…Wait, not that.
But, like, seriously? Who does this guy even think he is? Just because we —
Oh God.
Wekissed.
Wekissed.
I kissedback.
I kissed aguy, and…
…
And the world didn't end.
He barely registered it when Dylan squeezed Ashton's shoulder before walking off, presumably somewhere deeper in the party for something like a cover. Like Ashton should be doing, instead ofstillstaring at the place Dylan had been, his mind going round and round in wild circles.
On autopilot, he grabbed a red plastic cup from the stack, filling it to the brim. He looked down into its dark pink depths —wrong shade, wrong shade— and licked his lips. He set the cup down, reaching for Dante's abandoned soda instead. The taste of strawberries hit his tongue instantly as he took a sip.
The can was reassuringly real in his hand as Ashton followed his feet, taking the steps two at a time.
There was a bedroom right at the top of the stairs, and a bathroom down the hall. The third door was shut, giggling and groaning coming from the other side.
Sliding to the floor beside it, Ashton leaned against the wall as he took another sip of soda. Not usually his thing, but… not bad. Interesting. It wasn't as sweet as he'd assumed, and he liked the way it fizzed on his tongue.
Why the hell he'd come up here… he couldn't say.
He couldn't.
Hecouldn't.
He took another sip of soda and let his head fall back with athunkagainst the wall.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited…
CHAPTER 5
Fool
"Where were you?"
It was late. It'd take Ashton all day to work up the courage to come down here and try to find out Dylan’s schedule. He wasn't certain now whether he found it lucky or not to find the man instead.
Not, he decided, eyeing the left side where Logan and Oz had set up camp again at one of the computer stations. Both of their heads were down, and Oz was wearing those ridiculous can headphones of his. Ashton could only hope that meant they really were as dead to the world as they appeared, unaware of his attempts to prod at something he suspected was better left alone.
"¡Ah, cabrón!Don'tfucking sneak up on a guy like that!" Dylan snarled, bringing Ashton up short.
Dylan was holding a big beige piece of machinery that clearly belonged to the printer cartridge, and — "Think you got ink on your hands," he pointed out.
Turning over his left hand, Dylan scowled down at the mess.
"¡Me cago en tóner que mamaste del pezón de satanás!" Dylan hissed at the lab's massive printer, slapping its pale side with the palm of his — still clean — right hand.
