Andy Keeps Trying - Chapter 18

ANDY KEEPS TRYING

Chapter 18: Andy turns 25

“Andy, you're… You’re freaking naked!” Zach exclaimed, dropping a backpack he was holding on the floor.

I stopped in my tracks.

I was naked indeed.

And my dick was pretty stiff.

I opened my mouth but no sound came out. I was paralysed. 

David appeared in the corridor, looking equally stunned to see me like this. Although, he should not have been! 

It was normal for me (and him) to walk around completely naked.

"Andy, cover yourself." He simply stated.

“I– Yes, of course.”

I went back to pick up the clothes I had left on the living room floor. 

I tried to put on my pants, but I struggled due to nerves. Zach pretended to look away, but I could see him glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

“Chill, Andy. It’s okay.” He told me, rather amused.

I definitely was not amused. This was so fucking embarrassing.

“I'm really sorry, Zach. David, I… I mean… I can explain.”

David smiled.

“He knows about us. It’s all right.

“He does?”

I looked at them both.

“Yeah, I know you two are dating. It’s not a big deal. Nor is it a surprise.”

“I thought Zach should know. He’s my son, and I wanted to be honest with him.” David explained.

“Oh… Of course… Well…”

“I should have told you that he's moving here for the week, it was sort of a last-minute thing.”

“Victor told me you were coming back.” I told Zach.

“I'll mostly be staying at his place, but I brought some stuff here. Things are a little complicated with mom.”

“Sure, I understand. There’s no need to explain.”

There was an awkward silence. 

What was I supposed to do with my erection still bulging in my pants?

It was interesting that being caught had not been an instant boner killer for me.

“I was about to leave anyway. I'm spending the night at Victor's.” Zach finally said.

“You could stay; we have plenty of space here.” David told his son.

“No, it was planned like this, you know that. It’s fine, dad. In fact, it’s quite funny how the tables have turned.”

“How so?”

“Andy caught me and now I’ve caught him.”

“We’re even.” I said, trying to move past the embarrassment and lighten the mood.

I was feeling better now that I realized Zach did not really care.

Also, he was right. I had been on the other side of this scenario with him a couple of times already.

“Exactly. And as long as I don’t have to call you Step-dad or Daddy, I’ll be fine.”

Hearing him say that made me cringe.

“No chance in hell! You don’t have to worry about that.”

Zach grabbed his bag.

“All good then.”

“Zach, call me if there’s anything you need while you’re at Victor’s, okay? Be careful.”

“I’ll be fine, dad. See you on Friday, Andy.”

“Yeah, see you.”

Zach left and I readjusted my pants.

Phew. 

No drama this time around.

“What’s happening on Friday?” David asked once Zach had left.

“Cody and I are throwing a Halloween party at our apartment. He’ll be moving out in a couple of weeks to live with Laurie. I invited Zach and Victor a while ago since I knew Zach would be in town.”

“That’s nice.”

“It’s also my birthday.” I dropped casually. 

“Oh, really? How do I not know that? More importantly, how was I supposed to come up with a present when I had no idea?!”

"I'm turning 25 this Thursday, but…"

“25. Damn. You're young.” 

He bit his lower lip.

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I'm a grown man, just like you. Look, David— I did think about inviting you. I really wanted to, but since Zach would be there, I didn’t think it would be a good idea.”

“I understand. Are you that mad I told Zach about us?”

“No! That’s great. In fact, I did want to own up to this relationship. I don't want it to be a secret. I'm glad he knows.”

“We’re on the same page then.”

“Now that the cat is out of the bag, you should definitely come to the party this Friday. Granted, the apartment is small, and we'll be crammed in there, but it'll be a good time.”

“You’re sure? Are you ready for me to meet all your twenty-something friends?”

“You already know most of them. There won't be that many people: a couple of guys from work, Cody and Laurie, probably Victor and Zach, and Laurie's sister, Lea. I don't want us to just fuck. Granted, it's very enjoyable, but if we're going to be in an actual relationship, you'll have to get along with my friends.”

“I agree, and I’ll be there. I’ll try not to be a creepy, nosy dad with Zach and Victor.”

“You know he’s my ex. Victor, I mean.”

I did not want to let David think for a second that anything might have happened with his son.

“Yeah… Do you think he'll be good to Zach?”

