Summer Entanglement (bxb)

Chapter 5

The next morning, after bringing our luggage to the RV, we made our way to the Shameless houses since we were not able to fit it in yesterday. It was actually quite awkward to take pictures in front of the houses, granted, the people living there are probably used to it by now with it being a famous type of landmark now. Our group took multiple pictures together as well as individually. I made sure to take a picture of Tanner kissing my cheek in front of the Gallagher house, to send to Lydia. She loves the show just as much as I and the picture also reveals the surprise of Tanner and I. My phone vibrated almost instantly after ending the text. 

'Lyds'- OMG! Does that mean what I think it means?

I chuckled and replied to her that it's not exactly official but that we kissed.

'Lyds'- I am so happy for you Charlie Of course she would ask about him, but I don't think she's supposed to know about him asking her out in Duluth so I just tell her no and she sent a sad face back. 

We ended up at the Art Institute of Chicago next. It was a beautiful place but of course, the eight of us had to do something goofy. We reenacted the scene from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' where we held hands walking through the rooms. We also posed like they did in the movie as well, while taking pictures of each other. We were having an absolute blast. It's pretty cool to do things/see things from movies in real life. Like, so and so stood right here! I know, I'm an odd one but I think it's cool. 

After that, we explored the city and took pictures by the big silver bean thing. I learned that it is actually called 'Cloud Gate'. There was also the Crown fountain, where there was two brick walls with people's faces puckering, while it looked like water was coming out of there mouths by a pipe spraying it out. Soon enough, Damon and Sebastian rounded us up and we had to continue our summer adventure.

This time, Sebastian was driving and Jace was sitting next to him in the passengers. Everyone else took places on either the overhead bunk, the sofa or the kitchen table. Tanner and I placed ourselves on the overhead bunk, laying opposite ways so we could both lay our heads on our hands and talk with the others. Damon and Dakota were seated on the sofa, their legs crossed over each other's as they lounged. Matt and Ryder were at the table yet again. It's like they can't get too close to each other or something.

"So how did you and Sebastian swing taking time off when you just graduated?" I asked curiously.

"While interviewing we both told them we had a vacation already planned, they didn't mind and both of us got the jobs we wanted as long as we started as soon as we got back" Damon shrugged. 

"At least they were reasonable about it" I commented. 

"I don't think any of us asked, what are you two going to FSU for?" I heard Sebastian ask from the driver's seat. 

"Exercise Physiology" Tanner answered. 

"Mechanical Engineering" I replied. 

"Both are really good jobs" Damon said nodding his head. "You guys going on football scholarships?" 

"Yeah" we both replied.

"Nice, we'll have to see a game" Damon smiled. 

"That'd be cool, we'll let you know if we play any near you guys" Tanner commented.

"Do you guys mind if I put on some music?" Jace's small voice chimed in. 

'Nah' and ' Go ahead' were the replies from the group. 

"Be wary, his music ranges" Dakota informed us. 

"We listen to whatever" I told him. It was quiet until music finally came from the speakers.

Can't stop I need some help

Fuck you, I'm by myself

Is it a true or lie?

It's what you can't deny.

'Cause it's the way you think

Mix with the pills and drink

Brought back to the way you are

Flowed up to there, close to God

You know that hiding ain't gonna keep you safe

Because the tears on your face

They leak and leave a trace

So just when you think the true love's begun

It goes off at any second just like a loaded gun

"Well then" I chuckled

"Told ya" Dakota laughed as well. 

"I love this song!" Matt exclaimed "You know, I can take you straight to heaven if you let me, You know I, I can make your body levitate if you let me, You know that I can make your body levitate, le-levitate, I can make your body levitate, le-levitate! you know" Ryder stared lovingly as Matt sang and danced to the song.

"I'd let you" Ryder told Matt with a wink.

"Not what you implied at the fountain" Matt muttered making a slight blush dust across Ryder's cheeks.

"Touché, mon précieux" Ryder replied softly.

"I'm pretty sure this song is about addiction" Dakota chimed in.

"Seems like it could apply to s*x too" I stated making everyone laugh in agreement. The song ended and then a familiar song came on.

Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you

Caught up in circles

Confusion is nothing new

Flashback, warm nights

Almost left behind

Suitcase of memories

Time after

Sometimes you picture me

I'm walking too far ahead

You're calling to me, I can't hear

What you've said

Then you say, "go slow"

And I fall behind

The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting

Time after time

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting

Time after time

"Going to give us musical whiplash Jace" Tanner commented with a chuckle. 

"What I do best" Jace sang. 

For the next two hours, Jace picked songs of all sorts from love songs, sad songs and headbangers. I eventually moved to lay behind Tanner, wrapping my arm around his waist and nuzzling my nose into the crook of his neck. I inhaled deeply and smiled softly. 

"Are you smelling me?" Tanner asked, looking over his shoulder at me.

"Maaaaybe" I mumbled making him snort.

"You're a dork" he said before shifting so he was on his back, looking up at me. 

"Not my fault you smell good" I shrugged 

"One of us has to" he teased and I smacked his shoulder.

"I smell fantastic" I said confidently

"I know you do" he replied with a large smile before tugging the collar of my shirt, pulling me down to kiss him. I shot a glance up, noticing the others not paying attention to us. I'm not a fan of PDA all too much, which is also why I don't mind our secret relationship. 

Our kiss was gentle and loving. We have yet to take the next level of kissing, but I really don't mind waiting. It's actually relieving that he is not rushing into s****l situations as he would probably freak out if we outright jumped into it since he has never been with a male before. I don't want him to regret anything. I am planning on booking our own little cabin though so we have some private time together. As much as I do enjoy this road trip of friends, spending some alone time with the love of my life sounds wonderful. Our lips moved together for a few minutes before the RV stopped for gas and to get food. 

We stretched our limbs as we lazily waited for Damon to finish pumping the gas into the vehicle. It's cute how gentlemanly he and Sebastian are to Dakota and Jace. Damon parked the RV in a parking spot before we ventured over to the Taco bell next door for some grub. 

"Do you want me to take over love?" Damon asked Sebastian after we finished eating at Taco Bell and got back in the vehicle.

Sebastian scoffed "You drove the whole way to Chicago, I'm fine my love" he stated before giving Damon a kiss on the cheek. 

"I just don't want you to get burnt out" Damon he replied quietly, tucking strands of Sebastian's hair behind his ear. 

"Awwww that's so cute, I'm going to go jump off a bridge now" Ryder cooed with a wide smile on his face, Jace laughed and playfully shoved Ryder's shoulder. 

"Stop, you'll get there some day" Jace told him. 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" Ryder replied with a wave of his hand. Dakota hopped into the passenger seat this time so Jace laid with Damon on the overhead bunk. Tanner and I took the table this time, making Matt and Ryder sit on the sofa together. I got out my phone and started to text Jace, while playing footsie with Tanner.

'Do you have a plan for them or are you not going to intervene?' I asked him. His phone dinged and he dug out his phone from his pocket. His eyes scanned the screen before he gave me a deadpanned look. I just shrugged and he bit his lip, tapping out a reply. 

'Jace'- He has a pregnant girlfriend -.- , what am I supposed to do?

'He obviously feels something for him' 

'Jace'- Yeah but it's his decision if he wants to pursue it or not

I gave him a dry look

' The dude tried kissing him, I'm pretty sure that's pursuing it, in my book' Jace rolled his eyes at my reply.

'Jace'- It's their business, not ours

'Yeah but you gave Tanner and I advice and look at us...the least we could do is talk to Matt about what's going inside his head, his thinking has been in overdrive ever since he found out' Jace looked at Matt with a frown after reading my reply. I know him talking to his girlfriend helped a little but he's been zoning out a lot and it is worrisome. Granted, I have not known him for long but he is usually a talkative and outgoing kind of person. Except for when Ryder is around, then he's a blushy mess most of the time. They really would make a cute couple in my opinion. 

'Jace'- Good point, I'll talk to him when we get settled in Gatlinburg

"Are you really texting him when he's right there?" Damon raised his eyebrows after glancing at his phone. Jace blushed from the eyes now on him. 

"We were talking about private stuff" he mumbled, hiding his face into Damon's chest. Damon laughed and wrapped an arm around him. 

"I know babyboy, I just like to see you blush" he whispered. 

"Mean Daddy" Jace whispered back. I quirked an eyebrow looking at Tanner who had the same expression. I don't think we were meant to hear it but it was dead silent besides the road noises. 

