It was the day of Wayne's birthday as Dean and Lia were texting during their lecture. Dean kept texting Caden since the man did not have any classes at the moment, while Lia texted Wayne about some last-minute things. 

Dean: What are you doing? 

Caden: Watching TV with the teddy bear I gave you, waiting for my class to start. I have 25 minutes to go. Aren't you in class right now?

Dean: Maybe. 

Caden: Dean, pay attention in class. 

Dean: But I am bored and want to talk to you. Lia is not paying attention either. Also, are the seven bottles of alcohol still good to go for tonight?

Caden: Just because Lia is doing it, that does not mean you have to too. And yes, my sister is bringing it over. 

Dean: Oh, your sister is coming! Tell her she can come to the birthday party; I want to meet her.

Caden: Are Lia and Wayne going to be okay with that? 

Dean looked over at Lia, seeing how she was looking for banners to get for the party. He tapped her. Lia turned towards him, but she did not look away from her phone. 

"What do you need, love?" She whispered her words so that she wouldn't interrupt the class. 

"Is it okay for Caden to bring someone?" Dean asked, also whispering. 

"It is fine," Lia answered before facing forward again, showing that she finished with the conversation. Dean went back to texting Caden. 

Dean: She said that it is okay.

Caden: Okay. Now, get back to class.

Dean: Make me. 

Caden: You do not want me to do that. 

Dean: Why? What are you going to do? [wink.gif] 

Caden: Dean, are you asking to get hit? 

Dean: Haha, okay, I will stop. You know I love that about you. 

Once Dean saw that he sent those words, his eyes widened as his stomach dropped. 

Dean: I mean, I love the way you fake your anger. 

Dean: No, I like it. 

Dean: I-

Dean could see that Caden was typing, so he closed the messages and turned off his phone. He quickly pocketed it as he started paying attention to the professor instead. 

His hands were shaking as he bit the end of his mechanical pencil, trying to forget what happened a few seconds ago. Dean wanted to bang his head on the table. 

Even though he fell for Caden during the first year and does love him, it is way too early in their relationship to say it. And it sounded like he was telling Caden that he loves him. 

Dean could feel his phone vibrating from Caden texting him back. He tried to ignore it as he started writing notes on his notebook with precise focus. However, he was focusing a bit too hard because the paper is close to ripping. 

Lia, seeing Dean's behavior from the corner of her eye, put her phone down. She gave Dean a weird look, wondering what was going on with him. As she was getting ready to ask, Dean's phone started to vibrate uncontrollably. 

This time, Dean pulled his phone back out, seeing that his mother was calling him. He silently stood up to not disrupt the class as he walked out. 

When he walked to a clear area that was a few feet from the class, he answered the phone call. "Hello, mother. Do you need something?" 

"Is your wife busy in a couple of days?" His mother spoke without a greeting. 

"Not in the afternoon, I believe." He answered. 

"Tell her that we are going to shop for wedding dresses in two days and that she can invite a guest of her choice." 

"Wait, mother-" 

Dean could not finish his sentence when he heard the line ending on the other side. He put his phone down, staring at it. 

He could try to call his mother back, but she will not pick up the phone. Dean ran his hand through his hair, wondering how he was going to break this to Caden. 

Today seemed not to be going his way. Maybe tonight will get better. He turned off his phone, pocketing it as he walked back to the classroom. 

The night already hit as Dean did not return home. He went to Lia's house, deciding to wear the clothes on his back as he helped her fix up the house. 

Dean and Lia picked up the food in the afternoon before they came to her house. Once they made it there, Dean set up the food as Lia blew up the balloons before hanging them. 

As she put up the banner, Dean set up the mini-games. Then he pulled out a few horror movies that they were planning to watch at midnight. 

Once Dean finished on his end, there was a knock at the door. "Can you get that!" Lia yelled from the living room as she was close to finishing putting up the banner that read 'Happy Birthday Wayne!' 

Dean walked to the front door, opening it. 

