto the sand as the man walked back toward the parking lot. The man did his best to explain what happened and constantly referred to the baby as Ocean. Well, I guess the mystery of his name was settled. It was given to him by the man that found him. I didn''t know they would keep names like that, but I guess they did."


    This was a sad yet touching scene. So many people had come together to find the baby boy''s mother, yet it was fruitless. And the baby was being well cared for at the local hospital, the same local hospital that he had gone to twice this school year. Isn''t that quite the coincidence? Actually, I think that there is something at play here that is making sure he ends up in the same place every time.


    That didn''t matter right now. I needed to keep moving. This was a memory from just hours after he was born on October the thirty-first in the year two thousand and three. I was nearly there.. I had nearly gotten to the information that I needed.

 Chapter 200 - Dr. Malachi - Oceans Oldest Memories Part 3

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    The sooner I found the memory, the better this would be. I didn''t want to invade Ocean''s mind more than I already had. I didn''t want to get stuck in here, and I didn''t want to cause him any more problems than the ones that he already had.


    No, I just wanted to help Ocean in the long run. I just wanted to make sure that I could take care of him properly in the future. I needed to know what was so different about him. About what made him so special compared to the others. And the only way to do that was to track down his origins. I needed to find his mother and his father. I needed to trace his origins and test them all.


    Yes, I wanted to study Ocean, what person interested in knowledge wouldn''t want to do that? But that wasn''t all that it was. No. I wanted to make sure that I was able to handle any future incidents with him in the proper manner. That involved a lot of different points coming together.


    I pushed on, looking for the first of all the memories that Ocean would have. These memories, though seen through the eyes of an infant, were not seen through Ocean''s eyes. No, instead, it was like watching a movie, through the eyes of a third party observer. It was almost like I was watching a movie of Ocean''s life more than anything else. All of the memories that I had come across so far had been like that.


    I didn''t want to know what that meant right now. Most of the times that I had done this to people, I saw the memories through their own eyes and not like they were watching themselves. This was new, but I guess it all depended on the person.


    Finally, I saw the memory that I was looking for. At least I think that I did. It was the last one in the line of images. It looked like it was completely black to start. It seemed it was from the moment that Ocean first opened his eyes.


    "NNNNGGGHHHH! GGAAAHHHH!" I heard a woman screaming in pain as the images started to play before me.


    "Come on Cora, you''re almost there." I heard a woman''s calming voice coaching the one that had been in pain.


    "NNGGHH! I CAN''T DO IT!"


    "Yes, you can. Come on. Push!"


    The baby was already mostly out, at least his head was. And apparently, tiny little baby Ocean remembered this woman coaching his mother from all those years ago. I heard the woman grunt in pain again and then shortly after that there was the sound of a baby crying.


    "She''s here." The calming woman said as I watched her pull the baby from between the other woman''s legs. She had been clinging to the seaweed at the bottom of the ocean. Now that baby Ocean was born, the images were given light and color.


    The woman that was currently holding the baby was older with silver hair floating out behind her. She was beautiful, like all Sirens were. She had mesmerizing eyes and a perfect figure, even though she was past her prime.


    I saw her just standing there, staring at the baby in her arms. Her eyes, a pretty pinkish color, were wide with shock.


    "What is it? What''s wrong with my little girl?" The mother, the woman that I was here to see asked with wide, worried eyes.


    "I..i..it''s a boy." The older woman gasped out and I saw the mother react physically.


    The mother, one of the most beautiful Sirens that I had ever seen, was completely horrified by that revelation. Her eyes, which were a beautiful shade of robin''s egg blue, went wide and darkened to be more of a navy blue. Her hair, which was blue and gold, fluttered behind her in the current. The pale, perfection that was her magazine-worthy face seemed to darken as well as her lips twisted with rage.


    "What did you just say?" Her voice, which had been musical and sounded like a lullaby when she asked if her baby was OK, was now like the sound of screeching violins. "What did you say about my daughter?!" There was nothing but pure rage in the woman''s voice.


    "I..it''s not a girl. It''s a boy. Y..you have a..a.. son." The older woman finally looked away from the baby as she looked at the woman who had just given birth. "Cora, this is unheard of. You have given birth to the first ever male Siren." The older woman was clearly excited about this. "Do you know what this means?" I don''t know exactly what she was getting at, but she was over the moon with joy when she saw the boy. That was not something that I would have expected.


    "It means that my baby is a freak. He''s an abomination. And that is exactly what everyone else will say about him too."


    "But Cora, everyone has wanted male Sirens to be born. For generations we have been hoping that we can have male children and stop relying on humans to have children. This is amazing. He will be revered."


    "He''s a freak!" Cora screamed at her. "Do you hear me, Dolfine? He''s a freak and he will be treated like one his entire life. And likewise, I will be treated the same way. Do you think that I want to be treated like a freak? Do you think that I want to be an outcast? I am the most popular woman in our clan. Do you know what the others would do if they found out that my most recent baby was a boy? They would throw me and my other six children out. They will never let us stay."


    "Cora, I think that you''re overreacting. He will be welcomed with the utmost respect. He will be revered. He will have a harem when he becomes a man. All the women in the clan will want him. He will usher in a new age for us."


    "HE WILL NOT!" Cora snapped angrily. "I WILL NOT ALLOW IT! I WILL NOT HAVE A SON! I WILL NOT LET ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS!"


    "You have no choice, Cora." Dolfine glared at her as she pulled a knife from a belt tied around her waist. "I will not let you hide him. He will be treated like a king. They will give him everything."


    After Dolfine cut the umbilical cord, she set the baby boy aside as she turned back to tend to Cora. She needed to finish the delivery by dealing with the afterbirth. It was a quick process and neither of the women talked to each other while the business was dealt with.


    I could see Cora staring at the baby where he was laying in a small bassinet. He was already cleaned off, the benefits to being born in water, it was easy to clean him up.


    Dolfine went about her work as she took care of the woman and the baby. It was clear to see that she was used to this type of work. It was most likely her actual job.


    All the while, Cora didn''t take her angry eyes off of Ocean. She apparently got more and more upset about him being there and existing. Her eyes grew darker and darker by the minute. By the time that Dolfine turned around to tend to the baby that was crying for food, I could see that Cora had made up her mind for what she was about to do. I could sense it, too bad Dolfine hadn''t.


    "I won''t take him back, Dolfine. I won''t let them know that my baby was such an abomination."


    "And how are you going to do that, Cora? I know that women in the past got rid of unwanted babies, but I am here with you right now and I won''t let you do that. How do you plan to make this go away?" Dolfine was angry now, the baby in her arms still screaming.


    "I will silence you and dispose of him."


    "CORA!?" Dolfine recoiled at her words, but she didn''t notice that the woman was already attacking. She was swinging down with the knife in her hand. The very same knife that Dolfine had used to cut the cord.


    The knife caught Dolfine in the chest. It struck her right in the heart and I watched her die almost immediately. That was definitely one wound that no shifter in the world could survive.


    "You won''t tell anyone, Dolfine. I will tell my story and make sure that no one will ever find this abomination. I will tell them that the merfolk attacked and stole my daughter. I was too weak to fend them off and they killed you while I lay there defenseless."


    The look in Cora''s eyes were pure evil, she was literally the very epitome of a true Siren, completely self-absorbed and only focused on herself. However, even this went further than anything that I could have imagined.


    "Now, to get rid of you." Cora looked at the baby with the knife in her raised hand. "I need to make you disappear as well."


    Even though I knew that she didn''t kill baby Ocean, I was still scared shitless. I saw the knife moving toward him and I wanted to step in. It wouldn''t have done any good though so all I could do was watch on in horror.


    When the knife was less than an inch away from the baby''s face, I saw that Cora froze. She seemed to think about something.


    "If I kill you here, they will find your body when they come to look for clues. No, I need to do something else."


    I watched her thinking for just a few moments. She seemed to have her plan almost instantly.


    "I will just drown you. If I put you out of the water, you will lose your gills instantly and then the water can have you. You will be far away from here and no longer my problem."


    With that decided, Cora took off for the shore. It was toward the beach that Ocean was currently sitting on in his mind, but it was from several years earlier.


    It took Cora maybe a half an hour to swim to the surface and face the beach. I could see the beach that was in the last memory. She was maybe fifty feet away from the shore, watching it cautiously for anyone that might be nearby.


    It was dark in the wee hours of the morning so there was no one there. Seeing that, she swam closer to the shore as quickly as she could. The baby was no longer crying under the surface of the water, instead he had latched on and started to nurse from his mother on instinct.


    Cora pulled Ocean away from her roughly, ending his meal early and causing him to cry. She walked out onto the beach and set him just on the other side of the water line. She intended that the tide would take him when it came in.


    "That should do." She said after setting him down. "Sorry little boy, but you''re just not qualified to be my child." Ocean, laying on the beach, was crying incessantly. And with no remorse whatsoever, Cora turned and walked away. I saw that she never looked back, she never cared about her baby at all.


    I already knew what happened after that. I already knew about when Ocean was found. There was no reason for me to stay here any longer. I had learned what I needed to. I had seen what Ocean''s mom looked like. I have even learned her name. And I had found out just how much of a psychopath that she truly was. And I was so glad that Ocean had been raised by someone other than her.. She didn''t deserve him at all.

 Chapter 201 - Dr. Malachi – Exiting The Mind

    ~~


    Abraham Malakai


    ~~


    I am done here now. There was nothing else for me to see. I just needed to leave Ocean''s sea of memories and return to his safe place inside his mind. From there I would be able to end all of this hypnosis stuff.


    I needed to start by swimming back to the surface of the water. I needed to be out of the stream of memories before I could do anything else at all. The only bad thing was that it wasn''t an easy swim. On the way down all of it had been easier since I hadn''t disturbed the memories at all. Now, though, the memories had known that I was here and were trying to get me to see them.


    Most of the memories were random and had nothing to do with the things that I had come here to see. I was doing my best to avoid them, swimming out of their way to make sure that didn''t damage Ocean''s recollection of things.


    That is, until there was a memory that popped up before my eyes that caught me by surprise. In the memory, there was a young Ocean. He was probably six or seven years old at the time. He was at the beach with his family, and he kept looking over at a man that was staring at the water with sad eyes. He had his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them in a very defensive manner.


    Ocean, not understanding that he should probably just leave the man alone, detached from his little family group and walked over to the man. This man just happened to be sitting in front of Ocean''s favorite spot on the beach. And there was something else that caught my eye about the man. He looked familiar. He was the man that had found Ocean on the beach when he was a baby.


    "Are you OK, mister?" Little Ocean asked the man when he was right next to him.


    "Huh?" The man jumped a little, startled by the fact that someone had called out to him while he was contemplating. "Oh, I didn''t see you there." He rubbed the back of his head and laughed in embarrassment. "I am sorry about that, little man. I was just lost in thought."


    "You look really sad." Ocean sat down next to him. He was looking at the man rather than looking at the water. "Why are you sad?" Ocean, at this young state, was a very feminine and pretty looking boy. There were traces of the man that he was going to become, but he was definitely cute, and more than a little pretty.


    "I am just thinking about things. There was someone that I knew a long time ago. Someone that I was not able to forget about. I met her here, on this beach. And now, when I start thinking about her again and missing her, I come back here. I guess it''s to be closer with her. Or maybe I am hoping to run into her again, to see her smiling face again after all these years." The man sounded heartbroken now, the embarrassment completely gone from his voice.


    "You must really like her if you''re that sad about her." The young Ocean didn''t know what he was talking about, he was just saying the things that little kids always say when they start talking. However, he seemed to hit the nail on the head. I don''t know if the young version of Ocean ever really realized what he had done there or not, but he had cracked the man''s shell. He had opened him up so that he would open up to Ocean more.


    "Yeah, I did." There was a painful smile on his face. "I haven''t seen her since she ran away about six years ago. She and I had lived together for a couple of months. She was with me almost constantly and it was the best couple of months of my life. I swear, being with her was like being in heaven. She was so beautiful, and so smart. And the conversations we would have, they were so unique and different. I often felt like she was from a completely different world than the one we were living in so when we tried new things together, it was like she was a little kid experiencing something new." The man was talking candidly, and completely as if he was not speaking with a child.


    "She must have been nice. I wish I could meet her. But that was before I was born. I won''t be six until October." The man laughed and ruffled Ocean''s hair then.


    "She probably would have liked you. She always talked about kids like they were the best thing in the world. She wanted us to start a family right away, but I just wasn''t ready for it. I wish I would have agreed though, maybe she would have stayed." I could see tears in the man''s eyes, something that wasn''t common in a man that was just talking to a kid on the beach.


    "Did you start a family with someone else?" Ocean tilted his head and asked him in true child-like curiosity.


    "No, I don''t have a family yet. I want one, but I can''t bring myself to love anyone but her. It''s like I can''t forget about her. Her sweet voice, the way that she sang to me all the time, the cute little laugh that she used to giggle at me with. I am still in love with her."


    "I''m sorry." Little Ocean looked sad now. "My family didn''t want me when I was born. That''s why I was adopted. The family I have now is the best. You really should have a family, though. I think it would make you happier. I don''t know what I would do without my family."


    "I am glad you found a family to love you. That is a good thing, you were lucky."


    "Yeah, I am." Ocean smiled at the man. "So, mister, what did you do if you didn''t start a family? You haven''t been here on the beach the whole time."


    "No, I haven''t been here the whole time." The man laughed again, ruffling his hair once more. "No, what I did was go back to the Navy. I was a sailor before I met her. I was on leave for a few months and that was during the time that I met her. After she left me, I threw my all into my work. I have been working in the navy ever since. Even now, I am only on leave and will be sent out again soon. I just had to come back here, though. I had to see if I could find her. It was worth a shot, right?" There was a small sliver of hope in the man''s eyes. It was like he knew that he wasn''t going to see her and didn''t want to be here, but there was that small chance, the small possibility that he would see his lost love once again. And so, he was here just staring at the water.


    "What was her name?" Ocean asked him. "What was the lady''s name?"


    "Her name was Corazon. It means heart and that was what she was to me. She was my heart, and now I am missing it."


    "Names are an interesting thing." Ocean smiled at him. "What is your name, mister?"


    "My name is Hudson."


    "It''s nice to meet you Mr. Hudson, my name is-."


    "OCEAN, GET BACK OVER HERE!" The boy''s mom called out to him and he jumped to his knees, spinning to look at her almost immediately. "I got to go."


    "Wait. Your name is Ocean?" The man was confused as he looked at the boy running away from him.


    "Yup. Bye mister. It was nice talking to you."


    I could see the man was still staring at Ocean as he ran away. He was most likely thinking about the fact that the boy had told him that he would be six in October and then the name that he himself had given to the little boy.


    "No. It couldn''t be..." He shook his head and looked back at the water.


    "Ocean, you don''t run off, and you don''t talk to strangers." Mrs. Shores was scolding her son when he got back to her.


    "I am sorry Mommy. The man looked sad. I wanted to know why and to make him feel better."


    "That doesn''t matter, Ocean. He''s a stranger. You don''t know him at all."


    "He was nice, Mommy. He misses the woman he loves. She ran away so he is sad and hoping to find her here."


    "That is sad, but you don''t run off like that, got it?"


    "Yes, Mommy." Ocean hung his head. That was the end of the memory. I guess that was the most memorable thing that happened for him at the beach that day.


    I was still stuck on the fact that this was the man that found Ocean and that the man met a woman on this beach and was in love with her. A woman named Corazon. Could Corazon be Cora? I was starting to think that it was.


    Now that I had seen this memory, I hurried as quickly as I could to the surface of the water. I made quick work of it now, the memories seemingly satisfied with having showed me that added little detail. I was glad too. That was something that might come in handy for me later.


    Finally, I breached the surface of the water and moved to shift back into my human self. The good thing about metaphysical travel like this, I didn''t have to worry about being naked when I shifted back.. Now, when I approached Ocean on the beach I didn''t have to traumatize the poor boy.

 Chapter 202 - Split – Ending The Hypnosis

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    When I saw Ocean sitting on the beach, I found that he was sitting just like the man named Hudson had been. His knees were pulled up to his chest and he was hugging them. Only Ocean had his chin resting on his knees as well, propping his head up as he watched the water.


    I saw that Ocean wasn''t blinking, which was fine with the state that we were in. He didn''t need to blink here. And I could also guess that he was refraining from blinking so that he could have an unobstructed view of the horizon. He was doing all that he could to make sure that he was watching his favorite thing in the entire world.


    "Did you find what you needed to?" He asked as he watched me, still unblinkingly. His eyes didn''t move at all when I stepped out of the water and onto the sand. He didn''t shift his eyes at all as I walked to sit next to him.


    The only thing that Ocean seemed to have done after I left was to move from sitting on the tree to sitting on the sand. Other than that, nothing appeared to be different. And even though Ocean wasn''t looking at me directly, I still felt him staring at me as I sat on the tree beside and slightly behind him.


    "Did you find the memory?" He asked me, speaking again before I had the chance to.


    "Yes, I did." I nodded and sighed.


    "That doesn''t sound like it was a very pleasant memory. Was my mother that horrible? Does that explain why I do so much wrong? Am I a bad person like she is?"


    "Where the hell is that coming from, Ocean?" I was shocked by his words. "You''re not a bad person. Hahh." I sighed again. "Your mother is a bad person though, and I am glad that you never knew her."


    "Are you going to tell me about her now?" He sounded like he was uncertain. Like he didn''t know if he wanted to know but the curiosity was growing stronger and stronger.


    "I will tell you later. I don''t think now is the right time. You should be awake for it before I tell you."


    "Yeah, that sounds good." He nodded, the first actual movement he had made since I came out of the water. "Dr. Malachi?"


    "Yes, Ocean?" I answered him when he called out to me.


    "What happens if you tell me about my mother and then I decide that I don''t want to remember that particular part of my past? What happens if it''s too much for me?"


    I could tell that this was something that Ocean had been dwelling on. He had been thinking about it a lot and it was causing him some anxiety. My guess was, he had been thinking about it the entire time that I had been searching his memories.


    "If that happens, Ocean, then I will just hypnotize you again and destroy those memories for you. If you wish to not know about her after all of this is done, then there are options for you."


    "That is good to know." He finally lifted his head from his knees and turned to look at me. "How do we get home now?"


    "I need to end the hypnosis. However, that means that I need to get out of your head first."


    "Understood. What should I do?"


    "Talk to me. Not here but with your body. I need you to describe the house to me. Tell me all the things about the living room that we''re sitting in. That will give me a connection back to the real world."


    Ocean didn''t respond to me, he just nodded at me and scooted back so that he was resting against the tree behind him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then started to explain it to me.


    "It is like any other living room really. There is a TV, only this one is quite large. There are two couches, two love seats, and four chairs that fill the large space. Several side tables and coffee tables are sitting around the comfortable places to sit down. There are some photos of Makai and his family on the wall about the fireplace. There are also several of me and Makai together, new photos that we have taken together over the last few months. These are scattered on the mantle, the piano, and on the walls. There are even pictures of my family, my parents, my brother, and my sisters. Makai did that so that I would be more comfortable in his home and not miss them so much. The carpet is a bright, perfect white, even when it gets stained with something, the maid works her magic and makes it like new again. The wall is white as well, but there are pictures, curtains, and furniture all over the room so it doesn''t look as overpowering as it could. It''s a beautiful home and I am glad to call it my home."


    As Ocean had woven together the picture of the room, I leapt into the air and pushed my way through his mind and back out onto his shoulder. I could once again see the place that he had been describing to me. And just like before, there was a shining bridge of words that was connecting us.


    I leapt from Ocean''s shoulder and landed lightly on that bridge. It was sometimes easier to move as a chibi than as a full size person. At least in my opinion it was.


    I ran across that bridge and back to my own body. This part was easy and wouldn''t take that long. I just needed to jump back into my own body and I would be good to go. From there, I would wake up Ocean and bring him back to the real world.


    I settled into myself quickly, ready to finish my job. My eyes had been open this whole time so I didn''t need to open them to see Ocean sitting across from me, but I did  need to blink several times, wetting my eyes after they had been opened for so long.


    Now that I was able to see and control my body again, I focused on the boy in front of me. I knew that I needed to speak in that soft and compelling voice once more. Only this time, I was going to be pulling him with the voice rather than pushing him.


    "Ocean, can you hear me?" He had been telling me about the house still, having moved on from the living room to the kitchen.


    "Yes, Dr. Malachi. I can hear you." His voice was even and flat and monotone.


    "Good. I need you to come toward me. Not your body, but your mind. Follow my voice and let it take you back to yourself. It''s time to wake up."


    "OK." He was so agreeable at the moment. He was not fighting me at all. I was quite shocked with this whole experience between the two of us.


    "Come on, follow the trail of light that my words are making for you. When it ends, you will be back in your body."


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had been describing the house to Dr. Malachi when all of a sudden, he spoke to me in my head and asked if I could hear him. I told him that I did, but I was also now standing up and looking all around me. I was trying to see him since I could hear him. That must mean that he was still here, right?


    "Come on, follow the trail of light that my words are making for you. When it ends, you will be back in your body." That must mean that he wasn''t in my head anymore. If he wanted me to move back into my body and wake up.


    The moment that I stopped looking around, I saw that there was a bright, golden light that was stretching out before me. It went from my chest and out of sight. When I looked behind me, I saw that there was no light stretching past me. I took a few steps and looked again. I had moved forward about four feet and then looked behind me again, still there was no light behind me.


    "OK, so the light is only from the point I am at to where I am going."


    I followed the light for what felt like a long time. It was going through the parking lot, away from the beach. It almost felt like it was taking me toward the house that I shared with Makai.


    I was moving faster than I would in real life though. In a matter of minutes, I had gone from the beach to looking at the gate at my home. Then I was through the gate and standing in the living room. I could see Dr. Malachi and me in the room. He was guiding me, talking to me, telling me to follow him.


    I was home, and it was now time to slip into my body. I did this next part on instinct alone. I moved to sit on my own body to go back into myself. But that didn''t work. Maybe it was more Hollywood movie memory than instinct.


    "Ocean, when you are ready to wake up, just put your hand on your head. Not your mental head, but your actual head on your body. Make that connection between the two parts of you."


    OK, I did as he told me to and I was almost instantly sucked into my body. It was quite scary to be honest. I went flying forward and crashed through my head and settled on the inside. At least it didn''t hurt.


    The next thing that I knew, I was opening my eyes and looking at Dr. Malachi. I was sitting in a chair in my living room and there was nothing at all out of the ordinary. This had all been so different and so crazy yet there was nothing to prove that it had actually happened.


    "Welcome back, Ocean." Dr. Malachi looked at me and smiled. "Did you enjoy your journey? I am often told that people usually feel a lot better after they experience this form of hypnosis."


    "Actually, I do feel better. It''s almost like my mind was reset. I had been worrying about a lot of things lately and I was really worried about what I was going to do. Now, though, it''s like my mind is so much lighter. What did you do while you were in there?"


    "You know what I did, Ocean. I was only there to see your memories. This wasn''t the only way that I could find them out, but I thought it best not to have you relive them yourself. I wanted to see them in a way that didn''t hurt you."


    "Oh, OK.." I was still a little confused from just waking up, but I knew that he was telling me the truth.

 Chapter 203 - Reef – Brittneys Punishment

    ~~


    Reef Rivers


    ~~


    I told Ocean that we needed to go take care of some things this morning. He was going to have a visit with Abraham in a bit, so we wanted to give them some space. It''s easier to be hypnotized like that when there is no one else around.


    He knew that I was coming to find out information about Brittney, but I didn''t tell him where she was or anything else. He didn''t need to know anything about this. Ocean had been through enough. He was trying to heal, and with the stuff that had been going on with Justin, we didn''t need to make his recovery even worse with this too.


    Abraham and I had arranged for Brittney to be taken to a special facility. This facility was located about a hundred miles or so off the coast and, of course, it was underwater. This was easy for me to get to since I was a merman, and I was able to go to those depths.


    Now, I needed some assistance, like always, to help me travel faster. I swim around eight to ten miles per hour when I am not trying to go faster, and about twenty miles per hour if I put my all into it. That would still take me a while and I didn''t want that. So, we usually arranged for someone to come with us, someone that we could trust. This person would drive us out into the open water with his boat and either return later or wait for us, depending on the time, the day, and of course the weather.


    Right now, he was getting me to where I needed to drop from in about an hour and a half, two hours max. That was a lot faster than I would have been able to get there on my own. I wasn''t taking that long today so he was going to wait for me while he did some fishing.


    When we got to the right spot, or close to it, I dropped into the water and shifted at the same time. By the time that I was covered in scales and wearing a tail, I was already far below the surface of the water, and no one was able to see me.


    I swam down through the water at an angle, aiming for the ocean floor and the prison that was waiting there for me. This prison was currently in the territory of my merfolk clan, so they would not be able to refuse me if I wanted to come for a visit.


    I wasn''t here for a pleasure visit though. No, I was here for business. It just so happened that this business overlapped with my family''s. Speaking of family, I had the lovely time of telling Brittney''s mother and father what she had done. When I learned that her mother lived with her father on land, I knew that her mother had to be different than the others. The problem though, is that Brittney wasn''t different from the other Sirens.


    Still, telling the mother was hard. I mean, damn, that had been a hard visit.


    ***THE DAY BRITTNEY HAD BEEN ARRESTED***


    The house that Brittney had been raised in was large, fancy and expensive. I could tell that her father was a wealthy man that took care of his wife and daughter. He had to have been a real catch, if the Siren wanted to leave the sea to be with him.


    When I knocked on the door, I could hear someone coming almost immediately. A woman in a modern day housekeeper''s uniform answered the door.


    "Can I help you?" She asked me sweetly.


    "I am here to see the mother of Brittney." I spoke sternly and tried to sound professional. The housekeeper''s face paled and she stumbled over her next words.


    "Y..yes. Please c..come in. I will get Mrs. Cartwright." She nodded and opened the door to let me into the foyer before hurrying off.


    I stood there in the hall for just a few moments before I heard hurried footsteps coming down the hall. I heard a man and a woman talking frantically in low voices as they hurried toward me.


    When the woman came into view, I could easily tell that she was a Siren. No, she didn''t have scales or unnatural coloring. It was just the sheer beauty of her. She had beautiful, and natural, platinum blonde hair that bounced around her head in perfect waves. Her eyes were strikingly beautiful and mesmerizing. And her figure was perfect, even with her being slightly older. She definitely didn''t even look like she was twenty-five, yet I knew she was well beyond it.


    Her husband, the human, was a handsome man, but he was not all that striking. He had normal looking brown hair, hazel eyes, and a decent physique for a man in his forties. However, he did have kind looking eyes, and a boyish face that made it seem like he was fun to be around, I could see why his wife liked him.


    "Are you a police officer? Do you know where my daughter is?" Mr. Cartwright asked the moment that he was in the foyer.


    "Where is my little girl? What''s happened to her? Is she alright?" I had never, in my entire life, seen a Siren that was this worried about their child. Aside from the social status that their child obtained, a Siren mother didn''t care about their daughter. Once they were able to be on their own, they sent them away and didn''t count them as their children anymore.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, can we sit down please?" I asked them as I moved toward the hall. "I think some privacy and comfort might be in order here."


    "Oh God, no." The man seemed to be thinking the worst.


    "C..come this way."


    The two of them led me into a living room with luxurious furniture and high-end electronics. They liked to prove their wealth, that was for sure. Once we were seated, Mrs. Cartwright started speaking immediately.


    "What happened to my little girl? Where is she?"


    "First off, she is not hurt. Secondly, she got herself into some trouble and has been arrested."


    "ARRESTED!" Both of them shot to their feet in disbelief.


    "That is impossible." Mr. Cartwright bellowed at me. "My little girl is an angel."


    "Mrs. Cartwright, does your husband know all of your secrets?" I asked her that while letting just the smallest amount of my scales appear on my face, just a small flash for her to know that I was not human either.


    "Huh!" She gasped when she saw that. "Y..y..yes, he knows everything."


    "Good, then I can speak candidly." I took a deep breath then and explained to them what their daughter had done. I told them how she had harassed Ocean and Makai, how she had tried to use her Siren powers to bespell them into committing suicide, and how she had tried to turn the entire school against them. They had tried to argue that it was not true, but I told her that I saw it with my own eyes and that Ocean was currently in the hospital because of her actions. Not to mention, when Mrs. Cartwright learned of my position and authority, she really couldn''t refute what I was saying. I had the authority to do what I did, and she couldn''t stop me. She could be there at her daughter''s trial and sentencing, but that was about all that she could do. Unfortunately, unless we brought their daughter to see them, Mr. Cartwright wouldn''t be seeing her for a very long time.


    ***ON THE WAY TO THE PRISON***


    It had been a hellacious time, that was for sure. I didn''t want to make another visit like that ever again. It was way too much for me. As a parent, I didn''t want to say those things to another parent.


    Now, though, I was here to tell Brittney what was going to happen to her. This would be much easier, since this person here tried to kill my sons. That was not going to fly. She would pay for those crimes.


    When I got to the building in the sea, which was in a bubbled dome that allowed us to feel like there was actually gravity in the place, I went straight to the gate which was opened for me immediately. They had been waiting for me.


    After having passed through the barriers that kept the others inside, I was taken back to the visiting chambers. Brittney had been brought out and armed merfolk were standing on either side of her. They were armed with swords, spears and other weapons of the sort. Guns didn''t work under the water, so we didn''t use them.


    "Who are you?" Brittney snapped at me. "What do you want?"


    "Oh, you don''t recognize me from the other day?" I chuckled at her.


    "You''re the man that stopped me from putting a spell on Makai." She glared at me. "So, you''re a merman huh? Stupid, how is that even a good power? Sirens are the best."


    "You are too much like a Siren for your own good, Brittney. Your mother wished you would have been more like her."


    "What do you know?" She snapped at me.


    "Well, that''s what she told me when I explained to her where you are. She was quite distraught, but she knows that there is nothing that she can do about it. You committed a crime and must pay." She didn''t seem to like my response, or at least I don''t think she did since she screamed at me.


    "You can''t keep me here!"


    "Oh I can, and I will. You have been charged with malicious use of power. Attempted murder. And conspiracy to commit interspecies terrorism. You are not going anywhere for a long time, Brittney."


    "ALL I DID WAS SING!" She cried. "I DIDN''T DO ANYTHING WRONG! I WANT TO GO HOME! I WANT MY MOMMY AND DADDY!"


    "Too bad, Brittney. You''re a big girl now and you need to face the big girl consequences for your actions. With the crimes that you committed, you will not see the surface world for the minimum of twenty years, if ever. Even after your prison sentence is over, if it ever is, you might just be kept in the sea for the duration of your life. You are not to be trusted among people because you are not stable enough for that."


    "NOO! I don''t want this. I want to go home. I am sorry. I am so sorry." It''s not my fault. He made me do it! Ocean dumped me and made me do this." She was sobbing now, but I could tell it was all fake.


    "No Brittney, you dumped him, and he moved on. You need to stop with the fake crying, it isn''t doing you any good. And you are going to pay for your crimes. Your mother will be there for your trial, coming back to the sea for the first time since she met your father. Speaking of, I will be nice enough to let your father have a video chat with you. That is for his benefit, not yours. You do not deserve these kindnesses from me. Your parents however, do. Their only crime was spoiling you too much. You needed discipline but never got it. And this is where that led you." I turned and started to swim away.


    "I HOPE YOU ALL DIE! YOU! OCEAN! MAKAI! ALL OF THEM! I HATE YOU ALL!"


    "And, that there, is showing us what type of person you actually are." I shook my head and left the prison.


    All that travel for five minutes with her. I had intended to explain more to her, to tell her what would happen, but she clearly didn''t deserve it. She didn''t need that kindness from me, or anyone. And in my heart and soul, I knew that prison wasn''t going to help her.. She was going to be a bane on society her entire life.

 Chapter 204 - Ryan – I Wanted To Do Something Special

    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    All day at school on Thursday I could see how miserable Kai was. He was still worried about Ocean. He wasn''t sure that he was OK. He probably thought that he would get home and find out that Ocean had relapsed and was in a coma or something.


    I mean, they let him out of the hospital way too early in my opinion. I didn''t blame Kai for being concerned about his boyfriend. I would feel the same if something had happened to Ben.


    I know that it wasn''t the same for me and Ben. Ocean and Kai had been together for a lot longer than us. I had only been official with Ben for a little less than a week. Still, I didn''t want to lose him. I didn''t want to live a life without him. He''s been there for me since we were little, and I really didn''t want to lose that.


    Still, I wanted to try and do something special for the two of them. I think that my friends would be happy if we managed to do something that they didn''t expect. The problem was, I didn''t know what to do.


    I think that, in a situation like this, it would be best for me to consult with Ben. He would know what to do. He would help me to figure this out.


    When the day ended, I asked Ben to come with me to get something to eat. I wanted to talk to him, but I also wanted to be alone with him. And I could count this as our first date since we officially started to go out with each other.


    I thought it was a big deal, something that we both needed right now. It was important that we go on dates and spend time with each other. I needed to show him that I truly did want to be with him.


    "Ben, do you want to go out to eat with me." I swear I blushed when I asked him, it wasn''t like I was embarrassed, but it was not something that I was used to doing.


    "Why?" He was ruining this for me.


    "I..I just thought that, you know, maybe we should spend some time together. I..I..I thought that we could.. that we could.. that it would be nice to go on.. to have a.." I was having such a hard time right now. How was I going to tell him what I really wanted?


    "What is it? What are you.. Oh." Ben finally understood what I was trying to say. "W..w..well, I don''t have any plans. So, uhm, I..I guess I could go with you." He was embarrassed now. This was such a disaster.


    "W..well, I..I brought my car today. So.. so we can go with just the two of us now. K..K..Kai can drive himself home and w..we can go out." There, I actually said that we were going out. That was a major leap, a big step, whatever you wanted to call it.


    Now that the embarrassing and difficult part of the whole ordeal was over, Ben and I went to my car. I wanted to be a true boyfriend and open doors and all that, but he didn''t seem to like that very much.


    "I am not a girl, or a damsel, or anything like that. What do you think that you are doing?"


    "I just wanted to treat you with love and be chivalrous. It doesn''t mean that you are a girl." I tried to argue my way here.


    "Well, you don''t have to. We''re equals here." He looked down.


    "Then you could do it for me too." I grinned. "If we''re equals, then it will be a two way street." I kissed his cheek and held the door for him.


    "You''re an idiot." He laughed as he got into the car.


    I didn''t want to do anything fancy, this was a quick unplanned thing, so neither of us were prepared for a whole night out. So, I settled on taking us to the diner that we usually went to when we hung out. It was familiar to us both and would probably be easier on us with how comfortable we were there.


    We sat in a booth, sitting opposite of each other and looked over the menu. I wanted to sit with him, but I wasn''t sure how to go about it at the moment. I would have to settle for this right now.


    "Should we get the usual?" Ben asked me as he looked at the menu.


    That menu hadn''t changed at all since we were kids. It was the same food we had grown up eating. It was comfort food and home cooking, and all it did was remind me of how things used to be.


    "What''s wrong?" Ben asked me when he noticed how upset I was. "What''s going on with you?"


    "I..I''m sorry." I didn''t want to be acting like this. I was on the verge of tears, and I wasn''t someone that usually cried so easily.


    "What is it, Ryan? Just talk to me, OK." He reached his hand across the table and gripped mine gently.


    "I can''t help but think about the way that things have been this past week and how things used to be." I forced the tears back to stop myself from crying.


    At that moment Carla, the waitress that we usually had, came up to us.


    "Hey, haven''t seen you two in a couple of weeks. Are you going to have your usual?" She smiled at us, but then seemed to notice that I was upset. "What''s the matter, sweetie?"


    "It''s OK, Carla. I will calm him down. If you don''t mind, we will have the usual."


    "Coming right up, Ben." She nodded at him and stepped away.


    "Now out with it, Ryan. What is going on?"


    "I can''t help but think about how things have been for us lately. The things at school. Then the things that happened with our parents. Now with how Ocean has been hurt. It''s all been too much. Coming here, I thought we would be comfortable and could talk because we came here a lot before we were dating. But all it did was make me think about how sad it is that my dad was just an asshat." I heard my voice shake.


    "Yeah, I know. Your dad and my mom. They''re quite the pair, aren''t they?" Ben shrugged and tried to smile at me.


    "At least you still have your dad. My mom took my dad''s side. I am all alone."


    "You''re not alone." Ben sounded angry. "You have me. And you have Ocean and Kai as well. They will be there for us like we are going to be there for them. Neither of us are alone. Even if we didn''t have Ocean and Kai, we still wouldn''t be alone. We have each other."


    "And I am glad that I do have you." I smiled at him. "I love you, Ben. And I would choose you every time. I miss my parents, and it hurts knowing that they did this, but I was going to be going off to college soon anyway. I didn''t need them. I need you."


    "I love you too, Ryan. And I am glad that we have each other like this now. We waited too long to tell each other how we feel."


    "Weren''t you always dating, though?" Carla asked as she set the glasses filled with our drinks down in front of us. The two of us jerked and pulled apart. "Sorry, didn''t mean to scare ya." She grinned but it looked painful and forced. Her eyes, however, were apologetic.


    "No, we only started dating last week." Ben told her, not at all fazed by what had just happened.


    "Dang. I could have sworn you two were together this whole time. You made such a good couple that it was just the first place that my mind went."


    "Wait, really?" I was surprised that she said that.


    "Yeah. I always loved seeing you two come in here. My son was gay. He was such a sweetheart too. I could see the same look in your eyes that he had for the man that he loved. It was so refreshing to see you together and happy."


    "That''s cool. Where is your son now? What''s he doing?" Ben, excited upon hearing this comparison, asked eagerly.


    "Oh, well, he was bullied too much, and the man that he loved wasn''t of the same orientation. H..he couldn''t take it. He let the depression get to him and took his own life. I tried to be there, I tried to be supportive, but it wasn''t enough for him."


    "At least you were supportive." Ben lowered his head.


    "Yeah, our parents disowned us when they found out." I added.


    "Now that just ain''t right. You two didn''t do anything wrong. You just love differently, that is all. I hate people that are so blind and stupid." She was huffing and glaring at nothing now. "You know what, boys, you''re always welcome here. And today, your meal is on me. Come back anytime, just like you did before. I will protect you no matter what anyone else says."


    "Carla.." I was shocked by her intensity.


    "That''s so kind of you." Ben seemed moved.


    After that was done, and we had our food, we started to talk about the special thing that I wanted to do for Ocean and Kai. Ben agreed that they needed something special. The two of them had been through so much more torment at school than we had. The two of them fought hard, but they needed a break now.


    We were going to plan a day where they didn''t have to do anything. They didn''t even have to leave their room if they didn''t want to. We would do the cooking. We would cater to them and deliver things to them if they wanted it. That was the only thing that two nearly broke high schoolers like us could do. I wanted to save our money, as much of it as we could, for school when it would be just me and Ben.


    Now that it was all planned, the two of us left the diner and went back home. It was still hard on me, thinking about my family and the strife that was our familial matters, but it was nice to know that both me and Ben had a place to call home even after all of this. I didn''t want to know what would have happened to us if we had needed to live on the streets or something. That didn''t bear thinking about.. Nope, all I needed to think about was that we had each other and a home with our friends.

 Chapter 205 - Ocean – What To Do Now?

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I felt like I was still trying to wrap my head around all that had just happened to me. I knew that I had been hypnotized. I mean, when Dr. Malachi showed up in my thoughts, I knew that something had to be happening. Then he told me what he was doing, and it all made sense to me.


    If he would have asked, I might have rejected him on sheer instinct, but it wasn''t bad at all. I barely noticed anything at all. Except I felt better after he was done. I don''t know why, but I did.


    Now, though, I was starting to feel a little anxious. I felt like there was just too much for me to do and I was just wasting time. Maybe it was because I had rested my mind so thoroughly that I was just getting an actual perspective of what was really going on.


    And I think the first thing that I needed to focus on was fixing this mess that we were all in.


    "Dr. Malachi?" I called out to him as I focused my eyes and looked at him.


    "Yes, Ocean?" He seemed calm, but I felt like he was thinking about a lot more than I knew about.


    "What do I do now? I mean, I just feel like I am forgetting something that needs to be done. And it''s like it has something to do with you."


    "I don''t know what that could be, Ocean. I am sorry."


    He looked like he was truly sorry about not being able to help me. It made me feel bad. It was like I was doing nothing at all lately but causing everyone so many problems. I had made my parents worry. Makai''s parents as well. I had made the doctor go through so much. I could only imagine what I had made Makai go through. Not to mention Justin. I had¡­


    THAT''S IT! I knew what I had forgotten now.


    "DR. MALACHI!" I may have been a little too forceful just then. Time to tone it down a little. "I know what I was forgetting. I know what I need to focus on now."


    "And what is that?" He looked like I had actually scared him when the full intensity of my words hit him.


    "I need to help Justin." I could just feel the intensity that was radiating off of me. This was something that I needed to do. I needed to make sure that I let Justin have an actual future. He needed to have a chance in life since I didn''t give him a choice with the bespelling. Neither of us had a choice in that matter.


    "Isn''t Justin the boy that put you in the hospital?" He put his hand on his chin. "Hmm, I remember you talking about him before. That''s right, I was there when you found out that he had been bespelled by you." I swear he was just pretending to not remember that at first. That wasn''t nice, but at least it didn''t last that long. "Yes, we need to make sure he has no memories of the incident and that there are no lingering side effects in his mind."


    "So, you will help me?" I was starting to get excited about it now.


    Just then, I heard the front door open, and someone came frantically running inside. I hadn''t even noticed the time, but it was Makai coming home from school and practice. He had obviously rushed so that he could get back to me sooner.


    "Ocean!" He came running up to me in the living room and hugged me before he even noticed the doctor sitting there.


    "Hello Makai." Dr. Malachi called out to him. "I take it you have a hard day at school." It looked like he was trying not to laugh.


    "The worst." Makai grinned at him. "What are you doing here?"


    "I had to give Ocean his checkup. And now he has asked me to help the boy, Justin."


    "Yeah, we need to do something about him. I know we all talked about having you tell him that his x-rays from the hospital showed that he had a tumor or something and then he would think that he had surgery or something. During that time, Ocean will sing to him and make him forget everything."


    "That isn''t the worst plan ever, but I think we can do better than just that. Don''t worry, I will help you."


    "Better? What else can we do?" I was confused. I thought we had all figured it out.


    "When can the boy be brought in?" The doctor didn''t seem to want to answer my questions.


    "I can call him here anytime that you need him. He gave me his number so that he could come and apologize to Ocean, and because I needed to have this plan go into effect." I hadn''t known that Makai had done that.


    "Good. Call him." Well, the doctor sure was back to his good old demanding self. Makai had told me how he had been when I first got to the hospital, well he was obviously back to acting like that now.


    Makai did as he was told. He called Justin and told him to come on over right away, which he agreed to do. We also texted Ben and Ryan to let them know not to come back yet. Apparently the two of them had gone out on a date together. I was happy for them. Also, Makai texted his parents and told them we were putting the plan into motion with Dr. Malachi here to help. They told us to be careful and that they would be home when they could.


    Not even a half an hour after he had been texted, Justin was at the house. When we had let him into the house, he was already starting to apologize and tell me that he didn''t know what had come over him all those times. He didn''t hate me, not at first. But something just made him feel hostile toward me. I knew what it had been.


    Right now, Dr. Malachi was in the other room. We weren''t supposed to let Justin know that the doctor was here at all. So, Makai and I were the only ones that were talking to Justin.


    "Ocean, if there is anything that I can do to make this up to you, anything at all, please just tell me. I want to make amends. I know that it''s not going to fix anything and it''s not going to make it like it never happened, but I want to pay my debt to you in any way that I can."


    "Just sit down, Justin. We will talk about it all together. I know that this isn''t your fault, so please stop worrying about it." I wanted to make him feel better. All of his pleading and apologizing, it was starting to get to me.


    "Not my fault? How can you say that? I put you in the hospital. I have done so much to hurt you. I am a horrible person."


    This obviously wasn''t going to end anytime soon. So, what I needed to do was start to implement the plan that we had all thought up before Justin got here. I needed to make sure that I did what I was supposed to do, so that the next stage went off without a hitch.


    "Makai, do you want a drink? I''m thirsty. What about you Justin? Do you want a soda, some water, juice?"


    "Anything is fine with me." Justin still looked so pathetic.


    "Surprise me." Makai smiled as I went to leave the room.


    I started the plan right then. I needed to sing to Justin. I needed to put him into a stupor so that he would be more easily manipulated when the doctor did what he needed to. And this time, I wasn''t going to force my song to rhyme. I was going to just make up words that I thought would work. If they didn''t, then I would go back to being a Dr. Seuss knock off.


    "? When I sing, he starts to feel sleepy. The more he hears my words, the heavier his eyes feel."


    "What? Why is Ocean singing?" Justin sounded so confused. Dammit. I hope this works.


    "He just loves to sing. When he gets a song stuck in his head, he just can''t help it."


    "Oh." Apparently, that was all it took to convince Justin. Meanwhile, I kept singing loudly from the kitchen. It was meant to make him pliable and readily hypnotized. This time, Dr. Malachi was going to go into Justin''s mind.


    "? My words are like a spell to him. He follows them like he is a puppet on a string. The more that I sing, the more that he wants to do as I say. And what do I say? What is it I want him to do?"


    "W..w..what is it, O..O..Ocean?" Justin was already sounding like he was in a trance, but he was answering me, asking me for more. "Wh..wh..what do y..y..you tell him? What d..d..do you m..m..make him d..do?"


    "? I tell him to close his eyes. To dream a little dream. To open his mind so that he doesn''t need to be hurt anymore. I tell him to let me help him, in the only way that I know how. I tell him that it''s all going to be OK."


    That was it.. Justin was out.

 Chapter 206 - Ocean – Helping Justin

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Justin was just sitting there. His head wasn''t drooping, his body wasn''t slouching over. He was sitting perfectly upright while his eyes were closed. He was breathing normally, which was good. And he seemed to be at peace, and that was even better.


    "Uhm, Dr. Malachi, what am I supposed to do now?" I was the one that wanted to help Justin, but I was lost in the way to do it.


    "You are the one that hypnotized him, so you need to be the one to start this. You need to get him to talk to you. You need him to explain to you when all of this started to happen. When you have locked onto the moment that all of this started to happen then I will be able to climb into his subconscious and destroy the memory." The way that he was saying all of that, it sounded like it was going to be easy. However, I knew better than that. I knew that it was going to be anything but easy. I needed to search my teammate''s memories for when I started to ruin his life. And I had to listen to him explain it all. So much fun.


    OK! I steadied my nerves and did my best to get this show on the road. I had never done this before, but I was willing to try it so that was a positive. Right?


    "Alright, Justin, can you hear me." I said as I pulled a chair closer to him and sat down.


    "Yes, Ocean. I can hear you." He sounded a little bit like a robot when he spoke just now.


    "Good. I need to talk to you about something. Actually, what I need is for you to tell me what you know about something."


    "Anything. I will tell you whatever you want to know."


    "That is really good. Can you tell me why you have disliked me for so long? Do you remember that? Do you know what the reason was?"


    "I don''t know. I know that we were friends. You were a good guy. But one day I just felt like I couldn''t look at you. I felt resentment and anger out of the blue." The words should have had a lot of emotions in them, but he was still talking like he was a robot. This whole thing was actually a little creepy in my opinion.


    I needed to move on from here. So far, I haven''t learned anything new. I was just hearing what he had told either me or Makai before.


    "Can you think about it a little harder, Justin. See more of those memories. Was it this school year? Was it just recently that you started to resent me and hate me so much?"


    "No. It got worse this year. It was like the feelings inside of me, those alien emotions, they somehow intensified and took on a life of their own. But the trouble started a long time ago."


    "How long ago, Justin. What do you remember? Was it the beginning of this school year?" I was trying to guide him to the memory. This was the only thing that I could think to do, and when I looked up at Dr. Malachi, he nodded at me in approval. He was silently telling me that I was doing a good job.


    "No, it was before this school year." Justin''s robotic voice answered me.


    "What about last year at the competition? Was that part of what caused this? Is that when this started to get bad." I didn''t know how far back I should go, but I didn''t want to jump too far at once. I needed to take this in little increments of time.


    "No, it was long before then, but it wasn''t as bad as it was recently. It happened a long time ago."


    How long ago could it be? I mean, I didn''t even meet Justin until I started high school. When we first met, Justin and I had actually been good friends. It wasn''t as close as I was with Ben and Ryan, but we were both freshman on the same swim team. Stuff like that helped to bond us even more. He was a good guy that entire year.


    Well, almost that entire year. That was when I started to think about something. Could the problem have started then? But how? How did it start when I hadn''t even come into my Siren powers? What was it that was actually causing this? What had actually happened back then?


    I may not know yet, but I would find out sooner rather than later. I just needed to ask the right questions. I had to pull Justin in the right directions so that Dr. Malachi could do what he needs to do.


    "OK Justin, tell me if it happened when we were in freshman year. Did something happen then, maybe toward the end of the school year? Was that when things changed?


    "Hmm." Usually when someone makes that noise, when they''re thinking about something, it sounds like they''ve put some sort of emotion into it, it''s thoughtful, funny or even sad. To hear it sound so monotonous was a little unnerving.


    "We were friends in freshman year. We hung out after school with everyone else. It was a good year for everyone. We won a lot of swim meets and we all had a lot of fun. But yes, that was when things went bad. I remember that something happened, I heard something, a song. It was just after we won the state finals. It wasn''t you and I that swam in the meet, but we were still excited. I remember we were all celebrating and singing, but you refused to sing along."


    "Was it that I didn''t sing that made you not like me?" I knew that couldn''t be it. I couldn''t have bespelled him if I hadn''t been singing, but I needed to guide him along the way.


    "No. It was after that. Your parents were running late, and you were taking your time in the locker room. I remember that I went back in for something that I had forgotten. You were showering when I went in there and I planned to just ignore you, but you were singing the school fight song. Not the real one, but the one that we made up to help get us pumped up for our meets. It was the vulgar and violent version. It had been when we were all singing in the locker room before we left for the night."


    I remember that song. I hadn''t sung it since freshman year, and I didn''t think that I ever sung it in front of anyone else. That song was truly horrible. And when Justin said we made it ourselves, he was using the term loosely. It was actually made up by the seniors at the time. They were quite violent and vicious, at least the ones that we knew at the time. And the song spoke about destroying the other team, but it also had a part where the seniors were trying to get the other team''s female swimmers as their girls. Even that part was disgusting and crude.


    "What happened when you heard me singing, Justin? What do you remember?" I didn''t know if I was ready to hear it or not, but I had no other choice.


    "I came in at the middle of the song. You were singing the part where we claimed we were going to beat the other team, in the match and until they were bloody afterwards. But that was also when you sang about desire. It made me all quite confused. And I felt like I was in a trance. I wasn''t able to move at all. I just stood there until it was over. The words got jumbled in my brain and it made me feel like I wanted to hurt you, but also like I wanted to be with you at the same time. It made me feel so disgusted with myself. I had never thought about hurting you or anyone else before that, but here I was wanting to bash your head in. I was scared. I ran away and wanted to hide. I thought it would go away. I thought it would fade. But it didn''t. It got worse over time. It made me feel insane, and soon I was hostile towards others as well. People that were your friends, those you hung out with all the time, they just reminded me of you and that made me angrier. I couldn''t stand it. Then, after this past Halloween things got so much worse. It was like the feelings were pushing me, making me do things that I didn''t want to do. And when Brittney started to talk to me, saying that she wanted me to help her get rid of you, to make you pay, when she sang to me about that, it was like a hazy fog of rage was permanently sitting in front of my eyes."


    That was a lot to take in. I never knew that any of that had happened to him. I never knew that he was suffering for so long. Dammit. It just made me want to rewind time for him, to make it all go away. I needed to do something for him at least. This had all been my fault. This had all happened because I was so irresponsible and broke my vow not to sing. I had made the promise to myself after my family made such a big deal over my voice.. But I still did it, I was so stupid.

 Chapter 207 - Split – Helping Justin Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Ocean, did you hear what Justin just said?" Makai came up beside me to whisper in my ear.


    "Yes, I heard him." I whispered softly back at him. I didn''t want Justin to hear me and think that the words were for him. I didn''t know what this was going to do to his hypnotized state of mind. "He told me that this all happened when we were just fifteen years old. I''ve been ruining his life for that long." I felt horrible. Knowing how long Justin has had to deal with not understanding what was going on.


    "Not that part, Ocean. I''m talking about the part where he said that Brittney sang to him. That means that everything that happened, when things got worse, was when Brittney got involved. All of this wasn''t your fault. A lot of it rests on her shoulders too. You bespelled him by accident. She did it on purpose. You and Justin are innocents here. Brittney was the only one that intentionally wanted to hurt people."


    Wait a minute. Makai was right. The stuff that he was saying was true. Justin had said that Brittney was involved. He had said that she sang to him. But still, had he not been bespelled by me in the first place, she might not have used him for her purposes. He might have been safe and normal for his entire life. So, in truth, I didn''t view myself as fully innocent in all of this. It may not have been intentional, but I had caused these problems as well, not just the bitch.


    There was one problem though. Something that might rear its ugly head sooner rather than later. What happens if the bitch''s singing has a lasting effect on Justin? What happens if some day down the line, he starts to rage again and try to come after me or some other innocent bystander? We can''t just leave it at that. We can''t just leave Justin as a ticking time bomb.


    "Makai?" I whispered his name in a sharp tone. "What am I going to do? What are we going to do?" I was at a loss here and didn''t know how to proceed. However, it wasn''t Makai that answered me, though he did give me a gentle smile. No, it was Dr. Malachi that answered me.


    "Ocean, I will take care of it as much as I can, but I need you to talk to Justin after I am in his head. I need to see the memory of when he was bespelled by both of you, you and the girl. I need to see what happened."


    "O..OK." I nodded to the Doctor and tried not to feel like things were going downhill fast.


    Dr. Malachi went to sit behind me. It was like he was trying to be my shadow, or some other copy of me. He was just sitting there silently, mimicking my movements. Apparently, this was how he was going to get onto the same wavelength that I was on. This would help him to enter Justin''s mind.


    This time though, Dr. Malachi wasn''t entering the way he had for me. He would only be able to see the memories that I made Justin recall. From there, he would alter, or remove, the memory entirely. His intention was to have me bring up a block of memories, anything that had to do with me. Once they were there, he would go through the memories and alter them as best as he could. I thought it was a little weird, but I wasn''t a hypnotist like he was.


    Once he was moving in perfect harmony with me, it was time for Dr. Malachi to enter Justin''s head. It was time to help Justin out.


    "Justin, do me a favor." I hadn''t spoken to him in several minutes. Not while the rest of us were discussing other things.


    "Yes, Ocean?" His voice was still robotic and monotonous.


    "Think about that day. The one where you heard me singing. Think about all of it that you can remember. Think about that in as much detail as you can."


    "OK. I have the memory pulled up. I can see it all clearly. I can hear what is happening. Even the sound of the water from the shower you were taking. I can hear it all."


    "Good. Good." I nodded at him but then felt silly since his eyes were closed and he couldn''t see it. Don''t move from that memory. Keep it there for a moment. "


    At that moment, I watched someone, or something, fly past my head. It was strange at first. It was like some odd looking toddler that was jumping all around until it literally dove right inside of Justin''s head.


    "Makai, did you see that?" I whispered to him. He only nodded in response. That was a strange looking Dr. Malachi.


    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    The moment that I saw the flow of words that would lead me into the boy''s mind, I leapt from my body and crossed that bridge. Justin wasn''t talking to me directly, but I was in sync with Ocean, so I was able to find and follow it very easily.


    The moment that I was inside of Justin''s mind, I saw the memory that Ocean had asked him to bring to the front. The memory seemed to be beginning when Justin entered the locker room.


    "Hmph." Justin was laughing slightly when he heard Ocean singing in the shower. "Only girls sing in the shower. What''s with him?"


    He hadn''t sounded angry or hateful toward Ocean at the time. He just thought it was funny to hear his friend singing. He didn''t stop or do anything else, he just went to his locker, pulled it open to get what he''d forgotten, then froze in place. He was listening to the voice, not really the words. The voice, that was a perfect, mesmerizing Siren''s voice,  had taken a hold of Justin''s consciousness and was pulling him in. The only problem was, the subconscious mind was paying attention to the words, the violent and disgusting meaning behind them. That part of Justin''s brain was what was being affected.


    The moment the song ended and the singing stopped, Justin seemed to wake up. At first he seemed fine as he left the locker room, not even aware that so much time had passed. However, by the time that he had gotten home, he could feel anger and rage building inside of him. And when he threw himself down on his bed, the unwanted desires came too.


    I needed to fix this. I needed to take this part of his memory away from him. I needed to make it so that he didn''t have this rage or the lust that he never wanted to feel.


    I wasn''t changing the past, that could never be undone. What I was doing was altering memories. I needed him to forget the song. Forget the anger. And to forget the things that it made him think. I would never be able to make him truly forget having disliked Ocean, there were too many memories for that. But I could take away the cause of it and lessen the effects of those memories.


    After that was done, we could move onto the next stage of this whole process. Only, there was a downside to all of this right now. I needed to add another layer to our plan so that we could eliminate that girl''s spell from his mind. I needed to make sure that by the time that I was done with Justin, he would be a normal guy with a world of possibilities ahead of him.


    I was meticulous in my reworking of the boy''s memories. I made him think that he and Ocean had a fight that night. It would still give him a reason for them not being friends anymore, but the cause was different. I made it so that he made fun of Ocean for having sang in the shower. He, being an immature teenage boy, said something stupid and regretted it later. However, by then it was too late. He had already done the damage and their friendship was ruined.


    It took what felt like forever, but I made it so that the flow of the memory was flawless. There were no inconsistencies, there were no differences in the backgrounds or anything. All the fabricated images fit perfectly with the new ones. And I even added that he had thought that Ocean''s voice was beautiful and that was where the desire came from. He just didn''t understand how to process that part of his emotions.


    ''I think I am done here.'' I spoke more in my head than out loud. I didn''t want to do too much to alter the boy''s mind again. And just me talking forcefully inside of his head would make things more susceptible to change. Still, I needed to tell Ocean to bring up the next memory.. I needed to keep changing them.

 Chapter 208 - Split – Helping Justin Part 3

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    Even though I knew that the boy''s mind was extra sensitive right now, I needed to call out to Ocean or Makai. I needed to tell them that they had to make Justin start thinking about other memories in the timeline. I had to finish this whole thing sooner rather than later.


    "Ocean. Makai." I said their names and made sure that the voice came out of my physical mouth. That was a tricky thing to manage when I was just a metaphysical presence in someone else''s head. I did it though, and that was all that mattered.


    "Dr. Malachi?" Ocean sounded shocked as he said my name rather loudly.


    "Make the boy think of the next memory. I will give you a small signal each time to make him advance in the timeline. I need to alter as much as I can as quickly as I can. When I am done with that, I will let you know when to have him bring up the girl''s song in his memory."


    "O..OK, Dr. Malachi." I couldn''t see Ocean, but I was sure he was nodding in agreement to tell me that he understood me. After that, Ocean started to talk to the boy. "Justin, when was the first time after we stopped being friends that you wanted to do something bad to me? Tell me about it."


    I didn''t need to listen to the words that Justin was about to say. He thought of that memory, and I saw it for myself. It was just an innocent school day. It seemed that the anger had lessened with time away from Ocean, but the moment that Justin saw him again, it got worse again. He was almost physically restraining himself from going to Ocean. His mind was warring with itself between an uncontrollable rage and a mysterious and unwanted desire. He was confused and started to hate himself.


    I would alter this memory a little and make him think that he and Ocean were just fighting, and he was mad that they weren''t able to hang out anymore. This wasn''t as hard to change as the first memory because there wasn''t as much to change in this one.


    I called out to make Ocean change the image, to move on so that we could fix the next memory.


    The memories started to come pretty fast now. Justin was thinking about everything in quick succession. If I didn''t do something in a hurry the memories would slip past me. So, I put up a barrier in Justin''s mind to trap the memories in place and hold them all there. While he pulled them all one by one.


    Once Justin had pulled up just about every memory of Ocean that was in his mind, I started to work. I altered the feelings in them as best as I could. I took out the rage and added a sprinkle of sadness. Not enough to make him depressed, just enough to make him upset that he was no longer friends with Ocean.


    It took a while to change them all, but it was still a lot less time than the original memory that I fixed. Major things, like what he experienced in that first memory, are a lot harder to write over than all the others. Not to mention, all of these memories were attached to that first one, which made them easier to alter now.


    "I am done with the memories of you, Ocean." I called out to him. "Now have him remember about the girl and what she said to him."


    "Yes, Dr. Malachi." Ocean answered then started to speak to Justin again. He was asking him about Brittney and what she had said to him.


    Almost immediately, the memory of when the girl started trying to compel Justin popped up in his head. He was sitting in the back of his car, talking to her and listening to her complain about Ocean and how he wouldn''t take her back. He had been listening to her talk about this stuff for a while, but she said something new this time.


    "I think he''s gay." Justin was shocked beyond words because of the things that he had been feeling. "I don''t think he was always gay. No, not always. I think it was that asshole Makai that turned him gay. He came to town and then everything turned to shit. That asshole stole my boyfriend from me."


    "You broke up with him, Brittney." Justin tried, surprisingly, to be the voice of reason.


    "No, that was just a misunderstanding. And by then, Makai already had his hooks into him. He started trying to take Ocean from me on the first day that he started here. He stole my man and I want to get even."


    That memory faded and then there was another one. Justin and Brittney were sitting in the boy''s room. He was sitting there shirtless in a pair of athletic shorts while she was fully dressed and trying to seduce him. However, she wasn''t using her body to seduce him.


    "? Ocean is a pest. He has ruined your life. He has stopped you from being the best. He causes nothing but pain and strife. We need to get rid of him. We need to start a fight. Not just Ocean, but all of them. Help me Justin, silence Ocean with all your might. Berate and demean that boy. Give him a quick shove. Destroy him with joy. Take away all that he might love. You will do this. You have no free will. You better hit him and not miss. Make sure that punch is hard enough to kill."


    As far as a Siren''s song went, this girl fucking sucked. Still, she was singing in a beautiful voice and had successfully bespelled Justin. Now the spell that caused him to rage and lust towards Ocean that he had already been affected by, was combined with the one from Brittney that told him to kill Ocean. She had just made things so much worse. She had literally just signed Ocean''s death warrant.


    This memory needed to be altered of course. I couldn''t change it too much because he needed to know that he was under the influence of Brittney''s words and that he was innocent in this whole thing. I changed her from singing and put the girl on her knees. She had already turned eighteen by that point so this wasn''t an illegal position to put her in.


    Now that the girl was positioned properly, I made Justin think that he had received a favor from the girl for her help. She had asked for his help because she knew that Ocean and Justin were fighting and had been that way for years.


    This memory that I was crafting made me feel disgusting, but I had no choice. I needed to change his interpretation of that day. And unfortunately, or I guess fortunately depending on how you look at it, I was extremely thorough at making this memory seem flawless to the boy.


    Now that I felt like a sleazeball scumbag asshole, I pushed the memory out of the way. I was now done with the boy''s mind. It was time for us to work on the next stage of all of this.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Every single time that Dr. Malachi altered a memory, I immediately knew about it. While Justin was telling me about it over and over again, he would suddenly stutter to a stop and then start changing things that he had said.


    The benefit to that was that I now knew what we were supposed to have fought about. I knew why we had supposedly stopped being friends three years ago. That was good and all, but I felt horrible invading Justin''s mind like this. It wasn''t nice and he didn''t know that it was going to happen to him. He hadn''t said that we could. This made me feel dirty.


    Speaking of dirty, the final memory of Justin''s that was affected was when Brittney sang to him. Dr. Malachi had perfectly captured Brittney''s slutzilla-like essence. She definitely seemed like the type of girl that would suck someone off just to get them to do something for her. I would not be surprised if I found out that she truly had been doing that for years. That stupid rotten twat sludge.


    I had mostly gotten over my anger toward her, but I couldn''t put it out of my mind right now. Not after having heard what she had tried to do to me. Or to have done to me. That was just crazy and idiotic. I hope they stop her from ever being able to bespell someone ever again. She could really hurt people if she kept that up.


    While I thought about this, I watched a streak of color blur past my head. I knew that it was just Dr. Malachi moving back to his body so that I could get ready to wake up Justin. I needed to wait for the doctor''s go ahead to do that.


    After another moment or so, Dr. Malachi was moving and rose to his feet. I was watching him more than Justin now. There was no reason for me to say anything to my sleeping former teammate. He was done, Dr. Malachi on the other hand, had more to say.


    "Ocean, I need to change the plan a little. I know that I wanted to make it so that this was all over in the next day or so, but it might take the entire weekend, and thankfully I think I can pull this off."


    "What is changing?" Makai asked him. "What do you need us to do?"


    "We still need to get Justin to the hospital. He needs to look like he has something wrong with his head. But we can''t rush this as much as we were planning. This actually will be better in the long run. We can get his parents on board with his procedure."


    "OK, so what should I do?" I was still confused. How was I supposed to help get Justin to the hospital?


    "Makai you have a security camera outside, right? That way we can''t have his parents saying that either of you hurt him."


    "Y..yeah, we do. What are you planning?"


    "Justin is going to have a minor accident. Nothing that will hurt him. He is going to wake up with a massive headache and when he goes to leave, he is going to hit either my car or yours outside. The headache will be what prompts me, the doctor, to check his head and find a tumor that is causing his anger issues. We''re going to put him in the hospital until we can get Brittney there to release him from her spell. After that he will have some forced amnesia and some memories erased altogether. Those memories being the ones of the attack on you and your friends. After that, Justin will have a normal future. He will be able to move on with his life and use this fake tumor as the means for him to say that none of it was his fault."


    "Dr. Malachi?" I was awed by his words. This was a lot more than I had expected from him right now.


    "I think it''s a good plan, Ocean." Makai looked at me. "It will be the best option for Justin. It will help him to explain what was happening to him all these years."


    "O..OK." I didn''t want Justin to get hurt, but I had no other choice. I wanted him to forget about all of this though, so that was making it all a little bit easier on me. If I could help Justin, if I could make this go away for him, at least a little bit, then I would. I would make sure I made up for accidentally ruining his life three years ago.. I would fix this for him.

 Chapter 209 - Ocean – Preparing For The Next Stage

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "J..Justin, I am going to tell you something. Something that you need to do when you wake up."


    "Yes Ocean, I am listening. I will do whatever you tell me to." Justin''s robotic voice was making this all so much worse. That, and the fact that he was so willing to help me and do whatever it was that I was going to tell him.


    That moment right there was when it hit me that someone like me, a Siren or someone else that could bespell someone like this, was potentially dangerous to the entire world. A person that could hypnotize someone else and make that person do whatever the hypnotist wanted them to was, in my opinion, a very literal and very scary weapon.


    If someone found out what I was capable of doing, if they learned my secret, would they hate me? Would they think that I was a monster? Would they want me to leave? I didn''t know. And unfortunately, right now I didn''t have the time to think about it either.


    "Alright, J..Justin, you will be waking up soon, but when you do you''re going to have a massive headache. Your head is going to hurt so bad that you just want to leave. You''re going to be sad that we couldn''t talk more, and I am going to walk you to the door with Makai. When we get there, you will reach out to shake my hand and pull me into a hug. Do you understand so far?" I didn''t want to overload him. This was a lot that I was telling him.


    "My head will hurt. It will be like a migraine. I will reluctantly want to leave. We could be friends because we used to be, things have just gone bad. When you tell me goodbye at the door, I will shake your hand then hug you." That robotic voice repeated the steps back to me in a slightly reworded way. That told me that his mind was taking it all in and committing it to memory. That was good.


    "Yes, that is good so far. Remember though, you need to shake my hand when we get outside on the porch, not before." I added that little addendum.


    "Shake your hand then hug you on the porch." His monotonous voice repeated back to me.


    "Very good." I smiled reluctantly. He was listening and it was going so well. "OK, after we say goodbye, you''re going to get into your car and wait just a moment for us to close the door to the house. However, you will be checking your phone for messages and not watching us at all. After we are inside the house you will start to drive, but the pain in your head will be so much worse. The light is going to hurt your eyes so bad that you will grab your head with your right hand and wince in pain. Do you understand so far?"


    "My head will hurt. It will be like a migraine. I will reluctantly want to leave. We could be friends because we used to be, things have just gone bad. When you tell me goodbye on the porch outside, I will shake your hand and hug you. I will get into my car and check my messages. After you have gone inside, I will drive but my headache will get worse. So bad that I grab my head with my right hand."


    "Yes, that is right. Now Justin, after you grab your head, you will crash your car into one of the other cars that are parked out there. You will not be going too fast so you will not be hurt. You will just bounce your head off of the steering wheel and nothing else. Got that?"


    "My head will hurt. It will be like a migraine. I will reluctantly want to leave. We could be friends because we used to be, things have just gone bad. When you tell me goodbye on the porch outside, I will shake your hand and hug you. I will get into my car and check my messages. After you have gone inside, I will drive but my headache will get worse. So bad that I grab my head with my right hand. That is when I will crash into another car. Not fast, just enough to hit my head on the steering wheel."


    "That''s right. Really good. Now, when you wake up, you won''t remember me telling you this, it will all be subconscious. You will do everything that I said, but you won''t remember that I am the one that told you to do it. This will all seem natural and unplanned to you. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Ocean. I understand."


    I hated myself for what I had just done. I didn''t want this to happen to Justin, but I wanted to help him too. This was what Dr. Malachi said we needed to do, and I trusted him. So, if this was what I had to do, I would do it. I just wouldn''t like that I had to do it.


    "OK Justin, I am going to count down from five and snap my fingers. When I do, you will open your eyes. You won''t remember that you were hypnotized, but you will do everything that I told you to. Ready?" I didn''t wait for a response. "Five¡­ Four¡­ Three¡­ Two¡­ One." Snap! The sound of my fingers echo loudly in the nearly silent room.


    "Justin, are you OK?" Makai was already there to get the ball rolling. And I noticed that Dr. Malachi was gone, intent on not letting Justin see him here.


    "I..I think so." Justin was already holding his head. "I..I just have a really bad headache all of a sudden."


    "That must be why you went silent for no reason." I spoke softly so it didn''t hurt his head. I had already gotten to my feet to make it look like I had been on my way back from getting the drinks in the kitchen. "Do you want some aspirin? Is there anything that we can do for you?"


    "N..no. No, I think I will be fine. I am just going to leave."


    "Are you sure?" Makai sounded concerned and looked at me with wonder. He, like me, was probably wondering if Justin''s head actually hurt or if he just thought it did. Was I causing him real pain or imagined pain? And if he winced like that, what was the difference? He would remember pain even if there wasn''t any.


    "Yeah, I''m sure. I am sorry, we didn''t get a chance to talk at all." He sounded so sad.


    "Don''t worry about it. You can come back tomorrow. We have the whole weekend free." Makai gave him a friendly smile and started to walk toward the door with Justin. I was trailing behind them, knowing what was coming and dreading it.


    "Yeah, if you don''t mind, I will come back tomorrow, maybe around noonish?" I saw hope in Justin''s eyes as he looked at me.


    "Yeah, that sounds good." My immediate response seemed to make Justin happy.


    Thanks, Ocean." We were outside now, and Justin turned to look at me, his hand stretched out and a smile on his face. "I really hope we can work this out."


    "Me too, Justin. Me too." I returned the smile and shook his hand. He pulled me into the hug like he was supposed to. After that he waved goodbye, a light twinkling in his eye before he turned and hurried to his car. I saw him reach for his phone while Makai and I turned to go back into the house.


    "Dammit, Makai, I don''t like this." I could hear the emotions in my voice as I said that.


    "I know baby, I know. I don''t like it either." Makai''s voice didn''t quite mask the sound of the car starting and the engine revving as Justin started to accelerate.


    Makai pulled me against his chest then, hugging me tight as if he could make me not hear the moment that Justin''s car smashed into the back of a car outside. It didn''t work. I heard it. I heard it all. And every bit of that sound was like a knife to my heart.


    I had just hypnotized an innocent person into feeling pain and crashing his car. Yeah, I can delude myself into thinking that he wouldn''t get hurt in the accident because it wasn''t fast, and I told him not to get hurt. But would that really work though? Would he really be OK? I didn''t know and that was going to eat at me now for a long time. I had done this. I was the reason this happened to Justin. It''s just one more thing in the list of things that were my fault. Just one more notch in my belt, I guess. This never-ending cycle of pain and sorrow that I was causing people, I needed it to end. I needed it to stop so that I stopped feeling so guilty.


    "I think we should go outside now." I pulled away from my boyfriend. "We need to go check on him and call for an ambulance. We need to get this whole thing moving." I spoke more firmly than I thought I would. I guess I was steeling my resolve somehow. "Are you ready, Dr. Malachi? Because my work in all of this is over."


    "Yes, Ocean, I am ready.. Let us do what we need to do."

 Chapter 210 - Split – Getting Justin To The Hospital

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    With Ocean and Dr. Malachi ready for this next part, I pulled the door open and looked outside with shock on my face. I wanted to make sure that the cameras didn''t pick up something that was too forced or rehearsed.


    That was when the three of us ran out of the house and toward Justin''s car. I could see him through the window, holding his head like he was in pain. I didn''t know if it was the headache that Ocean made him think that he had or if it was from him hitting his head on the steering wheel.


    When I got to his door and pulled it open, I saw that there was a small cut on his forehead with a tiny bit of blood trickling down toward his eyes.


    "Justin, are you OK?" I called out to him as I reached for his arm. I wanted to steady him and help him out of the car.


    "No, leave him alone." Dr. Malachi called out to me. "He might have a neck injury." This had all been something that we planned and it was indeed rehearsed, at least for me and Dr. Malachi. Still, it was scary though. "Ocean, call an ambulance. Tell them that I am here and that we will be taking him to Trinity''s."


    "Y..yes." Ocean truly looked like he was panicking. I hated to think that this was causing him that much more stress.


