Page 38 of Obnoxious Bad Boy

We try out several different poses, and I can see that he’s a pro at this, knowing the right expressions and angles. For me, it’s all new, but Vex manages to loosen me up after a while. Eventually Yasmin brings us an arrow as a prop, so we pretend it grazed me and Vex caught it. We laugh a lot, but the final photo that Yasmin shows us is very cool.

My hair romantically falls in my face, and because of the angle she took the photo at, Vex dwarves me even more than he does in real life. I don’t mind, since I’ve never aspired to being a bodybuilder. The underfed poet style suits me just fine.

I get an almond butter and jam sandwich as a reward, and Yasmin is already typing away on her phone.

“Isn’t the photo a bit… homoerotic?” I wonder out loud.

Vex laughs and kisses the top of my head. “It is, that’s the point. Those who want to see it, will see it. Those who don’t, will just see two dudes hanging out. But the point is, we aren’t doing anything explicitly gay in it.”

He’s so touchy-feely with me, and I never imagined I’d be so greedy for it. “I’ll hang it over my bed anyway,” I say, so excited and content in this new chapter of my life.

Yasmin nods. “And in the future we can show you off once Vex tattoos you.”

“I should have the design ready in a few days,” Vex promises as I lean against him, bursting at the seams with the need to share this with someone. I get that Vex needs to keep... whatever we have under wraps, but if Yasmin knows then…

“Would it be okay to tell just one friend about us?” Whatever this ‘us’ might be. “Not details of course! But… you know, just a bit.”

Vex stalls, watching me in silence for so long I’m starting to regret my question. “Is that person someone who follows me, a fan or something like that?” he eventually asks.

“No! It’s just my friend Matt. He’s gay, and if I tell him something is a secret, he’ll keep it.” Or I’ll blackmail him with photos of him pretending to give a blowjob to a human-shaped tree, whatever works.

Vex relaxes. “In that case, yeah. Just make sure he understands I’m your secret,” he says and gives my nose a little peck. I get goosebumps at the tender gesture despite also enjoying when he’s rough in bed. He’s the whole package.

“And I won’t write stuff in messages, only tell him in person.” I slide my hand up and down his arms, still amazed that I’m touching Vex. And that he’s no longer Vex, the cool guy I know from the internet, but a real person, and someone dear to me.

Yasmin snorts, but doesn’t look up from her phone. “Superspy.”

“I like the way you think,” Vex says and is about to kiss me when my phone erupts with loud noise. It’s the ringtone I use for both my parents.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I yelp and pull out my phone. I make wide eyes at Vex. “Sorry. Panicked. It’s my…” I glance down. “Mom.”

Vex shrugs. “You can talk to her in another room, if you want,” he says, as if this wasn’t a big deal, and it is, because we have a schedule, and if any of my parents calls me outside of it, there’s trouble!

I give him a nervous smile, a quick kiss, and rush off to the corridor. “Hi, Mom.”

“Don’t you ‘hi, mom’ me! What on earth is going on with you?”

I frown. How would she have known about the photo so soon? I doubt she follows Vex on Instagram… “It’s nothing all that explicit. An artistic—”

“Aaron. What are you talking about?”

Right. It’s much more likely that she’s found out about last night’s mess. “Doesn’t matter. What is it?”

“You were stabbed, Aaron! Are you okay? Why didn’t you call me after you woke up? And that guy who took you somewhere? He looks like a criminal! What kind of party was that?”

I gulp. “He’s… no. He’s just tattooed. He saved me. Didn’t you see? Where did you find the video anyway?”

“Declan’s mother sent it to me! All fake-concerned but secretly gloating about what company her son doesn’t keep.”

Fuck. Of course mom’s frenemy would use me against her. Fucking Declan. I’ve got to get back at him somehow. Then again, isn’t living my best life the greatest revenge?

“Aaron? Are you listening?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. He ended up only scratching me, and Vex saved—”

“Vex? His name is Vex? Of course it is. Jesus Christ, Aaron. Get a grip or you’ll struggle getting into law school.”

I groan because law school is the last thing on my mind right now. I’m much more busy wondering if I’ll be seeing Vex again tonight.