Wayne and Zie were on the other side. Zie looked ready to party while Wayne had the appearance of someone who just woke up. 

"Hey, guys." Dean greeted as he moved out the way to let them in. 

Zie waved as he rushed inside while Wayne walked in at regular speed. Dean closed the door behind him as he commented, "You look so enthusiastic for your birthday." 

Wayne shrugged as he yawned, "I am turning 24, and I am already expecting the party to take a bad turn with Lia and Zie." 

Wayne repeated his freshman year back in high school due to attendance since he had to take care of a sick relative. Even then, he was in a year ahead of Zie. 

They did start dating when Zie began his sophomore year of high school and Wayne was in his junior year. 

They did not talk about it (minus Zie hiding the relationship) because Zie was 16 while Wayne was 18 at the time. But Wayne waited until Zie was of age before he did anything with him. 

The man even took a gap year to enter college with Zie at the same time because Zie wanted that. 

"The alcohol will be here soon, and there will be seven bottles this time," Dean responded. 

Wayne pulled his hidden stash out of nowhere as he shook it, "That is good. I thought I had to bring my own this time." There was a smile on his face, like he was trying to keep the mood light. 

Dean laughed as they walked to the kitchen, taking a seat in the stools next to the kitchen island. He and Wayne started to talk as they could hear Zie and Lia already arguing. 

"I swear their friendship is built on arguments," Dean commented as he shook his head at them. 

"Well, I knew Lia since childhood. She was living in another country before coming down here for college. When she and Zie first met, it started with an argument." Wayne answered as he sighed at their behavior. 

"Let me guess, Lia started it. Because when she and I initially met, her first response was to pinch my cheeks because I was adorable." 

Wayne laughed, "Yeah, and then the rest was history. Now they have some weird hate, fake flirty, and love relationship." 

"I think you forgot to add hate a few more times in there." Dean jokes. 

A knock sounded at the door, cutting their conversation. At the same time, Lia and Zie were walking into the kitchen. 

Dean stood up to answer the door. When he reached and opened it, Caden and a beautiful woman were on the other side. 

The woman had black hair cut in an asymmetrical bob. Her eyes were light brown as she had two vertical moles under the left one. She had on nude lipstick that matches the black cat-eye she had going on. 

The woman was taller than Dean by an inch or two, and she had on champagne-colored flats, which matched her strapless dress that was skin-tight and short. There was even a dragon tattoo covering her right arm. 

She held a box full of alcohol in her arms while Caden had cake in his hands. 

The woman smiles, showing off her straight white teeth, "Hi, you must be the cute rich boy? I am Yaya, but you can call me sister-in-law." 

Dean's brain short-circuited when he heard the last sentence as red filled his cheeks. 

"Yaya!" Caden scolded. 

Yaya laughed, "I was only kidding. Well, for now." Then she walked in, not waiting for Dean to invite her in as she tapped her shoulder against his. 

"I think I broke your lover boy." She told her brother before completely walking away to look for the kitchen. 

Caden sighed at Yaya's behavior before turning towards Dean, who had not moved. He waved his hand in front of his face, "Dean?" 

Dean exited from his mind as he registers Caden. "D-Did you tell her about the wife thing?" 

"Yeah, we tell each other everything. That is fine, right?" Caden responded. 

Dean nodded before closing the door behind them instead of leaving it open. 

"Okay. I am going to set this cake down; then we need to talk." 

Dean grew nervous at Caden's words when he remembered that he ignored the man because of what he texted him. When people say they need to talk, it is barely anything good. 

"Uh, for what?" Dean nervously laughed, trying to act dumb. 

Caden raised his eyebrow at him, "Don't act dumb. We are going to talk no matter what." 

Dean sighed, deflating a bit, "Okay. I will wait for you right here." He leaned against the door, tapping his fingers along the doorknob. 

Humming in response, Caden walked to the kitchen to set the cake down before coming back. 

Dean already felt anxious as he hoped the conversation would be a good one. He would hate to ruin something between them when their relationship just started.