This chapter is dedicated to 14CaraBane, thank you so much for following me, for the comments and for the votes, and happy Thanksgiving to you too :D

WolfieGirl1997 and LUXURY123 I think you both are going to LOVE this chapter, and I hope you really enjoy it :3 The rest of my wonderful readers will surely enjoy it as well but this two have been particularly pushy, always asking me what will happen next and other stuff, so you two deserve a particular mention as well XD

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my lovely readers! I'm in England right now, so no Thanksgiving here, and I'm from a country in which Thanksgiving isn't celebrated either, so yeah... But I do know how important it is for some people :3 So yeah, I hope you have or had a nice evening and meal! ^^

As a Thanksgiving gift (not really you all just had a LOT of luck) I'm posting this chapter for all of you :3 I'm fighting the slow internet connection right now, so do be grateful that I updated this because I was planning on updating when I got back to my country on December the 3rd...

Two chapters left you guys! :D Just two more weeks and this story will be finished! I'll tell you more about what will happen then later ;3 I do love being mysterious and keeping you all wondering x3

Let me know what you think!

Hope you enjoy,

-> Desyre

Oliver

                This had to be the shittiest day in my live, yet. The day the torturing in school started taken in to account, mind you. The hours stuck in traffic, running to get to the restaurant where I thought Sal and I would be able to talk, and the asshole flirting with Sal when I was right there were clearly not enough. There was also the ridiculous receptionist and hotel manager. If you asked me I would say they watched too much TV. I had to call both my parents and Sal's to get the woman to believe that Sal was really my boyfriend. She thought I had Sal there against his will or something.

                I took that chance to tell Ash and Mina to expect Sal a day later than I said. I also explained that my mom had booked four days instead of three. Ash told me to stay at the hotel all by myself that extra day and I laughed. I told her she was really funny and that a woman wanted to talk to her. There was a few minutes when Ash thought it would be hilarious to lie and say she hadn't seen Sal in days. Finally when the receptionist started freaking out she said she was kidding. She also said that I was really her son's boyfriend, but that she would break us up soon. I think the receptionist let me go because she took pity on me, for having such a monster-in-law.

                So after what felt like ages, I went up to the room I was sharing with Sal. I thought that finally we would talk and fix this thing between us. I thought I would apologize properly to him. When I went through the door, though, Sal was passed out on the bed. I watched him sleep for a few minutes. I just stood there watching the way his chest rose and fell with the rhythm of his breathing. I decided I seriously didn't have the heart to wake him up and went to take a bath. I filled the bathtub with warm water and got in. I just leaned my head back and closed my eyes, and stayed there for a while before grabbing the soap and washing myself. When I felt like I had worked all the stress of the day out of my body I came out.

                I got out and watched the water go down the drain while I dried myself. I stepped out of the bathroom, going to my suitcase to change into a pair of sweats. I changed and looked back at Sal who looked dead to the world. I smiled a little when I remembered the last time I had watched him sleep. I sighed and went to the window, opening it. I felt the breeze blow in and smiled again. It was rare when we had a fresh night in the city. I stared at all the lights and the people walking around and thought about my parents. I let more memories play through my head and they mixed with the present ones. I remembered things about my new parents, my new friends, and about Sal.

                Without noticing I started humming Listening to the Silence, remembering the day we worked with it. I started singing to the song, thinking about all the memories I had with Sal. I thought about all that I had gone through in this past ten years. I thought that definitely the cherry on top was Sal. In a good sense. He was like my closure, my end to this chapter of my live, the little silver lining in the eternal winter that had been my life. I started crying, I really couldn't help it, thinking about how much I missed and loved Sal.

                He was right there sleeping on the bed and yet I felt like I hadn't seen him in years. I missed always touching him, kissing him, keeping him in my arms. I missed the love filled silences, the cheesy happy moments we had. I missed his touch on my skin. I just wanted us to be back to normal, to end this and get the Sal I knew and loved back. I didn't like this quiet, mousy, always-scared-to-speak Sal. I just wanted everything to go back to how it was.

                I suddenly felt a hand wrap around my shoulder and I gasped, startled out of my thoughts. I turned to see Sal standing there looking at me with one of his warm smiles. I saw my vision get blurry when a new wave of tears hit me. Sal gently wiped my eyes until I was able to see him clearly. He looked into my eyes for a few seconds before he moved his hands to the front.

"I love you, Ollie, more than you could ever know. I don't know what you know about what happened on Saturday, but I'll tell you it was all a misunderstanding and I'm the one that's sorry. I didn't look for you, I didn't call or texted, or anything, and it was all because I was so scared of what you would tell me. But let's just forget about that alright? Let's just go back to how we were, and skip the whole awkward reconciliation thing, because come on, that's not us. We're touching and kissing and being together every single second of every single hour of every single day, and it's scorching and passionate and desperate and calm, all at the same time. Let's just go back to that, please, I miss that with all my heart, and I don't think I can't stand this uncertainty any longer."

                I thought that could've kissed him, and I actually did kiss him later. I just grabbed him and pulled him right into my arms. I crushed him against my chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I finally pulled a little away to latch onto his lips and kiss him, trying to tell him everything I couldn't say right now. I pushed in all of my feelings, all my love for him, how much I missed him, and everything, into that kiss. Our lips moved in slow sensual synch as our hands moved slowly, feeling skin over clothes.

