Chapter six.

Zack's POV. 

His hand is so strong. I can feel the intensity of his muscles, pushing into my skin. The thoughts that flows into my mind makes me shake my head in an internal manner. I wouldn't risk him, observing me, and catching my thoughts. 

We are now outside again, the warm air, fanning past my skin. The street is still dead silent, with only few people passing by, which is very much an amazement to me. 

James leaves my hand, his eyes squinting as they roam to a path, he looks into the distance, his hands are beside him, at either side of his waist. He makes a long sigh, before he then turns to me, who is looking lost. I am the lost puppy in this part of the world. 

"Are you tired?" He asks me, his voice tone concerned. Tired? I didn't do anything stressful, and plus, I'll like to stay a while more with him. Yup, he is that hot. Way more hotter than the sun up there in the sky, having eclectics colours — blue, grey, and few black clouds. 

I shake my head, and hums a no.

"Okay then, I was thinking of visiting Adam, and discuss with him some few things, you know, about the bonfire and such. Would you like to come with me?" 

Count me in already. Okay, pull yourself together. I say to myself inside my head. These thoughts. 

"Okay," my tone is bit high-pitched. 

With that, he smiles and I follow behind his gait to the car. Hoping inside, latching the seat belt across my frame, he kicks the engine on, and drives away from the little parking space.  

He is driving with a responsible speed, something that I find weird. The street is clear, and he's driving this way? Even in New York where the street are clumsy, and crowded, most don't drive slowly like James is doing, and I am one of the most. 

My thoughts has been gathered too much inside my head like a black, heavy clouds, obstructing my visions such that when the car pulls to a stop, I hadn't realize until gravity decided to work, pushing me forward. I snap out of it, and turn to James, seeing him just in time he removes his belt, and glances over to me.

His brown eyes rove mine of green colours, searching for something he probably finds odd. "are you fine?"

I shake my head, and blink at him, "yes," why would I not be? I sigh, he doesn't press, but I thought of telling him what makes me go blank. "it's this area; it's very different from New York, and I don't know—I just kind of don't know how to really fit in."

He smiles, taking the words out of my mouth, and completing it. "never bother about that, I can help. Hell sure, I shall help." I share his smile in a ghosty manner, briefly taking in his features, correction; his dazzling features. I can't stop sensing their alluringness. He's got damn handsome. I shake my head again, as though it will help me recover, but nope, all I see when I open my eyes and place them beside me is this handsome James of a man once again. He's got me whipped, and that's the most inner, deeper revelation from the lines of my secretive stomach. 

"Hmm, I could take you as a mentor." Finally, I decided to chime in. He cracks up into a gusty laughter at that, and I find it contagious. 

"I won't mind, as long as you can pay my fee."

It's turned into a play, and I'm playing along with him. "Aww, unfortunately I don't have much with me. How about I be of service?"

He looks thoughtful, "what kind of service, actually?" He looks sincere when he asks, his eyes placed on my face.

"You could..." I pause for just a very short time, and continue, "anything you'd like me to help you with, maybe the farm?" 

He nods, and hums, agreeing. "fine then. No qualms. Let's go." He turns to the door, opens the lock, and out he strides to a path, expecting me behind him.

I'm outside the car too, the warm sun, pressing against my skin, increasingly radiating the glint in its tone. 

I beat myself mentally, like seriously smack my very own head inside of my mind. What was I thinking? I've got to know what to say, so I don't make him think different of me. Not to say, matter-of-factly, this place is so little, and seemingly inexperienced, there's too much high possiblity that he's very much straight, and not the other way round — which is my thoughts. I can't let my sexuality cause a fight between us, or make him see me as...whatever straight guys sees homosexual guys as.

With this in mind, I follow him inside a shop. The smell inside here is aromatic, carrying blended varieties of assorted cooking. There's different scents intermixing with one another, making it smell like heaven. 

"This is actually the best restaurant around here." He tells me. 

"Wow." I add, and mean it. It deserves a wow. I mean, from the flowers in circle decor that are hung onto the wall, the stairs, and pillars, to the mosaic paintings flooding the sidewall, next to the customer's table, giving them a perfect view of different drawings. The owner of this shop pays the artist a good fee. Plus, the inside is welcoming, extremely inviting. I can stay here for hours, and not get bored, just looking at each paintings and figuring out what they mean, as my nostrils would take in whiffs of the air around me.

It will be blissful. 

"Please don't tell me we won't eat?" It's a investigating question. We must to eat for goodness sake. It will be disrespectful to come inside and not have a taste. 

James doesn't answer right away, so I'm looking at him with puppy eyes. He breaths out, and rolls his eyes, sounding as if out of breath, "okay. I'll get our orders."

