Crazy Stupid
By Alexandra Dixon
Copyright ©2011 by Alexandra Dixon
Image copyright ©2011 by Alexandra Dixon
SMASHWORDS EDITION
The material incorporated in this book may not be reproduced, copied or distributed without the written consent of the author/publisher, excluding small excerpts which may be used in reviews.
Chapter One
Vincent stood on one side of the partially dark room, watching everyone else has fun. Usually he'd have been the life of the party, but tonight he just wasn't up for it. Not without his best friend there.
He wasn't going to kid himself into thinking that Zachary, the only other person who knew him as well as he knew himself, didn't mean the world to him. And that thought made his chest ache. Zach was probably off in some bathroom in school somewhere banging some slut from the cheer leading team.
Vincent ran a furious hand through his already tousled ash blonde hair and huffed a breath. Why was he allowing Zachary to get to him? The other man was his exact opposite and so definitely not his type. And yet...he was still attracted to him.
Vincent groaned in anguish and stalked over to the nearest punch bowl. In silence he filled a Styrofoam cup with the mildly appealing pink liquid and took a sip, only to spit it back out into the cup a second later. It tasted like feet, like old guy feet. Vincent set the cup on the table next to the bowl and headed for the exit this time. He looked over his shoulder once more; Zach was nowhere in sight and he didn't intend to wait around for hours until he decided to grace Vincent with his presence.
Pissed beyond all recognition, Vincent shoved the double doors open and stepped out into the cold night. It was much colder than he'd expected; then again, Paul Merchant had always been a crappy weather man. On the six o' clock news he'd estimated clear skies and an over fifty degrees Celsius temperature. It seemed as though the Fates had plotted against him, because at just eight o' clock a huge thunderstorm rolled into town, almost flooding the low-line area. Vincent hadn't been able to go to work that day and so he spent the whole morning cursing the weatherman, very aware that he couldn't have heard him but no really caring either.
Tucking his hands deep into the pockets of his pants he tightened his muscles to trap most of his body heat and started walking towards his house. It wasn't far from the high school; close enough where he didn't have to be late for any scholastic events but still far enough where if he didn't hurry he'd freeze his ass off. He was still trying to figure out how and why he'd let Zach talk him into going to another one of their superficial school dances. It wasn't as if he had a date at any given time.
Vincent felt and heard a low buzz coming from the inside of his back pocket. He stopped walking for a moment, just long enough to find and pull the phone into the open, before he started again. He pressed a button and the screen of the came to life, almost blinding him with the intensity of the lights. It was a message. From Zachary.
Where are you?
Vincent scoffed and deleted the message, not even bothering to answer him. He hoped Zach would take the hint and leave him alone.
A few minutes passed, the only thing Vincent had to focus on being the pounding of his shoes on the damp concrete and the sounds of various insects. It was after one in the morning; of course there would be no one else on the streets.
Then the phone buzzed again. He checked the screen. Another message from Zach.
I'm sorry for ditching you. You must be cold; tell me where you are so I can come pick you up.
Again, Vincent deleted the message. He really didn't want to talk to his friend tonight, or anytime soon in the near future he suspected.
The night was Vincent's only companion as he walked the lonely streets to his home. Zach had pestered him several times more, but each time Vincent had neglected to answer him and had deleted the messages.
At long last, it seemed, he walked up the front steps to his house and searched his pockets for his keys. Trouble was, his fingers had gone numb, so finding the already jingling apparatus was a challenge.
He heard the rumbling of a car engine revving and stalling close-by, but his brain didn't register it until he heard a familiar voice.
"Vince, hey you okay?"
Vincent's diners froze for a split second before he was searching for the keys erratically, hoping to get into a blue so that he could shut the door in Zach's face before he started to blab his mouth off.
"Vince? Did you hear me?"
Yeah, I heard you, Vincent thought. He wasn't going to answer the other man though; he had nothing to say to him. At last, his half-warmed fingers clutched at the warm metal in his pocket and he pulled he bundle free, putting the correct key into the lock by experienced feel. It was too late though. Vincent felt the warm hand on his shoulder but he was too frozen to do much about it.
"Vincent," Zach's voice had a worried tone. "Are you alright?"
Vincent shook off his hand. "I'm fine. Go away."
Vincent heard a scoff and then Zachary had grabbed his arm and whirled him around so that they were face to face. Though he was almost year younger, Zach had at least six inches on Vincent and probably twenty or thirty pounds of extra muscle. Vincent himself was pretty skinny, so he felt very much inferior to the other man. Story of his life.
"What is your problem?"
