Page 28 of XOXO

I scowled as she looked at me. “That’s⁠—”

“Look, let's be honest, you're upset that I am here.” She raised her brow.

“Look—”

“Does he know you're in love with him?”

“Excuse me?” I coughed on my own spit. “I’m not in love with him.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You sure? Because you act like I’m stealing your man.”

“I do not act like that,” I argued.

She chuckled. “You’re a horrible liar, it's amazing he hasn’t realized it.”

“I…don’t—” I growled, getting upset.

She was calling me out even though I wasn’t in love with Levi like she thought I was. It was platonic love. He was my best friend so of course I loved him.

“I’m not here to steal him,” she said, putting her hand on my bicep. “I’m here for a few days and I’m on to the next destination.”

“Levi doesn’t want that, he’s a romantic,” I snapped.

“Then maybe you should romance him,” she said, crossing her arm in front of her chest.

“That’s not our relationship. He’s my best friend,” I argued. “Even if I did have feelings I would never ruin the friendship.”

She studied me. “I think if you told him, it wouldn’t ruin the friendship.”

“You don’t know that,” I clipped. “Levi does not have feelings for me.”

Why the fuck were we talking about this?

“Maybe not now, but if it's on the table, maybe he would,” she said, rubbing my arm like I needed comfort.

I didn’t know what to say to that, I didn’t know if I liked Levi like that.

“I’m not a threat. I’m here to have fun and then I’m packing my bags,” she said like she was giving me an in with Levi. “Maybe if he’s sad about me, you could comfort him.”

“You can’t be serious?” I rolled my eyes.

“I think you need to lighten up, Matteo,” she grinned, as she looked behind me and I felt him before I heard Levi.

“Another drink and we find another stage?” he asked, putting his arm around my shoulder.

Vi’s eyes flitted between us, they grew a little wider and a sly smile grew.

“Yes,” she said, like she was in on an inside joke. “I hear Cascade is here too.”

“Yes! I think they are up in forty minutes,” Levi said, opening his phone to look at the schedule.

“Let’s get a drink before we head over there,” I said, feeling Vi’s eyes on me.

“Let's do it!” She grabbed our hands leading us to the closest vendor that had alcohol.

The rest of the night I followed Vi and Levi anywhere they wanted to go, each set we saw they touched each other more and more, occasionally touching me too or dancing against me. Their sexual tension was palpable, but the tension I felt with Vi was starting to slip away. The more I drank, the more I wanted whatever they had brewing. It didn’t escape me that Vi was facilitating touches between Levi and I.

By one a.m. we strolled into our tent—and by tent I mean this thing looked like a house with three rooms in it. Vi and Levi were laughing about something, and before it got awkward, I said I had to use the restroom. I did my business, walking slowly through the grounds that were still buzzing with life.