He says, and walks to the counter in front of us, where there's busy waiters, and waitresses, all wearing their white apron that has the name of the shop printed on it.

As I take a seat, I watch as James approach the booth, a man, on seeing him, yelps out, and comes from behind the counter to hug him, so tightly, I feel somewhat...it's a feeling I don't want to unravel. It scares me, so I look away but my ears could hear him squealing. He seems happy to see James. 

I hear clicks of shoes, before raising my gaze just in time to see the man and James in front of me.

"Hey, Zack, this is Adam." Oh, that Adam...

"Yeah, I'm Adam, very jovial, lovely, all sweet words, just call me any. Nice to meet you." Whilst he rambles on, I smile at his friendliness, and stand to accept his hug. He seems girlish, by the way. 

"It's nice to meet you too." I state, and mean it. 

He flushes, and places his hands on both my shoulders, poking out his lips. He looks odd, I just hope my intuition isn't wrong this time around. 

"What would you like me to get you?"

"Um," I have to think.

"Pancakes, cupcakes, small cakes, pizza, hamburger...just mention any." 

Okay, I'll got for cupcakes. "I like cupcakes more, so I chose that."

"And it's done." He walks away to get me my order. 

James breath out again, his hands on his waist; an akimbo style. He is shaking his head towards Adam's behaviour. 

"I hope he doesn't freak you out."

"I think I like him."

He scoff, "that's a joke."

I frown, not understanding him. It wasn't a joke. Adam is tall, and lean, his frame not the regular, or on every weekend gym type. Though his amber eyes are to die for, his spiky golden hair, glistering under the rays of the sun entering are luscious. He is handsome, so hot too. Even the chef outfit fits his lanky figure. He is okay, so why would I not like him?

"I don't get."

"Nevermind." James says, and that cuts the conversation. Adam is back, dropped the plate in the middle of the turntable

He takes a seat, his right leg comes to cross over the left right before he places his entwined hands on both knees, cupping them so that he clips them.

My eyes shift to James after Adam has seated comfortably, already joining us. Me, now understanding what James was trying to pass along, picks a cake and bite down. 

James knows that I'm a gay, but when? I don't remember giving myself so out. I frown inwardly, my mind wandering about. Neither do I act girly like Adam does. All yesterday, I was careful when around him, especially since I figured that I might like him, and didn't want to fuck things up. Now, I have. Or maybe I haven't. He doesn't seem annoyed by it...oh, God...he is gay too. I should recollect that since I'm not so sure — is he gay too?

In the case of Adam, I can tell he is a gay too, and a bottom to add. Inside of my head, my eyes widens, realizing the truth. James knows I'm bottom, that's why he warned that I don't like Adam, because he's bottom too, but that doesn't mean anything. At least normally, I should like Adam no matter what he is. The gay community doesn't revolve around top, and bottom liking each other alone. There are others in this set that deserves likeness as well.

"How's the cupcake?" 

"Good." I smile at Adam. Darting my eyes to James, I find that Adam's hands' on his. Oh boy, what are you missing here, Zack? "It's really nice. You did amazing. Like extremely amazing. It's one of the best." And I don't lie about it. It's actually one of my best ever tasted cupcakes. The chocolate syrup on top of the strawberry flavoured cake adds to its deliciousness.

"Melts my heart." He says, and turns to James. "we should invite Zack to the bonfire."

"Exactly why we came in the first place." I don't pay much attention to them since the talk doesn't really cause for my indulgence. I just listen in.

"Oh, okay, so...?" Adam hurls the so-what's-on-ground look on James, who shrugs back.

"We should pick a date, that's why I came to you."

"Wednesday's night should do it." Adam is still thinking. 

"I would have agreed on Saturday, but well, it doesn't really matter. Wednesday then, right?" Questions James, at thoughtful Adam.

"Wednesday then."

Now that they've agreed, they come back a discussion that involves the three of us. In about an hour later, we are done, and now preparing to leave. 

Adam hugs James one last time, then he pecks him on the side of his lips. When James smiles in return, two dimple reveals themselves. He has dimples...holy cow, I'm just noticing. I knew it. Something made his smile so much of a life-bringer. Something makes his smile sparkles. He has dimples, and when I say that I do love them, I really do love them.

James is in front of me once done, "let's go," and uses his manly hands to twist me so that I turn to my behind, and with him, still pushing me to walk ahead, I don't reprimand, but walk to the car, his hands on my shoulders and him, behind me. I like how he's acting childish at the moment.

"So, do we still have somewhere else to go?" Ask James, but then before a reply from me, he quickly add, "I apologize, we need to visit the mail."

"Yes. We need to." I agree.