I wrapped my hands around David’s neck.

“He wasn't good to me, but I think he wants to make it work with Zach. In any case, don't worry. Rebecca is already surveilling him.”

David chuckled.

“I bet she is.”

“How did we find ourselves in such a fucked-up dynamic?”

He kissed me.

“It's not that strange. We’re the ones to decide what our new normal should be.”

“You're right. I’m sorry Zach saw me like this.”

“From what I understand, he’s seen worse! He'll get over it. I bet he’ll be laughing his ass off with Victor retelling the story.”

“That’s for sure. I’ll be the butt of all their jokes.”

“Speaking of butts, maybe we could pick up where we left off before you got caught?”

“What do you mean?”

“I liked your outfit. Being naked suits you.” He said, grabbing my ass.

I chuckled.

“Just get down on your knees and suck me off, babe. I need to relax after that much stress.” I told David, being the more dominant one for once.

He liked it.

“Your wish is my command, sir… But if you think I’m not going to fuck your ass deep and hard after I blow your dick, you really don’t know me.” David replied playfully.

“I would expect nothing less.”

*

Three days later, I had my hand buried in Cody’s crotch.

Maybe I should provide some context here.

We were getting ready for the birthday/Halloween party, and Cody had asked me to make some adjustments to his outfit.

I had to cut more fabric off his jeans, which he had already cut with scissors.

After much consideration, he decided he wanted to show even more skin.

“What are you dressing up as already?”

“Zombie. Sexy zombie.” He giggled as my hand passed through his bulge, ripping off more denim.

“Are you going to stay shirtless all night?”

“Why not?" With all the people in the apartment, it’s going to be so hot in here. I just have to add a bit more makeup for the blood and stuff.”

“What is Laurie going to be? A sexy, bloody nurse?”

“I wish! She’s doing a duo costume with Lea. They're referencing a picture from when they went trick-or-treating as kids. They want to recreate it. It's all for the 'gram.”

“What was the costume?”

Cody made a face.

“Freaking Teletubbies.”

I burst out laughing.

“I see…not the sexiest look.”

“And what are you supposed to be, again?” He asked, looking at our reflections in the mirror.

“Isn't it obvious? I’m Ron Weasley!”

“That's cheating since you're already a redhead.”

“It just works. Wait until I put on the sweater with the 'R' on it. It'll be uncanny.”

“I bet it will. I suppose David will play the “magic wand” part tonight?” Cody teased me.

“Not everything has to be sexual!”

“Please! Not with me! I know what your relationship is all about.”

I may have told my roommate about the incredible sex I was having lately.

“Well, that's fair. We have sex a lot. But I'll let you know that it's actually a little more than that. We’re taking it seriously. We’re exclusive, and we want to see if we can make it work. That’s why he’s coming tonight.”

“So, your relationship, it’s for real— like, you’re together?”

It was hard to take Cody seriously when he was rubbing a dark gray cream on his nipples to make himself look more zombie-ish.

“Yes, it might be. Why? Do you think I’m making a mistake? You’re the one who told me to go for it!”

“No, I don't think it's a mistake. You should follow your instincts. I’m always rooting for you, roomie.”

“I mean, I’m aware it’s not going to be easy. Like, because of the age difference, people will question our relationship.”

“How old is he again?”

“He’s 22 years older than me… But like, I’m old now, too! I’m 25!”

Cody smiled.

“That's a lot if you're considering spending your whole life together. But, in the meantime, you still have a lot of years to enjoy.”

“Yeah… In a messed-up way, I think part of me hopes something will go wrong, that I'll see something about him I don't like, and my feelings will just magically fade away before I have time to worry about what a future together would even look like.”

This is the part where I should have reminded myself of the wise words from the Pussycat Dolls: “Be careful what you wish for / ‘Cause you might just get it.”

Cody was much more practical.

“Andy, you’re overthinking again. Enjoy the moment! If one day the age difference becomes a problem, then you can break up with him. The good thing is, you’re on the good side of this situation!”

“That’s dark.”

“I’m just being realistic. Would you help me apply the make-up? I’d like it to look dusty around my abs and lower back.”

He handed me the small container.

“Hands in the air.” I said.

Cody happily obliged, and I spent the next ten minutes applying the colour to his chest and back.

Not the worst job in the world!

