Ughhhh. I was finding it hard not taking things personally. But it seemed like Listhrough High cheerleaders were the worst hit by the news of the latest gay couple in town that they took out their anger and frustration on the school gossip blog.

Rebecca_Storm - Welcome to Listhrough secrets, your num 1 stop blog for the latest, hottest, gossip news floating around school. We've got tabs on the populars, spies in the Janitor's closet and all round undercover gossip detectives hard at work to bring you all the spice. Today's major headline brings to limelight the sweetest and most unexpected gay couple that seems to have everyone talking. Giordan X Damien — 

I muted Rebecca Welsh's voice and scrolled through the comments where the violence was.

Gina_pii: This is insane. Damien isn't gay.

Florence_reed: What in God's name is wrong with Giordan?! He's practically stolen the hottest boy right under our grasps.

Felicia_dick: Girls, we need to do something to get straight Damien back. I'm positive Giordan is blackmailing him... it's despicable!

I rolled my eyes, shut the laptop and leaned back on my chair. High school drama was so overwhelming.

“What's with Giordan and Damien hanging out a lot these days?” I jumped slightly at Mom's startling voice, swivelling round to see her perched on the sofa, nursing a glass of juice while looking over at me curiously. “And I also noticed he no longer talks to you.”

I shrugged, “They're sorta an item now. Big news.”

Mom's eyes widened as she spat into her cup. “Oh shit. For how long has these been going on?”

“A few days. Just one of Damien's surprises we've got to live with.”

“How are you taking this news? Are you supportive of the idea of Giordan dating your asshole stepbrother? Why did he stop talking to you?”

“I guess we'll never know — ” I was cut off by the sound of Damien's room door opening and the couple's loud laughter floating downstairs along with their footsteps. I turned away from Mom and slid down on my seat by an inch to hide myself. I couldn't stand the sight of them holding hands, or worse; kissing.

“Good evening Mrs Randall,” I heard Giordan say in greeting to Mom, and Mom replied; albeit good-naturely and the front door slammed shut behind them upon their exit. I picked up my laptop and headed up the stairs. “See you later, Mother.”

|•|•|•|•|

Two days later, Giordan and Damien showed up at the café where I worked right in the middle of the after school rush, bringing with them the lords and queens of Listhrough High. Yesterday, Giordan was ambushed and almost lynched by the cheerleading girls so Damien had to mandate the queen of gossip, Rebecca Welsh to release an official warning to the entire school to keep their hands off his boyfriend. The issue caused quite an uproar and the school authorities got to hear of it as per Giordan's severely bruised face which was covered up in plasters. The masterminds behind the attack were expelled and Giordan was set to stay home for two weeks to enable him heal properly. No doubt he'd been sulking alone at home so perhaps Damien suggested a date to cheer him up.

And of all places, they choosed to come to my café. How coincidental.

I felt bad when I saw Giordan's rough face, even though he deserved it for being a bit obsessed with Damien. I'd weighed the consequences if he dated Damien, which was why I never encouraged his quest to woo my stepbrother. Now it'd happened, against my will, it'd be fair if he paid the price for his folly.

They sat themselves on a table close to the window, and called Maria, a fellow colleague who waited tables while I manned the counter and kitchen. The café was owned by Mrs Chang, a Korean lady from Soeul, and she was away today because her youngest daughter had just put to bed, leaving me in charge of everything.

I watched Maria converse with Damien shortly then scuttled back toward me. Damien gave me a fleeting look, definitely surprised to see me working here but not showing it. Giordan was also trying not to acknowledge me and was nodding along to what Daniel Ferguson was whispering to him in his ear.

A pang of jealousy hit me when I saw Damien's wandering hands within Giordan's shorts under the table. He seemed to squeeze, causing Giordan to dart a glance at him and draw in a sharp breath.

“Oh Timmy, I've really got to use the restroom ASAP!” Maria screeched, a bit too loudly. The varsity football team and half the cheerleaders that mattered spared us a few wary stares then went on with their discussion. I sighed. “You're on your period?”