    ''It''s almost over, Ocean. We will be done soon and then everything will be OK. Just hang in there, baby. Hang in there for me.'' The encouragement I was sending him was silent, of course. It was all that I could offer him though, so I gave it to him.


    "Y..yes, hi, my friend was just in an accident."


    Ocean was busy making his call now, so I went back to what I needed to do. Actually, there wasn''t much that I needed to do. I just needed to follow along with Dr. Malachi as he checked out Justin''s vitals and made sure he was OK.


    "Are you OK, son? Can you tell me your name?"


    "My head hurts. It''s killing me. I can''t think. I can''t stand the light."


    "Yes son, I know, it will all be OK. Can you tell me your name?"


    "M..my name is Justin." He struggled a little and was doing his best to block what was left of the light.


    "OK, Justin, I am Dr. Malachi. Do you remember meeting me earlier?"


    "No. No, I don''t think that I have ever met you before." He had met him, but he had not been introduced. He had seen the doctor when he attacked Ocean at the hospital.


    "OK, no worries. I am sure that there are no real memory issues. We need to get you to the hospital though. I need to check you out."


    From there, Dr. Malachi had Justin follow a series of commands. Things like following his finger with just his eyes and other things like that. I know it was meant to make sure that there was no true damage. He was the one that planned this, but he was also very thorough in caring for his patients. I knew that Justin would be OK with Dr. Malachi around.


    After a few minutes, Ocean came walking over to stand near us and called out to the doctor.


    "Dr. Malachi, the dispatcher wants to talk to you." He was holding his phone out to him. Dr. Malachi sighed and took the phone right away. It was like he had known that this was going to happen.


    "Yes." I couldn''t hear what the person on the other end was saying, but I could hear Dr. Malachi''s responses. "Yes. I am taking his vitals and stabilizing his head and neck. When they get here, I will be riding with them. The boy has something neurological going on." There was another pause before Dr. Malachi spoke again. "Yeah, we will be waiting."


    Before he even handed the phone back to my Ocean, we could hear the sirens in the distance. They were already on their way and were rushing.


    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had been a nervous wreck when I called for the ambulance. And I knew that just calling them to come here wouldn''t be all that happened. There were going to be cops and other people showing up in droves. And that made me feel so scared. I had made this happen. Would they know that? Would they arrest me?


    The first siren to approach the house had been the cops that I was starting to fear. I knew they were going to ask what had happened and what we had done to Justin to cause the accident.


    And to make matters worse, the two cops that got out of the car when it stopped, were the same two that had come to my hospital room the other day. These were the two that I told not to arrest Justin. And I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they recognized us as well.


    "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The cop that kept laughing last time asked.


    "You three again? What is going on now?" The other cop asked.


    "Officers, we have a young man over here that was in an accident." Dr. Malachi pulled their attention toward him and Justin and away from me.


    "Yeah, yeah." The more serious, or rather the less joking of the cops, spoke as if he was annoyed while the two of them walked over to Dr. Malachi.


    "What the hell happened here." That one was the laughing cop. He always sounded like he was angry but said it all with a laugh so that people would think that he was joking.


    "Justin here had a neurological incident and temporarily lost consciousness. At that point, his vehicle struck mine." I could tell that the two officers weren''t happy with the way that Dr. Malachi was taking the lead.


    "And just what are you doing here, doc? Why are you here with these two?" The serious one asked.


    "Make that three." The laughing cop chuckled when he saw Justin. "It''s the one that the idiot over there let go. Let me guess, he came back to finish the job?"


    "No. We were talking about the incident and how we used to be friends. We were trying to find a way to move on from this." I did my best to explain things to the cop. This was an answer that I had prepared in advance just in case I had needed it. I guess I did.


    "Yeah, then how did the boy get hurt? Huh, fairy?" Chuckles, the cop, was not being very nice right now.


    "HEY!" Makai spoke louder and angrier than he probably should have at that moment.


    "Watch your tone." Sourpuss, the cop, snapped back at him.


    "I will when your partner talks to my fianc¨¦ with respect. That was uncalled for."


    "Agreed." Dr. Malachi crossed his arms and stared at the cops.


    I was thankful that I could hear the sound of more sirens coming but we were still alone with these two. And they were definitely not happy at all.


    "How about we just arrest all three of you so we can see what you did to the young man before he crashed. I mean, you probably dropped the charges so that you could kill him yourself." Chuckles seemed to think that he had it all figured out.


    "It''s all on camera." Makai crossed his arms and showed the cop that he wasn''t about to take his attitude.


    "Sure it is." Chuckles didn''t believe him.


    At that moment another police car pulled up and behind them was the ambulance.


    "What''s going on here?" The first cop to get out of the new car asked when he saw the standoff that was happening between us.


    "These two officers are being intentionally hurtful and crude. They have made no attempt to even check on the young boy that was hurt and instead decided to pick a fight with the three of us." Dr. Malachi explained everything to him. "By the way, my name is Dr. Abraham Malachi, the chief of staff at Trinity Memorial. That young man over there is a patient of mine and I was here doing a house call." That right there shocked us all. I hadn''t known that Dr. Malachi was that high of a level, so it floored me. And as for the cops and paramedics, it spoke volumes about how much money either me or Makai had. If someone like Dr. Malachi was here for a personal appointment it must mean that we were high end clients.


    Finally, things were starting to go in the right direction. The new officers sent the other two on their way.


    "What, the doctor won''t press charges or anything for the boy hitting that fucking Benz of his?" Chuckles was telling his friend as he walked away. I sincerely did not like the two of them. They were not good people, no matter what their position was. I was surprised that they were still employed in this profession with those attitudes.


    I stood there silently with Makai as Dr. Malachi worked with the paramedics to get Justin into the ambulance. Finally, he was about to be moved to the hospital.


    "Makai? Ocean?" Ben and Ryan were coming home now. They were coming earlier than I thought they would be. That, or this whole thing took longer than I thought that it would.


    "Ben." I said his name reflexively as he leaned out the window of his car.


    "Who are they?" The cop asked me when he saw the newcomers.


    "Ben and Ryan, they live here with us." Makai answered him quickly. "They go to the same school as us and are on the same swim team. They know Justin as well."


    "OK." The cop nodded and made a note, as if he needed to come back to talk to them later.


    "What happened?" Ryan asked then as he ran over, the cop just stepped away and observed us.


    "Justin came over to talk. We invited him." I told the two of them quickly. "He had told Makai that he wanted to apologize, so I thought today would be good. But for some reason, his head started to hurt like he had a migraine. When he left, this is what happened."


    "Damn." Ryan looked shocked.


    "Is he OK?" Ben sounded worried.


    "I think so. I don''t know yet. Dr. Malachi was here giving me a checkup before Justin got here, so thankfully he was here to help him."


    "Ocean, we are off. You and Makai can wait here or meet me there. I need one of you to call his parents." Dr. Malachi called out to us, interrupting the conversation quickly before he pulled the doors to the ambulance shut.


    "We got to go. You guys wait here, we will call you soon." Makai grabbed my hand and gave an excuse to our friends.


    "Be careful." Ben called out.


    "I hope he''s OK." Ryan added

 Chapter 211 - Dr. Malachi – Taking Care Of Justin

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    "Ocean, we are off. You and Makai can wait here or meet me there. I need one of you to call his parents." I had called out to the two of them while they talked to their friends, humans that lived with them. I needed them to know that it was time to move onto the next part of the plan. I didn''t want to hold this up any longer. If I did, people might get suspicious.


    "I will take point here." I told the paramedic. This was one of the guys that I was used to seeing. He and his crew came to the hospital a lot with their patients. He knew that I was super controlling and didn''t like to let people into my personal space unless I had to. That meant that he was going to stay out of my way.


    The paramedics did as I said and just took notes for the chart. I was writing my own notes as well, so that I could fill in the chart soon enough.


    Without truly intending to, Justin was playing his part perfectly. I knew it was just the headache that was causing the way that he was acting, but it was spot on. He was acting like he was truly in pain, and I didn''t know if it was because he really was in pain or just thought that he was. Either way, it was making for a great effect.


    And the bump on the head that he had received was pretty beneficial too. Not that I wanted to see the boy get hurt, but I needed to have an excuse to do what I needed to. This was something that was necessary for us, something that would help us to hide the truth from everyone.


    All of this rigmarole wasn''t just for Justin''s benefit. And it wasn''t just to make Ocean feel better either. No, all of this was to protect the people that hail from the sea. We needed to protect the overall secret. We needed to make sure that none of our secrets were ever exposed to the general population.


    If we didn''t take care of Justin''s memories properly, then he could remember too much and tell people. If he told the right people, they might just believe him. And if they believed him, something might be done to find out the validity of his story.


    With enough high powered people, wealthy people or overly enthusiastic people, anything can happen. With people like that backing him up, Justin could not only prove that merfolk and Sirens were real, he could become president and attempt to start a nuclear war with the creatures of the sea.


    No, I needed to make sure that all evidence, all memories of the incident were fully erased from this boy''s mind. This was the only way. This had to be done.


    In an almost d¨¦j¨¤ vu like state of mind, I handled the unloading of Justin like I did with Ocean just at the beginning of this week. There was a flurry of movement and excitement when I threw the doors of the ambulance open, but when those that were surrounding us saw me, they took a step back. I don''t think any of them had been told by the paramedics that I was coming. That was actually quite funny on their part.


    "Get back." I told them as I stepped down. "This is my patient, and I will be overseeing his care." The doctors and most of the nurses just stepped away and went back into the hospital. The typical nurses that I had accompany me were the only ones that stayed out here with me.


    "What happened, Dr. Malachi? Ashley asked me as she helped me to guide the bed into the building.


    "Minor car accident, but it appears that the boy had some sort of neurological issues right before it. I was already on the scene when it happened and he is the friend of a very wealthy family that I know." I explained the reason why I was taking point here.


    "Understood. I assumed this boy is somehow related to the one from earlier this week?" Ashley probed without being overly direct.


    "That he is. We need to make sure that the family is happy by the time that we are done. We will require a private room and immediate neurological consultation."


    Things started to move quickly now. The difference between now and when Ocean came into the hospital, was that I knew what to expect. I knew what had happened to Justin and I knew what I needed to do to ''fix'' him.


    Knowing didn''t stop me from being thorough, though. We checked Justin over for injuries and sent him upstairs to have some scans of his head done. They were checking for causes of his neurological issue.


    Well, if I hadn''t been so thorough at my job, I would have been worried that this right here might destroy my whole plan to fix this. However, I am thorough and I knew that I had done what I needed to make this next part go smoothly as well.


    You see, while I was inside of Justin''s mind, I was doing something else as well. I didn''t just destroy memories, I put something inside of his head. Well, to be fair, the stuff was already there, I just moved it around. The memories that I destroyed needed to go somewhere, so I compounded them together and formed a tumor in his head.


    The tumor was not cancerous, and it wasn''t in a place that would cause him immediate danger. However, it would look like the cause for what he was feeling. He would actually need to have surgery and he would actually be able to show his tumor to people if he wanted to. This gave us all the evidence that we needed to make it seem like Justin had not been in the right state of mind.


    To be honest, the way that I wove the tumor into his head, it would look like he had been having trouble since he was in freshman year. This would explain why he suddenly turned hostile out of nowhere. It would explain it all away.


    And then, the next thing that I would need to figure out, after Justin was taken care of, was how Ocean had managed to bespell him when he was only fifteen. I mean, I guess that it was just possible that Ocean was more powerful than I ever thought. His voice powers could have been latent, like he might have been able to use them but not to their full effect.


    Whatever it was, it was definitely worth looking into. This was not something that I needed to leave up to chance. Could there be others out there that were bespelling men when they were just kids? I shuddered to think about that even being a possibility.


    I waited in with the neurologist while he ran the scan on Justin''s head, trying to focus more on what was happening before me than on what I knew was going to happen soon. I didn''t want to sound like I knew that this was the case when Rivero told me the news that was coming my way.


    "Abraham, do you see that?" He said as soon as the image was on the screen. "Do you see what I am seeing right there?"


    "Yeah, Dan, I see it." I spoked solemnly, as if I could hardly believe this kid''s luck.


    "I can''t believe that they didn''t know about this sooner. That thing is massive. It''s most likely what caused his accident, and if we don''t remove it, it will cause so many more problems."


    "Can it be removed? Do you think that it''s doable?" I had to throw in some skepticism for the sake of reality here.


    "It''s big, but it looks like it''s not too bad. I can remove it no problem." Rivero was frozen in place as he saw the tumor that I had put into place. It might have been a little bigger than I had planned on making it. Oops.


    After the scan was complete and I had Justin settled into his room, I started looking for his parents. I knew that Ocean and Makai were here right now, and I had told them to contact Justin''s parents. I needed them here for this moment, because I needed to tell them that their son needed immediate brain surgery, or he might die. That tumor was massive and could explode at any time.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Jeffries." I called out to them and shook their hands like a responsible doctor. "My name is Dr. Abraham Malachi, I am taking care of your son."


    "How is he, doc?" The father stood up. He was a much more normal man than I had been expecting. With how hostile Justin had been, I thought the dad would be the same. Then again, the hostility was from the spells so I should let that one slide already.


    "How is my baby?" His mother was on the verge of tears.


    "Your son has a tumor that goes from his frontal lobe down to his temporal lobe. This tumor is causing a lot of pressure inside of his head. We need to operate as early as tomorrow morning, but sooner would be better." I did my best to tell them the facts and nothing more.


    "Oh my God." His dad exclaimed while his mother just started to cry. "Will he live? Will he make it through the surgery?"


    "We have an excellent surgeon, and I will stay with him every step of the way. I am sure that he will pull through just fine."


    "Please, do whatever you have to. Just save my baby." The boy''s mother was beside herself with emotions at the moment. "I don''t want to lose him. I can''t lose my only baby."


    The permission was given and the surgery was going to take place first thing the next morning. On top of that, the preparations were being made for the last thing that we needed to do before the boy had his surgery. And that was us making sure that his spell was broken. His other spell. Ocean had released him, but he was still under that bitch, Brittney''s spell. We needed to make sure that it was gone before he went under the anesthesia. Because when Justin was put under and the tumor was being removed, I was going to enter his mind again and erase all of his memories since the day of the attack. This would be his amnesia. This would be a side effect of the surgery. And these would be memories that he could never recover.. This would be his permanent fix.

 Chapter 212 - Split – Undoing The Spell Part 1

    **Transporting**


    ~~


    Reef Rivers


    ~~


    I had just gotten back to the surface and was about to head back to the beach when I got a call from Makai. He told me that Abraham had decided to put the big plan into action. From there I was told that I needed to make sure that the girl I had just went to see was at the hospital before the morning.


    Did they not know what I had already done? Did they know what kind of work it was going to be for me to bring that evil girl to the surface and then to the hospital? Hahh. This was going to be a long night for me.


    I agreed to it, though. After having heard the entire story about what had happened and why she needed to be there, I had no choice. Not to mention, this was another strike against the girl. This would just be one more thing that they could use to punish her.


    Right now, I needed to head straight back down to where I had just been. You know, it''s a damn good thing that I love to swim. Oh, and let''s not forget that it''s a really good thing that I actually have the authority to take that girl out of the prison and do what needs to be done.


    When I showed back up at the prison, they were surprised to see me. And needless to say, the captain of the Mer Army that had been put in charge of this prison was even more surprised when I told him about what we needed to do.


    It took us about an hour to get things prepared, and another two hours to finally get fed up with Brittney''s attitude and just sedate her so that we could take her to the hospital for Justin. We hadn''t told her why she was leaving her cell, we couldn''t risk that, so she had thrown a temper tantrum and tried to physically fight with the different guards. Now that she was sedated though, it would be easy enough to get her up to the surface.


    Dammit, this meant that I needed to prepare a few other things as well. I had almost forgotten how I was going to get her to the hospital without amassing concern. I mean, she was going to appear to be unconscious, or dead.


    I would need to hire an ambulance to take us there. Not one that was reputable and run by a legitimate company, but one that was typically used for shady dealings like that. The more you know of the darker side of society, the more resources, such as this, that you have at your disposal.


    Thankfully, I had a few contacts and was set to arrive at the hospital sometime around ten this evening. That should be plenty of time to get this whole thing done before the boy was to go into surgery.


    But damn, I just can''t believe that Abraham had actually managed to pull this off. That man had an amazing gift for planning and executing strategies. He was the best tactician that I knew, and that was saying something with all the military experts I knew in the sea. Abraham was a force to be reckoned with, that was for sure.


    **Calling The Jeffries**


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and I hurried away from our house and to the hospital. After the other officers arrived, they no longer acted like we were suspects of some kind. And they greatly appreciated the fact that the entire incident was caught on camera. That would make it a lot easier for them to investigate. And when Dr. Malachi proved that there were no other injuries or drugs or anything like that to have caused the accident, then they would know that we hadn''t harmed Justin in any way. No matter what Ocean thought or felt.


    And I truly wanted to make him stop feeling so guilty right now. He''s had a rough couple of weeks, and I know that it has been taking its toll on him. He needed some time alone, some time to relax. What he needed more than anything else, was some tender loving care. And I would love nothing more than to give it to him.


    We had a little more work to do right now though. We needed to play our parts in the rest of this. We needed to see it through to the end. That was our only choice. Our only option.


    When we got to the hospital, we were taken back to a special waiting room that Dr. Malachi had prepared for us. We were also given Justin''s phone so that we could call his parents.


    The numbers were stored in the phone, obviously. And thankfully, the phone did not have a screen lock on it. We were able to open it up with no issues at all. None of us had thought to ask him about his phone while he was hypnotized. That could have been an issue.


    "Justin? Is something the matter? You never call, you usually just text." I heard a slightly surprised female voice on the other side of the call.


    "Hello, is this Mrs. Jeffries?" I asked her, letting her know that I was not her son.


    "Who is this? How did you get that phone? What do you want?"


    "Is this Justin''s mom? Is this Mrs. Jeffries?"


    "Yes. Who is this?" She was even more worried now.


    "My name is Makai, and I am a teammate of Justin''s."


    "I have heard of you. Didn''t he go to your house today? What happened to him? Where is he?"


    "He is at the hospital, Trinity hospital." I made sure to clarify this for her. "While he was at my house, he got a headache and left. However, he didn''t make it out of the driveway. He seems to have passed out while driving. A family friend was at the house, he''s a doctor and he is taking care of Justin now."


    "Oh my God. Is he going to be OK?" I could tell that she had moved past the angry worried stage and was into the frantic stage. "Tell me what''s happening to him right now. Tell me what I need to do."


    "Dr. Malachi told us to have you come to the hospital. He is with Justin now. He''s getting a scan of his head done."


    "A scan? Like an MRI or a CT Scan? Oh my goodness, is it that serious?" She was in a slightly depressed state now.


    "I don''t know, Mrs. Jeffries. I will be here, and I will find out whatever I can before you arrive."


    "Thank you. We will be there soon. If you see him before we do, tell him we will be there as soon as we can and that I love him."


    "Yes Ma''am, I will."


    With that, the call ended and my job for the time being was done. There was nothing else for me to do but wait for the next phase of our plan.


    **Getting The Parents**


    ~~


    Analise


    ~~


    Originally, the girl was never going to see her father again. That was something that we had all agreed on. As sad and heartbreaking as that might seem, it was the way that it needed to be. None of us planned on bringing the girl back from the prison. She was going to be having her trial there and fulfilling her sentence there.


    However, new information had come to light and that had meant that we needed to deviate from that plan. This deviation allowed for the girl''s father to see her one last time before she was put on trial.


    There was no way for the human man to make it to the prison and survive. It was too far below the surface of the water and any equipment that he might use for deep sea diving would not work within the domed prison. This was the only chance he had to see her.


    And of course, being the bleeding heart that he was, Reef insisted on having the man here to see his daughter and tell her that he loved her. Of course, he insisted on this being for the father and not for the girl. I could relate though. If the situation was reversed, I would want to see my son again. No matter what had happened, I would want to see Makai.


    It was a quarter after nine in the evening when I went to visit with the Cartwrights. When I knocked on their door and waited for them to open it. Though it wasn''t them that opened it.


    A female staff member opened the door and greeted me.


    "Yes? May I help you?" She didn''t seem all that happy to see me. I could guess that none of the people in the house were happy right now. Given what had happened recently and all.


    "Good evening. My name is Analise Rivers, I am here to see Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright." She could immediately tell that I was here for Brittney and I could practically hear her saying to herself ''what did she do now''.


    "Come in, please. I will take you to see them."


    The woman let me into the house and led me straight to the living room where I saw a very dejected looking man and woman sitting on the couch. They weren''t watching TV, they weren''t talking. They were just sitting there.


    "I have a Ms. Rivers to see you." Their heads popped up and it was clear that they recognized the surname.


    "Are you with the other man? The one from before?" Mrs. Cartwright''s eyes were focused intently on me.


    "I am indeed. I would like to talk to you, privately." They understood and rose from their seats.


    "Come with us to the office." Mr. Cartwright said as he started to lead the way from the room.


    I tried my best to remain calm and professional as I followed the grieving parents from the living room to the office. Once we were inside, the door locked to stop us from being interrupted, I started the conversation without being prompted.


    "As you have already guessed, I am here about your daughter. I am the wife of the man you spoke with before."


    "What is happening now? Is there something wrong with our daughter?" The father was on the verge of tears now.


    "There has been a new development. It seems that your daughter put a spell on a boy from school. Aside from attempting to put one on my son. The boy in question is Justin Jeffries and he is currently in the hospital. I do not think that the reason he is in the hospital is related to your daughter, however we need to have her remove the spell on him. I am sure you know that there are consequences if we do not have it removed." I saw that she was nodding in understanding. She was fully aware of what needed to be done.


    "What did she try to make him do?" Mr. Cartwright asked me after that. I was reluctant to answer, given the state they were in now. However, not knowing would be just as bad as knowing. I gave in and decided to tell them.


    "She tried to get him to kill her ex-boyfriend."


    "OCEAN?!" The two of them said his name loudly.


    "Yes. Apparently, she was upset that he would not take her back. She couldn''t deal with that and ended up trying to have him killed. She very nearly succeeded too, since Ocean was in the hospital just recently."


    "Oh my God!" I watched as all the color drained from Mrs. Cartwright''s face.


    "The reason I am here," I told them as I tried to move on, "is because your daughter is being taken to the hospital that Justin is at. She will remove her spell from his mind before he goes into surgery. While she is at the hospital, you may briefly visit her. I know that this may be your last chance to see her for a while, Mr. Cartwright. That is why my husband and I wanted to give you this opportunity."


    "Thank you. Thank you so much." Tears poured down the man''s cheeks.


    "When should we be there?" When should we leave to see her?" Mrs. Cartwright was just as moved as her husband had been.


    "Now would be the best time. Prepare yourselves and anything that you wish to bring with you. I will escort you there and mediate the meeting with your daughter."


    "Yes. Yes, right away. We will get ready right away."


    "Thank you. Thank you so much. From one mother to another, I can''t express how much this means to me and how much I appreciate what you and your husband are doing for us."


    I tried not to show how much that was upsetting me. I didn''t want to cry in front of these people. I never wanted to cry in front of anyone, except for my husband and close family members.. I didn''t like to show that sort of weakness.

 Chapter 213 - Makai – Meeting The Parents

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    This next part of the plan, that we were all in on, was making me unsure about how it was going to be done without people knowing. I mean, we had to somehow get Brittney in the same room as Justin without his parents being in there to see what it was that we were doing. Not only that, but we needed to be able to convince Brittney to actually break the spell and I didn''t know how Dr. Malachi planned to do that.


    Yeah, we all had our work cut out for us. And to top it all off, Mom had brought the bitch''s parents here to see her, so we were all about to sit in on that little bit of family drama. I actually did not want to see the shitshow that was going to be that little slice of hell, but Ocean was going to be there, so of course I was going to be there.


    Now, why was my sweet Ocean going to see the demon bitch from hell? Well, he wanted to ask her why she had done the things to him that she did. He wanted to know why she had been so obsessive and hurtful towards him when she was the one that had ended it with him. Not that he wanted her back at all, or that he was upset about her ending it. He just wanted to know why she couldn''t let him go after letting him go. That was a convoluted way of putting it, but that was the only way to actually put it.


    At a little after ten that night, before Brittney was taken to see Justin, I went with Ocean, Mom, Dad, Dr. Malachi, and the garbage, I mean Bitchney, I mean Brittney, to see her parents. The eight of us were going to be meeting in a conference room that was sound proof and had the shutters closed to prevent us from being overhead or seen.


    Once we were in the room, and before we could even sit down, the bitch''s parents leapt from their seats and ran over to their daughter. I guess parental love didn''t die so easily so they were truly happy to see her alive and well after the last several days away from her.


    "Oh, my baby girl, I was so worried about you." Her dad seemed like a nice guy as he hugged her tightly.


    "Brittney, baby, how are you? Are you hurt? Are you OK?" Her mother was just as worried about her.


    "They locked me up, Mommy. They put me in jail for nothing. They''re going to lock me away forever. I didn''t do anything wrong. I''m innocent. Please, you need to help me." The stupid bitch was putting on her most pitiful face and sobbing against her father''s chest. However, when she pulled away, her eyes were dry and looked manipulative.


    "We will do what we can, sweetheart." Her father promised.


    "I will try to figure something out." Her mother added.


    "I am afraid that once this meeting is over, she is going back to her cell to await her trial." Dad spoke firmly and crossed his arms. He was clearly showing how displeased he was.


    "Are you sure that she is guilty? Are you absolutely sure? This doesn''t seem like something that my sweet little girl would do." Damn, she had her parents so whipped.


    "Have you spoken to any of her friends in the past. Or what about her victims? She is not a nice person." I scoffed at them, letting them know how displeased I was as well.


    "Ocean, you know what she is like. You and her, were together so long just recently. Until just a few days ago, right? Tell them, all of this is just a big misunderstanding." What in the hell! Her dad thought they were together until recently.


    "Mr. Cartwright, Brittney dumped me back in September."


    "No. That isn''t true. She told me that you two spent Christmas together. Brittney, tell him. Tell him what you told us." This man was so twisted up in her lies that he didn''t know what to do right now.


    "He''s telling you the truth." I told him. "And Ocean and I have been dating since just before Halloween. Brittney has not been with him for months."


    OK, those gasps had better be because of her lies and not that Ocean and I were gay. I mean, they weren''t giving us ''those'' looks, but they didn''t look happy at all.


    "Is this true, Brittney? Have you been lying to us?"


    "N..no, Daddy. I didn''t lie to you. They''re lying. Not me. I am innocent."


    "She is lying." Mom spoke flatly. "My son introduced us to Ocean at the beginning of November after they were dating. And if you don''t believe all of us, call up Ocean''s parents, they will tell you."


    "Or just ask anyone at school. After that kiss that I gave Makai at school, they all know the truth. Not to mention they all know that Brittney and I broke up months ago." Ocean decided to tell them his part of it too.


    "It''s not true, Daddy. You have to believe me. I am your little girl. I don''t lie to you. Please, Daddy, help me."


    "Enough, Brittney." Her mother snapped at her. "Stop lying to us. How could you do this? How could you do these things to these people? How could you try to hurt so many people?"


    "Mommy, I didn''t. I didn''t do anything. I swear."


    "STOP IT!" Once again, her mother snapped at her. "You need to stop lying. It''s just going to make things worse on you in the long run."


    "But Mommy, I-."


    "No!" Her mother interrupted her and stopped the protest right then and there. "I want you to stop this. No more lies, Brittney." It was time for the stern mother to come out. This was a look that I had seen on my mom''s face as well as Ocean''s mom''s face. "Tell me the truth, Brittney. Is what they said about you true? Did you do these horrible things?"


    I watched as Brittney''s face visibly changed. She stopped looking so pitiful and looked the way that I was used to seeing her. Her eyes were narrowed, and her lips formed an angry sneer.


    "Fine. I will tell you the truth, mother." She both looked and sounded like she was pissed off at her mother and father both. She no longer looked like she was trying to get out of the situation she was in. "Yes, I dumped his faggot ass for losing the swim meet. And then, when I found out that he would rather have a man than let me take him back, I was pissed off. I wanted to hurt him as much as I could. I wanted to destroy him and his queer ass fucking boyfriend. They''re disgusting, both of them. So, I got Justin to try to kill Ocean, but he failed at his job. And when I wanted to bespell Ocean to leave, that didn''t work at all. And I was stopped before I could finish making his faggot Makai kill himself. They don''t deserve to live. And they turned the whole school against me."


    I could see nothing but utter shock and disbelief on her parents'' faces. They obviously had never seen their daughter act this way. And apparently, it was enough to render them all speechless.


    "I wanted them dead, so I did something about it. And I would do it again too. Those fucking assholes ruined my life. Ocean and his merry band of queers think that they can do whatever they want, but I won''t let them. I am going to stop them. I am going to get out of here and I am going to sing to whoever I have to just so I can make sure that they are gone forever. I will do whatever it takes. I will kill them myself with my bare hands if I have to. I will kill them. I will kill them all. I will-."


    Brittney had gone on a full psycho rant that was scaring me, scaring us all. I didn''t know when she was going to stop, but someone took care of that for us. I didn''t know at first who it was, but someone had taken a thick, leather-bound notebook and thrown it at the side of Brittney''s face.


    The notebook wasn''t just for paper. No, this was the kind that you could store pens, business cards, and lots of other things in. It was actually Dr. Malachi''s notebook and so I thought it had been him that threw it to shut her up. However, as I looked around, I saw that it had been Ocean who leaned forward, snatched it off the table, and threw it at her head.


    The book smacked Brittney in the side of her head. It had hit her from brow bone to jawbone and everything in between. And it hit with such force that it nearly knocked her off of her feet. And I will admit that the sound that the book made when it hit her was extremely satisfying.


    "AHHH!" She cried out in pain as she held her face. "Ocean, you fucking queer asshole." She snapped at him.


    "Shut up, Brittney. Just shut the fuck up. You''re a crazy ass fucking sociopath that deserves to be punished. And you know what, all you''re doing is making things worse for yourself. All you''re doing is making it easier to put you away forever. And I will be happy to see your rotten fucking twat get locked away. I will be glad to be rid of you. And you want to know something else? I am fucking glad that you dumped me. It was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I met the love of my life, my mate. And he and I will live happily ever after no matter where we live, on land or in the ocean. But you, you will never find love because all you care about is yourself and what the world can give you. It''s people like you that give Siren''s a bad name. You''re so goddamn stereotypical."


    Ocean was breathing heavily when he was done with that little rant of his. However, I could tell that he was feeling a lot better after it. Some of that, some of what he had said, had been emotions that he was holding onto for a long time.


    "Fuck you, Ocean. You''re the one that no one wants." Brittney tried to counter his words but that was when Mom, Dad, Dr. Malachi, myself, and even Brittney''s own parents stepped in front of him to block her words and her hurtful look.


    "I can''t believe that I went so wrong." Her mother was shaking her head. "I had hoped you''d be more like me, but you''re not. You''re just like all the others. You''re so selfish and entitled. I am sorry, Brittney. I tried to raise you better than this. I wanted more for you."


    "I am perfect the way that I am, Mother. The world owes me everything because I am a Siren. I am the best. I am-"


    SMACK!


    We all gasped as Brittney''s mother slapped her across the face, hard. No one was quite sure what to say after that happened. And it put an end to the conversation as a whole. Man, I was so glad that that was over. Now we just needed to have her undo the spell on Justin. Yeah, that was going to be fun. I could just imagine how it was going to go down. She would refuse. And she would probably try to make him do even more stupid and dangerous stuff. She would sing about killing himself or something else altogether. Whatever it was that she did, I was sure that it would not be helpful at all. Nope, this was going to be a typical Brittney shit show.. I just knew it.

 Chapter 214 - Makai – Removing The Spell

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Brittney''s mother and father were not allowed to accompany her to the room with Justin. They were actually done with their visit and were forced to say goodbye to her after Brittney had been slapped.


    Brittney''s mother never once told her why she slapped her, but I think that it was clear to us all. I could tell that Brittney knew she had fucked up. And instead of being repentant, she was getting angrier by the second. When her mother tried to hug her goodbye, she pushed her away. She even refused her father who had done nothing to incur her wrath. Brittney was just pissed and didn''t care who she hurt. This right here was just further proof that she didn''t care about anyone at all.


    After the parents left, it was time for the rest of us to move into the next part of our plan. I had to wonder how we were all managing to pull this off without more people finding out what was going on. That was until I realized that the night crew had a lot less people and that this part of the hospital all seemed to be run by Dr. Malachi. Were there other non-humans here? Were there others that knew what was going on? I had a feeling that the answer to that was yes. If this was the case, how come there were almost nothing but humans around when Ocean was here? It was only a few days ago after all. The staffing couldn''t have changed all that much since then. Did they just have the day off at the time or something? I don''t know, but right now I was starting to wonder if I had it all wrong the other day.


    I didn''t dwell on it, though. Thinking too much about that would just give me a headache, and I didn''t want that right now. All I wanted was to get this done and over with and get my boyfriend home so that we could get some rest and relaxation. Together.


    The room that Justin was in right now had a large MRI-like machine. I guess they were really going to do one more test on him before they did the surgery. Though I was actually really surprised that they were going to operate on Justin.


    I mean, wouldn''t it look weird when they opened him up and there was no tumor for them to remove? How was Dr. Malachi going to explain that one away? What was he going to do about the rest of the hospital staff that he was working with on this case? What was going to happen to Justin in the long run?


    GAH!! DAMMIT!!


    I was starting to worry too much, just like my Ocean. I was wondering about what was going to happen at every little step of the way instead of going with the flow. I didn''t know why I was so worried about Justin. I just was. And man, was it annoying.


    When Mom, Dad, Dr. Malachi, Ocean, Brittney and I walked into the room, Justin was in there alone, waiting for us. He looked like he was awake, but just barely. He seemed groggy and drugged. It was like he was out of it. for some reason.


    "O..Ocean?" He called out to the first person that he saw. "Makai? Brittney? What are you all doing here?" He was looking at my parents as well as Dr. Malachi like they were strangers, which they almost were. He hadn''t known Dr. Malachi for long and he had never really met my parents.


    "We''re here to help you, Justin." Ocean told him with a calm voice. He might have sounded calm, but I could see the tense muscles in his shoulders. He was nervous.


    "I don''t want to help him at all." Brittney flipped her hair and started to throw her attitude around already. "He didn''t do his job properly. He didn''t kill Ocean or anyone else. He failed me. Why should I help him at all?"


    "That is the whole reason you were brought here, Brittney. You will help him." Dad snapped at her angrily. He most definitely did not like this girl. I knew that sending her to prison was not what had been upsetting him. No, the only thing that had been bothering him, was the fact that innocent people were losing a daughter. It didn''t matter that the daughter was a crazy ass bitch, they were still going to be heartbroken and that was what had been hurting my dad.


    "No one asked me if I wanted to help him. I was brought here against my will. And so, I am telling you all right now that I will not help him. That is your punishment for locking me up. That is what you get for thinking that you can stop me."


    Brittney was looking more and more like a stereotypical comic book, or movie, villain as time went on. And not only that, but she was too stupid to stop talking right then and there. She should have just kept her mouth shut, but she wanted to press her luck.


    "If you all think that you can stop me, that you can keep me in that prison, then you have another thing coming. I am not going to stand for this. I will get out, and I will make you pay. I will make all of you pay. Ocean will pay for all the shit that he has ever done to me, not just today''s incident but all of it. Makai and his fairy dick that stole my boyfriend will pay. Justin and his stupid, weak ass will pay. Makai''s parents will pay for what they did to me. Even you, you asshole doctor, you will pay for drugging me. I will sing my fucking heart out in that prison, and I will make it so that I am released the moment that I go back. I will get out of there and then you will all die."


    I think we were all just too stunned by her idiotic behavior to do or say anything during that time. We all just watched her ramble on and dig her own grave. I didn''t know what they were going to do to her, but I knew that this bullshit of Brittney''s was not going to go unpunished.


    "Are you quite finished yet?" Dr. Malachi asked her. I don''t know what he was doing but he was approaching her slowly with his hands behind his back.


    "I will never be done. Not until you are all dead and gone. Not until I am the most sought after and the most loved woman in the entire world. I will never be done until the entire world, every man, woman, and child on this piece of shit planet, loves me and gives me everything that I want."


    I didn''t know if I should be laughing or not. I mean, did she truly think that was possible? Did she ever truly think that was going to happen? I guess she didn''t fully understand her powers at all. A Siren''s song only works on men. And only men who have gone through puberty. Yeah, I made sure to do some research on it after I mated with a Siren. This girl, though, she was a failure to her species for not knowing that at all.


    "I guess you are done." Dr. Malachi laughed as he moved toward her faster now.


    "Stay away from me." Brittney snapped at him, but he was moving too fast. "Stay away fro-." She was cut off before she could finish saying it again.


    As we all looked on stunned, we could see what it was that Dr. Malachi had done, and it was nothing shy of impressive. Scary, yes, but also impressive.


    Dr. Malachi had grabbed Brittney''s shoulders and spun her around so that she was facing away from him. He had also wrapped his left arm around her upper body, pinning her arms to her chest. In his right hand, which was right below her chin, there was a deadly sharp scalpel. And in the process of doing all of this, Dr. Malachi had moved them to stand in front of a mirror so that Brittney could see what was happening to her.


    "You see, I think you are done, girl. And if you keep this fucking shit up for one more fucking minute, then I will release the boy from the spell without your help. Just so you know, there are only two ways to release the spell of a Siren. It can be undone only by the singing of the Siren that put it into place, or it will automatically dissolve itself when the Siren that casted it dies. Now tell me, Brittney, in which way do you want this spell to be removed.. And think hard about that, because you are a shifter and shifters are not against killing people that have broken their laws."

 Chapter 215 - Makai – Removing The Spell Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I swear, it was like Brittney''s entire face crumbled in as she was about to start coming apart at the seams next. She was losing control and she wasn''t used to this sort of thing happening to her.


    "I..I..I want my mommy." Brittney cried as she looked into the mirror with horror filled eyes. "Let me see my mommy." She was sobbing like a baby as she pulled helplessly on Dr. Malachi''s arm.


    "No, your time for mercy is over, Brittney. Your little reign of terror has come to an end. And you will be treated like the adult that you are. You may have the attitude of a spoiled two year old, but you are a grown ass fucking adult. You need to act like a grown up now, bitch. You made your bed, now it''s time to lie in it."


    "What the fuck does all of that even mean?" Brittney, still crying, snapped at Dr. Malachi as he spoke to her.


    "It means that you need to reap what you sow." He answered her in the same anger filled voice that he had been using since he grabbed her.


    "You are not making any sense at all. What are you, fucking stupid or something?" I didn''t know whether I should think that Brittney was brave or stupid for the way that she was talking to Dr. Malachi. Actually, I did know. She was just plain stupid and there was no other way to put it.


    "Damn, you''re a fucking idiot." I could see the way that the doctor rolled his eyes at her in response to the way that she was answering him. "You fucked up, you broke the laws several times, now you will be punished. Only this is a grown up''s world with grown up punishments. You''re not going to get your phone taken away or the car keys locked in the safe. You''re not going to be grounded or have to miss the school dance or cancel a date. No, none of that baby ass shit. This is the part of life where you either do as you''re fucking told by those that are stronger than you and outrank you or you fucking die. I am done. I am over it. You make your decision in the count of three or I will make it for you."


    "Wait!" She tried to plead with him almost immediately.


    "One." Dr. Malachi wasn''t joking around, he just started counting.


    "This is bullshit." She still wasn''t giving up.


    "Two." Neither was the doctor.


    "Stop this."


    "Three."


    "OK! OK! OK!" Brittney literally screamed when the doctor said three. There were tears streaming down her cheeks as she did whatever she needed to stay alive.


    And I saw that it wasn''t just a lie. The doctor had already started to flex his arm and move the scalpel to her throat. He was going to kill her. He was going to follow through with that threat. And I think that Brittney felt that and knew that she was literally on the verge of death.


    "I..I will sing. I will take off the spell." She was sobbing almost constantly now. All of her anger was gone and there was nothing but a stupid little girl left in its place.


    "Good. Do it now." Dr. Malachi didn''t let go of her at all. He just pulled her along with him as he walked over to Justin.


    Justin, like the rest of us, just sat there frozen during this whole thing. He was looking like this whole thing was way too much for him to handle. I felt bad for him, I truly did. He was literally the most innocent in this whole ordeal. He had done nothing to deserve this, but he was the one that was suffering the most.


    "U..u..uhm, B..B..Brittney?" He was stuttering just like she had. He was scared, mostly of Dr. Malachi, but he was still trying to figure out what was going on. "W..w..what are you d..d..doing?"


    "I..I..I am g..go..going to h..h..help you, Justin." I saw a very timid and meek smile appear on Brittney''s face, this was something that she had never shown to me, and most likely not to Ocean either. This was the most different that I had ever seen her look in all the short amount of time that I had known her.


    "I..I don''t need help, B..Brittney." Justin was eyeing Dr. Malachi with suspicious eyes. I think he was wondering what would happen to him for refusing the so called help.


    "No, Justin, you do. I did something to you that I shouldn''t have. And I need to undo it now." I could tell that Brittney''s voice was getting stronger. At least she wasn''t stuttering anymore. It just sounded stupid when she did it. Not like my Ocean. When he stuttered it was sweet and cute.


    "W..What did you do to me? I..I don''t remember anything." Dammit, Justin needed to stop stuttering too. They were both ruining stuttering for me. Nah, that wasn''t possible. I would still think Ocean was so adorable when he was nervous.


    "Am I allowed to tell him?" Brittney actually asked for permission from Dr. Malachi before she told him what she had done.


    "Yeah. Go ahead. He will forget it soon enough anyway." I watched Justin''s eyes go wide again. He hadn''t understood what that meant and was very understandably scared.


    "Justin, I put a spell on you. I wanted you to kill someone."


    "Oh God! D..d..did I actually do it? Did I kill someone?" That was odd. Justin didn''t seem to have a problem with learning about magic, just about him being told to kill someone.


    "No. You didn''t. The person is still alive. And I need to keep it that way." Wow, a humbled Brittney. I never thought this would ever happen. If this wasn''t such a compromising position for Dr. Malachi, I would take a video so that I could have proof. Oh, and you know, if there wasn''t all this talk about magic and all that.


    "That''s good, I guess." Justin laughed. "Maybe that just proves that magic isn''t real."


    "No, it is. And now I am going to break your spell."


    We were all waiting with bated breath. It was like trying to hurry someone along in a suspense movie. You knew where it was going but doing and saying something wouldn''t help the other person. So, we were all stuck just watching on. At least I was able to grab a hold of Ocean''s hand and squeeze that while we watched. That was a little more comforting than doing nothing.


    Brittney took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was preparing herself mentally for what she was about to do.


    "I''ve never done this part before, Justin. So, please, bear with me as I try to figure it out." A sheepish smile appeared on her face before she closed her eyes. "? I am sorry Justin, I did something wrong, yet now I want you to be free. So, with this song, I want you to forget about the request from me. I release you, my friend, you don''t need to kill. The spell is going to end, and you once again have free will."


    Justin''s eyes had gone a little crooked and glazed over. The song was horrible, but the voice was magical. That was all that mattered, I guess. It was the power in the voice that made them obey the words. And since the singing obviously worked, we no longer had to deal with Brittney ever again.


    At that moment, Dad took her out of the room and to another one that was just down the hall. He and Dr. Malachi would be taking Brittney back to the prison soon, but I guess she was going to be here until after the surgery was done and over with.


    While my dad had taken Brittney out of the room, Dr. Malachi had set down his scalpel and pulled out a syringe.


    "It''s time for you to go to sleep, Justin. You have a surgery coming up soon, you need to sleep for that."


    Ocean and I watched on as Justin slumped back onto the bed that he was in. He was unconscious but still alive.


    "Come on, you two." Mom called out to me. "We will wait for the surgery to be over. We will sit with Justin''s parents and provide a united front. After that, we will all go home and get some rest. I think that we all deserve that, don''t we?"


    "When will Justin be going into surgery?" Ocean looked over his shoulder at Dr. Malachi and asked him the question.


    "I am taking him there now. They are waiting on us as we speak. That was why I wanted to make things move a little fast." He was truly a very efficient person. Scarily efficient, and just plain scary sometimes. "Don''t worry, Ocean. Your friend will be just fine."


    "Y..yes. OK." I pulled him from the room then, I just wanted to sit down and forget about a few things myself. Like everything that had happened today. That would be a good place to start with the memory loss. I could deal with just that if I had to. As long as I never forgot my Ocean, then I would be fine. As long as I would always have him with me, now and forever. That is all that mattered to me.


    I literally dropped into the chair in the waiting room that we had been in before. When Ocean sat next to me, I pulled him against me and rested my head against him. He did what he was supposed to and settled against me.


    That was when I remembered that Justin''s parents were here as well. They had been in here, waiting for us almost the entire time that we had been gone.


    And now, of course, I was wondering if they were judging me at all. I wondered if they thought that Ocean and I were disgusting or whatever. When I cracked my eyes open a little and looked at them, I saw that they both had slight smiles on their faces. That was confusing. What was that all about.


    "You make a cute couple." Justin''s mom said in an embarrassed tone of voice.


    "Yeah, just like my brother and his partner. It''s kind of endearing."


    Oh, well, that was nice to know. At least they didn''t think that I was some sort of monster or freak or whatever. Ocean and I could cuddle more and not have to worry right now. Honestly, I wouldn''t have stopped snuggling with him even if they did find it disgusting. I would have just kicked them out of here and waited for Dr.. Malachi without them.

 Chapter 216 - Split – We Can Rest Easy Now

    ~~


    Abraham Malachi


    ~~


    Just like I had with Ocean, I assisted with the surgery for Justin. I needed to make sure that the damage was kept to a minimum, and also that his memories of everything were wiped clean. I wanted to give him a fresh start, I wanted to make sure that he didn''t suffer anymore. And the reason I was doing that was because Ocean wanted to make sure of that.


    That boy truly felt guilty for what he had done to Justin. Even though it wasn''t really his fault, he still blamed himself. He still felt like he should have to pay for doing something that he didn''t even know was a possibility at the time.


    Honestly, he shouldn''t have been able to do it. Ocean was only fifteen at the time. He never should have been able to bespell someone like that. So, how did he do it? How had he caused this issue?


    I would need to research it a little more to find out. I would need to do what I do best. Though, a part of me feels like Ocean wouldn''t like being studied so much. That didn''t matter though. It needed to be done. Neither he nor I had a choice in the matter. If we didn''t want people to think that he was a problem too. And by those people I am talking about the merfolk council.


    The last thing that we needed was to have the snooty assholes from any of the other clans stepping in and taking over. I suspect that''s why I am the only other sea creature that Reef and Analise have told about Ocean and his differences. They didn''t want anything to happen to the boy. They didn''t want to lose their future son in-law. And I couldn''t blame them. This was family that we were talking about, and family was the most important thing in the world. At least, that has been what I have been told.


    Pushing thoughts of merfolk councils and Ocean''s uniqueness out of my mind, I subtly entered Justin''s mind. I had to do this in just the right way if I wanted him to forget all of those memories. And it wouldn''t be that hard right now. Justin was already asleep, so I didn''t need to hypnotize him first. All I needed to do was slide my consciousness into his and destroy the memories.


    This time, instead of leaving the gunk behind in Justin''s mind to cause issues, I destroyed it all completely. I made sure that there were no more issues whatsoever for the boy.


    I started with his most recent memory. Which of course, had been when Brittney sang to him. I removed that memory and every other memory that he had since the morning that Ocean had been attacked at the school.


    All of it was gone. He would literally have no memory of what happened. He would be diagnosed with amnesia, only these memories would never come back. They were going to be gone forever. That was the only sure-fire way for me to make sure that he, Ocean, Makai, Reef, Analise, myself and  even that spoiled bitch Brittney were all safe. We didn''t need any evidence in anyone else''s minds.


    When I was done, I slipped my consciousness out of the boy''s mind and went back into my body. The whole process was quick and didn''t take long. Since I was destroying the memories and not altering them, it didn''t take me as long as it had before. Those memories though, the ones that I altered, happened before the memories that I erased. He would know what happened up to that point, well at least a version of it. But he wouldn''t remember anything after the memory of the girl trying to force him to do something.


    After I was done, I heard Dr. Castellanos tell me that he was finished. That was perfect timing.


    "There. Got it all. That was a unique one, but it wasn''t that difficult." He sighed with relief as he started to close the boy''s head up. I know that it wasn''t difficult, I wanted to make sure of that when I planted the damn tumor into his head. I didn''t want to kill the boy. I just wanted to give us a reason to operate and to give him a reason for his aggression and memory loss.


    I had purposefully put the tumor in a place that affected impulse control and emotions. He was angrier because of the tumor, or that will be what we tell him anyway. And now he could move on with his life and be the nice guy he always was.


    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    It took about an hour and a half, maybe a little more, for Dr. Malachi to come out of the operating room and talk to Justin''s parents. He told them the operation was a success and that he would be recovering just fine. He explained where the tumor was and how it might have affected him. He also told them that he might suffer from some temporary memory loss. Though, I knew for a fact that the memory loss wouldn''t be temporary. It was going to be permanent. This was what we had planned on. This was the idea the entire time.


    After the relieved parents left the waiting room, having been taken up to the next floor where Justin would be recovering soon, Dr. Malachi turned to us. I could see the exhaustion in his face. He had been through a lot today. He had hypnotized Ocean, then he had done all of this stuff for Justin, and let''s not forget about threatening the bitch. He had done quite a bit and I knew that he was feeling exhausted at the moment.


    "You look like you need some sleep, Dr. Malachi." It was the truth, so why not tell him right away.


    "Thanks. I''m not the only one though. The two of you look exhausted as well. Why don''t you get some rest, take a break? You both need to unwind."


    "Malachi." Mom snapped at him and his implications.


    "Why bother trying to stop them, Analise. You know that they''re going to do it anyway." He laughed back at her.


    "Thanks for the encouragement, Dr. Malachi. However, I am not going to unwind with Ocean until he is fully healed." I smirked in a dejected sort of way.


    "Ah, yes, I forgot to mention. He''s fine. He''s healed and ready to go. Why don''t the two of you get away for a couple of days. Take some time away from all of this stress." I couldn''t believe what Dr. Malachi was telling me. But I wasn''t about to throw the gift he was giving me away either.


    "Malachi, you are such a bad influence." Mom snapped at him again, she was not approving of his suggestions. "Makai has school. It''s already after midnight. If they left it would be in the morning, Saturday morning. And that means that they can''t take a couple of days since Makai needs to go to school. And if Ocean is healed, then he needs to go to school too. Stop trying to corrupt my boys."


    I almost laughed. Mom was being so.. so.. so motherly right now. It was kind of funny to see.


    "Just let them be, sweetheart." Dad tried to advocate for us with a smile. "They''re good students, and they''ve been through a lot. Let them have a couple of days to relax."


    "Besides, Ocean isn''t going back to school this week, he needs another week at home. If he goes too soon, it would definitely look suspicious to the school. And I agree with Reef, let them be young and carefree. When they graduate and go into the real world, they will have to be responsible and all that shit all the time. Let them be young, just for this one time." Said Dr. Malachi.


    I couldn''t believe how much Dad and Dr. Malachi were trying to get us some time away. And I could see that mom was just about to crack. So, I guess the only thing to worry about right now, was deciding what to do and where to go. I needed to make sure that I picked something that was perfect for my Ocean.


    Dr. Malachi and Dad were right, Ocean has been through a lot. And all this stress that he had been under with the Justin situation hadn''t helped him at all. No, I needed to get him away, take him away from this place, and let him unwind and relax. But where should I take him?


    Hmm.


    Yes! I got it. I knew exactly what I was going to do. I knew how we were going to make it just the two of us, and it wouldn''t be a wasted trip at all. It would have a purpose. It would be perfect. It would be exactly what my sweet little Ocean needed.. And most of all, we could be alone together and not have to worry about anything, or anyone, bothering us.

 Chapter 217 - Makai – Preparing For Some Time Away

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Having been given the greenlight for us to head out of town and get some alone time together, away from everyone and everything that might be causing me or my fianc¨¦ stress, I went straight into planning the perfect getaway for me and Ocean. I had a feeling that he was going to enjoy this trip, and it wasn''t like I was taking him somewhere that was going to get awkward or anything like that.


    Nope, we were just going over to LA. Just a quick trip over to the city for us to check a few things out. This would be the best thing for us, in the long run. We were going to be taking care of something that needed to be done, and we got to be alone while doing it. This was going to be fun. And I was already excited for it.


    I didn''t need to arrange for accommodations. We would be staying at our own place, so it was already taken care of. I would, however, need to arrange for a bed, that was definitely something that we needed at the condo that Mom and Dad gave us for Christmas.


    While we were in the city, we could go shopping for furniture and some other things that we would need. We would also need to go to the grocery store and get enough provisions for the time that we were going to be there.


    Dr. Malachi had said that Ocean would be out of school for another week. Well, I was going to be out with him. I had already asked Ben and Ryan to take notes for us and to pick up our assignments. Ocean and I would be leaving Sunday morning for our trip, and we would be back on Saturday. That would be just shy of a full week away. And we would be back to do some of our assignments on Saturday and Sunday.


    Now, I hadn''t told Ocean what we were going to be doing while we were away. I wanted it to be a surprise for him. I wanted to make him happy, but also see that light of joy fill his face when he saw where we were going to be. I have got to get a chance to enjoy things like this too.


    Oh, and the reason that I was waiting a day for us to leave, was so that Janice the maid, Yvette the cook, and Leon the gardener could head into the city to pick up the bed and set it up for me. I had offered to pay them extra for it, but they refused. They wanted to see where Ocean and I would be staying. And, apparently, they thought that the two of us deserved some time away as well.


    Apparently, while they were there, Janice was going to be making sure that the house was as clean as possible. Yvette would get the basic groceries, and I guess Leon would be doing something. Knowing him, he would probably put a bunch of potted plants inside the condo. But they would end up dying for us to go back home in the summer. They were a good staff, and some good friends too.


    While the three of them went and did that for me, I packed my bag and tried to pack Ocean''s. He wouldn''t let me do that though, insisting to pull his own weight and not get treated like someone incapable of taking care of himself.


    "I''m not an invalid or a baby. I can do things on my own." He pulled his suitcase toward himself and away from me.


    "I know you can do this on your own, Ocean. I just wanted to spoil you and do it for you. That was all. You can do it, though. We will pack together. It''s best to get it done now. You know, instead of waiting for the last minute. We can have them all set and ready to go and put it in the car so that tomorrow, after breakfast, we can leave right away." I was grinning widely as I spoke. Clearly, I was very excited right now.


    "You haven''t told me where we''re going, or what we are doing while we are there." He noted as he looked into my suitcase. I think he was taking a look at the clothes that I was packing for myself to get an idea of what he should pack for himself.


    "We''re just going over to the city. I have some plans for us while we are there. Nothing major. And the majority of the time, it will be just me and you. I want us to get as much time to ourselves as possible." For some reason that made him laugh loudly. I didn''t get it at first, but he cleared it up for me not long after that.


    "You''re just fucking horny." Well, he wasn''t actually wrong about that. I did want him. I always wanted him. But that wasn''t all this was about. Not all of it, anyway.


    "It''s not just that, Ocean." I said as I leaned over to him. "But I won''t lie and tell you that isn''t true. I want you and you know that. I have been doing my best to be a good boy, and I know that I could have you tonight, but I want to make you scream and I know that you don''t want Ben and Ryan or my parents to hear that." I smirked at him, already imagining his voice crying out for me. He must have known what I was thinking because he blushed when he saw my face and punched me on the arm. "Ouch."


    "You pervy asshole." He was embarrassed, but I could also tell that he was excited and looking forward to our little getaway.


    After that, my sweet, embarrassed little Ocean stalked off to the closet to start getting some clothes for his suitcase. He had taken inspiration from the things that I was packing. He was getting mostly casual attire, but I saw that he grabbed some nicer clothes too. Now that I thought about it, I should do that as well. What if I wanted to take him out to a nice dinner while we were there? I would need something that would work for that.


    Well, I guess I could just take Ocean to a shop and buy us both some new clothes if the stuff that we took with us wasn''t nice enough. I wouldn''t mind buying him some new clothes, especially if he tried them on and modeled them for me. I would most definitely look forward to that. Ocean would make the most perfect model ever.


    Hmm. That would be a good career for him. I mean, if I was willing to share him with anyone, it would. But I was a highly jealous man and I was certain that I would be pissed off at any other man or woman lusting after him. Still, he would be a very good, and most likely very successful, model.


    Pushing that thought from my mind, I finished packing my bag with Ocean. The two of us put more than what we needed in the suitcases, but you know what they say. It''s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Not to mention, we could leave some of these clothes at the condo. This way, if we decide to head over for an impromptu visit in the future, we would have some clothes to change into. It''s always better to prepare for the future, no matter what the possibilities were.


    After packing, Ocean and I watched a movie and had a simple dinner with Ben and Ryan. They were telling us how jealous they were of us getting some time away with just the two of us. That made me want to do something special for the two of them. They were doing so much for us, and they hadn''t had a true date yet. Lunch at their favorite diner might be a start, but they deserved something more. That made me want to plan a getaway for them too.


    Hmm. I wonder if I could get something ready for them by Friday? They could head out after school. I could plan it before going to bed and leave them a letter before Ocean and I left. They would probably like that. I mean, I think that they would. And if I gave them a two night stay at a luxury hotel with all inclusive amenities, they wouldn''t be able to pass it up, would they?


    Yup, that''s just what I was going to do. I was going to make sure that mine and Ocean''s two closest friends were rewarded for all that they had done for us. And this was also something that I could involve Ocean in.


    Just as I knew he would be, Ocean was excited to learn my plan. The two of us sat together, planning out the trip for Ben and Ryan. We chose a place in LA that I thought would be perfect. They would be able to go to restaurants or they could get room service. They would charge all of their meals to my credit card no matter what they chose to do.


    It hadn''t taken us long to plan that weekend trip for them. We printed out the information and got it all ready for them. Ocean put it in an envelope and wrote their names on it elegantly. We would either give it to them at breakfast or leave it for them to find later.. Whichever way it ended up happening, I just knew that the two of them were going to be happy.

 Chapter 218 - Makai – Surprises

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    "Come on, Makai, just tell me." The begging and pleading started as soon as we got up on Sunday morning.


    "Nope. It''s going to be a surprise." I always had the same response for him.


    This was how it all went.


    "Makai, will you tell me where we''re going today?" Ocean leaned over me and kissed my cheek when he turned off the alarm for the morning.


    "Nope." I answered immediately and stole a quick kiss on his lips.


    "Please, tell me where we''re going?" He begged again, teasing me in the shower as I rinsed the soap from my hair.


    "Nope." I pushed the water out of my eyes, hugged him, then quickly left before I could be seduced by his sultry ways.


    "I promise I will still be happy and act surprised. Just tell me where we''re going." He begged while we got dressed.


    "Nope." I looked appreciatively at his semi naked form before I rushed out of the room to make breakfast.


    "If you don''t tell me where we''re going, I swear I won''t help you make breakfast." He stood there with his fists on his hips.


    "OK." I went back to making breakfast.


    "HA! HA! HA! Ocean, you know that is not a threat. He is probably relieved that you''re not helping him." Ryan laughed as he came into the room.


    "Fine. Then if he doesn''t tell me then I will make him let me help with breakfast." Ocean was trying his best to get me to tell him where we were going, but I was holding my ground and not letting him know at all.


    "Go ahead and help."


    "Damn you." He rolled his eyes and got to work, even though I hadn''t told him yet.


    He tried again when we were eating, the four of us together at the table while my parents had already left to take care of Brittney business.


    "Come on, Makai, just tell me."


    "Nope. It''s going to be a surprise." He looked slightly annoyed, but also like he was having fun as well. This was fun for me too, seeing him act like this and me saying no. It was a cute little game.


    "Ugh! You two are so sweet that you''re giving me a cavity." Ryan rolled his eyes as he looked at Ben. I could tell that he wanted to experience something like this too. He and Ben hadn''t had the chance for this yet. At that moment I looked at Ocean and winked. He knew what it meant.


    "Hmm. Too sweet, huh? Well, I guess you wouldn''t want this then?" He pulled the envelope out of his pocket and held it out toward him.


    "What''s that?" Ryan went to take it out of his hand, but Ocean pulled it back at the last second.


    "Yeah, you won''t want this at all. I think we need to do something else, Makai. This is not going to work at all."


    "What the hell. Give it here. I want it. Let me see it." Ryan was so childish at times. It was actually kind of funny.


    "Oh alright, here." With a smirk, Ocean handed him the envelope.


    Together, Ben and Ryan opened the gift that we had prepared for them. I watched as their eyes scanned the papers and lit up like Christmas trees. When both of them had eyes the size of dessert plates, they turned to look at me and Ocean, their jaws hanging open.


    "Th..this is a joke, right? This isn''t real." Ryan asked us.


    "Nope. It''s all real. We''re giving you a weekend away. I would have gone for a whole week, but I think if my mom found out that I contributed to the delinquency of two of my fellow classmates, she would actually kill me." That seemed to make us all laugh.


    "This is more than enough." Ben said as he looked it over. "This is amazing. Why would you do this, though? What''s the purpose?"


    "You''re our friends. And you''ve done a lot for us lately. We wanted to do something special for you too. So, you get a weekend away. And Makai is paying for it all."


    "Yup, it''s coming out of my trust account. Go crazy and splurge. I will cover it all. I want you two to have a good memory of this trip. Go out and see the city. Eat at restaurants. Get room service and never leave the room. Whatever it is you want to do, do it."


    They seemed to be flabbergasted by this surprise. I was glad that they were happy and that we could do something for them. This was something that made me feel so much better. It was nice to give back to the people you care about.


    Ocean stopped pestering me after that. Probably because it was time for us to leave. He didn''t have to ask me where we were going anymore, since we were actually going there. He just rode in the passenger seat of my car as I drove us into the city.


    "Will you sing for me, Ocean?" I asked him, the music playing softly on the radio.


    "Makai.." He was not expecting those words to come out of my mouth. "After everything that I did?"


    "You didn''t mean to do it. And you can''t bespell me, my love. I am already head over heels in love with you." I batted my eyes at him for a quick second before putting my eyes back on the road. "You don''t need to put magic into it. And you only sing when we''re alone. Those can be the rules. The tricks that we need to focus on."


    "A..are you sure? Would it really be safe?" I could tell that he really didn''t want to hurt someone again. But I wanted to rebuild his confidence in himself. He needed to know that he wasn''t a weapon or anything like that. He was just a guy with an amazing voice.


    "Yeah, I''m sure. Please, Ocean, sing to me. I love it when you sing."


    Finally, he did as I asked. All he was doing was singing along with the different hits that came over the radio, but it was still perfection. I stopped hearing the plain, ordinary and ugly voices of the radio, and only heard my sweet, sweet Ocean''s voice. He was literally the most perfect singer I had ever heard in my entire life.


    This had to be even better than the other Sirens. They couldn''t sing this well. It was impossible. Could it be because he was a male Siren? Could it be because he was different than the others? I don''t know, but I knew his voice was my heaven.


    Ocean sang away on the drive. He got so into it that he didn''t even realize when the car started to slow down, or when I turned into the parking garage. He only realized that something was off when the light significantly dropped, and he started to look around.


    "Where are we?" He looked confused.


    "We''re almost to our destination." I smirked at him. This was going to be fun. Ocean definitely didn''t know where we were because he had not been paying attention. I couldn''t wait to see what his reaction was going to be.


    "OK, but what is that destination?" He still didn''t know.


    "You''ll see."


    I still refused to answer him as I parked in the spot that was designated for our condo. It was one of two and they were both marked with the unit''s number so that people would know that they weren''t meant for them.


    When I shut the car off, Ocean was still looking all around the garage trying to figure out where we were. These spots were really good ones. Aside from the handicapped parking spots, they were the closest ones to the elevator. Mom and Dad had to have paid a fortune for these spaces. And for this condo.


    "Come on, Ocean." I called out to him as I got out of the car. I was rushing over to his door to open it for him. Despite having told him to come on, I was glad that he hadn''t gotten out just yet. I wanted to treat him special right now. "Let''s go, my love."


    "You''re being an idiot." Ocean snapped at me. That meant that he was embarrassed but I could tell that he was still happy as well.


    Now that we were out of the car, we grabbed our bags and hurried over to the elevator. I pressed the button for our floor and waited for the elevator car to start moving.


    "This isn''t a hotel." Ocean noted as he looked around us and through the glass doors of the elevator.


    On the side with the garage, it was just a solid door, albeit ornately decorated ones with a black and white marbled pattern. On the opposite side though, was glass with that black and white marbling framing the panes. We were able to see into a lobby and the walkways on each floor as we went up and up to the twelfth floor.


    "Nope, this is not a hotel." I answered him as the elevator dinged. We had reached the top floor. The only stop above this one was the roof, but there wasn''t a button for that.


    "So where are we?" He was still confused.


    "We''re home. Or rather, our future home." I pulled him out of the elevator and walked him over to our door. "Welcome to our condo." That look on his face right now, that was precious and perfect, and just what I had been waiting for this whole time.. I wanted to see that more than anything else in the entire world.

 Chapter 219 - Ocean – Our Home

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "We''re home. Or rather, our future home. Welcome to our condo." Makai''s words bounced around in my head for a moment before they started to make sense to me.


    Our future home. Our future home. Our future home.


    Oh my God. He was right. This was our home. Our condo. This was where Makai and I were going to live when we went off to college. This was where we were going to spend our days and nights when we weren''t in class or doing something else that was school related. This was going to be where we relaxed and unwound from the stress of the everyday life. This was where we were going to have romantic dates at home, just the two of us. This was where we were going to create our future together.


    This was our home.


    "M..M..Makai." I grinned at him, not sure what to do about the situation that I was currently in. I wanted to see this place, but I didn''t know if I was ready for it either.


    "It''s OK, Ocean. This is our place. It''s safe and you don''t have anything to worry about. It''s just me, you and our love for each other." His words were romantic and sweet, and embarrassed the hell out of me.


    "Why are we here, though? What''s the purpose?"


    "We''re going to spend the whole week here. We need to pick out furniture and have it delivered, but other than that, it''s just going to be me, you and our bed."


    At that moment, he pulled out a key and opened the door to our new home. I was nervous. I hadn''t seen this place before. Yet, I was also so very excited to get inside and see what it looked like.


    "Thank you, Makai. Thank you so much. I can''t wait to see it. To furnish it. This place can be completely ours. Like, with the decorating and all that. It will be our style and no one else''s."


    "That was the plan, my love." He grabbed the bag from my hand and tossed his and mine into the hallway of our new place. He then took me completely by surprise as he picked me up into a fucking princess carry and quickly walked over the threshold.


    "MAKAI! WHAT THE HELL!?!" I smacked him on his chest and shoulder as hard as I could. "That was not funny."


    "It wasn''t meant to be funny. It was meant to be symbolic. This is the first time you''re coming into our new home, I wanted to carry you in."


    "We''re not married." I pointed out, no matter that I wasn''t a woman either.


    "Yet." He winked at me. "But now you can say you were carried over before the place was christened."


    "Oh my God!" I rolled my eyes at him and stalked off. He was such a dork, and a horn dog, and the perfect man that I loved. Dammit!


    It was time for both Makai and I to see the new place for the first time. It was time to see if there was anything that we wanted to change. To see what we liked. To figure out what it was that we wanted to do with the place that was completely ours.


    The condo''s front door opened into a grand foyer. It had a closet on either side of the door and a grand staircase that led to the upper part of the home. Beyond the foyer was a large eat-in kitchen, a grand dining room, a living room, two offices, two half bathrooms, a library and several closets. On the second floor, there were four bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and large closets, a second living room and a large open area for gaming.


    None of the bedrooms, or bathrooms, were as grand as the master bedroom and bathroom though. They were huge and luxurious-looking. The bathroom was similar to the one in mine and Makai''s bathroom back home. It was modern, convenient and huge. And there was a giant tub that would fit us both as well.


    On the back of the condo, overlooking the city, was a large balcony that spanned the width of the entire home. It was large enough to be considered bigger than some family yards in subdivisions. And to top it all off, there was an upper balcony on the back of the condo, once again, spanning the entire length of the home. There was even a hot tub out there as well, which would be excellent for us to soak in. The thing about this condo was that it was one of only two on the top floor, so there were no shared spaces on that balcony. It was all ours, and we would utilize it for things like having a bar-be-que, soaking in the hot tub and just watching the stars. It was perfect.


    The color schemes for the house were mostly modern and sleek. There was a lot of white and black used on the walls, floors, counters, doors and more. The only room that was an exception was the master bedroom. It was done in a gray blue and was very much to my liking.


    There was no carpeting in the entire condo. It was all hardwood and tiled floors. That meant that we would need to get lots of accent rugs and things like that. We would also need curtains, and everything else you need for a house.


    There was literally only one piece of furniture in the entire condo at the moment. And that happened to be the one that Makai mentioned already. He had, as he explained to me, sent the staff here to purchase and assemble the bed. They did so happily, while also buying and laundering sheets.


    Yvette also bought some food, just the basics, and put it in the fridge. We would get the rest today while we were out and about. And, waiting in the middle of the large black granite island countertop in the kitchen, was a large bouquet of roses with a letter from the gardener that said ''WELCOME HOME''.


    Makai''s family staff was amazing, and they were so good to us. It would be hard to leave them this summer, but it would also be nice to be out on our own. Seeing this place in person right now made me really understand that I wanted to be independent with Makai.


    Alright, that doesn''t sound very independent, but it was. Trust me, it was. It would just be the two of us. We would live with no one but ourselves and it was going to be amazing. That was what mattered to me right now. And I was sure that it mattered to Makai too.


    While I was thinking about things, I felt Makai come up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist. He buried his face in my neck and pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin there. The sensation of that kiss made me shiver against him. That shiver elicited a purr from his lips. And that purr made me shiver again. It was a never-ending cycle here.


    "So, baby, what should we do first? We have the whole week to ourselves in our own place. What''s on your mind?"


    "Well, I can see what''s on yours." I joked with him as I pressed myself back against him and felt the firmness of his body.


    "You''re always on my mind. You know that." I did too. And since he was always on my mind, I knew what he felt.


    "Well, despite what you want right now, babe, I think we need to get some things first. Like you said, we have all week. There is no need to rush."


    "Yeah, true, but I want you, a lot. So, you better be ready when the time comes."


    "Oh, I am ready. I just think we need to have some more things in the house, some creature comforts you know." I did my best to explain to him why I was making him wait. It was hard, it really was. But we didn''t even have towels for a shower. So, yeah, we needed to wait a little bit.


    "Come on, Ocean baby, let us go shopping. I will spoil you to your heart''s content, and then we will come back here, and I will fuck you to my heart''s content."


    "HA! HA! HA! HA! Oh my God, Makai, you are so predictable." I took my bag into the bedroom and set it in the empty closet. It would have to do for now.


    Makai followed me with his bag, laughing at me the whole time. He placed his bag next to mine and then pulled me by the hand and out of the room. He dragged me back to the front door with so much enthusiasm, that I would have thought that waiting was his idea and that he was just eager to go shopping. Honestly, it was a bit funny to see.


    "In much of a hurry there?" I joked with him as he locked the door behind us and pulled me to the elevator.


    "I have been denied your body for long enough. I want to get to you as soon as possible. However, even I recognize that we are missing quite a few things that we need in the house. So, let''s get them and get home. I will cook while you set things up. And then, after we eat, I will drag you into our room like a conqueror.." I shivered with excitement at his words and he definitely saw it.

 Chapter 220 - Makai – Shopping

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I have been living with my boyfriend for about two months now. Two glorious months of us being together and having all of this fun together. Though none of that was anything compared to the feeling of going to the store to buy stuff for a place that was all ours.


    "You know something, Ocean, we''re going to have to buy furniture for all of the bedrooms. If we don''t, we might get in trouble when our parents come to visit." I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was not expecting that comment. He jerked and half spun in his seat to look at me.


    "Parents visiting? You really think that they would visit?"


    "Honey, I think we need to be prepared for them to just randomly show up out of nowhere and be all like ''we''re here for a visit, I''ve got clothes for a month''." Ocean clearly thought it was funny, and the laughter told me that. However, there were still worry lines on his face as well.


    "That was funny, and yet very frightening."


    "Be ready for it though. Because I have a feeling that it will happen a lot in the beginning."


    "So, we have four bedrooms, why do you think they gave us a place with four if they only need two?" He was more curious than scared, that was good. I think it was because he was secretly very domestic and loved being at home with family.


    "Well, you have siblings, right? One for them? I don''t know why else."


    "Hmm." He thought about my answer for a moment then smirked. "I have a different idea for that room."


    "Oooh, you''re plotting something." This seemed like it would be a lot of fun. "Can I help?"


    "Of course."


    The first store that I took us to was called Pampa. It was where I was hoping to buy all of our big items that we would need to be delivered. They had things for every room of the house so it would work, right?


    "Pampa?" Ocean looked at the sign as we walked toward the door. "It sounds an awful lot like pamper."


    "And that is what I want to do to you. I need to pamper you and make sure you have an excellent time so that you can recover more." I put my arm around his shoulder for a moment as we walked.


    "I am healed." He pointed out to me.


    "Physically, yes. Mentally, not so much." He knew that I had it right as well. That was why he didn''t try to argue with me. "Come on, let''s go."


    This was a new experience for me, as well as for Ocean. Neither of us had gone to a store and bought furniture for ourselves. We had always either been with someone older, like a parent or maid, or we just went with the flow of what was in our homes. Now it was all up to us. Or so I thought.


    The moment that we went into the store, there was a man waiting for us.


    "Welcome to Pampa. My name is Bobby, if there is anything that you need don''t hesitate to ask."


    "Well, Bobby, we have an entire condo to furnish so we''re looking for a lot. We''re going to take a look around and see what we like but we will let you know soon."


    I knew that these people worked on commission and that the words that I had just told him had just about made him swallow his tongue. He was probably seeing nothing but dollar signs when he looked at me right now.