Vincent looked away from Zach's face. Every time he saw that spiky black hair and those intense green eyes his heart leapt. And tightened. So much he thought he was dying. He didn't want it anymore, and yet he wanted more of it. To know what it felt like to have the other man admitting he felt the same and then the feel of hot, damp skin sliding against hot, damp skin as they most surrendered to their primal desires as one...
Vincent cleared his throat, trying to free the lump that had grown there so he could speak. "Nothing's wrong. I told you, I'm fine. Please, just go home."
Zachary's hands cradled Vincent's face all of a sudden, lifting the man's head so that he was staring into his intense gaze. "Vince, talk to me." Zach's concerned voice was soft and so hot Vincent felt his whole world crumbling down around him. Under no circumstances could he allow Zach to know how he felt for him.
Vincent lifted his own hands and pried Zach's fingers from his cheeks and turned back to the door in silence. He turned the key on the knob before pushing the door open and stepping inside, slamming it in Zach's face afterwards. As soon as he was inside he put the latch on the door and sank to his knees. His heart was still beating erratically. He wondered if Zach was aware of how he'd even turned him on. Vincent just hoped that the other man hadn't realized the huge bulge in Vincent's pants.
Before he knew what was happening a quiet sob shook him. He buried his face in his hands and silently cried for the knowledge that his best friend would never, ever be his.
Eventually he heard Zach leave the porch and his car drive away from the house. He wasn't entirely sure of the time, but he was certain that he wasn't going to be at school for the rest of the week. He couldn't face Zach anymore. At least, not as his friend. He was always going to want more from Zachary Frederick but he knew that all his hoping and praying wasn't going to help him where that was concerned.
Chapter Two
The phone rang incessantly. Each time the tone got louder than the first and still Vincent wouldn't answer it, despite the heavy looks from his classmates and his English teacher, Ms. Kirby.
Fed up and annoyed he pulled the cellphone from his bag and turned it off, not bothering to see who was calling him. He already knew who it was. He hadn't seen or spoken to Zachary in four days. He hadn't been to school to see him though so that was the obvious cause. As much as Zach had tried to contact him, Vincent ignored him. He really didn't have anything to say to his friend.
When he looked up, Ms. Kirby had resumed her lesson. One girl sitting across from him was staring at him intently.
"Is there a problem, Vinnie?"
Vincent gave her a fake smile and shook his head. "Nope. No problem Carmen."
Carmen Valentin was Vincent's younger cousin and so he couldn't exactly blame her for being curious. But his issues couldn't be shared with anyone except himself.
The bell rang just as Ms. Kirby had finished putting the homework on the board. Vincent wrote it off in a rush and packed his things. He as almost the last person out of the room so he didn't have to worry about the 'cafeteria sandwich', which was basically what happened when a ton of kids tried to exit he classroom at the same time in a rush to get to the cafeteria. The result was a huge dam of sorts and it always amused Vincent to see it.
When he left the classroom he headed straight for his locker. He was surprised as he walked down the hallway that Zachary, dressed in full black and his dark hair tousled as usual, was lounging so casually next to it. At the start of their senior year they'd each been assigned lockers on different sides of school and so Zach had to go out of his way to see Vincent outside of classes.
Vincent pretended he didn't see him and spun the dial on his lock a few times before it clicked and he pulled it off.
"What? No hello? Or hey?"
Vincent didn't answer. Zach was obviously annoyed. Vincent just restocked his locker shelves with books and his bag with a few extras before he shut the locker and turned his back to his friend.
Vincent winced when Zach grabbed his arm roughly and spun him around, like he had that night after the dance.
"How about, 'I'm sorry I haven't returned your calls or texts'?"
Vincent refused to look up into his eyes. They would very literally be the death of him. "No. I have nothing to say to you."
Zach sighed. "Is this because I ditched you after the dance? Come on, get over it."
Vincent raised an eyebrow. He pulled Zach's hand off his arm as fiercely as he could. "Get over yourself, Frederick. Don't make insignificant things bigger than they are." He turned on his heel and walked down the hall, away from Zach.
He was almost to the cafeteria when he felt himself being hauled off track and forced into a dark room near the cafeteria by a burly form. The lights flicked on and Vincent was staring into Zachary's annoyed face.
"I've told you ever since we were kids that it isn't a good idea to turn your back to me," Zach ground out between gritted teeth. He seemed to be very, very angry. But Vincent couldn't fathom the reason.
"What are you doing, Zach? We need to get to lunch." Vincent friend to push past him - Zach was directly in front if he closed door and his form was blocking it - but Zach just pushed him back into the room. "What the hell? Move!"
Zach shook his head and leaned against the wall, giving Vincent one of his most cocksure smiles. "I'm not moving until you tell me what the problem is."