                I bit his lip gently asking for entrance and he granted it without hesitance. I bit his lower lip, sucking it slowly and playing with his snakebites. I pushed my tongue into his mouth and things started to get heated. We were scrambling to feel skin, and body heat, and our teeth clicked as our tongues danced together. But I knew I wanted to tell him something before things went any further. In a show self-control, I pulled back a little and looked at Sal for a few moments. We were panting and winded like we had been running for the past hour. When I managed to catch my breath I kissed Sal's lips gently and pulled away.

"I love you with all my heart, Sal," I said looking right into his eyes, searching them.

                I really loved his blue eyes, they were really the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. Sal stared at me too, looking right into my eyes, and he gave me one of his devilish smiles. He turned around and got out of all his clothes and sprawled on the bed, giving me a good view of his long firm body.

"I know."

                I snorted at the cocky comment and he chuckled a little. Then he curved his finger at me, telling me to come to the bed with him. I got rid of the sweats and climbed over him. I hovered for a few seconds before I leaned down to place a small gentle kiss on his lips. I wanted to start this slow again and build it up from there. He placed his hands on my cheeks to keep me right there and moved his lips against mine. I took my time just tasting his lips and learning the shape of them with my tongue. He started getting a little frantic and bit my lower lip asking to move this kiss to the next level.

                I granted entrance but forced his tongue to move with mine in sensual slowness, building the heat up slowly. He took it, kissing me with all he had but I could tell that he wanted nothing more than to return to the scorching kiss from before. His hands moved to my neck, feeling my corded muscles and further down. He caressed my back lingering on every muscle, nook, and cranny. I pulled back and kissed my way down to his throat. There I bit and sucked, placing an open kiss and pulling up a hickey. I worked that spot until Sal moaned and I smirked, before continuing down.

                I kissed my way to his chest and spent a long time just tasting him, placing open sucking kisses everywhere I could. I found a nipple and I don't think any candy could've tasted better. I sucked and bit it, driving Sal right out of his mind. I gave the same treatment to the other nipple and moved on downward. I continued placing open, sucking kisses as I made my way down his flat, washboard navel. Slowly but surely I got to Sal's hardness, and I felt my heart jump when I noticed what I was about to do.

                I looked up at Sal and saw he was panting and his eyes were heavy-lidded as he looked at me. He looked so aroused and beautiful like this. I felt myself twitch at the sensual view. I leaned down and licked him, only wanting to taste him. After that I couldn't stop myself. I took him into my mouth as deep as I was confident with and drove him right the fuck out of his mind, if his moans and the way he writhed under me were any indicator. I kept what I was doing, moving my tongue around him and rubbing it where I knew it felt good.

                Sal screamed something and his warmness spilled into my mouth and went down my throat. I swallowed it without thinking really but when I noticed what I was doing and took my time to dwell on his taste. It was sweet but a little bitter at the same time. Definitely like Sal. I licked him clean and then let him slip from my mouth. Sal looked like he was about to pass out, his chest rising and falling quickly as he tried to catch his breath. I pushed close to him and Sal burrowed into me, like he always did. I was a weird habit considering he was taller than me and I would’ve easily cuddled into his chest.

                I settled down definitely prepared to finally go to sleep until I felt Sal's hand wrap around me. I moaned and my hips bucked, pushing myself into Sal's hand. Sal pressed closer to me placing open kisses on my neck and pulling up hickeys. He moved his hand at the same time I bucked into it and soon I reached the edge and went right over it. I moaned and bucked as I spilled into his hand and Sal kept pulling up more hickeys. When I finally got down from my high I felt Sal cuddle into my chest and his breathing started evening out. I fell asleep while listening to him breathe. I don’t think I had ever slept better.

                I woke up early the next morning and Sal was still asleep, his back pressed against my chest. I pulled him tighter into my body and pressed myself against him. I breathed him in and took my time to feel his body as much as I wanted. I felt his chest, his nipples, his washboard navel, his prominent hipbones and his legs. I could feel my body reacting to the closeness but to be sincere I don’t think could’ve cared less about it. I continued like that, pressed against Sal and feeling his body, for a long time. I was fixing to fall asleep again when I felt Sal stir in my arms and he pushed his ass against me. I moaned and Sal pressed even more into me. I knew what he wanted so I kissed the back of his neck and got up to go to my suitcase. I opened the little pocket in the front and grabbed a small tube of lube and the brown paper bag my mom had given me before.

                I felt my anger and my embarrassment flare again and did my best to calm down. My mom had been very insistent and very nosy about my and Sal's love life yesterday. She told me that she knew we weren't just kids anymore and that with four days just to ourselves we had to be safe and responsible. She said she wanted to make sure we were and that that was why she had bought the box of condoms. She practically forced the thing on me and I had no choice but to bring it with me. I wasn't about to tell her that I had brought my own box of condoms and lube, so I took it and left. Now the memory was only embarrassing but I still felt angry that when I got home she would probably inquire about it. I got up and went over to the bed and noticed Sal was looking at the little paper bag before raising an eyebrow at me.

"My mom," I said and I was pretty sure my cheeks were the color of tomatoes.

                Sal started laughing really hard and I felt my embarrassment multiply times a hundred. All the heat and whatever we had going before got flushed down the drain when Sal started laughing. I left the stuff on the bed and made my way to the bathroom, wanting to just get away from this embarrassing situation. I wanted to be alone all by myself so I could regroup, gather strength, and plan my next attack. When I got to the bathroom door, a pair of arms wrapped around me. Sal's body pressed close to mine. I stopped and Sal came to stand in front of me.