It was all for the sake of his costume, of course. Don't go imagining anything else!

“I’ve missed you around the apartment.” Cody said once we were done dressing up. 

“Hey, you're the one leaving in two weeks!”

“I know, but for my last month here, I wish we could have spent more time together.”

That was sweet.

“Yeah, but I’ll be more available soon. I think David and I will try to get into a more reasonable rhythm. Besides, in a week, work will change drastically. We'll be able to see each other much more often. I might even be unemployed.”

“Why?”

“If Rebecca loses.”

“She won't lose. You and Laurie will just switch to working on the actual governor campaign. You might even work more.”

“Maybe next year, but we'll have a couple of months to breathe. Besides, how can you be so sure she’ll win?”

“Laurie works all the time too, so I know about the polls.”

“Yeah. We’re getting more confident about her chances. The dynamic is clearly in our favor.”

“Her favor. Rebecca’s. You’re not running for Governor.”

“True.”

“I have to remind Laurie of that constantly.”

“It’s hard not to get involved.”

“I get it.”

As we talked, the first guests arrived, starting with Laurie and her sister, who came in the yellow and purple Teletubby costumes as planned.

More specifically and for the fans reading, they were impersonating Laa-Laa and Tinky Winky.

I found the costumes hilarious. Even more so once Kendrick and Bradley arrived, as Cody now stood out like a sore thumb, with his overly sexy, barely-there costume.

Bradley Philips had the brilliant idea to dress as Broadhall, and his rendition was spot-on.

He was definitely funnier than I thought he would be when I first met him a year ago.

Kendrick was dressed as a superhero, though not a specific one. From what I could tell, he was a mix of Captain America, Superman, and Batman.

To be fair, I was mostly interested in the bulge that his Lycra suit offered. It was very prominent, and rather explicit.

Yum.

Kendrick was there with his girlfriend, who was in town for the weekend. It was my first time meeting Jenna, and she seemed nice.

Despite being dressed as Cruella de Vil, she was also stunningly beautiful.

They made a really hot couple. Good for them!

Twenty minutes later, Victor and Zach walked in, upping the competition for sexiest costume.

Zach, who clearly did not have time to buy or make a costume, came in his rowing singlet, which was an excellent choice.

He looked so stunning that I suspected Victor must have pushed him to wear it.

Walking behind him, I quickly realized that Victor was looking even more outrageous in his red Speedo.

“I came as a swimmer!” He said, proudly. “It's a couple’s costume, too. As you can see, we’re both big on watersports!”

Victor would never disappoint when it came to being gross. 

It was funny of course, until David came in.

He walked in wearing his usual white shirt and black pants. Not gonna lie, it was definitely awkward and out of place.

I was this close to screaming, “Abort the mission and go home!” when he said to the nine people staring at him: “I'm dressed as David Crown, the disgraced politician. How am I doing?”

Everyone laughed, and I was relieved.

How could I have ever forgotten that, unlike me, David was a master at handling any type of social situation?

He could adapt and fit in with any crowd.

David greeted everyone and did not seem to care about how outrageous Victor and Zach were dressed (or rather undressed), either. 

Quite miraculously, the magic happened.

Since we were so packed into the living room, we had no choice but to talk to everyone. Therefore, the groups quickly mixed, and before I knew it, we were all dancing to a mix of Sabrina Carpenter songs and '80s tunes.

People were buzzed, but not too drunk.

Victor and Zach were handsy, but they did not go overboard.

David and I kissed at some point, and it felt natural.

In fact, by the time the cake was brought in, I was feeling amazing.

Like an idiot, I even got emotional while blowing out the candles and making my wish. 

I kept it simple: I wished to be happy.

I could not find the words to express to my guests exactly why I teared up. 

Exactly a year prior, I had celebrated my birthday alone in my tiny apartment in Fort Smith. I was sad and unemployed, and I did not have a cake, or anyone by my side.

That had been my wake-up call to stop hiding and put myself out there. To try to live for something.

A few days later, I arrived in Philadelphia.

This time around, I was blowing out my birthday candles surrounded by a solid group of friends and a boyfriend I was crazy about.

This year had been one of the most insane and challenging of my life, but it was worth it.

The despair, frustration, anger, and sadness were all worth it to truly experience life.