    "Well, let me show you around." Bobby''s voice went up an octave or two in his excitement. "Any particular place that you want to start?"


    "Well, perhaps the living rooms would be a good place to start. Then we can do dining rooms, and then the four bedrooms." Ocean didn''t know how much worse he was making this right now. He literally had Bobby drooling at the moment. He was so hungry for this commission check.


    "Yes, right away sir. Follow me."


    We followed Bobby over to the part of the store that had couches, sofas, loveseats, sectionals, chairs, tables and more. We spent a good amount of time looking for what we liked, and things that suited our personal tastes. For the main living room, we chose what was called a modular sectional. It was one that you could add extra pieces to so that it was as big as you would want it to be. With my family, Ocean''s family, and the surprise that we had in store, we needed to have ample seating. We got that one with a few extra pieces for it so that it would pretty much fill the entire living room. We also got some tables, some chairs, some shelving, and other odds and ends that we needed to fill the first living room.


    The second living room was the gaming area on the second floor. We wanted to make that comfortable for when we were all playing video games together. We got stands for the TV and gaming systems, shelving for the games and controllers, and some very comfortable chairs and a large couch. It was all pretty easy.


    The dining room was next. We chose a really big table with several extenders in the middle. It would fit everyone that we needed for the holidays or special occasions, and still be usable during regular meals at any other time of the year. It was also black with comfortable chairs. That was a plus. I liked comfortable.


    We kept adding more and more to the order. By the time that we added barstools and serving carts to the order, I think Bobby was ready to have a heart attack, and we hadn''t even gotten to the bedrooms yet.


    We ordered three nice, and different, bedroom sets for the ''guest'' rooms. They were all king sized beds, complete with mattresses and box springs. We got two dressers, two chests of drawers, two nightstands, a bookcase and an armoire for each of the guest rooms. We also got a small round table and chairs for them and lamps for the nightstands. The rest of the decorations we could add over time.


    When we got to our bedroom, we kept a similar pattern in our minds. We didn''t need the bed because we already had one, but we needed everything else. We got the dressers, chest of drawers, two bookcases, two armoires, two nightstands, a table and chairs, lamps, and a few other little things that we liked.


    We had finally picked it all out and were ready to check out with everything. That was, until we went over to where Bobby was waiting for us. He really should have kept his mouth shut.


    "Yeah man, I am going to have one hell of a commission next month. I am not kidding." He was talking to someone on the phone. How unprofessional. He was dealing with customers at the moment. "Oh yeah, and it''s a couple of stupid little homos. I love when they come into the store. They want everything to be perfect so they never notice when I overcharge them. And better yet, these are some loaded little homos." He paused for a moment as he listened to the other person speaking. "HA! HA! HA! That is hilarious. If it was just one of them, I would have flirted with them. But I couldn''t do that. These butt buddies came in together. I hate these fucking fairies, but they make for good paychecks."


    "Or we did." I folded my arms over my chest and glared at the man. "So, you''re trying to overcharge us, huh? I think that your manager and the police might like to hear about what you''ve been doing. Since you''ve admitted it in the store there is probably a recording for it as well, but there is most definitely proof in the financial records." I was pulling my phone from my pocket already.


    "You think that I am scared of you? The police won''t do anything about this. It''s beyond the scope of a patrol officer''s pay grade." He laughed at me as if I was powerless here.


    "That may be so, but maybe I could call someone in a higher office than that." I shot a text to Dr. Malachi. I don''t know why I thought about him before my parents, but I just knew that he would be able to name someone quickly.


    [ME]


    Hey, Dr. Malachi, do you know of an FBI agent or a detective in LA? I just met a really shady man in the furniture store.


    [MALACHI]


    It''s never a dull moment with you two, is it? Well, you''re in luck because I do know of someone. There is a woman by the name of Cam. She works for the LAPD and I think she is just high enough for what you might need.


    [ME]


    Thanks. I will message her.


    [MALACHI]


    Let me. She doesn''t know your number so she might ignore you.


    [ME]


    Understood. We''re at Pampa right now. We will await her call.


    [MALACHI]


    Have fun.


    "Hey, are you about done over there, Tink? I want to get this sale over with so I can move on with my day. Then again, I could go home for the day after this one." Bobby smirked and continued to laugh some more.


    "You know something, Boobie, I am pretty sure that my boyfriend asked for your manager as well. Are you going to get them?" Ocean crossed his arms now too. He was pissed off that the man had personally insulted me.


    "My name is Bobby." The man''s face turned red at the insult to his name. I had a feeling that people probably made fun of him about that when he was a kid. This was some kind of trauma coming back out.


    "I am so sorry, Boobie. I have a hard time with names. Could you get your manager for me now, Boobie? I just want to resolve this as soon as possible."


    "I SAID MY NAME IS BOBBY!"


    "WHAT IS GOING ON OVER THERE?" I heard someone shout after Boobie, I mean Bobby''s outburst.


    At that, a man in an even nicer suit than Bobby''s came from a back room and rushed over to where we were.


    "Robert! What is going on here?" The man that had just arrived was not wearing a name tag like Bobby had been. And this man was definitely more important.


    "N..nothing, Sir. This was just a misunderstanding, that''s all."


    "I don''t consider this man trying to steal from me a misunderstanding." I narrowed my eyes at the liar.


    "My name is Clinton, and I am the manager here. Can you tell me what has happened here?"


    "I would like to know as well." A woman walked up behind us and stood between me and Ocean. She was maybe five feet eight inches tall with hair that was dyed silver. Her eyes were a bright almost luminescent green. And even with how slight she looked, I could tell that she was strong. "My name is Detective Camden of the LAPD. These men requested that I come to help them."


    HOLY SHIT! It hadn''t even been five minutes since I texted Dr. Malachi. How did she get here so soon? Did she teleport or something?


    "Detective? Is there a crime here?" Clinton asked with his eyes opened wide.


    "Let them tell you." Detective Camden nodded at me. "Go on gentlemen."


    I relayed the story I heard on the phone and the way that the man had spoken to us. Needless to say, he was taken into custody immediately, especially considering that while we spoke, another employee started to pull up Bobby''s sales records for Clinton and that confirmed what he had been saying.


    "This is despicable. This is reprehensible. You''re fired, and I am going to see to it that you personally pay back all the money you stole from people."


    "That''s not fair." He screamed as the detective started to take him away.


    "Oh, Ocean, Makai, tell Malachi that I said hi. And I will talk to you two another time. When I am not so busy."


    "Y..yeah. Sure." I never thought that this would happen while we were out, but at least it was settled right away.


    "Now gentlemen, if you would still like to make the sales, we will do so with a discount. I am very sorry for the trouble."


    "I would like to finish it, yes. It took a long time to settle on them all and we have more places to be. As for the commission, please split it between all the other employees."


    "Yes, of course."


    "Oh, and I would like delivery and set up as soon as possible. For everything."


    "Yes. Yes. Of course. We can do that. What item is it?" He started to look at the order form now and then looked back up at me. "All of this?"


    "All of it." I smiled at him and saw that he was also drooling over the sale. Still, he was being nice so that was all that mattered.


    After that was all done, and delivery was scheduled for tomorrow morning, Ocean and I went to several other stores. We bought towels, sheets, curtains, dishes, pots and pans, appliances, and all the little odds and ends that we needed for the house. We also went to a grocery store and bought what we needed to make meals for the week. By the time we were done, I was ready to go home and just relax.


    Thankfully, I wouldn''t just be relaxing though. I was going to be with my Ocean, and that was the only thing that kept me going today. This was the only thing that was making the entire day worth it. Though I was still wondering about that detective. She seemed pretty interesting. I wonder if we will ever get the chance to get to know her, or if that was going to be the only time that Ocean and I ever see her. And how did she know Dr. Malachi? What was the story there? I had a feeling that he probably had a lot more to tell us about his past than we already knew.. And that too, would be interesting to know.

 Chapter 221 - Ocean – Makais Control

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After we got all of our things bought and we headed home, I knew that things were going to get very intense very fast. It was not going to take Makai very long to lose the last little bit of the self-restraint that he was trying desperately to hold onto. I knew that, in a matter of minutes, I was likely to be nothing more than his prey.


    I was hoping to get myself a little bit of time, though. I mean, we needed to wash those towels before we used them. And he needed to cook me some lunch first. After this hellacious day we''ve had, I was ready for something yummy and delicious, and something to fill my tummy too.


    OK, I am just as much of a horn dog as my boyfriend. The yummy and delicious thing that I mentioned was him. Could anyone blame me, though? I mean, he was hot as fuck and tasted like the best dessert in the world. He was perfection for me, through and through.


    As soon as we were inside, I grabbed the bags of towels and headed toward the laundry room, only for Makai to call out to me.


    "Where are you going?"


    "To wash the towels." I gave him a weak smile, basically letting him know that I wanted to force him to wait a little longer.


    "How?" He smirked back at me. "We just ordered the washing machine. Are you going to hand wash them, and line dry them? Then you wouldn''t be able to shower for a long time." He sauntered over to me. "Nope, they will have to be used as is."


    With his little revelation, something that somehow slipped my mind, Makai had won. He was going to drag me up the stairs to our room, the only place that had any furniture whatsoever, and he was going to do whatever he wanted to me. I wasn''t upset, but I had thought that I had a little bit more time. I mean, we had been without each other for a little while, I didn''t want to disappoint him. I wanted it to be everything that he wanted and more. And that was making me very, very nervous.


    "Come on, baby." He took the towels from me, holding them in his left hand. With his right hand, he pulled me along with him up the stairs and toward our room. "I don''t want to wait any longer."


    "A..aren''t you hungry, though?" I was still nervous and was trying to buy some extra time.


    "Only for you." He leaned in then and kissed my cheek. "And every little taste of you is making me hungrier." His voice almost seemed to purr with excitement as he pulled me closer and closer to our bed.


    "B..b..but.."


    "Are you going to make me wait longer? I have been without you for long enough, haven''t I? I need you, baby. I need us to be together. And I think you need this too. It''s going to help us both blow off some steam."


    "And each other." I couldn''t help but make a crude joke at his words. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines though, since he smiled and nodded at me.


    "And each other, if that is what you want. I will cater to you and your whims, my love. As long as I have you, I don''t really care at all what we do." I shivered involuntarily at those words. He truly knew how to get me going, didn''t he?


    Before I knew it, Makai had pulled me all the way to our room and tossed the towels aside. Now that he had both hands available, I felt him slide both of his hands around my waist and down to my ass. He kneaded the softness through my jeans just a little before he gripped me tightly and lifted me off of the floor with just his hold on my ass cheeks.


    Instinctively, I put my arms around his neck and wrapped my legs around his waist, holding myself against him. I could already feel how hard and ready he was, the erection pressing through his clothes and mine so that our firm parts were throbbing against each other. It was like there were no barriers between us. I could feel him that clearly.


    "I want you, Ocean. I want you so bad." His voice was getting deeper and needier as he walked me to the bed.


    "Then hurry up, babe. I''m done trying to hold you back. Hurry up and take me." I planted a kiss on his lips and groaned in satisfaction when I felt Makai reach the bed.


    It was a flurry of movement. One moment Makai was standing there holding me in his arms, his head tilted back so that I could kiss him from my higher vantage point. And the next moment Makai had climbed up onto the bed and pressed me against the mattress.


    My legs were still wrapped around Makai''s waist and my shoulders were pushing down into the softness of the bed. And the firmness of Makai''s kiss was made all that much better by the softness of his lips and tongue.


    He was already driving me nuts and all he had done so far was kiss me with such an intensity that I didn''t think my heart was ever going to slow down. The expert way that his tongue tangled with mine and the skillful way that he was running his fingers up my body from the bottom of my shirt to my sensitive nipples, it was all a surefire way to drive me insane.


    I could tell that Makai was not going to slow down or take his time on this at all. He was in too much of a hurry and filled with too much need for that. That was why he tore his lips from mine and ripped my t-shirt off over my head. The moment that I was partially exposed to him, Makai kicked it up a notch.


    Instantly, I felt Makai''s tongue and lips on my neck and they were quickly making their way toward my chest. He swirled around each nipple, licking and nipping his way across my chest. Once he sated himself with my chest, Makai started to make his way down lower.


    This move of his forced me to release his waist. That or I would have seen just how flexible he was willing to become for me. I didn''t want to hurt him though, so I loosened my legs and was immediately rewarded with Makai undoing the fastening on my jeans and pulling them away from me right away.


    I was now laying beneath my boyfriend fully naked, and he was giving me a very appreciative look.


    "Are you not losing any of your clothes?" I glared at him. "I need to have a good view too." I winked at him and was rewarded with him immediately moving to pull his shirt off over his head.


    "I always aim to please my man." His voice was filled with both love and desire, and it made my heart melt and contract at the same time.


    "Then hurry up, because I want to devour you as much as you want to devour me." I pressed myself against him, crotch to crotch, as I said those words.


    I swear, after that little maneuver of mine, it took him all of about two seconds to be naked and pressed against me. He really did aim to please. A thought that made me laugh at him softly.


    "Well, that was quick."


    "Don''t worry, baby, that is the only thing about all of this that will be quick. Everything else, I plan to take my time with."


    "Oh goody. I don''t want this to end too soon."


    I pulled him down to me and kissed him again. This time, I was the one that was leading the kiss. I was the one that was sliding my tongue into his mouth and devoured him as much as I could. And I was loving every second of it.


    Still, it wasn''t enough. It wasn''t enough for me. And I knew that it definitely wasn''t enough for him. It was going to take a lot more than an amazing kiss to sate either of us. And that was exactly why he started to move down my body again. Only this time he didn''t take his time. This time, he was in a rush to put his mouth level with something else of mine.


    "OH GOD, MAKAI! YES! JUST LIKE THAT! JUST HURRY UP! PLEASE JUST HURRY UP!" I was pressing myself forward, pressing my erection into his chest as he moved down my body. And it definitely had the desired effect. With a grunt of satisfaction and desire, he finished sliding into place between my thighs.. He was poised and ready to devour me whole, and I wouldn''t have it any other way.

 Chapter 222 - Ocean – Makais Control Part 2 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Well, there was one other way that I would have it. Makai and I had basically said that we were going to devour each other. Well, we couldn''t very well eat each other up if he was only poised above me.


    I needed him to fix this scenario right now. I needed him to let me taste him and his delicious orange cream flavor as well. It wasn''t just going to be him that was getting a meal out of this. I was going to be doing it as well.


    "W..wait." I panted the word out as Makai grabbed onto my shaft and ran his tongue along it slowly. "W..wait, Makai." I stuttered it out again as the feeling of his tongue made me shiver.


    "I don''t want to wait, Ocean baby. I need you. You taste so good. You feel so good in my hands and beneath my body." His deep voice and those lust-filled words, they nearly did me in. I wanted him too. I needed him too. And it was so hard to tell him to wait. It was so hard to tell him to let me go because all I wanted right now was for him to give me his all.


    But that right there was the problem. I wanted all of him. I didn''t just want to be pleased by him, I wanted to please him too. I wanted to feel him in my mouth, to taste his desire as it overflowed across my tongue as he exploded into my mouth. I wanted everything that he had to give me.


    And because I wanted that, I needed to make him stop. Not for long, though. I just needed him to move away from me long enough to reposition himself. I needed to give him exactly what he was trying to give me.


    "I am not going to stop you, Makai. Not at all. I want you. I want what you''re going to give me. But I want this to be mutual. We said we were going to devour each other. I need to taste you on my tongue. I need to please you just as much as you are going to please me." I was panting still. Speaking frantically as I tried to explain to him what it was that I wanted from him. "Please, Makai, I need you as much as you need me. Let me taste you. Let me please you at the same time that you''re going to please me. Let us please each other."


    "Hmm. Now that is a reason for me to stop. I can definitely do that, Ocean baby. I always aim to please my man after all."


    "Good. Now hurry up and move so that I can tease you just as much as you''ve been teasing me."


    "Yes, my love."


    With that, Makai pulled his face away from that sensitive part of my body. I felt his lips brush against the tip of my quivering cock just before he pulled away and it made me cry out with pleasure from just that slight.


    "Ngh! A..Ahh!" I was already nothing more than a puddle of goo for him, and we had barely gotten started.


    "I hope you''re ready to moan like that some more. I want to hear my baby Ocean sing for me and it''s going to be a full concert."


    "You can make me scream all you want, after you let me fucking taste you. You better move fast, dammit. I am getting impatient." I chuckled just a little at my own words and the way that he laughed at me.


    "Yes, Sir."


    Finally! Finally! Finally! That was all that was moving through my mind Makai repositioned himself for me. He had pulled back, flipped his body over so that he was laying down next to me on the bed, and then put his mouth back in front of my quivering member. And he had done all of that in a matter of seconds.


    "Better?" I felt the breath from that one word puff out and land on my overheated skin. The breath, while hot, was nothing at all compared to the heat of my flesh. It felt cool and made me shiver again.


    "Perfect." I said as I turned to the side and grabbed him as well.


    "Ngh!" I made him moan just like I had done before. He was ready to feel my mouth, just like I was ready for him. "Mmm, delicious." I dragged my tongue up his shaft, a perfect copy of what he had already done to me.


    "You''ve gotten so good at this. Not that the first time was anything less than spectacular, but you''ve gotten better each time. I love you, and I need you so much."


    He stopped talking then. At that moment Makai grabbed my shaft again and guided me into his mouth. All I could manage for a moment was a shuddering gasp as I tried to process what it was that I was feeling right now.


    The moment that my brain was able to process all of this, I was working to catch up to Makai. He was already sliding his mouth back toward the tip of my shaft and swirling his tongue around my sensitive flesh.


    I slid my mouth down his hot, hard, shaft quickly, with the intention to just get him inside of my mouth, but the moment that he was there, I needed to move slower. I wanted to savor every single second of this. This mutual devouring was not something that we did often, and it was a highly intimate moment that I didn''t want to take for granted.


    The flavor of his skin, that natural taste to his body that was meant just for me, exploded across my tongue and it made me groan in delight.


    "Nhhhh!" It was so good, so delicious, that I just couldn''t help but audibly express it to him.


    "Heh heh heh." I felt Makai laugh around my shaft after I groaned. If he thought that the groan was something, then that was nothing compared to the way that I squirmed and cried out, with his dick still in my mouth. The way that it feels when he laughs around my shaft was on a whole other level.


    "Mmhmm! NGH! Mmm!" I cried out three times as he laughed. And with just that already, I could feel that my body was quickly approaching its climax. I needed to hold it back though. This was too soon to finish. This was much too soon. I needed to hold it together.


    Finally, Makai and I were in sync. As we both moved our mouths up and down the shafts that were in between our lips, we moved in complete harmony. As I slid my mouth up his shaft and tasted all the glory that was him, he also moved his mouth up my shaft, driving me nuts one stroke at a time.


    I focused as best as I could on what I was doing. Slide my mouth down his shaft and take him as deep into my throat as I could. Slide my mouth back up and swirl my tongue around and around his tip to make him cry out in pleasure, which he would do at the same time that I did, moaning around the feeling of flesh on his tongue.


    I had been fighting it, but I was reaching my limit. My control was teetering on the edge of what I was able to fight off. Not only that, but I wasn''t able to keep pleasing Makai anymore. All I was able to do was moan and cry out as he ran his mouth over me.


    I didn''t want to stop pleasing him, though. I couldn''t stop the moaning, so I wasn''t able to go down on him now, but I was able to grip his shaft in my hand and pump it up and down, still pleasing him as best as I could.


    "AH! AH! NGH! NGHHHH! AAAHH! MMM!" I called out repeatedly, fighting off the climax for as long as I could. I just didn''t want it to end. I just didn''t want him to stop yet. I needed it. I needed him.


    A few quick thrusts with his mouth and a few truly skilled swirls of his tongue on my tip later and I was done. I couldn''t fight it anymore. I exploded into his mouth at the same time that he let himself go.


    I felt his dick tightening and twitching just before he exploded with me. I knew it was coming and still had time to guide it into my mouth so that I could swallow down that delicious flavor that was his ecstasy. I was able to get every last drop of it so that nothing was wasted.


    "Hahh. Hahh. Hahh." I panted after flopping onto the bed. That truly spent feeling was already settling in, but I was nowhere ready to be done.. It was still early and this was far from over.

 Chapter 223 - Ocean – Makais Control Part 3 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was just about to ask Makai if he was ready for more. I was about to entice him with my body to keep going. But I didn''t need to. There was absolutely no need to entice him because he was already reaching for me.


    Makai, still hard and ready to go, was flipping me over to lay on my stomach and pouring an ample amount of oily lubricant on my opening.


    "Ngh!" The feeling of it sliding onto me and into me was already making my body twitch with need once again.


    "That''s right, Ocean baby, squirm for me. Squirm and writhe with passion for me and my touch."


    "Just hush and take me already. My body feels so empty without you." I realized that we were talking like we were in some kind of cheap porno flick. But I didn''t care. I just wanted him.


    Thank God and all the stars above, Makai stopped talking and gripped my hips with a firm hold, tight enough to leave a bruise behind.


    "Ahh!" I cried out as he positioned me beneath his hard body and fitted himself at my opening.


    "Let me fill you up, Ocean."


    With that one grunted sentence, Makai slammed into me. He pushed into me so hard and so fast that he was instantly at his hilt.


    "AHHHH!" I screamed at the feel of him. At the pleasurable pain that it was. And the screaming wasn''t done either.


    Makai pulled out of me slowly, eliciting a moan from me as he did so.


    "Ngh!"


    "Hahh!" He panted and sighed as soon as he had reached the end of his shaft, leaving just his tip inside of me. He wasn''t going to keep me waiting for more though.


    As soon as Makai had gotten to that point, where he was barely inside of me still, he slammed forward again, going all the way to his hilt once more. And that hard and fast entry was just as mind blowing as the last one.


    Again and again, Makai slammed in and out of me with a rough, hard rhythm. He was pounding into me with so much force that I was doing exactly what it was that he wanted me to. I was moaning, screaming with pleasure and crying out repeatedly.


    "Ah! AH! AH! AH! Ngh! Ngh! NGH! Mmm! Mmm! MMMM! AH! NGH! MMM! AHH! NGH! MMMM! AHHNGHH! MMMAHHH! NGHHMMM! AHHHMM!"


    With my knees balancing my body and my shoulders and face pressed against the mattress holding most of my weight, I was completely at Makai''s mercy. I could only do what he wanted me to. I could only move where he wanted me to. And I was feeling everything that he wanted me to.


    I wasn''t the only one that was being vocal either. I wasn''t the only one that was singing, as Makai would call it. No, he was joining me in this duet of passionate love making.


    "NGH! HAHH! HAHH! MMMHMMM! HAHH! NGHHMMNN! HAHHH! YES! AHH! MMM! OH GOD, OCEAN, YES!"


    "AH! NGH! MMM! AHH! NGH! MMMM! AHHNGHH! MMMAHHH! NGHHMMM! AHHHMM!"


    The music that accompanied the lyrics of our lewd and intimate song was the sounds of our bodies slamming together over and over again. Along with that, there was the panting of our breath as we struggled to breathe around the pleasure and arousal.


    I think that this was quickly becoming my favorite song in the entire world. What would be better than the sounds of me and my boyfriend, my fianc¨¦, making love? I couldn''t imagine anything at all. This was it for me. This was the only man that I was going to be with for my entire life, and I would spend my entire life writing these intimate songs with him.


    "AH! NGH! MMM! AHH! NGH! MMMM! AHHNGHH! MMMAHHH! M..M..MAKAI I..I..I''m at m..m..my l..limit. I..I..I can''t hang on any more." I moaned and screamed my way through the words as Makai continued to pound into me again and again.


    "That''s f..fine baby. You can come. W..w..we will come to..to..together." A few more hard and fast thrusts later and Makai was forcing those words out through his arousal clenched teeth.


    "AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! AHH!" He intensified his thrusts then, slamming into me harder and faster as he fought to push me over the edge.


    "NGH! NGH! NGH! NGH! NGH!" Makai was matching my screams with moans of his own and it was amazing.


    I don''t know how much longer I lasted. I just know that one second Makai was slamming into me and a wave of ecstasy crashed over me so intensely that I screamed long and loud as I came onto the mattress.


    "AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"


    "I..I t..to..told you that I..I was g..go..going to make you sc..sc..scream." He panted the words into my ear just a moment before he exploded inside of me.


    Everything faded into the oblivion of pleasure after that. I wasn''t moving. I wasn''t saying anything. I wasn''t doing anything but sitting there and basking in the glory that was my boyfriend. I was quite enjoying myself.


    But apparently that wasn''t enough for Makai. He needed more. He still needed me. And I needed him too. So, I wasn''t fighting him as he pulled me up from the mattress and positioned himself so that he was leaning against the dark wooden headboard.


    Makai was already pulling me onto his lap when I realized what position he was putting us in. I didn''t need to do anything when I realized it though, Makai was already pulling my waist down on top of him and fitting himself at my opening once more.


    I had no warning at all before Makai slammed into me, bringing me crashing down onto his still rock hard dick.


    "AHH!"


    "That''s right, Ocean baby. Keep screaming for me. Keep singing that song of lust for me."


    Another hard and fast round of love making ensued. I had wrapped my arms around Makai''s neck to hold onto him while he held onto my hips and guided me. I used my knees to help lift myself off of his thighs and pull him out of me but it was all Makai pulling me back down and slamming his hips forward to bury himself deep inside of me.


    "AH! NGH! MMM! AHH! NGH! MMMM! AHHNGHH! MMMAHHH! NGHHMMM! AHHHMM!" I wasn''t able to stop moaning for him. It was almost nonstop as Makai continued to fuck me hard and fast.


    "Oh God, Ocean. I fucking love you." It wasn''t exactly a romantic set of words but it was enough to melt my heart at the moment.


    "I..I..I l..lo¡­ OH GOD! I.. I FUCKING LOVE YOU TOO!" I ended up repeating the same thing back at him, as much as I tried to not make it word for word.


    "Come for me Ocean. Come for me again."


    "O..only if you come t..too." I panted back at him, my forehead pressed against his.


    "Of course, Ocean baby. I will always come with you."


    Dammit! He was so fucking hot, and so fucking good that I just couldn''t help myself right now. I shifted just a little bit, moving so that I could press my lips against Makai''s and slide my tongue into his mouth.


    My arms tightened around his neck as I kissed him. I was not slamming down onto Makai as hard and fast as I had been, but it was still more than enough to make my eyes roll into the back of my head from the feel of him pressing inside of me.


    With our lips still locked together, we both came at the same time. Makai exploded inside of me while I exploded onto his chest and stomach. It was messy and sticky, but so damn hot and erotic too.


    My body felt spent, but I was nowhere ready to be done. I still needed him. I still needed more.


    "Makai, I feel so empty still. I want more. I''m so disgustingly horny, and I need more."


    "You''re fine, Ocean. I need more too. I don''t want to be done with you yet."


    With that, Makai lifted off the bed and pushed me down onto my back. My knees wrapped around him on instinct and that seemed to be perfect for Makai. He rammed into me hard once again.


    Once again, Makai fucked me hard and fast. He rammed into me again and again, only this time we were both already so close to climax that it didn''t take all that long for him to make me come screaming his name while he exploded into me roaring mine.


    "MAKAIIIII!"


    "OCEANNNN!"


    Still, he wasn''t done. This was winding up like one of the times from before. Makai pushed me over the side of the bed then, fucking me hard and fast while my arms shook with the effort of holding myself up.


    Next, since we didn''t have a desk chair, Makai pressed me against the wall next to the bathroom. With my cheek pressed against the cold I shivered, trying to keep my stomach from doing the same thing. I failed though, because as Makai rammed into me, I had no choice but to flatten myself against the wall.


    Next was in the shower as we scrubbed each other. He took me not once, but three times in the shower. It was more than I could handle, and by the time that we were all clean and ready to get out of the water, Makai had to support my weight and practically carry me back to the bed.


    Not wanting to leave each other, Makai ordered dinner for us to share in bed. Other than eat, we watched a movie on Makai''s laptop and, of course, had more sex. I completely lost count of how many times Makai made love to me that night, but I know that it was the most that we had done in one night before. I would have to ask him later if he remembered how many times it was.. It would be interesting to see if we could break that record in the future.

 Chapter 224 - Makai – The Rest Of The Week

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The day after we got to our condo, the day after I made Ocean scream throughout the entire night, we started to get deliveries for the new furniture and appliances. Since there was a stove and a fridge, I had been able to make us breakfast, which I served to my Ocean in bed.


    After we ate, we washed the dishes by hand together, got dressed, and then waited for those deliveries. We talked while we waited. Mostly it was talk about where to put the various pieces that we had ordered. And we were trying to figure out how we were going to make the house look.


    We were also going to plan out the surprise that we had for some people when they got here, so we were getting some of the rooms set up to be really nice for them. It was going to be a long process, and I didn''t know if we were going to be done by the time that we had to go back home. If we weren''t, well then, I guess that we could just come back another time to finish it. That would give us another reason to come back and get a weekend away, just the two of us. I could definitely get behind having another weekend here alone. Though, soon enough, it would just be the two of us here all the time, with no interruptions at all.


    There were a few different deliveries on the first day. We got the washing machine, dryer and living room furniture. Those would be useful. We could finally wash and dry those towels that Ocean wanted to wash yesterday. We could also wash and dry the sheets that I was pretty sure were going to be messed up a bit more while we were here. In truth they already needed to be washed.


    On the next day, our third here, the dining room furniture along with pretty much the rest of everything else had been delivered. We had the delivery crew working hard all day, and tipped them extra, way extra, just to have them stick around and move things to where we wanted it all. Ocean and I were both strong, but I wasn''t about to make my fianc¨¦ move a bunch of heavy furniture on our vacation. Nope, this was a job for half a dozen delivery men.


    A few of those men were a little more open to relationships than other men. That was made painfully obvious by the fact that two of them very openly flirted with Ocean. I could hit them for that, but they had work to do so I just pulled my fianc¨¦ to my side and held onto him tightly. That show of affection was all that was needed to prove to them that Ocean was taken and that they were not to flirt with him more. There were some hurt looks in their eyes, but they seemed to get the message. And Ocean wasn''t as opposed to the public displays of affection as he used to be.


    In truth, I hoped he would be more open to the displays once we made it back to school. That last time, when he kissed me in front of everyone, seemed like so long ago. With everything that happened with Justin and Brittney since then, I was wondering if Ocean would even remember what he had done back then. I didn''t want to hide our love anymore. The team didn''t want to get rid of us, so there was no reason for him to be afraid anymore. We were safe. We could be ourselves.


    Finally, after all the furniture was where it was supposed to be, Ocean and I started to get the house ready for actually living in. We made beds in the other bedrooms. Decorated the rooms. Planned out more things that we wanted to do.


    "Come on, Ocean, it would be awesome. You have to. Please!" I was begging him for a specific decoration. It would have two parts to it but he was thinking that it was either too soon or too much.


    "I can''t!" He protested. "People wouldn''t think that it''s right. I don''t want to make others feel uncomfortable in our home." He was blushing a scarlet red.


    "Come on, Ocean. Please! It won''t make anyone uncomfortable. I swear. It will be just fine."


    "Why do you want them anyway? What''s the point?" He was on the edge of giving in, I just knew it.


    "I think it would be sweet, romantic and perfect. Come on, Ocean, please! Please! Please! Please!" I was holding his hands between mine as I implored him to give me what I wanted right now. "Please!" I said it once more, one last time for effect.


    "Hahh!" He sighed in defeat, and I already knew what he was going to say next. "Fine. We will do what you want. Go ahead and make the reservation."


    "Yes! Thank you, Ocean baby. Thank you." I kissed his cheek several times in excitement while I hurriedly made an appointment for the opening that was available for two days from now.


    "I don''t see why we need these portraits. No one will appreciate them except for us."


    "So what? No one needs to appreciate them except for us. They''re to commemorate this trip, us moving in together, our engagement, and all the other positives that we have in our life right now. This is going to be the central focus of our living room. I want to proudly display to everyone that comes to our house that we are together. No one will ever wonder when they come to our house in the future. This is something that I feel that we need to do." He wasn''t that impressed with my long winded explanation. Instead, he rolled his eyes and laughed at me.


    "Whatever. Just don''t go overboard with them, alright."


    "The overboard pictures will be in the bedroom, or a special photo album just for the two of us. I won''t be able to help it if I get a little excited."


    "Oh God. No! I don''t want to turn it into a porno session. We will totally freak out the photographer."


    "HA HA HA! No, we won''t. This will be just fine, don''t worry."


    "If you say so." Finally, Ocean looked like he was in a slightly better mood, and the night continued.


    The next couple of days passed in a blur of cooking together, having sex in the giant bed that was in our room, having sex in our shower and falling asleep in each other''s arms. That was basically all we did until the morning of the photo shoot.


    The photographer, a woman by the name of Hartley, showed up with all of her equipment and set up in the living room, on our balcony, and in our bedroom.


    "Hey, my name is Hart, it''s nice to meet you." She had introduced herself when she came in.


    "Hi Hart. I am Makai, and this is my fianc¨¦, Ocean."


    "Seriously? His name is really Ocean?"


    "Yes, Ocean Riptide Shores, pleased to make your acquaintance." I smiled and offered her my hand.


    "You are officially my new favorite person. You are hot as hell but with a whole adorable vibe going on, and you have the best name in the entire world. I love it. And I love you. This is perfect. I can''t wait to photograph the Ocean." She laughed as she shook his hand. She was really having a good time.


    The photoshoot that followed started off sweet and innocent. There were shots of us in your typical couples'' photos. We stared into each other''s eyes. We held each other. We even kissed.


    "You two are so fucking hot together. I could shoot the two of you all day." Hart was nothing but excited and happy about the whole shoot. And she did good about making Ocean feel comfortable, and that was a major plus for me.


    After we wrapped up in the living room and on the balcony, we moved to the bedroom. I will admit that most of these pictures ended up with us being in our boxer briefs and nothing else. They were intimate poses and shots of us holding each other, hugging, kissing and laying very suggestively. These were definitely going to be private photos for our eyes only. Well, ours and Hart''s.


    Ocean had a lot more fun than he had expected during the photo shoot. And after Hart thanked us for being so awesome, he was a lot more handsy than he usually was. The rest of the trip passed with us not leaving the bedroom for anything other than food and showers. He was a lot less inhibited during this trip, and that was something else that I hoped would continue after we got back home and back to school.


    After the week finally passed, we went home on Saturday. Of course, Ben and Ryan weren''t there. They had gone on their special trip, just the two of them. I was happy that we had done something special for them. They definitely deserved it too.


    Now that we were back home though, we had a week''s worth of homework to catch up on. It wasn''t that difficult with the two of us working on it all together. Still, it made me long for the peace of our place with no school to worry about. It made me long for this summer when it was just going to be the two of us, for the most part.. Now though, it was time for both me and Ocean to go back to school.

 Chapter 225 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 1

    ~~


    Reef


    ~~


    I was definitely all for the boys leaving on their little trip. Analise may not have known the reason why at first. However, when I explained to her that the girl''s trial was going to take place while they were gone, she was all for it. She didn''t want them to be anywhere near us during that time since we were going to be testifying against the girl.


    Ocean and Makai had given sworn statements that were going to be read during the trial. They didn''t need to be there. I know that they were strong boys and that they could most likely handle it, but I still didn''t want to put them through that at all. Ocean had been through a lot, and so had Makai. They didn''t need the added stress of the trial and all that it entailed.


    No, it was better if we just made sure that they were out of town for the time being. In fact, I am pretty sure that Abraham suggested the trip so that the boys would be out of the way for the trial. He was quite the considerate man, but he hid it behind his rough and tough exterior.


    A lot of people misunderstood Abraham Malachi when they first met him. The problem was that he had known a lot of people over the last hundred plus years of his life. And he knew a lot about human nature. As well as the nature of the other types of people that populated this world. He had met and knew a lot of different types of people that were interesting, unique and special, just like him. Having Abraham on our side right now, was a really big boon for us.


    Moving on from that, I knew that there was a lot that we needed to do. The boys were leaving on Sunday and the trial was literally starting on Monday. I didn''t think that it was going to take long, not with how damning the girl had been to her own case. She had said so much that I just knew they were going to rule against her almost immediately.


    Honestly, the only thing that was left to actually deliberate, was what the girl was going to be sentenced to. I knew that she was going to be found guilty. Analise and Abraham knew it too. We all knew this was just a formality that we needed to follow through with so that we can say that we didn''t railroad the girl at all. She will get her fair trial and a proper sentencing. That was the least we could do for her.


    You know what, fuck that, this was way more than just the least that we could do. This was a massive courtesy. She had damned herself and this was a hell of a blessing for her. If I had my way, she would be thrown away with the key destroyed. She had hurt my boys and she needed to pay for it. Dammit. Sometimes being so nice is really hard.


    The trial for the girl was happening in the ocean. She was being taken to a special building in another underwater bubble dome. That building would be similar to a courthouse with a small jail attached to it. It also had apartments for the prosecution and the defense to stay in during the trial.


    We were not uncivilized, and we were quite modern and humanized in some respects. The trial would have a judge that presided over the case as well as a jury that would be selected from the girl''s peers. There would be Sirens on the jury if they ever ventured out of their little community. So, in this instance, the peers were all going to be merfolk, Selkies, and sea serpents. It wasn''t our fault that the Sirens wouldn''t answer our summons.


    The prosecutor for this trial was going to be a Selkie by the name of Theo. He was a smart and ruthless man that kind of had an inferiority complex since he was so much shorter than most people, men and women. He would act timid and easy going until the person on the stand started to make fun of his height, then he would go full on asshole with them. He was a good guy though, and I couldn''t wait to see how he handled Brittney.


    Analise, Abraham and I all left for the court dome early Monday morning. When we arrived at the dome, it was just before noon and it was almost time for the opening statements in the trial. This was where Brittney''s court-appointed lawyer and Theo would start their arguments. I don''t know how much either of them had prepared with having only a week to get ready, but that was enough in my opinion. They would have a grasp of it all in that amount of time. And I know that the defense attorney, a sea serpent by the name of Lisette, had met with Brittney more than once. I don''t know what happened during those visits, but I am guessing that they didn''t go very well at all.


    I have absolutely nothing to base that off of, I just have a sneaking suspicion that the girl made her attorney''s life a living hell while she was there. That just seemed like something that she would do. She was an evil and miserable girl. I don''t know how she ended up like that with her parents that loved her so much, but she did.


    Oh, that was someone else that was going to be here. The girl''s mother was invited to the dome for the trial. She was only spectating and would testify if needed, but other than that, she was just there to give her daughter moral support and to see her daughter one last time before she was locked away.


    That might sound harsh of me, saying it like that, but it was the truth. And no matter how much I felt for the parents in this case, I felt nothing but hatred and anger toward the daughter. She was manipulative, evil and sadistic. She would have done anything if it meant that she would have eliminated her enemies. I have absolutely no respect for her at all, and I was looking forward to that verdict when it finally came and said that she was guilty.


    When we finally hear the verdict, when she will finally be pronounced guilty and I knew that she was never going to darken Ocean''s day ever again, I would celebrate. I would rejoice and remember this day always. The day that evil was put in its proper place.


    Before heading over to the courtroom, the only one that was in the entire dome, Analise and I put our bags in our apartment while Abraham put his in the one next door to ours. I was happy that the prosecution and defense had separate buildings, which meant that we didn''t need to see Mrs. Cartwright and the inevitable depression that she was feeling. I didn''t want that to bring me down anymore than I had already been pulled.


    The court room looked about the same that I thought most of them would, only, instead of wooden partitions and doors, it had things that were made of stone, coral, and shells. Think Spongebob meets the Little Mermaid in the legal system. It was all quite unique looking, but it wasn''t that out of the ordinary for me and the others. And I could tell that Mrs. Cartwright remembered her roots. The only one that seemed at all surprised by what they were seeing was Brittney. Then again, she had been showing how surprised she was the entire time that she had been underwater. From what the guards at the prison told me, she basically had a meltdown when she realized that she was in the ocean.


    "What in the undersea shit is this?" That girl screeched loud enough for everyone in the courtroom to hear her. "This is just stupid. Who ever heard of a giant seashell table? And that bench is made of pink coral. What the hell!?"


    "Shh. Brittney, please be quiet. You''re not making things easier for you." The mother tried to calm her down.


    "What does it matter? The judge and jury aren''t here right now. They are the only ones that matter."


    "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." The other staff members that were present in the room shook their heads as they listened to the girl''s response to her mother''s words. Clearly, this was not going to be a good day for her. If that was how she was going to be the entire time, then I could just imagine how quickly the trial would be over. I give it about ten minutes until she is thrown into a cell for contempt and the whole thing is settled without her even here.


    That''s if it even takes that long. Honestly, was she stupid? I mean, she had to be, right? For this to be the way that she acted when she went to court for the crimes that she committed. Who does that? Who behaves like that in the first place, let alone in a courtroom that will be deciding their future? That was just plain stupidity and idiocy.


    "Brittney, this isn''t like the surface world. You need to be careful. You need to sit down and be polite. Please, if you are too disrespectful, they will punish you." The mother was once again trying to calm her daughter down.


    "Your mother is right, Brittney. If you don''t stop this, then you will find that they are a lot less lenient with you. I don''t want to lose this case, but if you keep that up, then I won''t have much of a shot, no matter what I do."


    "Shut up. I don''t have to listen to a serpent like you." She snapped at her own lawyer. I don''t know how that woman could still defend Brittney with everything that had happened, even just that one comment. That girl was completely reprehensible.

 Chapter 226 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 2

    ~~


    Reef


    ~~


    "All right." A merman, completely in his merform, swam to the front of the room and called out to the room. "The Pacific Dome court is now in session with the honorable judge Halibut Saltwater presiding." The judge swam into the room, an older merman with rusty red scales, brown hair, and flowing gray and brown beard.


    "You may be seated." The judge said as he swam behind his bench.


    "Ppfftt." I cannot believe this. That girl actually laughed. Was she fucking stupid as hell? Why in the hell would she laugh? For what reason? "Halibut Saltwater. Please. What a fucking joke." She was whispering but the room was so quiet that it carried to everyone that was present.


    "Do you have a problem with my name, girl?" The judge snapped the words at her angrily.


    "It''s funny. You have to admit that is not a normal name. That''s all. I just thought that it was funny, so I laughed." She put on a smile and a sweet voice, obviously trying to take the focus off of herself.


    "So, you think you''re something special? You, the Siren girl that had been raised on the land with no knowledge of the sea until recently. What was the name again?" The judge rifled through the sheets of paper made out of kelp that was on his desk. "Ah yes that''s it. Miss Brittney Cartwright. That is definitely not a normal name for someone that was born from the sea. Are you sure you''re a Siren? You don''t look like one, though you definitely act like one." I could tell that the judge was putting Brittney in her place right now. And he was doing an amazing job of it so far.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Brittney still didn''t seem to understand what was going on around her. "How am I acting like a Siren right now?"


    "You think you''re better than everyone and that we should all fall to your feet and kiss your toes. You''re not the only sea creature that can walk on land, little girl. You''re no more special than a sea slug. Now I advise you to check your attitude or you will find yourself in contempt of court and I won''t hesitate to finish this trial without you present."


    "That''s not fair!" She yelled at the man that was presiding over the hearing.


    "And yet, I will do it in a heartbeat if you don''t sit down and shut up. This is the last warning that I am going to give you right now."


    "Hmph." Brittney, the stupid girl that she was, seemed to actually be capable of doing something semi smart at times. Because just then, she pouted but sat down without saying another word at all. However, she was already ruining her chances of getting any sort of leniency.


    "Now that this has been settled, let us bring in the jury." Judge Saltwater called to his bailiff. The other merman swam to the door in the corner and disappeared from sight. He wasn''t gone long before he came back and was followed by a dozen men and women, all of whom were in their human forms to prevent preconceived notions about who and what they were.


    "The jury will now be seated." The bailiff called out to the courtroom.


    "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, esteemed colleagues, witnesses and spectators, I ask that you all only speak when given permission to do so, and to be patient through this process. Law and Order is not a quick process, and we expect that this will not be rushed by anyone. I ask that you all wait calmly through the process and stay with us until the end. Now, I would like to open the floor to the prosecution for opening statements, after which the defense will have their turn."


    Theo, the Selkie, rose to his feet and walked to the middle of the room. He was about four feet seven inches tall with tan hair and silver eyes. He was a shifter that became a sea lion when he changed, but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t as ruthless and vicious as a rabid wolf. He was a smart man that made use of his ''short'' comings.


    "Thank you, Judge." Theo nodded to the judge before he turned to nod at the jury and then the rest of the room. "We all know why we are here. There was a crime committed and the perpetrator needs to be punished for that crime. As you have all seen already, aside from the jury that is, the defendant is not a nice person."


    "Objection." Lisette, Brittney''s lawyer, stood and yelled at Theo. "He is tainting the jury''s impression of my client."


    "Sustained." Even though Judge Saltwater had been at the receiving end of Brittney''s attitude, he was still being fair with her. "Theo, let''s not badmouth the defendant, if you would please."


    "Yes, Judge." Theo nodded at the man before turning back toward the jury to finish his opening statement. "Now, the crime that this young woman has been accused of is not as simple as people might think. What she did, this young Siren girl, was trying to convince someone to kill her ex-boyfriend because he would not take her back. Granted, that young man had mated with and was happy with the merman that he was meant to be with. Not being able to accept that, she wanted the boy killed. And when the attacker failed, she sought out the boy and his mate at the hospital. And yes, this young merboy was hurt so badly, that he needed a hospital. We are just thankful that there was a member of the sea that was working at the hospital and was able to take care of things. When the girl found the boy at the hospital, she sang to him to try and make him disappear from her life. She also tried to get the boy''s mate to jump out of the window by singing to him as well. This makes three people, at the very least, that she either attempted to, or successfully, bespell. She is a menace to society, and I will prove that all for you here during this trial. I will show you all what kind of evil monster this Siren girl is, and why she deserves to be punished."


    With that, Theo smiled at the jury and went to take his seat at the prosecution''s desk. Once he was seated, Lisette rose to her feet, straightened her business suit, and walked over to the same position that Theo had been in. She nodded at the judge, the jury, and the room, just like Theo had done. Now, it was time for her to give her opening statement.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry that we had to interrupt your lives for this pointless case." Lisette, who I could tell was taking her job seriously, was looking like a true snake waiting in the bushes. "I am going to prove to you all that my client is innocent. She is simply a young girl that has done nothing wrong at all. She was simply framed because of who and what she is. We all know about the prejudices that a lot of members of the sea have for the Sirens. Yet this girl, who was not raised in the sea and knows nothing about the ways of the Sirens, is being punished for the supposed crimes that the other members of her species have been falsely accused of over the centuries. She is nothing more than a scapegoat for these people. She is just someone to pin it all on. And when I am done, you will all see what I mean about that."


    That was all that Lisette had to say. It was nothing more than a long winded way of saying, she didn''t do anything. Look at her, she''s too pretty to be that evil. I hated that she was trying to get Brittney off on these charges, but I knew that it was her job so I couldn''t be that upset about it. Not really anyway.


    There was already murmuring and whispering among the jury as they looked at Britney. I don''t think they thought she was innocent yet, but I was betting they were curious about Theo''s words at the beginning of his statement. They were wondering why Brittney was being labeled as evil and what she had done to prove that to the rest of us already.


    That had been a pretty good tactic for the man. He got his foot in the door with the jury already. He was already making them think about all of this. And he was making the jury distrust the defense right from the get go.


    I was glad that we had this man on our side. I knew that he had rarely lost a case and that was usually because he got the defendant to confess on the stand. I wonder how he was going to force Brittney to confess everything that she had done. It should definitely be fun when it did happen.


    When I looked over at Analise and Abraham, I saw that they were grinning as well. It was clear that they were thinking along the same lines as I was. They knew that this was definitely going to be an interesting, albeit short trial.


    That was the end of my inner debate and monologue for a little while though, it was time for the trial to proceed, and I didn''t want to miss any part of it.

 Chapter 227 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 3

    ~~


    Reef


    ~~


    "Now that the opening statements have been given, please let us move right into this whole process. Theo, would you care to call your first witness." This was what Analise, Abraham and I were here for. We were the three witnesses for the prosecution. Us and a private detective that had apparently been sent in to find out about Brittney. I don''t know how much they were able to dig up in just a week, or who all they talked to, but I knew that they found out at least a little bit.


    "Thank you, Judge." Theo stood again, stepping in front of his table. "I would like to start this off by hearing from the defendant. I think that would be the best way to begin this whole process. So, I would like to call Brittney Cartwright to the stand."


    "Miss Cartwright, please come to the stand." The bailiff instructed her, pointing his hand in the direction of the place that she was supposed to be seated.


    "Yeah, sure." She put on as sweet of a smile as she could before walking past the jury. I could see that she turned to look at the jury and reached her hand up to wipe her eyes. She was trying to gain their sympathy. She wanted them to feel sorry for her. I really hoped that she didn''t get what she wanted from them.


    Once the girl got to her seat and settled herself in, the bailiff swam over to her with a piece of pristine white coral. It was literally perfectly white with no other color at all.


    "Place your hand on the coral." She thankfully did as instructed without complaining or whining. "Brittney Cartwright, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you by the Gods Poseidon and Neptune?"


    "Ppfft." She sniggered a little at the end of those words. I think that she had a problem with the Poseidon and Neptune parts. She was so disrespectful. "Yes. I do." She thought that she had hidden her laughter pretty well, but she didn''t. I had heard her, and I knew that the jury had as well. Some of them were already whispering about it.


    The bailiff stepped away from the stand and Theo walked closer to the girl. He was, of course, in his human form and therefore standing. The judge and the bailiff were the only ones in their merforms. Brittney was eying Theo up and down, assessing him in that human form of his. She was making a mistake though, one that Theo had already been expecting from her. He was a smart man after all.


    "Miss Cartwright, can you tell me, in your own words, what happened the day that you were arrested?" Theo always started soft with people, and this was no exception.


    "Well, Sir, I went to the hospital to visit my boyfriend. Only he broke up with me and told me that he didn''t want me anymore. He said that he had fallen in love with someone else. And that someone else was another man. My boyfriend now had a boyfriend of his own. He didn''t want to see me anymore. He didn''t want to talk to me anymore. He didn''t want to have anything else to do with me. I was devastated when he told me that. I felt my heart shattering into a million pieces. It was the most miserable moment of my life, but I didn''t want to give up on him. I didn''t want to let our love die so easily for nothing at all. I wanted to salvage what we had. I loved him, I still do."


    "Well, all of that must have made you quite angry." Theo played along with her for a little bit, letting her weave her web. It was sure to be a web that ensnared her and ultimately ended her. "Were you angry, Miss Cartwright? Were you in a rage? Were you so mad that you could just scream?"


    "I was upset, yes. Anyone would be, right? I had just had my heart ripped out of my chest and completely destroyed. But to be honest, I was more depressed than anything. I loved him, and I didn''t want to lose him at all. I thought that the two of us would get married and grow old together. I thought that what we had was real and would never end. I thought this was one of those forever types of love that people write songs, books and movies about. I thought we would have a family and be happy after college. But that man, that merman, stole him from me. He knew that Ocean and I were together, yet he still took him from me. He doesn''t even love Ocean. He just wanted to ruin his life. He wanted to take out his competition. He wanted Ocean to be unable to function so that he could be the number one in the school. He wanted to be the top swimmer on the team. He wanted to be the most popular. He wanted everyone to love him. And to do that, he needed to take Ocean out of the picture." I could already sense a little bit of crazy building behind the girl''s voice. Not to mention that I could see it in her eyes as well.


    "Wow, what did you do then? When was it that you confronted the merman? Makai, isn''t that his name?" Theo''s voice was calm and Brittney was confident that she was winning this case right now.


    "Well, Sir, while I begged Ocean not to leave me, Makai walked in. That was when Makai started to threaten me. He told me that if I didn''t leave Ocean alone then he would kill me. He said that Ocean belonged to him now and there was nothing that I could do. He was frightening and scary. I feared for my life, but I knew that I needed to try and save Ocean from him. I needed to free my boyfriend. I told Makai that I loved my boyfriend, and I would never give up on him. I told him that he would regret taking him from me and that I was going to go to the authorities about what he had done. I had just found out that Makai was a merman because he had told me then and there. He knew that I was a Siren, something I didn''t even know until I turned eighteen just last month." That was most likely true, or she would have recognized Ocean''s birthmark. Though I imagine he never had the chance to see Brittney''s birthmark. From what I knew, Ocean and the girl were never intimate and she was always very standoffish around him.


    "So, you never knew what you were? You mother didn''t tell you? That is not very considerate of her. I bet finding out that you weren''t human made you quite angry."


    "No, not at all. I was happy to learn that I was special and different. I knew that my mom had to have had a reason to hide it from me. I knew that she would never lie to me without a good reason. She is a good mom, and she just wanted to leave the sea and be with my dad." She was trying to show that they had a loving family but it wouldn''t work.


    "Oh, is that how it is. OK, well, could you tell me at what point you sang to Ocean and Makai? At what point did you try to make them kill themselves?" Theo was still handling her with those fake kid gloves.


    "I didn''t! I never sang to them or anyone. I don''t even know how to use my powers. My mom told me that I have them, but that doesn''t mean that I know how to make them work. They are a complete mystery to me." A hint of desperation was in Brittney''s voice.


    "Wow. This must all be very hard on you, being accused of these crimes like this. How are you coping?" Theo pretended to look so sorry for Brittney, but the concern was only on his face and not in his eyes.


    "I''m not. It''s all really hard. I just want to go home with my mom and go back to my normal life. I don''t like being in jail. I am not a bad person. I don''t belong there." At that, she put her face in her hands and sobbed like she was so upset about all of this.


    "I am so sorry for you." There was a thick layer of sarcasm in Theo''s voice, so easy to detect, but that stupid little girl couldn''t see it at all.


    "Th..thank you." She sobbed some more, lifting her head to look at him, but her eyes were dry, and it was clear that she wasn''t really crying at all.


    "I am done with this witness for now, but I would like to reserve the right to call her to the stand again later."


    "Yes, counselor. Lisette, the floor is yours." Judge Saltwater asked the defense attorney.


    "I have no questions for the witness at this time, however, I also would like to reserve the right to call her back to the stand again later." There was a grin on the woman''s face that made me think that she had won the lottery. She truly thought that Theo was blowing this case and that she was going to win easily.. She was in for a massive surprise very soon.

 Chapter 228 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 4

    ~~


    Reef


    ~~


    "Alright, Miss Cartwright, you may step down for now. However, you may be called back to the stand later. Please have a seat next to your attorney."


    "Yes, Sir." She smiled sweetly and gave a set of puppy dog eyes as she left the stand. She also looked at the jury and pretended to sniffle as she walked past them. At that moment, I watched at least three different jurors roll their eyes at her. She thought that she was doing so well but they weren''t liking her at all. They were calling bullshit on her like the rest of us spectating and waiting to testify were. Well, all except for maybe her mother. She might be the only one that thought that she was telling the truth. And that was only because this was her daughter.


    "Theo, please call your next witness." Judge saltwater instructed him and I knew that he was about to call on the rest of us.


    "Thank you, Judge. I call Reef Rivers to the stand." He turned to look at me and I stood to walk toward the bench.


    The bailiff came up and had me swear in the same as he did for Brittney. After that was done, Theo came over to start questioning me.


    "Hello Reef, thank you for coming today. I would like for you to tell me what you saw in the hospital a week ago. What happened when the girl went to visit your future son in-law?"


    "Of course, I will tell you. It happened just when my wife, Analise, and I arrived at the hospital with our son, Makai. When we got to the door to Ocean''s room, we heard a voice singing."


    "Really? And what was this voice singing about?"


    "I have it committed to memory. She said: Hear me now Ocean. Listen to my voice. Hear my words and follow my orders. You won''t have a choice. You will leave the school. You won''t want to come back. You will leave Makai. You will run away and never come back. If you come back to school, you will kill yourself. If you don''t leave Makai, he will kill you. No one wants you, Ocean. Doesn''t that make you feel bad?"


    "Wow, those are some seriously bad lyrics. That definitely doesn''t sound like the song of a Siren." Theo laughed as he said that. "What happened after that? Was she able to bespell the boy?"


    "No, I think that her lyrics were too bad, but when my son went into the room, she tried to do the same thing to him."


    "Oh my. And what did she sing to your son?"


    "Well, I stopped her before she could finish, but she had gotten as far as this: Go away Makai. Jump out the window into the sky. Die now and never come-. That was when my wife and I stepped forward and I put my hand over the girl''s mouth. I needed to stop her. We learned shortly after that attempted bespelling that the girl was in fact a Siren and that she was behind what happened to Ocean."


    "That is definitely not what she said happened. Are you sure about all of that?" Theo looked concerned, though it was an act.


    "Deadly sure. I have spoken to that girl a number of times since that day and each time she has been vile and nasty. She''s evil and needs to be locked up."


    "Objection. Your honor, the jury does not need to hear the opinion of the witness, just the facts." Lisette jumped to her feet and pointed her hand at me like I had just been very offensive.


    "Overruled. Reef Rivers is a man whose opinion holds a lot of weight. It is very beneficial to hear his thoughts on this." Lisette sat back down with an angry look in her eyes.


    "Those are all the questions that I have for you, Reef. Thank you."


    "Lisette, you may cross examine the witness now." Judge Saltwater offered her the floor.


    "Thank you, Judge."


    Lisette stood then and moved to take Theo''s place. I could tell she was trying to be intimidating, but I wasn''t affected at all. When you have a brother as high powered as mine is, you don''t get intimidated all that easily.


    "Hello, Mr. Rivers." Lisette nodded as she approached me now. "I have some problems with your testimony. It directly contradicts my client''s statements and I believe that you are being untruthful."


    "Well, counselor, it''s either me or the girl that is being untruthful. And I do not need to lie. Her guilt is obvious to see. You know it and so do I."


    "Has she ever admitted her guilt to anyone? Or is it all just your word against hers?"


    "She did. Just the other day she was taken to remove the spell that she put on a human boy. The one that she bespelled to kill her ex-boyfriend."


    "Oh my. Another time that you are going to recite what she said. How fitting. And how is it that you remember this all word for word?"


    "I have perfect recall. I can pull up any memory and recite it perfectly. I learned it from a friend of mine that is excellent with memories." I smirked. It was meant for Abraham but I didn''t know if he knew that. He probably did, though.


    "Well, then, let us hear her supposed confession."


    "Sure. This is just one of them. The other happened later. In her confession, she said: I wanted them dead, so I did something about it. And I would do it again too. Those fucking assholes ruined my life. Ocean and his merry band of queers think that they can do whatever they want, but I won''t let them. I am going to stop them. I am going to get out of here and I am going to sing to whoever I have to just so I can make sure that they are gone forever. I will do whatever it takes. I will kill them myself with my bare hands if I have to. I will kill them. I will kill them all. I will-."


    "Why does it end there? What happened?"


    "Ocean hit her in the head with a book. None of us wanted to hear her anymore."


    "He assaulted my client? And isn''t being punished?"


    "She tried to kill him. He was distraught. I think that speaks volumes."


    "Oh, of course it does. Now, you said she had another confession, when was that?"


    "Later that same day. Before she removed the spell from the boy. She went on a rant and said: If you all think that you can stop me, that you can keep me in that prison, then you have another thing coming. I am not going to stand for this. I will get out, and I will make you pay. I will make all of you pay. Ocean will pay for all the shit that he has ever done to me, not just today''s incident but all of it. Makai and his fairy dick that stole my boyfriend will pay. Justin and his stupid, weak ass will pay. Makai''s parents will pay for what they did to me. Even you, you asshole doctor, you will pay for drugging me. I will sing my fucking heart out in that prison, and I will make it so that I am released the moment that I go back. I will get out of there and then you will all die."


    "I..I don''t believe you. There is no way that my client said all of that. You are making it all up." Lisette was clearly rattled.


    "You can ask the other witnesses. Or you can have my memories previewed to see if it was true or not. I am willing to prove this in any possible way. I don''t want that girl anywhere near my boys."


    "Your boys." She scoffed at me. "That would be your merman son and his gay merman lover?" She obviously had a problem with my son being with a man.


    "Yes, that would be my son and his mate. They have marked each other and everything. They are a mated pair that is meant to be together."


    "Th..they marked each other?" She seemed a little taken aback.


    "Yes. And I would like to say something else. Ocean did not break up with Brittney at the hospital that day. She broke up with him almost four months prior to that, at the hospital, when Ocean had been taken in for an examination following a head injury at a school event."


    "He sure ends up in the hospital a lot for a shifter." She looked at me skeptically as she spoke.


    "It was a formality. He had been with the school at the time. They needed to make sure that he was OK."


    "Hmm. Well, I guess that makes sense." She nodded and walked away. "We are through for now, Mr. Rivers. I can see that you are not going to stop with your lies." She sat down then, and the judge turned to look at me.


    "Mr. Rivers, you may step down. Your time on the witness stand has come to an end. You cannot be called back to testify.


    "Thank you, your honor. However, my offer stands to be used as evidence. I will do whatever it takes to prove the guilt of this girl."


    "If that does become necessary, then we will let you know. For now, please have a seat and wait to be informed of the necessity of that later."


    I did as I was instructed and moved to sit near Analise and Abraham again.

 Chapter 229 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 5

    ~~


    Reef


    ~~


    "Theo, please call your next witness so that we may proceed." Judge Saltwater almost sighed the words when he spoke. I could tell that he was getting frustrated with everything, most likely the defense attorney and her client. Still, he needed to remain calm and let the justice system work. I was confident that it would all work out, this time at least.


    "Yes, Judge, thank you." Theo rose from his seat and looked back toward where I was sitting. "My next witness is Analise Rivers. Please, Analise, come to the stand." At that, my wife rose to her feet and walked calmly and confidently to the witness stand. And I must say that she looked immensely beautiful as she walked up there. Especially that ass of hers. Damn!


    OK, I''m a perv, but I am her husband and mate. I was allowed to think these types of things about her. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I know she would agree too. And she probably thought something similar when I went up there.


    The bailiff swore in Analise and then the questions were started almost immediately.


    "Hello Analise, thank you for coming today. I am going to ask you the exact same questions that I asked your husband. Please answer them as honestly as you can."


    "My answers will be exactly the same as his. I also have perfect recall, since I have the same friend that Reef does. But if you must, ask the questions and I will give you my answers."


    "Very well, Analise. First, I would like for you to tell me what you saw in the hospital a week ago. What happened when the girl went to visit your future son in-law?"


    True to her word, Analise quoted the song that we heard Brittney singing to Ocean, and she didn''t wait for Theo to ask what happened after that either. She had basically gone into a monologue and was telling him everything that had happened from the first day at the hospital and everything else that I had said to him.


    Well now, that truly was the same exact story that your husband said. I guess I have no other questions for you, Analise." Theo smiled at her then went to sit down at his table. "Your witness." He nodded just before he settled himself into the seat, letting Lisette know she could cross examine the witness.


    "Thank you." Lisette rose to her feet angrily. She stomped across the room to stand in front of my wife with an angry look in her eyes.


    "Mrs. Rivers, my first question for you is why are you lying? Why are you pretending like my client did anything wrong? What had she done to you personally? Why do you have such a grudge against her?" Did Lisette seriously think Brittney was innocent? After what she said to her earlier?


    "Well, for starters, Ma''am, that is four questions, not one. However, I will answer them all to the best of my ability. First off, I am not lying. I am merely relaying the events as I personally saw them happen. This is what was said and done that day. I am not pretending that Brittney did anything wrong, I know for a concrete fact that she did something wrong and I am making sure that the entire world knows it. She has done nothing to me personally, but she tried to have my future son in-law killed and then to have him and my son kill themselves. I don''t have a grudge against her, but I think that she is an evil person that needs to pay for what she has done. Brittney is a menace to society that needs to be stopped." Ooh, looking over at Brittney, I could see the girl was angry. She was turning red in the face, but it seemed like it was from her poorly suppressed rage instead of embarrassment. She was pissed off at my wife.


    Huh. I wonder if she had looked like that when I was on the stand. I admit, I never actually looked at her when I was up there. I am guessing that she probably did look similar to that. She doesn''t like any of us after all. Oh, let''s wait and see what she does when Abraham takes the stand.


    She truly hated Abraham, nearly as much as she hated Ocean and Makai. I mean, he did hold a scalpel to her neck and threaten to kill her. She had every reason to hate him. And he, of course, hated her. So, it was mutual.


    "Do you take pleasure in ruining an innocent young girl''s life, Mrs. Rivers? Do you enjoy seeing a young girl like her suffer and struggle?" Lisette continued her questioning, and it was enough to piss me off quite a bit.


    "Well, Ms. Lisette, if she truly were innocent I would not like seeing her in this position at all. I would try my hardest to help her and to have justice prevail. To be honest, all I am trying to do here is let justice prevail. The innocent parties here were my future son in-law, Ocean, and the human boy named Justin. Brittney had forced Justin to hurt Ocean, and then tried to get him to kill himself. She also tried to get Makai, my son, to kill himself. I do not think that those are the actions of an innocent person. She may not have physically harmed anyone, but using her magic to harm people is just as bad. No, actually, it''s worse. She harmed more than one person with her magic, and in doing so, nearly destroyed three lives."


    "Three lives? Explain that to me." Lisette crossed her arms, clearly angry at my wife.


    "Let''s see, she bespelled Justin and nearly got him thrown in prison for her arrogance and stupidity. She nearly killed Ocean. And, not only did she try to cause two people to commit suicide, if Ocean would have died it would have ruined Makai. He loves his mate with every fiber of his being. So, yes Lisette, three lives. And that is not counting me and my husband, as well as Ocean''s family. All of us would have been devastated at the loss of Ocean, even if Makai had lived. So, I would say she nearly destroyed ten lives. But, you know, that is just my opinion." Analise smirked at the lawyer then. It was enough to make the other woman''s face turn bright red and smoke come out of her ears. OK, there was no actual smoke, but it looked like it could happen at any second.


    "I am through with this witness. She is constantly lying as well. I hope that the jury can see them for what they truly are. They''re liars that want to hurt an innocent young girl."


    Lisette left the stand then and marched back to her seat. I couldn''t help but notice the look in her eyes when she was looking around the courtroom. Was that a glazed look? What was wrong with her? What the hell was happening here?


    "Abraham, did you see that? Did you see Lisette''s eyes?" I turned and leaned toward him and whispered so that only he could hear me. It helped that the clicking of Analise''s heels was drowning out the sound of my voice for the rest of the room as well.


    "Yeah, I did." His voice was angry and a little louder than mine. He was definitely pissed off. Damn, someone was going to get it soon.


    "Do you think this means the same thing that I think it means?"


    "Hmmrr." He growled through his closed mouth at my question. "That was the type of question a child would ask, Reef. You can do better than that next time. But to answer you, yes. I am almost one hundred percent positive and absolutely sure that she has been bespelled."


    "Ha! Ha! You answered that like a child at the end. Did you do that to spite me?" I was still whispering but my voice was a little louder than it had been.


    At that moment, Analise sat between us, forcing us apart.


    "I don''t like the look of that lawyer''s eyes." She was looking from one to the other of us as I leaned across her body now to look at both her and Abraham.


    "Yeah, we were just discussing that." I informed her. "And we''ve come to the conclusion that she has to have been bespelled. There is no other explanation for why she looked like that."


    "Damn, that fucking bitch." Analise''s voice was sharp, but it was also quiet enough that no one but the two of us next to her heard it. "She fucking sang to her lawyer. What did she think that was going to accomplish? That little bitch."


    "She''s going to be caught soon enough. You will see." There was an almost frightening level of confidence coming from Abraham at that moment. "Just you wait. I will prove to them all just what that little girl is capable of. I will show this entire room. And when they see it all, that little nut job is going to show her true colors."


    "You''re scary right now, Abe. Cool as all fucking hell, but definitely fucking scary too." I smirked at him. He was definitely someone that I was happy was on my side and not an enemy. This ruthless sea dragon would never stop until he made someone pay for something that ruined lives. And this time, he was personally invested since he had taken a liking to the boys. He was quickly becoming their Uncle Abraham.. At least, I think that''s what was happening.

 Chapter 230 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 6

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    Reef


    ~~


    "Judge, I would like to call Dr. Abraham Malachi to the stand next." Theo stood with his next person being called before the Judge could tell him to do so.


    "Very well. Dr. Malachi, please take the stand." Judge Saltwater pointed to where the man needed to be seated. Abraham didn''t hesitate, he rose to his feet, with his leather bound notebook in his hand. He was going to be the last witness that was called. Well, aside from the recalling of Brittney. I had a feeling that Theo was going to destroy that girl on the stand, and I just couldn''t wait to see it.


    Abraham sat in the chair at the witness stand, turned to the bailiff and raised his hand before he was even told to. Then the bailiff was closer, he put his hand on the coral like he was supposed to.


    "Dr. Malachi, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you by the Gods Poseidon and Neptune?"


    "I do." The swearing in process, which was very similar to the human one, didn''t take that much time at all. Now that he was sworn in, Theo was able to question him. And there was a very eager look in Theo''s eyes. He was so looking forward to this. We all were.


    "Thank you for coming today, Dr. Malachi. I know you must be so busy."


    "It''s my pleasure, Theo. I want to see justice prevail here today. That is why I brought plenty to back up my testimony as fact and not as just hearsay. I know that it must be reviewed by the judge, prosecution and defense before it can be given to the jury, but I am fine with that. I have absolutely nothing to hide about myself. I will be telling you the complete truth and can even show you so much more than the others have been able to."


    "Of course, I believe you. You are a pillar of your community and an exceptional being. It is not often that we get a sea dragon such as yourself coming to help us with a case. I am sure that all of us will be interested in hearing what sort of testimony that a dragon can give us."


    "A..a dragon?" That was the first outburst that Brittney had made since the judge had silenced her. "He can''t be a dragon."


    "And why is that?" Abraham asked her himself, not waiting for someone else to take care of it for him.


    "Dragons aren''t real. That''s why."


    "And humans would say that a Siren such as yourself is nothing more than a myth or legend, yet here you are. You are very real, and so are dragons." Everyone here except for Brittney already knew of the existence of sea dragons. We all knew that they were exceptionally rare, but we knew they were real at least.


    "W..well, it''s not the same thing." She tried to argue her way out of what she thought was a misleading statement by the witness. She couldn''t do it though. She was already losing her edge with him. He was intimidating her without actually doing anything.


    "Enough." The judge snapped at that moment, silencing any further attempts to deny things that Brittney might have made. "We that grew up in the sea know of the existence of dragons. You and your ignorance are not the focus at the moment, Miss Cartwright. Hush and let the proceedings resume." That made the girl snap her mouth shut and her eyes narrow. She was getting so pissed off right now.


    "Now that the interruptions are over, Dr. Malachi, can you tell me how you came to know about this case?" Theo smiled at him.


    "Well, I was working in the ER last week when the boy, Ocean, was brought in. He had suffered massive head trauma, as well as injuries to other parts of his body. I was perplexed as to how he was injured so badly when he was a shifter. I didn''t have time to worry about that though, since I was working to save the boy''s life as well as hiding his true identity." Abraham went right into his explanation.


    "That must have been stressful. Did you ever figure out why the boy was injured so badly? How was someone strong enough to do that to him?" Theo was still playing the gentle soul that didn''t want to get angry with anyone.


    "Well, the person that had been the aggressor in his attack, the one that injured him, had been bespelled by a Siren. And as we sea dwellers know, when a human is bespelled with negative emotions, all of that negativity grows. The human had increased strength and stamina on top of a supernatural rage that he was unable to control."


    "Yes, we all do know that, don''t we?" Theo was nodding his head at the explanation that Abraham had given. "So, Dr. Malachi, what did you learn in the course of the case? I have been told that you did much of the investigation alongside Mr. and Mrs. Rivers."


    "Yes, I did do some of the investigating. And in that process, I searched the memories of the human boy that attacked Ocean. I saw the moment that Brittney bespelled him and the moment that he actually attacked Ocean. I know how all of the events unfolded."


    "And you are sure that it was the defendant, Brittney Cartwright, that bespelled the human boy? You are completely sure, without a doubt, that she is responsible for all of this. There was no one else?"


    "No one else. She was the one that manipulated the boy. I removed the memory from his mind and made him see it a different way, but I have access to the original memory."


    "WHY DON''T YOU TELL THEM THE REST OF IT! WHY DON''T YOU TELL THEM HOW YOU THREATENED TO KILL ME!"


    "Miss Cartwright, kindly keep your voice down and stop interrupting my court."


    "Thank you, Judge." Theo nodded at the man after he reprimanded Brittney. "Now, Dr. Malachi, what forms of evidence did you bring for us? Anything you want to share with us?"


    "I have a copy of the boy''s memory. I can show you what happened when Justin was bespelled, as well as the way that he attacked Ocean."


    "Oh my. Anything else? I would like to have it all reviewed by the judge all at once." I think that Theo was excited to get those memories shown to the jury. At least, that''s what his eyes were telling me.


    "Just a few other memories that can be shown. Those ones are copies of my own. It would be the memories from when I first met the girl in person, and the way that she was acting. She held no remorse whatsoever for what she did."


    "That''s a real shame. If someone doesn''t show remorse for what they have done, then they obviously would try doing it again. At least, that''s what I have seen in my experience."


    "Indeed." Abraham nodded at him.


    "Judge, I would like to have these memories reviewed so that they can be played for the jury. If that is alright with you." Theo looked up at the man and I could tell he had already gotten his permission.


    "I will have my assistant review them for authenticity and relevance. If he deems them so, you may show them to the court. Until then, would the defense like to cross examine the witness?"


    "Yes, your honor. I would definitely like to interview this man." Lizette was looking at Abraham like he was a monster. And I know that it had to do with Brittney. UGH! Now I knew why the boys had so many unpleasant names for her. She was truly vile.


    "Gup, please take these memories back to my office and review them. Pay very close attention to them. Whether or not they are viewed as evidence is solely up to you." I saw the man, Gup, gulp in fear. That wasn''t hard to believe either. This was a rather timid merman by the name of Guppy. And he was also the judge''s nephew. He knew very well what his uncle was like. And being told that it was up to him if this evidence was allowed meant that if it wasn''t then the people that wanted it shown, like Theo, would be mad at him and not the judge. It was a strategy that the judge knew how to use well. Good luck, Gup. You''re going to need it.