And she was gone...

Great. Now I had to face them alone. God please help me not to throw up.

I peered at her terrible handwriting, and groaned. Perfect. Now I had to go over to their table and take their orders again. I'd warned Maria often to improve on her writing to aid me read the orders properly. So many times there'd been cases where I ended up bringing the wrong coffee combination or adding sugar to an order which stated otherwise.

Thrusting whatever pride I had of myself into the back burner, I reluctantly dragged my feet over to them. As soon as Giordan saw me approach, he leaned across the table and planted a kiss on Damien's lips. My stomach roiled at the sight. He pulled at Damien's bottom lip with his teeth softly, eliciting a moan from my stepbrother. Ugh. I'd never wanted to shoot myself so badly.

The football boys swooned and the girls sulked in their seats, eyes shinning with malice and envy which they tried to mask with ‘awwns’ and ‘so cute’. If it came down to what they really felt about the scene, they'd very much want to learn across the table and pluck out Giordan's eyes.

“Hey guys. I'm sorry for interrupting... whatever was going on right now...but my assistant 's handwriting is so bad and I can't make out what you've ordered. Can I please retake it? I'm sorry for any inconvenience this might seem to be.”

Damien huffed, glancing at the chalkboard that listed the daily specials. “Hmm. I'm not really in the mood for anything sweet so just get me coffee. Hot, bland, black and sugarless.”

“I'll have the same thing he's ordering,” Giordan didn't meet my eyes.

I scribbled down. “Great. Anyone else?”

After I'd taken down their requests, I took my sweet time before bringing it to them. I didn't even care that I mistakenly used cold water to prepare Damien's coffee. Maria was still not back from the restroom, which was quite unlike her. Maybe she'd been caught up with something.

After a few minutes, Damien beckoned on me to come to the table. “This coffee's cold. And it's unusually bland and tasteless. Could you please replace it and add a little sugar?” A smug smile played on his lips while Giordan clung to his side like a leech. Ughh, enough already.

I took the coffee back with it to the kitchen and dumped it violently in the sink along with the ceramic cup. Instead of adding sugar as he requested, I had a little light bulb moment and decided to take matters into my own hands. I grabbed the salt can and poured half of the entire can into a new cup. Then I lifted the kettle and poured piping hot coffee into the cup too, stirring generously.

Steaming hot coffee + too much salt = torture x payback.

I walked back out, feeling like a baddie and placed it carefully infront of Damien.

“Anything else?”

“No. You're useless. Go and man the counter.” Giordan stared me down, dismissing me with a curt wave. I swallowed my shock and tears, trudged back behind the counter and tried my hardest to enjoy the show that was about to unfold.

My best friend called me useless...

Throughout the years since Giordan and I met, we'd had fights. Huge, baseless, silly fights which wasn't untypical of genuine besties but he'd never, ever called me useless. Or used any derogatory words to describe me. He never crossed the line.

Until now. Until Damien.

If a mere boy, my stepbrother could make him push beyond the boundaries of our friendship, then it really wasn't worth it. At all. And even if it broke my heart, I knew I could never take back Giordan as a friend again.

The anticipation of seeing Damien consume the hot, salty liquid was practically killing me. His tongue would fall off with just a sip of my sweetly prepared specialty.

Damien took the first sip, lowered the cup and leaned back on his chair. No reaction whatsoever.

What the hell? That's not possible!

He took a second sip then his eyes sought me out, lips curling into a sly smile before he emptied the entire disaster into his mouth, swallowing like it was sweet honey. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, whispered something about heading to the gents and excused himself.

Giordan was too sucked up in a conversation with Daniel Ferguson — those two were becoming suspicious — to notice Damien grabbing my wrist and dragging me with him into the kitchen. He backed me up against the wall. “You think you're so smart now, heh?” 

I was stammering, heart slamming into my chest as I tried to defend myself. When words failed me totally, I settled for shaking my head.

He smirked. “Well, how about you get a taste of your own medicine?”

Before I could respond, Damien grabbed my face with both hands and smashed his lips against mine.