Vincent groaned. He'd forgotten how irritating Zach could be. "Well, I have nothing to say to you. So save yourself the trouble and move."
Zach muttered something and pushed off the wall, approaching Vincent with labored steps. As if he wasn't entirely certain about what he was doing.
He wound a hand in Vincent's shirt and pulled him closer. "You listen to me, Valentin. I don't care whether or not you think I don't need to know what your problem is. I asked you nicely, so I expect you to tell me."
Vincent swallowed past the lump in his throat with great difficulty. His heart rate had gone haywire again, it was worse he was looking into those intense green eyes. "Zach...please. Back away from me and leave."
Zach's brows furrowed and he stepped closer to Vincent. A soft groan left Vincent's mouth as their thighs brushed. He saw a light shine in Zach's eyes and his eyebrows lifted. Vincent knew that the truth had sunk in at last, but there was still the issue if his best friend believing it.
"Vince? Are you...?"
Vincent pushed Zach from him and took several deep breaths to calm himself. "Yeah, now you know. Just...please. Go."
Zach just stared at him for a very long time. Vincent didn't bother to look at the other man again, worried that he'd see the disgust in his eyes.
"Vince, why didn't you tell me?"
Vincent was surprised to hear that Zachary's voice was filled with hurt and confusion, not disgust. Vincent couldn't even speak. He didn't know what he could've said. He just shook his head and stared down at the floor.
"Stupid...asshole," he heard Zach murmur.
Vincent risked a glance at him. Zach was smiling. Broadly. Vincent was a little more than confused. Especially when Zach stepped close again and pulled him in for a hug.
"Zach?"
Zach mumbled something that Vincent didn't quite get. Then he said, “You know you can tell me anything and I won't give you crap for it."
Vincent was speechless. Zach was really something else. But then it hit him that Zach was only expressing his acceptance if Vincent, and not the other way around. That made Vincent shove Zach away and glare at him, tears filling his eyes.
Zach twisted his mouth around; he looked as if he wanted to say something but he held back. "Why do you always push me away?" he whispered.
Vincent gasped quietly and looked down at the ground. His heart pounded and his knees felt weak, but this time it was all because he thought he hurt Zach.
"You always push me away," Zach said. "I try my hardest to get you to realize how I feel and you're so damn stubborn you don't see it!"
Vincent's eyebrows shot up. How he felt? "Zachary..."
Zach's hand shot out and his finger curled in Vincent's collar. He pulled his best friend close and lowered his mouth to Vincent's.
Chapter Three
Vincent's eyes widened as Zach's lips touched his and it was everything he'd imagined and more. The soft, wet, demanding heat of lips moving over lips and the demanding thrust of Zach's tongue left his head spinning like a tornado. Vincent couldn't hold back the moan when Zach's hands drifted down his sides and hips and around to his ass, cupping it and pulling him closer, grinding their fronts together.
Vincent tore his mouth off Zach's to drag in some much needed breaths. Zach's lips moved to his neck and he tipped his head back, giving his friend as much room as he needed. Zach licked, nipped and sucked at Vincent's neck until the other man was shivering with barely suppressed need.
"Zach..." Vincent moaned. His hands moved of their own volition to cup Zach's face and bring it back up, so that their mouths had locked again and their tongues dueled fiercely.
Vincent pulled his mouth off Zach's and Zach's hands came up to cradle his face. "Vincent..."
The look in his eyes scared living daylights out of Vincent. Then Zach said, "I just needed to make sure."
"Make sure?"
Zach nodded. "That you felt it too. I didn't want to make a move and then you hated me for it. I had to make sure that..." he unbuttoned Vincent's shirt and slid it off his shoulders, "you would agree to be with me."
Vincent's eyes brimmed with tears and he threw his arms around Zach's neck. "Zach, I couldn't make a move. I always thought you were straight, or maybe this would've happened already."
Zach's fingers slipped beneath the waistband of Vincent's pants and curled around the throbbing flesh beneath. Vincent moaned and Zach smiled at the sound, putting his mouth on Vincent's ear. "I was straight. Until you stayed over at my house for that month after your mom was in the hospital."
Vincent's eyebrows shot up at Zach's words. Since his mother was in the hospital? That was over six months ago. Vincent shuddered when Zach's teeth nipped his earlobe and then he darted his tongue into Vincent ear, pulling a soft moan from his throat. Then he proceeded to stroke Vincent's hard shaft with a force determination.
Vincent clutched at Zach's shoulders and whimpered as pleasure overwhelmed him.
"Do you want to come?" Zach's voice was so sexy and deep that Vincent couldn't believe it was even him. Hell, how would he have believed that his own best friend would be stroking his cock through his clothes in an empty classroom?