    "While my assistant gets to work on these memories, we will take a short ten minute recess. The witness will remain under oath and return to the stand immediately upon the time that the court reconvenes."


    "Yes, Judge." Abraham nodded at him and stepped down. He met Analise and I at the door, and together we walked out of the room.


    "Here, Abraham." I told him, picking up a specialized water bottle. It was filled with fresh water and it was made so that no salt water would get inside of it. We may all come from the ocean, but we prefer fresh water over salt water when we have something to drink. We also, even when under water, preferred to eat inside of these domes because it made it so that the water didn''t get into our food either. Though we weren''t eating here right now, we would be later. And I definitely like my food to not be soggy. I guess I was spoiled from living on the land for so long.. It''s just the way that I prefer it now.

 Chapter 231 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 7

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    Reef


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    I had initially thought that we would talk during our slight recess from the courtroom. However, that was not going to happen at all. Not since that fucking bitch, Brittney, decided to follow the three of us out of the room and eye us like we were some sort of vermin that she needed to get rid of.


    "Don''t say anything to them, honey. It will only make things worse for you." The girl''s mother warned her as Theo came up to us. He was making sure that if she did something stupid, he would know about it.


    "That is wise advice." He grinned at the girl as he leaned against the wall beside me. The four of us, me, Abraham, Analise and Theo, were all leaning against the wall next to the window. It was a very casual way of saying, you are not worth our time, go away.


    "And why shouldn''t I say anything? It''s a free country, isn''t it?" She snapped at us. Her true self was showing since the jury was nowhere near us.


    "That''s where you''re wrong, little girl." Analise snapped at her. "We''re not in the United States anymore. Not technically. We are under the ocean. We are in the land of the merfolk. So no, little bitch, you''re not in a free country. And we may be giving you a trial, but that is just to make us more humane. I can technically execute you without a trial if the offense is bad enough. An investigation may result from it, but that would be all. I am a powerful figure under the water, and you need to learn that and start showing some respect."


    I watched the girl''s eyes narrow at my wife. She was pissed off and it wasn''t likely to fade anytime soon. That was fine, she could hold onto that until she showed herself in front of the court.


    "Brittney, sweetheart, you also need to be careful of the dragon. He can invade your mind." Oh, so the siren knew that about Abraham. At least she knew about the dragons and their special abilities. Well, one of them then. "Come here, Brittney, stay away from him."


    Finally, the girl walked away with her mother. They sat on a bench outside the door while she continued to glare at us. That was until a guard swam by.


    "You know Mom, I have been meaning to ask this, but how come there is water but we''re walking and not getting wet?"


    "Well, you saw that dome that we went through to get into this place, right? That dome is filled with different magics. It allows us to walk normally. It helps with our food and drink in this place. And it keeps the water from affecting us. The water is there, and those that choose to be in their water forms can swim in here like it was any other part of the ocean. However, in the dome it''s not required. The magic of all of that also helps people to hide what water form they have. They do not need to reveal if they are a Siren, a merfolk, a selkie, a sea serpent, or a sea dragon. The magic of the dome helps with a lot more than just the trial, but that is all that you need to know about right now."


    "Whatever. I think it''s stupid. We''re in the water, shouldn''t we all be proving that we''re sea creatures." Brittney flipped her hair and stood up to walk toward the courtroom. "Come on, Lizette, it''s time to prove my innocence." I knew right then and there that she was flaunting her magic on the woman. She was trying to show us that she had bespelled the woman and that she could do the same to the rest of us."


    The four of us went ahead and followed them back into the courtroom. The ten minute break we had been given was nearly up. We didn''t want to be late and make Judge Saltwater angry with us.


    Theo went to his table. Analise and I went to the same seats from before. And Abraham went to the witness stand where he sat and waited for the Judge to return. It didn''t take long either. It was maybe a minute, if that, before the bailiff called for everyone to rise and the judge swam in.


    "Please, be seated." The judge looked at his hands that were hidden by the top of his podium-like desk. "While we were on recess, my nephew used another room to review the memories. They did not take him long at all and he has deemed them to be necessary and important to the case''s progression. I myself have not seen them and are therefore not biased or influenced by them at all. I return these to the prosecution and grant him permission to present them to the jury after the defense attorney has cross examined the witness. Remember, the witness is still under oath. Lizette, you may begin."


    "Yes, your honor." She nodded and hurried forward. "I want to start off by asking Dr. Malachi about what my client yelled at him earlier. Did you try to kill my client? What did you do to her?"


    "I didn''t try to kill her. Had I tried, I would have succeeded. I simply gave her a very convincing ultimatum. She was taken to the human boy to remove her spell. She refused to do it, so I told her there were two ways it could be removed. She could do it herself, or she could die. The death of a Siren cancels out all of their spells. If she didn''t remove the spell, then her death would. I did, however, hold her in a threatening manner with a scalpel against her throat. I let her know that I was completely serious about what I told her I would do." I loved that he was talking so calmly and didn''t seem fazed at all.


    "Your honor, I would like this man taken into custody. He assaulted and threatened to kill my client." Lizette pointed an accusatory finger at Abraham.


    "Something he could have done legally, as long as the death was warranted." The judge shot her down immediately. If you would like to continue your cross examination, please do so now. If not, take your seat."


    "Fine, I will leave it at this for now. This man has proven how evil he has been toward my client. I will present my evidence soon enough. And that is when I will prove my client''s innocence. I will show you all."


    Lizette didn''t wait any longer, she headed straight back to her seat and sat with a harumph. Her arms were crossed, and she was glaring at Abraham.


    "Theo, you may return to the floor and present your evidence to the court." At that, Judge Saltwater held out the memories toward the other man. It was now time for things to get interesting.


    "Thank you, Judge. I appreciate having this opportunity to present the facts as Dr. Malachi knows them. Now, I want the jury to remember that these memories are taken directly from the mind and are being presented here for you to view. These memories will show exactly what the defendant is like, and what she has done."


    Theo pulled out a screen type of device from a room behind the judge''s bench. At that time, he took one of the memories, one labeled as number one, and put it on the screen.


    "Dr. Malachi, can you please tell me what this memory is."


    "This is when I found out how she bespelled that boy." The memory started to play and we all saw her singing her vicious song to Justin.


    "? Ocean is a pest. He has ruined your life. He has stopped you from being the best. He causes nothing but pain and strife. We need to get rid of him. We need to start a fight. Not just Ocean, but all of them. Help me Justin, silence Ocean with all your might. Berate and demean that boy. Give him a quick shove. Destroy him with joy. Take away all that he might love. You will do this. You have no free will. You better hit him and not miss. Make sure that punch is hard enough to kill."


    "Oh my, that is horrible. She really did that?" Theo looked shocked.


    "NO! IT''S A LIE!"


    "Hush, Miss Cartwright!" The judge yelled at her. "This is not your time to talk. Sit down, shut up, and wait to be called back to the stand. I do not want to hear another outburst from you. If I do, you will sit in a cell for the remainder of your trial. Do you understand me?"


    "Y..yes." Brittney stuttered out the one word while sitting back in her chair, angry and embarrassed.


    From there, Theo went through the other two memories that Abraham had brought with him. These ones were from when Brittney went off on her psycho rants. They were confirming what it was that I had said earlier. Word for word. And based on the faces of the jury, they were quite appalled by the girl''s behavior.


    "Have any of you ever seen something so despicable?" Theo asked the jury. "This is truly disturbing. And this is how it all really happened, Dr. Malachi?"


    "Yes, this is the truth of it all. This is what really happened."


    "Thank you, Dr. Malachi. I appreciate your honesty. You may step down now."


    "Thank you." Abraham stepped down and came toward me and Analise once again.. Now it was time for Theo to call Brittney back to the stand.


    You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 232 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 8

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    Reef


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    "Your honor, I would like to recall the defendant as a witness." Theo was already on his feet and ready to go. I know that he had been hiding the true way that he felt for long enough. He was dying to let that other side of himself out. He was desperate to be the ruthless Theo. The Theo that made people cry. He needed to let that side of himself out. And it was finally the perfect time for him. This should be fun.


    "Miss Cartwright, please return to the stand." The judge ordered her, not in a very nice way either. He was definitely not happy with the outbursts that she had earlier.


    "Sure." Brittney smiled and looked as innocent as she could while she walked past the jury. She truly thought that everything was going to go in her favor. Was she that stupid? Yeah, she probably was.


    "Brine, please swear her in again." The judge ordered the bailiff, letting us all know his name for the first time since this whole process started. I found it comical. Not his name, no, it was a fine name. But his name was Brine. Brine was basically saltwater. And Brine the Bailiff was working for Judge Saltwater. That was what made that comical. However, I didn''t show any disrespect because of that name,  like Brittney, who I heard scoff at the name. And I was betting she didn''t even know what Brine was. She just wanted to make fun of his name. Dammit. Now I felt horrible about finding the combination of the two of them funny. I didn''t want to be on the same page as that little bitch, not at all.


    "Place your hand on the coral." Brine spoke as tersely as the judge had before. "Brittney Cartwright, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you by the Gods Poseidon and Neptune?"


    "Yeah, sure." With a heavy sigh at her answer, Brine swam away from her and left her to her place on the witness stand.


    Theo didn''t need to be invited to start his questioning. He nearly ran to the position that he needed to be in and started right away.


    "Miss Cartwright, how are you this afternoon?" He was still a little sweet and that was making Brittney think that she could do whatever she wanted to.


    "Well, I wish I was back at home already, but I guess it can wait a little while longer. As you know, I am innocent after all."


    "Are you? I mean, the others have said something completely opposite of your story. You seem to be the only one that thinks you are innocent."


    "That simply isn''t true. Ha ha ha!" That chuckle of hers was simply unnerving just now. "My lawyer believes me. My mother and father believe me. Everyone at school believes me. It''s just these people here that are lying. The problem is, you didn''t question anyone besides me when you were seeking the truth."


    "Is that so? Hmm. Well, I will admit I didn''t call them to testify. The only one of them that could even be here is your mother, and well, that is an unreliable source. But I did have someone go and talk to your classmates. Or well, former classmates, since you seem to have told them you were never coming back when you left the school that last time."


    "That was a misunderstanding. I was upset about what happened between me and Ocean just the day before. That last day that I was at school was particularly hard for me. And on top of that, I was arrested and have not had a chance to go back since. They are all most likely very worried about me. I haven''t even been able to call them and let them know that I am OK."


    "Well, from these testimonies we have from them, I don''t think that you have much to worry about."


    "I''m sorry, what are you saying?" She looked over to her lawyer for a moment.


    "Don''t worry, Miss Cartwright. This evidence was presented to the court in advance and offered to your attorney. She was allowed to look at it, but she chose not to. That was a strange choice in my opinion. Especially considering her intense desire to prove your innocence. I wonder what could have made her act so completely unlike herself? I have never known a defense attorney to refuse to look at the evidence presented to them."


    "W..well, maybe she thought that we could win without looking at them. It''s obviously just a pack of lies that you have written yourself. I am sure that none of the names would match those from my school. And the statements are all made up. That or they''re all in my favor so my lawyer didn''t need to look at them. I am sure it is one of those two things." Brittney was actually getting nervous. Would you look at that. She did have a little bit of common sense after all. Just a miniscule amount, but still something.


    "Well, let''s read these, shall we. I am interested in knowing what they all think about Miss Brittney Cartwright. Hmm, ahh, here is the first one. This was a statement from a Miss Katie Hawthorn. She is on the swim team. You know her, right?"


    "I do, and she has never liked me." Brittney crossed her arms. "She would definitely lie about me."


    "Let us just read her statement. ''Brittney is the meanest girl I have ever met. She lies to and manipulates everyone to get what she wants. She is an entitled princess who thinks the world is her toy.'' Wow, that is harsh." Theo smiled at Brittney, it was clear he was trying to piss her off.


    "She hates me. Of course, that was harsh. You need to talk to someone that doesn''t hate me."


    "Well, let''s see, how about Mr. Ethan Bowman. He was the student council president. He should be trustworthy. Would you accept his testimony?"


    "Oh yes, Ethan is a really nice guy. He likes me and we''ve been friends through all of high school. He wouldn''t lie about me at all." She was grinning, definitely thinking she was about to be vindicated here.


    "Alright, well I will read his statement then." Brittney smiled at the prospect. I couldn''t wait to see her response to his words. I had read all of those statements, so I knew the theme of them all. "Brittney is the meanest, nastiest person I have ever met. She thinks that she is perfect and that everyone loves her, but that is just because most of the school is afraid of her. If someone doesn''t follow the Brittney regime, she will turn on them so bad that they''re likely to get hurt. Everyone knows that she somehow had something to do with Ocean getting hurt. She had very publicly called him out for weeks before this all went down. She tried to win him back after she dumped him. Which was very crappy of her, in my opinion. She broke up with Ocean in the hospital, and then the same day she went and hit on Makai. There was a video of it going around and everything. It was funny, in all honesty, seeing Makai turn her down like that."


    "No. That simply is not true. Ethan would never say that about me."


    "I will move on. Let''s see, here is a Miss Celia Peters, a sophomore that has had dealings with you. ''Brittney made my life a living hell. When I was a freshman, I showed interest in the senior boy who was the number one swimmer. Brittney was a junior at the time and she was dating him. Just because I told another girl that Gavin was hot, Brittney tried to turn all of my friends against me. She almost succeeded too. I lost a lot of people that I cared about, and only a few good ones stuck with me. They knew what an evil bitch Brittney was. Ever since then, we''ve all hated that horrible girl.''"


    "She tried to steal my boyfriend at the time. Of course, I was going to be angry with her."


    "Hmm." Theo just glared at her. I know he was waiting to see which statement was the one that was going to tip her over the edge.


    "Shall I keep going? I think I will read at least one more. Hmm. This one is from Mr. Daniels. ''Miss Cartwright was recently suspended for trying to cause a fight in the lunchroom. I ended up suspending all the people involved with the fight, including Ocean, Makai, Ben, Ryan, Brittney, Victor, Matthew and a few others. I would need to look at the official report to check the rest of them. The incident was later discovered to be Brittney and some people that she had enticed to beat up a few of the boys. She was apparently not happy with Ocean and Makai. She was trying to intimidate them and threatened them with violence.'' That doesn''t sound very good for you, Miss Cartwright. Let me look for another one. There has to be something here that is in your favor."


    I watched as Theo looked over the stage of pages before him. He was flipping the pages repeatedly and doing his best to find someone that she would be happy with. The problem was that she had no allies in all of the entire school.


    "Hmm. I think this one might be the best one of them. This is Renea, she was your friend, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right. Renea was my best friend. She would never lie about me like that, not like the others." She was happy that she was about to get some positive feedback.


    "OK, here we go. ''I used to think that Brittney was the best. She was nice to me. She was pretty. She was popular. Everyone wanted to be around her. Well, that was before I got to know the real Brittney. She was not popular, it''s just that people were too afraid to not include her. She wasn''t nice at all. She was always saying mean things about me behind my back and making everyone else not like me. She would do that to everyone that she hung out with. She made us all hate each other so that only she would be the center of attention when everyone was together. She cheated on every boyfriend that she had. She was a major slut that toyed with her school boyfriends while dating college guys all the time. She was just a mean and nasty person that manipulated everyone. I regret all of the time that I ever spent with her, but I was too afraid to not spend time with her at all. I was constantly worrying about what she would do to me if I told her what I really thought about her. I knew that she was evil, I knew it all along, but never once thought that she would try to kill Ocean. I just hope that Ocean heals soon and comes back to school. We''re all worried about him."


    I think that might have been it.. I think the shit was about to hit the fan now.

 Chapter 233 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 9

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    Reef


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    "NONE OF THAT IS TRUE! YOU''RE LYING! NO ONE SAID ANY OF THOSE THINGS ABOUT ME! NO ONE THINKS THAT ABOUT ME! EVERYONE LOVES ME! I AM PERFECT! I AM THE MOST POPULAR GIRL AT SCHOOL! THEY ALL WANT ME OR WANT TO BE ME! YOU''RE LYING TO ME!" Brittney was huffing and puffing. Her face was bright red with rage and her eyes looked like they belonged to a crazy person. This was what Theo had been waiting for. This was when Brittney showed her true colors and Theo could start being ruthless.


    "I knew you were an evil girl. Look at you. Everyone can see you for what you are. You''re crazy. Aren''t you, Miss Cartwright?"


    "No. I''m perfect. I''m a Siren. I am the best there ever was. Sirens are perfect. Sirens are revered. Sirens are powerful. I should be fawned upon. I should be showered with praise. I should have the love of the world. It''s mine. It''s all mine. I am perfect. I am the best."


    "Is this why you tried to kill Ocean? Because he didn''t love you?


    "That fucking piece of fairy trash lost his match. I can only be with the best. They have to be the best for me. So, I dumped his loser ass. After that, I tried to get with the one that beat him. Only Ocean started to win again so he belonged with me. I told him I would take him back, but he turned me down. He was probably munching on his ass pounding, cock sucking, piece of shit boyfriend''s dick by then. He refused to take me back because he decided that a man was better than me. He didn''t know what he was getting himself into. So, yeah, I told Justin to kill him. I sang to him and made him try to kill Ocean. And he almost did it too. Ocean was on death''s doorstep. But the fucking idiot couldn''t finish it off. And he even felt sorry for what he had done. That damn asshole."


    "So, you did sing to Justin. You tried to kill Ocean. And yet, you claimed that you didn''t. Hmm. Is anything that you said before now true. I am going to guess that it wasn''t. You''ve been very inconsistent and unstable." Theo wasn''t being rude right now. He had a few moments earlier in the girl''s outburst where he had been a little rough, but he was just letting the dark Theo out of the cage.


    "Unstable? You think I''m unstable? What would you know about that, you fucking midget freak? Are you even really old enough to be a lawyer? Are you sure you''re not still in kindergarten? You fucking freak. You can''t treat me like this. I will destroy you. I am going to make sure that Ocean and Makai die. I will see to it that anyone that crosses me dies. Every fucking asshole in that school is going to die. You''re going to die. All of you. I am going to sing my fucking heart out until I am the richest and most famous person in the world. I will never give up. I will never stop. And I will have anyone who stands in my way eliminated."


    "Thank you, Miss Cartwright. You''ve been very helpful. Thank you for admitting all of your guilt. Though I do have a question for you. When did you bespell your lawyer? And why?"


    "That fucking bitch? I knew that she didn''t believe me, so I had to fix that. The day that I fucking met her, I sang to her. I had to make her act convincing in her defense of me. She was too fucking incompetent to hide it on her own."


    "So, that is even one more crime to add against you. I am afraid to tell you this, Miss Cartwright, but you are definitely going to jail for a very long time." Theo was laughing at her while he said those words to her.


    "I don''t fucking care, you short piece of shit. I will just sing my way out of that prison. Everyone there will be my fucking lapdogs before I even leave that shithole behind. No one can stop me. No one can do anything to me. I will rise to the top and I will be the most powerful woman in the world. Muwaha ha ha ha ha ha ha."


    "That girl is seriously unbalanced." Members of the jury were just watching on with their mouths opened wide. Even the judge was so shocked by her behavior that he had been frozen and just watching her this whole time. Even the lawyer was just sitting there. I guess Brittney hadn''t programmed her for what to do in this instance. She wasn''t even trying to stop her from screaming and admitting that she was guilty."


    "Judge Saltwater." Theo called to get his attention. "Judge, I think you need to do something here."


    "SHUT UP YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Brittney yelled at him. "I''M NOT DONE WITH YOU!"


    "That is enough! Shut your mouth, Miss Cartwright. You are in contempt of court. We will finish this trial without you. Bailiff, remove her from the courtroom."


    "That won''t be necessary, your honor." The jury foreman stood and glared at the girl. "I am sure that we have all made our decision."


    "If that is true, then raise your hand if you vote that this girl is guilty."


    Every juror raised their hand. But they weren''t the only ones. Theo raised his hand. Brine raised his. Abraham, Analise and I raised our hands. Even Mrs. Cartwright raised her hand. The girl''s mother looked down, broken hearted and clearly feeling guilty and ashamed for raising her hand, but she had shown what she truly thought.


    "MOTHER! YOU FUCKING BITCH! HOW DARE YOU RAISE YOUR HAND! YOU THINK THAT I AM GUILTY! YOU FUCKING CUNT! YOU FUCKING TWAT LICKING WHORE! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT ME!"


    "I am appalled by your behavior, Miss Cartwright. The fact that you would say those horrible things about your mother just because she knows that you are guilty. You''re a real piece of work. What kind of monster are you? You want to call someone a piece of shit, why don''t you look in the mirror, you crazy person." Theo went off on the girl while she bad-mouthed her own mother.


    "Fuck you, you fucking midget fairy. You''re probably one of Ocean''s fucking fairy friends that he lets fuck him. You like his pansy ass? Do you like fucking him? You fucking ass pounder. Do you like the taste of his cock? Is it good? Huh? You sick freak."


    "Someone shut her up!" One of the jury members yelled out.


    "Brine, restrain her."


    "Don''t you fucking touch me."


    The moment that Brine went to reach for her, she thrashed her arms around and started to sing.


    "? Listen to me. All of you. You will see. None of this was true. I have done nothing wrong. You''ll see that soon. Listen to my song. I will-." The moment that she started to sing, Abraham and I both leapt from our seats. She hadn''t even gotten half way done with her song before we got to her.


    I admit that I was not going to pull my punches at all. I was going to stop this girl and I didn''t care if she got hurt in the process. So, that was why I tackled her and knocked her off of the witness stand.


    Abraham was right behind me. He had a syringe in his hand, something that he obviously thought he would need so he had brought with him. I don''t know what was in it right now, but I didn''t care. He jammed it into the side of the girl''s neck, and she went limp. She stopped moving at all and was basically just laying there, asleep on the ground.


    Between the two of us, we pulled her into a standing position and that was when I noticed that she was awake. Her eyes were open and all that, but she couldn''t move.


    "She has been rendered motionless, your honor. She can still hear you, but she cannot speak or move at all." Abraham explained what had happened.


    "Very well. We will now finish this here and now. This girl has not earned the right for a delay. Since it was a unanimous decision by the jury that she was guilty, that will be my official verdict as well. Not that I would have done anything other than that anyway. I sentence her to spend twenty years of life in the dome prison."


    "Your honor, might I add one more punishment as well." Abraham raised his left hand, the one not helping to hold the limp girl up.


    "What would that be, Dr. Malachi?"


    "She has proven to be dangerous. And she has admitted that she would sing to anyone in the prison to get out. I do not know if the prison would be protected against the singing or not. I propose that we remove the girl''s ability to sing all together. If we do that, she might not need to spend as much time in prison. She can have a shorter sentence with lifelong probation. If she violates that, she will return to her cell for the rest of her life."


    "That is actually a very good idea, Dr. Malachi. I approve. We will strip the girl of her voice, effectively rendering her powerless for the rest of her life." The judge nodded his agreement. "I am assuming, Dr. Malachi, that this is a procedure that you can perform?"


    "Yes, your honor. I can perform it today. I brought the necessary material because she had already made this threat in my presence. I knew that it would be a possibility."


    "You are a very wise man, Dr. Malachi. Thank you.. You, gentlemen, may take the prisoner out of here to prepare her for the procedure."

 Chapter 234 - Reef – Brittneys Trial Part 10

    ~~


    Reef


    ~~


    Abraham was a smart man. He knew this was a possibility and planned for it. This was just another reason to be in awe of him.


    I helped Abraham take the girl to another room and watched him sterilize the place for the procedure. We put Brittney on a table and secured her in place. We didn''t need her moving around and getting killed in the process.


    I noticed that the girl was crying and that her eyes were filled with fear. She was definitely scared about what was going to happen to her. However, she brought this upon herself.


    "There is no use crying now, girl. You made your bed, now you need to lie in it." Abraham growled the words at her as he stuck a syringe into her arm. "Now go to sleep. You will be awake before you know it."


    Once the girl''s eyes rolled back and she was fully asleep, Abraham got to work right away. He made a small incision into her neck. Just big enough to slide in a pair of surgical scissors. I watched him snip a few things in rapid succession.


    "What are you doing?" I asked him, curious.


    "I am removing her vocal cords. She will not be able to talk or sing ever again."


    He continued to work for several more minutes. He put in what he said were dissolvable stitches and pulled out a small bloody piece of flesh from the inside of her throat. That, I am guessing, were the vocal cords. They were a lot smaller than I thought they would be, but it seemed to me that Abraham was finished. He had done what he needed to do.


    "There. She will never speak again." I saw that the girl was stable, and Abraham had sewn her up. She didn''t show any sign of being in distress or pain. She was just fine, and I knew that Abraham would make sure that she healed just fine. He was a doctor after all.


    "So, it''s done?"


    "It''s done." He nodded as he answered me. "I will check on her tomorrow before we go back to the surface, but I am sure that everything will be fine. And now she won''t be in prison forever. She will get out, but she won''t bespell anyone ever again."


    "Should we have had her release her lawyer''s spell first?"


    "Hmm. I didn''t think about that." Abraham shrugged his shoulder. "I guess that we probably should have, huh."


    "We should go and see her."


    "Yup. I guess we should."


    Abraham and I went to find the girl''s lawyer. There was a commotion in the courtroom, and I was certain that we knew exactly what it was all about. It was most likely the defense attorney all up in arms and wanting to see her ''innocent'' client.


    I could imagine it now. Abraham and I had not had the spell removed from the lawyer before we took away the girl''s voice. Now, we had probably doomed that woman for life. Lizette the lawyer would forever think that Brittney was innocent. She would most likely hound people and try to get appeals for her. She would destroy her life and wind up ending her career all because of that girl and our rush to see the girl punished. Dammit. I didn''t want to see what sort of chaos was waiting for us on the other side of that courtroom door. I didn''t want to see what state of mental distress Lizette was in. I didn''t want to see what damage I had caused to this woman''s life.


    The moment that Abraham opened the door to the courtroom, I saw the jury trying to help Brine restrain the lawyer. She was screaming incoherently as she was throwing things around the room. She was angry with a fully red face and eyes that were dripping with tears and rage. She looked completely unhinged.


    DAMN! This was what I had caused. This is what I get for not thinking about the consequences sooner. This is what I get for not slowing down and preparing. We rushed into the whole vocal cord removal, and didn''t think about anything else until it was done. DAMMIT! I was supposed to be better than this.


    I could see out of the corner of my eye that Abraham was just as upset as I was. He was mad at himself for what he had done. He was pissed and angry that we had let this happen. He and I were both in the same boat.


    We walked into the room, trying to avoid the flying books and the stacks of paper that the woman was throwing around. She was screaming words that I was trying really, really hard to understand.


    "LET ME SEE HER! LET GO OF ME! LET ME SEE THAT LITTLE BITCH! I WILL FUCKING KILL HER!"


    OK, that was so not the words that I thought that this lawyer was going to be screaming after we had removed the girl from the room for her punishment. I thought that she would be screaming for us to release her. What the hell was going on here. What was this all about? I was so fucking confused right now. What the hell was going on?


    "What is going on here?" I asked as I ran to my wife''s side. She was trying to pull the lawyer''s arms around her back and restrain her with the others. "Analise, sweetheart, what is happening?"


    "She''s fucking pissed off." She said as she ducked a fist that was coming toward her.


    "Dammit." Abraham growled as he dug out another syringe. He took the cap off with his teeth, ran into the fray, and then jammed the needle into the lawyer''s neck.


    Almost immediately, the lawyer went limp and was being held up by the members of the jury.


    "Will someone please explain to me what happened here? What the hell happened to cause this?" Abraham was pissed off because this was not what we had been expecting at all, and we were already angry because we had messed up. Still, none of this made any sense at all. Why had the lawyer gone crazy like that? What was the matter with her?


    "Well, the moment that you took Brittney out of the courtroom, her attorney started to scream. It was like she had come out of some sort of trance, and it was clear that she was pissed off." Analise was looking at the woman as she was laid gently on a bench in the back of the courtroom. "She was screaming things like ''bring her back, she''s innocent, bring my client back now''. She truly believed that we were just vindictively punishing the girl and that we were all in on it. She thought that she was around a bunch of enemies or something. We all had our hands full trying to contain her."


    "OK, so how did she go from screaming about us railroading her client to screaming that she was going to kill that little bitch. What happened to make her change her mind?"


    "Well, Reef dear," I could tell that she was frustrated, since she was giving me that toned attitude, "why don''t you think about what it is that you and Malachi have done that would cause this? Hmm? What did you guys do, kill the girl? Did Malachi botch his procedure or something? That''s all that I can guess that has happened."


    "No! The girl is alive. And she is fine." I assured her, maybe a little frantically.


    "So, what do you think that led to this happening?" Analise put her hands on her hips and glared at me. The anger rolling off of her seemed murderous.


    "Well, Abraham removed her vocal cords. Maybe because her voice died it counts as her dying. Maybe the spell was broken because of that."


    "Really? Do you really think that was all that it took?" She glared at me.


    "Well, what else do you think it could be? The girl is alive, but her spell was removed. In my opinion, that should mean that the voice being dead was the reason."


    "Hmm. Well, I guess that makes a certain amount of sense." She flopped onto the bench and sighed in relief.


    "Is that all it took? Really?" Judge Saltwater had come up behind us and I was sure that he had just heard what we were saying.


    "I believe so." Abraham answered him for me. "There is no other explanation."


    "Well, I am glad that all ended well. I know that Lizette is upset now, but she will see that the girl is being punished and then her anger will dissipate. I am just glad that it''s all over. Thank you gentlemen for all of your help. I know that we need to work more on being considerate to people with these trials, but I think this time we should have just jumped straight to the punishment for her. This girl was clearly guilty from the beginning. The formality should have been skipped."


    "We can''t think like that, Judge. Justice was served and that''s all that matters. We need to leave behind the archaic ways and move into a more modern approach."


    "Yeah, and you see what that got us." Judge Saltwater rolled his eyes and swam away.


    "I am glad this is over. I just want to go back to our apartment, flop into bed, and go to sleep."


    "I am right there with you." Abraham nodded at me. "I am exhausted. I am going to go eat, sleep until the morning, check on that little Siren, and then head back to the surface to get some more sleep. This has been a very long process."


    "Indeed." I agreed with him.. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 235 - Split – Weekend Alone

    ~~


    Ben


    ~~


    Ocean and Kai had bought me and Ryan a trip for the weekend. We had one night at the house where we were alone. That had been when Kai''s parents left for the trial for Brittney. They told us when they were leaving, but they didn''t tell us when they were coming back.


    That night, we were alone. Only we didn''t do anything to take advantage of that time that it was just the two of us. I think that we were both just too nervous as well. Neither of us knew how to be alone together in that way.


    I wanted to be alone with Ryan. I wanted to be with him in that way. I have wanted it for a long time. I have been in love with him for so long that it was all that I thought about for the longest time. Now, though, neither of us knew how to be together. Neither of us have been with another man before. Hell, we hadn''t even been with a woman before. And that, right there, was causing half of the problem.


    OK, it was causing more than half of the problem. It was THE problem. I didn''t know what to do. I didn''t know how to act. And that was making me so damn nervous.


    I had kissed Ryan. Over these last couple of weeks that we had been together we had made out quite a bit in our room. We cuddled with each other in bed almost every night. And that was basically it. neither of us did or tried anything.


    I know that Ryan wanted to, though. We both did. I know he wanted to be with me as much as I wanted to be with him. We just needed to get over the nerves first. That was all we needed. We needed to just take that leap with each other. And I hoped, with all of my heart, that this weekend would be that time. I mean, it was clear that Ocean and Kai were trying to help us with that aspect of our relationship.


    I was grateful for them. I really was. And I really hoped that we could take that step this weekend. It would be the best feeling in the world, becoming one with the man that I was in love with.


    While I was trying to think about all of that stuff, I was busy packing my bag for this weekend. I needed a variety of clothes because I didn''t even know where we were going to be going. Were we staying in? Were we going out to a movie or out to dinner? Were we going to go to the beach? Were we doing anything at all? I didn''t know the answer to any of these questions, so I needed to be prepared. And I know how stupid that all of this made me seem, but I just couldn''t help it.


    I was scared. I was nervous. I was worried. I was happy. I was excited. I was feeling a little bit of everything at once. And honestly, it kind of felt pretty good to be experiencing these emotions. It was new and good.


    Still, trying to find out what to take with me on this weekend away was like trying to figure out how to trek across Antarctica. It was hard as hell.


    I think I managed it though. I had packed more than enough for the trip at least. So, it had better be done. Dammit! I was starting to act different. I was so excited that I was letting down my barriers and deflectors. I just needed to put them back into place before I went back to school on Monday.


    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    Yes! This was it. This was the weekend that Ben and I were going to be going out of town. This was the night that we left for the hotel trip that Ocean and Kai had booked for us. They said that it was to thank us for all the help we had given them lately. I knew the truth though. I knew why they had really done this for us.


    I knew that Ocean and Kai had wanted to give us a chance to be alone. They wanted to give me and Ben the chance to take the next step in our relationship.


    Yeah, I know at first that I was oppositional to our relationship, but now I understand how I feel and how Ben feels. And every day that I am with him, I just want to be with him. I want us to take that step. I want us to be together in every way possible. That is my dream now.


    Yeah, we both still had a lot going on in our lives. My parents, specifically my dad, didn''t want me home anymore. Ben''s mom was a raging bitch, and his dad was too much of a coward to see him. Essentially, we both lost everything recently, but we had each other and that was all that mattered.


    I would never want anyone other than Ben. He was everything for me. I wanted him with me for life. He had already been with me for most of my life. He had been such a staple part of my everyday that I took him for granted, and I didn''t realize what he meant to me until it was almost too late. Now, I would never make that mistake again. Now, I had him in my arms every single day.


    Right now, Ben was up in our room packing his bag. I didn''t need to do that. I had packed my bag like five times since I knew we were leaving. I was just too excited to leave it for the last minute. However, I was so nervous about it all that I kept second guessing myself and unpacking it just to put all the same stuff in it again and again.


    As soon as Ben was done and he came downstairs, we were going to be leaving. I was going to be driving us into the city and taking us to check in at the hotel. The hotel was all set and paid for by Kai. Man, he was such a good friend. He was even paying for all the food that we were going to be eating on the trip. I only needed to use my money if I wanted to buy something special for my boyfriend.


    That felt awesome. Saying that, and thinking that. Ben was my boyfriend. I was Ben''s boyfriend. We were boyfriends. That was totally awesome to think about. And it was going to get even better. Because, as good, amazing and mind blowing that kissing Ben was, I knew that connecting with him on that extra level would be even better.


    Finally, I heard Ben coming down the stairs. It was almost time to leave. I was waiting for him in the hall, watching for the moment that he came into view.


    "Mmm mmm mmm. Now that is a good sight."


    "Hahh." He sighed as if he didn''t appreciate my ogling of him. "You''re so over the top sometimes." He was laughing at least. So, I knew that he was not mad at me.


    "Can you blame me? I mean, you do know how fucking hot you are, right? Do I need to tell you? If I have to, I will. I will tell you every single day for the rest of my life. Benton Kennedy you are the hottest man that I have ever seen in my entire life. You are so fucking hot that I can''t wait to get to that hotel and be alone with you."


    "Alright you two, enough of this. Head to the hotel before you start trying to jump each other right here." Mr. Rivers, Kai''s dad, was laughing as he came out of the kitchen with his wife.


    "Sorry, Mr. Rivers." Ben blushed as he finished coming down the stairs.


    "It''s fine. And you don''t have to be so formal. You live in my house now. You can call me Reef or even Dad. I don''t mind being there for you boys. You''ve been there for my son and his boyfriend. I owe you two so much." It was time for both me and Ben to feel a little embarrassed now.


    "Thank you, Sir. I think that Ben and I both needed someone like you in our lives." I smiled at him.


    "GAH! There you go calling me Sir. You boys are making me feel so old." He was laughing and trying to break the tension in the room. He really was a good guy.


    "Yeah, we will work on it all, Reef." I finally called him by his first name. "You know, that is an unusual name. You and Ocean both have water oriented names. It''s pretty funny." I laughed about it and so did he.


    "I think that the people that named me and Ocean had a sense of humor. I know that my parents did. I don''t know about the person that gave Ocean his name. Still, at least we don''t need to worry about someone else having the same name as us. They''re not exactly common, are they?" He laughed and leaned against the wall.


    "Hush, Reef. The boys have enough on their minds without you and your silly jokes." Mrs. Rivers was coming into the hall from the kitchen now. "Hello boys, are you all ready to go?" She was nice and really sweet. She was a lot like Ocean''s mom. Always there for us.


    "Yeah, I think we are." I looked up at Ben to see him nodding.


    "That''s good. Here, this is for you. It''s to cover everything that Makai didn''t think of before." She was holding an envelope out to me, and I could clearly tell that it was stuffed with cash.


    "What? No. We can''t take that." I couldn''t believe what she was doing.


    "I insist. It would make both me and Reef feel better. And like he said, you can call me by my first name, or you can call me Mom. I don''t mind. You two are like our own sons now too. Our family just keeps on growing."


    "A..are you sure?" I was still hesitant, but I knew that she would just keep on insisting if I refused.


    "Yes, please take it." Tentatively, I reached out and took the envelope. It was a lot heavier than I thought it would be.


    "Th..thank you, M..M..Mom."


    "OH COME ON! Why am I Reef and she''s Mom? Even Ocean does that."


    "HA HA HA!" All three of us started to laugh.


    "I am beginning to think that no one loves me." He was pretending to pout now.


    "Don''t worry, Dad, we love you too. Don''t we, Ryan?" Ben was right there next to me and nodded as if he was trying to tell me something. I knew what he was getting at, so it was fine.


    "Yeah Dad, we love you." At the same time, Ben and I rushed forward and hugged Reef tightly. We held him in the air between us.


    "AHH! YOU SAVAGES!" He was laughing as we spun him around. "OK, put me down now boys." He seemed happy now and that was a good thing. "We want you two to have a good weekend. Go have some fun and come home safe on Sunday"


    "We will." I took Ben''s hand and started toward the door. "Thank you Mom, and you too, Dad. See you later."


    "Bye, boys!" Analise called after us.


    "See ya, boys."


    With that, we ran to the car, loaded our bags that we were holding, and hopped into our seats. It was time for us to hit the road and have a good time.


    It took us about an hour or so to get to the hotel. From there we checked in, got out keys, and then headed up to our room.. It was time for this weekend of fun to truly begin.

 Chapter 236 - Ben – Weekend Alone Part 2

    ~~


    Ben


    ~~


    Ryan had taken care of the checking in when we got to the hotel. All I had to do was stand there and wait. So, of course, I was looking around nervously and trying not to stand out at all. This was so totally embarrassing. I just knew that the staff knew we were here to have sex this weekend. They had to know. I mean, we were two high school aged guys checking into a hotel that was in a different city for the weekend. Not only that, but it was a luxury package that included massages and other amenities. It wasn''t like we were just here to sleep.


    Oh man, why was I getting so nervous now that we were here? Why was it so much worse now? I was so excited when we were still at the house. I was so happy to be coming here. I want to be here with him. I just didn''t want people to be staring at me because I am literally at a hotel to have sex.


    GAH! I feel like I am doing something wrong. I mean, it''s not like either of us are hookers or anything, but I still feel like I am doing something seedy and dirty. I just really hope that these feelings pass really soon. I didn''t want to be the reason that Ryan had a horrible time this weekend. I wanted him, and me of course, to have a really good time. I wanted to remember this weekend for the rest of my life.


    "Alright, Sir, you are all set. Enjoy your stay, and please feel free to contact us if there is anything at all that you need." The woman behind the desk smiled at Ryan but he was already looking away from her.


    "Yes. Thank you." He said the words while staring at me. He was rushing to my side and reaching for my hand. "Come on. Let''s go."


    "O..OK." I nodded at him. The nerves were still getting to me.


    "Aww, they''re such a cute couple." At those words I looked over my shoulder and saw that the woman that had helped Ryan check in was talking to the other employee next to her. "They''re both so handsome, but they''ve got that glow of first love." She saw me looking at her but instead of looking away or being embarrassed, she just smiled and waved at me. When my face went crimson with shock, and of course embarrassment, she and the coworker started to giggle. Well, at least they didn''t think that we were freaks or anything. She said we were a cute couple. That meant that we looked good together, right? Well, I certainly hoped so.


    When Ryan and I got into the elevator, he was already starting to show that he was eager for the night. He set his bag down, wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, and started to kiss my neck. I didn''t want him to stop, but we were on an elevator. We were most likely on camera. I didn''t want to be giving some security guard a show that he didn''t want.


    "R..R..Ryan, st..stop. People will see us."


    "Let them see, sweetheart. I don''t mind. I love you and the whole world can know." Dammit. He was getting really good at saying things that melted my heart. I never realized how good of a boyfriend that Ryan would be. I mean, I had longed for him for so long, but I never once thought about how we would actually be together. I was just glad that it was all going so well.


    "B..but we''re almost at our floor. Sh..shouldn''t you wait until we''re in our room?"


    "Yeah, we can wait until then." He quickly kissed my ear once before he pulled away. "I don''t mind waiting until we''re alone." Oh God. I think I just made things even worse.


    When the elevator stopped on the top floor, we got off of the elevator and walked to our room. There were only four rooms on this floor, I didn''t know why this floor was so small compared to the others. Oh well, we would just go with the flow for now, I guess.


    Well, I guess I just found out why this floor was so small. It wasn''t at all. There was absolutely nothing at all small about this floor. It only had four rooms on this floor because the rooms were massive.


    This hotel room was a massive suite. And, man, was it luxurious. There was a massive entryway with fancy decorations and a beautiful chandelier. There was a huge closet for putting things away as well as a coat rack that looked like a tree. You hung the coats on the branches.


    After the entry came the living room. It was massive with huge couches, a massive TV and an amazing view of the city skyline. The windows went the entire length of a side of the room. The color scheme of the suite seemed to be in mostly grays and light blues. It was calm and soothing in my opinion. Even though those colors don''t usually give those vibes.


    The kitchen was just off of the living room. It was massive, with full appliances and not those little fridges and crappy microwaves you see in cheap hotels and motels. It was even fully stocked with all the dishes, pots and pans that we would need. This place was awesome. There was even a full formal dining room as well as a full table and chairs in the eat-in kitchen.


    I thought, with how big this place was, it would definitely have more than one bedroom, but I was wrong. It did, however, have the biggest and most beautiful bathroom I had ever seen. It had a huge tub in it that was used for soaking, and looked like it would fit four people, let alone the two of us. I mean, assuming that Ryan wanted to take a bath together. He didn''t have to if he didn''t want to.


    The shower was also impressive. Big enough for several people and with multiple showerheads that looked like they would give one hell of a water massage. There were complimentary robes that had actually been embroidered with our names. They got these ready in advance before we arrived, and I thought that it was impressive.


    In the bedroom, the central focus was the huge Alaskan king sized bed. It was so massive that my jaw dropped. I had read about these beds, but I had never seen one in person before. It was mind blowing with just how big it was.


    Aside from the bed, there were the two nightstands, two dressers, an armoire and a massive TV stand with a huge TV. It was a smart one too so we could just stream everything if we wanted to watch something.


    "This place is amazing, don''t you think?" Ryan asked as he set his bag down on the dresser to the left side of the bed. That was the side that he usually slept on, so I had already expected that.


    "It definitely is." I agreed with him as I continued to look around. Outside the window, I saw that there was a massive balcony with a hot tub. This had to be why the room was smaller than I originally thought that it would be. This balcony took up a lot of room. That was fine with me though, that hot tub looked like it would be paradise.


    "So, Ben my love, what are we going to do first?" Ryan put his arms around my waist again and kissed my neck. This time at least, he was facing me. "I want you to be happy, so we will move at your pace."


    "Well, I definitely want what you want, but I am getting hungry. We haven''t eaten since lunch at school. So, maybe we can order some room service and put away our stuff. After that, maybe a shower and then we can.." I intentionally trailed off. I was too nervous to say the rest of what that sentence had entailed.


    "Yeah, that sounds like a plan to me. I don''t want to leave this room all night. Possibly not at all this weekend. I want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can."


    "You''re such a sweet dork sometimes." I whispered back at him as I kissed him softly on his lips.


    "If you do that again, I will say you''ll get dinner after I get you." He growled in a low voice as he gripped my waist tighter.


    "Well, then I guess I should go and look for a room service menu." I laughed and stepped away from him. "I don''t want to make you lose control." I laughed it off, but I was also starting to feel like this was all real. It was really going to happen. And it was going to happen soon.


    We found the menu in the living room of our suite. We ordered a little more food than we needed to since we didn''t want to miss out on what they had to offer. There was just too much that looked and sounded so good.


    After the order was placed, we went back into the bedroom and started to put our stuff away into the dressers that were in there. I used the one on my side of the bed and started to get everything situated.


    By the time that we had all the clothes in the drawers, and our toiletries in the bathroom, the doorbell of the suite, an actual fucking doorbell, rang to let us know that the food had arrived. After we accepted the food, Ryan gave the waiter-type man that delivered the food a tip. We went to the kitchen then and ate our food while talking. It was a nice meal. Everything was delicious and we shared it all like we were a couple that had been together for a long time instead of a relatively new couple.


    Soon, though, we were done eating and it was time to move on to the next part of the date. This was the part that was going to make me nervous. I didn''t know what we were going to do exactly. I didn''t know what was going to happen between us. I just hoped that it was all going to be pleasant for us both.


    After stacking the dishes back on the cart and putting it in the hall, like we were told to do, we started to make our way back to the bedroom. This was the part that had me the most nervous. This was the part that I wanted more than anything but, yet, was the most afraid of.. I didn''t know how that was possible, but it was.

 Chapter 237 - Ryan – Weekend Alone Part 3

    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    Ben and I were already having such a good time.  Just exploring the room was fun, and then we ate dinner together in the amazing suite. It was just the two of us and it felt so romantic. Now, though, we were done eating and that was when Ben said that he wanted to take a shower. This was going to be the first time that we showered together.


    I was definitely not going to let this opportunity pass me up. I mean, Ben didn''t specifically say that we were going to shower together, but he didn''t say that we weren''t showering together either.


    I wanted to see him in all his glory. Outside of the school locker room that is. I couldn''t properly take my time to look at him when we were there, surrounded by the rest of the team. No, I needed to be alone with him to appreciate that.


    And, up until now, I hadn''t been able to see him at home because he had insisted on us changing in the bathroom and not seeing each other. I was so pissed and slightly annoyed about it. I mean, he was my boyfriend, we loved each other, shouldn''t we be able to see each other? That was obvious to me. And I know he felt that way too, he was just nervous. He was a lot more shy than I was.


    After we were in the bedroom, and close to that awesome bathroom, I took Ben''s hand and pulled him toward the door.


    "Come on, my love. Let''s go take a shower together."


    "U..uh..uhm a..are you s..s..sure you w..want to..?"


    "Shh." I shushed him while kissing his tender lips. "Yes, Ben, I want to take one with you. This weekend is about pushing past our boundaries and limits. It''s about exploring each other and taking steps that we''ve been too hesitant to take before now. I love you, Ben. I love all of you. And I want all of you. So, please, don''t be scared or nervous." I kissed his lips gently once more. "Come with me, my love."


    "O..OK." He nodded almost as if he were in a trance. He was so nervous and so scared, but I could see that he wanted this as much as I did. "Yeah, let''s go." He was feeling more confident by the second. I could tell by the way that he was starting to smile at me. "I love you too, Ryan. You know that. I was the one that confessed to you first. And I don''t want to be without you. I want you. I want all of you. And I want to stop doubting myself."


    "Then, come with me."


    I pulled him into the bathroom then. He didn''t fight me, and he didn''t try to leave either. That was definitely a good thing, in my opinion. I started the shower so that the water could get hot and then I walked back to his side.


    I wanted to be the one to undress him. I wanted to have that privilege since it was going to be our first time together. I wanted to unwrap him like a present. And dammit, no one was going to take that away from me.


    I started with the shirt that he was wearing. In true Ben fashion, he was wearing a dark colored button up shirt. I started to undo those buttons while kissing and licking on his neck. He always tasted so good to me. It was not like he had a specific flavor or anything, it''s just that my tongue loved the way that he tasted and felt against it.


    With all the buttons of the shirt undone, I slid it down his arms and off of him so that it landed on the floor.


    "Haa." He seemed to shudder and cry out from just the feel of my hands brushing along his arms. Now though, it was time for me to remove that t-shirt of his. It was light gray and it clung to him just right so that it showed his beautiful muscles and perfect swimmer''s body. I couldn''t wait to taste more of him. More than just his lips and his neck.


    With my lips pressed to Ben''s, I started to undo the belt and then unbutton his jeans. Thankfully, he wasn''t wearing his shoes, and neither was I, this meant that they wouldn''t get in the way when I was trying to remove his pants and boxers, which I started to push down together.


    I couldn''t get them off of him completely while still kissing him. I needed to bend down. So, what better option did I have than to go all the way to my knees and gently pull his legs from the articles of clothing? There were no better options. I just followed that instinct that told me to do it and moved to rid him of the last layers of clothes, including the black socks that he had been wearing.


    I was now on my knees, looking up at Ben in his fully naked glory. He wasn''t hiding anything from me, and he wasn''t trying to rush to get dressed after swim practice was over. This was just my Ben and nothing else. And, damn, was he fine.


    "Glorious." I smiled at him, and I knew that there was heat in my eyes. He blushed, but I could tell that he was done letting things stop him.


    "Get up here. It''s time for me to undress you. I get to have that privilege too, don''t I."


    "Oh yes, baby, you do." I quickly rose to my feet and waited for him.


    "You''re such a dork." He leaned in and kissed my lips while he reached for the hem of my shirt. I could feel the heat of his hand as it brushed against my stomach and I shivered just like he had.


    "Haa." I moaned just like he had and that made him laugh, but he didn''t stop. He just reached for the button of my jeans and followed the same pattern that I had. He was kissing me until he was unable to bend down without pulling away. He got to his knees, pulled the jeans off and then stared up at me.


    It was so erotic. Looking at him kneeling there on the floor before me, fully naked. It made me want to be with him even more. Damn, I could hardly wait to have him.


    Without warning, Ben leaned forward and pressed his lips to my already hardening shaft.


    "Ahh. Hahh." I cried out and shuddered again. His breath had been like a sweet enveloping cloud around that sensitive part of my body.


    "I''m sorry, I couldn''t help myself." He was smirking when he stood up then. Damn him. That was not fair. I should have done that too. I didn''t know it would be allowed just yet. "Come on, Ryan, let''s get in the shower."


    "Y..yeah." Now he had me stuttering here. Oh, he was good.


    I would have liked to do something in the shower. It would have been fun. However, every time that I got close to Ben, he could tell me that he didn''t want his first time to be in a shower and that we both deserved more than that.


    OK, so he wasn''t wrong. And yeah, I technically agreed with him. But it was so hard to stop myself. I just wanted to touch him. To feel him. To kiss him.


    "You can kiss me. You can touch me. But nothing else here. Nothing at all. Got it?" When I pleaded my case with him, this was what he told me, this was all that he was going to let me have in the shower.


    "Yes, my love. I understand. Kissing and touching, but nothing more."


    "Good."


    He was the first one to kiss me after that. I think that he just needed me to accept that we weren''t going to have sex in the shower right now. He was right, that wouldn''t be very comfortable for our first time together. We can do that later when we are more used to being together. I know that neither of us have ever had sex before, let alone with a man. This was going to be tough for both of us.


    Still, I wouldn''t change a single thing about this moment. I was running my hands down my boyfriend''s back as he kissed me. I moved my hands across the water slicked skin all the way until I could cup his ass in my hands. I squeezed his ass cheeks firmly. Hard, but not enough to hurt him.


    "Nghn." He moaned into my mouth while kissing me. So, I knew that he was enjoying himself. And to prove that he was enjoying himself, he slid his hands across my chest, down my stomach, and all the way down until he could cup my manhood. He squeezed it gently and I felt myself stiffen even more than I already was. That part of me was so hard that it felt like it was never going to be soft or limp again.


    "Oh God!" I broke the kiss to tilt my head back and cry out. Ben seemed to be proud of himself as he gave me a satisfied smile.


    We barely took our hands off of each other. We washed each other so that we didn''t need to let go of each other more than just grabbing soap and rinsing out bodies.


    Finally, we were both fully washed and rinsed off, so it was time to turn off the hot water, dry ourselves off and move into the bedroom.. There was no reason to get dressed since we would just be getting naked again almost immediately.

 Chapter 238 - Ben – Weekend Alone Part 4 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ben


    ~~


    That was by far the best shower of my life. I was already letting go of all of my inhibitions and it was feeling amazing. I couldn''t get enough of the way that Ryan was feeling in the palms of my hands. I loved it all. The way that his muscles moved under his skin. The firmness of his abdomen. The firm, hard, erotic stiffness of his dick. All of it. And of course, the way that he was touching me and kissing me. Neither of us wanted the shower to end, but we also knew that when the shower did end, better things were to come. Oh, and it was hard as hell to resist the urge to just fuck him right then and there. Everything was just so amazing that I wanted more and more.


    We waited, though, and now we were making out fiercely with towels wrapped around our waists as we made our way into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. I fell onto the bed first, so Ryan climbed up over me and continued to kiss me as passionately as he could manage. His tongue was inside of my mouth and seemed to be trying to map it out or something. He was pressing his tongue so passionately inside of me that it was making my dick harden even more. Man, he was a good kisser.


    Our hands were exploring each other, and I couldn''t get enough of it. And as amazing as that was, I needed more. I needed it all. I wanted to taste more of him and to feel more of him. So, it was for that reason that I broke the kiss and pushed him down onto the mattress. I wanted to do something that had been on my mind for a long time.


    I slowly kissed my way down Ryan''s body. I licked, kissed and nipped at his body as I went, stopping just a little to focus on his nipples when I came to them. I was fair too, I paid equal attention to both of the tender pieces of flesh.


    The lower that I got on his body, the faster that Ryan was breathing. I think he knew what was coming and he was quite looking forward to it. I was too, this was something that I had fantasized about a lot over the last few years. I wanted him and this was the first part of him that I was going to have.


    I licked past the curve of his hips and down past the patch of hair that he had just above that tender, sensitive, hard cock of his. My mouth was already watering as I came to a stop and just stared at it. I had been wanting this so bad earlier that I actually kissed it when I undressed him. Now though, I was going to do way more than just kiss it. I was going to, hopefully, blow my boyfriend''s mind with what I had planned.


    I gripped his hard cock in my hand and licked the tip of it.


    "Ahh!" Ryan called out and shuddered again. He was so sensitive, and I loved it. We both were ready and that meant that we were both going to be feeling a lot of different things so intensely soon. And Ryan was the first one to experience them.


    I licked the tip of his dick once more, reveling in the taste of him before I took him in my mouth.


    "OH GOD!" He cried out as my lips slowly slid down his hard shaft. "OH GOD! BEN THAT IS AMAZING!'''' I chuckled with him in my mouth. I felt the way that it caused my mouth to vibrate around him and he shuddered again. "NGH! AHH! HAHH! NGH! MMMM!" He moaned from the feeling of it, almost as if the laughter was too much for him. "Wait!" He called out to me as he reached down to touch my head. "I want to do this for you too. We should do it together. Please, Ben. Let me suck you at the same time." His eyes were pleading with me as I looked up at his body, his hard shaft still in my mouth.


    I slowly pulled back from him, trying my best to make it feel good and he moaned again.


    "NGH! HAHH! AHH!" that last part of his moan was because I had swirled my tongue around his tip before taking it out of my mouth.


    "Are you sure you want to do that, Ryan? I know this is all a lot newer to you than it is to me. I have fantasized about doing this to you, but I don''t know if you have done the same about me."


    "Of course I have. Every day for the last few weeks. I can''t get the idea of tasting you and touching you out of my mind. Let me give you the same pleasure as you are going to give me. We''re going to be equal in this relationship. One hundred percent equal. It''s a give and a take."


    "Okay." I smiled at him. I loved how much he thought about me. I loved how much passion and thought he put into our relationship. He wanted to please me as much as I was going to please him. And he was willing to do something that was still so new to him just to accomplish it. "Just let me move a little and we will be in the right position."


    The bed was huge, but we were still relatively on the edge of it. We hadn''t tried to get to the middle or anything before, but we were now. We needed to be more centered to do what we were wanting to do.


    I flipped around so that my head was toward Ryan''s feet, putting my face level with that glorious erection of his. That also put my hard shaft right in his face. Well, Ryan didn''t waste any time at all. He reached out and grabbed me with eager hands and immediately licked my tip like I had done to him. He was really going to do this. He was really going to suck me while I sucked him. I couldn''t believe it at all.


    Just as I placed my lips back onto Ryan''s delicious cock, I felt him take me deep into his mouth.


    "NGH!" I moaned around him at the feeling of it. Now I know why he had moaned when I took him into my mouth. It felt fucking amazing. Damn! I didn''t know if I could get enough of this.


    I started to move my mouth down to him faster and faster. Moving at a rhythm that I knew was bound to drive him nuts. I knew that because he was matching my rhythm one hundred percent and it was driving me insane.


    Every time that I pulled back, I swirled my tongue around the tip of Ryan''s cock. And every time that I slid my mouth down, I flattened my tongue as much as I could and wrapped it around him as best as I could. When I was at the base of his shaft, I swirled him around in my mouth as best as I could once again. And every time that I did that, Ryan did the same thing to me. He was matching my moves and so I knew exactly what he was feeling at that moment, since I was feeling it too.


    The more that I sucked him in and out of my mouth. The faster that I was going. I was getting frantic. I wanted to make sure that Ryan was feeling as great as I was. I needed to feel this pleasure, but I wanted him to feel it too. And soon, I was feeling that tingling sensation and the tightening in my balls. I was about to come. I was almost there. And so was Ryan. His dick was suddenly a lot harder inside of my mouth and I knew that was him almost being at that point. He was fighting for control just like I was.


    I wanted to make him come before me. I wanted to please him first. Yet I didn''t know if I could hold on that long. It was getting so hard to hold back. I was moaning around Ryan''s dick with every stroke of his mouth. But the plus side was that he was moaning with me as well.


    I couldn''t fight it anymore. I wasn''t able to hold back any longer. I wanted to swallow Ryan''s juices, but I didn''t know if he wanted to do the same to me. Yet I couldn''t hold on any longer. Before I knew it, I was exploding inside of his mouth.


    And at the same moment that I exploded inside of Ryan''s mouth he was exploding inside of mine. We had matched each other with our explosions as well. Everything during that intimate moment was completely equal between us. From start to finish we matched each other move for move.


    I flopped back onto the bed for a moment. I needed to catch my breath and to revel in the glory of what I had just done.


    "God, that was amazing." Ryan panted as he spoke.


    "I..I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to come in your mouth." I was still panting as well, that had taken a lot out of me.


    "I wanted you to do that, dumbass." He laughed as he rose to his knees. Now come here." There was a heated glint in his eyes as he looked down at me.. It was making my dick hard again.

 Chapter 239 - Ryan – Weekend Alone Part 5 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    I had just had the most amazing experience of my life. My first ever blowjob and it was from this man that I loved. And it was a mutual one, what would actually be called a sixty-nine. Honestly, it was awesome, and I would love to do it again, and again, and again.


    Now though, I wanted more. I wanted Ben in every sense of the word. I grabbed his wrists and started to pull him up toward the pillows on the bed. I had hidden a few things up here to be ready when we were putting our stuff away.


    I knew that I needed to be extra gentle and careful with Ben. I knew that if I rushed this and didn''t prepare him, that I could hurt him. Also, a while ago, when I was curious about things like this, I talked to Kai and asked him what I should do. He said that it was best to put a condom on my finger and finger Ben''s ass with lube so that I could open him up. That way, I could slide in easily when I put on a condom, and it wouldn''t hurt him. He also told me that even though we were both virgins, wearing condoms was best until we were both more used to being with each other.


    So, following the advice that I had been given, I pulled the box of condoms out from under the pillow along with the lube. I tore open a package, slid it onto my fingers, and covered them in the lube.


    "Ryan, what are you doing?" Ben asked with a suspicious tone to his voice.


    "Don''t worry, my love, I am just getting you ready."


    I didn''t say anything else. I just slid my hand between Ben''s legs and brought my fingers to his opening.


    "Ngh!?" He moaned out in confusion, not sure what it was that I was doing.


    "Shh. Don''t worry. It''s OK." I soothed him with a kiss. While my lips were still on his I pressed my fingers forward and slid inside of him.


    He was tight and so hot on the inside. And he threw his head back in shock and pleasure as he moaned from the intrusion.


    "AH! AHHH!"


    "Are you OK?" I asked him, wanting to make sure that I wasn''t hurting him.


    "Y..yes. It''s fine. It feels good." He was smiling and looking at me with lust in his eyes, so I knew that he wasn''t lying. That was all I needed to keep going. I wanted him to enjoy this, not find it painful. "Keep going."


    With his encouragement, I moved my fingers more and more. I could feel that he was becoming less tense and more open the more that I moved my fingers inside of him. He was getting ready for me. His body was preparing itself for me. And that was fucking amazing. I wanted this so bad. I needed this. I have been looking forward to being together like this for the last couple of weeks. Ever since I realized that I was in love with Ben, it was all that I could think about. It was all that I wanted. And now, I was going to get it.


    "AH! AHH! AHH! NGH! MMM! R..R..RYAN, I WANT YOU! I WANT YOU INSIDE OF ME NOW! NOT JUST YOUR FINGER BUT YOU!" He was literally moaning the words as I fingered his ass, but he was desperate for me to take him. Well, I wasn''t about to deny him. I was going to pleasure my man. I was going to make him feel so good that he could never forget this moment.


    "OK, baby. I''m coming inside of you now. Let me just slide this on first." I ripped open the condom, put it on, and then slathered it in lube. I didn''t want to hurt him. Even though he had opened for me, I still needed to be gentle with him.


    Ben wrapped his arms around my neck as I hooked his knees over my elbows. I wanted to face him while I made love to him. I wanted to see his face and know how much he was enjoying that.


    When I pressed myself against his opening, I slid right on in. There was so much lube that it was really easy for me to press inside of him without causing him any pain at all.


    "NGH!" He moaned at the feel of it. And what pleasure I was giving him.


    And, oh God, wasn''t that just the best feeling in the world. The way that his body closed around my dick was like heaven on earth. It was the best feeling I had ever felt. Even better than the mutual blowjobs that we had given each other.


    It was time for me to move now. I pulled back until just my tip was inside of him. It was a slow pull, I didn''t want to move too fast at first. Not until his body was more used to me being inside of him.


    I slid forward again, slowly reaching his furthest depths and grinding against him.


    "OH GOD! RYAN! THAT IS AMAZING! PLEASE! PLEASE MOVE FASTER! PLEASE!" He was begging me to give him more. Well, who was I to deny him? I wanted this as much as he did. So, I was going to oblige him happily.


    I started to pull out of him faster and slide into him harder. I was moving in a hard, fast and frantic rhythm. I was giving him what he wanted. I was giving him my all. This was so good for me as well as for him. As I watched Ben''s face I saw that he was enjoying every moment of this. He seemed to be happy, pleased, and feeling so good.


    "I love you, Ben." I called out to him as I thrust deep inside of him.


    "I love you too, Ryan. Oh God, I love you so much." He cried out in a fast and high pitched voice. "I love you." He repeated it and it made my heart swell and my dick harden.


    I was filled with some sort of vigor after that. I needed to give him all of me. It was almost like I had lost control. I was slamming into him harder and harder with each thrust. The sound of our bodies hitting against each other was like an erotic song that I couldn''t get enough of. This was the best feeling in the world. And I didn''t want it to end.


    "AH! AHH! HMM! NGH! MMMM! AHHH! HAHH!" He was moaning nonstop, but he wasn''t the only one.


    "Hahh! Hahh! NGH! NGHN! HMM! MMMM! AHH! AHHH!" I was right there with him, panting and moaning as I slammed in and out of his hot body. It was wonderful. It was amazing. And I couldn''t get enough of it.


    I wanted to feel more of his body, not just press into him. I needed to press us together. I needed to feel more of him right this minute. So, I changed our position.


    I sat back on my heels, pulling Ben up off of the bed with me. I didn''t pull out of him, but I made it so that I was sitting on the mattress and Ben was on top of me and sliding all the way down. Gravity was helping to pull him down, but it was me lifting him up and him pressing his legs into the mattress that lifted him off of my dick. And each time that he was up, I pulled him down hard as I thrusted my hips up and rammed inside of him.


    This new position made me slide deeper inside of him. It allowed for that deeper connection. It was even better than it had been before, and even that had felt like the best thing on the planet. Was this pleasure ever going to stop? God, I really hoped it didn''t.


    Also, with this position, I was able to press my lips against Ben''s. We were closer. We were more intimate. It allowed for so many more possibilities. Like Ben running his hands all over my body and digging his fingers into my back and scratching out his pleasure. I could also kiss and suck on his neck while he did what he wanted. This position was a lot better in many ways.


    I was slamming into Ben with that crushing force and I could feel my body tightening. It was hard to keep going, but I couldn''t stop just yet. I needed to please my boyfriend. I needed to make him as happy as could be. But dammit, I just couldn''t hold on any longer.


    With a cry of pleasure, I exploded inside of Ben.


    "NGH! AHH! AHHH! AHHHHH!" But I wasn''t the only one to cry out.


    "AHHHH! RYAN! NGH! AHHH! AHH!" And the moment that he cried out, he exploded between us, covering us both in his hot, sticky fluids.


    We both fell to the side and collapsed onto the mattress. I was exhausted but I didn''t want to be done. I wanted to keep going. I just needed to catch my breath first. I needed to let my racing heart calm down. And I needed to please my boyfriend even more. Whatever he wanted. However much of it he wanted, he would get it. I wanted him to be happy. I wanted to be as generous with him as I possibly could. I would do anything for him.. Anything at all.

 Chapter 240 - Split - Weekend Alone Part 6 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ryan


    ~~


    Finally, my heart was settling down and my breathing was becoming more steady. Ben had climbed off of the bed to grab one of the towels that we had brought into the room with us. He was using that towel to clean his chest and stomach before cleaning me up. We both needed to wipe that stuff off of us. However, the fact that it was there meant that we both needed to take another shower. Maybe I will be able to take him in the shower next time. It would be a fun thing to try.


    I could feel the way that Ben was rubbing my body to get rid of the fluids. He was being thorough, but he was also playing with me as well. He was trying to make me excited again. And it was working.


    "You want me to take you again?" I asked him with a laugh.


    "Not exactly." He grinned at me. "I want to give you everything that you gave me."


    At that, Ben pulled the bottle of lube and a condom toward him. He was sliding the condom on his fingers and pouring the lube onto them. What the hell? Was he planning on doing to me literally everything that I did to him?  I didn''t know if I was ready for that yet, but he definitely was.


    "Ben?" I called out to him as he slid his hand to my opening.


    "Shh, it''s ok baby. It''s going to feel amazing." And with that, he slid inside of me.


    "NGH! AHH!" It was a shock, that was for sure. I hadn''t been expecting this sensation at all, but he wasn''t wrong. It felt amazing. It didn''t hurt and the way that he was pressing inside of me was making me hard again.


    "See, it''s good, isn''t it?"


    "NGH! AHH! Y..Y..YEAH! I..IT''S GOOD! SO GOOD!"


    ~~


    Ben


    ~~


    Ryan had just made me feel so amazing. He had given me everything that I had wanted. Well, all but for one thing. There was something else that I wanted. Something else that I needed from him. I wanted to be inside of him and not just have him inside of me.


    This was mutual. That was what he said. We were equal in this relationship. And to me, that meant that we were to give and receive from each other. That was the sort of relationship I wanted. I wanted to please him as much as he pleased me.


    I didn''t want to just be the one that received it. I wanted to give it back to him just as much. I want to hear him scream and moan for me like I had for him. I wanted to hear his voice. His cries. His moans. All of it. I wanted to have all of Ryan just like he had all of me.


    I don''t know where he learned to prepare me like he did, but I was doing the same for him. I was pressing my fingers inside of him and feeling his tight, hot body squeeze them tightly.


    As I moved my fingers in him again and again, I could feel him changing. He was getting looser. He was getting slicker. It was like his body was getting ready to take more. Was this what he felt? Was this how he knew that I was ready for him.


    I didn''t want to wait for Ryan to ask me to take him. I didn''t want to wait for him to beg me like I had for him. I needed to be inside of him. It was almost like that moment when I begged him to come inside of me. Like when I begged him to fuck me. I was that frantic and needy for him. I needed to feel him. I needed to be inside of him right now.


    In a rush, I pulled my hand out of Ryan and heard him moan in pleasure as well as loss.


    "Ngh! Mmm! Huhh!" He wanted me. He needed me. He just wouldn''t tell me that he needed me. He was shy about this part and only this part. And I knew that he was not expecting me to take him like he had taken me. I do believe that he thought he was going to be a giver, a top only. Well, that''s not what I wanted. I wanted it all. I wanted to feel both sensations. I wanted to give and receive.


    Now, with rushed and hurried moves, I was sliding a condom onto my painfully hard cock. I covered it in lube and rubbed it around while I put myself into the same position that Ryan had been when he first slid into me. His knees were hooked over my elbows and I was leaning over him.


    I was poised at his entrance, and I could feel the excitement coursing through me. I wanted this so bad. I wanted my Ryan. And he wasn''t stopping me.


    "Ryan? Can I?" I asked him. It was the first time since I started this that I gave him a choice.


    "Yes, Ben, yes. Please, take me. I want to feel you. I want it to be even between us. That was what I said. So please, come inside of my body. Slide into me and take me."


    "God, I love you." I kissed his lips softly before I slid gently into him.


    He was hot and oh so tight. I couldn''t believe it. This was so great. It felt just as good or better than when I had Ryan inside of me. It was the best feeling in the world.


    "Ngh! Ahh!" He cried out when I entered him, and I moaned as well.


    "AHH! HMM! NGH!"


    I started to move inside of him. Slow at first. I didn''t want to be too rough. I wanted to be gentle at first like he was with me. I wanted to let his body get used to me like he had done with me. I needed to treat him like he treated me. It was only fair.


    My rhythm at first was slow and steady. I was pressing into him as deep as I could go and grinding against his ass. It was such an amazing feeling that for a little bit, I thought that this was all that I needed, all that I was going to do. But soon, Ryan got as needy as I had been earlier.


    "Please, Ben. Please. Fuck me. Fuck me harder and faster. Fuck me like you wanted me to fuck you. Please." He begged me like I begged him earlier.


    "Whatever you want, Ryan. Whatever you want."


    With a grin, I pulled back and then slammed into him hard and fast. It felt so much better than the slow thrusts that I had been giving him earlier. I wanted more. I wanted it all.


    I slammed into him again and again. Harder and harder with each thrust. I pounded into him until we were both panting and screaming in pleasure.


    "AH! AH! NGH! HMM! MMM!


    "NGHN! HAHH! MMM! AHH!"


    Again and again, I thrust into Ryan. And I could tell that we were both getting to that point where we couldn''t take anymore. We were both about to reach our breaking point. We were both about to come. And I wanted us to come together once again. We had come together both times before, and I wanted to do it again.


    So, to ensure that we would come together, I kept holding back as much as I could. I held off until I was certain that he was going to come. I wanted to make sure that we were going to be experiencing that ecstasy together.


    And, sure enough, the moment that I couldn''t take anymore, the moment that I was forced to explode inside of Ryan because I couldn''t stop it, he exploded between us, spraying himself with his juices just like I had done. It was perfect. It was beautiful. And it was everything that I had ever imagined it would be.


    "Hahh. Hahh. Hahh." I flopped onto the mattress, pulling myself from inside of his body as I went. We were both spent, and I knew it. Though I was feeling thoroughly satisfied so I didn''t mind that I was feeling so tired.


    "Man, that was awesome." Ryan laughed next to me. I didn''t know that you could be so forceful."


    "Neither did I." I laughed with him. "But I am glad that I could be."


    "Me too. It was a pleasant surprise."


    After that, we took a shower again. We didn''t do anything in it then, but we did the next day. We also had sex in the hot tub. In the living room on the couch. Up against the wall. And several more times in bed. We did not leave the suite at all the entire weekend, we just ordered room service for food and made love to each other over and over again. And by the time that Saturday night rolled in, we could barely move. We finally soaked in the hot tub just to relax and not to have sex.


    It was one hell of a weekend, and I definitely would never forget it.


    By the time that we made it home on Sunday afternoon, I was already missing our time away. Though I knew that this was not going to be the end of us being together. We did share a room at the house after all, and now, I wouldn''t be too shy or nervous to be with my boyfriend.. This was the start of an exciting new chapter of my life.

 Chapter 241 - Ocean – Back To School

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Despite the fact that they both looked to be in a little bit of pain, they were both very happy. And I was happy for them. I remember mine and Makai''s first time and it was a pretty intense and amazing experience.


    I had just decided not to say anything, and I knew that Makai wouldn''t say anything either. However, that was when Makai''s parents came into the room from the kitchen and, of course, Dad just had to say something.


    "Look at you two. Did you have a sex marathon, or did you get run over by a truck?"


    "Reef!" Momma smacked him on his arm hard enough for us all to hear it. "Do not embarrass them like that."


    "It''s fine, Mom. I don''t mind." Ryan grinned and put his arm around the blushing Ben.


    "Hey, when did you start calling her mom?" Makai looked up with shock in his eyes.


    "Since I told them to. Just think of them as your adopted brothers from now on." Momma snapped back at him.


    "I don''t have a problem with it, I just thought it was strange. And, maybe Ocean''s parents should adopt one of them. That way they aren''t brothers to each other." Makai was laughing at his own little joke.


    "Yeah, my mom would be happy to adopt Ben." I added with a grin.


    "What? She wouldn''t want to adopt me?" Ryan looked as if someone had just taken a puppy from him or something.


    "W..well, you know, sh..she really does like you and all, but I think she would pick Ben over you."