"Don't be mad, I just thought it was funny because I now understood your bad mood when we left. I thought it had something to do with me when you came out of your house throwing things around. I thought for sure that you were annoyed that I was coming or that you were still angry about that stupid misunderstanding or something. I was really scared for a second there until I saw your eyes change color again when you saw me."

                I stared confused at him.

"Sal, you have to know that I would never be angry at you and not tell you. If it was you I was angry at I would've told you. Maybe it would've taken me a while to gather the courage but I definitely would’ve done it. And about the misunderstanding, I'm really sorry about that. The guys explained it all to me and I'm really sorry for what I did. For assuming the worse and not staying to fight for you or ask you what had happened. I'm also very sorry for punching Kevin. I know he’s your friend and I bet seeing someone almost break his nose wasn't all that pleasant," I said feeling the guiltiness from before come back in full force.

"I know, you already said you were sorry, right before we left, and I don't hold it against you, I already forgave you, if there was even something to forgive."

                I felt my eyes fill and I smiled at Sal. Of course he understood what I really wanted to say when I said I was sorry.

"I didn't think you had understood that," I said simply feeling warmth fill my chest.

"Of course I understood, I understand what you’re saying without you talking, if you talk it should be even easier."

                I grabbed Sal and pressed him close to me, wrapping my arms around him and hugging him tightly to me. I felt my heart swell in my chest and tears spill down cheeks. We stood there for a long time until I pulled back and leaned down to place a small, gentle kiss on his lips. Sal pulled me down to him when I went to pull away, like he always did, and pulled me down to a more heated kiss. Our lips moved together slowly and he let the heat built until he knew I wanted more and pulled back. He gave me a devilish smirk and turned back around opening the door to the bathroom. It was then that I noticed the bruises on his legs. I felt my heart ache at the thought that I hadn’t been there. I hadn’t been there for him. They didn’t seem to hurt anymore but the bruises where still there.

                He looked over his shoulder and lingered, looking into my eyes with his heated, bedroom look for a few seconds before going in. I immediately forgot all about bruises and anything else but Sal himself. I scrambled to get the lube and condoms from the bed before hurrying into the bathroom after him. Sal was already warming the water of the bathtub when I came in. He was leaned over the bathtub giving me a good view and when he heard the door open he looked over his shoulder at me and smiled his devilish smile again. I gulped and closed the door of the bathroom after me.

                A few hours later Sal and I stepped out of the bathroom. We were decidedly cleaner than we had ever been and had a box of condoms that wasn't new anymore. We dressed quickly because we had already lost a big part of the morning. We went down to eat breakfast before leaving the hotel. Sal had no idea where we were going but he didn't seem to mind that, he just liked spending time with me. The first stop was my family's lawyer. We spent a long time talking about what I'd inherited and what I wanted to do with it. We went with him to my old house and I felt the memories come forward again.

                Sal was there, holding my hand through it all, as I made and voiced the hardest decision I'd ever made. I only kept a few things from my old house, some photographs, an old tableware my mom had inherited from my grandma, and some things from my old room, among other things. The rest I decided to sell. I felt my heart break a little when I realized that I couldn't possibly keep everything with me. Sal was my rock right until the end and I felt myself falling even more in love with him.

                Next after that we took a little walk around my old neighborhood, and that meant another walk down memory lane. I told and showed Sal all about my childhood and where I grew up. I showed him my old school and my old music school, the little park near my house, my friends' houses, and all that. After that we went to my parents' graves and weirdly enough the waterworks and uneasiness finished. I guided him through the cemetery, towards my parents' graves, our hands linked. We walked past tombs and graves of other people that had died and been buried there. It was weird knowing that just a few feet away from you were other people you didn't know and had died. Even weirder was knowing that beside the people I loved laid other people I didn't know. Finally we got to their graves and both Sal and I stood there for a few seconds just staring.

"Mom, dad, I present you my boyfriend, Salvador Dower. And Sal, these are Olivia and Alexander Yates, my parents," I said turning to give Sal a small smile.

                Sal chuckled and bowed as if he was really meeting someone.

"I never really got the chance to tell you but I'm gay, as you could've noticed since I have a boyfriend. I've known him for four months and we've been together for about two of those. He's really the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me, and he's an amazing person," I said smiling at Sal.

                Sal gave me a warm smile and pulled me down into a small kiss. I sighed contentedly when he pulled away and we sat down on the grass in front of my parents' graves. I grabbed Sal’s hand as I started telling him the story of how my parents died and how I stopped talking. We talked for a long time with my parents, telling them the story of how we met and everything that had happened to me this year. Around January the Andels adopted me and it was May now, fresh and cloudy instead of rainy like it had been all those years ago. We stayed there enjoying the fresh breeze when we ran out of things to say, but it was alright.

                Sadly, as timeless as that little spot on the grass in front of my parents’ graves felt, time did pass, and we had to go back to the city. We got up then and made our way back to where I had parked the car. We drove back to the city and parked back at the hotel only to go out again. Sal gave me a weird look and I just smiled at him. Next on the list was my life after my parents died and that was in the city, properly talking.

                First we stopped at my old orphanage. I stopped there to talk to Mrs. Croxton and thank her for everything, to tell her that I was finally happy. She was really surprised when she saw me there with Sal, and even more when I was the one that talked and translated for Sal. She said she was glad that I was talking now and even better, was finally happy. We talked to her for a while and left with her regards to my parents. After that it was my public school were I studied before I moved in with the Andels. I showed him what little I did there, and then took my time to walk around and discover the things I never bothered to discover before. When we went back to the hotel it was late, but that was alright too. We had spent most of the day reminiscing, and surprisingly sharing my memories with Sal made me feel that much better.

