When Theo got back home that evening, his dad was moving their bags downstairs. "Are you leaving now?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah" Paul looked at his watch nervously. Then he shouted towards the top of the stairs "Jenna, we'll be late, the plane is in two hours!"
"I'm coming!" The woman shouted, just before appearing with a
last bag. "Liam!" She shouted then, making Liam appear from the living
room. The boy joined Theo as Paul opened the door.
Jenna turned nervous toward the two of them. "So, dinner is in the oven, I left you money in the top drawer of the kitchen in case of emergency, and I left a note with all the numbers to call if something happens, even our hotel's number, and our tour guide's"
"How do you have your tour guide number?" Theo asked, evidently baffled by the flow of recommendations.
"Don't ask" Liam said.
"Ah, and I also left uncle Peter's number" she said to Liam.
"I won't call Uncle Peter even if I'm going to die" Liam replied quietly.
"Good boy" Jenna said with a smile. "Ah, and please, don't stay up late" she added, bending over to get another bag
"Yeah, mom" Liam rolled his eyes, Theo smiled and shook his head.
"... Don't eat too much junk food..."
"For sure!" Theo replied
Paul's head popped out the door "And no party"
Liam's eyes widened. "Party? What party?" He asked nervously, eyes shifting quickly around the room without ever meeting Paul and Jenna's. "There is no party, let alone if-"
Theo pinched his side without being seen. Liam winced, but at least he fell silent.
"We won't have a party, dad, you really watch too many movies" Theo said, bored. "Don't you have a plane to take? You'll be late"
"Right" Jenna said, pushing Paul cheerfully and grabbing the handle to close the door behind her. "Be careful, we love you!"
"We too" Theo and Liam said together, as the door closed behind them.
They stood still for a few seconds, until they heard the car doors
slam and the car start. Then Theo turned to Liam, with a big grin spreading
on his face.
Liam looked at him uneasily, as Theo shook his head amused "Remind me never to call you if I ever have to commit a crime" he just said before heading to the living room.
Liam stared at him leaving with a frown on his face before following him "Well in that case I think we could call Uncle Peter"
*
When the bell rang, Theo hastened to open the door. Josh appeared in the doorway with three large boxes of pizza in one hand and two beers in the other. "Come bearing gifts!" He shouted as he got in without waiting for an invitation. He immediately headed for the kitchen, without waiting for an invitation
"Are you trying to buy my forgiveness off with pizza and two cheap beers?" He asked quietly, while Josh put their dinner down on the counter.
"Maybe" he replied with a shrug. "Is it working?"
Theo peered at the pizzas, with a hungry expression. "Did you get the pepper one?"
"Of course" he replied, handing him a beer.
"Okay you're forgiven" Theo replied, taking the beer with a grin.
Josh chuckled, then looked around. "So, where's your little little brother?"
"Don't call him that." Theo rolled his eyes, annoyed "And he's in the shower" He brought the bottle to his lips, taking a big sip.
"Interesting" he commented with a smirk, looking up.
Theo gave him an unimpressed look, and was kept from responding only by the bell ringing again. "Who is it now?" He moaned.
"Ah, I get it!" Josh outpaced him, splashing out of the room "It could be the alcohol guy!"
A big bearded guy crossed the threshold with a cart carrying a big barrel, just as Theo reached Josh. "Where do I drop this?" The man asked bored, not looking at either one in particular.
"Uh ... in the living room, I guess" Theo replied. Josh was almost jumping excited on the spot. The man returned to them "I'm going to unload the others" he said before going out.
Theo turned to Josh, bewildered. "Others ? How much fucking alcohol did you buy?"
"Uhm ... 30 liters?"
"30 liters?" Theo whispered-screamed, shocked.
"Maybe 50" Josh added, drawing back as the man returned with the second barrel.
"50 liters ?! And let's hear, who will pay for 50 liters of illegal alcohol?"
"Um ... I thought we could ... go halfsies?" Josh tried with a smile
Theo sighed, weary "Okay, how much is it?"
"200 dollars"
"200 dollars?!"
"Can you stop repeating everything I say?!"
"I'll fucking kill you, okay, give me your half" Theo growled.
"Er here - you see ... right now I'm a bit tapped, but I swear I'll give them back to you" If the looks could have killed, Josh was sure he would be dead now. "Hey I brought the pizza!" He protested.
"Oh sorry for your loss" Theo blew out, going to take the money that Jenna had left 'in case of emergencies' just as the man returned with the last barrel.
"It's 250, guys" he said adamant. Theo glared at Josh.
"I thought it was 200" Josh said quickly.
"Well it is, but minors pay a supplement. If you know what I mean"
Josh met Theo's look faltering "I bring the beers too?" He tried.
Theo snorted, handing other money to the guy who greeted them, hurrying to disappear.
Josh sighed "I hope it's worth at least"
"Oh sure, there's so much alcohol here that I could drown you in it"
"You're always so funny"
*
Liam joined them as soon as they set the table, the big pizzas placed each in front of a chair. Liam stopped in the doorway, catching sight of the three large barrels that now filled the room.
"Wow, you go all out" he commented. Theo could not have agreed more.
"Oh, here you are" Josh jumped up happily as he filled a glass from the barrel tap and approached Liam dropping an arm on his shoulders. "Here, Dunbar, come on, drink, drink"
Liam took the glass faltering, sniffing slightly to figure out what it was. "What's it?" He asked, not figuring it out.
"I haven't the slightest idea" Josh said sincerely.
Theo rolled his eyes. "It's something we should find a good excuse for, about how the fuck we spent your mother's $ 200 emergencies money."
"Did you spend $ 200 on alcohol?" Liam asked baffled.
"250 actually" Josh specified, as if it were something to brag about.
"Oh my god" Liam sighed as he sat down next to Theo and pulled his
pizza closer, while Josh returned to the barrel to fill more glasses
for them.
Theo took a moment to observe the other boy, his face clean and smooth, his short blond hair pulled up by the gel, a tight white shirt that wrapped his torso. He could not help but notice how outwardly he was so different from the child he had known years before. He was more built, his features more decisive, and there was something magnetic about him that kept catching Theo's gaze.
Liam probably felt his eyes on him, because he turned to look at him. "What is it?" He asked unsure, squirming under his gaze. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Uh" Theo looked away, taken aback "No- nothing"
"Here, T" Josh stepped in saving him from looking for an excuse to justify his being there to stare like a creeper, and Theo hurriedly filled his mouth with large gulps.
Josh passed another glass to Liam "Take it, Dunbar, I'll get you drunk tonight!"
Theo watched Liam cast a doubtful look at his glass. "You don't have to drink, if you don't want to" he said.
"Yes, he must!"
"Shut up, Josh"
"N-no, I- it's okay, it's a party, isn't it?" Liam tried with an uncertain smile, also remembering Corey's words of the day before, and downing his drink all in one breath.
"Ohh way to go, Dunbar!" Josh exulted, imitating him. Theo sighed, doing the same
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