    "That''s so mean, Ocean!" He crossed his arms and pouted at me. "I didn''t want to be your brother anyway." He stuck his tongue out at me then and I couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Well, if you''re Makai''s adopted brother then you will be my brother in-law. And if my mom adopts Ben-."


    "Just hush." He growled at me. "Come on baby, let''s put our stuff away."


    "Don''t call me that." Ben snapped at him.


    "I called you that all weekend." He pointed out to him as the two of them left the room.


    "Yeah, but there were no people around then." I could tell that Ben was still quite embarrassed about it all. I thought it was funny and a little priceless. Makai and I had those names, but we only used them when people weren''t around. Ben wanted that sort of tact from Ryan, but he was unlikely to get it.


    When I looked over at Makai, I saw him smiling at me and mouthing the same word that he used for me, ''baby''.


    "Don''t." I snapped at him before he could actually say it. That earned laughter from both Makai and his dad. Damn them.


    For the rest of the night, Makai and I worked on the assignments that we needed to do while we were gone. Ben and Ryan put their stuff away and then came to sit in the living room with everyone. I think they put on a movie and watched it while snuggling on the couch, but I admit that I wasn''t paying that much attention to them. I was focusing too much on the work that Makai and I needed to do.


    I had missed two weeks of school and practice. It was time for me to get back to the old routine of how things were supposed to be. We only had four months of school left and then we were going to be done. We would be packing up and moving to our own place over the summer. It was all moving so fast. And, to be honest, I thought that a little more regular high school days would be good for me and Makai.


    The night passed in a blur and, before I knew it, I was waking up in the morning wrapped in Makai''s arms. I was fully clothed so I knew nothing happened last night, but I was still confused with how time had jumped so quickly. I think that I studied too much and that it fried my brain.


    "Good morning, sleepyhead." Makai kissed my forehead before trying to disentangle us.


    "Hmm. Good morning." I stretched while I answered him. "How late did we study? I don''t even remember stopping and going to bed."


    "Probably because you fell asleep during the last assignment, and I had to carry you to bed. You know, you''re lucky that I am strong and that I love you." He leaned in and poked my nose as he spoke.


    "Yeah, like you''re actually complaining. You probably enjoyed carrying me. And knowing you, you probably groped the shit out of my ass while you did it too."


    "Well.." He shrugged his shoulders and looked really, really guilty. That ass hat.


    "You perv." I shook my head at him and rolled my eyes. "But thank you for carrying me to bed.


    "Mmhmm. Now, get up and get ready. We have to go to practice."


    "Yes! Time for me to get back in the pool."


    Talking about swimming practice made me really happy. I was excited to get back in the pool and I wanted to show everyone that I was bouncing back stronger than ever. I would reclaim my first place position. And when the nationals trip came up, I would then show them all why I was invited there to begin with. I would show them all that I was the same old Ocean. No, I would show them that I was better than the old Ocean.


    I hurried out of the bed so that I could hurry up and get dressed. I needed to pack a new bag for the locker room, since my old locker had been smashed in and I hadn''t been able to get my stuff out of it before this all happened.


    "Hmm. I wonder what locker I am going to use today." I mused to myself as I pulled a t-shirt over my head.


    "Yeah, I don''t know if your locker is fixed yet. If it''s not, then just share with me. It''s not like I''m going to steal your stuff." Makai laughed.


    "Oh no, I can''t do that, you''d sniff my underwear." I laughed back at him, making him into more of a perv than he already seemed like.


    "Ha ha. If I wanted to do that, I could do it every day. However, I am not interested in sniffing them. I have you with me all the time and that is enough."


    "Y..you''re, y..you''re.., you''re a dork." I stuttered my way though that and totally lost all credibility that I had to begin with. Now he was going to make fun of me because of this.


    "Hey, are you two ready to go now, right?" Ryan called out to us a little while after we had finished our breakfast.


    "Yes, what about you?" Makai answered.


    "Yeah, let''s just go together. There is no reason to waste gas and ruin the environment even more. Come on." Ryan headed toward the door. "We can take my car since it''s big enough for everyone."


    "So is mine." I informed him as I rushed out of the house after him.


    "Fine, mine today, yours tomorrow." He grabbed Ben''s hand and ran to his car ahead of us.


    "Let him. He''s in such a good mood right now, I don''t want to do anything to bring him down." Makai took my hand then and pulled me toward Ryan''s car and the back seat.


    It wasn''t a long drive to get us to the school, but I spent the entire time with Makai''s arm wrapped around me. As happy as I was about going back to school, I was also nervous. And him holding me was making it all a lot better.


    When I got out of the car for practice, I was glad to see that there were very few people here. That meant that we got to the locker room and to get ready before the rest of the team arrived. I didn''t want them staring at me and looking for injuries.


    The four of us rushed to the locker room after that. We were, thankfully, the first ones in there. And the first thing that I noticed when I got there was that my locker was fixed. It was open and empty but there was a brand new row of lockers in its place.


    "Huh, did they replace them all?" Makai asked.


    "Oh, yeah, they did that while you were gone. I forgot to tell you about it. Sorry. Your stuff should be in the coach''s office. He will give it all to you, along with a new lock since they were cut off.


    "Oh, cool. I guess we should go see the coach first, so we can get our locks."


    "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." Makai nodded at my words. "Come on."


    Together we left the locker room so that we could go talk to the coach. I bet that he was going to be happy to have me back.. He would want me to get back to training as soon as possible.

 Chapter 242 - Ocean – Coachs Orders

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Makai and I walked across the pool area to the coach''s office. Thankfully, Coach Dickson was in there. He looked up immediately when we knocked.


    "Hey boys, come on in." He was already on his feet and walking around his desk. "How are you doing, Ocean? Are you healing? Getting better? What all happened to you? And don''t get me started on you, Makai. You missed a week of practice."


    "Y..yeah, b..but I had Ben and Ryan tell you about it. I was with Ocean on his recovery trip." Makai was floundering at the coach''s angry words.


    "Having them tell me about it isn''t enough. What the heck were you thinking? We have a competition coming up and my two top swimmers were out of commission. Well, one was out of commission, the other was just out." The coach was clearly very angry about Makai skipping practices. "If I didn''t need your ass on this team, I''d cut you right here and now." I knew that he wouldn''t cut Makai from the team, he was probably just worried about him being gone after everything that happened.


    "I''m sorry, coach." Makai bowed his head in shame at the man that had just yelled at him. "But I really was with Ocean on his recovery retreat. We were making sure that he was better and able to come back today."


    "Yeah?" Coach Dickson was obviously suspicious of his words. "And how did that go? Huh? Did you get lots of alone time together?" He glared at Makai, and I just laughed. I don''t know why I laughed but I did. It was funny. I can''t believe that the damn coach knew what we had done all week. "Can you testify to how healthy Ocean is now, Makai? How is his stamina?" Makai''s face was a sheet of shock and horror while I still couldn''t stop laughing.


    "I..I don''t want to answer those questions, coach." This was the first time that I had seen Makai so flustered that he couldn''t talk. This was hilarious.


    "No worries, coach. That wasn''t the whole purpose of the trip. And I can assure you that I am healthy. And my stamina is intact." I decided to be corny then so I made double finger guns and shot them at him while I made a clicking noise in the side of my mouth. I swear I looked just like a stupid character in a cheap film. It was probably a poorly made porn film, given the topic of discussion that we were having at the moment.


    "I did not need to know that." At that moment, the coach put his face in his hands and started to laugh. "I swear, you two are such a handful." The laughter continued but he was no longer holding his head. Instead, Coach Dickson had thrown his head back and was laughing long and loud.


    "I would make another joke and say that''s what she said, but I would rather think that I was bigger than that." This time Makai and the coach cracked up laughing. I was on a roll today. Hmm. Maybe I came out of the head injury as a funnier man than I had been before.


    "Just stop. Please just stop, Ocean. I don''t know how much more I can take." Okay, this was too good to pass up.


    "Now, that''s what she said."


    "HA HA HA HA HA! I guess I walked into that one, didn''t I?" He was laughing harder than he had been before. I probably should stop, he was turning red in the face.


    "Alright. Alright. I''m done for now." I assured him. I am sorry for making you laugh so hard."


    "Thank you." Finally, the coach''s laughter was dying down a little bit. I mean, I had stopped telling jokes so he should be able to calm down.


    It took a few moments before the coach was able to take a deep breath and stop the laughter altogether. And when it did finally pass, he started his questioning again right away.


    "Alright, let''s move on now. Why are you boys here to see me?"


    "We came to get our new locks. Since they were cut off of our lockers." Makai answered him in a calm tone. He wasn''t laughing anymore either.


    "Ah, yeah, you need those."


    The coach reached behind him and picked up one of the locks but not both. That was weird, but okay.


    "Here, Makai." He handed it over and didn''t make a move to get mine.


    "Uhm, Coach?" I held my hand out to him for my lock.


    "Ocean, did you swim at all during your recovery week? Have you gotten into a pool once since you were injured?"


    "U..uhm, n..no." I figure it was best not to lie to him right now.


    "Uh huh. And you want to be back in my pool right now? Well, that is a big fat nope. You need to make sure that your doctor clears you to swim and that you train at home first. I am not going to let you back in this pool until I know for certain that you can handle the strain of swimming competitively. Do you understand me?"


    "But Coach, I-."


    "No buts, Ocean. This is my decision. This is your third head injury since September, and I am not putting you at risk before I know if you can handle it."


    "I swear to you Coach, I can handle it. I can swim. Please, just let me swim with the team and I can prove it to you." I was begging him. I couldn''t believe that I was being sent away again. This was the second time this year. I needed to ''get better'' and be ''cleared by my doctor'' or whatever else it was that he needed from me.


    "Ocean, I saw you that day. I saw how badly you were hurt. I saw what happened to you. I saw what was done to you. I don''t know why you two wanted it covered up and hushed over, but I know the truth. I know what Justin did to you, Ocean. How can you come to me just two weeks later and ask to be put back into the pool? This is insane."


    "It looked worse than it was, I wasn''t actually hurt that bad, Coach. I swear I wasn''t. And Justin was sick. I..I probably shouldn''t tell you this, Sir, but when they took Justin to the hospital they found out that he had a tumor in his brain. It was right where his impulse controls and emotions were controlled. H..he wasn''t doing those things because he wanted to. It was the tumor. And according to the doctor, it had been slowly growing for years. I''ve met with Justin since it was removed, and he is a totally different person. He is better now, Sir. I promise you that. He also can''t remember anything since before the incident."


    "That''s convenient for him, isn''t it?" Coach didn''t seem to be convinced or happy with what I had said to him. "I don''t know if I am willing to forgive him as quickly as you two are. However, I understand what you''re saying. But it doesn''t change my decision. You''re going to get a doctor''s clearance and swim at home. Or go to your boyfriend''s house. I hear that he has a pool."


    "It''s his pool too." Makai whispered under his breath, but it was obviously louder than he had planned since both me, and the coach could hear it.


    "Come again?"


    "Oh, come on Coach, are we starting the ''that''s what she said'' jokes again?" Makai laughed at him.


    "No, we''re not. What do you mean by your pool is Ocean''s pool? Are you two living together or something?"


    "Uh..uh..uhm, w..w..well-." I was stuttering and unable to answer him. However, he figured it out.


    "SERIOUSLY?" He bellowed at us. "After everything that happened?"


    "Well, to be fair, we''ve been living together since Thanksgiving, so the most recent events had no bearing on them at all."


    "I cannot believe you two. I seriously cannot believe you two. How could you do this? How could you live together like this? You''re still in high school for crying out loud."


    "Well, to be fair, our parents approve." I wanted to let him know that this wasn''t as bad as it could be.


    "And we''re engaged." Makai added.


    "MAKAI!" I snapped at him. I can''t believe he just said that.


    "What? I thought that it would make him feel better about the situation. I mean, we''re getting married over the summer, aren''t we?"


    "He did not need to know that." I growled at him.


    "Well, I guess Makai is right. If you''re going to get married, living together is normal. Even if you are doing things a little fast for my liking. And congrats on the engagement. Invite me to the wedding, I will buy you both a brain for your gifts." He was laughing again. Apparently, the coach thought this was all very funny.


    "Thanks."


    "Now go, both of you. Makai, get ready for practice. Ocean, go to the library and study. There is a pop quiz today on what we learned last week."


    "Oh, well then I am glad I did all my missing work." I laughed. "And I will get the doctor''s approval right away, Coach. I will be swimming as soon as I can."


    "Yeah, yeah, just go. Get out of here. You guys gave me a headache." His words were not nice, but he was smiling and his voice was calm.. So I knew that he was just joking with us.

 Chapter 243 - Makai – Poor Ocean

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean may have appeared to be holding it together when he left the coach''s office. He may have been smiling and laughing. But that was all just a fa?ade. I could see the pain and the heartache in his eyes.


    He was hiding the way that he was truly feeling from everyone else, but he couldn''t hide it from me. I knew him too well. And I was far too in tune with him for me not to notice it. So, when he waved bye to me and left the pool for the library, it nearly shattered my heart.


    The only thing that kept me from losing it altogether was the knowledge that he was being strong. I couldn''t let this get to me if he was trying so hard not to let it get to him. He was my Ocean, he was my boyfriend, he was my fianc¨¦, and I needed to be there for him. However, at this point in time, I had a feeling that the only way for me to be there for him was to give him silent support.


    I also needed to get Ocean back in the water and back on the team. I knew that would make him feel better. And I also knew just how to get all of it done. Once practice was over, I would be calling a certain someone. Someone that I knew would want to help Ocean.


    I went back to my locker, changed, and put my stuff away. After that, I headed out with everyone else as they all started to do their stretches before practice. I was doing mine along with them, but I was also thinking about Ocean as I did it.


    "RIVERS!" Coach called out to me. "Stop daydreaming and get in the damn pool. You''re up."


    "Oh, yeah, sorry Coach." I jumped and rushed to stand in position. When the whistle sounded, I dove into the pool and swam a good run. It was on par with my usual time, and I beat my opponent so it was all good. I went back to stretch some more and think about what I was going to say to Dr. Malachi. He was the one that would sign off on Ocean being back in the water. He just needed to be updated on the circumstances.


    Following practice, I rushed into the locker room and got dressed as quickly as I could. I wanted to meet Ocean at the library before he headed to class. I wanted to walk with him and prove to him that I didn''t care if we showed off our relationship.


    In the past, he wanted to hide everything because he thought that people would turn against us. However, that didn''t happen. And maybe, just maybe, if we were more open about everything at school, he would be a little less tense about everything.


    "Ocean?!" I called out to him just as he was leaving the library. I almost missed him. Had I not rushed the way that I had, I would have missed him altogether.


    "Makai? What are you doing here? Why didn''t you head to class? This is so far out of the way." He looked at me like he was confused. And the first thing that I noticed about his expression was that he was feeling so down. He wasn''t keeping the pain in as much as he had been before.


    "I wanted to walk with you." I grabbed his hand then and pulled him close to me.


    "Makai!" He tried to tug away from me while looking at the people that were around us. None of them were looking at us at all.


    "It''s fine, Ocean. They know we''re dating. Trust me, after that kiss a couple weeks ago, they all know." I reminded him of when he kissed me in front of the whole school on the school steps.


    "W..well, that was different. We don''t need to do this." He tried to take his hand away from me.


    "Yes, Ocean, we do." I pulled him closer. "I love you and I want them all to know it. We''re a couple, so let''s act like one."


    "W..well, I guess." He shrugged at me and looked around the hall. "B..but do you think that it is okay for us to do this?"


    "Yes, I do." I pulled his hand to my lips and kissed his knuckles. "I really do, Ocean."


    "O..Okay." He nodded at me with his eyes opened wide. Though, he did stop pulling on his hand so that I could hold onto it.


    "Good. Now let''s go before we''re late." The smile on my face told him how happy that I was, yet he still looked miserable.


    My poor Ocean was so upset, and I didn''t know how to stop this from happening. He just wanted to swim. It wasn''t the first time this year that he was in this position, and it was truly upsetting. He was the only person on the team that has been put on medical restriction. And it''s been twice now. That had to be eating away at him. It had to be so upsetting to him.


    I needed to get this taken care of. My poor Ocean didn''t need to be ostracized like this. He needed to swim. That was what was going to make him happy. And I would always do whatever it took to make my man happy.


    "Hey, Ocean, you''re back!" Another student in our math class called out to us. His name was Quinton, and he was a senior like us.


    "Hey Quin. Yeah, I''m back." Ocean smiled sheepishly at him. I think he was nervous because I was still holding his hand.


    "I see you and Kai are being more open now. That is awesome. Seeing the two of you be so open that day in front of the school gave guys like me the courage to be open too. Me and my boyfriend came out to the whole school last week."


    "Really?" Ocean looked surprised, probably as surprised as I felt.


    "Yeah. I wanted to thank you for being such an inspiration for the rest of us. If guys like the two of you, the most popular guys in the school, came out to everyone, then there was no reason for us to hide anymore. Thank you." Quinton ran back to his seat after that since the bell had just rung.


    "See, Ocean? We''re an inspiration." I whispered into his ear and then kissed his cheek before walking him to our seats at the back of the room.


    True to his word, there was a pop quiz right after Coach got to the classroom. He had warned Ocean so that he didn''t fall behind, but we had studied this last night, so we were all good. I knew that the two of us were going to do well on it.


    The morning seemed to speed by. There was nothing truly major or important that happened. It was all just a normal school day. Even lunch didn''t seem to be any different than normal. No one had a problem with me and Ocean being together or anything at all. It was like they didn''t know or they didn''t care.


    Well, there was one thing that was different. And that was brought up while we were all eating.


    "Man, it''s good not to have to worry about Brittney causing problems. I am so glad that she left the school. She hadn''t been back since that day." Katie''s words reminded me about it. There was no Bitch here to disturb us.


    "Oh, she didn''t leave the school." Ryan contradicted her so much that it was like it just happened without thinking. I could even see the oops face that was forming on his face.


    Dammit! No one was supposed to know that Brittney was in ''jail''. Ben and Ryan knew about it because they were at the house with us, not to mention that my parents were part of the trial as witnesses. They didn''t know that it was a sea folk courthouse or that there were absolutely no humans in it at all. They just thought that she was tried and found guilty of her crimes. And the only crime that they knew about was Brittney going to the hospital and attacking Ocean after she left school that day. They didn''t know what else happened and they didn''t need to know.


    "What do you mean she didn''t leave the school?" Katie asked him immediately.


    "Did she turn invisible?" Alexis asked him.


    "Did she shrink to the size of a borrow so she can live in the walls?" She looked at the other girls as they stared at her like she was being weird. "What? It was my favorite book in middle school." They laughed and looked back at Ryan.


    "W..well, she didn''t actually withdraw from the school. Sh..she''s somewhere else." Ryan was getting nervous, and he very well should be.


    "Where is she, then?" The always inquisitive Katie asked him.


    "W..well, uhm, I..I think Ocean and Kai can answer that better." He was throwing us under the bus here.


    "Ocean?" She was hyper focused on him now.


    "Brittney was arrested." He was short and sweet but they weren''t going to let it go so easily.


    "No way? Why? What happened?"


    "Hahh." He sighed and set his hamburger down. "Two weeks ago, the day that she ''left school'' she came to the hospital and attacked me. She tried to kill me and was arrested. So, she''s in jail. Apparently, she''s already had her trial. There was enough evidence, and her lawyer wasn''t interested in slowing things down. And I guess Brittney was confident that she was going to get off without being punished so she pushed to have the trial rushed too. Now she is serving her time."


    "HOLY SHIT!" The three girls yelled the words to the room a little loudly.


    "Are you serious? Damn, that is insane." Alexis shook her head. "I always knew she was crazy."


    The rest of lunch passed by with them asking questions and Ocean and I dodging them as best as we could. Honestly, that was the most exciting part of the school day. And before long, it was time for practice again. That was when my poor Ocean went to the library again. He was going to study some more and finish his homework for the day while the rest of us were in practice.


    I felt so bad for him having to sit out like that. And all throughout practice I was distracted again. It didn''t affect me, but I knew that everyone could tell what was wrong with me. Mostly because when I was in the locker room, so many of the guys were consoling me.


    "It''s okay, Kai, he will be back to swimming soon."


    "I know that you''re going to help him, and we''re all here for him."


    "Chin up, man. Ocean will be back in the pool soon."


    It honestly felt good that they were being so nice about it all. I knew that they were true friends of Ocean''s, and even of me too. And none of them seemed to care that we were gay and dating. Thank God for that one.


    After their consoling words, I ran back to get dressed, just like I did before. I wanted to go get  my boyfriend from the library again.


    "YOU CAN''T LEAVE WITHOUT US, YOU KNOW! THERE''S NO REASON TO RUSH!" Ryan called after me laughingly. I didn''t care. I needed to be there for my poor Ocean. I needed to be there to let him know that all of our teammates were rooting for him. He needed to know that things were all going so well.


    Also, I wanted to kiss him. I know that he would be embarrassed, but I still wanted to do it. It would be so erotic to kiss him in the library like one of those cheesy manga scenes. I definitely wanted to try it.

 Chapter 244 - Ocean – What To Do Now

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I was just packing my stuff up. If I knew anything about the afternoon practices, it was what time they typically ended. So, yeah, I knew that I needed to go so that I could meet the others in the parking lot at Ryan''s car. And I guess that, starting tomorrow, we would be taking two cars to school since I needed to leave long after they got to school, and go home long before them as well.


    DAMMIT! I was still pissed about everything that had happened today. I wasn''t allowed to swim. I wasn''t allowed to do anything. This was bullshit. Why couldn''t I just do what I wanted to? Why did I have to be the only person on the team that this has ever happened to? Dammit!


    I had just finished packing all of my stuff into my bag when Makai came running into the library. I was the only one in here, everyone else that had been here after school ended had left a long time ago. Now, it was just me and Makai.


    "There you are." He gave me a smile that was a little more evil than usual.


    "What''s up? Why did you run all the way here?" I looked at him and how his clothes were disheveled and the fact that his hair was a wet mess.


    "I wanted to, that''s why. Do you have a problem with it?" He was talking almost like he was angry. Not only that, but he was coming toward me as he spoke. He was walking with slow, deliberate steps. His feet were falling with a loud thud each time that he put it down. What the hell was going on?


    "M..Makai? What are you doing?" I asked him nervously as I slowly backed away from the table that I was standing next to.


    "Heh heh heh." Even that laugh was sinister and evil sounding. Just what in the world was he doing right now? I didn''t get it. I didn''t know what it was that he wanted from me.


    "Makai? What is going on with you? Are you mad at me about something?" Something had clearly happened to him. And it didn''t look like something that was good either.


    "You can''t tell?" His voice was low and deep. It was almost like he was trying to intimidate me.


    The first thing that came to my mind, was that maybe that time that Brittney had sung to him, when we were in the hospital, maybe it was finally taking effect or something. If that were the case, then I was doomed. I couldn''t fight Makai. No matter what he did, I wouldn''t be able to fight the man that I was in love with.


    "Makai?" I squeaked out his name as I bumped into the wall between two bookshelves.


    At that moment, Makai came right up in front of me. That was when his left hand slammed against the wall next to my head. There was a glint in his eyes that I wasn''t able to comprehend. Part of him looked excited and happy but the other part was filled with this darker emotion. And here I was not able to move at all.


    "Do you know what I am going to do to you now, Ocean?" His deep voice whispered out into my face. His breath, which smelled so much like the rest of him, puffed out and I could smell it so intensely. It was arousing me, despite the tense situation that I was in.


    "N..no. No, I don''t." I shook my head as I answered him.


    "Is that so, little Ocean." He grinned and the next thing that I knew, he was moving.


    And all of a sudden, his lips were pressing against mine. He was kissing me. Those hot, delicious lips of his were pressed against me so intently that I felt like I was going to burn from the inside out. And I still didn''t know what was happening right now.


    I just stood there and let him kiss me. I didn''t know what else to do. Well, except for kissing him back, which I did. That was all that we did for at least a minute or two. Just that hot, hot kiss. And then, suddenly, he pulled away from me and grinned.


    "What the hell?" I snapped at him.


    "I so wanted to do that. I had this whole image from a manga in my head. It was perfect. I even did the ''kabe-don'' and everything. It was perfect." He looked extremely pleased with himself for having done what he did.


    "You''re an idiot." I snapped at him as I pushed past him.


    "You loved it, just admit it." He laughed back at me.


    "I admit nothing." I was already on my way out of the library. I didn''t want to miss our ride home.


    "Wait up." He ran to my side and took my hand. "I just couldn''t help it. You''re so fucking hot, and that image was in my head. I had to do it. Don''t be mad."


    "Hahh." I sighed and looked at him as we walked. "I''m not mad. Now let''s go home. I want to figure out what to do now. I need to get back into the pool."


    "Yup, I already have a plan about that." He smiled at me. "Let''s go home and I will tell you all about it." When the hell did I let him start pulling me around like this? I don''t remember, but I guess that it has become a common thing. One that I wasn''t actively trying to stop. Damn, I was a lost cause.


    We met Ben and Ryan in the car so that we could go home. They seemed to know that something had happened between us even though it was just a kiss.


    "Well, that looks like it was good." Ryan joked and climbed into the car.


    "Shut up." I snapped at him and slid into the backseat. I just wanted to get home so that I could stop thinking about the kiss in the library. Dammit! I hope Makai knows that he ruined that place for me. I can''t ever study there again without thinking about that kiss. GAH!


    On the way home from the school, Makai showed me the text message that he had sent to Dr. Malachi. He was already trying to get me back into the pool. He truly was the best boyfriend ever.


    [Makai]


    Hey Dr. Malachi, I need your help. Our swim coach won''t let Ocean back into the pool until he has a note from you saying that he is cleared to swim. He also wants Ocean to swim at home a few times before he can be back in the school pool. So, if you could possibly help us out here. Ocean needs to swim. He loves being on that team. And I would do anything to make sure that he has this opportunity. Please, Dr. Malachi. Help us.


    [Dr. Malachi]


    Alright already. Stop begging me. Even through the text messages, I can hear how pitiful you sound. What the heck is the matter with you? It''s just a doctor''s note. It''s something that I should have thought to give you sooner, but I was busy. I will bring it to your house later. And if the coach has any questions about it, he can call my number. It will be on the bottom of the letter. I will be having dinner with you guys tonight, so let your parents and those human roommates of yours know that there is company coming over. And make sure that there is something yummy for me to eat. See you later.


    "Well, I guess he is going to help us right away." I grinned at him. "And thanks, Makai. You''re so good to me."


    "I know." He returned the grin with an even bigger one of his own. Damn him and his cheesiness. "So hey, want to get in the pool when we get home? That way you can tell the coach tomorrow that you have actually been swimming and that everything is okay."


    "Yeah, I think that would be good. I can do a few different sets and see how I do. And I miss being in the water so much that I would never turn down an offer to swim." I was happy that he was working so hard for me.


    "Hey, can we swim with you guys? In the few weeks that we''ve been at your place, we haven''t been back to see the pool yet. It will be cool." Ben was smiling from the front seat.


    "Yeah, we can all practice. It will be fun." Finally, I started to feel happy again. All day today I had been in such a bad mood that I didn''t know what I was going to do to get out of it. But all it took was a kiss from my boyfriend and some talking in the car on the way home.


    I was a lucky guy. I truly was. I had a couple of really good friends. I had two families that loved me dearly. And I had the best boyfriend in the entire world. I don''t even know how I managed to get to this point, especially considering how much of an asshole and prick I was when I first met Makai. I can''t believe that he still pursued me and made me his. It may have been fate, but I can''t believe that he didn''t give up. Instead though, he made me happy.


    And dammit! Here I was getting more and more sappy.

 Chapter 245 - Ocean – Swimming

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Once we got home, we rushed up to our room, dropped off our stuff and changed for the pool. Well, I watched Makai change for the pool and then I changed. And, of course, while I changed, Makai watched me getting dressed. We were a perfect pair, weren''t we? Even this little perversion we shared. It wasn''t a bad thing though. We were in a relationship together, so we were allowed to watch. And it wasn''t like Makai had a problem with it.


    When we were done getting dressed, we left our room and I saw Ben coming my way.


    "Hey, we''re going to do our homework first. I don''t want our grades to slip with us needing the scholarships now. We will join you when we''re done. So go ahead and get started."


    "Alright. It was all easy work, at least the stuff that we had was." I assured him.


    "Yeah, I am sure that it will be fine. We will head down as soon as it''s finished. Try not to have too much fun." He laughed a little mischievously like Ryan would have. I guess Ryan was rubbing off on him, and not just in a perverted way.


    "We''ll see you in a bit." Makai nodded at him as he walked back to the room that he shared with Ryan.


    "Yup, see you soon."


    Makai and I hurried down to the pool. I needed to get into that water. I needed to feel the wetness on my skin. I needed it almost like I needed air to breathe. It was like a life essence to me. And I knew that was not just a hyperbole. It was completely true. I needed the water to survive. I mean, I had come from the water after all. It was a vital part of my existence. It only made sense if you asked me.


    Finally! Finally, I was back in a room with a pool, and I didn''t need to leave it. There was no coach to tell me that I was not allowed to be there. There was no coach that was going to tell me that I couldn''t swim. It was just me and Makai and the water. And I was going to dive in right away.


    Literally. I was going to dive into the pool. That''s why I threw my towel to the side and ran straight to the deep end of the pool. I kicked off from the floor, put my arms out in front of me, and then dove into the water.


    The feeling of the water washing over me felt like the best thing in the world. It had been way too long since I had dove into a pool like this. Being away for so long had made me feel homesick. I honestly felt like my soul was at ease for the first time in a long time. I don''t even know why I hadn''t come into the pool sooner, aside from my week away, that is.


    Actually, I did know. I, like Coach Dickson, was waiting for the go ahead from Dr. Malachi. I wanted to make sure that everything was fine before I got back to it. And now that I was in here, I wish I would have made him speed up this part of my recovery process.


    If only I would have been able to get into the pool at school earlier. It would have felt like this. I would have been able to glide through the water like this with so much ease. I would have soared through the water like there was nothing but air in front of me. It would have been perfect.


    And man, I was having a good time. While I was moving from one end of the pool to the other, I was swimming so much faster than usual. Did me getting hurt click something over in my mind or something? Did something change about me? What was going on?


    That was when I felt the difference. I was not human at the moment. I was fully in my Siren form. I had shifted. I dove into the water and seamlessly shifted into my other form. I don''t know how I did it, but I guess it happened because of the emotional experience that swimming was for me right this moment.


    "OCEAN!" Makai yelled at me. "What the hell happened?" He called out to me, waving me over to the side of the pool.


    "I don''t know. I think I just lost control because I was overly emotional. But I''m going to need a new pair of shorts." I laughed and looked back over my shoulder at the ruined pair that was floating behind me.


    "You think." Makai laughed at me. "I can''t believe you. Seriously? You go and shift the moment that you get back in the pool. I guess it''s a good damn thing that the coach told you not to swim today. You would have done this in front of the entire team."


    While Makai was laughing about what was going on, I climbed out of the pool to stand next to him. I was tempted to throw him into the pool, but that wouldn''t have been very nice,  would it? Then again, he did pull that stunt in the library, he deserved some pay back.


    I was laughing along with Makai so that he wouldn''t know that anything was wrong. I wanted to make him as calm and comfortable as I possibly could. I mean, I couldn''t take him by surprise and throw him into the pool how I wanted if he was on edge or guarded against me in any way.


    I even thought of a better way to make this work. He would never see it coming. I was a genius. I swear, they should give me a medal for this plan of mine.


    I walked up close to Makai. He was in his swim shorts, so it wasn''t like he was going to get wet from me being so close. In truth, I think he liked me getting him all wet like this.


    I wrapped my arms around Makai''s neck and pressed my lips against his. As soon as he realized what was happening and gasped softly, I slipped my tongue into his mouth. The taste was so much stronger than it had been earlier. The kiss in the library, I had tasted him, but it was nothing like that. It reminded me of that time right after I had learned what I was. I had kissed him and somehow, we had ended up having sex in the water, me in my Siren form and Makai in his human form. That had been the last time that Makai tasted this strong and vivid on my tongue. It was so amazing and intense that I just couldn''t get enough of it.


    And on top of that, I was getting aroused so much easier. I know that it was all due to this form, this part of me, but that didn''t seem to matter to my body. My brain knew it, but my body was telling my brain to shut up.


    In all honesty, it took a very concentrated effort to force myself to stop kissing Makai at that moment. I had to focus all of my strength and willpower to pull away from him. And when I did pull away, I had to force myself not to immediately kiss him again. Damn, all of that was so difficult. Note to self, don''t do this in my Siren form ever again.


    Now that I had managed to break the kiss, it was time for me to conclude with my plan. I couldn''t wait to see how he responded to what I was going to do. I had a feeling that it was going to be epic.


    In an effort to appear romantic and like I wanted to be closer to him, I ran my hands up Makai''s chest until they were right near his pecs. The moment that he was calmed and at ease with me in that position, I pushed him, hard, into the pool.


    It was like he was moving in slow motion. He was falling backward into the pool and swinging his arms out to the side to try and catch himself on something, but there was nothing to catch.


    And that look on his face was perfect. It was filled with shock and his eyes were wide open. I could see the whites around his irises as he looked at me with shock on his face. And in that seemingly slow-motion movement, I heard him speak.


    "Ocean! " I was already laughing. I couldn''t stop it. I had gotten him good. He hadn''t been expecting to be pushed into the pool like this. He had just been getting settled into the idea of the make out session and now he was in the pool. This was awesome. And I would never forget that look on his face.


    The water splashed when Makai fell into it. It didn''t take long for him to resurface either and when he did, he was just staring at me in disbelief.


    "You.. you.."


    "What''s the matter, Makai? Catfish got your tongue?" I laughed at him again. "This is payback for the library."


    "I''m going to get you." He was now laughing along with me. The laughter was so loud as it echoed in the area around us that I didn''t notice the other laughter that was coming.. And it wasn''t until the door opened and someone yelled that I knew something was off.

 Chapter 246 - Ocean – What The

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I guess it wasn''t even the sound of someone laughing and the door opening that surprised me. No, it was the voice that yelled into the room that shocked me back to reality. That was the sound that made me remember that I was in my Siren form. And not to mention that there were people in the house that didn''t know about what I was.


    "Ocean! What the hell did you do? What is that all over your body? And what is up with your hair?" I heard Ryan''s voice cut across the pool and stab me right through the gut. I had fucked up. I had royally fucked up. And this was not something that was easy to cover up.


    "Ocean? What are you wearing? I..is that seaweed? What is going on here? Why are you covered in white scales? I don''t get this. What is going on?"


    Both Ben and Ryan were asking me about what they were seeing. There were too many differences in the way that I looked, I most definitely wouldn''t be able to explain them all away as if it was nothing. This was the worst possible situation to happen right now. And we told Makai''s parents that we were going to be careful. We told Momma and Dad that we wouldn''t let Ben and Ryan find out about us. And here I was losing control of myself and letting them see it.


    "Ocean? Talk to me. Please. Tell me that I am not really seeing what I think that I am. Th..this is just me hallucinating, right? Y..you don''t really have fish scales on you, right? I mean, i..if you did, then we would have seen them before. W..we''ve been on the same team for four years. Come on, Ocean, tell me that I''m not really seeing that." Ben was looking a little scared right now.


    "Well, Ben baby, if you are hallucinating, then so am I. Because I am seeing an Ocean with longer hair that has somehow turned blue. He has scales, he looks somehow more feminine, and he is wearing swim trunks made out of seaweed. If that is what you are seeing, then I guess that we are both delusional."


    I was frozen in place, and Makai seemed to be as well. But there were more people in the house that didn''t seem to be so frozen, and they were running toward the pool right now. Three sets of feet to be exact.


    The door to the pool banged open again and that was when Momma, Dad and Dr. Malachi came running into the room, almost hitting Ben and Ryan in the process. The three of them managed to skirt the two frozen boys and somehow end up in between us so that they could see me standing there, shell shocked, looking at my friends while the two of them, equally shell shocked, stared at me with horror in their eyes.


    "Well, I guess the fish is out of the bag now. You two have finally learned the family secret."


    "Th..the.. what?" Ben managed to turn his head and look at the man that was speaking to him. If I hadn''t known any better, I would have thought that Ben was looking at a complete stranger. The words that Dad had just said must have blown his mind so badly that he forgot all about who Reef Rivers was.


    "S..so Ocean is a..a..a what to be exact? I am not sure what he is. Is he a fish?" Ryan was trying to make sense of what he saw.


    "No, he is not a fish." Makai shook his head and pushed himself out of the pool. He sat there on the edge of it for a moment while he changed. And by that, I mean that he changed into his merman form. His shorts shredded off of him as his tail magically appeared where his legs had been just a few moments before.


    "SHIT! You too, Makai?" Ryan exclaimed.


    "Y..y..you''re a..a..a m..me..mer..merman!" Ben had a lot of trouble getting that out. "You''re a merman!" He repeated it, this time with no stuttering. "A real life merman."


    "Holy shit! DUDE! Ben! We''re friends with merpeople! Do you remember when we were kids and we used to joke about finding merpeople when we went swimming. We were so obsessed about it. That was what sparked our love for the sport. And here it is. We found them, Ben. We finally found some merpeople. Some real life merpeople. This is awesome. I am so fucking excited."


    "I..it''s definitely pretty interesting." Ben was finally looking less scared. His mouth was even beginning to form a smile while he looked between Makai and me. "I can''t believe that we''re friends with mermen. This is awesome."


    "Ah, yeah, w..well, I am not a merman." I ran my hand through my hair. It was longer and silkier than my normal hair and it felt perpetually wet no matter how long I was out of the water for.


    "If you''re not a merman, then what are you? You''ve got scales like him. You''re just a different color and missing the fish tale.


    "Right, well, I..I''m a Siren." I just told someone outside of my family my biggest secret. I just told my two best friends what I really was. And I did it right in front of the three adults that probably never wanted me to say those words to anyone. This was bad.


    "A Siren?" Ryan repeated the words back to me.


    "As in the beautiful women that lure men to their deaths. Those kinds of Sirens?" Ben was looking at me like I was bat shit crazy.


    "Well, to be fair boys, we banned them from killing human men centuries ago. Now, the Sirens need to mate with the man and leave him somewhere that he can get back to his home. If anyone breaks those rules, they are severely punished." Dr. Malachi was the one that explained this to them. He was volunteering more information to them. Why was he doing that? Why would he tell them some of our secrets?


    "But it''s the same creature, right? The same mythology?" Ben pressed on with his question.


    "Yes, it is the same legend. But as you can see, the legends are real." Dr. Malachi smiled at Ben and then looked at me.


    "So, not all Sirens are women? They have men and women?" Ryan asked as he walked closer to me. "Man, this is cool."


    "Well, to my knowledge, Ocean is the first ever male Siren to be born. He was actually abandoned by his mother for being a boy. That is how he ended up here." I could not believe the amount of information that Dr. Malachi was giving to Ben and Ryan right now.


    "Whoa. So, you''re seriously the only one?" Ryan looked back at me after listening to Dr. Malachi. "That is awesome. I mean, to literally be one of a kind is next to impossible. I can''t believe that I am friends with a merman and a Siren. This is so cool, and I have so many questions."


    "Well, ask them now, before we wipe your memories." Dammit. I knew that was coming. That had been why Dr. Malachi was so forthcoming with the information. He was planning on wiping their minds.


    "Now, wait a minute, Abraham. These boys are like family now. They''re living here and they can be trusted to keep the family secret. Isn''t that right, boys?" It seemed that dad was trying to keep things from becoming awkward and uncomfortable with our friends here. "I mean, if the boys truly can''t handle it, then we can do something about their memories. But let them have a chance first."


    "Reef, are you sure that you want to give them that chance? What if they tell someone? What if they let the secret out? You think that I can wipe the minds of that many people without being found out. Are you willing to risk that? Are you willing to risk me?" Dr. Malachi looked like he was scared. I knew that he had a lot at stake here, but he should give them a chance. They were good guys. And they were my best friends. I trusted them. I knew that they wouldn''t tell anyone.


    "Yeah, Abraham, I am willing to risk it. I think that these boys are capable of handling it. Ben? Ryan? Am I right to trust you? Can you keep our family secret? Will you tell anyone?"


    "No, we definitely won''t tell anyone." Ryan answered first. "You can trust us."


    "That''s right, Dad. You can trust us. We won''t tell anyone. Ocean and Makai are our friends. They''re like family to us now, better family than our actual family. I don''t want to do anything that will hurt them."


    "See, Malachi, the boys are willing to be good about this. Let''s give them a chance. Momma was advocating for them now. This was making me really happy right now. I was glad to see that Makai''s parents cared about Ben and Ryan so much.


    "Ha ha. I just thought about something. Reef, that''s a merman name. And what about Ocean? Is that a Siren name?" Ryan laughed like he just figured that all out.


    "Nope, I was named by the person that found me on the beach when I was born."


    "Wow, cool. And you just happened to be from the ocean." He was laughing again. "Man, I can''t believe this. This is so cool. I knew that you guys were cool, not just normal cool but like, really cool."


    What followed that declaration from Ryan was a very long talk where me, Makai, Momma, Dad and Dr. Malachi explained things to them. We told them basically all of the stuff that I had learned when I first found out about the world of shifters and people that came from the sea. They now knew that not just Sirens and merpeople were real, but also that there were werewolves, witches, vampires and more. There were a lot of interesting things that we talked about during that conversation, and a lot of it that seemed to amaze and impress our two friends.


    We did end up having dinner with Dr. Malachi that night, which included a lot more of the conversation that we had been having. And it was when Ryan finally managed to get Dr. Malachi to tell them what he was. They were amazed to learn that they knew a dragon as well as merpeople and a Siren. If I recall correctly, Ryan said something along the lines of ''I have the coolest friends ever''. I was just glad that they didn''t think that we were freaks and that they were happy to continue being friends with us.


    "Don''t worry, Ocean, we will keep the secret." Ben could obviously tell that I was still nervous that night, so he comforted me just a little more by reassuring me of that fact.. I was glad that he did, I needed to hear it once more.

 Chapter 247 - Ocean – Back To The Team

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The day after Ben and Ryan found out what Makai and I were, it almost felt like everything was back to normal. I think they wanted to prove to Makai''s parents, as well as Dr. Malachi (who slept over) that they could be trusted. Neither of them said anything about what we were. There were no jokes, no questions, none of it. It was just like a normal day with nothing at all different about it.


    Today, I was going to make the coach let me swim. Today, I was going to show him that my doctor has cleared me to swim, and now that I have been in the water again, I shouldn''t have to worry at all about turning into my other form. I would just be me and my normal self.


    When I got to school with the others, in my car since I drove us all, I marched straight to the coach''s office. When I walked in, I had a huge smile on my face. And when he saw what was in my hand, he smiled right back at me.


    "Heh heh, I know that if I lit a fire under your ass, you''d do anything you could to jump into the pool and put it out." He was laughing at me. That little joke of his was even funnier than I was willing to let him know, so I had to pretend it sucked and roll my eyes at him.


    "I just want to swim, coach. That is all. I want to get back into the water and then win the nationals in April. There is literally nothing else that I want more right now, Coach. So yeah, I was going to make sure that I did everything that I needed to get back here today." I could feel the happiness and the pride swelling inside of me. This was awesome. It was amazing. And it was everything that I had been dreaming of ever since the last time that I had been allowed to swim.


    "And you have the clearance from the doctor? He says you can swim again?"


    "Yes Sir, he even came to the house last night and watched me swim for a little bit. He says I am good to go." That was true too. After dinner, and in the middle of all the talk, I went for another swim, one where I didn''t shift.


    "You guys must be close with that doctor." He eyed me suspiciously.


    "He''s a friend of Makai''s family. But he is a very good doctor. His credentials and phone number are on the letter." I held out the paper for him to see. I watched him scan it over for a moment or two before his eyes shot up and he looked at me.


    "You must have a guardian angel somewhere, Ocean. You managed to land in a situation with one of the top doctors in the country who is a personal friend of yours. Don''t lose that friendship with him. If you ever need anything, I am sure that man could help you out. Of course, I am talking medically. Don''t hit the man up for money, even if he is rich."


    "Ha ha ha ha." No worries, Coach, Makai is rich too. I don''t need to hit anyone up for money. Anyway, Dr. Malachi has become a little bit like an uncle to me. He seems to be close with Makai''s parents anyway, so he is pretty nice to me because of the situation." I don''t know why I was telling him this. Maybe I was just extra open to talking because of last night, or my happiness to be back in the pool. Whatever it was, I was in a good mood, and I didn''t want anyone to ruin it for me.


    "Alright, Ocean." The coach reached behind his desk and grabbed another lock. "Here you go. Get changed and go do your stretches. I expect you to be at your best. No slacking off, you hear me?" His words may have said that, but his voice was telling me to take it easy. He didn''t want me to get hurt. I was happy to have him here with me. He was such a nice guy, and a nice coach.


    I hurried back to the locker room where I found Makai, Ben and Ryan, all changed and waiting for me. They were waiting for me to give them the good news. And even with me having gone to see the coach, we were the only ones in the locker room.


    "I''m back." I called out to them the moment I was through the doors. "I get to swim today!" I was so excited that I could barely contain myself. Makai was also just as excited and couldn''t contain himself. That was probably why he rushed to his feet, swept me up into his arms, and kissed me quickly.


    "I knew you could do it, baby. I just knew it."


    "Yeah, well, it''s all thanks to you babe." I grinned at him, calling him that name for the first time at school. "If you hadn''t messaged Dr. Malachi like you did, he might not have had the time to help me yesterday."


    "Yeah, yeah, it was nothing. Anyway, get changed. We need to go stretch."


    "Yeah, I will right now."


    The moment that Makai put me back on my feet, I ran to my locker and changed my clothes. I put the bag inside, locked it, and followed the others out to the pool. And we still were so early that no one else was here.


    The four of us were doing our stretches until it was time to start practice. As the others started to come out of the locker room I heard their voices calling out to me when they saw me getting ready to swim.


    "Ocean! Hey! It''s so good to have you back, man!"


    "Hey, Ocean! Welcome back!"


    "Hey, practice hasn''t been the same without you, Ocean. We need you and Makai here to motivate us."


    "Yeah, it''s going to be a good practice today, Ocean''s back."


    "What? Ocean''s back? Awesome!"


    "YAY! Ocean''s back!"


    "Good to see you, Ocean!"


    Hearing all of my teammates telling me that they were happy to have me back, it felt really good. It was also motivating me to do my best ever. I wanted to show them that I hadn''t lost my edge. I was still the same Ocean. Coming back stronger and better than ever, that I was still the same person. I was just now openly gay with my boyfriend and two gay best friends. And we were the top four members of the team.


    Something else that I learned not that long ago was that, while I was out of school, Ben and Ryan told the whole team about their relationship. They all knew about us and none of them had a negative word to say about it. That was literally the best thing that I could have ever imagined happening for us. I mean, I used to think that the whole school would turn against us, but now here I was openly gay and proud of my relationship.


    "Alright you guys, let''s see if our star guy still has what it takes. Let''s see if he is still as fast as he used to be." Coach was looking at me with a grin. I know he was telling me that he was testing me, but he would let me slide if I wasn''t up to swimming at my best just yet.


    "That''s fine with me, coach. I am ready and raring to go."


    "Alright. Sounds good. You''re up first with Makai."


    "Ooh, it''s a lover''s quarrel in the water." Katie joked. "I wonder who will win."


    "For them, I don''t think they care who wins. As long as they give it their all, neither of them will be mad at the other." Alexis added.


    "Awe. I want a love like theirs. It''s so sweet." Cassie fawned.


    "Enough already, let them swim." Coach rolled his eyes and then turned to look at us. Swimmers at the ready." Makai and I both prepared to go at the same moment. And as soon as the whistle sounded, we were moving at the same time.


    Once again, I felt the joyous welcoming from the water. It was like it was telling me I was home. But this time, I was keeping my cool. I didn''t shift at all so I didn''t need to worry about anyone else seeing me.


    I swam as hard and as fast as I could. Down to the other side of the pool, a quick turn with a breath, and then back down to the starting end. I was moving as fast as I could and going all out. And yet, I still felt like I was less restricted or more free somehow. I just felt so much better. Another turn and back to the other end of the pool. I was just over halfway done. Final turn now, heading back to the starting side once more. The heat was almost over. It was almost time for me to finish this. And then I would find out how close to my normal time that I was.


    I gave it my all and came up with my hand on the wall. I had finished my first practice heat since I had gotten hurt. And it felt amazing.. But what was going on? Why was everyone looking at me? And where was Makai? I didn''t know what was going on.

 Chapter 248 - Ocean - Giving It My All

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Every single person that was watching the heat between me and Makai was looking at me like I had done something really weird. I don''t know what it was that was happening right now. What was this? Why did I feel like I had just become a spectacle in the zoo?


    For a moment, I thought that maybe I did shift. I thought that maybe I did fuck up by coming back to the team too soon. Maybe I was showing that I was a Siren to them all and Dr. Malachi was going to be really, really mad at me.


    I didn''t want to look at myself to check and see if I had scales, that would have definitely given me away instantly. So, instead, I brushed my hand at my shoulders to see if my hair was longer or silkier. It wasn''t.


    I wasn''t in my other form. So, why on earth were all of them looking at me like that? I didn''t get it at all. That is, not until Makai finished the heat at least eight seconds after I had.


    I hadn''t just beaten him, I had really beaten him. He was so far behind me that I was sure that he had deliberately gone slower just to make me look good. But I knew that Makai wasn''t like that. He would never intentionally let me win. He would never throw a match in my favor. He had swum at him best just the same as I had


    After Makai was done with his final lap, it was like the coach had finally thawed out. I mean, it was like he was frozen up until that point. Now though, he was able to move, and able to talk.


    "What the hell was that, Ocean?!" He was looking at me intensely. It was like he was in a full state of shock.


    "Uhm, Coach, did I do something wrong? I..I just swam in the heat like I usually did. That was all."


    "Uh uh, don''t give me that. I have never seen a match like that from you. This is ridiculous. When did you get so fast? You shaved seven and a half seconds off of your best time ever. Where have these times been? What have you been doing, anchoring yourself down?"


    "When did you learn to swim like that, Ocean?" Another voice called out to me.


    "That was impressive!" That came from Katie.


    "I think Ocean has what it takes to go to the next Olympics." Alexis added, making me feel a little uncomfortable in the process.


    "Yeah, Ocean, go to the Olympics and go for gold."


    "I hear the next one is in Paris, that will be cool. Take me with you."


    "I want to see Ocean in the Olympics."


    The shouts and supportive comments were not stopping at all. They just kept coming. I didn''t know what to do so I turned to look at Makai to see if he had any advice for me.


    "It looks to me like Ocean is definitely doing better. I think it''s the fact that he has all that stress gone. No more Brittney giving him a hard time. And no more butting heads with Justin."


    Damn, after all that had happened with Justin lately, I had nearly forgotten about all the hassle that he used to give me when we were at practice. He used to piss me off all of the time. And before I met Makai, I was always wondering what Brittney thought about me. Actually, even after I met him until I started to date him. Then I was always worrying about her giving me a hard time at school like Justin. This was the first time that I had actually been calm and clear minded when swimming. And I have to say that it felt amazing.


    "Yeah, you''re right, Kai."


    "With no worries weighing him down, the man turned into a fucking fish!"


    "He definitely swims like one."


    "We so have that national''s title in the bag."


    "Yeah, fuck the Olympics, I want Ocean to win nationals."


    "Hey, language."


    "Why Coach? You swore."


    "Yeah, well, that was, I''m a, ah fuck it, I don''t give a shit right now. We''ve all had an amazing thing happen right in front of us."


    "Uhm, C..Coach, do you mind if we move on with practice?" With everyone staring at me, I was starting to feel a little nervous. I didn''t want to have this many eyes boring into me so intently, it was nerve wracking. I could handle crowds at a match, but this was something else entirely. And it was getting to me.


    "Yeah, you''re right. Alright everyone, I''m splitting you up into your groups. Swim when it''s your turn, run your drills in between. Alright, come on, let''s go."


    After that, practice went back to what it was supposed to be. And by that, I mean that everyone wasn''t staring at me anymore. However, Makai, Ben and Ryan came up to me and whispered at me.


    "Hey, what was that?" Makai was just as shocked as everyone else. "You''ve never been that fast before."


    "Yeah man, have you been holding back? Or is this because you''re a.." Ryan asked me before trailing off at the end.


    "What happened to you, Ocean? You just seemed to be so in the zone." Ben was smiling at me.


    "Well, I was in the zone. And well, I think Makai was right. I haven''t been feeling as burdened and upset lately. I used to feel so scared all the time. It was like, I need to be the best to keep my girl. Then it changed to, I need to be the best to beat Makai. Later it was, I need to hide myself from everyone else. I need to hide what I really am. And now, all of a sudden, I don''t feel worried any more at all. I just feel like I was able to be me and me alone. I was happy just being in the water and nothing else. Nothing else at all, just that." I tried my best to explain what I was feeling and what had happened. I don''t think that there was anything else to what happened besides that.


    "That''s amazing, Ocean. I am glad that you are feeling so free for the first time ever. And it''s true that life''s problems can slow you down when you swim. They end up weighing you down like an anchor and stopping you from moving as fast as you normally would. Now though, you seem to be doing so much better. I am proud of you, Ocean. This is an amazing day for you." Makai hugged me again at that moment. It was an innocent hug that was not at all intimate, but it still made me feel so much better. I was feeling a sense of relief wash over me at the moment and I knew that I would be able to continue swimming like that from now on. There was no doubt about it in my mind.


    Everyone else in practice was doing their best. They were inspired by me to just let go of their problems and swim better than they ever have before. For a couple of them, it actually worked. Seeing that made me happy too. I was glad that they were all doing so much better than they had been before. It was amazing and it proved that we all had that potential in us.


    Well, I might already be faster because I am a Siren and therefore meant to swim faster than a human, but I still believed that my team could get better if they all felt better about their lives. At least a little bit better.


    Before practice was over, the coach came to us and talked about the room arrangements for the national event. He was specifically coming to talk to me, Makai, Ben and Ryan about it all. I think that after that one special away weekend, he wanted to make sure that everything was good to go.


    "Hey, do I need to put you four in different rooms or are you all going to behave yourselves." He was giving us stern looks but there was a smile on his face like he thought that we were going to be trouble no matter what.


    "Nah, we''ll be good on the trip, Coach." Makai assured him.


    "Yeah, besides we can all do whatever we want at home instead of waiting for the hotel. There is no reason to cause issues then." Ryan grinned at him and added.


    "I don''t even know if I want to ask what you mean by that, Ryan."


    "Ha ha. It''s fine, coach. It''s just that Ben and I live at Kai''s house with him and Ocean. Ben and I share a room and Ocean and Kai share a room. There is nothing at all stopping us from doing what we want at home. It''s simple, I don''t know why it was hard to understand." Ryan shrugged like he didn''t get the fear that had just ended up in the coach''s eyes.


    "You really have no filter sometimes, do you, Ryan?" The coach was laughing at him. He may still look horrified, but he was laughing nonetheless.


    "I''m just the cool one. That''s all it is, Coach."


    "I doubt that, Ryan. I truly doubt that." With a lot of laughter, the practice came to an end and it was time for us to get ready for class. I was in such a good mood that I almost wanted to sing. Almost! I knew that I wasn''t allowed to. Not here anyway.. Still, it made me that happy.

 Chapter 249 - Makai – Valentines Day Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Over the next few weeks, Ocean and I trained hard for the nationals. Though it was still coming up a lot quicker than I expected. We had three months until we were set to leave and then it was down to two months. However, the next thing that I knew, it was coming up on valentine''s day.


    The holiday was on a Monday this year, so it wasn''t like I could take Ocean out for the night or anything, but with mom and dad back out on their peace mission, it was just the four of us at the house, we didn''t need to worry about the parents prying on us. Even Ocean''s parents had gotten to the point where they weren''t calling for updates three times a day. As long as Ocean called them once a day, they were fine. I think they were already trying to treat him like he was away at college, so that when he did leave, they wouldn''t hurt so much.


    Oh, and of course we still have the family dinners at Ocean''s family home every week on Tuesday night. And since Ben and Ryan were ''family'' now they were there with us. And we were right about one thing. Or rather Ocean was. His mom immediately told Ben that she would adopt him. Ryan laughed and pretended to be undesirable. It wasn''t until Ben kissed him that he stopped and settled back down.


    However, that was all in the past now. Right now, I needed to focus on my boyfriend and our very first valentines together. I wanted to make sure that I got him the best gift ever. The only thing is, there wasn''t much that either of us needed. We even had our wedding rings already.


    As I thought about it, I decided that I wanted to get him a really nice watch, maybe a bracelet of some kind, like the thick leather or metal kind that a lot of guys wear. Maybe even a chain with some sort of charm on it for when we go out. Those would be nice. I think that Ocean would like something like that. They weren''t girly ideas so I was sure that he would be okay with them. And he could wear them in a variety of situations. That would help a lot as well.


    And not long after I thought about that, Ryan came to me and wanted to talk about something. He had said that he wanted to get something for Ben. Something really important.


    "We both got into UCLA. And the only way that we''re allowed to live off campus in freshman year is if we''re married. I guess that is why you two are getting married this summer too."


    "Well, to be honest, I didn''t even know anything about that. But yeah, that would be a good reason. Do you think that Ben is ready to make that commitment with you?"


    "W..well, I..I''m hoping that he is. I know that I am willing. I love him. I want to be with him forever. And I want to live with him in our own place when we get to school." I could see the intensity and the passion that was in his eyes. He didn''t want to be without Ben any more than I wanted to be without Ocean.


    "Yeah, I can understand that. So, what do you need my help for?" I was confused for a moment.


    "Well, I want to get him a ring. I want to propose to him."


    "Well, I am going to the jewelry store as it is. So, come on. Let''s go."


    The two of us went to the mall and to the jewelry store that I bought the rings for me and Ocean from. I helped Ryan look around and find just the right set for him and Ben. He said that Ben''s fingers were about the same size as his own, which was the same for me and Ocean as well. That was how I sized his ring when I got it.


    After Ryan picked it out and they were being engraved, I started to look for Ocean''s gifts. I could buy a really nice black watch with diamond inlays in the face. There weren''t any bracelets that I liked, but there was a black chain that I thought was awesome for him. And there was even a pendant that I got. It was a blue wave that was made with sapphires and white diamonds. It looked so real the way the light glittered on it. I hoped that he liked it and would wear it for me at least once in a while.


    When it came time to pay, I surprised Ryan by paying for the rings that he had picked out.


    "Consider it an early wedding present. And I don''t want to hear anything else about it. I''m paying." He and Ben both had some money, but they were both so worried about the future. Neither Ocean nor I were going to let them suffer at all. They were our brothers after all. And in the dynamic that we had ended up with, Ryan was my brother. So, I decided to point that out to him too. "Hey, remember Ryan, I''m your brother now. This is what family does for each other."


    "Yeah, thanks man." He hugged me. "I''m glad that you''re my brother now."


    Now that we had the gifts, Ryan and I started to plan the rest of our night with our boyfriends. We picked out where we were going to have food delivered from. And then we decided on desserts. And we even went to another store to buy candies for our lovers. We were going all out, that was for sure. We even made agreements with each other that we would all keep our valentines celebrations to our own rooms.


    We agreed that we were going to eat in our rooms, have dessert in our rooms, and anything else. That way, there was less of a chance for any interference. This was definitely going to be a good night, if we all followed the rules.


    We could have celebrated over the weekend, which a lot of people did, but we wanted to make Valentine''s day special for our men. This was the first one that we were celebrating together, so we needed to make sure that they didn''t get robbed of the experience. This was special for us, and them.


    After school on Monday, on that special day, I waited for Ocean to say something about me forgetting to even tell him happy Valentine''s day that morning or at all during the day. He didn''t say anything about it though, so we just went home after practice as a group, all four of us.


    I could see by the look on Ben''s face that he was a little sad. Like he thought that Ryan had forgotten the holiday. If Ocean wasn''t driving right then, I had a feeling that he would be looking similar to Ben. I hated making him think that I had forgotten and that I didn''t care, but I really wanted to surprise him.


    When we got home, Ocean and I went to work in our room, getting our assignments done for the night. When we were almost done, I started acting all antsy.


    "Ugh. I feel so dirty. I am going to take a shower. You finish up. You can take one after me." This was the same thing that Ryan was going to be saying to Ben right about now.


    After I was in the shower, I hurried through it as much as I could. Then got out with the water still running and checked in on the staff. They were all ready to come up and help us. It sometimes paid to have people working at the house for us.


    Ocean had finished his work and went to take his shower when I got out of the bathroom. I had already finished the last assignment at school so that was not an issue for me. I didn''t have anything else to do.


    Well, actually, I did. I needed to get the food and decorations done while Ocean was in the bathroom. We weren''t doing much, just a tablecloth, place setting, candles, roses and some mood lighting, but that still took time. And, thankfully, the food was here and ready to go.


    Ryan and I ran into the hall at the same time. We each had people running in and out of our room. They were setting up candles, plates, flowers, food, drinks, all of it. We helped too, of course, but they were so much more efficient at it than we were. And with their help it was all done within minutes.


    By the time that I heard the shower shut off in the bathroom, the staff was already done. They would be done for the night and come in to clean up for us in the morning. I was so happy to have had their help. Ryan went back to his room while I went back to mine. It was time to get this night started.


    I was excited now. All I needed to do was wait patiently for my sweet little Ocean to come out of the bathroom. I would surprise him, see how happy and shocked that he was, and then we would proceed to have an amazing night together. That was my plan. That was what I was hoping for.. And I was determined enough to make sure that it happened.

 Chapter 250 - Ocean – Valentines Day Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I can''t believe that Makai completely forgot about valentine''s day. I mean, yeah, we didn''t talk about the holiday at all. We didn''t make plans. We didn''t say anything about it at all. We had been training too much for that lately. I myself had almost forgotten about it until Friday of last week. That was when Ben and I went to get something for Makai and Ryan from the store. We only got them little things. I bought Makai a black watch and a chain that had a wave pendant on it. I just knew that he would laugh about the pendant and say that it reminded him of me. And while he was there, Ben talked to me about how he and Ryan couldn''t live together when they went off to UCLA.


    "You can''t live off campus as a freshman unless you''re married." Man, was I happy that Makai and I were actually getting married this summer. If not, we would be stuck on campus and not in our recently decorated condo.


    "So, what are you going to do about it?" I was really sad to hear what he had to say.


    "W..well, I was thinking about asking Ryan to marry me. I..I don''t know if he is ready for that though. I mean, I know that I am. I have loved him for my entire life. He is all that I want. But what if I ask him and I scare him off?"


    "I don''t think that will happen, Ben. Ryan loves you with all of his heart. I think that it will be just fine. You should definitely ask him."


    "You think so?"


    "Yeah. And you know what, pick out some rings. I will buy them for you." I was happy that I could help him with this. I knew that he was worried about money.


    "You can''t do that, Ocean."


    "Shut up, Ben. You''re my brother now, remember. My mom adopted you. You need to just accept that in my family, we do stuff like this." I wouldn''t take no for an answer. So, he picked out some rings and even had them engraved. Then when it came time to pay, I took care of it all.


    However, when the day came around, both Makai and Ryan completely forgot about the special occasion. I wanted to remind them about it, but then that would just diminish the specialness of the whole thing. I mean, I didn''t want to be treated like the girl in this situation, but well, I was the bottom. That meant that he was supposed to take the initiative, right? Well, I could take it too, I guess. And that was exactly what I had decided that I was going to do when I got out of the shower.


    If Makai was going to completely forget about valentine''s day, that was fine. I knew that he had been so busy lately, so it was to be expected. I wouldn''t remind him. I would give him the gifts and the chocolates that I had gotten for him. And I knew that Ben would do the same for him and Ryan at some point. He wasn''t a quitter either.


    I finished drying off after my shower and then got dressed. I had even taken some nicer clothes into the bathroom so that when I came out, I would be dressed for a date. Not that we were about to have a date at all. It was just going to be me giving him his gift and then us making dinner in the kitchen.


    I can''t even describe the level of shock that I got when I opened the bathroom door and walked back out to the bedroom. There was romantic music playing softly, candles and flowers all over the room, the lights were dimmed, and there was a table set with dinner and dessert.


    "Happy valentine''s day, my love." Makai said in a low and deep voice. "I am sorry that I made you think that I forgot about it. I just wanted to surprise you. I love you, Ocean. I have since the moment that I first saw you and I will for the rest of my life. This is just one of many Valentine''s days that we will celebrate together."


    "M..Makai!" I was at a loss. I truly did think that he hadn''t remembered. So, all of this was definitely a shock to me.


    "Are you upset with me?" He was looking at me with worried eyes. I think he thought I was angry and not happy right now.


    "No. I am not upset, Makai. I am happy. I am surprised, yes, but in a good way. I never expected this. And I am so happy that you have done this for me. Thank you."


    "You''re welcome, my love." He came over then and kissed me sweetly on my cheek. "Come on, baby, let''s have dinner together. I have your favorites."


    He took me by the hand and led me over to the table. Sure enough, he had the exact same foods that he had gotten for our new year''s date at this very spot. All of my favorite foods complete with cannoli and chocolate cake for dessert.


    "Thank you, Makai. Thank you so much." I couldn''t believe that I ever thought that he would forget about our first Valentine''s night together. This was the first we had together and it was special, and of course it was going to be perfect. Makai was the best.


    "Come on, let''s eat before it gets cold."


    I was starving too, so it was a good thing that we were getting to eat right away. Swimming practice and homework both make me hungry, and I had yet to eat after either of them. My mouth was already watering and ready for the meal even before Makai pulled my chair out for me and pushed it in for me when I sat. Sometimes, he really did treat me like a girl. As long as he didn''t do it with other people around, I really didn''t care at all. I was content letting him dote on me in private like this, because I was the only one that got to see this side of him.


    The food was amazing, of course. And I couldn''t get enough of it. I ate four plates full of food and that was before the dessert. I was just really, really glad that I ate a lot as a shifter. It meant that I didn''t need to worry about gaining weight when I ate like this. And that I had an almost zero percent chance of ever getting fat. Not that I think Makai would mind, but I didn''t want to be that way if I could avoid it.


    "Well, Ocean, now that we have eaten, it''s time for me to give you your gift." Makai looked so excited. I should have known that he would get me something to go along with this amazing date.


    "Isn''t that just perfect? Because I got you a gift too." I started to walk over to my dresser and dig around until I found the spot where I hid his gift. He was at his dresser doing the same thing and the similarity between it made me want to laugh. We were so much alike at times that it just made everything seem so surreal. I was happy about it though, we got along so well because of it.


    Now that we had both retrieved the gifts that we had bought, we went back to the table and pulled out chairs closer to each other. I could tell that Makai was excited to give me his gift, which he had wrapped in a nice looking shiny blue paper. I thought that was funny, since I had chosen the same paper but in green so that it suited him even more.


    "Alright, Ocean baby, on the count of three, we give each other our first ever Valentine''s gifts from each other." I think he might be even more excited about this than I was. He was so sweet and doting that I was sure that I was going to love his gift. He always thought about the best things for me. Just like I tried to think about the best things for him.


    "One." Makai started the countdown.


    "Two." I continued it.


    "Three." We both said that one at the same time and handed each other the gifts that we had bought for each other.


    I started to tear into the wrap as quickly and fiercely as Makai had. We went to the boxes and opened them at the same time. We lifted the lids and looked at the contents at the same time.


    I saw that we both wore equal looks of shock and questioning as we looked at the gifts. Then we looked at each other and we both started to laugh.


    "Is this serious?" I asked him. "Did we seriously buy each other the same gift? I mean the one hundred percent same gift."


    "Yeah, it looked like it. The chain and the watch are the exact same ones. And even the pendant is identical. That is too funny. But hey, I know that there is something that you didn''t copy." He got up and went to his closet. I did the same.


    "Yeah, these should be different."


    We both walked into the closets and pulled out the candies that we had hidden and showed them to each other. And the moment that we saw them, we started to laugh. They were also identical. The same heart shaped box of candies. The same little puppy plushie holding a bag of sweets. All of the candy was completely the same.


    "I guess we just know each other so well." Makai leaned in and kissed me. This was the funniest Valentine''s day in the history of Valentine''s days.. I was just glad that it wasn''t over yet.

 Chapter 251 - Makai – Valentines Day Part 3 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Well, that was a one in a million chance. What are the odds that we end up getting everything the same? The same exact watch. The same exact chain. And the same exact pendant. And then the candy was all the same too. It was like some crazy level of mated pair syncing going on here. I didn''t hate it though.


    To be completely honest, I completely loved the fact that Ocean and I were on the same page with each other. We both knew what we wanted, and it just happened to be the same thing. I had a feeling that when we moved and lived in our own place, that nothing at all was going to change between us.


    "I love you, Makai." Ocean whispered after putting his gifts, identical to my gifts, on his dresser.


    "I love you too. And I have one more gift for you." I was sure that he already knew what it was though.


    "Hmm, is it the same gift that I want to give you." He almost seemed to purr when he asked me that.


    "I guess we will have to wait and see, won''t we?" I was teasing him back.


    At that moment, I took him by the arm, pulled him toward me and started to kiss him fiercely. He was ready for it though. He wanted me to kiss him just as much as I wanted to kiss him. It was a mutual fiery passion that was building between us.


    The next thing that I knew, Ocean and I were tearing each other''s clothes off. I took off his dress shirt and threw it to the floor. He did the same to the dress shirt that I was wearing. Piece by piece, we stripped each other down until there was nothing at all left. When we were fully naked, we wrapped our arms around each other and climbed onto the bed.


    There was so much passion in each kiss that we were giving each other that I couldn''t stop myself from moving to his neck and sucking hard at his flesh. He moved his mouth down to my shoulder as well and did the same to me. I knew that we were both going to have massive hickeys there in the morning. And I didn''t care at all.


    We continued to kiss down until we couldn''t get to anymore because we were both moving. That was when my Ocean took the initiative and turned around. He climbed on top of me and straddled my body. His face was right above my hard cock, and his erection was likewise right about my face.


    "Glorious." I sighed as I grabbed him and started to stroke it gently.


    "Ngh!" He moaned just a little bit as he grabbed onto me.


    At nearly the same time, we licked the tip of the thing that we were holding. After licking him though, I pulled Ocean into my mouth, and he did the same. Oh God! He tasted so good. That perfect pi?a colada flavoring that blew my mind every time that I tasted it.


    In perfect rhythm, perfectly in sync, Ocean and I moved our heads up and down We were both swirling our tongues around the tip of each other''s rock hard cocks. The way that Ocean was moving his head and his mouth, I just couldn''t get enough of him. I knew that I was already feeling myself reaching that breaking point. He was so good at what he did that I was no match for him. Still, I was determined to make him feel as good as me. And I was sure that I was succeeding.


    And I was right, since within seconds of each other, we exploded into each other''s mouths. That truly delicious flavor of his filled my mouth even more. It was so concentrated and thick at the moment, that I felt like I was having dessert once again. And the way that Ocean groaned, I do believe that he was thinking the same thing that I was, only about my flavors.


    "Oh God, Makai, that was amazing. I love you so much." His voice was breathless and filled with arousal.


    "Mmm, I think you were better at it than me. And you know that I love you." I could hear a thick layer of ecstasy filling my voice. I just laid there, not moving for a moment, as I reveled in what had just happened.


    That was the only short break that I was going to allow though. And apparently, Ocean thought the same exact thing. We had been going without each other for most of these last couple of weeks. By this point, we wanted each other so bad that we couldn''t wait at all. In no time at all, we were flipping our positions around so that I could pin Ocean to the bed, lift his legs up while I looked him in the eyes, and then I drove inside of him in a hurried rush. I wanted him. I needed him. And now I had him. And it was pure perfection.


    The moment that I was inside of Ocean, he started to squeeze around me so much that it was driving me insane. He was literally the perfect fit for me and every time that I was inside of him it felt like the first time all over again. It was always just what we needed.


    I started to pull out and slam back into him with a steady driving rhythm. I couldn''t help but call out and my moans mixed in with Ocean''s to make a beautiful Valentine''s day song that went well with the instrumental music in the background.


    "Ahh! Ahh! Ngh! Mmm! Nghahh! Ahh! MMM! MMM! AHH! AHH!"


    "MMM! MMM! AHH! AHH! Ahh! Ahh! Ngh! Mmm! Nghahh! Ahh!"


    That moment of perfection was already coming up quickly. That pure ecstasy that we always strove for was right there in front of us for the taking. All we needed were a few more thrusts. A little more pleasure. Just a little more and..


    "AHHH! M..M..MAKAI!"


    "NGH! O..OCEAN!" We came at the same time, exploding for each other in unison and showing just how in tune our bodies were with each other.


    We collapsed onto the bed and caught our breath before anything else. We had school tomorrow so we couldn''t have a marathon tonight. This was probably going to be it, but we did need to get cleaned up again. And after that, we were going to go to bed. I was tired now and all I wanted to do was hold my love in my arms as I drifted off to sleep.


    While we laid there in each other''s arms, we talked about how we came to get the same gifts, and about another really funny coincidence.


    "Are you kidding me? So, they both had the same idea as well. And they both got engraved engagement and wedding rings for each other."


    "Yeah, and look at me and you both being such good brothers to our newest family members. You paid for Ryan''s and I paid for Ben''s. I wouldn''t have had it any other way though, would you?" Ocean was looking so sweet now, nothing like the erotic look he had just a little while ago.


    "Yeah, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Rings, engravings, all of it."


    "Wait, Ryan got his engraved too? That''s funny. So did Ben." We were both laughing now. This was all just way too much.


    "That is too funny, Ocean, seriously. I mean, what are the actual odds that they thought that same thing and then we did as well? How astronomical do you think those odds have got to be?"


    Well, let''s just say this, Makai, I don''t think that there will ever be another Valentine''s day that ended up like this one in the history of the world. That is how astronomical those odds are." Ocean laughed and hugged my waist tightly while pressing his face into my chest.