                Once in the hotel I called my parents, telling them everything I'd done today and the few little things that were going to be coming back to the house with me. They told me that I should’ve kept more things and that I didn't have to sell them, but I explained that it was alright. I told them I had kept the things that really mattered to me and the things I needed. I called Sal’s parents then, functioning as a sort of messenger for Sal, which Ash loved very much. She said that she expected Sal back before noon tomorrow and I told her again that she was really funny. I had learned somehow to deal with Ash's attitude towards me, because, like I said before, I had a feeling it wasn’t me she hated but the idea of a boyfriend. I told them good night and said that I'd be calling tomorrow again.

                Sal and I undressed and got into bed without any heated glances or getting handsy. We just wanted to cuddle and snuggle and know that we had each other. I thought that after listening to how easily you could lose someone you loved, Sal was more than a little scared. But he held it together throughout the day just for me, to give me strength when he knew I needed it. It was my time now to give him strength as the knowledge of the day finally took its toll on him. I held him as he cried and tried to sign things at the same time he wiped his nose and tears.

                I understood the general message that he was really sorry that I had to go through this. That he was proud of me for coming this far. That he really did love my voice and that I should never hide it again. I understood too that he wasn't really someone to talk about hiding because all these years he'd been hiding the fact that he couldn't talk. I told him I didn't hold it against him and that in the end he did show people who he really was and started to live for himself.

                All in all it was a really emotional day for the both of us, and it ended with more waterworks and tight throats. In the morning I was glad that we had the day to rest because I had a splitting headache from all the crying and Sal wasn't any better than me. We slept in a tangle until around noon when our stomachs growled. We both laughed at that and agreed that we had to get up to eat. We took a long shower together before dressing and going down to the lobby to have lunch. After eating we took the time we hadn't had before and explored the hotel discovering it had a lot of things that we could occupy ourselves with during this day, the first of which was a huge pool.

                We went up again to get changed and made our way back down to the pool. Sal ran and made a very artistic dive into the water before resurfacing around the middle of the pool and breaking out in a very graceful butterfly stroke. Who would've known Sal was a swimmer? I got into the pool and did the best doggy stroke I knew. I was an idiot with swimming. I never learned when I was small and afterwards there was never a chance. Sal pulled up next to me and stared at me with an arched eyebrow.

"I never learned to swim. I'm a prodigy with music, not a swimmer," I said giving him the evil eye.

                Sal started laughing really hard swimming backwards next to me, while I continued my doggy stroke. I ignored him until suddenly I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. Sal pulled me over to the edge of the pool and placed my hands on it. He went to my side and made sure I was watching him. He placed his hands on the edge of the pool too and took a deep breath before pushing out and stretching his body. He stayed like that for about a minute or so and I got the message that he wanted me to see and learn the position. When he pulled up again he looked at me expectantly and I did my best imitation. I felt his hands move over my body, correcting things, and couldn't help the throb of desire that went through me. When I ran out of air I pulled back up and Sal took deep breaths, telling me silently to do the same.

"Take a deep breath and do it again."

                I did as he told me and took a deep breath before I stretched my body again. I felt him move in the water and suddenly his hands were on my legs moving one up while he moved the other downward and alternating. I continued the movement when Sal let go of me only to have him grab my legs again. He put his hands on the knee of one leg, letting it bend only a little while still doing the up and down movement. Alright no bending too much the legs, I could do that. I pulled up again and let go of the breath I had been holding.

                Sal gave me a look that told me I was missing something. He took a deep breath and did what I had been doing. I watched as he moved his legs not kicking too much or pulling up a lot of water and not bending them too much. I thought I had it all figured out until I noticed the way Sal breathed. He moved his head to the side slightly, took air, released it slowly under the water, the air bubbles coming up around his head, and then he took another breath. Alright, not holding but releasing and taking again. Sal pulled up again and looked at me expectantly.

                I went into the water again doing my best to imitate the way Sal's legs moved and making myself take a breath, release it and take another. Sal put his hands on my legs again correcting some things but then let me go and left me there kicking by myself. He watched me for a long while until finally I felt his hand on my back and pulled up. He gave me one of his lazy smiles and I knew that he was pretty happy with my learning.

                I smiled at him and he pulled me down into a short kiss before letting me go and pushing away from me. He kept his hands together and his arms stretched in front of him and kicked, moving his head to the side occasionally to take air. I pushed off the wall and did my best to do what he was doing. I kept on kicking blindly, not knowing where I was going until I felt his hand on my back again. I pulled out of the water and saw that I had made a beeline towards the shallow part of the pool. Sal smiled at me and gave me another kiss before continuing with the lesson.

                Next up was the arm movement, which looked simple enough while Sal was showing me how to do it and stopping to explain things.

"The actual movement and impulse you get is when you're moving your arm under the water, not above the water." Sal did the arm movement above the water for me to get what he was saying. “At the end of the semicircle you move your hand like I showed you and then bring it above the water and pull it up to the front again. After that arm is done your other arm is supposed to have already started to move. When you bring the arm to the side of your body to pull it out of the water and to the front again your other arm starts to move so that when your other arm is underwater you have an arm in the front. And you do the same with the other arm and so on, like this."