“Okay, Ron Weasley, enough sobbing. Open your gifts to cheer you and all of us up!” Cody encouraged me.

I thanked them for being there, and I opened my presents.

They were all nice, and very thoughtful, but two gifts in particular warmed my heart.

First, David gave me a leather bag for work.

It may not seem like much, but it was a very thoughtful gesture. I had mentioned once that I wanted one, and he remembered.

Despite the very short delay, he also took the time to personalize it by having my name stitched inside.

David was far too wealthy for my taste, and I appreciated that he did not try to show off or do something outrageous.

Then, Cody gave me the best thing ever.

It was a framed photograph of the two of us from one night when we organized a small party at the Imperio.

We looked great in it, and there was a handwritten note on the back.

It read, “People come and go, roommates stay and leave, but this kind of friendship is forever.”

Along with the photograph, Cody, Laurie, and Lea gave me a pair of gloves, a sweater, and a scarf to "survive the Philly winter".

I loved the gifts, and I loved the people who gave them to me.

Honestly, it was one of the best nights of my life, and to this day, I have fond memories of it.

David did not spend the night. He wanted to take Zach and Victor home, and I wanted to spend more time with Cody.

Laurie also left with her sister, who was about to leave the state for good.

So many changes were coming!

Still, I fell asleep at dawn feeling content and accomplished.

Crazy how it took only a few hours for everything to fall apart.

I did not know it yet, but I was about to learn some news that would drastically change my life and the lives of many of the guests who had been at the party.

As is often the case with major news, I heard it from a reporter.

I was woken up by my phone, and I was surprised to see that it was Adrian calling.

He had sent me a sweet birthday message on Thursday, to which I had responded. But other than that, we had not spoken in a while.

I had no idea if he knew that I was now dating David.

I picked up the phone, still half asleep.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Andy. Am I bothering you?”

I checked the time.

Shit! It was already noon.

“No, I… I had a long night last night. You know, Halloween.”

“And your birthday celebration?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry to call you like this, but I really need to talk to you, and it's urgent. Can I come by your place?”

“Huh, yeah… Sure.” I slowly woke up. “I mean, it's a mess right now. Would you…?”

“Actually, I'm already near your building. Would you mind if I came up?”

I sat up in bed.

This was definitely not normal, and Adrian sounded very serious.

What did he want from me? Was it about our relationship? Was he about to ask me to reconsider the break-up, or worse— confess his love for me?

“Adrian, I have a boyfriend now.” I spontaneously said.

“Andy, that has nothing to do with it. I really hesitated before coming here. Maybe I should go.”

“No, Adrian. Just… Okay, ring the intercom when you can, and I'll open the door for you.”

He hung up, and less than five seconds later, the intercom rang.

What the hell? I thought.

I got out of bed naked, slid into a pair of boxer briefs, and walked into the living room, which looked like a battlefield. 

Drinks were spilled everywhere. There were empty and half-empty bottles of alcohol in the most bizarre places (on the couch, the window sill, the floor). Parts of costumes were lost in the fray, including more denim from Cody, who had practically ended the night naked.

Memories were hazy from 2 a.m. onward.

I went to splash water on my face while Adrian came up to the fourth floor.

I considered waking up Cody because it seemed that serious; I was scared.

Adrian knocked on the door, and I went to answer it. I was hungover and completely out of it.

“Oh… You did party last night.” He said when he saw me.

I looked rough.

“Yeah… Sorry about that. I told you; the place is a mess.”

“That's okay. Andy, I’m sorry in advance for what I’m about to tell you.”

“God, Adrian. You're freaking me out.”

“Let’s sit down.”

“Is that really necessary? Am I going to pass out?”

He let out a sigh. He looked so worried. 

“No, I mean, there’s no easy way to say this. You know I’ve been investigating the shooting at Rebecca’s rally, right?”

“You… you know what happened?”

My heart raced in my chest.

“I know who hired the hitman that was killed by the police. I mean, I have strong evidence.”

“You do?”

Just looking at his face, I knew it was bad news.

Still, I was not ready for what was coming next.

“Well, I just got confirmation of where the money he was paid with was coming from. It took me months to follow that lead.”

“What money? Who was it?”

“David.”

I glitched.

Was I really awake?

“Sorry. What?”

“David Crown. The hitman was paid with money which was retrieved the day before from David’s bank account.”