    "Yeah, I think that you''re right. This one has been the most amazing Valentine''s day of my life. And I will remember it forever."


    We drifted off to sleep after that. Holding each other tightly and snuggly all night long.


    When we woke up in the morning, we heard all about the night before from Ben and Ryan. We learned that they had not only gotten the same type of gift for each other but also identical rings that they were both now wearing. One on their fingers and one on a chain around their necks.


    "Hey, at least you will always have a spare." I joked with them. "We got the same things for each other too." I told them, showing off the watch and pendant that Ocean had got me while he did the same with the ones that I got him.


    Oh, and of course they both said yes to each other. I knew that was going to happen when I found out that Ben had bought the same exact thing for Ryan that he bought for him. They both wanted to get married so that they didn''t have to be separated when they went off to school. That school being the same one that Ocean and I got into. That meant that our plan that we were hoping to put into effect should go off without a hitch. I knew that Ocean had been thinking the same thing ever since he found out where they were going too. This was perfect.


    In complete honesty, I really do think that this was the world''s best Valentine''s day.. And I couldn''t wait to see how our next one turned out.

 Chapter 252 - Makai – Training

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Things literally felt perfect right now. I had just lived through the best Valentine''s Day in the history of the world. I was living my life with the man that I loved, and we were soon going to be moving to the city to live in our own place. What else could I possibly want? I really couldn''t think of anything. All I wanted was to be with my man and to be happy.


    Oh, and to get ready for nationals. Since the main season for swimming was over, all we were doing now was training for the various end of the year tournaments. We not only had the state championship that we qualified for, but also that invitational nationals that we made it to after the wins back in October. If we won the state championship, we would be heading off for the regionals and then nationals with the various schools. So, there were potentially two sets of nationals that we were going to be heading off to. The first of which was that invitational event coming up in March. After that was back to back regionals and then nationals in April. We had a lot of busy days coming up very soon.


    I didn''t mind though. Being this busy was helping time to pass a lot quicker. We were going to be so busy that soon enough, it would be the end of the school year. Once that came around, we would plan our wedding and move in together. That was the goal, that was what I was looking forward to the most.


    Right now, all that we were doing was training. We went to school and trained with the team in the morning. After school we trained with the team again. After we got home and made sure that we were done with our homework and that we ate dinner, the four of us trained some more.


    Everyday we were training. Everyday we were all getting better. Ocean was making better times. I was pushing myself to my limits to get better. Ben and Ryan were doing the same thing as well. And slowly, over the next two weeks or so, we were all four listed at the top of the team.


    I could feel the excitement slowly building up in myself, my Ocean, Ben and Ryan. All of us were excited about the upcoming tournaments. It was making for quite the active and lively house.


    Mom and Dad were gone now, back on their missions that never seemed to end. It wasn''t all that bad. I knew that they were working hard and that this wasn''t likely to last forever.


    For now, though, it was just the four of us and we were doing fine. Ben was even visiting with his dad a little bit. Enough to tell him that he was getting married and that he didn''t care what his piece of shit mother thought about it. I know that it had to be hard for him to do that. Yet, in my opinion, he was awesome for it.


    Today was the last Sunday in February, we had just a week left for the planning and training before we left for the invitational nationals. We would be heading back to my home state, Florida, for this trip and we were likely to be gone for a week. The entire team was not going this time, just those that qualified to be invited back and a few others in case something happened to the others.


    We were working extra hard for this to be perfect. Right now, I was timing Ben and Ryan in the pool. They were racing against each other as hard as they could. They wanted to see who was officially faster out of the two of them.


    "Come on, Ben, it''s a race to see who is in third and who is in fourth. Am I on top of you, or are you on top of me?" I saw Ben''s face flame to a bright red at Ryan''s words when he heard what his boyfriend had just said to him. I tried really, really hard not to laugh at them. I know that Ryan wasn''t meaning it in a sexual way, but they had already told us that they were not set in their roles when it came to their relationship. They switched positions just like Ocean and I were going to be doing. However, Ocean ended up being a hardcore bottom, so we didn''t have to worry about that.


    "Just shut up. You''re an asshole sometimes, you know that? A massive asshole." Even though he was yelling at and reprimanding his boyfriend, he was still laughing. His words were not matching up to his actions at all. He truly did think that Ryan was being funny. And he knew that Ryan wasn''t trying to be crude. At least I don''t think that he was. I am not really sure right now, to be honest. Still, it was quite funny, and I knew that we were all still having fun.


    "Okay, come on you two, let''s get back to work." Ocean, surprisingly, was being the most serious and hardworking of us all. He was the one that kept dragging Ryan back to focus and put an end to the unnecessary joking. "I want to make sure that we are all ready to go. We''ve only got one more week left. This isn''t the time for this. We can joke again after we win." He was standing near the deep end of the pool as he barked out his orders. "Less laughter and more swimming."


    "You know what, I think he is worse than Coach Dickson is sometimes." Ben joked with Ryan before they started their next heat.


    "I think you might be right." Ryan laughed back. "Let''s be glad that Ocean isn''t always the coach."


    "I heard that." Ocean yelled at them. "Don''t make me come over there." He snapped at them.


    I knew that he was just stressing over the upcoming competition. I knew that he was just wanting to make sure that we were all ready for it and that we didn''t have anything to worry about at all. Still, he was a little too stressed over it. And he was letting that stress get to him. So, the only thing that I could think of that I needed to do, was to help him to relax a little bit. Having a sound mind was just as important when it came to preparing for this tournament. And he definitely was not sound at all right now.


    I had an idea. There was something that I could do to help him calm down and to relax a little. Well, more than one thing really, but I couldn''t do some of them with other people around.


    Being limited to what I could do with other people around, I walked up behind my boyfriend and tapped him on the shoulder. The moment that he looked away from Ben and Ryan I made my move.


    I pressed my lips to Ocean''s before he even had time to look at me properly. I know he knew that it was me, so I didn''t have to worry about that. Still, I didn''t let him get fully turned to look at me.


    The moment that my lips were on his, I felt him begin to melt against me. I felt him start to relax just a little bit. That was good. That was what I was hoping for. But I wasn''t done yet. There was still more. I needed to finish this.


    I slipped my hand around Ocean''s waist and rested it in the small of his back. He was wearing nothing but his spandex swim shorts, so his back was bare to my touch. I had to fight myself from going too far with him being nearly naked.


    I mostly behaved myself though. Enough that I didn''t have to worry about anything else.


    With my hand on Ocean''s back, I deepened the kiss and got him off guard. Then, when he wasn''t paying attention, I slowly started to lean forward and tilt us toward the pool. After a few seconds, we were about to tumble from the side of the pool into the deep end of the water.


    This would get us all laughing and, hopefully, calm Ocean down a little bit. That was the least that I could hope for anyway. And maybe he would realize that he was being a little too uptight and settle down a little more after his quick little dip in the pool.


    I know the moment that he realized we were falling into the water. He pulled away and broke the kiss. Not to mention, I saw fear in his eyes because he wasn''t expecting this fall. There wasn''t anything to worry about though. He could breathe underwater, and he was not going to hit his head. This was just to cool off his emotions.


    We splashed into the water together, and I refused to let go of him. I kept my hand at the small of his back until we had oriented ourselves and he was glaring at me.


    "Love you." I told him while still fully submerged in the water.


    "Love you too, asshole." He laughed at me. "I guess you had a reason for doing that." He was already catching on.


    "Yup." I moved forward and kissed him, still under the water. It was great.


    Thankfully, that move worked. Ocean calmed down and stopped barking orders at everyone else. The four of us continued to practice, but it was a lot more fun than it had been leading up to that moment. That was a good thing.. And when we were done, we were all so tired that we literally collapsed into our beds and slept through the night.

 Chapter 253 - Ocean – Kidnapped Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    OK, so Makai had made me start to settle down a little. I wasn''t being as anal about needing to get better now. I mean, Makai, myself, Ben and Ryan were the top four guys on the team. And by a lot at that.


    Then again, there was still the chance that there were going to be people that were still faster than us at the competition. There was no guarantee that we were going to win and that had been what was bothering me.


    Ben, Ryan and Makai all told me that if we didn''t win, it wasn''t going to be the end of the world. And I knew that. I really did. I just wanted to win. I wanted to be the best. I wanted to make Makai proud of me. And I thought it would be really nice to end high school on such a positive note.


    Well, no matter what happened at the next practice, and at the competition, I knew that I would live. I knew that I would be able to survive and that was all that mattered to me.


    And speaking of practice, that was where I was heading right now. Coach had a few errands for me to run before I went to the locker room. They weren''t hard or anything, just time consuming. I was already running late for practice. And I hated that. I needed all these minutes to practice.


    Oh well, it was what it was. That was all that I could say about it. And as long as I hurried, I would only be five minutes or so late. And that was what I was doing. Hurrying as fast as I could through the halls without actually running. The principal was still here, and I didn''t need him putting me in detention or something right before the competition. That would make me have to miss it all entirely.


    While I was hurrying, I thought I heard something behind me. I stopped at what sounded like hurried footsteps coming toward me. However, the moment that I stopped moving, so did the sound of the footsteps.


    "Okay, that''s weird." I was talking out loud to myself. Yeah, like there wasn''t already enough craziness in my life, now I could add me literally going crazy to the list.


    I tried to brush it all off and pretend like I wasn''t apprehensive or nervous. What the hell was going on here? Who was following me? And why were they following me?


    I decided to ignore them. They would let me know what they wanted when they finally caught up to me. I don''t have the time to be wasting right now. I was already late. And this person, whoever they were, was not important to me at the moment.


    Still, every single time that I started to walk again, I heard the sound of someone else''s steps behind me. It was starting to creep me out. I mean, I could have taken the person, I wasn''t afraid of them hurting me. That wasn''t the issue here. It just weirded me out that someone was following me. I guess I know how women felt now. When some strange creep was following them when they were walking. I swear, if there is ever a girl that feels scared when I am in college, or even after, she could call me, and I would walk her home. This is creepy as all hell.


    Still, I walked faster. I wanted to make sure that I got to practice and didn''t have to deal with this asshole that was following me. However, when I went faster, so did the steps that were following me. What the hell.


    Just as I stopped in place, about ready to turn around and confront whoever this person was, I heard the steps reach a fever pitch. They were running at me now. And there was more than one set of them. From what I could hear, there were three sets of steps coming at me.


    I didn''t have the chance to turn and confront the people that were coming after me. The moment that I tried to turn around, I had a bag pulled over my head. I was completely blinded, unable to see anything at all.


    And to make matters worse. I wasn''t about to pull the bag off because someone grabbed me around my arms and pinned them to my sides.


    "What the hell?" I growled at the person holding onto me as they lifted me off of the ground. He was tall, whoever he was.


    "Shut up and don''t fight." The voice was deep, gravelly, and definitely not familiar to me at all. I didn''t know who this person was at all.


    As I tried to continue fighting, not listening to the person at all, two other sets of hands grabbed onto me. The two of them grabbed me around my legs, making it almost impossible for me to move them and get free.


    What in the actual fucking hell was going on here? I was being kidnapped? And from my school at that. Would anyone be able to find me? Would I be able to escape? What the hell was Makai going to think about this? Would anyone even know that I was kidnapped?


    I didn''t know what was going on, or what I should even be thinking right now. All I knew was that I needed to get away. I needed to keep fighting. And I had to figure out why someone wanted to kidnap me in the first place.


    I struggled as best as I could while these three people carried me out of the school. Someone had to be seeing this. Someone had to see what was going on. I mean, how could these people do this in broad daylight without someone being able to witness it. There had to be a witness. And there had to be someone that was going to help me.


    Well, no one called out to them or stopped them when they were coming out of the building. And no one seemed to be doing anything as they took me to where their car had obviously been parked. And no one at all tried to stop them when they threw me into the back of their car and closed the lid of the truck on me.


    I had literally been kidnapped. How is this even possible? How was it that someone like me, a tall and strong guy, was kidnapped from my school in the middle of the day. This wasn''t possible. This couldn''t be happening.


    Well, lucky for me, they didn''t tie me up. When they threw me into the trunk and shut the lid on me, I was still able to move my hands and feet. Of course, the first thing that I did was pull the thick black bag from over my head.


    Of course, there was nothing for me to see. I was in a trunk, for crying out loud. It was dark and there was nothing else in there with me. Nothing at all.


    "Okay, Ocean, calm yourself down and figure this out." I started to coach myself. "What the hell, I''m an idiot." I smacked myself in the head. "I can just call Makai. I can tell him what happened to me. I could get out of this really quick, all I needed to do was..


    What the fucking hell! When did they take my phone? I know that I had it in my pocket. I know that I put it there just before I left Coach Dickson''s classroom. I checked the time on it, so I know that I had it with me. But now it was gone. That was bullshit.


    Okay, don''t panic. It''s too early to panic. Check all of your pockets, Ocean. Check them all and make sure that you didn''t just put it somewhere else. Just calm down and relax. You can get through this.


    I was trying my best to coach myself as I felt the car take off. Whoever was driving started moving so fast that I slammed against the back of the car, my face hitting the wall of the trunk.


    "Ouch! That fucking hurt."


    As soon as I cried out in pain, I heard the sound of laughter coming from the front of the car. They must have thought that my pain was funny. What assholes. I swear, when I get out of this, I am going to fucking hit them all so fucking hard.


    If I got out of this that is. I still couldn''t find my phone. It wasn''t here in my pocket at all. It was gone. They did take it. Those assholes.


    "WHAT DO YOU WANT!? HUH!? WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME!?" I screamed the words as loud as I could and kicked the inside of the metal prison that I was in. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" Again, I heard them all laughing. They were not only kidnapping me, but also laughing at me about it. That was fucking heartless.


    "Just calm down, little boy." Another deep voice came through the back of the car. It was muffled, but it sounded like whoever it was had put their face right against the seat to talk to me. "We will take good care of you." After that, there was another round of raucous laughter.


    "Fuck you!" I yelled at the person. "Fuck all of you."


    "Now, now, you shouldn''t use such foul language. It isn''t polite."


    I swear, these people were driving me insane. Their laughter. Their stupid words.. Everything that they were doing and saying was making me feel like my life had been turned upside down. What the hell was happening to me?

 Chapter 254 - Ocean – Kidnapped Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Why was this happening to me? What had I done to deserve this? What was going to happen to me? Was I going to live through this? Were these people going to kill me? Were they somehow sent to attack me because of Brittney? Did this have something to do with me being a Siren?


    There were so many questions running through my head right now. So many things that I wanted answers to, but I most likely would never get. I don''t know for certain since I have never been kidnapped before, but I didn''t really think that people who were kidnapped ever really found out the reasons why they had been taken. Hell, I don''t even know how many people that are kidnapped ever make it home.


    Well, there was one thing that I had in my favor. If these people wanted money, a ransom of any amount, I was more than sure that Makai and his parents would pay it. Hmm. Maybe this all had to do with Makai and his parents. Maybe someone knew that I was with Makai and that I was loved by the entire Rivers family.


    That didn''t make too much sense though. Who would there be that had something against Reef and Analise? Not only would that person have to have something against Makai''s parents. They would need to be willing to go against them. And I had a feeling that any of their enemies would know better than to do something like that.


    No, whoever these people are, they couldn''t possibly know who we all were. If they did, if they knew at all what type of connections that we had, they wouldn''t be doing this to me. Still, they had done this and one of us, either me or them, would now have to pay the consequences for it.


    "Okay Ocean, enough trying to figure out why you''re here. It''s time to start trying to figure out how you''re going to get out of here." I tried to mentally prepare myself for what I needed to do.


    I started to look around the trunk again now that my eyes had gotten used to darkness around me. I could see that I had been right about it being empty. There was nothing in here that I could use to help myself get out of the trunk. And there was nothing that I could use as a weapon either.


    "Well, this place isn''t very helpful. And I can''t tell where I am being taken so that doesn''t help me either. Hmm. Okay, well, I guess that the only thing for me to do was to get ready to attack someone as soon as they open the trunk. I will take whatever weapon they have and then fight my way out of here."


    I was basically giving myself a movie plot here or something. I was going to be pretending to be a damned movie star once this trunk was opened. Here''s hoping that movie scenes are semi accurate. And also, here is me thanking Makai for wanting to watch more action movies than chick flicks. If it wasn''t for him, I probably wouldn''t know what to do here.


    I need to steel my nerves now. The car was slowing down and turning into a driveway of some sort. I could feel the car moving up and the texture of the road change. It also sounded different. Though, I think that the sound had more to do with the fact that we were going slower. It was no longer as deafening as it had been. In fact, it was nearly silent.


    The car felt like it was creeping forward now. They sure were taking their time parking. Wherever we were, it must be somewhere off the beaten path. They were probably going so slow because they were navigating between trees or something like that. They were hiding us from sight completely.


    After what felt like forever, the car came to a stop. I heard the engine cut off and the noise in the trunk lessened even more.


    "Come on, let''s go get him." There was a muffled voice that sounded like it was coming from the backseat just like it had before.


    "Yeah, let''s go. The boss wants to see him. We need to make sure that the goods aren''t damaged too much either." Another voice, this one quieter as if it were further away from the seat that I was listening through.


    The goods? Was I the goods? What did they mean when they said they needed to make sure that I was intact? And who was their boss? This was all way too much for me. I didn''t know what to think anymore. All I knew was that I needed to get out of here.


    I tensed my body, ready to attack the moment that the trunk opened up. I was going to hit whoever it was that opened it and tried to take me out of here. I was going to fight. I was going to get myself out of here and then I would find a phone and call Makai. I had to let him know what had happened to me. I knew that he had to be going crazy because of this.


    Three doors of the car opened and shut almost simultaneously. That was when I heard the sound of their footsteps coming closer to the trunk of the car. My fist was ready. I was ready.


    The trunk clicked open. Just a little bit. The latch undone so that it was just sitting there, ready to be lifted. That was it though. No one was opening it anymore than that. There seemed to be no movement on the other side at all.


    Did they leave? Did someone or something else distract them? What was going on? Should I get out of here? Should I risk it? I wanted to, oh did I want to. But then I still didn''t know what was going on out there.


    After a minute or two passed and nothing happened on the outside of the car, I decided to give it a shot. If they weren''t going to come after me in here, then I was going to get the hell out of here.


    At that precise moment, I pushed the trunk lid open, determination on my face and courage in my heart. That was the only way to put it. I didn''t know how else to put it. I was going to fight and run away from this place no matter where we were.


    Or at least I thought that I was. But that whole plan went out of the window the moment that I was out of the trunk.


    "SURPRISE!" Several familiar voices yelled at me all at the same time. I was completely shocked by what I had heard. So shocked in fact, that I fell backwards and landed on my ass back in the trunk of the car.


    "WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL!?" I screamed at them all as I started to look around.


    Standing around the trunk, having been waiting for me, were Julie, Deliah and Grantham.


    "What the hell are you all doing?" I asked them as I looked around the area that I was in. We were in an alley behind Serafina''s. I was confused and scared but the three of them were looking at me with glee in their eyes. What the hell was going on here?


    "We wanted to surprise you." Grantham spoke first.


    "We needed to have you come to see us." Deliah was next.


    "Yeah, but we knew that with the competition coming up, you wouldn''t have left with us willingly." Julie, the crazy little psychopath that she was, smiled so big that it looked like all her teeth were showing and her eyes were about to pop out of her head.


    "You''re fucking right that I wouldn''t have come with you. But that didn''t mean that you needed to kidnap me." I snapped at them angrily.


    "You know this wasn''t a real kidnapping, Ocean." Grantham laughed at me as if I was overreacting.


    "It fucking felt like one. Goddammit, why did you fucking do this? Do you have any idea how worried Makai is going to be? And Coach? He sent me on an errand and then I never came back." For some reason all three of them started to laugh. I didn''t know what was so funny, but a moment later, someone else started to speak and that made me whip around to see if my ears were deceiving me.


    "I am sorry, Ocean. I didn''t mean to let you get so scared." Makai was standing there and looking at me. "But you have been wound up so tight that I thought you needed a break. And when your siblings came to me and asked for my help, I decided to do it. Oh, and Coach isn''t going to worry. He was in on it too. That was why you had an errand to run in the first place. It got you in the proper position for the abduction."


    "Yeah, Ocean, don''t be mad at us." Julie pouted. "We just wanted to spend some time with our brother."


    "That''s right. We miss you, Ocean. You are always so busy that we never have time to spend with you anymore. And this is important. We need to have this family meeting right now. It can''t wait." Deliah sounded desperate.


    "Right. Of course. I am so sure that whatever it is it can''t wait for even another day. Nope, it needs to be right here and right now." The sarcasm in my voice was so thick that I nearly choked on it.


    "Oh, just shut up and come inside. We have a lot to talk about. And your man is here anyway. Are you going to let him come inside with us while you walk home or something?" I never once imagined these words coming out of my brother''s mouth.


    "Hahh." I sighed in exasperation as Makai came over and held a hand out to me.


    "Come on, Ocean. Let''s go inside. I am hungry and I am betting that you are too."


    Well, I guess I didn''t have much of a choice. I took his hand and let him pull me from the trunk. It was time to find out why I had been kidnapped. For their sakes, I really, really, really hope that my siblings had a damn good excuse. Because if they didn''t, if this was all for something stupid and not at all worth me giving up a training day, they would all be sorry. I would find some way, somehow, to get back at them. Something truly diabolical and evil to pay them back for all the anguish they caused me.. Just you wait.

 Chapter 255 - Ocean – Planning Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I let Makai lead me into the restaurant through the back door. Apparently, even Roberto, the owner, was involved in this little scheme they had cooked up.


    "Ah, I see you have gotten the victim here." He laughed at himself when he saw me. "Do not worry at all. Your order is already in and will be at the table soon." He walked away with a smile like he didn''t have some part in this whole plot that traumatized me. Damn him and damn my siblings too. Hell, I am almost tempted to damn Makai too. If I didn''t love him so much, I probably would damn him. Ugh! This was so fucking annoying right now. I could just hit them all for doing this. Even Makai.


    When we got to the table, I saw that there were several books that were waiting for us. They had to have been put there by Roberto or someone else on the staff, but why? What were they for? What was the point of this whole thing? Dammit! I was so lost here right now.


    When we sat down, I saw that we were at the largest table in the entire place. It was a corner booth style table that was big enough to fit about ten people. Yet, it was just the five of us. Well, the five of us and these books.


    "Why am I here?" I snapped at my sister Julie as she slid into the booth and sat on my left hand side. Makai was on my right side.


    "We told you, Ocean. We need to have a meeting. There are some things that we need to discuss. So, just shut up and deal with it for now." She was just as sweet as fucking ever. UGH! I hated this.


    "Shut up? Aren''t we supposed to have some super special discussion? How am I going to do that if I have to shut up?" I decided to snap at her in response to her words.


    "You know what I meant, Ocean. Just shut up and stop being a damn baby. Geez. Are you sure you want to marry him, Makai? He''s quite a pain. I mean, yeah he''s cute and he''s my baby brother so I have to love him and all, but are you sure you want him?" Julie was acting like I was the pest here.


    "How the hell are you going to treat me like that right now? I mean, you three literally kidnapped me. You put a fucking bag over my head and threw me in the trunk of Grantham''s car." I had figured out whose car they used as we walked into the restaurant. Not to mention that my sisters didn''t have one for themselves, so it had to be his. "Do you know how fucking traumatizing that was? I thought I was going to die. I thought some fucking asshole wanted to ransom me or kill me or something worse. I don''t even know what anymore. I just know that it was not very fun or funny. You three went too far. I''m serious." I was truly pissed off. And there was nothing that they could say or do to make things better. Nothing at all.


    "I am partially to blame for this." Makai hung his head in shame. "I am sorry, Ocean. I didn''t tell them no when they told me their plan. I thought that you would eventually find it funny when you saw it was just them. I should have known better. I''m an idiot."


    Dammit. Now I had Makai thinking that I was mad at him. And this was all Julie, Deliah and Grantham''s faults. They were so fucking lucky that they''re family. If they weren''t, then I would have already hit them by now. UGH!


    "It''s not your fault, Makai. It wasn''t like this was your idea. It was theirs. And that means that it is their fault. I love you and I always will. I can''t, however, say the same for them." I knew that I didn''t mean that, but it didn''t stop me from threatening them with the way that I felt.


    "Oh hush, Ocean. We all know that you are just blowing smoke out of your ass. You''re not going to stop loving us. Besides, we have a really good reason for bringing you here." Grantham was smiling like he just knew everything.


    "Well, since I have only been told that it was important and really good, I don''t have much faith in the validity of that reason. I mean, why couldn''t you just call me and tell me what you wanted from me. Huh? Why did you do this?"


    "Well, how else were we going to get you here? You already said that you weren''t going to come if we had just asked you. You know this was the only way to get you here. So just stop belly aching and just be glad that your siblings all love you so much."


    "They really do love you, Ocean. And I am sort of jealous, if I am being honest. I don''t have siblings to do this for me."


    "You wanted to be kidnapped from school by a gang of psycho siblings?" I made it look like I was serious, but everyone knew that it was a joke and just laughed it all off. Damn them. This was starting to be fun. I was too pissed off for it to be fun. GAH! They''re so annoying. They knew how to make me not be mad anymore.


    "Hahh." I sighed as they all laughed, Makai included. I needed to move beyond all of this. I needed to find out why I was here in the first place. What meeting did we need to have? What was so damn important right now? "Okay, why am I here? What is it that you all want from me?"


    I don''t know if I liked their responses to that question. I mean, Grantham started to rub his hands together in a sort of maniacal way. I swear that I could see the evilness rising inside of him. There was nothing but pure joy and mischievousness that was coming from him right now. I swear it was sending shivers up my spine.


    Deliah wasn''t any better. I mean, she was grinning from ear to ear and looked like the joker. She was scaring me, and I just wanted to make that look go away. I wanted it gone now and for it to never come back ever again.


    When I saw Julie''s face, I felt like she was the worst of them all. She even looked like she was growing devil horns. I could feel my blood running cold from that look. It was like the look that you would get from the evil villain in some horror flick just before they started to slash you up with their stupidly big knife. That was the only way for me to put it.


    All I wanted was for the three of them to stop looking at me. I didn''t want them to even be here in this room with me either. There was just something about this whole situation that made me want to run away.


    "I..I think I''m going to g..g¡­go." I tried to get up but both Makai and Julie grabbed my arms and held me in place. "L..l..l..let me g..g..g..go." I stuttered worse than I had in a long time. "J..j..j..just l..let m..m..m..me g..go p..p..please. I..I..I p..p..promise th..that I w..w..won''t be m..m..mad at you a..a..a..anymore. J..j..just pl..please l..let me g..g..go. C..come on J..J..Julie. M..M..Makai, p..pl..please. I..I don''t w..want to b..b..be here a..an..any..anymore."


    I could feel my heart beating a mile a minute. This was way too nerve wracking for me. I mean, none of them had told me what was going on, not one of them. I was still in the dark and then they gave me those looks. Those sinister and evil looks. What was up with them? What was going on?


    "Shh. Shh. Shhh. It''s Okay Ocean, baby. I promise you that it is all going to be okay. Would I ever let anything bad happen to you?" Makai was softly stroking my cheek as he spoke, doing his best to calm me down. "Would I let anyone, even your siblings, hurt you?"


    "N..n..no. N..no y..you w..wouldn''t." I focused on his eyes and tried to settle myself down. "B..b..but th..this is g..getting a l..l..little strange." I looked back at my siblings again. "What is going on here?"


    I wanted to ask them again. I wanted them to actually talk to me this time. I wanted them to actually speak to me. If they stopped hiding things from me, if they stopped acting like psychopaths and assholes, then maybe I wouldn''t be overreacting. Oh, and if they hadn''t fucking thrown me in the trunk and made me think that I was going to fucking die. Then maybe I wouldn''t be this uptight right now."


    "Calm down, Ocean. It''s okay." Makai leaned in and kissed me gently on the lips. "It''s all going to be okay." The kiss helped, that was for sure. I was already feeling a little better.


    "Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine.. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all."

 Chapter 256 - Ocean – Planning Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all." Those words that were spoken by my sister Julie just kept replaying over and over inside of my mind. "Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all. Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all. Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all."


    It was like some terrible song that was stuck on repeat. It was horrible and it felt like it was never going to end.


    "Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all. Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all. Yeah, Ocean, it''s all going to be just fine. We''re just here to plan your wedding that''s all."


    "W..what do you mean that w..w..w..we''re going to p..p..plan m..m..my w..we..wed.. m..m..my w..we..wedding?" Did time stop? Did I die? I mean it almost felt like my heart had stopped beating or something like that. I had to have died. That was the only explanation. I had actually been killed by some psychopath and this was me being stuck in my own personal hell. That had to be it.


    "Oh, stop being such an idiot." Julie slapped my arm, hard.


    "OUCH!" I snapped at her. "That hurt." I sighed again. "Hahh. Well, I guess I am not dead after all." I shook my head. "I thought for a moment that I did die and that this was hell. Then again, I could probably feel pain if I were in hell."


    "Just shut up, baby bro. This is not hell or a dream. This is real." Grantham looked like I had personally offended him somehow. "We''re going to plan your wedding. I mean, tomorrow is the first of March and you are getting married over the summer. You know that these two, as well as Mom, would not want to do last minute wedding plans. If we start now, then they have like four months to get things ready for your big day."


    "Four months?" I was shocked. "When are we getting married? I don''t remember setting a date!" I was so shocked by his words.


    "Well, we did kind of set a date, baby. Don''t you remember? Over Christmas we all talked about the upcoming nuptials. We all said that July the ninth was a good day because it would literally work for everyone. So, in a way, we set the dates a couple of months ago."


    "I..i..isn''t all of th..th..this m..moving t..to..too fast?" I could feel the cold sweat just pouring down my back. It was so strange to me right now. I was supposed to be planning my wedding.


    It wasn''t that I didn''t want to get married. I did. I really did. I wanted to be with Makai forever. He was going to be my husband. We were going to be each other''s family. It was just going to be me and him forever and I loved that idea. B..but the idea of actually planning that wedding. The idea of actually picking out what it was that we wanted. That was the truly scary part.


    "No, Ocean, it''s not too fast at all. You know that we need to pick a venue. We need to get your food picked out and a caterer hired. We need to decide on the decorations. Do you want flowers at all? We need to figure out the guest list. We need to pick out tuxedos." It felt to me that Deliah was only halfway through her ranted list of things to do when my brother interrupted her.


    "Ha ha ha. We also have to decide if we''re getting two tuxedos or if Ocean will be wearing a dress." He was laughing hysterically when he was done with his little joke.


    "FUCK YOU!" I snapped at him.


    "He won''t be wearing another dress." Makai spoked at the same time.


    "HUH!?" Julie had caught Makai''s words first.


    "Say what?" Deliah asked next.


    "He already wore a fucking dress?" My brother Grantham had to be the biggest ass of them all, didn''t he.


    "SHUT UP!" I snapped at him. "You do not need to hear about that. And I forbid Makai from ever talking about it." I glared at my boyfriend where he sat next to me. "You need to watch your fucking mouth." I growled at him.


    "I''m sorry. It just slipped out. I promise I won''t say anything about it ever again. For as long as I live that will be a secret between us." He held up his pinkie intent on making a promise out of it.


    "You''d better.'''' I glared at him. "I don''t ever want to hear you tell anyone about that." I had to stop myself from saying anything else. I didn''t want my siblings to ask who else knew about this whole ''dress'' thing. If they found out that Mom, Dad, Reef, Analise, Ben and Ryan all knew about it, the three of them would hound them until at least one of them cracked. Nope, they needed to be kept in the dark at all times.


    "Fine. That doesn''t matter right now. I wasn''t worried about it at all anyway." Deliah was moving on. "I already knew that it was going to be two tuxedos."


    "Make it four." I said without thinking.


    "Why, you plan on ripping one or getting it dirty?" Grantham raised an eyebrow at me.


    "No, dumbass." I snapped at him in annoyance. "Ben and Ryan are getting married too. So, we will most likely just have a double wedding. I will ask them about it later, but for now, let us just plan for a double ceremony. Alright." I looked between my siblings who had obviously not known that my two best friends were a couple. However, there was nothing but happiness in their eyes for my friends.


    "That is so sweet of you, Ocean." Julie cooed at me.


    "Yeah, I agree. I think that is a wonderful thing that you are planning here. Helping your friends out and having a double wedding so that they can have their big day is totally awesome of you." Deliah smiled happily.


    "Holy shit. My little brother has a fucking heart. That is kind of cool. And I am happy for Ben and Ryan. They are good guys. I think that they will be happy with each other."


    I was actually really happy right now. I mean, all of my family was super supportive of my relationship with Makai. And now they were also very supportive of my friends and their new relationship with each other. I couldn''t have asked for a better family to be adopted into.


    "Stop making such a big deal about it." I blushed at their words. Then I thought about what I had just decided on my own. I had just opted to have this wedding with my friends without once ever mentioning it to Makai. "U..uh..uhm, M..Makai?" I was nervous now. Not knowing how he felt as I turned my head to look at him.


    "Yes, Ocean." He smiled at me.


    "U..uh..uhm, w..w..well, I..I uhm, I just realized that I didn''t ask you about the double wedding thing. I mean I..I haven''t mentioned it to either Ben or Ryan yet. S..so, if y..you''re not okay with it, th..that is fine. I d..don''t want you to be upset at all."


    "Ocean." He cupped my cheek in his hand gently and just smiled at me for a minute. He had the best smile in the world. That was a true fact. I could never get enough of looking at his smile.


    "Y..y..yes, Makai?" I was nervous as I waited for his response.


    "Why would I be upset? Ben and Ryan are like brothers to us, remember. I would want to do the same thing that you suggested. Actually, I had just been about to suggest it when you did. So, in all honesty, I am really happy right now. I want the two of them to feel special as well. And I don''t want them to worry about how they''re going to pay for their wedding with them having to worry about school." All three of my siblings perked up a little at what they heard Makai say.


    "Wouldn''t their parents want to help them?" My brother was the first to speak after that.


    "They were both disowned by their families for being gay. They won''t try to help them at all." I saw the anger flare in all of their faces. None of them were very happy at all.


    "Well, then it''s a good thing that they have us." Julie was pissed off, I could hear it in her voice.


    "Yup."


    "You got that right." Deliah and Grantham agreed with her.


    After those really tense moments at the very beginning of our conversation passed, things started to calm down just a little bit. I was happy about that too. I didn''t have to worry about feeling scared or nervous anymore at all. I was finally able to, and just a little bit I guess, start to enjoy myself. I mean, my siblings were trying to be nice right now. Not that they did it in a good way at all.. Those fucking morons, I love them so much.

 Chapter 257 - Ocean – Planning Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Alright, let''s move on to better and happier subjects." Deliah grinned at me as she tried to transition the entire conversation. At that moment, Roberto walked over to the table with a couple of other waiters and waitresses.


    "I have your food here." He was smiling at me. "And among the books that you asked me to put on the table for you, I have included my catering menu. Let me just tell you, Ocean, that I am so happy for you. You and your boyfriend make a very lovely couple. I want you to know that I am available to cater for you on the day in question. At a discount as well. You and your family have been loyal customers and friends for years. And even your parents have been here a few times, Makai. They are lovely people."


    "That is so sweet of you, Roberto." Julie gushed at the offer that he had made to us.


    "It is the least that I can do. I feel like I am a part of your family with how much you all have been here. I know that this is one of Ocean''s favorite places and he is one of my favorite customers. I would definitely want to be a part of the special day. And if I am there to cater the event, then I will feel like I am part of the festivities." He was smiling wistfully. It was like he was truly hoping that we would let him cater because he felt like he wouldn''t be allowed to come to the wedding otherwise.


    "You know what, Roberto." Makai grinned at him. "I think that we will go with you. And we will pay full price, I don''t want to hurt our friendship by paying you less than you deserve. And even if we had gone with someone else, we would have invited you to the wedding. You''re a good friend to us all."


    "Oh, Makai. You are such a good boy." I could tell that he was happy right now. It almost looked like he was about to cry. "I will make sure that your special day is perfect. Well, at least where the food is concerned." He laughed slightly at the small little joke he had made. He was a good man, and I was glad that he was there for us.


    "I will hold you to that." I joked with him.


    "Yes, yes, of course." At that moment, he heard someone calling him from across the restaurant. "I need to go. You pick out what you want for the reception. Let me know what you decide, and I will have it all ready for you." He hurried off then, unable to stay any longer.


    "Well, now that the food is here, we can eat while we plan this wedding." Julie grabbed one of the large serving plates and started to pile food onto her plate. "Come on, all of you dig in. I know that you two are hungry." She leveled a look at me and Makai then. I mean, she wasn''t wrong, but that look kind of hurt. Just a little bit, but still it hurt.


    "It''s not like I am a pig." I narrowed my eyes at her as I started to pile three times as much food onto my plate as she had on hers.


    "Yeah, sure you aren''t." She laughed at me. "And I am the fucking queen of England. Can''t you tell? I am almost a hundred years old and look damn good for my age."


    "You''re a fucking riot, Julie. A real fucking riot." I was still piling food on my plate, so I guess I really couldn''t say anything else. I was actually eating like a pig. But it wasn''t my fault. I was not human. She just didn''t know that.


    "Oh my God!" Grantham started to groan and moan obscenely as he ate his food. "Mmm. Ngh! This is so fucking good! Mmm. Mmm. Nngh!"


    "Stop having a fucking foodgasm you idiot." Deliah smacked him like Julie had smacked me earlier. These girls were fucking savage, I swear.


    "I can''t. It''s so fucking good. And it''s been so long since I ate here. I don''t live at home anymore, so I don''t have that luxury." He looked like he was trying to be all upset and offended but he also couldn''t stop eating his food.


    "Yeah, well you''re not the only one you idiot." Deliah snapped at him. "Julie and I don''t eat here anymore either." She reminded him of their circumstances too.


    "Yeah, but I have been away longer and Julie will still eat here on her breaks."


    "So did you." Julie got in on the bickering between the other two.


    I didn''t want to listen to them anymore. I wanted them to just be quiet and let me enjoy my food. I also wanted to get this wedding planning done and over with. That was why I looked over at Makai.


    He was eating too. And his plate was just as full as mine was. That was another thing that I liked about being with him. We both ate the same amount of food, so I didn''t need to be embarrassed about it.


    "Hey." He smiled at me as he spoke. "Is something wrong?" He asked me with curiosity in his voice.


    "No. I was just thinking. I didn''t think that this was going to happen today. Or ever really. I knew that I wanted to be married to you and all that, but I didn''t think that we would ever get to this whole planning part. I..i..it''s kind of.. kind of nerve wracking. You know what I mean?" I hoped that he didn''t think that I was being a big idiot. I was so nervous right now. I mean, would he think that I really didn''t want to marry him because I didn''t want to plan the wedding? I didn''t want to let that happen at all. I didn''t want him to think that I didn''t love him.


    "I know what you mean. To actually see the fact that we are planning it, it''s kind of nerve wracking and surreal."


    "So, you hadn''t thought about planning it either?" I felt momentarily relieved.


    "No. I thought about it. But I didn''t think that it was going to happen this soon. Then your siblings approached me recently and I thought that they had a point. We needed to get it done sooner rather than later."


    So even he had thought about it. Was it just me? Was I the only one that hadn''t thought about this part of it at all?


    "I..I''m sorry, Makai." I hung my head and dropped my fork.


    "For what?" He was confused now.


    "For not even thinking about these things. I never once thought about the planning process. I somehow just thought that it was just going to happen all by itself."


    "That is totally fine, Ocean. There is no reason to worry about that at all." I could tell that he was serious. He wasn''t upset at all. That was another reason that I loved him so much. He always knew what to say and when to say it.


    "I love you." I couldn''t stop the words from coming out of my mouth.


    "I love you too, silly. And I already knew that you loved me. Though I do love hearing it."


    "Aww, look at you two. You''re just so fucking cute." I hadn''t realized that my three siblings had stopped arguing. But now I noticed that it was eerily quiet on the other side of the table. They had stopped bickering and were watching me and Makai as we shared an intimate moment.


    "You know what? Sometimes I just really hate having siblings." I sighed again. "Hahh. What do you three want?" I looked over at them with a glare.


    "Duh! We need to plan this wedding." Julie just rolled her eyes at me. "You know what Ocean? Sometimes I really do think that you''re an idiot. How can you be in so many advanced placement classes and still be so dumb? It truly is mind boggling."


    "And how can you look like an angel when you''re nothing but a rotten fucking devil at heart? It truly is mystifying." Deliah, Grantham and Makai laughed at us. Hell, even Julie smirked at my words. I forgot she liked it when someone pointed out her impish nature.


    "Come on, Ocean, let''s figure this all out." She pretended like I hadn''t said anything at all. That was something that usually scared me. She was storing up that evilness for a later date. Would she release it on me or someone else? I don''t think I wanted to know. Ever.


    We really did get down to business though. We wanted to be as thorough as we could here, that way I didn''t have to be dragged away, or kidnapped away, from training again. So we went over it all.


    We started off by picking some of our favorite foods from the catering menu. Roberto had been so gracious to provide it for us after all. After that, we picked color accents for the tuxedos and other decorations. They were, of course, going to be blue and green to match our eyes.


    After that, we made a decision on flowers. I knew that I didn''t want to have too many flowers at the wedding, but it just didn''t feel like a wedding without them. So, I suggested lilies since they were not the ''traditional'' flower of choice. Specifically blue lilies. That would cover the blue and the green all at once with somewhite thrown in here andthere. And surprisingly, Makai and all my siblings thought that was a good idea.


    From there, it didn''t feel like we had too much to do. They were going to take care of choosing a photographer and all that other stuff. And Makai suggested we just use his parents'' house for the wedding. It was more than big enough and there was lovely landscaping. So it was definitely a good choice for us. I didn''t see a problem with it and neither did Julie, Deliah or Grantham.


    "It seems to me that we have almost everything figured out by now." Julie smiled at me. "Now all we need to do is start executing our plans, after we run them all by Mom and Dad. And of course by your parents, Makai."


    "Well, that will be a little difficult. They are away on business. But I will send a message to them, don''t worry." He assured her with a smile.


    "Alright. Then I think that we''re done here." She nodded at him.


    "Yeah, almost." This time Grantham spoke with an evil grin. "We need to plan their bachelor parties. But they can''t be part of that." He was laughing as he stood up. Come on, let''s go."


    Before I could stop them, they were all out of the building. Dammit. I didn''t like the way that Grantham had said that. It made me really, really nervous.

 Chapter 258 - Makai – Proposing An Idea

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Thankfully, by the end of the talk with his siblings, Ocean was feeling a lot better. He wasn''t quite as mad as he had been when he first got out of the trunk of his car at least.


    Alright, alright, I admit that was not the best idea in the world. But what can I say? His siblings are very convincing. They told me that Ocean would get a kick out of it and that it would be a big laugh. I thought that it would be a nice way for him to break some of the tension that he had been feeling lately.


    However, I hadn''t taken into consideration that he might think that it was someone actually trying to hurt him. He told me all of the things that were running through his head during that time, and it just made me feel so guilty and heartbroken. I was mad at myself for having agreed to that plan in the first place.


    Ocean wasn''t mad though. Not at me at least. He kept telling me to just forget about it and to not let it bother me. And I would have loved it if it were that simple. However, it wasn''t. I couldn''t forgive myself at all. So, I knew that I needed to do something to make it up to him. I just didn''t know what it was yet.


    It didn''t matter. I would figure something out. And when I did, I would surprise him with it. I would show him that I love him and that I never wanted to see him looking so sad again. I would make sure that I prepared the biggest and best surprise for my boyfriend ever. And then he would know that I was truly sorry for what I did.


    Now though, we were on our way back home. Ben and Ryan were there waiting for us. They knew about the whole plan, so I just knew that they were going to ask how it all went down. They would be interested in the kidnapping that Ocean had experience. Well, at least Ryan would be. Ben was likely to be worried about Ocean and want to make sure that he was doing OK. He was a good guy like that.


    Since it was just the four of us at the house again, my parents being gone and all, we all hung out quite a bit. In truth, after homework and the important things were done and over with, it was like a party every day. Just the four of us hanging out, playing games, watching movies, and doing whatever the hell it was that we wanted to do. It was pretty cool, that was for sure. And I have to admit that it was a great way to be ending my senior year.


    Though, there was no better way to end it in my opinion than to get married. Now that Ocean and I were seriously planning it all out, it was making things that much more real. I felt like it wasn''t just a dream anymore but a reality that was quickly approaching us. And I was OK with that. More than OK with it really. Who wouldn''t be happy to be marrying their mate? The one person in the world that was meant for them. That was the ultimate goal, right?


    There were others wanting to get married too. And I knew that they wanted to get married before they left for college. They wanted to hurry It up so that they would be allowed to live together. Well, we could solve that for them. All we needed to do was to invite them to have their wedding with us. All we needed to do was turn our wedding from a single one into a double one. And, of course, Ocean and I would be paying for everything. That would be our gift to them. They just needed to give us their input on what they wanted to have for the food, the flowers, their colors on the tuxedoes, all of it. Hmm, maybe I would send them along to Ocean''s siblings. That would be an experience for them. And maybe a little bit of evil on my part, but oh well. It would be fine.


    Before we could make it into a double wedding though, we needed to ask them if they were willing to do that. It was possible that Ben and Ryan would want to have a separate wedding. It was highly possible that they would want to have something separate so that the day would be all about them. And I wouldn''t blame them at all if that were the case


    When we got home, we saw Ben and Ryan sitting in the living room. They had been watching an anime and waiting for us to get home. I could see that they were restraining themselves when they saw us. They wanted to know how it all went. And it was amazing that they, specifically Ryan, were staying calm and not jumping at the opportunity to ask about the meeting. They were doing really great.


    "Hey, how was your day?" Ben called out to us. That was the most that they did to indicate that they knew what had happened.


    "You fucking knew, didn''t you?" Ocean laughingly snapped at him. "All day you knew and didn''t tell me."


    "I..I..I..I''m sorry, Ocean. I am so sorry. I didn''t want to hide it from you, b..but it wasn''t my secret to give away." Ben was truly panicked about what Ocean had said to him. I think he thought that Ocean was truly mad at him.


    "It''s fine, Ben. It all worked out. But please, if you ever know of another time that my siblings want to kidnap me, let me know. I seriously thought that I was going to be killed or something. They did not make it seem like a joke at all. I legit though that I had been kidnapped for real. That was honestly one of the scariest moments of my life."


    I watched as Ocean shuddered at the memory. Yeah, I would never let that happen to him again. I didn''t want to see that look in his eyes ever again.


    "Anyway," Ocean was smiling now and had completely shaken off that look, "there is something that we want to talk to you guys about. Come on, let''s sit and talk for a little bit." I could tell that Ocean was getting excited now. He wanted to talk to them right away because he wanted to make them happy. He, like me, thought that both Ben and Ryan would be happy and grateful for this thing that we wanted to do for them.


    "OK." Ben looked at Ocean with a raised brow but still went back to sit down.


    "Yeah, OK." Ryan didn''t look nervous at all as he went to sit down next to his boyfriend and fianc¨¦.


    The four of us sat together. Ben and Ryan on one couch and me and Ocean on the other. We were sitting opposite of each other so that we were looking at each other when we spoke. Ryan was easygoing and relaxed, but Ben still thought Ocean was mad about what had happened.


    "Alright, I will just jump right into this." Ocean smiled at them as he started to explain. "You guys know how Makai and I are getting married this summer, right?"


    "Yeah man, that was the whole reason you were kidnapped today. You went to plan the wedding. That''s cool too. I''m happy for you guys." There was something in Ryan''s voice that sounded like envy. That right there told me that Ocean and I had made the right decision to ask them about the double wedding.


    "Yes, that was why we took Ocean from the school today, but now there is more to it than just that." I tried to allude to what Ocean was going to tell them.


    "More? What more could there be?" Ben sounded confused.


    "Yeah, it''s not like it''s a shotgun wedding." Ryan was laughing hysterically. "There is no baby on the way or anything like that. So, what more is there than that?"


    "Well, if you would just let me finish, I could tell you." Ocean laughed at his friends. "And, of course, there is no baby on the way. That is completely impossible for us."


    "I would hope so." Ryan was laughing. "That would be funny to see though."


    "I agree, it would be hilarious." I couldn''t stop myself from laughing at that. It would be kind of nice though. To have a baby. But that is what adoption was for.


    "Anyway." Ocean brought the conversation back to the main topic with his insistent voice. "It occurred to me that Makai and I know another pair of hopeless saps that wanted to get married this summer."


    "What? You mean us?" Ben was finally catching on.


    "Yes, you two. And well, Makai and I thought that it would be nice if we were to have a double wedding. It would be the two of us with our best friends and adopted brothers. What do you think? Do you want to have a double wedding with us?" He finally asked them and I could see that this was not what the two of them were thinking when we all sat down.


    "W..wa..wait, Ocean. A..are you sure?" Ben was at a loss for words.


    "R..really?" Apparently, even the ever talking Ryan was at a loss at the moment.


    "Yes, really. If you guys want to, then we want to have you two there with us. We want to make it a celebration for all of us. You''re our brothers and best friends. Seeing you two celebrate your wedding is just as important to us as having our own wedding is. However, we will understand if you want to have a day to yourself and don''t want to share it with us." I told them what it was that Ocean and I were feeling right now.


    "No! Not at all. I think that is awesome." Ryan was the first to answer.


    "I can''t tell you how happy this makes me. W..we didn''t know if we were going to be able to pull off a wedding this summer. And here you are offering it to us. I..I don''t know what to say." I could tell that Ben was about to cry tears of joy.


    "Just tell us what you want in on the wedding. Or better yet, tell Ocean''s siblings. The cost is entirely on us, so you don''t have to worry about it at all." That was when both Ben and Ryan actually started to cry. They never thought that this was a possibility and now it was like their dreams were coming true.


    After that, the four of us talked about what it was that Ocean and I had picked out and what we wanted in our wedding. They were OK with it all and didn''t want to change a thing. So, the only adjustment was going to be the tuxedo count and the guest list. Other than that, we were having a double wedding in July. To say that I was excited was a massive understatement. And not only that, but I was able to see the happiness and joy in Ben and Ryan''s faces. And all of the varying emotions in my Ocean''s eyes as he smiled happily. He had been able to make this dream come true for his friends. And I think that he was happy that they were going to be there with him, going through the same things as us. It only gave the four of us something else to bond over. To me, that spoke volumes about what it was that we could overcome if we all stuck together. And all of this happiness and joy just made me think about the other surprise that we had for them.. We would tell them soon enough.

 Chapter 259 - Ocean – Preparing To Leave

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The wedding plans all seemed to be going pretty well. That was good. And since I didn''t have to worry about whether or not Ben and Ryan wanted to be there with us on the day, things were even better. That was taken care of right away and left me with nothing else to do except get ready for the competition this weekend.


    The competition, which was once again three days long, was happening this upcoming weekend. It was on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, we needed to fly out to Orlando and that was a bit of a long flight. We were leaving on Wednesday after school and would arrive after midnight. We would rest up on Thursday and then complete over the weekend. We would stay at the hotel again Sunday night and then fly home Monday morning. In all, this competition was getting us out of school for three days.


    I didn''t really care about missing school, that wasn''t an issue for me. What I did care about was the competition and being able to swim at my best. And right now, I was pretty confident that I would be swimming better than I ever had before.


    The problem was that all day Tuesday at school, I was so anxious that I could barely sit still. I knew that the same thing would just be happening the next day at school, and that didn''t help me at all.


    I don''t even know why I was so nervous. I wasn''t afraid of travelling. I wasn''t worried about being on a plane. And I wasn''t worried about being away from home. I honestly didn''t know what it was that was making me feel like this. It was very odd and it was starting to annoy me.


    I know that I was probably getting to Makai and the others with how I was acting, but I just couldn''t help it. I was antsy and nervous about it all. Hell, maybe it was excitement and I just couldn''t figure out that''s what it was right away.


    No matter what the issue was, I was on the edge of my seat all through dinner. I couldn''t even help Makai cook tonight. It had to be him and the others making it while I sat on my hands in the dining room and waited for my food to arrive. It was that bad.


    And while we were eating, it was all delicious. I enjoyed every bite of it. But I think that I was eating too fast. I was also talking too fast and moving too fast. That was what I was doing when I went to put food in my mouth and ended up spilling it all in my lap instead.


    "Come on, Ocean, you''re supposed to eat it, not wear it. Even a kindergartener knows that." Ryan made a joke to lighten the mood when I made the mess.


    "Yeah, I guess I am more like a toddler then." I shrugged as I cleaned the spilled sauce from my pants.


    "No, don''t say that." Makai pretended to freak out and put his hands on his head. "I can''t be marrying a toddler. Think about all of the issues we would have in our marriage. And let''s not even get started on the legality of it all. I mean, can I even marry a toddler? Even if they are physically an adult, can I marry them if they act like a baby?" I think that he was taking the whole brothers thing too far with Ryan. They were starting to make the same bad jokes. I''m sure that wasn''t a problem for Ryan, but it could be one for me in the future.


    I decided to ignore Makai''s joke and just focus on what I was doing. I wanted to get the mess cleaned up before it set in and the clothes that I was wearing ended up being trash. Then I would have to deal with Makai taking me shopping again. That wasn''t always bad, but I didn''t want to go right now anyway.


    "Oh no! He''s lost his hearing as well as his motor skills. Quick, someone call Dr. Malachi. I think this is serious." Ryan added on for Makai who hadn''t received a response from me just yet.


    "Remind me again why we tolerate them?" I asked Ben directly.


    "Hmm. I don''t know, to be honest. But the sex is good so we tend to overlook this part of the problem."


    "True, it is good. They had better hope it stays that way, or they might end up all alone." I agreed with him and added a small harmless threat in there of my own.


    "Hey, that isn''t nice." Ryan pouted. "The sex will always be good, by the way." He leaned in toward Ben and wiggled his eyebrows.


    "Don''t worry, I am not at all afraid of my Ocean leaving me. He knows that we''re meant for each other." Makai was as calm and confident as ever.


    "Yeah, yeah. You two and your whole soulmate thing. Well, Ben and I might not be soulmates, but we are still made for each other." That was when Ryan closed the rest of the distance and kissed Ben''s cheek. He loved his boyfriend more than anything an it definitely showed.


    Thankfully, dinner didn''t take too much longer. After we were all done eating, Makai, Ben and Ryan all went to clean up the kitchen. However, they shooed me out of the room and told me to go be useful somewhere else. I was still too much of a mess to help out in any capacity.


    Fine, if they didn''t want me in here, then I would just go upstairs to my room. I needed to soak my clothes anyway. Even though they were probably ruined. I would still try to salvage them if it as at all possible.


    When I got to the room, I stripped the clothes off, filled the sink and put them in to soak. Then I figured I would take a shower while I was already almost naked. And I hoped that it might relax my body and relieve some tension a little bit.


    Well, the shower didn''t help at all really. I ended up clean but still just as keyed up as I had been before. I didn''t want to just go to bed, and there was stuff that I needed to do anyway, so I just wrapped a towel around my waist and went back to the bedroom. I didn''t even dry my hair. It was still dripping down my back as I walked to the closet and pulled out my suitcase and travel backpack. I also pulled out Makai''s as well.


    I started to pack my bag. And even though I pretty much knew what Makai would pack for himself, I didn''t want to overstep right now. It was too much of a responsibility that I didn''t want to mess up right now.


    I was packing the bag, getting it ready with everything that I would need when we left for the airport. I got enough clothes for about eight days, even though we were only going for five. Yeah, I know, overkill. But hey, I wanted to be prepared. You never know what might come up when you''re out of town. What if I was a total idiot again and spilled food all over myself. I would need extra clothes just in case.


    Within about ten minutes I had it all done. The only things that I still needed to pack were the things from the bathroom. And since I still needed to brush my teeth in the morning, I would be waiting to pack those until after then.


    Now that I was done packing and alone in the room, I had nothing else to do. Hmm, since Makai wasn''t on his way back just yet and I didn''t know when he would be, I guess I could start taking some of his things out  and set them on the bed. I wouldn''t pack them, but I could have him give final say on all of it after he did come back.


    I worked quickly. Taking shirts, shorts, pajamas, boxers, everything that he was going to need. I got his freshly laundered swimwear, all of them, and set them out as well. I was betting that he, like me, wanted more than one speedo for this trip. No one likes putting on a wet swimsuit and it was a million times worse when it was a speedo. His bag would be packed and ready, aside from the bathroom things, if I was confident enough to just pack it for him. I didn''t want to do that though, so I just waited for him.


    Thankfully, it didn''t take him much longer to make it back to the room. It was about thirty seconds after I laid the last piece of clothing on the bed that Makai came back into the room.


    "Hey, you''re packing for us." He smiled at me. "Thank you for doing that for me. I hadn''t even thought about getting around to it yet."


    "Oh, well, I haven''t packed your stuff." I was too embarrassed to admit it.


    "But I can see it all right there." He was confused.


    "Yeah, I know." I smiled awkwardly. "I just took it out of the dresser. I haven''t put it in anything yet."


    "Oh, I see. Why not?" He was acting like it was nothing at all.


    "I didn''t want to upset you. I didn''t know what you wanted and what you didn''t." I was showing my nerves again. They were starting to manifest in other ways now.


    "I would be fine with anything that you picked. You should know that by now." At that moment, Makai came up to me and wrapped his arms around me. It was a hug filled with love and confidence. And I hadn''t realized how much I had been needing it.. How much I had been needing him.

 Chapter 260 - Ocean – Preparing To Leave Part 2 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The hug was somehow melting my tension away. Before I knew it, I was like pudding in Makai''s hands. He was always the place that my body and soul felt the calmest. I needed him. My body needed him. My heart needed him. My mind needed him. Every part of me needed this man in my life. And I would do what I need to make sure that he stayed here with me forever.


    "You know, when I came back to the room just now, I wasn''t expecting to find such a tempting dessert." I heard an edge to his voice. It was one that was filled with passion and need. It was telling me that his body was wanting me right now too.


    "What are you talking about?" I knew what he wanted, but I didn''t know what he meant by the tempting dessert.


    "You''re just so perfect and scrumptious looking in that towel. I don''t know if I can contain myself."


    That was the moment that I remembered that I hadn''t gotten dressed. I was still just wearing a towel wrapped around my waist. And of course, Makai was aroused by it.


    "I..I have no idea what you''re talking about." I played dumb and pretended that I didn''t know what was going on. I wanted it to be a little more fun and some teasing usually did that.


    "Hmm. Maybe I was mistaken. I think this my require some closer inspection. Let me see here." At that moment, he pushed me down onto the side of the bed. However, as he did so, he grabbed the towel. These actions of his resulted in me being fully naked when I hit the bed. "Ahh, yes. There it is. I can see that glorious body of yours now. And let''s not forget about that delicious looking treat that''s right there. It''s looking pretty hard and ready at the moment. Are you sure that you don''t know anything about it?" His playful voice brushed against my cheek as he leaned in closer to me.


    "Oh, that. Ha ha." I tried to laugh it off. I don''t know why I did that, but I did. I wanted him. He knew I wanted him. And I knew that he wanted me. I guess I was just interested in playing hard to get right now. "That''s not what you think it is." My poor excuse made him laugh. It wasn''t an ''oh my God that''s so funny'' kind of laugh. No, it was a ''I like this game, let''s see where it goes'' kind of laugh. And I have to say that it was enough to stiffen that part of me even more with the anticipation for what he was about to do next.


    "Well, if it''s not what I think it is, then I think I need to investigate it a little further. Because clearly, it''s disguising itself as something else." Yeah, OK, this was moving faster than I thought it was going to. My little game was coming to an end already. Oh well, this was still going to be fun. And would probably take the rest of the tension from my body.


    "Yeah, why don''t you do just that. We need to figure out what this is right away." Again, he laughed in that same playful manner and I shivered at the feel of his breath blowing across my cheek and ear.


    As that shuddering slowly came to an end, I wound up shuddering again. This time from the feel of Makai''s tongue running along the curve of my ear. The feel of that tongue was hot and wet and enough to drive me insane. It was so maddening because I knew what was going to come soon.


    With his hand on the back of my head to balance himself, Makai started to lower himself to the floor. By the time that he was on his knees in front of me, Makai was kissing along my collarbone and down to my chest.


    "Ngh! Ahh!" When his tongue started to move across my nipple I cried out in pleasure. I wasn''t able to hold the sound in.


    "Yeah, I like it when you moan for me." Makai''s voice was deeper than usual, filled with desire and need. "Let me hear that sexy voice of yours."


    "You want to talk about someone having a sexy voice, then you should be talking about yourself. Oh damn, the way you sound right now, it''s sending shivers through me." I was breathless as I said those words, but I didn''t care. He needed to know how sexy I found him right now. And he was still fully clothed. Not to mention I was barely even looking at him. This sexiness was more of a sense I got from him rather than the way that he looked.


    "Well, if you love the way that I sound right now, I can just keep talking for you. I can tell you all that I want to do to you. I can tell you how much I love you. I can tell you how delicious you taste. I can tell you all of that and more."


    "Just hush. I love your voice, but your mouth has better things to be doing right now." After that, there was a husky laugh that came from my man''s mouth. He obviously found that funny. However, he seemed to agree with it since he put his mouth to work just the same way that I implied that he should.


    With his hand on my chest, Makai pushed me back onto the bed. I didn''t fall all the way back, I only went as far as the bag that I had pack before I stopped. Makai however, didn''t stop. He was kissing and licking his way down my chest, then down my stomach and to the part of me that he was the most interested in at the moment.


    For a moment, all I could feel was Makai''s hot breath over that tender spot of mine. His hand slowly wrapped around it and gripped me firmly. Before he lowered his mouth the rest of the way, he pumped his hand just a couple of times to tease me.


    Finally, after what felt like far too long, Makai swirled his tongue around the tip of my cock and then slowly lowered his mouth down. It felt like heaven. I had no other way to describe it. His mouth was hot, soft and wet. And each stroke that he made up and down had me moaning the way that he wanted me to.


    "NGH! AHH! MHMMM! NGHAHH! HAHHH!" I had needed this way more than I thought that I did. I had been missing him these last two weeks without having him and it was showing in the way that my body needed him.


    I could already feel other parts of my body getting ready for him as well. I was opening and self-moistening in preparation for him. And just knowing that was another part that aroused me even more.


    Before long, Makai had me on the edge of bliss and I was grabbing fistfuls of his hair as I came in his mouth. He took every drop and held me tight like he thought that I was going to push him away from me.


    Normally, I would have been panting and trying to catch my breath after thins, but not now. Right now, I needed more of him. Right now, I wanted to be in charge.


    I decided to push Makai down to the floor and start ripping his clothes off of him. I didn''t mean to actually tear anything, but I think that I might have done so on accident.


    "I need you. I need you so bad." I was so glad that he was already hard and ready to go, because I wasn''t about to wait a second longer.


    The moment that Makai was naked, I straddled him and lowered myself onto his hard, hot erection.


    "AHH!" I called out at the feeling of him invading me.


    "Oh God, Ocean. This is so good. You''re so impatient, but I love it."


    "Good, now fuck me." I gave him the order and he immediately grabbed onto my hips so that he could help guide me up and down as he thrusted into me from below. I was helping him too. I had to. I used my knees and thighs to help raise me up. I even put my hands on Makai''s chest to balance myself. And feeling those long, wiry swimmer''s muscles shifting under my hands was driving me insane. It was making things that much more intense for me. And before I knew it, I was already on the verge of coming again.


    "AHH! AHHH! NGHAHH! MHMMM! NGH! HAHH! AHH! AHH! AHH! MMHMM! NGH!" I was moaning more than usual. In truth, I just wasn''t holding it back. I was letting it all out because Makai wanted me too. And with each moan, I got closer and closer to finishing.


    A moment or two later, I couldn''t hold it back anymore. I came on another moan. And at the same time, I felt Makai come inside of me. It was just what my body needed, because after that I slumped forward onto Makai, releasing him from my body and going limp.


    "Come on, we need to shower now." He laughed at me as I laid on him.


    "I already took one." I reminded him.


    "You need another one." He laughed as he pulled me up to my feet. "Come on, I will wash you."


    He did too. He washed me and got me ready for bed again. That was a good thing too, because I was suddenly bone tired and could barely stand up.


    However, I was no longer nervous. I was no longer keyed up. All of those emotions that I couldn''t really figure out from earlier in the day were gone. My body felt at ease. Well, at ease and thoroughly satisfied.


    "See, there isn''t anything in this world that can''t be made better by the two of us being together. We are better together Ocean, remember that and rely on me next time. OK?"


    "Mmhmm." I heard his words, but we were already in bed, and I was starting to fall asleep. I hadn''t even paid attention to when Makai had cleaned off the bed so that we could lay down comfortably. He did though, because the suitcases and clothes were all gone.


    "I love you, Ocean. I love you more and more every day. And I will never stop loving you."


    "Lub ooo too." I wanted to say that I loved him too. That I would never stop loving him and that I was happy to be with him.. However, I was too tired to get out much more than a slurred love you too.

 Chapter 261 - Ocean - Traveling Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When I woke up Wednesday morning, I was feeling a lot better. I was calm and happy. I wasn''t even jittery with excitement or anything like that. I was acting like it was just another day. I mean, I did pack the rest of my things and made sure that I had all the chargers and small things that I would need for while I was away. And I brought my stuff down so that it was ready to be loaded up and taken to the school with us.


    We were all going to be riding in one of the more roomy vehicles that were in the garage. This way we could take all of our stuff with us and not have to worry about space. And after school, we were going to be taking that car to the airport and parking it there so that we didn''t have to worry about how to get home on Monday. We would just be able to pile back into the car and head home.


    "Ha ha. It looked like Makai was able to get you to calm down after all. That''s good. We don''t need you being a nervous wreck before we leave."


    "Ha ha, that''s so funny, Ryan. I don''t know how you come up with all this comedic gold of yours." My voice was so flat that it was really easy to tell that I was being sarcastic. He knew, they all knew, and all three of them laughed at me more than Ryan had laughed at himself.


    "Still, I''m glad your calmed down. We were all really worried about you." Ryan showed me that he wasn''t just a joking idiot. He also cared about his friends too.


    "I know. And thank you. I don''t even know what was wrong with me. I''ve been to competitions before, and I have been just fine at them all. I don''t know why this time is any different.


    "I don''t know, man. Still, I''m glad that you''re better."


    The morning passed easily with all of us talking about what we wanted to do on our two free days before we left. Granted, we weren''t going to have much time on Monday, but there was still some time if we were crafty. And of course, Makai used to live in that area so he would be able to get us where we wanted to go with no problem.


    When we got to school, Coach Dickson was busy finalizing everything for the trip so he just popped in a movie and let us all relax. I was pretty sure that was how his whole day was going to go.


    What shocked me though, was that most of the other teachers took the same approach for the day. Apparently, almost every teacher in the entire school had prepared movies for their students. And they even coordinated so that no one had to sit through the same movie twice. And in some cases, the movies followed the groups of students that were in the same class like me and Makai. We were able to watch them through to the end. Those that were not in that group with us, were in another classroom and they watched a different movie. It was the strangest day of school I had ever had. And it all culminated in a surprise assembly at the end of the day.


    The principal had gathered everyone together to wish us all luck and recognize all of our hard work.


    "Can I have your attention please." The principal called out to everyone. "We have some very important people here today that I want us all to recognize." He was pointing at the coach as he spoke. "First is the coach of our swim teams. Richard Dickson, the man that had helped to bring about all of these opportunities for our talented swimmers. Please, Richard, come say a few words." The principal call Coach to the stage and the students in the bleachers started to applaud for him.


    "No. No. None of that applause should be for me. I am not the one that has done anything here. All I do is yell at these kids and tell them what to do. They are the one that do all of the hard work. They are the ones that put in all of the effort and get all of the results. If you''re going to applaud for anyone, it needs to be for the swimmers that have been asked back for this competition. Katie, Alexis, Cassie and Whitney for the girls and Ocean, Makai, Ben and Ryan for the boy''s team. We also have Ocean and Makai who finished in first and second place for the individuals so they will be competing for that as well. And Katie, who came in fourth place in the individuals last time has been asked back because one of the other swimmers is no longer eligible to swim. Along with them, we are taking a few of the others that were close enough to the top in case there is a last minute substitution. Those extra swimmers will be Charlie, Toby, Jenell and Faith. These twelve students have worked hard to be where they are and they all deserve that applause that you were giving me. So, come on, all of you. Come up here and let me present you to the crowd." Coach was beckoning the twelve of us to come stand next to him. We were sitting aside because we were told to be ready. "Come on. Ocean Shores. Makai Rivers. Benton Kennedy. Ryan Johnson. Katie Matthews. Cassie Berger. Alexis Hunt. Whitney Little. Jenell Hodges. Faith Hansen. Toby Green. And Charles Kay."


    As we were called, we all went up to the coach and stood awkwardly. There was nearly constant applause with each name that was called, and that made it feel weird. I wasn''t a celebrity, but I kind of felt like one right now. This was all kind of overwhelming but also a little cool. I didn''t really want to be in front of them all like this but having everyone be happy and cheering for me was good too. I was sort of torn between the two.


    The cheering went on for a long time and then there was some well wishes from the teachers and the principal. The teacher said they had planned on having nothing but review for the time that we were gone so that we didn''t miss much. And that if there were new assignments, we would be given extra time when we got back. I can''t believe that this happened, but it was quite amazing in my opinion. They were looking out for us even while we were gone. That made me and everyone else feel very appreciated.


    After the assembly, the whole school went back to their classrooms. Well, everyone except for me and the other swimmers that were leaving. We were all dismissed early so that we could get to the airport and have plenty of time to settle into our flight.


    Hmm, I wonder what they were all going to think when they found out that Makai and his parents upgraded all of our tickets to first class and was giving us all the royal treatment for this trip? I bet they are all going to flip out, and I couldn''t wait to see that happen.


    All of us filed out of the school. Several of the swimmers had parents that were there to pick them up and take them to the airport. Others were riding with the coach. And then there were the four of us that were going together in our vehicle. If there had been anyone else needing a ride, we could have taken them with us as well. However, there didn''t seem to be any, so it was just us.


    We were all leaving from LAX. That meant that we needed to drive into the city and that was a long enough drive. I mean, it was just over an hour or so, but it was long enough. That was why I was happy that we were all dismissed early. We were supposed to board our flight around five thirty this evening, but that would have been hard if we didn''t get out of school until two thirty in the afternoon. That little bit of extra time was a massive help.


    Not to mention that we were all wanting to grab some lunch in the airport as we waited for out flight. It would be good for us not to be hungry on the flight because there technically was no meal service. Well, being first class there was some food provided but who knew how edible it would be. No, it would be best if we all just ate before we left for Orlando.


    An hour and a half drive to the airport, made longer due to traffic, and then about an hour to get checked in and through security. By the time that we were all in the terminal and could get some food, I was starving. We settled on Panda Express because it was fast and still decent food.


    We talked a lot while we ate. Mostly about the competition and what we thought might happen during it. We seniors talked about what we were going to do after graduation and that was where Ben and Ryan officially announced to the others that they were going to UCLA along with us. That made things a lot better for us. It would make our plan a lot easier to put into place.


    After we ate we went to the gate and waited until it was time to check in.. It had already been a long day, but for some reason I was really happy about that.

 Chapter 262 - Makai – Traveling Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I will admit that it was a long and exhausting day. But I was happy during every minute of it. I woke up happy this morning with Ocean in my arms and I had his scent in my nose all day long. That was enough to make any day better.


    However, things only got better. Ocean was openly happy and didn''t deny that it was me that destressed him when Ryan called us out on that. He wasn''t usually the type to lie and hide things. However, when it came to that part of our relationship, he could still be a little shy. I was happy to see him being comfortable enough to be himself. Even if it was just among our friends.


    At school, we learned that there was literally no work to be done. We all just watched movies, went to lunch, and then had an assembly. It was an easy day. Not to mention, it meant that Ocean and I could cuddle during the movies and that was my favorite part of it all. I mean, who wouldn''t want to cuddle with that adorable little goofball?


    After the assembly was over, all of us were told we could leave for the airport. That was helpful because the traffic would have made us late for our flight. Any longer and we would have been bogged down on the highway and in the security lines. I knew this was true because just after we were through and heading to the terminal, I had turned around and saw that there were thousands of people behind us. They would have all made us late.


    We weren''t late though. And we all still had time to get something to eat. We didn''t have the time for anything like a sit down restaurant, but quick take out place would be fine. A lot of the girls that were with us begged for us to go to Panda Express. I had never eaten there but it was decent enough. They gave a lot of food with each order and that was what mattered for me and Ocean. We needed a lot of food to keep us going. So, I ordered two of the three entr¨¦e combos and so did Ocean. We made sure to get all the varieties of meat dishes that they had. That way we were able to share them and have a little bit of everything. And there was plenty of rice and noodles for us as well. All in all, I would say that it was a pretty decent meal for us.


    After the food, everyone took turns getting ready for the long flight. By that I mean they all took turns going to the bathroom while someone else watched their carryon luggage. The rest of the bags were checked, so we didn''t have to worry about them all that much.


    When it came to about five that evening it was time for us all to board the plane. The staff called for the first class passengers and everyone else was kind of surprised to see me and Ocean stand up.


    "Come on you guys, this is us." I told them all to get them paying attention to their tickets.


    "What? No. We don''t have first class." The coach fumbled for a moment as he started to look at his ticket that was in his hand. The one that was printed when we checked in today. "Wait a minute, how is this possible?" He was shocked by what he saw.


    "Come on. My parents upgraded us all because of the competition. They wanted us to be treated well during this trip. They even called the hotel and got it switched to somewhere a little nicer." I winked at them to let them know that it was more than just a ''litte'' nicer. We were all staying in luxury rooms in a very nice hotel in Orlando. I mean, it was easy to accomplish since they still had contacts back there.


    "You mean your parents really upgraded us all to first class?" Jenell looked shocked by the words that she had been listening to.


    "Yup. And now it is time for us all to board. Come on. By the way, there were only fourteen first class seats so they bought them all. There is no one but us in that cabin." This was a big plane, but there were still the business, comfort, and economy classes that were to be accounted for. This part of the plane was small for the ''elite'' and today that was us.