                Sal then made the movement fluidly not stopping and I thought I understood it right until I tried it myself. Sal flicked my head and asked me if I had been listening to him at all when he talked. He pressed to my back and moved my arms himself showing me how it was supposed to be done but I could only concentrate on the feeling of his body pressed against mine. I tried it again on my own after Sal showed me how it was supposed to be done and he looked happier with my front crawl. After that he said I was ready to try it all together.

                He showed me then that you move your head to the side and take air when the arm pulls up and out of the water, which is supposed to be the recovery time. He told me to breathe every eight strokes, counting them individually, and told me to try swimming. I tried it and felt like I was making a fool out of myself. I felt Sal's hand on the small of my back again and when I pulled up I noticed that we were on the other edge of the pool and that Sal was right there with me. He gave me the warm smile that I loved so much and pushed close into my arms. He pulled me down into another kiss and this time I didn't let him pull back instead moving my lips against his until we were moving together. I pulled back after a while and Sal gave me a devilish smile.

                I chuckled and shook my head at him. No, we weren't going to spend the whole day just having sex, as much as I wanted to. Sal scowled at me and pouted and I chuckled again and leaned down to bite and play with his lower lip. When I pulled away again Sal seemed to be in a better mood. I knew the battle wasn't over though and that I'd be hearing more when we got back to our room. The rest of the while we spent in the pool we just floated around and played. When we had enough of the pool we got out and went to the changing rooms to shower and get the chlorine smell off of us. Sal tried to tempt me again, and this time it was a little easier to refuse. I was not doing that in a public place.

"So let's go back to our room then." Sal gave me one of his devilish smiles, hoping to convince me.

"Sal," I said, I had to admit, a little long-sufferingly. "I don't wanna spend the day holed up in our room. I wanna have fun with you and enjoy all the things the hotel has, not just the beds and the bathroom."

                Sal glared at me and sat down on a bench, giving me the cold shoulder. I sighed and tried to work this out in my mind. How could I get Sal to cooperate? What could we…? Oh.

"You know, beside the pool I saw a bar and a few tables of pool. Do you know how to play?" I asked thinking the idea had some merit, and guaranteed fun for both of us either way.

                Sal eyed me suspiciously but nodded. I tried my best to hide my smile. This would be interesting.

"How about we make a bet?" I said.

                Sal cocked his head to the side and thought about it for a few seconds.

"What kind of bet?"

"We'll play a few games of pool and see who wins. If you win we go back to the room, if I win we stay and continue exploring the hotel. How does it sound?"

                Sal thought about it for little and then his devilish smile appeared again.

"Alright, we'll play solids and stripes, but for each game won the loser has to drink a shot of straight vodka. We'll play the best of five."

                I again tried my best to hide my smile and acted all innocent. I felt a little bad really for tricking Sal like this. I had been aiming for this all along after all.

"But you're seventeen," I said innocently.

"So? You buy the shots, they'll give it to you. What you do with it whether drink it or give it to someone is none of their business. Plus, I don't plan to be drinking all that much and I have my fake ID with me."

                Sal's smile turned that much more devilish and I felt excitement course through my body. This would be really interesting.

"So? What are you waiting for? Let's go." Sal got up and pulled me after him.

                I let him drag me out of the changing rooms and towards the bar I had seen earlier. It was then that I noticed really how late it had gotten. I was almost evening now. I wondered silently how much time we had spent on the pool, but I suspected it had more to do with the time we didn’t spend on the pool. When we got to the bar there were a few people there already and I felt a little awkward standing there in just my jeans and a shirt. Sal acted all normal and dragged us over to a free pool table. We got a few looks and snorts from the people who were already there and I felt myself starting to panic a little. Sal took a deep breath and gave me a smile.

"Go ask the bartender for the rack and the cue ball, and buy the five shots, I'll set up around here." Sal got moving then checking the pockets, thoroughly ignoring the stares of the people around us.

"The shots? Why buy them already?" I asked, not understanding.

"We'll line them up on the side and I'll enjoy watching you down them one by one," Sal said giving me one of his devilish smiles and his fake ID.

                I rolled my eyes and snorted. Right. I was going to enjoy watching him drink them. I turned and looked around the room for a few seconds. No one was meeting my eyes, they all just scowled at their drinks and tables. Oh. Not snorting anymore? I took a deep breath and made my way to the bar. I paid for an hour and bought the five shots. The bartender asked me, of course, for my ID and I showed it to him. He eyed it for about a minute, probably checking to see if it was fake or something. Finally he gave it back to me and gave me what I asked for.

"How about your friend, how old is he?" He asked me eyeing Sal from around me.

"Eighteen," I said placing Sal's fake ID on the counter.

                The bartender gave me the evil eye. He checked the ID and gave it back to me. I went to take the little tray with the shots but he held on to it.

"He doesn't look like he’s eighteen," he said simply.

                I eyed him for a little, wondering what the fuck he wanted.

"What do you want?" I asked finally.

                He looked around the bar and I did the same. Some people were real shits, I tell you. They were all thoroughly ignoring us now. Nobody wanted to be involved in this kind of thing.

"Just stay out of trouble," he said at the same time he signaled the sum with his hands, well hidden behind the counter, mind you.

                I sighed and gave him what he asked for. He let me go after that and I made my way back to the table. Sal was waiting there for me with two cues, and the balls on the table waiting to be racked.

"What took you so long?" Sal took the rack from my hands and arranged the balls.