Vincent panted, words virtually escaping him. He groaned as Zach held the head of his cock in his fist and squeezed, pleasure shooting through him at lighting fast speeds.
Vincent’s breathing grew shallow and forced until he finally tensed in Zach’s arms.
“That’s it, baby. Come on,” Zach whispered in his ear.
Unable to control himself, Vincent cried out as he let go and his orgasm washed over him, forcing all thoughts from his brains for several long minutes as Zach continued to stroke him through it.
When at last Vincent had stopped moaning, Zach held unto him and kissed his forehead. His nose. His eyes his lips. Over and over again. Vincent was still shaking with the aftermaths of his episode and so couldn’t say much to Zach; he didn’t really have the strength.
“That was...” Words escaped Vincent.
Zach chuckled. “Good? Great? Mediocre?”
Vincent sighed and cupped Zach’s face in his hands, fusing their mouths for a very hot and demanding kiss. “It was very, very good.”
Zach smiled. Then his expression sobered and he stared into Vincent’s eyes. For the second time that day, Vincent was scared by the expression in Zach’s eyes. Because it mirrored the expression he had in his own; one of longing and fear that he would never have the one he truly wanted.
“And that isn’t all,” he whispered against Vincent’s ear. He felt happiness swell his chest at his friend’s shudder and he started to pull Vincent’s belt.
Vincent stared down at Zach’s wrestling with the belt and then the button of the jeans and the zipper. “Slow down, cowboy,” he teased.
“I can’t,” Zach whispered. “I want you too much.”
Vincent sighed. He touched Zach’s cheek with his palm and used his other hand to brush his fingers through Zach’s hair. “I want you too,” he whispered.
Vincent was the first one to resume stripping off clothes, but he didn’t take off his own. He moved his hands lovingly down Zach’s body, ripping off offending material wherever his hands touched. He was very certain that before the end of the day he and Zach would have to share clothes just to walk out of the school.
Zach held Vincent’s wrists in his hands and stole another kiss from his flustered friend. Then he whipped Vincent around and shoved him against the small table in the room, yanking down his pants.
“Enjoying your view?” Vincent knew the moment Zach knelt behind him and stared at his ass; he could practically feel Zach’s eyes burning through his skin.
Zach leaned forward and nipped a section on Vincent’s gorgeously white bottom, smirking when his friend yelped and shivered. Vincent moaned low in his throat when Zach ran his tongue over the offended skin over and over, causing white hot pulses of heat to shoot straight to Vincent’s groin.
Then Zach whipped him back around with the same suddenness as when he had thrown him across the table.
“What is it?” Vincent asked, noticing just how troubled his friend was.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you something…” Zach said softly.
Vincent thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest it was beating so fast. “What is it?”
Zach took several deep breaths, as if he was still trying to figure out if he should or shouldn’t tell Vincent. Then he smiled gently and brushed his fingertips across his friend’s cheek. “I love you.”
Vincent smiled and punched Zachary in his side.
“Ouch! What was that for?” He didn’t let Vincent go though.
“Took you long enough! To figure it out!” Vincent scowled.
Zach sighed and hugged Vincent as if he was trying to merge their bodies together. And their souls. “It’s crazy, I know. But I do love you.”
Vincent’s heart swelled with joy. “It’s not crazy, it’s stupid.”
Zach chuckled. “Crazy stupid, then.”
“We have a long road ahead of us,” Vincent said softly. It was true; they were both men and they would have to deal with a lot of criticism and people that would never understand their relationship.
“I know.’ Zach lifted Vincent’s face so that he was staring in his eyes. “But I love you, and we’ll get through it.”
The tears finally spilled from Vincent’s eyes as he kissed Zach’s cheek. “I’ve wanted to tell you something for a long time too.”
“What?” Zach grinned.
“I love you, with all my heart.”
Zach pulled him close for a fierce kiss that made Vincent’s eyes tear up and his heart stutter. “I love you too.” Zach chuckled. “This really is crazy stupid.”
“Redundant bastard,” Vincent muttered.
“That’s why you love me isn’t it?”
Vincent nodded and rested his head on Zach’s shoulder, breathing in his friend’s musky scent. The scent he was sure he’d be smelling for the rest of his life. “Yeah, that’s exactly why.”
Zach laughed with echoing glee and stripped off the remainder of Vincent’s clothes. Zach knew he had a lot to deal with, had a lot of steps to take before he could say that he and Vincent’s relationship was solid.
But as he looked down at his friend’s writhing form on the table he decided that any amount of hardship was fine, so long as Vincent never left him.
THE END
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