    "Your parents are awesome, Makai!" Alexis bounced with her joy.


    "Truly amazing." Cassie agreed.


    "I want to meet them someday. I want to thank them." Katie was unusually polite in that moment.


    "Really cool, man. Really cool." Toby clapped me on the shoulder as he walked by.


    "Thanks man. You and your parents are awesome." Charles looked embarrassed but happy as he passed me.


    "Thanks, Makai. This is wonderful." I think the coach was about to cry. That was odd. It was just plane tickets. Come on man, suck it up.


    The flight was long, but the seats were comfortable. And of course I was sitting next to my Ocean. We had raised the arm rest that was between us and were leaning against each other''s shoulders the entire flight.


    Once we were in the air, we were able to connect to the plane''s WIFI or watch a movie on the screens in front of our seat. Ocean and I decided to watch a movie. And of course my sappy little love chose a romantic comedy. He really did love those chick flicks of his. I didn''t mind them. Especially because they made him so happy.


    I could hear several conversations that had been happening around us as we flew across the country. Jenell and Faith were sitting together and were apparently fangirling about me and Ocean. They were talking about how cute we were together and how happy they were that we were together. They apparently rooted for us when all of the rumors started. They also mentioned some mangas and light novels that they apparently read all the time. They threw around words like shipping, boy''s love, and others that I knew went along with the online reading community. I wasn''t upset about their gossiping about us. Instead, I thought that I should give them a little bit of a treat. Just a little sweetness that would make their days.


    While Ocean was watching his movie, I started to stare at him all dreamy like. I gently stroked his cheek until he finally looked at me and then I leaned in and kissed him. The girls, who were one row up and across the aisle from us, could see us perfectly with how they had been leaning over to watch us cuddle.


    "EEEEEEEEEEE!"


    "OH EM GEE! THIS IS AWESOME!" They didn''t disappoint me with the way that they responded to the kiss that I planted on my boyfriend lips. And it wasn''t just a little peck either. It was a deep, passionate kiss that showed how in love that we really were.


    When I finally broke the kiss, Ocean was looking at me with eyes filled with confusion. He was not sure why I had kissed him since he hadn''t been paying attention to the girls that were paying attention to us.


    "What was that for?" He asked me, though he was not upset at all.


    "Just because." I leaned in and kissed his nose in a surprise attack and the girls squealed again. That time, Ocean noticed and when he turned to look at them, the girls quickly turned around.


    "It looks like you have fans." Ryan leaned in from the seat behind us. "Look at my famous friends. They are going to rise to stardom before we know it. They''re going to leave us behind, Ben. Can you believe that?"


    "I think that would do great if they were to become famous. Like actors or something like that." Ben sounded supportive of the possibility.


    "Nah, that''s not what I want." Ocean shook his head, not paying any attention at all to the stuff that was going on. He was more interested in the movie than anything else. That made me, Ben and Ryan laugh at him, but he didn''t even notice.


    Food and drinks were provided on the plane, but it was definitely not enough for me and Ocean. We ate it and it wasn''t overly bad, but we would have starved to death if that was all we were meant to eat.


    Finally, after several long hours, it was time for the plane to land. We had to wait to get off of the plane, then get our bags and get the limousines to the hotel that my parents had arranged for us. That was another thing that made the coach really happy. He didn''t have to worry about finding expensive taxis for us all.


    Once we all got to the hotel, everyone got their own room. Well, everyone except for Ben and Ryan and me and Ocean. My parents thought that it would be best to have the couples sharing since we already shared rooms at home.


    It was late, well after midnight, and we were all tired. But I was also hungry again. So, I ordered room service and told the others they could do the same. After we ate, Ocean and I fell into bed and fell instantly to sleep. We had been through a lot and we needed to rest.


    The exhaustion that we were feeling now made me really happy that the coach gave us that resting day before the competition. There was no way we would have the energy to swim the day after traveling like this. Now though, we didn''t have to worry. We could explore the city and have fun.. Something I was happy to do with Ocean here.

 Chapter 263 - Ocean – Sightseeing

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We all slept in a little on Thursday morning. None of us could really be blamed for it though. I mean, by the time that Makai and I got to sleep, it was like three thirty in the morning. It had been a really long day for us.


    OK, that was three thirty in the morning Florida time, so it was about twelve thirty back in California. Still, we had that long day of traveling so that made things a lot worse on us. Also, when we got up around noon, that was also in Florida''s time. It was three hours earlier back home. So, according to our systems, we didn''t sleep in all that much.


    Anyway, the day was ours to do what we wanted to. We were able to go sightseeing or out to eat, or just about anything. As long as we didn''t get into trouble, we were free agents. Oh, and we had to have a friend with us at all times. That was the main reason why the coach brought an even number of swimmers on the trip.


    Well, Ben and Ryan were one pair. Me and Makai were another. Toby and Charles. Jenell and Faith. Katie and Alexis. Cassie and Whitney. We were all paired off pretty quickly. The girls all wanted to go shopping. So, the six of them left for the mall to see what it was that they could buy here. Charles and Toby wanted to check out Disney, but they didn''t have enough time to go there so they decided to just go to the beach instead.


    As for the other four of us, me, Makai, Ben and Ryan, we wanted to take a look around the city. And Makai was going to show us where his family lived when they were here in Orlando. We were, in all senses of the term, going sightseeing.


    There was a lot to see in the city, if you knew how to navigate it, that is. Of course, tourists all wanted to sightsee when they came here, but according to Makai they tended to go to what the media told them they needed to see. He was going to take us to see the Orlando that only he could show us.


    And the first stop on that Orlando tour was his previous favorite restaurant. This was a place that he apparently went to all the time after school and on the weekends. It was called Little Nicky''s Family Dining. It was a family style restaurant that Makai loved because they gave large portions with every meal.


    He was alone a lot and didn''t always want to eat at the house all by himself. He said that this was his alternative when he was growing up. He would come here and look at all the families that were eating and feel like he was sharing something special with all of them.


    "Wow, Kai, you must have been a really lonely kid. I feel so bad." Ryan seemed saddened by Makai''s words as we sat down at the table in the restaurant.


    "It was fine. My parents love me. I always knew that. They weren''t away because they wanted to be, but because they had to be. I learned to deal with it. And it just made the time that I did spend with my parents growing up, all the more special to me."


    "Aww, dude, that is so sweet." Ryan clapped him on the back. "I guess I am in that situation with you now, since I am your brother now and all." He laughed at him.


    "Yeah, where were you when I was a kid?" Makai laughed. "I would have loved to have a brother then."


    "Sorry, Mommy and Daddy didn''t want me then." This conversation was delving into something a lot more funny than I ever thought it was going to be.


    At that moment, a waitress walked over to take our order. I could tell that she wasn''t really looking at us when she came over. She had been busy because the restaurant was packed and they were short staffed.


    "Hi, my name is Cecilia and I will be your waitress today. Can I start you out with something to drink?"


    "Hey Silly." Makai called out to her in a friendly tone. He apparently knew the girl.


    "Huh?" She finally looked up and actually paid attention to us properly. Of course, me, Ben and Ryan were strangers to her. However, Makai seemed to be someone that she recognized. I saw that her eyes went wide with shock at the sight of him. "Oh my God! Kai! You''re back! What are you doing here? We all missed you. How have you been?"


    "I''m good, Silly. No issues at all. I''m actually just here visiting, I''m not here for good."


    "Oh, well that sucks. I know everyone would love it if you came back for good. Everyone misses you so much. Why are you here anyway?"


    "Just for the competition that starts tomorrow. You know the one that I am talking about."


    "Oh yeah, I know." Her eyes went wide like she was surprised by all of this. "Are these some of your new teammates?"


    "Yeah, this is Ben and Ryan, they''re a couple and Ryan has been unofficially adopted by my parents. And this is Ocean, he is my fianc¨¦ and Ben has been unofficially adopted by his parents. So, we are a group of teammates, two couples, and two sets of brothers all at the same time." Makai was not holding anything back at all.


    "Oh, wow, that is awesome. I am so happy for you. It''s so nice to meet you all. As I said before, my name is Cecilia, but because the middle of the name sounds like ''silly'', that is what everyone calls me. I used to go to school with Kai before he moved away. He was always such a good friend. And congrats to you Kai, and you Ocean. I didn''t think that you would be getting married so young. But you know what, it makes sense. You were always so passionate. I knew that when you found the one, you wouldn''t want to let them get away." I could tell that this girl was really nice, and she seemed to know my boyfriend pretty well. I wonder if they dated at one point in time. I had to ask to find out though, and I didn''t know if I had it in me to ask that question of someone.


    "Thank you." That was all that I said instead. I wouldn''t be able to learn the answer to my question now.


    "Ha ha ha. I can read that look in your eyes, Ocean. You think that I dated Kai at one time, don''t you? Well, don''t worry, we were always just friends. Though he did have his fair share of people that wanted to date him, and a couple of people that he did date."


    "O..oh." That wasn''t very comforting. She might have thought that it was, but it wasn''t. Now I had to wonder who it was here in Orlando that he might have dated. Who was it that I needed to be wary of?


    Actually, I didn''t need to be wary at all. I knew that Makai was never going to leave me. However, that didn''t stop his ex-lovers from trying to come onto him and to win him back. That would, and probably will, be literal hell for me. I didn''t want to see these people that my man was with before he was with me.


    "Oh shoot, I need to hurry back. Do you know what you want to order?" Silly got back into work mode.


    "Yeah, I think we do." Makai answered her and we all gave her our orders. I got four chili dogs, chili cheese fries, onion rings and a burger. Makai got the exact same thing. And Ben and Ryan got almost the same, but they only got two chili dogs each. Of course, we also got some sodas to drink as well.


    "Look at that, Kai. You got someone that eats just as much as you and doesn''t seem to gain an ounce. You lucky boys."


    Our food came out pretty quickly, which was good. We were all pretty much starving at the time. The food was good too. We had decided to be total teenagers and just pig out on junk food, but I saw that they had a wide array of options that we could have chosen from. We just didn''t want them at the time.


    We sat there for a long time eating the food. I noticed a sort of wistful look in Makai''s eyes as he enjoyed the food that he was having. I don''t know if it was the food that he was eating or if it had more to do with him being back somewhere that he hadn''t been in a long time.


    I knew that Makai was happy in California. Or, at least, I thought that he was. I hoped that he wouldn''t want to come back here and throw away the plans that we had set together. I didn''t know what I would do if we ended up separating or anything like that.


    Come on, Makai, don''t leave me.


    I tried to not let these fears and worries overshadow me as I spent my time with the man that I loved. I tried to not let him see how much I was worrying about all of these things. But I admit that it was very hard to keep it all under wraps.. I would have to talk to him about all of this soon.

 Chapter 264 - Ocean – Sightseeing Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    After we were done eating, Makai took us on a tour of the places that he used to go. This was the Orlando that we wanted to see. The real Orlando. The part that the people who lived here saw all the time and not the tourist traps.


    If I ever came back to Orlando again, then I could play tourist. I could let Makai, or whoever was with me, show me around to all the famous locations. And as much as I would have loved to see them this trip, we simply didn''t have the time for any of them. It had already been after midday when we left the hotel and that meant that we only had so long before having to return for dinner with the coach.


    As for the coach, I was certain that he was taking advantage of the all inclusive package that Makai''s parents had paid for. It had a lot of benefits that the coach probably never really got the chance to experience.


    All of us were just trying to make the best of our limited time here. And for us, we were the most curious about Makai''s past. We wanted to know where he grew up. What he was like as a kid. The things that he used to do. In truth, Makai never really talked about his past. He never really told me what he used to do as a kid. He never really told me about his friends. All of that was still a mystery to me.


    We took a bus from the restaurant to the school that Makai used to go to. Today had been a half day apparently, so there were no students there. Well, I guess there were, but they were there for baseball, soccer and tennis practice. No one was actually attending the classes.


    Makai didn''t want to go into the building. For some reason, when he looked at the place, there was a really conflicted look in his eyes. It was like he didn''t know what to do at the moment. Should he go in or stay away? That was the feeling that I was getting from him.


    Even though we didn''t go into the school that Makai went to, we still walked around the grounds and he told us what he used to do at different places in the school. He also pointed to the building that housed the pool. That was the only time he had a wistful look in his eyes. It was like the pool building was filled with fond memories. I hoped they were all swimming related and not because of a specific person.


    Our tour of Makai''s life continued after the school. We didn''t take a bus or hop in a cab. Instead, we walked to Makai''s former house. Or should I say condo. He apparently used to live in a high rise building with lots of condos in it. Him and his parents had the top two floors of the building, just like our condo back in LA.


    The place that Makai used to live in couldn''t have been more different than the place that he lived in now. They were both really big and obviously expensive, but those were the only similarities. This place was more like something out of a movie for someone who wanted to appear rich. I think that was because Makai was usually the only one there and either he or his staff was in charge of the home d¨¦cor. Whatever the reason for it was, the place couldn''t have been further from the beautiful home that he lived in now. And it was nothing like how we decorated our home in LA.


    Still, Makai took us to his old room. It was actually very similar to his style and tastes. And it was set up almost identically to the room that he has now. Everything was in the same place. It was just different furniture. But looking around this room, even if no one had told me in advance, I would have known that it was Makai''s room. It just felt like his room to me.


    "So, you showed us the school, the restaurant, the home and the stores in between. But aside from at school, where did you used to swim? Where did you train? You can''t tell me that you only used to train in the ocean." Ryan looked at me and winked like he was making a bad joke. I guess in a way he was. In the ''ocean''. In Ocean. He was making it sound like Makai was always in me, or something like that.


    "Well, this building has a pool. And most of the residents never really used it. So, I had it to myself a lot." That was when he went to a private elevator inside of the apartment. It was located in the back of the home and went to three different places. The basement storage, the garage and the pool. When Makai pressed the button for the pool, I was shocked to see that the elevator went up and not down. We were on the top floors, what was above here?


    Well, apparently there was the pool, which happened to be on the roof. The view from the rooftop pool was amazing and I could see why Makai would love coming up here a lot. Not to mention it was an Olympic sized pool. That meant that he would be able to do a lot of personal training here. And if there were very many people that ever used this pool, it would be that much better for him. He would have lots of privacy whenever he was here.


    "This place is nice." Ben commented as he looked around the area. "I can''t believe that you grew up here."


    "Yeah, it was pretty nice. Sometimes I miss it. Or I used to miss it that is. But since I''ve been with Ocean, I haven''t really thought about this place much at all."


    "Awe, isn''t that sweet, Ocean? You made all of Kai''s bad memories go away." Ryan cooed as if there was something funny about what was going on.


    "Shut up, Ryan." I snapped at him. "You''re a dick."


    "Thank you!" He bowed and laughed. I knew that he was just joking with me, that''s why I wasn''t really mad at him.


    Through all of this, Makai still hadn''t talked about personal things that had happened to him. He just mentioned things like school events and what he and his friends used to do for fun. There was still not that much I knew about my fianc¨¦''s past. Was that bad?


    I mean, I did know his parents. I knew that they were good people, and that Makai was a good guy. I knew that we loved each other and that nothing would ever change that. So, I guess that it was fine if I didn''t know about his past too much.


    How much of a past could there really be? He was only eighteen after all. I didn''t need to worry that he was some wanted criminal or anything. And that was fine with me. I needed to accept that.


    Only, there was one thing that was still bothering me. Makai has never once talked about previous lovers. He knew about the one and only person that I was with before him. But I knew nothing about his past lovers. I think that was the whole reason that I was nervous and worried right now.


    "Come on, let''s go get something to snack on." Makai called as he took my hand. "There is a place nearby that has really good ice cream and I want some."


    "Yeah, I can go for something sweet." Ryan agreed.


    "Sounds good to me." Ben was happy to go as well.


    "Sure." I didn''t want to be the odd man out here, so I readily agreed too.


    We walked down the street and got some of the dessert that Makai wanted to reminisce with. He got a chocolate brownie banana explosion. It sounded messy, but it was a sundae that had chopped bananas, brownie chunks, hot fudge, peanuts, whipped cream, and a cherry. And of course, it was all piled on top of chocolate ice cream.


    I got myself a decadent chocolate cherry blast. It was a lot like Makai''s sundae, only it had cherries and cookie chunks with hot fudge, peanuts and whipped cream over the chocolate ice cream. Ben and Ryan got the same things as me and Makai did, but they were sharing theirs. I admit, I did take a bite of Makai''s and he took one of mine. Other than that, we kept our own ice cream. As unusual as that was for us. We just did not share this dessert this time.


    We went to a few of the stores that Makai used to shop at and bought a couple of things, nothing major just some clothes and stuff. After that though, we thought that it was time to head back to the hotel. The coach would get mad if we weren''t back by the time that he had designated for us all.


    To get back to the hotel, we called a car to come pick us up. Thankfully, they had one that was big enough to fit four tall teenage boys. Otherwise, it would have been a very uncomfortable ride back.


    The entire time back to the hotel though, I was thinking about what I needed to talk to Makai about. And about when I needed to talk about it. I didn''t want to upset him before the competition though, so I was going to wait a little while.. Maybe I would bring it up when we got home.

 Chapter 265 - Makai – The Tournament Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The entire day that I went sightseeing with Ocean and the others, it seemed to me that Ocean had been upset about something. I don''t really know what it was, but I knew that something was wrong. I wanted to talk to him about it, but I didn''t want to do it with everyone else around.


    After the sightseeing, we all had dinner together, the twelve members of the swim team and the coach. We had made reservations at the restaurant for us all to enjoy the meal together. And it was going so well, that we ended up staying for several hours talking and ordering different items to keep eating. It was very nice, all in all. However, when we made it back to the room, it was late, and Ocean said he just wanted to shower and get ready for bed. I could understand that too. We did have a busy few days ahead of us so we were going to need our rest. But I did vow to myself that I was going to talk to him soon. Probably after the tournament so that I didn''t mess him up before he had to swim.


    In the morning, we got up, packed our athletic bags for the event, and went down to breakfast. Ben, Ryan, Charlie and Toby were the first to join us. Coach came next. And almost like they all planned it, the girls all came down in one big group when we barely had time left to eat.


    "You ladies need to hurry up." The coach scolded them. "We don''t have long before we need to leave."


    "Yeah, yeah, OK." Cassie, who was not a morning person, sounded very annoyed. "We will eat as quickly as we can." She said that while simultaneously shoving a piece of bacon into her mouth. It definitely was not very lady like, but it was exactly like Cassie.


    "Just hurry up, and without the attitude, please." The coach reiterated and adjusted his comment from earlier.


    "By the way, Coach, how are we getting to the center today?" Toby asked him, obviously thinking about what we needed to do to get to the pool that we would be swimming at this weekend.


    "Well, I plan on calling a few cabs to take us over." He shrugged like that was no big deal at all. It''s a good thing that my parents and I usurped this whole trip. I don''t know what the coach was planning here, but he was out of his element.


    "Yeah, that would take a long time. It''s a good thing that my parents chartered a bus to take us to and from the event center all weekend long." I didn''t look up just then. I didn''t want to see the look in the coach''s eyes. He was either going to be so grateful that he was on the edge of tears, or he would look so annoyed at my continued interruption. I would just wait for his words to figure it out.


    "Th..that''s amazing, Makai. Your parents sure thought of everything. And the food here in the hotel, even the restaurants in the hotel, is fully covered. This is saving the school so much money. I..I don''t know what to say. Thank you. Thank you so much."


    "It''s fine, coach. Don''t worry about it. You should use the extra funds to upgrade something in the school. I am sure that there is something that it could be put towards." I was doing my best to make it sound like it wasn''t that big of a deal. I mean, it wasn''t really. It was just that my parents wanted to spoil their four boys. I couldn''t help it that they did this for the team.


    "Your parents truly are amazing." Alexis shook her head in disbelief.


    Thankfully there wasn''t much talking after that. We ended up just eating as quickly as we could without actually choking on the food. By the time that we were all done eating, it was time for us to go.


    The bus that my parents got for us was here and all we had to do was get on it and leave. It was a spacious bus for just the thirteen of us. The seats were comfortable and luxurious with a nice chill atmosphere. However, we didn''t get to enjoy it for too long, since it was only a half an hour''s drive to the event center.


    This sports complex was bigger than the one we had gone to before. It had a lot more pools available to use at once and we were going to be using them all. There were three dozen different locker rooms, but even that wasn''t enough.


    There were teams here from forty-eight different states. Those different states needed the top three individual men and the top three individual women. They also had the winning men''s and the winning women''s team. Not all of those people were from the same school. For example, Katie was here as the new third place women''s individual swimmer from California. But the other two women were from a different school. And Ocean and I were the first and second place men from California, but there was a different man from a different school that was here as well. Basically what I am saying here, is that not every school was able to get their own locker room. Most of the schools had to mix them up. Since half of those locker rooms were for men and the other half were for the women.


    We did luck out though and our locker rooms were next to each other. I also think that we were one of the only schools here that had so many people from the same school. I think that the winning Florida team was the only other one that was as populated as us. Most of the other groups only had between two and six people that had come to the competition.


    This time, it took a lot longer to get registered than it did at the previous competition. That was mostly because there were people from all over the country instead of just from all over the state. As far as teams went, there were ninety-six teams, which was less than last time. But if you couple that with all of the individual swimmers here that weren''t on a team then it definitely seemed like more people. At least in my opinion.


    After we finally made it through registration and went to our locker rooms to change, I could feel the excitement growing within me. This competition was something that I had been working towards for a long time. And not only was I here, but Ocean was too. We both loved this sport and we wanted to be able to do this one last thing before we went off to college with Ben and Ryan.


    The six guys from our team took out the locks that we had brought for the locker room and chose a spot to put our stuff. We changed into our speedos as quickly as possible and then put on the school uniforms over the top of them. Once we were ready, we were able to go into the pool area.


    The moment that we entered that space, we saw just how crazy full and hectic it was in there. Each team, individual swimmers, and coach were trying to find their designated space to wait until it was their time to swim. Thankfully, there were eight pools here instead of just the four that were at the location of the last tournament. We would still need to do more than one set of heats for each type of swim that there was, but it would still go a lot quicker than the last time.


    And just like last time, they were dividing up the days into different events. Today was the teams preliminary. Tomorrow would be the individual preliminaries. And, on Sunday, we would have the finals for all of the races. That meant that people like me, Ocean and Katie, who were here for both teams and individuals, we would have to swim all three days and double on Sunday.


    It was going to be a busy weekend for all of us. I was betting that we would be tired and just want to collapse at the end of the day. However, I was also certain that each and every one of us, not just on my team or from my school but with all of the teams from all of the schools, we were all excited and ready to get started. True swimmers, those that train to make it to these competitions, they are always ready for something like this. They are always ready to show what they are made of. Well, at least the swimmers that I knew were.


    We found our designated area located very close to the pool. Apparently, since we had so many people in the tournament from our school, we were receiving some preferential treatment. The two schools that had their men''s and women''s team and at least one individual swimmer here were going to be seated side by side. I thought that was a little bit odd, but who was I to question it?


    I admit that I wasn''t paying attention to any of the schools around us. All I wanted to do was make it to my seat and sit down so that we could be ready when this whole event got started. That was probably why I hadn''t noticed at first when someone was calling out to me.


    "Makai!"

 Chapter 266 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We had just arrived at the place that we were to be waiting until the tournament officially started. Almost the exact moment, I heard someone that I didn''t know calling out to someone that I knew very well.


    "Makai!" The voice sounded almost shocked, like they weren''t sure they were seeing this person. "Makai!" It was almost like my boyfriend just didn''t notice that someone was calling his name over and over again. "Makai!"


    Finally, after three times, the voice seemed to have penetrated the obliviousness that Makai had wrapped around himself for some reason. I don''t know what had him so distracted right now, but he just didn''t seem to notice this person at first. When he did, though, he spun around and started looking for who was calling for him.


    I admit, I had not seen the person that was calling his name over and over again. There were too many people around us for me to know where the voice was coming from right away. I was already betting that Makai recognized the voice and knew who it was that was calling out to him. I could tell that he knew the person because I could clearly see the recognition in his eyes.


    Who was this person? What did they want? How did they know Makai? There were just way too many questions inside my head at the moment. I didn''t know what I was going to do right now, but I knew that I was not exactly feeling very good about this situation.


    "Wh..what?" Makai called out as he looked around. Was that excitement or apprehension in his eyes? It was almost like a mix of both. It was really hard to tell what was going on with him right now.


    "Makai!" The voice called again and broke through the crowd around us.


    The person that I saw completely took me by surprise and that was nothing compared to the way that Makai looked at the moment. He had most definitely not expected this person to run up and hug him the way that they did.


    Who did this person think they were? They were running up and hugging someone else''s boyfriend. Not just their boyfriend but their fianc¨¦. What the hell was going on here?


    "U..uhm, wh..what''s going on h..h..here?" I stuttered the words out as I looked at this person with their arms wrapped around Makai''s neck.


    I was definitely feeling intimidated right now. I mean, this guy that was hanging off of Makai was taller than me by at least three inches. He had perfect looking blonde hair that was styled to perfection even though it didn''t look like there was a drop of gel or anything else in his hair. His eyes were a beautiful share of hazel that just seemed to shine. And his tanned complexion made it clear that he spent a lot of time outside, being athletic. Oh yeah, and that swimmer''s physique was perfect.


    I immediately hated the asshole. I just wanted him to go away. And he was acting like there was nothing at all wrong with what he was doing. There was only one small positive in all of this. Makai wasn''t hugging him back and actually looked quite uncomfortable in the situation he was in.


    "T..Trent?" Makai tried to push the man off of him. "What are you doing? Why are you here?"


    "Why am I here? I made it to the nationals of this little tournament. I should have guessed that you were going to find another school to swim with and that you would end up here too. I am so glad to see you. I was upset when you left."


    "Why? We broke up over a year ago. We weren''t dating when I left." Makai was actually starting to look angry right now since this guy, Trent, just didn''t seem to know how to take a hint. He was not letting go of Makai who clearly wanted him to let go.


    "Oh, come on baby. You know I was trying to win you back for ages before you left. Of course, I would be upset that you left me like that."


    "I didn''t leave you. I moved away with my parents." Makai, still very much annoyed, pushed Trent again.


    " What is the matter with you, Makai?" Trent finally let him go and took a step away from him. "Why are you acting like this?"


    "Because he doesn''t want you hanging onto him." I said as I stepped forward and pulled Makai closer to me. I wrapped my arms around him and held him against me.


    "And who the hell are you?" Trent asked with pure anger in his voice. "What the fuck do you think you''re doing with my Makai?"


    "Your Makai?" I asked him with a laugh in my voice. "Oh, that is funny. I can''t believe that you are so fucking dense. He isn''t your Makai, asshole. He''s mine." And with that, I grabbed Makai''s face, pulled him toward me and pressed my lips to his."


    That was probably the best and worst decision I could have made at the moment. I mean, it reaffirmed a lot of things for us. That Makai was mine. That I loved him. That we were together. And that Trent should keep his fucking hands to himself.


    However, kissing Makai like I did, had just done actually made just about everyone in the immediate area around us gasp in shock. The guy named Trent and all the teammates that he had with him were shocked and Trent was furious. Several of the other teams around us that weren''t involved in our little situation looked pissed off and disgusted. And several people, like Faith and Jenell, were cheering and squealing like we were some sort of movie that had just come to the best part.


    Makai didn''t seem to mind the kiss, and that was all that I cared about. When I broke the kiss and pulled back, there was a happy smile on Makai''s face. He always did like it when I made the move to kiss him. Well, this was definitely a move. And it was a show of dominance over that fucking asshole that was trying to stake his claim on my man.


    "This is bullshit. What the hell do you think that you''re doing? Do you know who I am? Do you know what I am?" That last question was whispered so that only me and Makai could hear what Trent was saying.


    I don''t know what this man''s problem was. How was it that he just couldn''t get what was happening through his head. Was he stupid? Well, judging by the way that he was acting, I would say that the answer to that question was a resounding yes. But was there more to it? Was there a reason that he asked me those specific questions? I had a feeling that there was.


    "Hmm, let me think about this for a moment, Trent." I rudely dragged out his name to make it sound more like an insult than a name. "I think that I can figure out the answers that you want. Hmm, let''s see. Who are you? Well, I would guess that you are Trent, Makai''s ex boyfriend and that you weren''t worthy of my boyfriend''s love and affections. That is why there is that lovely little ex in front of the word boyfriend. And let''s see what are you? Well, besides a spineless urchin and an asshole, I would venture a guess that you are very much like Makai and myself." I winked at him so that he would know what I was getting at. Yeah, I knew what he was. I could see the trident mark on his arm just below his sleeve. He was most likely a merman just like Makai was. And there was no reason that this fucking asshole needed to know that I was a Siren. That was a secret anyway.


    "You know what, asshole, I don''t fucking like you. I think that you are an arrogant little shit that needs to let go of Makai." He lowered his voice and got right into my face then so that his words were only heard by me and Makai. "I told Makai ages ago that he was my mate. We''re bound together. You can''t have him. He''s mine. So get your grubby little fins off of him."


    Oh wow, this guy was fucking dense. He really thought that Makai was his. Hmm. Well, I just wonder what he is going to do when he sees that Makai is taken for real. That he had a real mate and not just some asshole that wanted to possess him. I was starting to see just why Makai left him. I mean, how dense could someone get. He just told Makai that he was his mate? Is he an idiot? It''s not like you can make something like that be true. That isn''t how it works.


    Hahh! This was going to be a long competition now, wasn''t it? I could just see it now. All three days of this competition we were going to be dealing with this asshole and his jealous obsession with my man. He was going to be whining to Makai for leaving him and he was going to be raging at me for thinking that Makai was mine.


    Well, that is unless I put an end to it a lot sooner than that. All we needed to do was prove to him that he was wrong about everything.. And we needed to do it without any of these other people around us knowing what was going on. That wasn''t a taxing challenge at all, now was it?

 Chapter 267 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 3

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "Listen here, Tent." I intentionally messed up his name to piss him off. He was going to know that I didn''t respect him at all. "You have some things really messed up in your head." I spoke the words clearly yet quietly directly into his face as he was still standing right in front of me. I would have loved to scream, but I didn''t want to let the entire place know about our little fight right now.


    "I don''t have anything wrong, you little bitch. And my name is Trent. Unless you want to use my full name, Current. Current Sands. And I was Makai''s first and only love." He turned to face Makai and winked at him. "I know that he is only playing with you right now. He is my lover and always will be. I am going to have him back. He will move in with me. And we will get married someday. And that is all because he loves me and not you."


    "I don''t love you, Trent." Makai said at the same time that I snapped at the asshole who was still standing directly in front of me.


    "He doesn''t fucking love you, asshole." The words that Makai and I said at the same time got mingled together and they seemed to do nothing but piss Trent, or should I say Current, off.


    "Makai, baby, you don''t know what you''re talking about. You seem to have forgotten all of our time together. I was the first person that you said you loved. You said that you would never love anyone else. We''re fated to be together. Don''t you remember? You''re my mate. You''re my forever. I was going to be searching the entire world for you when I graduated from school. I was going to find you no matter where you were." Everything that Trent was saying was pissing me off right now and all I wanted to do was punch him in his stupid face.


    It wasn''t even what he was saying that was pissing me off and bothering me so much. It had nothing to do with any of that. I knew that at some point he was probably going to be bringing up things from their past like this. I knew that it was going to happen sooner or later. That wasn''t the reason why I was mad though. Nope, not at all. No, the reason why I was mad was because nothing that he was saying to Makai sounded sincere at all.


    The sense that I was getting from this piece of shit named Trent was that he was a controlling and manipulative man that just wanted to be with Makai because he couldn''t have him. He didn''t sound like he loved him at all. He sounded like a truly bad guy and an even worse lover. I couldn''t imagine how miserable that Makai had been when he was with this guy.


    "You didn''t want me, Trent. Stop lying to me. Stop lying to Ocean. Stop lying to everyone. All you wanted was my family''s money. You wanted me and my parents to take care of you for the rest of your life so that you could do nothing at all and live in the lap of luxury." That was pain in Makai''s voice right there. Why was he feeling that pain? Had this man hurt him? Oh, I swear to God, I would kill this man if he did hurt my Makai.


    "Ocean?" Trent was laughing now. "His name is Ocean? Is that supposed to be a fucking joke? He''s pretending to be one of us, isn''t he? I mean, who the hell would name him Ocean? That is just fucking stupid." His stupid laughter was getting on my nerves. And apparently, I wasn''t the only one that was getting annoyed by it.


    "Who the fuck made you the name police?" Ryan snapped at him and pulled him away from my face.


    "You think his name is funny. Seriously? Did you forget that your name is fucking Current? Current Sands, that sounds so idiotic. No wonder you use a nickname. You''re ashamed of your name and wish that it wasn''t yours. At least my friend Ocean over here has never tried to get rid of the name that he was given. He''s owned that name and doesn''t let anyone make fun of it. Not even you. And right now, Current, you''re pissing me and my boyfriend off so we''re going to make you step back now." Ben, the usually quiet and nice Ben, was looking like an angry lion right now. He definitely was about to go to town on this guy.


    "Your boyfriend?" Trent asked him suspiciously.


    "Yeah dumbass, me." Ryan got right up into Trent''s face now. "Do you have a problem with that?"


    "Alright, all of you, back off." I jumped and spun when I heard the coach''s voice coming closer. "No more fighting. All of you take your seats. The opening ceremony is about to start."


    "You can''t fucking tell me what to do, asshole. You''re not my fucking coach or anyone else that has any importance over my life. Fuck off you old ass prick." Trent was truly venting his anger now. All he seemed to want to do was get mad at everyone and everything since he wasn''t able to convince Makai to come back to him yet.


    "You better calm down there, little boy. If you keep up this aggressiveness, then you will just find yourself kicked out of here." Coach snapped at the asshole in a low, authoritative voice.


    "Fuck you!" Trent yelled at him only to be called out almost immediately.


    "SANDS! Get over here and sit down before I send you home."


    "Coach? You don''t know what is going on." He whined at the man that had called his name.


    "I don''t care. Get over here." His coach yelled at him again. "Hello, Makai. It''s been a while. I see you''re doing well. And I see that this little idiot is still giving you trouble." The man first smiled at Makai then glared at Trent.


    "Yeah, Coach Gunner, I am doing just fine. Thank you." This man was obviously Makai''s previous coach.


    "Have a good tournament. And I will do my best to keep this one under control." With that, Trent, Coach Gunner and the rest of their team went to take their seats in the section designated for their school. I saw that Trent sat in the seat closest to our seats and that pissed me off immediately.


    "Come on, Makai." I said as I took his hand and sat at the opposite end of our seats. I wanted to make sure that Makai was as far away from that idiot as he could possibly be right now. I didn''t want that creep anywhere near Makai ever again. At least, not if I could help it.


    "What the hell was that guy''s problem?" Ryan asked as he sat behind me.


    "Seriously! What was wrong with him? He was going full on psycho there."


    "Yeah, I know. I am sorry guys. There isn''t much that I can say about it really. I mean, he was the first guy that I ever seriously dated. I mean, I am bisexual so I have dated men and women, but he was the first guy that was more than a fling. H.. w..well let''s just say that he has some serious problems." Makai glared to the side at Trent who was smiling and waving at him still.


    "Hey, Makai," Ryan leaned in close and lowered his voice, "That guy is like you, isn''t he? I mean, he''s a, you know."


    "Yes, Ryan, he is." Makai nodded as he too kept his voice low. "And that was why I let him get away with so much. I didn''t think that he would lie to me because he was like me. It was when we were both a lot younger though, and I blame my naivety on my innocence at the time."


    "Ha ha ha ha, Makai were you ever innocent?" Ryan laughed loudly but I knew what he was doing. He was trying to break the tension and get us all into a better mood before we had to swim.


    "Believe it or not, Ryan, there was a time when I was. Then I learned to talk and it all went downhill from there." That comment made everyone around us laugh. I have to admit, it was pretty hilarious.


    "Just don''t worry about that asshole, Makai." Katie called from down the row.


    "Yeah, we all have your back, man." Toby assured him.


    "If he tries anything, I am sure that Ocean will murder him." Charles joked next.


    "We care about you, Makai. So don''t worry about him." Jenell smiled at us both.


    "Yeah, Makai, you, Ocean, Ben and Ryan are the best guys ever and you''re the top swimmers on the team. We all love you and want you to be happy. So please, don''t let them get to you." Faith''s words were a little shaky from nerves, but she was being really sweet and nice about it.


    "Thank you, all of you." Makai smiled at them. "I am glad that I have you all."


    At that moment, there was the sound of someone talking over the speakers that surrounded us all.


    It was the start of the tournament now. Well, to be exact, it was time for the opening ceremony. I watched as a group of men and women were walking toward the platform on the other side of the pools.. Up there waiting for them was another man that was already speaking.

 Chapter 268 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 4

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    An older man with gray hair, a business suit, and a lot of excitement, was the one that was on the stage now. His voice was eager and his words were a little fast. There was something here that was making him a lot more giddy than he should be. It was either that he loved swimming so much, that he thought the girls, or the guys, in their swimsuits were sexy, or I guess it could be something else that was not swimming related.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, swimmers and coaches, I want to welcome you here to the National Swimming League that is sponsored by the Alpha Corporation. This competition is only possible because of your sponsors and their CEO, Reece Gray. Here with us today, are a few representatives from Alpha Corporation. And you will even hear from their CEO momentarily." OK, there it was. This man had to be overly excited about the CEO that was here. And I don''t blame him either. The moment that I heard the name of the company, my heart started to race.


    As I listened to what the man on the stage was saying, I looked at the people that had joined him on the stage. I wanted to see which of them was the CEO of such a large company. I was guessing that it was the older man that was among them. He was probably about fifty years old with slightly grayed hair and brown eyes. With that man was a really tall black haired man with golden eyes, a man with dark brown hair that looked like the prime definition of an assistant, and lastly there was a woman that was about my height with long silver hair even though she looked really young.


    These people looked so different from the rest of us. I had no idea if it was just next level wealth, the confidence that they had in themselves and their positions, or if it was something else entirely. Whatever it was though, these people were intimidating and exciting all at the same time.


    I had basically been ignoring what the man that was starting the ceremony was saying. I don''t know why, I just felt like the people on the stage with him were very unique and different. And I knew what Alpha Corp was. Most of the world did. It was the largest business in the world. They had their hand in just about every industry possible. They were literally the highest grossing company ever. And they had been around for generations. They even owned hospitals and sports clinics. They were my goal for when I graduated from college. I wanted to work for them so bad. Not just for the money, but for the way they ran their company. They were generous and did a lot of charity work all around the world. They were such an awesome place.


    "You look like you''re in love." Makai joked from beside me as I stared at the people on the stage.


    "I..I can''t help it. That is the company that I have dreamed of working at for a long time. Alpha Corp is my goal after college." I let the secret slip past my lips. This was the first time that anyone had heard those words from me.


    "You never told me that." I saw that Makai had smiled at me when I tuned my head to look at him.


    "I haven''t told anyone before. Not even my parents. It''s a pipe dream really. I don''t stand a chance of working there. I am nowhere near good enough for that. Even though I know that it won''t ever happen, I still dream about it." I couldn''t believe that I was saying this with so many other people around us.


    "I think you can do it." He hugged me to his side then. "Maybe we will both get in there."


    "That would be awesome." I felt the excitement rising inside of me.


    "Make that three of us." Ryan called from behind me.


    "Four." Ben added. "I love Alpha Corp. They''re awesome. And why split up brothers, right?"


    "Yeah. We should all try to get in there. It would be awesome. Especially since we''re all going to the same school. That would be pretty cool." Makai agreed with them and it made me think about the future. I didn''t want to be without my friends at all. They were truly like family.


    "Now, without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the CEO of Alpha Corp, Mr. Reece Gray." The words of the man on the stage finally broke through to me and I turned to look at what was going on. I wanted to see the CEO talk. I wanted to know what he was going to say.


    "Welcome, all of you." The younger man, the tall one with black hair, walked up to the microphone then. This was unexpected. He wasn''t that much older than me. He was maybe twenty-five or twenty-six. That was awesome if you consider that he had been the CEO for years now. He must be smart as well. "I am so proud of all of you. You''ve made it this far into this wonderful competition of ours. I don''t know if many of you know, but I sponsor several of these events all over the country. I want to give students like you the opportunity to earn scholarships for college and cash prizes for the things that you want in life. You''ve all worked hard to be here and I am sure that the most worthy swimmers will take the grand prize. As you all know, each swimmer on the top ten teams will receive additional scholarships on top of the ones you already won. Those scholarships will range from ten thousand dollars to one hundred thousand dollars. Never fear, if you end up with more scholarship money than you need for your education you will receive the cash when you graduate. The top ten individual swimmers will win the same scholarship amounts. On top of that, there are cash prizes for the top ten as well. Each person that finishes in top ten, teams or individuals, will get anywhere from ten thousand dollars to two hundred thousand dollars. The total prize amount for the top ten this weekend is almost thirteen million. But there is more. Those that don''t place in the top ten will still receive a consolation prize. All of you, for having worked so hard, will be leaving with something. I cannot overlook all that you have done to make it this far. Congratulations to all of you and do your best."


    With that, Reece Gray left the stage amid a wave of applause. I had no idea that he was giving away so much money. This was so unreal. Why? Why was he doing this? He had to be the most generous man in the world.


    "Thank you, Mr. Gray. We are so lucky to have you and the rest of Alpha Corporation." The announcer clapped after those words and then looked at us again. "Now, we will be starting almost immediately. The men''s teams will be going first and you were given your numbers upon checking in. You will move to the pool that you are assigned to and begin when you are signaled to do so."


    I rose to my feet with Makai, Ben and Ryan. We were swimming in pool number one as well as lane number one. I do believe that was because our school has supposedly finished in first overall for the state tournament. The bad thing though, was that Trent''s team was next to us.


    I had wanted to keep that asshole away from Makai, but here he was right beside us. I needed to protect Makai. I needed to do something.


    "Makai, whatever side of the pool he goes to, you go to the opposite. That way he cannot say anything to you. I don''t want him anywhere near you." I saw the light enter Makai''s eyes then. It looked like he was happy right now. That was good. I wanted him to be happy.


    "It''s fine, Ocean. But I will do as you ask. I am not going to let him get to me, but I don''t want to deal with him either. So, yeah, being opposite him is a good idea."


    "Good. I will let the coach know about the plan."


    "No need, Ocean. I am right here." Coach was right behind me and answered right away. "I agree it''s for the best. I want you two swimming last so that you can make up the ground if we have to. So, wherever the creep ends up going, Makai you stand opposite of him. I want the two of you to show that idiot that you''re the best that there is and nothing can stop the two of you."


    "Sure thing, Coach." Makai and I nodded and answered at the same time.


    The four of us got ready to swim. It looked like Trent was swimming last for his team. He, like me and Makai, was going to bring in the win, or so he thought. He wasn''t going to beat me and Makai though. Not with Ben and Ryan on the team with us. They were fast swimmers and they had gotten even better than ever before.


    We were all in position. Someone was in each lane of the pool and ready to swim for the first round. The announcer called us to the ready and blew his whistle.. It was time for the first heat to begin.

 Chapter 269 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 5

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I watched as Ben dove into the water first. He was graceful and elegant as he slipped into the water. He was taking an early lead on the lane next to us as he swam as hard as he could. Faster and faster he went, trying to maintain that lead until he got to Ryan.


    And thanks to all of the swimming and water gods that there are, Ben managed to stay in first until it was time for Ryan to take place. The moment that Ben was where he needed to be, Ryan dove into the pool. He looked as graceful as any fish or merman that I had ever seen. Though I had only ever really seen Makai as a merman before. Still, Ryan was doing amazingly well. He kept going in his superfast, and amazingly graceful, movements until he went back to the other side of the pool where Makai was. I had my eyes glued to my boyfriend as he prepared to leap into the water and go for his leg in this heat.


    Makai was poised on the platform. His goggles in place, his knees bent and at the ready. He was so sexy at that moment. Just watching him was a turn on and I couldn''t take my eyes off of him.


    "If only you knew who it was that taught him all that he knows. Has he done with you what he used to do with me?" Trent started to spout off his nonsense. It was enough to enrage me, if I let it that was.


    "I don''t know nor do I care about whatever it is that he used to do with you, Trent. But he''s mine now. He is my mate and not yours. He won''t ever want you again. And that just pisses you off, doesn''t it? Poor little Trent."


    That was all the taunting that I had time for. Makai was almost here, it was almost time for me to take my dive. However, it was almost time for Trent to go as well. Though, I knew for a fact that he wasn''t going to win. I wasn''t going to let him.


    "Fuck you, water boy. I know what I know and you have nothing on me."


    I ignored his words and dove into the pool. The water that surrounded me cut off his annoying voice and I didn''t have to deal with him anymore. I just needed to do what I did best, and that was swim.


    I went as hard and as fast as I could. I didn''t let anything at all slow me down or stop me. It was just me and the water and the graceful way that it made me feel. And before I knew it, I was almost done with my heat. The words that Trent was saying were long forgotten and no longer annoying me at all.


    Our team came in first place. That was what I expected, but I was still a little worried. You never know what will happen until it actually does. The best part of all was that they displayed individual lap times for everyone to see. And what did I see when those numbers were up on the screen? Just that our entire team beat Trent personally. He was the fastest member on his team but each of us were ahead by at least a little bit. That also pissed Trent off and made him stalk away to his seat until it was time for him to swim again.


    Next there were the remaining men''s teams that needed to compete for this round. After that, the ladies would take their first round. This was a little bit easier than it was the last time since we got to rest in between heats.


    The eight of us still in the spectator seats watched on as our women''s team swam their best as well. I could tell they were pissed off about Trent and was resenting his whole school and their swim team. They were swimming the best that they could just so that they could beat Trent''s friends.


    And they did it too. They beat them and came in first place for this round. If they can do that for the next round and place close enough to the top for the final round of the preliminaries, then they would make it to the finals on Sunday. They were on a roll, just like we were.


    "YEAH! GO GIRLS!" We were all shouting happily for them. Excited that our team took an early lead for both divisions.


    The second round came up sooner than I expected, but I was still ready for it. We all got into position again and I once again stood next to Trent. I could see the anger and resentment in his eyes that we were all actively keeping him away from Makai. This time though, his words started early on in the heat.


    As soon as Ben dove into the water, Trent started his bullshit. He didn''t even care that Ryan was there to hear it all.


    "You can''t be his mate, little water boy. I am. I told him that a long time ago. I claimed him as mine and he has no choice. He will be mine, you will see. He will love me again. I will make sure of that."


    "Your love, Sandy, give it up. My boy Kai loves Ocean. You seem like nothing more than forgotten leftovers to him now. Just shut up and leave Makai and Ocean alone. And deal with the fact that we''re about to beat you again."


    As soon as he was done with those words, Ryan leapt into the air and toward the water. He was swimming at his best once again.


    "Ha ha. He was right though. You''re nothing more than disgusting leftovers or yesterday''s trash to Makai now. He won''t change his mind."


    I had to listen to Trent''s angry fuming after that. It was mostly just him making sounds and trying not to scream at me in front of everyone here. At least he was smart enough to not get himself disqualified before I could kick his ass in the individual heats tomorrow. That was going to be fun.


    Another victory for us. That made two in a row and virtually guaranteed us a place in the finals on Sunday. And, what happened when the girls swam their heat with that school right next to them again? That''s right, they annihilated those girls and came in first place. I swear the pride that was on the coach''s face at that moment was enough to make you want to say ''aww'' and laugh at the same time. It was almost over the top.


    When the final heat started, Trent was so mad that he couldn''t talk. It was the best race of the day. Seriously. I didn''t have to listen to his voice at all. He was annoying the hell out of me the first two rounds but this one was like heaven. And it ended in another flawless victory. I was so happy that we had just put that punk in his place. And apparently, he was so pissed that he stormed out in the direction of the locker room.


    Our team didn''t leave, like Trent''s shitty team. Nope, we sat down and waited for the girl''s team to finish their round, to support, cheer, and celebrate with them when they won.


    And the excitement that we all had when they did come in first place. Three in a row our school dominated the pool. No one could say anything about us being here because we clearly deserved to be here.


    Oh, and the way that the coach was celebrating, we all thought that he might be about to have a heart attack. His face was red and he was screaming so loud. We thought that if he kept it up like that, his heart would give out soon enough.


    It didn''t give out though, thankfully. And after a while, we all headed to the locker rooms. On our way other teams, spectators and officials were congratulating us on our victories. I don''t think they expected a perfect sweep from the same school for the men''s and women''s teams. They were all shocked and excited while also being truly happy for us. They also congratulated our coach quite a bit. I did notice that this made him blush a lot but he couldn''t stop smiling.


    It was a bit hectic when we made it back to the locker room to get changed. We all just wanted to hurry up and go back to the hotel so that we could eat and rest. It had been a long day and we were all tired already.. However, things never seem to work out quite as well as we would like them to, do they? Something or someone always has to throw a wrench into your plans and just fuck it all up for you.

 Chapter 270 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 6

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We were all running on a high of victory and euphoria. It was great. Our teams had performed the best out of everyone here today and it showed just how much we had worked to get to this point.


    I knew that nothing could bring us down right now. Nothing was going to be able to put a damper in our mood. Today was pure bliss. At least that was what I was thinking as the four of us made our way back into the locker room. Toby and Charles had changed while we were waiting for the other men''s teams to run their final heat. However, now that we were going into the locker room, I couldn''t have been more wrong about things running our mood or our day.


    The first thing that I saw the moment that we all walked into the locker room, was that it was almost deserted. The second thing that I saw was that the only other person in the room was Trent. He had apparently stayed behind after everyone else left, waiting for us. And obviously, they had the same locker room that we did. Of course he did. That was just the way that things had to be, right?


    Well, well, well." He said in an angry tone of voice. "Look what we have here. You know, I took a guess that we shared a locker room, and I can see that I was right." His face was filled with anger right now.


    "What do you want, Trent?" Makai snapped at him. "What can''t you understand about all of this? It''s over. We''re over. We have been for a very long time now."


    "No. It''s not over until I say it''s over, Makai. You''re mine. I told you that ages ago. You''re mine. You will always be mine. It didn''t matter that you ran away for a few months and had a fling, that didn''t change anything. You''re going to come back to me and we will be together from now on. I refuse to let you go."


    "This is fucking insane. You''re fucking insane. Did you know that?" I snapped at him as I walked a little closer to him. "You need to just fucking drop it. Makai is mine. He is my boyfriend. He is my fianc¨¦. He is my mate. Do you want to see the fucking marks to prove it? Do you want to see my initials in his mark so that you can see that he is mine? Will that be enough to convince your dumb ass?"


    There was nothing but shock and fear in Trent''s eyes. Right then. He was not prepared for what he had just heard. He wasn''t expecting me to say that I marked Makai. He was not ready for anything that I had to say and it was showing in the way that his face was getting redder and redder and his eyes were angrier and angrier.


    "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME MAKAI? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MARRY ME AND TAKE CARE OF ME! DID YOU FORGET ABOUT THAT PROMISE!" Trent was inching toward Makai now. It almost looked to me like he was about to hurt someone. His whole body was shaking and his hands were clenched into fists. There was something dark inside that guy and I didn''t like it.


    "Stop right there." I snapped at him as I stepped into his path. I would not let him get to my Makai, not now and not ever.


    "Get out of my way, Ocean. If you don''t, I will fucking kill you."


    "Yeah, like I am going to let you anywhere near my man. You look like you want to kill Makai. What do you have planned, huh? What were you going to do if I did happen to get out of the way? Huh?"


    "That''s none of your business, Ocean. This is between me and Makai. He is mine and you need to leave."


    "HE IS NOT YOURS, YOU FUCKING IDIOTIC ASSHOLE. HE IS MINE. HE WILL ALWAYS BE MINE. AND IF YOU GET ONE FUCKING STEP CLOSER I WILL PUT YOU ON YOUR ASS!"


    It was clear to me that Trent just wasn''t going to listen. He kept on coming at me and Makai without saying anything else. I knew what was on his mind. I couldn''t explain how I knew, but I did. I knew that if he got close enough, he was going to hit Makai. Well, this asshole was about to get a face full of fists from me instead, because I wasn''t lying.


    He had come closer so I was already pulling my arm back to throw my punch. I didn''t hesitate and I wasn''t taking my time. I just swung hard from the right and slapped my fist into his jaw.


    I didn''t know that I was going to hit him as hard as I did. I instantly felt pain in my hand but that was almost nothing to me right now. I was pissed and I was watching on as the asshole went flying backward.


    He literally went flying too. He was in between us and the closest set of lockers. The lockers were at least seven feet away, but that didn''t stop Trent from slamming into them and sliding to the floor. I was just really glad that he didn''t dent the lockers in the process. I would hate to have to explain what happened to them to the officials. We would probably be disqualified.


    "You little son of a bitch!" Trent was holding his jaw in pain as a trickle of blood flowed down his chin. "I''m going to fucking kill you. I swear to god, I am going to murder you."


    "ENOUGH!" Makai finally snapped at him. "Just shut the fuck up, Trent. I have had it with you. I didn''t want you when I left you seventeen months ago, and I don''t want you now. I am never going to take you back. I am never going to love you. I didn''t even love you then. Do you understand me? Do you fucking get it now? I don''t want you. I listened to your lies enough back then that I let you convince me that I was in love with you. But I should have listened to my own heart and my own emotions. I hate you, Trent. I hate you and after this tournament is over, I never want to see you again. Do you understand that? I never want you to darken another day in my life."


    "Who the fuck do you think you are, Makai? You know who I am. You know what I am capable of. You know what I can do to you. I can put an end to this all really quick and force you to be mine." This was way beyond what I thought was ever possible.


    "No, you can''t, Trent. Because you don''t know who I am. And back then neither did I. I knew what I was, but not who I was. I didn''t know that my uncle was the head of our clan. I didn''t know that in our culture I am the equivalent of a prince. I didn''t know at the time that I severely outranked you. I let you lie to me for so long, Trent, but not anymore. It''s over. It''s been over."


    "You''re lying. You''re making up stories just to intimidate me." Trent still wasn''t accepting it. Though I would admit that he looked a little more frazzled than he had before. "This isn''t true."


    "It''s true, Trent. It''s all true and you know it. And if you do or say anything else, I will let my uncle know all about the stuff that you have done in the past. I will destroy your life. I won''t even hesitate to tell them to eliminate you. Now stop this. All of this. And leave me and them all alone. You''re not to bother me, Ocean, Ben or Ryan. You can''t mess with our coach or anyone on our team. If I know them, if they are a friend of mine, then you are not allowed to cause them any sort of problem. Do you understand me?"


    "This is bullshit. This is pure fucking bullshit."


    That was all that Trent had to say after Makai''s threat. After that he just got to his feet and hurried out of the locker room. I did notice, with a slight amount of satisfaction, that there was a massive bruise on his face from where I had punched him. That was a good sight to see. And so was him running away with his tail between his legs.


    "OK, Makai, that was intense." Ryan looked at him with his eyes wide open. "I can''t believe that just happened."


    "Yeah, it was definitely unexpected. And like you said, babe, it was intense." Ben seemed to have his eyes just as wide as he spoke.


    "Are you OK, Makai?" I asked him with worry in my voice.


    "Why are you asking about me? Isn''t your hand sore?" Makai smiled at me. "That was an impressive punch by the way."


    "Well, I told him that I would do it and I meant it." I grinned crookedly, the nerves and embarrassment filling me as I went to say the next part. "Plus, I couldn''t let him hurt my man."


    "Awe, my hero." Makai took my hand then and kissed the knuckles. "Come on, we should get changed. I am sure that the coach is waiting for us."


    "Yeah, you''re right." I nodded at him and went to my locker.. "Let''s get ready to go."

 Chapter 271 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 7

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    We changed as quickly as we could and went out to meet the coach. He was waiting for us outside the bus and it was clear to us all that he had figured out what was happening.


    "So, who hit him?" He wasn''t as angry as I thought that he would be. In truth, I almost felt like he was holding back his laughter.


    "I did." I didn''t try to hide it from him at all. "But he was going to hit Makai." I told him the reason without him needing to ask.


    "Yeah, I figured. His coach was waiting for him too and we had a nice long talk about Trent''s temper. We both suspected that he was going to be trying something. That was why he was taking so long. Are you all OK? Nothing hurt? How''s your hand?" The coach was showing more concern than I expected from him.


    "We''re all good, Coach." Makai answered for us. "And I think I finally made him understand that he has to leave us alone."


    "Hey, Coach?" I asked him as I had a wave of paranoia wash over me.


    "Yes, Ocean?"  I think that the coach was waiting for this part of the conversation.


    "I''m disqualified, aren''t I? I am going to be kicked off of the team, aren''t I?" I knew it. I just knew that Trent was going to go whine to the officials like a little bitch. It makes no difference that he was going to fight any of us that he could. He was the one that was laid out like a little punk ass bitch, so he went and tattled on me.


    "No, Ocean, you''re not. The moment that he tried to complain about you to his coach, Gunner shot him down. He wouldn''t even listen to what the idiot had to say. The whole arena heard the way that he was treating you all earlier. The officials would just side with you anyway. And then you wouldn''t get the chance to beat his ass again. I mean, assuming you want to put him in his place in the pool as well."


    I was grinning. The coach had just given me the best news ever. I wasn''t disqualified and I could still beat Trent in the pool tomorrow. That was awesome.


    "Yeah, Coach, I want to beat his ass once again. We all do. We''re going to show him that he was the problem all along. We''re going to swim our best and beat him so bad that he cries like a little baby."


    "Ha ha ha. That''s good. But for the record, he already cried like a baby. I wish you all could have seen it." Coach was looking wistfully off into the sky like he was replaying it in his mind.


    "THEY CAN SEE IT!" Charlie called out from his window seat on the bus. "I RECORDED IT JUST FOR THEM!"


    "You''re awesome, Charlie!" I grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up.


    After that, we all headed back to the hotel. It was time for us all to get some lunch and then relax. All of us that swam today were starving and exhausted. I was doubly exhausted because of the bullshit that we had to deal with. I hoped that tomorrow would be better in some way. I doubted it, but I could hope at least.


    We stopped at a restaurant on the way back and celebrated today''s big achievement. Lunch was extra special since we were all going a little crazy over it. We wanted to burn off some of that excitement and energy we all had from winning all six rounds today. Oh, and the coach tried to pay for lunch since he had saved so much money on this trip, but Makai wouldn''t let him do it. He just pulled out his little black credit card and paid for it all himself.


    "One of these days, Makai, you''re going to have to let someone else pay." The coach grinned at him.


    "Hmm, only if they pay me in kindness." I heard him answer in a totally cheesy tone of voice.


    "You''re something else, kid. You know that?" Coach was just shaking his head in disbelief.


    "Yeah, I know."


    After lunch was over, we all went back to the hotel and went up to our rooms. I wanted to shower since we didn''t have time to do that back when we were getting dressed. That little stunt that Trent had pulled had really cost us some time. I felt dirty and filthy. Basically, I just felt gross and grody after being in such a big pool that was used by so many people.


    Makai and I both stripped our clothes off and got into the large steam shower together. We talked about how happy we were that we won and how great lunch was, but we didn''t talk about anything else that had happened. Not yet anyway. We will probably be talking about it soon though. We would be discussing it because we had to. I knew it and I could sense that Makai knew it too. This wasn''t just some tiny little thing that had happened today. It was major and it involved so much of Makai''s life before he met me. I needed to know about it. We needed to talk it out or it would just hang over our heads forever.


    The shower was relaxing, that was for sure. Though it did make me a little sleepy since I was exhausted and had a belly full of food. When it came to things like this, I was no better than a little kid.


    "You look so tired. Are you going to fall asleep on me?" Makai joked as we dried ourselves off and got dressed into something comfortable. We would be hanging out in the room until dinner. And I was even thinking of just telling everyone to order room service for dinner too. We needed to relax after all that had happened.


    "Not yet, but I am feeling a little sleepy. Don''t worry though, I am not going to sleep. We need to talk first." I not so subtly told him that he wasn''t getting out of it that easily.


    "Yeah, I figured that was coming now." He nodded at me and slid up onto the bed. "Come on, sit down. We can talk while we relax."


    "Are you trying to make me fall asleep?" I joked with him. "I can see where your plan lies, Mr. Makai." I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the floor. "You''re either trying to seduce me or trying to cuddle me to sleep so that we do not have to talk. That is very sneaky of you." I was leveling a fake glare at him, doing my best to give him a comically stern expression. It must have been working too since he started to laugh when he saw it.


    "I promise you, Mr. Ocean, I am not trying to seduce you or put you to sleep. I have no doubt that we will be intimate whenever you want us to be, and I know that I will see the beautiful sleeping face of yours tonight. There is no reason at all for me to delay this any longer or to even be afraid of telling you any of this. You know a lot of it as it is anyway, and you''re my fianc¨¦. It is about time that I told you these things, isn''t it?"


    I was surprised. Makai, who had previously never wanted to talk about the past was willing to bear it all to me now. I was going to get the full story. All of it with nothing at all hidden from me. This was almost like a dream come true.


    However, I also realized how it was a nightmare as well. A nightmare for me because I was going to learn all about the people that Makai had been with before. I was going to learn how he had been so experienced when he met me. And it was also a nightmare for Makai because he had to tell me all about the bad things that had happened with his ex. And I had a feeling that it wasn''t just a normal break up. There was way more to it than that.


    I was so conflicted about it. I didn''t want Makai to be hurt and upset by telling me any of these things. But I also didn''t want to be stuck not knowing these important things. If I had known about Trent before we got here, I could have been better prepared for what was going to be happening here. I would have been ready for him. I wouldn''t have been taken by surprise. And I wouldn''t have to worry about what to do when I saw one of Makai''s exes for the very first time. I would know who was who and how to handle them all.


    I think that was what had hurt me the most. That I hadn''t been told about any of this. That Makai never told me how hard things were for him before he was with me. He never told me that he had had bad experiences at all. I mean, the closest that he ever came to that was when he said he knew what it was like to not be prepared to receive someone like I received him. I had to wonder now if that was Trent. And since I was told that Trent was the first man that Makai had ''loved'' I had a feeling that it was.


    "Come on, Ocean.. Let''s talk."

 Chapter 272 - Ocean – The Tournament Part 8

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I climbed up onto the bed with Makai and scooted next to him. I sat with my back in the crook of his arm so that he was holding me against him. Though I think that I should have been the one holding him instead. I had a feeling that he was going to get upset during this conversation.


    "Comfy?" Makai asked me once I was settled into my position.


    "As comfortable as I can be when I am about to hear about my fianc¨¦''s promiscuous past." I made a playful joke as I settled in a little more.


    "Oh yes, it was so scandalous. Just wait until you hear it all." I was glad that he was still being playful here. I didn''t want him to be sad yet.


    "Yeah, OK, I think that I am ready to hear it all. So, why don''t you start at the beginning. Let''s not start with Trent, start with the first person that you dated. Who were they?" I wanted to have it all. "Who was your first kiss?"


    "Well, if you want to go back that far, then I guess that I need to include Ollie and Ellie Sage. They were twins that I went to kindergarten with. They both had a crush on me so they asked me if I would be their boyfriend. I didn''t mind that Ollie was a boy at all. So, the two of them became my first ever boyfriend and girlfriend. And I ended up kissing both of them on the cheek before we were told that we couldn''t see each other anymore. Their parents weren''t happy with Ollie being gay or bisexual at such a young age. I don''t know what ever happened to them."


    "That is sad." I felt bad for the little boy and girl. But I also had to laugh as well. "However, I see that right from the start you were a two timing cheat. Do I need to be worried?" I asked him playfully.


    "Nah, that was the only time that I wasn''t monogamous. And that was only because they were twins and did everything together."


    "OK, so you aint a polyamorous player, that is good. So, who was next on the list?" I wanted this to be playful until we got to the asshole.


    "Well, I never hid the fact that I was bisexual. As soon as I was older and realized it, I was proud and accepting of who I was. I dated a girl in sixth grade named Mindy but that didn''t last long. After that was a guy named Jason in the seventh grade. He opened the door to a lot more people to go out with me because they weren''t so nervous anymore. And by the way, Jason was my first kiss. He was an adorable little kid and we got along OK."


    "I hope that it wasn''t a major kiss. At twelve and thirteen you shouldn''t have been doing much, should you?"


    "Well, I didn''t do much with Jason, but I did lose my virginity in the eighth grade when I was fourteen.


    "Seriously?" I was at loss for words. He was that young? And I didn''t lose mine until I was eighteen. "You were a promiscuous little player, weren''t you?"


    "I admit that it wasn''t planned. She and I were hanging out and one thing led to another. Her name was Lauren, and it was the first time for both of us. It wasn''t the last time though. We learned a lot from each other over the next couple of months, but we didn''t love each other and we moved on to other people."


    "I don''t know if I am happy to hear this or regret it all." I laughed awkwardly.


    "It''s fine, Ocean. There aren''t that many left to tell you about." He was trying to make this as painless as possible for me. I knew that, and I was very appreciative. Still, it wasn''t easy hearing about his past like this."


    "I know, Makai. Go ahead and continue."


    "Thanks Ocean.'''' He kissed my cheek and went on. "After Lauren, I met Gregory. He was the first guy I had sex with. It was over the summer before high school started. It was the first time either of us had done it with another guy. And he was a bottom. He wasn''t ready for it, and neither was I, really. I thought it would be just the same as being with a girl, but it wasn''t. I ended up hurting him a little bit, but nothing too bad. He didn''t resent me, but we went our separate ways shortly after that. I had some boyfriends and girlfriends through freshman and sophomore year, but I didn''t sleep with any of them. Do you want their names?" He looked at me with all seriousness. He would have told me if I wanted him to.


    "No, that''s fine. If they were nothing serious then it''s fine."


    "They weren''t." He assured me. "The next serious thing after that was Trent. We were in the same grade, on the same swim team, and we''re both mermen. He knew what I was because of my mark that he saw in the locker room. He came out to me as bisexual and asked me to go out with him. I was excited. We were the same in a way and he was good looking, so I agreed. Things were fine in the beginning, and it took me a while to realize that things weren''t that great."


    "Really? What happened?" I was now more curious than worried. I don''t know why. Maybe because I wasn''t threatened by this man anymore.


    "Well, we had sex right away because we had both been with people before. He had had a lot of partners that were older than him. He had learned to give and receive, as well as a lot of other things that I hadn''t done yet."


    "So, he was a slut that slept with older men and women?"


    "Mostly older men. They apparently paid him well for it, but he was looking too old for them by then. Even though he was only sixteen he was looking a lot older than that as you saw."


    "Yeah, he didn''t look like he was eighteen." I commented as I remembered the way that he looked. "More like early twenties or so."


    "Yeah. And it took me a while to realize that he only wanted me because I could provide for him. His plan was to convince me to marry him so that he could live an easy life, but our relationship was anything but easy." That made me think that he had hurt Makai a lot when they were together.


    "Tell me what he did to you, babe. What happened?"


    "Well, it started with mental manipulation. I didn''t notice it and neither did anyone else. Not at first. But from there, he did eventually get abusive. I don''t know how, but I let him convince me that he loved me and that I loved him. The sex, after the first few times, was good. But in the beginning it was painful and rough. I thought that it was just because I was inexperienced with taking it from someone else. That was my first time being a bottom after all. I''m not a hundred percent sure though. I have a feeling that he was trying to hurt me because one of his former partners showed interest in me. I refused, of course, but it made Trent jealous."


    I did not like what I was hearing. It was pissing me off, and putting me in a murderous state. Makai had been through so much. I both did and did not want to hear the rest of the story.


    "Trent would punch me, slap me around, and do a lot more. However, he would disguise it as us wrestling around at first. It wasn''t until he started to just outright hit me that I realized what he had been doing. He was grooming me and conditioning me. I knew that I needed to leave him and be done with it forever. I was never going to be with him again after that."


    "And he just let you go?" I knew that men like that didn''t like giving up their partners.


    "He had no choice, others in school knew what was going on and they kept him away from me. They watched him try to slap me around. I admit that when I was with him, I wasn''t as manly as I am now. I have grown a lot over the last year and a half, and I started to work out a lot after I left him. The problem was, he was still there all the time and I hated that."


    "So that is why you chose to move even though you were old enough to stay behind." I finally figured out why he had moved to California. "Well, I am glad that you came to my school, or we wouldn''t be together." I smiled at him, trying to let him know it was all OK now.


    "I am not disgusted by my time with Trent, I learned a lot from him. And I will never forget what I learned. But I will also never let that happen to me or anyone else ever again." He sounded so determined.


    "I would never hurt you, Makai. Never. I love you more than anything." My sincere words made him smile and I loved that I was making him feel a little better.


    "I know, Ocean.. I know."

 Chapter 273 - Makai – The Tournament Part 9

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Ocean and I had a nice long talk until we were ready to go to bed. After what happened at the tournament yesterday, I think that we needed that. We needed to bond with each other again and reaffirm what it was that we felt for each other. I told Ocean everything about my past that I had never been all that open about before. I figured it was well past time for it.


    Among the things that Ocean and I talked about, more so what I told him about, was that I was practically raised by nannies. He already knew that, but I didn''t tell him how isolated and alone it made me feel. Even though there were always people around me, people that loved me and cared for me, I still felt alone. I never had my parents'' love and affection the way that I wanted it.


    I knew why they had to be away. They knew that the times in the waters were not calm and that one day there might be a war. They wanted to keep me safe and protected. I didn''t know that when I was four and was crying for my mommy and daddy to be the ones to put me to bed, but I knew it as I got older.


    I never doubted that I was loved by my parents. They were good parents and they did the best that they could to keep me out of something that had nothing to do with me. I would never fault them for that. However, it also doesn''t change the way that I felt when I was without them.


    I do wholeheartedly agree that part of the reason why I let Trent do the things to me that he did, was because I was so empty inside. I needed to fill a hole in my heart that I didn''t quite understand. And at the time, I filled it with whatever made me feel good and happy at the moment.


    I was done with all of that now. I didn''t need to worry about all of that anymore. The hole that had naturally grown inside of me over all those years, it had been filled in now. It was completely gone with no trace of the original injury. And in that hole, filling me up, was a piece of Ocean''s heart. He had given it to me to make me happy, to make my heart whole instead of with  a hole. Ocean is all that I need. My forever. My one and only mate. And I would fight until the end of time for him. He would see that soon enough. He would know that I was not ever going to leave him.


    Just like I had talked to Ocean about all of the things from my past, Ocean told me all about how he had felt so sheltered as a child. His family was loving and very protective of him. It was like they felt that there was something about him when he was little that they just couldn''t show to the world. I have a feeling that it had to do with what he was and the bond they shared.


    Ocean was a Siren and, as the family that chose to love him instead of the one that he was born into, his parents and siblings felt a stronger emotional bond with him. They protected him way more than most siblings would have done. And his parents sheltered him until he was a teenager to make sure that he grew up safe and happy.


    I am quite convinced that the reason Ocean was so easily duped by Bitchney was because he thought that everyone was the same way. That the whole world loved everyone wholeheartedly. And then, as the time went on in high school, when he was exposed to such negative influences, he was able to see that he was wrong. That was why he was so confused for so long.


    Neither of our families intended to hurt us in any way, but they did. Despite all of that though, we turned out just fine. We were mostly happy and mostly well adjusted men that found each other and were able to give each other some love and affection that we desperately needed.


    Despite everything though, our families were the best. They did everything with the best of intentions and that was all that mattered. They never intended to hurt us in any way, and neither of us saw ourselves as damaged and hurt. Not by them anyway. We loved them all and we definitely wanted to make them all proud of us.


    It was a long night. All the things that we talked about. The emotions we went through. The things that we got off of our chests. It was a lot. And I was happier for having done it all. I felt better, and I know for a fact that Ocean did as well. Not to mention that we were both doing a lot better when it was all done.


    And as far as I could tell, both of our families were already proud of us. I mean, if they weren''t they would not have kidnapped Ocean to plan the wedding. And my family would not have gone through so much to make things right for Ocean and me after the fiasco with Justin at the school. They had all done so much for us and it didn''t look like they were anywhere near done yet.


    When Saturday rolled around and it was time for the second day of the tournament, neither Ocean nor I allowed Trent to get to us. He tried, of course, but it was made harder for him. Someone had talked to the committee and requested a separate locker room for Trent''s team so that they were no longer able to bother us at all. That made getting ready a lot easier for us to handle.


    When it was time for us all to go out to the pools, Trent''s team made him sit on the farthest side of their chairs and Ocean and I once again sat on the farthest side of ours. We were putting as much space between us as we possibly could. And since it was just the individual swimmers going this time, they were able to split us up. They said that it was a last minute decision that they had made to make it less awkward for everyone.


    In fact, Trent was made to swim in the second group of swimmers and was nowhere near us when it was time to head up there for the next heats. We didn''t have to deal with Trent at all.


    The matches went in the same sort of order that they did the day before. The two groups of male individual swimmers were doing their best before the ladies took their first heat in the water. That was four rounds already and we had another eight to go.


    The top twenty men and women from each group would go again for another set of heats after lunch today. They would compete to see who came down to the top eight in each group.


    That would make things a lot easier for the next day when we ran the finals for the individual swimmers as well as the semi finals and the finals for the teams. It was going to be a busy day, and I think that we should have done the double rounds for the team matches the day before. Oh well, it was what it was. We will at least have a lot of rest in between the heats tomorrow. That would be one benefit of it all.


    Oh, and to make things even better, Ocean and I came in first and second for every single one of our heats for the preliminaries and semifinals. We were able to come in at the top just like we had the previous time before we were dating.


    Unfortunately, Trent came in third for all six heats. Still, we kept him at bay. He was not able to push us out of the top position. Just that alone was enough to make my day. I didn''t want that guy beating me, or my Ocean.


    As it turned out, several of the female swimmers needed to be replaced with some of the back up swimmers. I don''t know why, but they just didn''t show up. Perhaps they were the only ones from their school to qualify and the school didn''t think that it was a good idea to pay for one student to miss so much school.


    Anyway, this helped to make it so that both Jenell and Faith got the swim today. They both made it through the first round along with Katie. And amazingly enough, Faith made it through to the finals that would be taking place the next day.