"Nothing," I said simply, placing the cue ball on the table.

                Sal eyed me while he placed the eight ball in the center and placed balls with different suits on each corner. I just shook my head and I think Sal understood what had happened without having to ask. It was something common around here, taking advantage of people like us, young and stupid. You saw it a little less a few years ago but now it was a common thing. I put the shots on the side on a small table to the side. I didn’t want the shots to topple over and ruin the pool table.

"So who breaks?" Sal moved the balls to the foot spot and took out the rack.

"You do it," I said.

                Sal eyed me for a moment and then his devilish smile appeared again.

"No, you do it because it wouldn't be fair, after all, if I didn't give you an honest chance to get the upper hand in the game."

                I chuckled and rolled my eyes taking the cue ball from Sal's hand. I placed it on the table planning to hit the first hard and spread the balls out. I leaned down and positioned my cue, about to hit the ball when I heard a snort. I turned and saw Sal barely holding his laugh in.

"Yes?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

"No, nothing, really, don't mind me, I'm just thinking that I'm going to get you drunk off your ass pretty soon."

"You don't know that, but if you don't let me break then you're never going to find out," I said smiling at him.

                The funny thing was that he really thought he had me in his trap already. I felt a little bad again when I remembered he had fallen into my trap.

"Alright, alright, break already so I can get you drunk and have my wicked way with you." Sal eyed me from head to toe and gave me one of his devilish smiles. "This is going to be fun."

                Oh, he really had no idea just how much fun. I leaned down again and hit the cue ball hard. It went in a straight line to the first ball and when it hit, all the balls spread out. I watched them move and spread out on the table. The fifteen went into the pocket and I smiled. Guess I was going to be stripes then. I eyed the table thinking about which one was easier to pocket. I finally decided on the twelve and leaned down. I hit the cue ball and when it hit the twelve it went straight into the pocket. I went after the fourteen and then the eleven. I was planning to pocket the ten when I felt someone pinch my ass, I jerked and hit the ball from the wrong angle making it spiral in the other direction. It knocked a few balls aside and then stopped. I got up and turned around to find Sal looking very innocent next to me.

"What?"

"That's cheating, you know?" I said with mock anger.

"Really? That's cheating? And the fact that you didn't tell you were a pro at this doesn't count as cheating too?"

                Oh. My trap was discovered. I chuckled and gave him my best innocent look.

"You never asked," I said playing dumb.

"Yeah, yeah, move, it's my turn now."

                Sal pushed me out of the way and leaned down. I watched as he pocketed the two ball, and smiled. This was really going to be interesting. I let him aim for the five and leaned down to blow into his ear. He jerked and the ball hit the cushion beside the pocket instead of going in. Sal turned to glare at me and I gave him one of my most radiant smiles. Eye for an eye, now let's see if he takes the bait and we move to tooth for tooth.

"I think it's my turn now," I said pointing at the table.

                Sal eyed me suspiciously but moved out of the way. I went to the table and aimed for the thirteen planning to make it hit the cushion on the other side and then go in a straight line into the pocket. Right as I was about to hit I felt a hand on my ribs tickling me. I moved the cue aside and laughed, good thing I had been expecting it or I would've jerked.

"I don't think tickling is allowed in pool," I said, looking over my shoulder at Sal.

"Oh, I'm tickling you? Sorry, you just had something in your shirt. Go on." Sal smiled one of his lazy smiles and moved away.

                I went to aim again and right when I was going to hit the ball, Sal sneezed next to me. I jerked this time but luckily the cue didn't hit the ball. I turned over my shoulder and glared at Sal. He gave me an innocent look.

"Sorry, I think maybe I caught a cold or something."

                We went on like that until the game ended, Sal fighting me and trying to make me miss my aims with every ball and me doing the same. Finally, since I had quite a head start, I won the game, I sighed in relief when I saw the eight ball go into the pocket and turned to smile at Sal.

"I think I won," I said eyeing the five shots of vodka.

                Sal glared at me but sighed and looked defeated.

"Fine, fine, let's get this over and done with."

                Sal took a shot and downed it in a few seconds. Good thing was the shot glasses were pretty tall here and this would be over soon, by the looks of things. Sal shivered a little and he's cheeks turned red. He pressed his eyes shut tightly and then opened them to look at me.

"Rack the balls and break already, I'm dying to kick your ass."

                I eyed him for a little and then moved on to do as he told me to. Maybe this wasn't going to be over so soon? I broke and the second game started. I didn't have as much luck or as much concentration because Sal had moved on from trying to scare me to trying to distract me. He moved to the other side of the table right in front of me and gave me devilish smiles and heated looks. He even leaned down, his ass facing me, of course, to pick up the chalk from where some other guy in the next table had dropped it. I watched him give the guy one of his lazy smiles and felt the jealousy simmer in my belly. I didn't play fair either but the second game ended and Sal was the winner.

"I think I won." Sal eyed the row of shots and gave me devilish smile.

                I chuckled.

"I think I've heard that before somewhere," I said eyeing Sal.

"Really? I don't know where, how about you drink the shot already instead of playing dumb and trying to distract me?"

                I chuckled again but picked up the glass. I eyed it and took a deep breath. I brought the shot to my lips and downed it as quickly as I could. I felt it burn its way down my throat and then reach my empty belly were it continued burning. That’s when I thought belatedly that we hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. I felt my eyes get a little teary but, luckily for me, the tears didn't escape. Sal eyed me with another devilish smile.

