Page 24 of Taunting the Ghost

Sure, they made gay jokes in the locker room and shower with the hockey team. But those were just jokes. Isaac knew that, right? But how could he? If Caleb had never made him feel safe enough to confess?

Caleb sat up and held Isaac close. He couldn’t imagine what it was like. He could easily picture Isaac in Ryan’s place. Too afraid to tell his idiot, hockey enforcer of a best friend that he was gay.

“I love you, bro,” Caleb said, almost choking up.

Isaac snapped his head towards Caleb, gaping at him.

For one long, terrifying second, Caleb thought he’d made a mistake.

“Unless you don’t,” Caleb trailed off.

And then Isaac was launching himself at Caleb, kissing him hard, making them tumble off the couch and onto the floor.

“I can’t believe you,” Isaac said between kisses. “I love you too, you absolute idiot.”

“I guess our girlfriends were right about us, huh?” Caleb said.

There was that look again. Caleb had really been an idiot not to realize until now. They’d both been idiots. But like usual, Isaac was the one who figured things out first. Caleb was always slower to catch up.

Thank God they’d been dumped, or Caleb may never have figured it out.

“Oh!” Ryan said. “That did it.”

Isaac and Caleb broke away to stare.

Ryan was glowing. Like he’d taken the fire within himself, and the energy was filling him up.

“I was wrong. It wasn’t about sex. It was this,” Ryan laughed. “I can’t believe it was so simple as getting two idiots to admit they were in love.”

“Simple!?” Isaac said.

Confessing to each other had been anything but simple.

“I’ll miss you, bro!” Caleb said, needing Ryan to know. Besides Isaac, he’d never met someone so easy to talk to. And now, just when he’d thought Ryan would be sticking around long-term, it was time to say goodbye.

Ryan smiled at them fondly. The energy intensified. And then there was the sound of a chain breaking. Ryan was free.

“I thought you were afraid of ghosts,” Ryan said.

Caleb cringed and shot Isaac a guilty look.

“What’s that look for?” Isaac said. “Did you think I didn’t know? Bro, why did you think I always backed you up when you made excuses to leave during movie night?”

“Uh-” Caleb stared blankly. Wow. “if you knew, why’d you leave me in the car!?”

“Sorry,” Issac said. It was his turn to cringe. “Thunderstorms are… well… I’m not good with them.”

Oh. Ignis was afraid of lightning? No wonder he’d been so quick to run off without looking back.

Shit. They needed to work on their communication.

“It’s cool bro, I needed the kick in the ass. You were right. It was dangerous to stay out there.”

“So… you’re not afraid of me?” Ryan asked.

“Hell no!” Caleb said. “You’re Ryan! It’d be weird to be afraid after you fucked me through shooting a load into Isaac.”

Wait, why was Ryan still here? Shouldn’t he have passed on or whatever?