    Our team was showing everyone here that we were a force to be reckoned with. We were in the finals all around. Our men''s team was in first place along with our women''s team. And four out of five of the individual swimmers that actually competed today were all making it to the finals tomorrow. What better way to be showing off our skill than to be in the positions that we were currently in?


    And at the end of the day, we were all so keyed up about the victories that we had all achieved that we wanted to celebrate. We ended up going out to eat at a nice restaurant in the city with the coach and all the others on the team. It was a long night of excitement and joy.


    And when it came time to go to bed that night, I was sure we were all dreaming of more wins for our school.

 Chapter 274 - Ocean – Tournament Part 10

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    If I were to say that I expected our school to dominate the tournament, I would sound conceited. If I were to say that I knew that the piece of shit that used to be part of Makai''s life was no match for me, I could sound like an arrogant asshole. If I were to say that everything was going according to plan, I would be lying.


    I was so nervous when we came here. I just knew that there was going to be someone better than me. I knew that there was going to be someone that made me feel inadequate and like I wasn''t good enough. That had been my legitimate fear the entire last month or so leading up to this tournament.


    I did not, however, think that there was going to be someone that would put me on the edge of rage and make me channel all of those emotions into my swimming. I did not expect that I would be doing my personal best every single time. Or that the same feelings would be felt by our entire team. The fact that we had all banded together to prove to that douchebag that he was not at all what he thought he was. That was something else that I had never thought was possible at all. But it still happened, nonetheless.


    We all did our best on Friday and Saturday. We were in the lead. Even our girls'' team came in first place during their run. That was an amazing improvement from the last competition that we were all at. This was awesome, amazing, stupendous and every other positive thing in the world.


    And the true icing on the cake. The one thing that was making this the best weekend of my entire life, was that Trent, that slimy fucking asshole, was whining about having lost to me. That was like the cherry on the sundae, the whole purpose that I had when I started to swim on Saturday, all of it.


    Literally, by the end of the day Saturday Sandy Shorts, oh I mean Trent, could be heard and seen whining to his coach about how he was not in first place. He had this whole complex about thinking he was better than us all, but he was nothing compared to me and Makai. It was just hilarious, and it was something that we all talked about that night at the celebratory dinner.


    When Sunday came around, I had no reason to think that this winning streak of ours wouldn''t continue. I had every ounce of confidence in our team by that time and I just knew that we were going to be able to make it all the way to the top.


    The team semifinals came up first, we had to narrow it down to the top ten teams. Of course, Ben, Ryan, Makai and myself all did what we set out to do. We came in first place and secured that spot in the finals. It was amazing and wonderful.


    When it was time for the ladies to do their thing, they weren''t going to let anyone or anything stand in their way. With all the rest of us, including the coach, screaming and cheering for all of them, they came in first place. Cassie, Alexis, Katie and Whitney made us proud. They too had a spot in the top ten. And to make things even better, the girls'' team from Sandy Shorts'' school didn''t qualify. They placed twelfth and their journey was over. That was the start of us eliminating them all.


    Following the team semifinals, we went straight into the team finals. It was time for the four of us to put Trent and the others in their place. To be fair, I didn''t really have anything against the rest of the school. They were probably even good people. I just didn''t like them. They sided with that douche canoe and that was more than enough for me to hate them all, no matter what they were like. They were going to be forever hated by me until they renounced that asshole and admit their mistake.


    Yeah, OK, I might be a little over the top here, but I don''t care. They will be treated like criminals associated with he-who-must-not-be-named or some shit like that. I don''t care. They are guilty by association just because they go to the same school as that lunatic. That was their burden to deal with for life.


    Moving on from that, it was time for us to start the next heat. The ten teams of men lined up in their respective lanes. Thankfully, the officials put our team and Sandy Shorts'' on opposite ends so that we didn''t need to deal with each other. The signal started and it was time to race. This was a one and done segment. There were no three heats to determine the top. This time, it was one race to determine the winner from those that had consistently finished in the top.


    The race was high stakes and heart pounding, but I was still excited about it. I watched on in excitement as Ben and then Ryan made their runs. I was tensed and ready to go as I watched Makai racing toward me in the water. And the moment that I flew forward and dove into the water, I knew that this was the moment that I had been waiting for. This was what my whole swimming career was meant for. And when I stopped at the end of the pool and turned to see that I was there before everyone else, I felt this massive bubble explode inside of my chest.


    That bubble was pure joy and excitement. We had won. We have put an end to Trent''s team. They had finished in third place, and I could see the anger and resentment on Trent''s face as he turned to look at me across the pool. He was pissed off, but there was nothing that he could do about it now. We have annihilated him. And the sound of the cheers coming from the crowd as well as my team were enough to prove to everyone around us that we were the favorites today.


    It took a long time before the excitement died down enough for the ladies to take their turn. The entire area around the pool was a massive celebration for us. A lot of other schools came up to us and congratulated us. They didn''t want Sandy Shorts'' team to win either. They had heard the way that he was talking to us all weekend and they didn''t like it at all.


    Finally, though, it was time for the girls to see who the winning team was. The ten teams lined up for their one and done match as well. The girls looked serious and I could tell that this was going to be the match of the century for all of them. It was amazing with all that tension in the air.


    The signal sounded and the ladies all started to go at once. They were swimming their hardest and moving as fast as they could. Still, none of them were moving as fast as Katie. She was the first in the water and was making her way to the end of the pool before the others. Next was Alexis who did the same thing. Whitney went third, and finally Cassie finished up for our team.


    By the time that Cassie even brought her head up out of the water, the whole place was screaming for her. She had finished first. They had won. Our ladies team won first just like our men''s team had. This was an historic event in my opinion.


    Now it was time for the individual races. Me against Makai, Trent, and seven other men. It was the last race I would be swimming here today. It was the last time that I was going to be able to prove to Trent that he was nothing compared to me. It was my last chance to put him in his place. And when Makai and I took first and second, with him being just a tenth of a second behind me, that was exactly what we did. Trent of course finished in third but that wasn''t the spot he wanted, and so his screaming could already be heard from across the pool.


    "No! No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE FIRST! I AM THE BEST SWIMMER IN THIS COMPETITION! ME! NO ONE ELSE BUT ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!" He was screaming so much that the cheering had stopped and half the venue was just staring at him.


    "Come on now, son, calm down." The man that had been making the announcement called out to him. "You finished where you did and that is it. Please take your seat so that the ladies can have their turn now."


    "NO! THIS IS BULLSHIT!"


    "Mr. Sands, please take your seat." The announcer spoke a little firmly now. I could tell that things were going to get heated and that people were about to see what a big cry baby he was.


    "Serious, Makai, I can''t believe you were ever with that whiny twat." Ben laughed as he looked at the scene that was unfolding before us.


    "Yeah, he looks like someone put something sour up his hoo-ha." Ryan joined in on the make fun of Trent band wagon.


    "Yeah, someone needs to just give him Vagisil for that problem and just move on." I didn''t want to be left out, and apparently mine was the one that made the rest of my team fall apart into gales of laughter. Laughter that was easily heard by the big baby across the pool.

 Chapter 275 - Ocean – Tournament Part 11 (Final One I Promise)

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    "You think that''s funny!? Do you think you can say shit about me and laugh behind my back!?" Trent was stalking toward me and the others. He hadn''t heard what we said, but he had heard the laughter and saw us looking at him, so he had put two and two together.


    "So, what if I do?" I laughed back, not at all afraid of him. There was still the tiniest hint of a bruise left on his face but it looked like it had been weeks since he was hit and not just two days. I guess he really was a merman like Makai. He wasn''t the only one that had healed. Since there were no stress inducing factors after the fact, my hand had healed and didn''t hurt anymore. That meant that I could hit him again if I needed to. Though I wouldn''t do it until I had to. I needed it to be self defense so that my prize wasn''t taken away.


    "I will tell you just what I am going to do to you, asshole." Trent was looking right at me. He was somehow fixated on the fact that I was the only one over here causing him trouble. "I am going to fucking kick your ass, that''s the first thing that I am going to do. Then I am going to take Makai back from you. And lastly, I think I will just end you, one way or another."


    Trent was not being quiet at all. Everyone in the surrounding area could hear him as his voice echoed throughout the room. He was being a first rate and world class psychopath. Well, this meant that I would be able to put him on his ass again. If he came over here and threw a punch at me, then I would be allowed to go to town on him. This was going to be good. Or so I thought.


    "ENOUGH!" A deep, rumbling voice echoed throughout the entire venue. It was louder than when the announcer used his microphone to call out to Trent earlier. However, I could tell that this person hadn''t used a microphone at all. This was someone that just had a lot of projection behind his voice. And the moment that the entire place was silent and everyone was looking around for who had spoken, we all saw someone making their way to the stage.


    I couldn''t believe what I was seeing. This was insane. The man before me, the one that had yelled out, was none other than Reece Gray. My idol was the one that broke up the commotion.


    "You, there." He was pointing directly at Trent. "You are disqualified from this tournament. You and your entire team. Your team will not receive the prizes for anything that they have won from placing and you will not get your third place prize. I will, however, give a slight compensation to your teammates that do not deserve this punishment because of you. The team with the overall best time from the remaining semi finalists will be bumped up to tenth place and every other team moved up in accordance. The same will happen with the individual swimmers. Whoever finished the semifinals in eleventh place will be bumped to tenth and people will move on from there. Get out of this place now, as quickly as you can."


    Oh my God! Reece Gray had just thrown out that douchebag. I knew there was a reason why I liked him so much. He was a good guy. This here was enough to prove that to me. This was awesome. And I was so happy to be seeing it firsthand.


    "You can''t do that. I earned my right to be here. I was supposed to win before those two got here and cheated." Trent was still whining like a baby.


    "Cheated, you say? Hmm. I don''t think that is what happened. I think they just swam faster than you and you''re just too much of an idiot to process that. You''re a baby and an asshole and you should never have been here in the first place. Get out. And before you try again to tell me that I can''t do that, remember who is sponsoring and funding this entire competition. Just think about the fact that without me, you wouldn''t have even had this chance that you just wasted. I can do this, and I just did. Now, get the fuck out of here."


    Trent''s face fell as if he was in shock. He was still trying to think of ways to get out of this, but there was nothing that he could do. Still, he didn''t move until his coach marched over to him and grabbed his arm. He was literally pulling him out of the pool area and reprimanding him at the same time. Oh, that was a fun sight to see. I was so happy that this asshole was getting what he deserved.


    "Good. Now that the baby is gone, let''s continue. We still need to find the last winner." Reece Gray was smiling at everyone as he looked around. Then he turned to look right at me and nodded like he was trying to tell me something.


    What? What was he trying to tell me? What did that nod mean? Oh come on, Mr. Gray, what was that all about?


    I was agonizing over that mysterious nod all through the next heat. As the girls decided on who was going to finish in first place and who wasn''t, I was busy trying to micro analyze what that simple little nod meant.


    I was still really happy when Faith finished in fifth place and Katie finished in first. The two of them who wouldn''t have even been here in the first place if there hadn''t been a lot of girls that dropped from the roster, the two of them ended up doing so well. And Katie coming in with first place, that was amazing. That meant that our school had taken first in every category.


    And what was even more special than that, was when we went to take our place on the stage for the prizes, those that finished in first place only, Mr. Reece Gray was once again back on the stage and he had a row of trophies behind him. Those were the trophies for us as well as the others that were going to be getting them for their participation and placement. They were going to be getting engraved though, at least ours were, so we couldn''t take them just yet.


    "Welcome everyone." He called out to the waiting crowd. "This is the first time that I have had to stop a fight at one of my tournaments, and it is also the first time that all the first place winners here on the stage with me were from the same school. This is quite an amazing feat if you were to ask me. I mean, what are the odds of this happening?" At that moment, Mr. Gray paused to laugh and looked at the eight of us on the stage with him. The two first place teams, one of each also happened to be the first place individual team. "I think that this showing here only goes to display what hard work and dedication can do. Also, it shows that you have an amazing coach that does his best to train you all on a regular basis."


    There was a slight pause then as the entire crowd applauded for us and our coach who was standing nearby. I could see tears in coach''s eyes as he looked up at us. He was so proud that it was manifesting itself as water works.


    "Without further ado, allow me to introduce to you the winners of this competition. All the way from Jasper High School in Waterton, California, here are the first place winners. The individual swimmers that finished first were Ocean Shores for the men and Katie Matthews for the ladies." There was another round of applause for the two of us before Mr. Gray started to talk again. "For the ladies team, we have Katie Matthews, Cassie Berger, Alexis Hunt and Whitney Little. For the men, we have Ocean Shores, Makai Rivers, Benton Kennedy and Ryan Johnson." The applause just didn''t seem like it was never going to end. It just kept coming and coming non stop as our names had been called. "These eight swimmers here have shown us that they have what it takes to be in the top of this tournament. And I think you can all agree with me on that. To all of you, congratulations."


    After congratulating us, Mr. Gray started to shake our hands and speak with us briefly one on one. I was so excited for this part. I was standing there with Makai, Ben and Ryan as we watched the girls get their final congrats. I didn''t even know what it was that I was going to say. I was meeting the man that ran the company that I dreamed of joining later in life. This was a dream come true.


    Finally, it was my turn to talk to the man. Well, it was actually just the men''s turn since he turned to face us all together.


    "Well, congratulations gentlemen." He reached out his hand to me first since I was the one that came in first two times over. "You''re an amazing young man and an excellent swimmer Mr. Shores. And might I say that is quite the unique name." He laughed as he leaned in a little. I didn''t know what was going on. Was he going to hug me or something? "And I would say that it is quite fitting of someone from the sea." He pulled back a little and winked at me.


    "Wha..?" I was at a loss here. How did he know that?


    "Don''t worry, your secret is safe with me. I mean, we both have our own." For some reason, a feral grin flashed across his face as he said that. Was he not human? And if so, what was he? That was the big question. "Ahh, Mr. Rivers, another man of the sea." He whispered to Makai next to me. "I am proud of you as well. That was an amazing set you did today."


    "Uhm, Mr. Gray, h..how did, how did you..?" I was having trouble getting my question out as I spoke to him.


    "I have a good nose." He nodded and winked at me. "Plus, those marks are quite telling." He pointed as if he was indicating something on my back. Well, I guess that he was, since that was where my mark was.


    "Hello there, Mr. Gray. It is such an honor to meet you. I am Ryan and this is my fianc¨¦ Ben. Those two are like our brothers and are also likewise engaged." Ryan, the blabbermouth that he was, couldn''t keep that a secret, could he?"


    "Nice, congrats again then. I am happy to see that you have all found the person that you want to be with at such a young age." Holy shit! He knew we were all gay and didn''t have a problem with it. That was awesome. And apparently my shock showed on my face because it just made Mr. gray laugh at me. "Are you alright?" He asked me after a moment.


    "Yes. I just feel like I am living a dream. I have dreamt of meeting you, Mr. Gray. I adore your company and I plan to apply to work for you after I graduate from university. In fact, the four of us have made a pact to all apply to work for you." I don''t know why I said that. He was going to think that I was an idiot or something.


    "That''s amazing, Mr. Shores. I hope you do just that. I can''t wait to see what a bright and determined young man like you can do in the future. Here is my business card, when you graduate, give me a call. All of you. You will definitely have a future in Alpha Corp."


    That was it. He left after that. And it all felt like a dream. Except, I was still holding the card, so I knew that it was all real.


    "D..did that really just happen?" I asked in awe as we started back toward the locker room. In all honesty, I was being dragged back to the locker room since I was still too shocked to move.


    "Keep looking like that, Ocean, and I am going to get jealous." Makai laughed at me and my stupor.


    "I don''t love him, just his work. You have nothing to fear, my love." I spoke like an idiot in my stupor. Everyone was definitely laughing at me now. I couldn''t help it though. That was Reece Gray. THE Reece Gray. And he told me to call him when I graduated. That was awesome. I had somehow managed to talk to my idol and to get his card so that I could call him when I graduated.. I was securing my future right before my eyes, and that was an awesome feeling.

 Chapter 276 - Makai – Celebrating Part 1

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    Today was quite a good day. Not only did someone other than me or Ocean put Trent in his place, but our school had also dominated the competition. We had done something that no one had ever thought was possible. Not even I thought that it was a possibility that we would all win. That was just beyond believable, but it had happened.


    Now that the tournament is over though, we would all want to celebrate. I knew that the team would want to celebrate together, that we would all want to be there for each other, but I also wanted to celebrate with just Ocean. I wanted to prove to him how proud I was of him.


    And it wasn''t just winning that tournament that had made me proud of him. No, I was also proud of the fact that he had remained calm during the confrontation with Trent. I thought for sure that he was going to lose his temper and hit him again. That was something that I didn''t want to let happen. Trent was my problem, and if he reared his ugly head again, I would make sure that I was the one to settle that problem.


    I think that on Friday, when we were first confronted against Trent, I was just in a state of shock. I hadn''t ever wanted to see him again. I wasn''t actually afraid of him or anything, but he brought up a lot of bad memories. He made me feel like I was that weak little guy again. He made me feel like I did back when we were together, and he used to control me. I don''t know why, but that was just what had come over me that day. Now though, I was doing fine. I was able to think about it all and settle myself down quite a bit more.


    To be honest, I do believe that it was because of Ocean that I was able to settle myself down. I was calmer around him in general, that was a solid fact. However, after that incident on Friday, I sat and talked with Ocean about my past. I told him things that I had never told anyone. My parents didn''t even know what I had gotten up to as a younger man that was flourishing into the man that I am today. No one, except for Ocean now, knew about all of the things that I had gone through. And he would be the only one that knew about that part of my life.


    I wanted to plan an evening with my man. It would be for after we had celebrated with everyone else of course, but I think that Ocean needed to have that extra special time that celebrated him and his accomplishments. And, of course, it would celebrate us as well.


    Following the tournament, Ocean, Ben, Ryan and I went to the locker room to get cleaned up. We wanted to head straight to dinner from here. And I had to admit, I was pretty damn hungry. Then again, I was pretty damn thirsty too. I needed more than one thing to satisfy my appetite.


    Freshly showered and dressed in clean clothes, the entire team and Coach Dickson hopped onto the bus. We drove to the most expensive restaurant in town and were trying to get a table. Of course, this wouldn''t be an easy feat. We didn''t have a reservation or anything.


    "I am sorry, Sir, but we simply do not have the room for you." The man that met us at the door tried to send us on our way.


    "Come on, please. I know that you have tables set aside for important clients. I have the money to pay and we''re here to celebrate. I would appreciate it if you could get us a table." I was trying to talk my way into the restaurant, but it clearly wasn''t going very well. If only I had thought ahead or had my parents call them or something. But I had less influence here since I had been gone and I hadn''t tried to throw my money around before I left Florida.


    "I am sorry, we simply cannot seat you. I can take your name down and if we have a cancellation then you may get a table then, but for now there is nothing at all that can be done." I felt bad. I felt like I was letting down my fianc¨¦ as well as my whole team.


    "They can sit with me." I heard a voice from behind me and spun to see who it was. "It''s the least that I can do. And I do not like to eat alone." Standing right there was Mr. Reece Gray. He was offering to help us get into the restaurant, but I had a feeling that it wouldn''t work any better than it had for me.


    "O..oh, M..M..M..Mr. Gray." The man seemed more shocked than I expected at the sight of the man behind us.


    "Yes Pete, it''s me. How are you doing? It''s been a while."


    "I..I''m fine, Sir." OK, this man was very well known, and very influential. How was it that this man was acting afraid of him?


    "That''s good. Now, I would like a table for fourteen. These young men and women have just walked out of my tournament with all the top spots. They are going to be my special guests for the evening. So, if you wouldn''t mind, I would like a private room to celebrate with all of them. And please do hurry up. They are most likely very hungry from their long day."


    "Yes, Mr. Gray, right away, Sir." The man ran away from us and into the back of the restaurant faster than I would have expected.


    "Huh. I didn''t even know they had private rooms. That was a nice call." I grinned and looked at him. "Thank you so much, Mr. Gray. And I will of course be paying for our meal. I am not looking for anything above and beyond that. You have done so much for us already." I wanted to make sure that he knew that I was not going to just expect him to pay for everything because we were sitting with him.


    "You''re a good kid, you know that. Sorry. I know that you''re not a kid really, but I can''t help it." He laughed about that and then looked at me with kind eyes. "Why do you think that I host the tournaments that I do, Mr. Rivers?" I didn''t know how to answer that. I was still just at a loss for words at the fact that he actually remembered my name. He had only briefly met me earlier today after all.


    "W..well, I would say that it was because you are a kind and generous man." I answered with the first thing that came to my mind.


    "Ha ha. Are you trying to flatter me?" He didn''t look like he was mad or anything so I just laughed it off with him. "But you''re not wrong. I am generous, and I love helping people. Even more so since I met my wife and got married. Trinity is the best thing to have ever happened to me, and I recently became a father too. Those little babies of mine are the biggest gift in the world. I know what money can buy, and I know what love can give you. What I truly believe is that when you are rich with love and money, you need to give a lot of them both back into the world. And that is exactly what I do. I want people to have a chance at a fulfilling future without needing to worry about the bill that comes with it."


    "That''s easy to say when you''re the richest man in the world." Coach joked as he walked up. "But I will say that I do appreciate it. These kids have worked hard and they have definitely proven that to us all."


    "That they have. And Mr. Dickson, you are right, I am the richest person in the world. I have the love of my family and friend''s, I have my own successful company, and I have kindness in my heart."


    "That''s beautiful." Faith smiled at the man as she ogled him.


    "You''re so nice." Jenell added with a smile similar to hers.


    "Your private room is ready, Mr. Gray." The man came running back to us, slightly out of breath.


    "Then let''s go. Oh, and Mr. Rivers, dinner is on me."


    For some reason, I knew that was coming. That was fine. If he wanted to do that I would let him. If I tried to refuse him, he would probably lecture me again. And I could see that there was a lot that I needed to learn from this man. He was a really good guy.


    I noticed that, as we went to sit down, Ocean was once again in a state of shock. He was sitting at a table with his idol. He was going to be having dinner with him as well. This was something major for him and I was happy that this was happening.


    It hadn''t actually been planned, but this was the best gift that I had been able to give my Ocean. If I hadn''t insisted on us coming to this restaurant, then we never would have had this opportunity. We never would have had this life altering experience. And I would never have been able to see this look on Ocean''s face. It was nice, seeing that sort of awe that he had in his eyes.. Even if it was for another man, it was nice.

 Chapter 277 - Makai – Celebrating Part 2

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The thirteen of us sat in the private room with Mr. Gray. Ocean, Ben, Ryan and myself were the ones that sat closest to our benefactor for this night. Right beside him was actually Ocean, who kept checking to make sure that he wasn''t making a fool of himself. I assured him time and time again that he was fine and that he had nothing to worry about.


    "So, Mr. Gray, I hope this isn''t an intrusive question, but may I ask, uhm..-" I trailed off, not truly wanting to ask the question since I didn''t want to upset him at all, but I was so damn curious that I couldn''t help it either.


    "You''re wondering what I am?" He whispered back so that only Ocean, Ben, Ryan and me could hear him.


    "Well, yeah." He turned to look at Ben and Ryan before looking back at me.


    "I will admit that I am reluctant to answer that question in the present company."


    "Oh, yeah, I can understand that. But, well, these two are like family to Ocean and I. Th..they know about us." I lowered my voice more as I leaned forward, making sure that no one else heard us.


    "Is that so? And you two are capable of keeping that secret, are you?" He looked at them with serious eyes.


    "Yes, Sir. We will never betray them." Ben nodded and answered for them.


    "Hmm. So, what are they?" He asked them the question outright with no preamble. I thought for sure they were going to blow the secret for us and prove to Mr. Gray that they weren''t trustworthy, and he was right to worry.


    "They are our friends. They are our brothers. They are our best friends. They are the people we have to thank for being able to be together." I have to admit that Ryan shocked me with that response. I thought for sure he was going to tell him what species we were. I thought we were going to be doomed for a moment. "And they are the best damn swimmers in the world."


    "Good answer." Mr. Gray grinned at him. "You are a good friend."


    "I may be an idiot sometimes, but I am not stupid. I know what I need to do, and I know how to protect the people that I love."


    "I could use someone like you in my industry. You''re loyal, but you make people think that they don''t have to be wary of you. That is a good skill to have."


    "Uhm, thank you, I guess." Ryan didn''t know how to accept that compliment, but he knew that the man was not mad at him, so all was good.


    "Now, instead of telling you what I am, how about you try to guess it instead. Think of my company. Think of any characteristics that I might have had. I don''t know how familiar you are with the shadow world, but think about things a little bit for me. I don''t hide it as well as I should, so if you gave it some thought, you should get it." He laughed just before he took a bite of the food that was sitting before him.


    "Well, the company name is Alpha Corp." Ocean was the first to start hashing it out. "And I thought that you looked a little feral or animal/like back at the venue."


    "Alpha. Like the wolves?" Ryan asked with his head tilted to the side.


    "Wait a minute, are you a-?" Ben didn''t finish the question but just looked at the man as he grinned. It did look a little wolfish now that I thought about it.


    "Let''s just say, I once thought that my wife''s perfect costume for Halloween should have been red." He winked at us as he confirmed it. I really couldn''t believe it. The man sitting right there, so close to me, was a werewolf. That was not what I thought he was going to say. I mean, I had known that he was not from the sea, but I didn''t think that he was going to be a wolf. I had never met a wolf before. I had never known anyone who had met one. Well, Dr. Malachi might have met one, he knew a lot of different types of people. But this was a first for me for sure.


    "That is so cool." Ryan smiled at him. "I had figured out that other, uhm, things had to exist, but I never thought I would meet one. This is so cool."


    "And this is such a secret." Mr. Gray gave us all a stern look. "The only reason I told you all is because you all know of this world anyway. And if you are going to work for me in the future, then you need to know about this anyway."


    "I so wish that I could be part of your world." Ryan sighed in defeat.


    "Oh shut up, Ariel." I snapped at him and we all started to laugh. Even Ryan laughed when he realized what it was that he had just said.


    "There are ways, Ryan. There are options. Come see me again in the future if you still feel that way." I didn''t expect that. I never, not in a million years, expect to hear anything like this in my life. However, I was happy. If it was something that Ben or Ryan wanted, then I would support them in that endeavor.


    From there, we all talked to Mr. Gray, who had asked us to call him Reece. He told us about some places that he owned in California that Ocean and I might be interested in. We talked about plans and options for the future and what it was that we wanted to accomplish as time went on. Reece was a really nice guy and he didn''t look down on us at all, even though he was nine years older than us, he treated us as equals. That was definitely refreshing and calming while we spent that time discussing things with him.


    "Well, now that the meal is over, how about some celebratory dessert." Reece stood up and announced to the table. "You all may order whatever you like. And as much as you like. This is my treat to you as the winners of the tournament."


    "Oh, wow."


    "You''re so awesome."


    "Thank you so much."


    "I was so looking forward to dessert."


    "Yes! I am going to eat sweets until I burst."


    "Time to get my sugar on."


    "YUM! Give me that menu."


    "Cakes! Cakes! Cakes!" Everyone, aside from me, Ocean, Ryan and Ben, were all celebrating. They were happy just to be treated this special. I was happy too, but I had been talking to the man for the last forty minutes, some of the excitement was settling already.


    When the waiters came back, they basically had to bring about four of every type of dessert that they had. That was more than enough for the fourteen of us, but it was the way the ordering had happened. And for the next forty-five minutes, we all stuffed our faces with sweets. Even Reece was eating them. That was nice to see.


    It was interesting, but a man like him, rich and successful as he was, was just a normal guy when you got to the heart of it all. I hoped that as I got older, no matter what I did in life, I was able to stay a normal man that just loved my mate. I wanted to be like Reece. I wanted to have his future. Well, part of it.


    "Thank you, Mr. Gray." Coach thanked him after the food was all gone. "I couldn''t have asked for a more exciting end to this experience. Thank you so much for being such a kind man and treating all of these kids."


    "They deserved it. And you know what, Mr. Dickson, you deserve something as well. You have gotten these kids to train hard, you have put in that extra work, you are dedicated. I will be sending you a little something extra as well. So, be on the lookout for that soon." Reece grinned at him as he shook his hand.


    "I couldn''t possibly. That would be too much." Coach tried to refuse him but Reece wasn''t having it.


    "Your boys over here told me how you refused to take any of the credit for them getting this far. You''re way too humble, Mr. Dickson. I think you need to just accept this. I am sending it regardless. Have a good night, all of you. And good luck with your future endeavors."


    With that, he left us there in front of the restaurant. Coach was at a loss for words and had to be dragged back to the bus in a stupor. I was glad that we had met this man and that we had the chance to talk to him more, but I was even more glad that it was over and I was going to be alone with my Ocean soon. I wanted to celebrate alone with him.


    The thirteen of us piled onto the bus and went back to the hotel. We were advised to just stay in for the night since it was so late and we had already had more than enough to eat. However, if anyone wanted anything else, they were allowed to order it in, I made sure of that.


    We said our good nights, gave final congratulations to each other, and then went to our separate rooms.. It was time for me to have this special moment with my man.

 Chapter 278 - Makai – Celebrating Part 3 (MATURE)

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    I was following close behind Ocean as we made our way down the hallway toward our room. I wanted to make sure that I would be in the prime position to execute my plan the moment that we were able to.


    Ocean opened the door to our room and let us inside. I knew that, out of habit, he was going to turn toward me once he was through the door. That was what I was counting on. That was when I was going to make my move. This was the moment that he would be in the prime position for my ambush.


    I know that I didn''t need to ambush him here. He would have been more than willing to join me in the fun and games that I had planned for him tonight. However, I thought that it would add an element of surprise and excitement that we didn''t usually have. And I just thought that it would be fun too.


    "So, what do-?" The moment that Ocean turned when he was through the door, most likely intent on asking me what we should do now, I pounced on him. I had Ocean pressed up against the wall with my lips on his before he could get more than those three words out of his mouth. I pushed the door shut with my foot, and pinned him against the wall. "Mmm!" He squeaked out a little moan of shock. It was all that he could manage at the moment, since my tongue was occupying his mouth so thoroughly.


    I kissed him deeply and passionately with no preamble. I just jumped straight into it and started to show my love for him. While I was kissing him, I pulled at the hem of his shirt and hiked it up his body. I needed to feel his bare skin under my fingertips. I needed to feel the smoothness of his body and the firmness of his muscles. I needed all the sensations that his body gave me. All of them.


    When I finally broke the kiss, after several minutes, it was to pull his shirt up over his head and start the process of stripping him for my own pleasure.


    "M..Makai? What''s gotten into you all of a sudden?" He asked me breathlessly as the shirt went up and over his head.


    "I am happy, I am excited and I want you. Isn''t that more than enough?" I pressed my lips against his as I started to unbutton his pants. I wanted to have him fully bare for me. I really needed it.


    "He knew what I was after though, and he wasn''t fighting it at all. Instead, he started to kick off his shoes so that they wouldn''t be in the way when I went to remove his pants. That was good, one less obstacle that I needed to worry about right now. I was one step closer to having him just how I wanted him.


    When I finally broke the kiss again, it was to drop to my knees and start pressing my lips to the tender flesh around his belly button. I was pressing kisses where I could while pushing his jeans down his legs and pulling them, and his socks, off in a hurry. I pulled back for just a moment to admire the view. It was the most perfect sight in the world. At least to me it was.


    "Glorious." I grinned as I saw that he was already excited and ready for me. I had been right when I thought that this ambush would add some spice and fun to the evening. He was already standing at attention, and so was I.


    "Makai, shouldn''t we move to the-?" I interrupted him again. Only this time it was with me running my tongue along the length of his erection. "Ahh!"


    "No, I think we''re good right here." I laughed as he shuddered and moaned at the feeling of my tongue.


    That was all that I needed to do. There was no more teasing, it was time for me to have my special treat. I slipped my mouth around him and slid it all the way to the base of his cock. I could taste him so thoroughly, and the way that he moaned when he felt the movements seemed to intensify his flavoring. I loved the way that things worked for us. Not being human, we both experienced things so much differently than we would have.


    I set a fast and steady rhythm as I sucked on his tenderest of places. I felt like I was trying to devour him and that was exciting in and of itself. I didn''t want this feeling to end at all. However, I knew that it wasn''t going to last much longer. His breathing and the twitching in his body told me that Ocean was reaching his limits. He was going to cascade over the edge of pleasure very soon.


    "Mmm! Ahh! Hahh! Ngh! M..M..Makai!" He was moaning and calling out to me. "I..I..I can''t h..hold it in a..a..anymore." He was warning me that he was coming. He didn''t need to, but he did. All I did was press him further back into my throat and let him explode in my mouth. "Hahh. Hahh. Hahh." He was panting when it was all over with, but I wasn''t ready to end this here. I needed more. I needed him.


    I pulled Ocean toward me and threw him over my shoulder. That was how I carried him over to the bed. And when I got to the bed, I threw him on top of it and watched him bounce a little. Before he had even stopped bouncing, I was already stripping away my clothes. I didn''t want to keep him waiting for me too long. Not to mention, I didn''t want to wait either.


    With a little bit of a flourish, since his eyes were on me, I twirled and spun my shirt through the air before tossing it aside. That little move made Ocean smile and laugh a little. And I think I even detected a slight eye roll. Huh, I would need to double down my efforts with this sometime soon. Maybe I would give him a whole show. Maybe I would even tie him to the bed before I did it. That would be interesting. And fun.


    I kicked off my shoes and pushed my jeans down. I was done with my little striptease and wanted to take him. I needed him. I had to use all this pent up energy on something. And we were able to sleep in a little bit tomorrow morning, so we could definitely go a little crazy tonight.


    Once my clothes were completely out of the way, I hurried to the bed and pulled Ocean over to me. I flipped him over so that he was laying on his belly and grabbed his ass hard. I squeezed and kneaded it like it was dough or something. It was an amazing feeling, so soft yet so strong at the same time.


    "This is different than usual." He laughed a little as he looked over his shoulder at me. "But I like it."


    "I will take you many times, but this time I need to be a little reckless. This time, I need to satisfy an urge."


    "That''s fine, Makai. Take me. Take me however you want. I want you just as much as you want me."


    "God, I love hearing you say that."


    With his encouragement, I pressed myself against his opening and forcibly took him. He cried out, a little in pain and a little in pleasure, and completely filled with arousal. He was not regretting this, and neither was I.


    I didn''t start slow at all. I needed it to be fast and hard. I don''t know why, but I just did. Call it the excitement or even the slight jealousy over Reece, but I needed this. I had to have it. I started with a fast and pounding rhythm and didn''t let up at all. We were both moaning and crying out in pleasure all the way until we couldn''t stand it anymore.


    "Ngh! Ahh! Mmm! Hahh!"


    "Hahh! Nghaah! Mmm!" I could feel Ocean starting to spasm again. It happened right about when my balls started to tighten, and the base of my spine started to tingle. I was at my limit as well. I needed to end this.


    I let go of my restraint and exploded inside of him. At the same time, he exploded and came with a cry of pleasure. I might have been tempted to collapse onto the bed from exhaustion, but I wasn''t done with him yet. And something told me that he wasn''t ready to be done either.


    So, for the rest of the night, we pleased each other over and over again. His wordless cries of pleasure were like music to my ears. He was a true Siren at that moment, singing his song of passion and pleasure.


    Our final time for the night, like so many other times, had ended up being in the shower. That was where we finally sated our hunger for each other and cleaned each other up. After that we went to bed and held each other until the morning.


    It was time for us to go home then. First thing in the morning we packed up, had breakfast and waited to fly home, first class again. It had been a wonderful and life altering trip for us all.. I really couldn''t believe how it had all gone, but I wouldn''t change a moment of it for anything at all.

 Chapter 279 - Ocean – Time Moving On Part 1

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    When we got home from the trip, we needed to catch up on schoolwork and reacclimate ourselves to our normal lives. Granted we were still in training, but I think we were all a lot less worried about the upcoming competitions. For one, they were normal school competitions, so they were a lot less intense. The less intensive routine of it all meant that we would actually be able to relax a little. And they were a lot shorter too. That meant that we didn''t have to be away for so long.


    On top of preparing for the upcoming competitions, we had to study for our exams and try to just be normal people. Now that I was trying not to stress too much about things, I felt like I was actually able to be somewhat calm. I mean, it was hard to not stress about all the major things that were coming up for us, but I wanted to make sure that I was not going to get overly stressed about things like I did last time. I knew that it was hard on the others when I got like that.


    Coach wasn''t worried about the upcoming state championships either. I think that the invitationals had given him a newfound confidence. Hell, it had given the whole team a lot of confidence. Our school was most likely going all the way to nationals. And that would be another thing that just brought prestige to the school.


    Oh, the prizes from the competition had arrived. They came three days after we got back. I guess Mr. Gray and his team wanted to make sure that things were handled quickly and efficiently. There were certificates of award and trophies for the eight of us. Katie, Makai and I all got the individual awards of one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships and two hundred thousand dollars. It didn''t come as actual cash but as a check that was made out to us personally. On top of that, Katie, Alexis, Cassie, Whitney, Ben, Ryan, Makai and I all got the same prizes for the team''s number one spots. And Faith, who finished the individual tournament in fifth place, received seventy-five thousand dollars in scholarships and seventy-five thousand dollars for her ''cash'' prize. Jenell, Charlie and Toby all received consolation prizes for having attended the event as well. They got ten thousand in scholarships and five thousand dollars in ''cash'' prizes. I don''t know if Mr. Gray did that for everyone that was there and didn''t place in the top ten, but if he did that meant that he had spent a lot more than I expected on the tournament.


    On top of the awards for the twelve of us that went to the tournament, Coach Dickson received his award. He had gotten a check for one hundred thousand dollars that was made out to him personally. And on top of that, there was a check made out to the school for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That was the award that went toward our school''s athletic program. I had already heard the coach crying with happiness as he thought about how they were going to be able to upgrade so many things throughout the entire school. New lockers, better equipment. There was so much that he was thinking about, and I knew that it was enough to make him and the principal dizzy.


    I honestly couldn''t believe how nice and generous Mr. Gray really was. He was such an amazing person, and I knew now more than ever that I wanted to work for him. With him, I would have a comfortable work future. He would see to that for us all.


    When we had all gotten home and told our parents about the prizes we had won and how things had gone, leaving out the stupid shit that happened with Sandy Shorts, they were all very happy. I remember that after I called my mom and dad after getting back home, they came rushing over and wanted to celebrate with us all. Mom had made Dad carry in a massive box that was filled with food and she started to cook all of our favorite foods. And I do mean all of ours. My favorites, Makai''s favorites, Ben''s favorites and Ryan''s favorites. She had learned enough about the others over the last several months that she knew what they liked just as much as she knew what I liked. She could be heard singing and just talking to herself as she joyfully celebrated our victories. She was the best mom in the world and I couldn''t have asked for anyone else to have adopted me.


    While Mom cooked, Dad sat and talked to us all about what had happened while we were gone. He wanted to know how everything went and he was curious to learn about Mr. Gray as well. When he found out how much we had all won, tallying it all up, I swear his jaw dropped so hard that it bounced off of his chest. That was kind of funny to see in all honesty.


    The six of us sat together and talked most of the night as we made our way through all of the food that my mom had made for us.


    "Mom, you are the best cook in the world." Ben groaned happily as he took another bite of the delicacies that were sitting before him.


    "I''m happy to hear that, Ben." Mom smiled at him. "Both about the food, and that you called me mom. I can''t believe that I now have more kids that I can treat like my own." She looked around at Makai, Ben and Ryan. "You''re all good boys, and I am so glad that you have each other."


    "I am just glad that we have you, Mom." Ryan smiled at her. "You''re the best."


    "Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" Dad joked with him upon hearing Ryan''s words. "I love you guys too, you know."


    "Yeah, we know that Dad." I assured him. "But Mom is the one that cooked the food. Our stomachs are drawing our loyalty over to her."


    "Oh, is that so." He chuckled as he crossed his arms. "Then I think that I need to up my game here. I think it''s time for me to make my super secret, ultra special, highly sought after dessert." He was eager to bring the others over to the Dad side. I thought that was funny and I wasn''t going to stop him.


    "What is this super secret, ultra special, highly sought after dessert?" Makai looked at me with worried eyes. "How come I have never heard of it before?"


    "Well, it''s a hodge podge dessert really. One day Dad couldn''t decide what it was that he wanted so he actually mixed a lot of things together. He spent a lot of time on it, and he''s perfected it over the years, but it is pretty good, surprisingly."


    "What do you mean ''surprisingly''? It''s the world''s best dessert." He was being really confident now.


    "What''s in it?" Ryan asked Dad with curiosity. Food was definitely a turning point for him, especially if it is a sweet dessert.


    "Well, it has cookies, brownies, chocolate cake, spiced apples, ice cream, whipped cream, nuts, chocolate sauce, and whatever else he decides to put in it at the time. It''s like pie, brownies, cookies, cake and a sundae all rolled into one. It doesn''t sound like it would be good, but I assure you, it is." I tried to explain things to them, but I don''t know if I did a good enough job.


    "OK, I officially want some of that. When can we get some of it, Dad?" Ryan asked with eager eyes.


    "Heh heh heh." Dad laughed triumphantly. He knew that he was pulling them all over to the Dad side. "I will get to work on it this weekend. I will bring it all here and then assemble them for you. Does that sound good?"


    "Oh yeah. I want some as soon as I can get it." Ryan was nodding happily.


    "I am definitely going to look forward to it." Ben agreed.


    "I think it will be interesting." Makai looked at me then at Dad.


    "You know I already like it, so I will be looking forward to it as well." I grinned at my dad to let him know that we all loved him too.


    "Good. You boys just wait. You will soon say that I am the best. Ha ha ha." He was such a dork sometimes, but I still loved him. Plus, who wouldn''t want to get some super amazing dessert.


    Dad lived up to his word as well. He came over on Friday around dinner time. Mom was with him and cooked for us all again, though not as much food as last time. Once we had all eaten our meal, Dad rushed into the kitchen and made the desserts for us.


    Of course, Ben, Ryan, and Makai all loved the delicious sugary overload that they were eating. They conceded and said that he and Mom were equal in their hearts. That was enough for my dad though. It made him happy to be praised by them.


    After we all finished that sugary contraption though, we started to crash from the food coma. I think that we all went to bed early that night and slept until noon so that we didn''t wake up with a sugar hangover. It was a good start to the weekend though.. I had no complaints about it at least.

 Chapter 280 - Ocean – Time Moving On Part 2

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Before we knew it, it was the beginning of April and that meant that it was time for the state championships. The entire team went this time, even though they weren''t all going to be swimming. There were only so many events that were available to us, however, we were also limited to a set number of events that we could each compete in.


    Coach split me, Makai, Ben and Ryan up for this tournament. Being that we were the four fastest guys on the team, he wanted to make sure that we were spread out and able to win more. This ended up being a good strategy too. We ended up sweeping all of the individual and team events for the men. And with the girls'' team performing at the top of their game and splitting up as well, they were able to win more than half of their events as well. With them having won more than half, they technically came in first for the competition and were moving onto the regionals with the rest of us. That was pretty good in my opinion.


    Since the Regionals were being held not that far from us, we didn''t need to make any big preparations to travel for them. Hell, even Nationals were happening in California this year. That meant that if we made it all the way to them, we didn''t need to fly to them or travel for days on end. It was all going to be a lot better and easier for us all.


    The regionals were also held just the week after the state championships. We just needed to drive a couple of hours south to San Diego. We were staying overnight there, but it all went pretty well. We stayed in our split groups that we had been in for the last heats. We swam our best and ended with better results. I think that a lot of it had to do with the fact that everyone was so happy and keyed up from having won the last time. Not only that, but they had those of us that swept the invitationals with them and they were confident that they would win with us on their teams.


    I was just so proud of everyone that was on my entire swim team. They were doing their best and it made me want to just cheer for them nonstop. It also made me think about the fact that I was not going to be on the team much longer. We were graduating. We were going to be leaving them. They would have to go on without us. That was fine though, I had faith in them all. They were going to do amazing no matter what, because they were still going to have Coach Dickson with them.


    Regionals were done and we had made it through to the next level. It was time for the nationals now. The level of excitement and enthusiasm that was running through the team and the entire school itself was so high that everyone was being affected by it. None of us from the swim team could go anywhere in the entire school without someone congratulating us and cheering for us. They were proud of us and happy for us. And I personally couldn''t have been happier with the attention that everyone else was getting. They all deserved it too.


    It was two weeks after the regionals that nationals were being held. We all practiced almost nonstop for it. Everyday each member of the swim team was seen giving their all to hone their skills before the final meet of the season. This wasn''t just any meet. They were going to be going up against all the top schools in the country. Everyone that had won their regional tournament and had been invited to the nationals.


    I was happy that they had given everyone an extra week to make the arrangements for their travel needs. Not all of the schools that were coming were going to be able to travel so quickly to their destination.


    Actually, as it turns out, we were still going to be driving about eight hours to the nationals event. It was being held in San Francisco. We were heading north this time, but we were OK with that. We just wanted to make sure that we made it there and gave it our all.


    We got to San Francisco the night before the tournament and checked into the hotel. Makai didn''t upgrade everything like he did last time. I think that his parents didn''t want to overstep this time, but it was fine. The accommodations were a little nicer than they usually were, and I could guess that the cost for it all probably came from the money that Mr. Gray had sent to our school.


    Well, I had thought that anyway, but when we checked in the staff of the hotel was there to greet us and congratulate us on the wins in Florida as well as the wins at state and regionals. I guess our little school was getting some serious recognition in the world of swimming.


    "Welcome, all of you. We hope that you enjoy your stay, and that you represent California well in tomorrow''s tournament." The manager smiled at us as he handed  us the keys to our rooms.


    "Thank you. We appreciate that very much." Coach Dickson couldn''t stop smiling at that moment. I think he was happy to be the coach to such an amazing team, and to know that he had had such an impact on all of us.


    The night went pretty smoothly. We ate pizza in the rooms and relaxed while we waited for the night to pass. It was calm and relaxing, which was a really good thing. We all needed to be well rested and relaxed when we competed for the top spot in the country. If we won this, it was something that we would all be able to put on our college applications. I mean, they were all pretty much set in stone, but we might get extra scholarships and things like that if we finished in first. And that wasn''t just for me, Makai, Ben and Ryan. I wanted everyone else to be able to do that as well. I wanted everyone on our team to be able to get as much assistance as they possibly could. They needed it more than we did at the moment.


    When morning came, we all went over to the venue for this particular competition. There were less schools than I thought there would be, but I guess that was to be expected. I mean, the only teams here were the winners of the regionals. That meant that there would be a lot less people competing.


    "With these few schools here, it should be over in no time at all." I commented as we entered and took our place.


    "Yeah, I don''t think I have seen a competition this small in my life." Ryan laughed. I knew what he was feeling though. We had made it to regionals last year, but not nationals, so we hadn''t seen how few people made it to this point.


    "I think you all have a fighting chance to take the number one spots again." Coach had turned to us and was giving us a pep talk while we all looked around. "However, even if you don''t come in the top spots, I am immensely proud of you. You''ve all made it here and that is what counts. I want you all to just go out there, do your best, and have fun with it. This is an amazing achievement already and I want you all to stop stressing over things."


    "We''re not stressing, Coach." Toby called out to him. "We''re all quite happy with everything. And I think we''ve all been pretty relaxed this whole time. In my opinion, that is what got us here."


    "Yeah, Toby''s right, Coach. You don''t need to worry. We''re good. So you stop stressing and just cheer us all on. We will bring the gold to our school." Katie was fired up and her enthusiasm was spreading to the others.


    With smiles and excitement all around, we got down to the business. The tournament started and we all set about doing our best. The same groups as before were put together this time. And I could tell that in just the last two weeks, during the intense training sessions that we all had, everyone had improved. Toby and Charlie, who were on my team along with Ben, had gotten better and that made our team nearly impossible to beat.


    Even the girls were doing better. They were sweeping their events and winning first in everything. When the competition came to a close at the end of the day, our entire swim team was standing tall as the winners. There was not a single event that we didn''t win. We had done better today than we had at the other two competitions that lead up to this point. It was phenomenal, and Coach seemed to be the happiest and most excited person in the world.


    The celebrations lasted all night long, but it was nothing compared to when we got back to school on Monday. There was an assembly that day with signs on all the doors that students were to report directly to the gymnasium upon arrival. The principal and Coach were there to announce to everyone the good news about our victory. Everyone cheered and celebrated what we had accomplished. And following that, the entire school day had basically been turned into a party. I think the principal was just really happy to be able to showcase to the entire state, and county for that matter, that he was the principal of such exceptional athletes. It seems that the glory and prestige was highly sought after.


    Well, I guess I didn''t mind him and the others being happy for us.. I mean, I was happy for us as well.

 Chapter 281 - Makai – Time Moving On Part 3

    ~~


    Makai


    ~~


    The atmosphere in the school was a little more hyped up than usual. Everyone was riding high right now with the wins at the tournaments. I mean with the invitations in March and now the state, regional, and nationals that happened this month, it was all a very exciting time for us. Having our school sweep all four competitions was something that was quite amazing, according to the coach and the principal.


    The problem though, was that we all needed to start studying for exams. Well, us seniors did anyway. The underclassmen wouldn''t be taking their exams until June, but we all had to take ours in the first weeks of May. I mean, our last day of school was May twelfth. Seniors always got out earlier than the other classes, but even I thought that this much of a change was a bit excessive.


    I wasn''t going to complain though. Being out of school for this time meant that Ocean and I would have more time together. Maybe we would take a vacation or something like that. Just the two of us. Or we could take Ben and Ryan with us as well. They would most likely enjoy a really nice vacation with nothing at all to worry about. And, frankly, I think that we all deserved a really good rest after everything that had happened to us this school year.


    Not to mention, we had worked really hard with swimming this year. None of us let us slack off at all. We constantly gave it our all. We pushed ourselves to get better every day and it paid off.


    I knew for a fact that Ben and Ryan were both beyond happy and excited about the prizes that they had won. Between the two of them, they now had nearly five hundred thousand dollars. Actually, with the inheritance money that Ryan had, they might even have more than that. They didn''t have to worry about money at all. And with all the scholarships that they had gotten from the tournament in the fall and the tournament in March, they never had to worry about being able to pay for their schooling either.


    Oh, and there was also the fact that we were all offered more scholarships from the university. Every senior on the swim team had gotten offers from their prospective schools. There was never going to be any worry for us. Well, no worries unless the others let their grades slip. Doing that would definitely make their full rides and extra assistance go away. I didn''t have to worry about Ocean or Ben and Ryan. We would all keep each other in check.


    We were already doing that for each other. Every day after school, now that there were no practices, the four of us studied in the living or kitchen. We would make simple meals that were easy to eat while cramming for exams.


    I didn''t feel as if we were in any danger of not passing, but we had all spent so much time practicing for the various competitions and tournaments that we didn''t study much during that time. And honestly, I wanted to get a good grade on them all. It didn''t really matter one way or the other in the long run, but I personally wanted to see myself doing what I knew was my personal best.


    Studying has basically become our life lately. There just wasn''t anything else that we needed to do. Well, we did goof off a little bit. I mean, we are only eighteen and we needed to have some fun.


    When we weren''t studying over the two weeks until exams were due to start, the four of us would play video games, go to the beach, and catch a movie. It wasn''t that much stuff that we were doing other than studying, but it was what kept us from feeling burnout.


    When May started, it was time for us to start those exams. We didn''t have them all on the same day, which was good, but there was one just about every single day. From the first Tuesday in that month until the day before we had our last class, we had exams.


    The first exam was of course, in our first class of the day. That was the one that Coach Dickson was administrating. It wasn''t a bad class, for Ocean and I anyway. We were both pretty good at math so advanced calculus was no problem for us.


    While I was sitting in the room, waiting for the test to be handed out, I leaned over and whispered to Ocean.


    "Did you ever think that this day would come? When we were taking a final exam and high school was pretty much over." It just felt surreal to me. Maybe that was because this year had been so life altering and full of excitement. It had just felt like it had all passed by so quickly.


    "Honestly, no." He was shaking his head as he looked around the room. "I mean, I knew that I would graduate and all that, but I never actually thought about what it would feel like and what it would actually mean to me. It''s just like, I don''t know, surreal and kind of scary. We''ve been in school for so long, and now we''re graduating."


    "Well, we are going to university after this. We''re still going to be in school."


    "Yeah, but that''s not going to be the same. I just know that it will feel different." He was shaking his head at me like my reminder wasn''t what I thought it was going to be. I think he was right though. College was not going to be the same thing as high school. It was going to be so different. And not only that, but our lives would be fundamentally different. Even with how much they were going to stay the same, it was still going to be massively different.


    "Yeah, it will be different. But at least we''ll have each other. That will make it easier." With that he finally looked at me and smiled. I knew that my sentiment had made him feel better about things. And at that moment, we needed to stop talking. The test was being handed out and it was time for us to get to work.


    For us seniors, our classes were extended for exams. There was only one class for each day, and it was three hours long. That gave those who needed extra time a chance to finish it without needing to come back and work on it another day and to possibly lose the confidence and momentum that they had started with. When we were done with the exam though, we were allowed to leave and go to the library or the gym. There wasn''t much for us to do to kill time besides study, read or mess around on our phones. After the three hour class was over, we would head back to our homeroom class, which may or may not have been the class that we started the day with. After checking in with our homeroom teachers, we were able to be dismissed. Only the seniors had a half day of school while the other grades had a full day.


    Ocean was the first to finish the test. I didn''t really expect that, but it happened. He got up, turned in his exam, and left the room without saying a word. I wasn''t far from finishing so I wasn''t worried about being able to catch up to him. Literally, it was about thirty seconds after he left the room that I finished my own exam and rushed to turn it in to Coach Dickson. I then took my things and left the room.


    I saw Ocean walking toward the library ahead of me and then felt a vibration in my pocket. With a glance at the screen of my phone that I just pulled from my pocket, I saw that Ocean had texted me where he was going.


    I had thought that it was the library, but it wasn''t. He was instead heading somewhere that we didn''t really go to at all. It was not somewhere we were supposed to be.


    I rushed forward to catch up to him before he had gone much farther. I saw that he was happy to see me too.


    "So, you were right behind me. Just like with swimming, you always finished a second after me."


    "Yeah, but at least when I make love to you, I have better timing than that." I made a crude joke and winked at him as he turned toward the stairs.


    "You''re such an idiot sometimes." He shook his head at me like he thought that I was being impossible.


    "Yeah, but you love it."


    "I love you." He admitted as he went toward the door that was close to the second floor stairwell. This door led to more stairs and was usually locked. I didn''t know why it was unlocked now though.


    "So, why are we going up here? And how are we going up here?" I was curious enough to ask him as he opened the door at the top of these stairs and I got a burst of fresh air.


    "I called in a favor. I don''t want to sit surrounded by everyone today. They''re all still fangirling over the tournaments. I just want some peace after the exam. So, the principal said I could use the roof."


    "Well, guess that means we won''t get into trouble." I made the sarcastic remark as I followed Ocean out into the bright sunlight.


    I can''t believe that he had actually asked for this. He had gotten permission, from the principal no less. I guess when you bring so much prestige and honor to the school, you can call in favors. Not to mention, the school had gotten a lot of funding from the state and from Mr. Gray because of these multiple wins of ours. He was highly likely to give us anything and everything that we wanted right about now.


    It''s a good thing that we weren''t evil and greedy people. That could have turned out bad. I just started to think about how things would have gone if it were Britt the bitch or Trent, or even the old Justin that were asking the principal for favors like this. What would they have wanted? What would they have forced the administration to do for them just because they had brought fame to the school? And those thoughts led me to thinking about how truly pure and kindhearted Ocean really was.. He was so innocent, about most things, that he just didn''t seem to think about how this all could have turned out.

 Chapter 282 - Ocean – Time Moving On Part 4

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    I had finished the exam first. I don''t think that I rushed through it at all, and I was certain that I did a more than adequate job on it as well. I just didn''t want to linger once I knew that I was done. And shortly after I was done, literally within seconds, Makai had finished and caught up to me. That was pretty cool if you asked me.


    Another thing that was cool, was being able to hide away from the school until it was time for us to head home. Well, not exactly until it was time to head home. We needed to head back to Coach''s class first, but until then, we were able to just sit up here on the roof of the school and talk until the exams were all over.


    I was going to be able to just sit here with Makai. I was going to be able to talk to him. We could talk about things that didn''t have to do with swimming or studying. I swear we had been so hyper focused on those two things over the last few months that I literally felt like I was losing my mind.


    Now that I was actually taking the exams that would end this school year, I felt like I was able to relax. I felt like I would finally be able to focus on the things that were coming up that I needed to worry about. I could finally focus on my upcoming wedding. I could focus on Makai''s birthday. And before that I could focus on graduation and my graduation party that would come shortly after that.


    To be honest, I already planned on it being a giant party for the four of us. We would have a big celebration for me, Makai, Ben and Ryan at the house. And I already planned on something else that was going to happen during that graduation party as well.


    Well, assuming that Makai and the others were OK with it, I was going to be announcing something major to the people that came to the graduation. I wanted to let all of our friends and family in attendance know that we were getting married. Since it was just going to be about a month or so before the wedding, if any of them didn''t know and wanted to attend, they would need to know about it soon.


    I didn''t think that the others would have a problem with telling everyone about the weddings. They were going to follow through with it no matter what their families thought about it all. and to be honest, so far the only people that would have a problem with it were Ben and Ryan''s parents.


    I don''t think we needed to worry about their parents though, they definitely were not invited to the graduation party. This was going to be a happy occasion. It was just going to be filled with positive energy and people that cared about us.


    I think thinking about all of this while sitting on the roof of the school next to Makai. We had come up here to kill the two hours or so that was left until the exam time was over. I was enjoying the fresh air and the calm tranquility of being in this peaceful place with someone that I loved so much.


    "You''re awfully quiet today, you know that." Makai called out to me, effectively breaking me out of my thought filled stupor.


    "Oh, sorry. One thought led to another and then another and before I knew it, I was contemplating so many different things in my head. I guess I have just been a little overwhelmed lately." I can''t believe that I had just done that. I brought him up here with me and then I just ignored him. I am the worst mate ever. "I am sorry that I ignored you." I hung my head in shame at the very idea of what I had done.


    "It''s fine. We have all had a lot on our minds lately. It''s understandable that you feel a little burnout and out of it. I don''t mind at all. I am just as happy to sit here with you on the roof and do nothing more than enjoy this breeze and watch the horizon. We''re together, that is all that matters to me, Ocean." And with that, Makai leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.


    "I love you." I said it so naturally and easily that I hadn''t even realized I was saying it until it was out of my mouth.


    "I love you too."


    We sat in silence for a few minutes. We were just staring off in the distance and watching the sky without saying or doing anything. We had our arms wrapped around each other and were holding hands with the other arms crossed in front of us. It was nice, and slightly romantic.


    "Hey, Makai.." I finally broke the silence around us.


    "Yeah, baby?" He didn''t turn to look at me, he just kept holding me.


    "There is something that I was wondering about."


    "About what?" He finally pulled away and turned to look at me, but he still had his left arm on my back and his right hand holding onto my left.


    "Well, when we get married, who will take which last name? I mean, if I took yours then I would be Ocean Rivers, If you took mine you''d be Makai Shores. I don''t know if either of those combinations would be good. But I don''t know what you think about it."


    "Well, I think you''re right about it not fitting either way. If you take my name or if I take yours, it will seem like one of the names is less important than the other. Given that we are both men so we don''t have that whole misogynistic tradition of the woman taking the man''s last name to worry about. In our case, we''re both the ''man'' so it wouldn''t be easy for either of us to do that."


    "Yeah, you have a point." I tried to process what he was saying and I realized that there really was a big problem ahead for us both. "I mean, we could just keep our own last names. But I kind of liked the idea of us having the same name."


    "Yeah, I know, it would be nice. So, how about this. We will talk things over and come up with a new last name. A name that works for the both of us. How does that sound?" He was smiling at me as he asked that. I could tell that he was passionate and happy about it even though it was a spur of the moment thought.


    "I think that would be a good idea. If we thought up a new last name that would be ours and ours alone, then we would have the same name, but we wouldn''t be prioritizing one name over the other. And something tells me that neither my parents nor his would have a problem with us choosing this option for ourselves. They were supportive of us in just about every aspect.


    "Now, Ocean, with that settled, though the name is not picked out yet, there is something else that we need to discuss. And that is where we should be going on our honeymoon. You know that I will not let you go without having one. So, start thinking about where you want to go and what you want to do." He was grinning at me as he said it so I knew that he was looking forward to this as well.


    "I think that I can think of something interesting. I mean, if we''re going for romance more than anything I might be at a loss, but if we''re looking for a trip that we both will enjoy, then I think that we can manage that with no problem at all." I started to think of things that I would want to do and places that I would want to go with Makai. This was going to be fun.


    "I think we can have a little bit of fun and a little bit of romance. I mean, we''re still teenage boys, we are going to want to have some fun. But we are also young and in love so we will want to show that to each other and the world. I think if we focused on the things that we personally want to do, then we will be fine. So, make sure you think about all of that stuff too." He had definitely got me thinking, that was for sure.


    "I will. Man, there is a lot for me to be thinking about right now. Graduation, our graduation party, your birthday, our wedding, our honeymoon and moving into our place. It''s going to be a lot." I tried not to feel overwhelmed about it all, and to be honest, I was more excited than nervous about it.


    For the rest of the morning, we sat together and talked about the first thing that would be coming up. Well, the first two. Graduation and our party. We talked about who to invite, what to serve, and the silly games and attractions that we would want to rent so that people had a good time. I had a feeling this was going to be the party of the school year. Part of the reason being, we were putting four people''s worth of effort into it, because soon we would be adding what Ben and Ryan wanted too.


    After that, we headed back down to Coach Dickson''s classroom and got ready to leave for the day.

 Chapter 283 - Ocean – Time Moving On Part 5

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    The rest of the week seemed to be passing in the blink of an eye. Each day we would go to school and take another exam. When we were done with the exam, we were allowed to do as we pleased, within reason, until the testing time had passed. After that, we would return to our homeroom class and check in with the teacher before being dismissed for the day. All in all, it was a really quick week because there really wasn''t all that much for us to do.


    When me, Makai, Ben and Ryan were not in school, and therefore not actively taking our exams, we were studying for the next exam or relaxing at home. It was perhaps the fastest, busiest and yet most laid back weeks of my life. It was kind of hard to explain.


    In a way it was like we had so much to do and so little time to do it. However, when we were at home, it was like there wasn''t enough to do and all we needed to do was relax and be calm. I really don''t think I had experienced anything quite like it before.


    Everyday through the exams, Makai and I would finish within minutes of each other. From there we would go up to the roof and talk about different things. We talked in length about the last name that we wanted to have when the two of us got married. We wanted to make sure that we settled on something that we would both like and never live to regret. It was going to be our new last name for the rest of our lives. So that meant that it needed to be perfect.


    Other than the last name issue, which was coming along but not settled in the least, we talked about the trips that we were going to for graduation, our honeymoon, and what we were going to do when we moved in together. I know that it wasn''t all that exciting to other people, but to the two of us, this was the epitome of excitement and happiness. This was us discussing the future that we were going to share together. What more could I possibly want right now?


    In all honesty, I couldn''t think of anything else that would make me happier than what we were discussing and what was happening for us. And I truly do believe that Makai was feeling the same way.


    By the end of the exam week, I was feeling pretty confident in myself. I was certain that I had been able to do my best work and that I didn''t have anything at all to worry about. Because of that, when the results started to get handed back to me, I took them with a smile on my face each time.


    I had been right. I had passed them all. Makai, Ben, Ryan and myself all got nearly perfect scores. We were among some of the top students in the grade for the finals. We were finishing strong and that made me happy. I also knew that it was going to make my parents happy. And it let me know that when the four of us were in the same college and living in the same condo, we weren''t going to need to worry about staying on top of our grades. We would all be there to help each other out. We got this.


    Coach Dickson announced the top ten students for the grade. This was an average of all the scores from the exams that we had taken. It was something that the school had done every year, and it was just a way to bring recognition to those that worked extremely hard. And of course, the four of us were on that list.


    "I am so proud of all of my students, and I am so happy that so many of the top ten are on the swim team. That lets me know that I was able to get you to balance your education with your passion." Coach was almost crying as he spoke because along with the four of us, Katie and Alexis were in the top ten as well. He had definitely been having a really good year as the coach.


    Following the exams, we seniors were let out of school and would be having our graduation ceremony the following week. We had nothing else to do but sit around the house and do whatever we wanted. And the four of us took advantage of that. We wanted to rest and truly absorb the fact that school was over. We had graduated from high school. This was it. We were out of there forever now. And to tell the truth, I was a little saddened by that.


    While in that high school, I had made amazing friends, I had learned how to let go of toxic things in my life and I had met the love of my life. I was with my literal soulmate. I was with the one person that fate told me was meant to be mine forever and ever.


    Aside from sitting at the house and doing nothing, my parents wanted to celebrate with us that school was out. And this was, in their words, ''not the only celebration that was to come''. I don''t know what all they wanted to do, but I knew that it was going to involve something the night of our graduation ceremony. And it was going to be major.


    My parents called the four of us over to their house and had a big barbecue ready when we got there. This was ''stage one'' of the celebratory festivities. I was happy that they were here for us, but I didn''t want them to go overboard with it all. Though, they were also going to be there for Ben and Ryan who needed parents in their lives. Not to mention Makai too. He was often without his family.


    Speaking of Makai''s parents, they were on their way back home. They said that there was no way in hell that they were going to miss the graduation ceremony for their boys. They had long ago started to think of me as part of their family, and that made me happy. Now not only did the four of us have my parents here to help us, but we were going to have Makai''s as well. There was no way that Ben and Ryan could be upset about what was happening.


    For the few days leading up to the graduation ceremony, we had a lot of advice given to us by my parents and Makai''s parents. I even had my siblings calling us and telling us all of their stories, the good and the bad. The three of them were more focused on college life and what we needed to know before we headed off.


    During this time, the graduation party was also finalized. The family members that my parents wanted to invite along with Makai''s family, Ben''s family and Ryan''s family. Of course, their parents would not be allowed to attend the party with us at all. We definitely didn''t need that sort of negative vibes when we were all celebrating so much positivity.


    Guest lists were finalized and the last of the invites were sent out for the party that was going to be in the beginning of June. It was kind of short notice, but Makai''s birthday was in the middle of June, so I didn''t want to mess that up at all. That was why I had insisted on having the graduation party a little sooner.


    No one seemed to have a problem with the day that I picked for our graduation party though. And that definitely worked out for me. We would have the party on June the fourth and then the next weekend I would be taking Makai to our condo in LA so that we can have some alone time for his birthday. It was going to be just the two of us and our bed for eleven straight days.


    Yeah, I know that seemed a little excessive. We would have meals and cake, and lots of that other good stuff too. But I wanted to have some more time in that condo before we had roommates living with us there. However, Ben and Ryan were going to be in the room furthest from ours and we were going to consciously ignore any sounds we heard coming from each other''s rooms. Well, Makai and I decided on that. Ben and Ryan didn''t know about the condo yet, but I would make them promise that too.


    Oh God, now that things were coming up so fast, I felt like I was spiraling out of control. There was just so much for me to do before it was time for us to graduate. I didn''t even know where I was supposed to begin.


    Did I need to focus on the outfit that I was going to be hiding under my graduation robes? Was I supposed to focus on my hair since my clothes wouldn''t be seen? Did I need to worry about what other people were going to say or do at the ceremony? Did I need to worry at all? There were so many questions that were circling my head that it made me dizzy. And if it weren''t for Makai, I never would have survived that time. He truly was there for me whenever I needed anything at all.. That was just one of the reasons why I loved him so much.

 Chapter 284 - Ocean – Graduation Day

    ~~


    Ocean


    ~~


    Finally, the day of the graduation ceremony had arrived. I had become the school''s valedictorian and we both Makai and I graduated with the highest of honors. Ben and Ryan, who hadn''t put in as much effort in their earlier years, finished with honors as well, but at a rank slightly below ours.


    After everyone had received their diplomas from our principal, the speeches began. There was one from the top teacher in the school, one from the principal and one from me. I was nervous about the speech, but I tried to not let it get to me at all. I knew that it would be OK as long as I stayed calm.


    "Parents, faculty, administrators, and of course students, I want to thank you all for being here today. And I don''t just mean that you showed up here. What I mean is that you all put in the work or the effort that it took to be here. Specifically, to my fellow students. I know what you all had to accomplish to make it to graduation. While I might not know the struggles that you went through aside from school, I am certain that we all had our fair share of challenges this school year. Not only this one though, but for the last four years. We''ve seen a lot happen in the world and in our schools, and we all learned to overcome it. We all learned that we are capable of doing anything that we put our minds to. Well, at least I did. And I hope you did too." I was starting off with trying to congratulate them and empathize with them as well. "All of you, in my opinion, are the strongest people that I know. And I want you all to remember that in the future. When you are out there in what our parents and teachers have called ''the real world'', remember that you are strong, you are smart and you are capable. You have done something that takes years of commitment and hard work. If you can make it through this, then you can make it through anything. So whether you go to college or a trade school, or even if you just go straight to work, you can achieve whatever it is that you want to. You can find happiness. You can be successful. Because the only one that controls your future is you. As your class valedictorian, I want you to go out there and seize the day. Find what you want and work hard for it. But also, never forget to be happy and take the time to enjoy life. Because no matter what you get, it won''t mean anything at all if you are miserable." All eyes were on me and I felt like I was making an ass of myself. I knew that I was not sticking to my speech completely, but I had ended up saying what I was feeling instead of what I had thought so hard about when I wrote this speech in the first place. "I know that when we are out of this school, not all of us are going to be seeing each other for a long time, if we ever see each other again. And since I won''t be seeing many of you again in the foreseeable future, I want you all to know that I am proud to call you my friends. Congratulations to you all, we did it." Yeah, I had totally fucked that up. Dammit!


    To my immense surprise, everyone that was sitting in the stands around me started to clap. Well, that was nothing but a pity applause for me. I know that I completely fucked up my speech. I had to play it off though, so I went to take my seat. When I did sit down though, I saw that Makai was giving me the thumbs up. He was just being a supportive boyfriend. He was going to like it no matter what.


    However, aside from Makai, Ben and Ryan were congratulating me from their seats in the crowd. I even saw my parents and Makai''s parents mouthing words of praise and showing me that they enjoyed my speech as well.


    Wait a minute, did I not totally fuck up my speech? Had I gone off the script yet still managed to make it work? Man, I really hope that I did. It would be so much better for us all if that had been the case.


    "Thank you, Ocean, for that wonderful speech. There is so much truth to the words that you spoke, and I want to thank you for pointing that out to us all." Mr. Daniels, the principal, was applauding me as well when he went to stand at the podium. "I am so happy that someone as smart and as talented as you was able to attend my school. I honestly feel as if all of us were somehow rewarded by having you here. Whether you helped your friends, encouraged your fellow classmates, or gave inspiration to others, you have been an asset to our small community. Thank you, Ocean. Thank you for all that you have done for our school." That was when he applauded me again, along with everyone else. Thankfully, it didn''t last long before he started to speak again. "Ocean isn''t the only one that has been an asset to our school. In my opinion, all of you are. It is just like Ocean said in his speech, graduating isn''t an easy thing to do, especially in this day and age. And I am proud to say that your class had a ninety-eight percent graduation rate. Of all of you that came in as freshmen and did not move away before senior year ended, ninety-eight percent of you graduated. That is quite an amazing accomplishment and I am so proud of you all. Thank you, thank all of you for giving your effort every single day. Thank you for being here with all of us for this wonderfully happy day." There was more applause in the middle of Mr. Daniel''s speech. "I also want you to listen to what Ocean said about succeeding in life after high school. It doesn''t matter what you do, just strive to be the best that you can be, but don''t sacrifice your happiness to do it." That seemed to be the end of the speeches. I hadn''t expected that the principal was going to incorporate my words into his own speech. That was some skill that he had, ad libbing his entire speech to work together with mine. He was a lot more amazing than I thought he was. Way to go Mr. Daniels.


    Now that the ceremony was over, it was time for the families and graduated students to take photos together. All of the graduating kids were running around and asking everyone that they could to take pictures and to sign their yearbooks. It was a lot of commotion and I thought that I was going to be able to avoid it since I was not one of those hyper running people. Well, that clearly wasn''t going to happen.


    Before I knew it, there was a line of students near me, Makai, Ben, and Ryan. They wanted to take photos with us individually and as a group. I didn''t know why really. I mean, was it because we had won the swimming competitions? Was it because we were at the top of the class?


    Well, that might be what part of it was from. However, as I listened to the people around us talk while they waited for their turn, I heard something else. Most of them just wanted to take a picture with us because we were openly gay, and they were into that kind of thing. They were fans of books and manga that were about gay couples. And seeing us in real life had made their fantasies come true.


    I had not been expecting that, but I guess that it was a little flattering. And as I thought about it, I got an idea. I decided to whisper to Ryan and tell him to follow my lead and do what I was about to do. He was confused for a moment until he saw what was happening.


    Before anyone realized what I was doing, I had grabbed Makai''s shirt and pulled him in for a deep passionate kiss. Ryan laughed but I knew that he was following suit. The result of our little game here was dozens of girls screaming in delight as I heard the sound of the cameras on their phones going off like crazy.


    Now these people would have a lasting memory of us all. And we all got to have this special moment as well. I knew that Makai wouldn''t have a problem with me kissing him in front of people like this, so it wasn''t an issue.


    After the pictures were done, we left the school and went to a really nice dinner with my family and Makai''s parents. It was just ''our'' family and no one else. Since my family and Makai''s family had basically merged and Ben and Ryan had been adopted into that family, that wasn''t a lie at all.


    All in all, the day was amazing and I would never forget it, ever. I would be able to draw on this day for inspiration and happiness even when I was old and gray. I would be able to tell people that I proved my love for Makai in front of the entire graduating class and I didn''t care what anyone else thought about it.. Life was good.