"Not so good when it's you drinking it, huh?"

                I glared at Sal and pushed the cue into his hands.

"Rack the balls and break already, I'm dying to kick your ass."

"I think I've heard that before somewhere." Sal chuckled and grabbed the cue.

"Really? I don't know where. How about you start the game already?"

                Sal laughed but racked the balls and started the third game. During this game I had a new strategy to make Sal lose. I moved on to talking about things that would interest Sal, under other circumstances. I told him how much I loved his ass, and how tight he was and stuff like that. Of course, to add effect, I whispered it into his ear or said it so that only he could hear it. Sal was red as a tomato by the time the game ended and decidedly hiding behind the table. He didn't play fair either but in the end, I won and he lost. I looked at Sal and he sighed but grabbed the third shot and downed it quickly. He swayed a little this time, the alcohol on empty bellies clearly taking its toll on him. I grabbed him instinctively and he batted my hand away, opening his eyes and glaring at me or trying to.

"Go on, rack the balls and break. I'm just fine, you'll see when I kick your ass in this game."

                Sincerely Sal didn't look like he could kick anything, he was swaying a little but other than that he was just fine. I thought in a few moments the alcohol would make effect, and he would start slurring his words. Nonetheless, I did as he told me to and started the fourth game of the night. By the time that game ended I discovered Sal was clearly a light weight. He had been swaying throughout all the game and his cue always hit the ball from the wrong angles, making his balls spiral in the other direction and hit the cushions, missing the pockets by a lot. He didn't even fight when he lost the game. As soon as I pocketed the eight ball he grabbed the shot and drank it quickly, shaking his head and pressing his eyes shut. He opened his eyes again and his cheeks were even redder. He swallowed a few times like he was going to talk and I chimed in quickly. I was feeling very guilty about doing this to him.

"How about we leave it here? You already lost three games Sal, there's no way you can win."

"What, are you afraid? Are you scared of losing? Yeah I can't win but I can make you drink that fifth shot, is that what you're scared of?"

                I was a little surprised by the clarity and the coordination of his hands, considering the state he was in.

"No Sal, that's not it. It's just that..." I started to say eyeing him warily in case he leaned too much to one side.

"If that's not it then what are you waiting for? Break already, would you? The deal were five games, and we're going to play five games."

"But..."

                Sal grabbed the rack out of my hands and moved to rack the balls himself.

“What are you doing?"

"Brushing my teeth.”Sal turned to look at me with a serious face.“What does it look like I'm doing? I'm breaking for you since you're too much of a pussy to break yourself." Sal turned back to the table and finished arranging the balls taking off the rack.

                I sighed and watched Sal take aim and break, the balls spreading out around the table, surprisingly enough. I thought Sal wouldn’t have the coordination to spread the balls out that much. I thought they would stay close and it would be foul. The three went into the pocket and Sal went on pocketing the five and then the one. He seemed to have a new determination to win, and I decided to play fair for the first time. Finally the four hit the cushion instead of going in and Sal moved to the side to let me play.

                The game went on like that, both of us silently planning our moves and concentrating, and Sal had the upper hand right until the end. In the end he seemed like he couldn’t really concentrate and I ended up winning. I was about to tell Sal that we could forget the fifth shot when he picked it up and downed it like it was nothing. I watched him place it back down and when he opened his eyes he gave me the most heated look I’ve ever seen on his face. I felt white-hot pleasure shoot down my body and settle on my crotch.

                Sal made his way slowly towards me and I swallowed loudly. Just what had I gotten myself into? He grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together before tugging it and leading me out of the bar. The bartender eyed us for a little but went back to his business when he saw we were leaving. I had gone to pay for more time when the hour ran out, so he was keeping the extra along with the money he had asked for earlier. He really couldn't complain. Sal dragged me back to our room and locked the door behind himself. He pushed me into the bed and climbed over me. Once there he started to slowly take off his clothes, making a show of it, just for me. It was really tempting but I couldn’t take advantage of him when he was drunk.

"Sal. Sal, baby. We're sweaty and smelling of alcohol and cigarettes and chlorine from the pool. Why don't we take a shower first, hmm?" I said as I grabbed his hands to stop him from undoing his broad shorts.

                Sal looked a little bummed at first but then he smiled devilishly and nodded. He got off of me and continued stripping as he made his way to the bathroom. Once he reached the door he turned his head to give me a heated look and continued into the bathroom. I was definitely in for a tough night if Sal kept giving me those aroused looks that didn't help my self-control at all. I stripped and went into the bathroom, only to find Sal practically asleep in the shower. I stepped into the shower with him and he jumped a little before he realized it was me. He smiled then and pressed close to me, cuddling into my arms. We stayed like that for a few moments before I gently started washing him. When we were done Sal looked about ready to fall asleep on his feet.

                I dried him slowly when we stepped out and then walked him to the bed. I laid him down on it and dried myself quickly, wanting nothing more than to get into the bed with him. I threw the towel in the general direction of the bathroom and got into the bed. Sal moved almost as soon as I was in the bed, cuddling into my arms. He stayed still for a few moments before he started placing kisses along my chest. I pulled him up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, wanting him to stay still so he could fall asleep and rest. He kept me there, deepening the kiss, and I really couldn't do much to refuse him. I found myself kissing him back and my hands already wandering before I even realized it. I pulled away then and Sal followed me, not wanting the kiss to end.

