Page 116 of Break the Rule
Eden frowns. He’s pretty sure Andrew hates surprises, so what the fuck is this guy talking about?
“Oh wait, that’s right, you hate them,” Zach continues with a laugh, turning his gaze on Eden and grinning like something he said is funny. “Our little Andrew here doesn’t like fun.”
As a general rule, Eden dislikes most people, but he decides immediately hehatesthis guy. He’s got a smug-ass face Eden wouldn’t mind punching. It’s been years since he got in a fight, but muscle memory is a beautiful thing.
“Who the fuck are you?” Eden asks.
Zach’s smile falters before he draws his eyes from Eden’s head down to his toes in a way that feels decidedly uncomfortable. “I’m an old friend of Charlie and Andrew. Can’t say I know who you are, pretty thing.”
“This is Charlie’s boyfriend, so don’t even think about it,” Andrew says, tone sharper than Eden has ever heard about it. His words soften when he turns to Eden and adds, “we all went to high school together.”
“Yeah, me and Charlie, we’re great friends, and well you know how it is—where Charlie is, there's Andrew. His little shadow.” Zach laughs, clapping Andrew on the shoulder. “Don’t look so sour, you know I’m teasing. Andrew isn’t good at taking jokes.”
Before Eden can point out that wasn’t a fucking joke, Andrew is speaking.
“Well it was nice seeing you again, but me and Eden are going to go eat now.”
“I’m starving too, I’ll follow you,” Zach grins, either oblivious as fuck or willfully ignoring the dismissal in Andrew’s words.
Following in step with Andrew, it’s easy to pick up on the subtle but unmistakable change in his body language—his shoulders are rigid and his smile is tight. Much as Eden wants to question it, he loses his chance once they enter into the main living room where everyone has gathered. There are too many people, too many conversations.
Despite Andrew’s obvious attempt to try and disappear into the background, Zach follows him to the end of the makeshift line everyone has formed to get into the kitchen. While debating how pissed Andrew or Charlie would be if he accidentally hit Zach, Charlie steps in front of Eden blocking everyone else from sight.
“I missed you,” Charlie murmurs, pulling Eden flush against him.
“You just saw me,” Eden reminds him, unsure why Charlie being a clingy fucker is making his chest feel squirmy and warm.
“Yeah, but that was nearly forty minutes ago. After I apologized to Alec, I got roped into setting the food up and last minute prep. Are you hungry? Alec really outdid himself this year.”
“Yeah, but—” Eden stops, turning to look for Zach who has engaged Denise and Amanda in some kind of conversation that has everyone but Andrew smiling. “Who the fuck is he?”
“Hmm?” Charlie turns around following Eden’s line of sight. “Oh, Zach. We were all friends in high school. I ran into him at the store the other day and well—here he is.”
Eden hums, watching Zach with a frown. “He was a dick to Andrew.”
“Nah, he’s just like that,” Charlie shrugs. “Andrew knows he doesn’t mean it. We should get in line before Jason takes all the green bean casserole.”
“It only happened once, asshole,” Jason pipes up from several feet away.
“Jason can eat you out of house and home,” Charlie tells him in a stage whisper.
“Says the man who always eats all the pumpkin pie,” Jason counters. He slips his arm around Emerson’s shoulder, kissing the top of his head and whispering something too low for Eden to make out.
“Everyone shut the fuck up,” Alec yells from the kitchen. “There’s plenty of pie and fucking casserole.”
“Except sweet potato,” someone—Riley was his name—replies.
“Fuck you,” Alec retorts, the sound of laughter echoing out of the kitchen.
“Man, this is great,” Charlie grins, tightening his hold around Eden’s waist.
Pressed up close to Charlie, surrounded by the smell of good food and friendly people, Eden can’t deny it is kind of great. It’s also surreal. Outside of group homes or work, he’s never been around this many people. He’s never been in a group where arguing was playful and not vindictive, or where people celebrate a second invented holiday in order to spend more time together.
Somehow, it being great hurts more than if it were horrible. A part of Eden almost wishes today had gone to shit, wishes that Charlie’s friends were terrible or his brothers were assholes. At least that would be something Eden understood and could handle.
Being surrounded by people who want to be together, who seem to want Eden there, is making his insides feel twisted up. Making things worse is that while watching Eddie and Amy’s twins roll around on the floor with Birdie, he can’t help butimagine Addy and Ella here. Ella could play with the twins, and Addy would love Andrew and Amanda. She’d love Charlie, too.
“Hey,” Charlie says, voice quieter this time. “Are you okay?”