"You guys aren't going to get all dirty are you?" Matt asked them. "We do have a back room if you need some private time" he added with a chuckle.

"Sorry" Jace muttered softly.

 "Well if you guys aren't going back there, I'm going to go back and take a nap" he said before getting up and disappearing into the back room. The next couple hours passed agonizingly slow, Ryder and the two on the bunk ended up passing out. I yawned and looked to Tanner.

"Want to take a nap with me?" I asked him and he gave a nod and we went to the bunk beds. I rolled into the bottom bunk and opened my arms as Tanner rolled into them. 

"Does this mean I'm bottom?" he asked shyly, looking at my arms wrapping around him. 

"No, it doesn't" I laughed "We don't have to decide any of that until we are ready" I mentioned while looking into his chocolate brown eyes. 

"Well can we talk a little bit about it?" he asked.

"I don't want to scare you away with it" I said as we rested our heads against the pillows.

"What have you been in the past?" 

"Bottom and top" I stated. He made an 'O' face. "It's called being a versatile/switch" I informed him.

"Could we do that? Be switches?" he asked

"Of course" I simply stated "I don't have a preference, it feels good either way" I rambled

"Okay, cool. I just don't think I could just be taking d**k in my ass all the time" he said making me laugh.

"How many guys have you been with?" 

I sighed "Only two" I answered with a blush on my face. I shouldn't feel embarrassed or even guilty over the fact that I slept with other people, especially when I know he has too.

"How come I didn't know about them?" 

"Because they weren't relationships, just flings to relieve myself and to get over you" I said as I trailed my eyes over his facial features that mirrored mine. 

"Well that didn't work out now did it" he teased making me laugh.

"No, no it did not" I smiled while letting my fingers graze up his shirt on to his warm skin of his hip bone. I felt him shiver under my touch making my smile widen. 

"Who were they?" he asked and I froze. 

"Uhhhh...I downloaded an app and met them through there" I muttered "We were safe and I've been tested clean...in case you were wondering" I said sheepishly. 

"When was the last time..you know.." he trailed off.

"Uhhh a month or so before the party where I supposedly confessed to you"

"Why did you stop seeing them?" he wondered curiously. 

"Well...I actually was building the courage to tell you because I needed to know if there was some miracle that you loved me back" I stated "I mean, my plan wasn't to do it drunk but I guess it worked out anyway" I shrugged. We were silent for a few moments and curiosity was eating at me. 

"I don't want to make this awkward, but did you get tested after being with Bethany?" I averted my eyes from his. 

"Of course I did" he stated "Mom and dad engrained everything about safe s*x into our brains Char" he laughed.

"True, true...didn't hurt to ask though, especially since we don't know how long she was doing her side escapades with Kyle" 

"Can we not talk about them anymore, please?" 

"Sorry" I said quietly, drawing random shapes with my fingers on his skin. 

"It's fine, it's just done and over with" he said as I felt his fingers under my chin, lifting slightly. My eyes met his in an intense gaze.

"I want to make this official" he stated, gesturing between the two of us and my eyes lit up

"Really?" I asked and he smiled nodding.

"Charlie, will you be my boyfriend, my lover, my companion?" he asked.

"You're so cheesy, but I love it and yes I will" 

"I know how much you love your rom-coms" he chuckled before capturing my lips with his. I let out a content sigh, grasping his hip in my hand as he licked my bottom lip. I opened my mouth slightly, meeting his tongue with mine, circling around each other, fighting for dominance. Eventually I let him win, his tongue diving into my mouth as he leaned me back against the mattress so he was hovering over me. It was such a turn on to have him over me like this. I grinded my hips upwards letting out a soft moan. I blushed heavily as he pulled back to look me in the eyes.

"Sorry, I was getting too exc-" he cut me off with a peck to my lips.

"No, it was hot but.." he trailed off casting his eyes downward "I just want to slow it down" he softly said and I nodded.

"No, no I completely understand. Just got ahead of myself, I am okay with waiting for you" I reassured cupping his cheek, his eyes raising to mine again. "I love you"

"I love you too Charlie, I hope you know that"

"I do" I smiled "Now, let's take our nap" I said and pecked his lips, grabbing his arm and turning to be little spoon. He tightened his arm around my waist and nuzzled his face into the back of my neck.