"Sal, you're drunk off your ass. Just go to sleep alright? We have to wake up early tomorrow," I whispered gently.

                Sal looked a little confused, and I had to do my best to hold my laugh in because he looked really cute.

"I'm not drunk off my ass, I'm just a little tipsy."

                Or at least that’s what I think he wanted to say. By this moment his hand coordination was shit and it was hard to understand what he was saying.

"Sal, believe me, you're drunk."

"Am not."

                God. We could spend all night in this silly discussion. I had to get him to sleep. Right then I got a good idea.

"How about we make another bet then?"

                Sal tilted his head, like he was thinking about it.

"What kind of bet?"

"We wait for five minutes, cuddling and just being together, if you're not asleep, I fuck you through the mattress," I said begging him to take the bait.

"I'm not going to fall asleep."

"Well, then I'll fuck you through the mattress but only after you win the bet." Come on. Take it. Take it.

"Fine but if I win I will fuck you through the mattress." Sal gave me one of his devilish smiles and I had to swallow the urge to tell him to forget the bet and do it.

"That's fine with me as long as you win the bet," I felt a huge relief go through me then. He’d accepted the bet.

"Alright." Sal cuddled into my arms and sighed contently.

                I wrapped my arms around him and settled down listening to his breathing. It took a few moments but like I expected his breathing evened out and he lay limp in my arms, dead to the world. I couldn't help smiling to myself while I held him. I knew this would happen. I sighed contentedly and got comfy on the bed, Sal's breathing lulling me to sleep. The next morning I woke up before Sal and went into the bathroom, showering quickly and getting ready to leave. While Sal slept I packed what little we had out of our suitcases, except for the clothes Sal would be wearing. Once that was done I went out of the hotel, heading to the pharmacy in the next block. I wanted to buy something for Sal, for when he woke up. I came back to the room and heard Sal groaning. I hurried to the bed where he was hiding his head below the pillow.

"Sal? Is something wrong?" I asked as I went to grab a bottle of water to give him the painkillers and what I'd bought for his hangover.

                Sal took the pillow off of his head and glared at me.

"Other than having an asshole of a boyfriend, you mean?"

                I chuckled and brought the bottle of water over.

"You’re saying you’re cheating on me with someone?" I teased.

"You asshole, all I wanted was for us to have some fun on our last day together and alone."

                Sal sat up a little, groaning, and grabbed the bottle of water and the two pills I was offering.

"Sal, you were drunk off your ass. I wasn't doing anything to you as long as you were drunk," I said sitting on the edge of the bed next to Sal.

"I wasn't drunk you jerk. I was just tipsy."

                Sal gave me back the bottle and I put a couple of Alka-Seltzers in it, swishing the water to help them dissolve.

"Right," I said offering him the bottle again.

                Sal downed it and gave it back to me, groaning and sinking into the bed again.

"Sal," I said softly.

                Sal glared at me again.

"What now?"

"Check out's at noon," I said feeling like shit for having been the cause of this.

"So?"

"It's elven already."

                Sal groaned again and sank into the bed again, cuddling under the covers. I chuckled and grabbed the edge of the covers tugging them.

"Go on and take a shower, we need to get ready to leave. You can sleep on the way home."

                Sal groaned again but got up nonetheless. He wobbled to the bathroom, groaning like a zombie. I chuckled and wondered what Ash would think when I delivered his son looking like this. We could stop by my house first and kill a little time there. The idea had some merit. Maybe Em would call us to a meeting in her house, to talk about God knows what. With the luck I'd been having lately Ash would be waiting for us outside to welcome us.

                We checked out of the hotel and got on our way back home. Sal looked a little better, but not that much, to be sincere. I called my parents and told them we were already on our way back, and then I called Mina to tell her the same. Mina said that was alright and thanks for calling but I could hear Ash in the background asking why we I weren't there already. Sal slept the whole way back and I turned the radio up a little to keep myself company. I sang the songs in a low voice, though, not wanting to wake Sal. Em didn't text or call asking for us to go to her house for a band meeting. So by the look of things I would most probably be chewed out by Ash once we got there. Sal woke up when we were near and he looked better than before. Maybe all he needed was some rest? Once we got there, it turned out I was right and Ash was waiting for us. She gave me the evil eye while she went to grab Sal's suitcase.

"I expect you inside in five minutes," Ash said and turned around. No chewing out?

                Sal rolled his eyes and turned to look at me. Once the door was closed and we made sure she wasn't watching, Sal pulled me down into a kiss. I really didn't want Ash to catch us kissing but I really couldn't refuse Sal. I kissed him back and our lips moved together, slowly and sensually, building up the heat slowly. When Sal pulled back he smiled at me.

"Do you remember the arrangement or did you forget it in the few days we spent away from each other?"

                I knew he was talking about who looked for who in the mornings, and I smiled. We were really back to normal.

"Yeah I know, whoever’s ready first. Which means it’ll be me all the time. I think it would probably kill you to wake up early."

"I do wake up early, you jerk."

"Right, I'll believe it when I see it," I said chuckling.

"My mom's right, my boyfriend's a jerk."

"Yeah, I may be a jerk, but you love me like that," I said smiling. I really wanted to kiss him again. I didn’t want to risk Ash catching us, though.

"You know it." Sal smiled and pulled me down for a short kiss, reading my mind. He pushed away after a few moments and went into his house.

                I was smiling like a fool as I grabbed my suitcase and went into the house. My mom and dad gave me weird look and to be sincere I really didn't mind it.