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On the days that Percy worked at the Grace’s house, Jason laid by the pool during the whole time, making stupid conversation, and after that he’d push Percy into the water. On the other days, they would text the entire morning and meet somewhere after lunch. Sometimes they would make out, and the other times, the endless wanting would consume them. Jason was sure that he was falling in love, for real.
Mary Grace, however, decided not to mention anything about it. Jason had several real loves before, and jumped headfirst into all of them. And even though he had his heart broken every single time, she had been there to pick up the pieces. She still remembered when she tried to take him to a date, and he almost freaked out. (Ever since she just let him make his own choices, and, with her motherly heart torn, let him make the wrong ones too, because it is in those that he learns about life).
Instead, she just jumped into work. Coincidentally, leaving the house alone for several periods of time, and mostly on days that Percy was there too. (She, however let a box of condoms in Jason’s bathroom, with a note that said We don’t have to talk about it, just make sure you are being safe. And they didn’t talked about it, but the box wasn’t there on the other day). Her excuse is that Jason wouldn’t be completely alone, and they could hangout the afternoon without her to bother.
In one of those afternoons, where she was, in her own words, Out to get naked and sell underwear, Percy was late on his work, because they had spent the whole morning cuddling in the couch, watching cartoons. So, to show moral support, Jason sat by the pool, but was forbid to do anything (“I am literally being paid to do this, if you help me out it kinds loses its purpose and it looks like your mom is reverse-whoring you to me”) and even managed to keep a shirt on, to not create any unnecessary distractions.
“You want to go to a fancy party with me?” Jason asked, while Percy worked on a complex cleaning mix.
“Sure?” he turned back “I mean, this sounds like… you know… like, a date” he hesitated, afraid of saying what he shouldn’t. “Like, a date date”.
They didn’t had any of that yet. Sure, they went to ice cream several times, and surfed together, met all of Jason’s friends, but none of those counted as a proper date. It was near three weeks since Percy had started working there, and about the same time since they were together (but only kinda together) and in all of that time, they hadn’t, not even once, went to dinner or something like it.
“Yeah, I know” Jason smiled. “Yes, Percy, I am inviting you on a date” he said, mockingly formal. “And it is a date date, with me driving you home and kissing on the front porch and all” he explained. As much as worried he was about it, he was excited too. Besides, it was another opportunity to Mary Grace to see that this time Jason was serious.
“Yeah” Percy laughed a little. “I’ll guess I’ll go with you”. None of them spoke for a second, Percy busy with his work and Jason trying to form a coherent sentence after feeling his heart jump around his throat. “How formal is it? Should I wear my Sunday best?”
“Oh no! We are going to buy you a suit, because it is that formal” he promised.
As soon as Percy finished, they went in to dress in clothing that is more appropriate. Jason was just an inch taller than Percy, but had broader shoulders and freakishly long legs, which meant that even if he wanted to lend him a suit, it would look too weird and too short. And Percy tried to resist, but Jason convinced him that it was their best choice.
Jason insisted in driving, and that way there would be no complaints and no chance to run away to department stores. Especially when he targeted the most expensive shops in town. Percy did not expect Jason to be so intense about shopping. As he tried a two thousand dollars suit, it became clear that it wasn’t the type of store for his type of people.
“I can’t pay that” he whispered to Jason, holding the jacket. “I know you mean well and shit, but this is too much.”
Jason took the jacket from his hands, and forced him to turn around. “Just focus on looking pretty, and let me buy it today” he put on the jacket and smiled at the reflection in the mirror. “See, not bad!”
“This suit cost more than what I make in two months. I can’t buy it” he started to take it off.
“You’re not buying it. I am buying it.” Jason forced him to put the jacket back on. “Besides, you look really hot in a suit”
And arguing was pointless, because Jason already had his credit card in hand and when Percy managed to get by his side, already in his old battered clothes, he had bough three ties and other two shirts. (Percy honestly did not believe that someone would gladly spent that much money in clothing).
“See, it wasn’t so bad!” Jason tried to cheer him up, while they left the store, but Percy was still in shock with the total, and was not speaking for a while. Percy did not react to nothing that Jason said, or laughed at any of the jokes. By the time they made it to the road, Jason stopped trying.
(Sally was worried when he got home, wondering what kind of relationship his son was entering)
“Are you ready?” Jason asked, on the phone “I’m stopping by your house in like, fifteen minutes. Don’t be late!”
Percy was having troubles with his tie, and before making a mistake and strangling himself, he decided to wait and beg Jason to fix it for him. He heard the car stop at his door, and ran outside, tie loose on his neck, and the jacket in his arms. At least he had time to brush his hair before leaving.
“You look good” Jason laughed as soon as Percy entered the car. “I mean it!” he reinforced, because it may had sounded like a joke.
“I just had troubles with the tie”
“I know. Let me do it for you” he offered, and before Percy could say anything he was already being grabbed by the collar and a pair of experienced hands tying a flawless knot barely looking at it. “See? Looks amazing!” Jason considered if it would be too much to kiss him right now.
They were one step away from dating, but that step was precisely the one where they had the guts to actually make it a real deal. They had been to endless “dates” as in going out together, and then meeting Jason’s friends, but still, it felt like something temporary. There seemed to be an endless hesitation. Jason wet his lips and looked away.
“Where are we going anyway?”
“To an after party” Jason explained, turning up the car “It’s for one of my mom’s friends and former co-stars. He just did this new movie and tonight was the premiere. But they always hold these after parties, as an excuse to get drunk without being embarrassed”
“And why are we going? I mean, you don’t even know him” Percy was a little worried of crashing a party, especially one that would be filled with Hollywood’s brightest.
“Oh, I know him. Back when they did that pilot together, he’d let me into his trailer and it was so much cooler than my mom’s that I just lay on the floor there.” He told, remembering being a child running in the sets. His whole life had been surrounded by cameras, even if they weren’t pointing at him.
“I bet you were an annoying kid” Percy provoked.
“I was the worst!” Jason laughed “There was a time, and I was about five or six in this, that I tripped in a cable, and dropped a camera. Yes, a six year old and a 2,500 camera on the floor, absolutely smashed. And then when they got me, I just cried a lot and said I was sorry. Five minutes later, I was dropping a mic” he had tons of stories about growing up, and most of them involved him getting in trouble, over and over.
Percy sat down at the couch, and colored lights making him dizzy. He was in his third drink, and Jason had disappeared mid-first and not come back since. All around him people were talking, and even though the music was upbeat and loud, no one was dancing.
He dragged himself to the bar, and sat down, leaning. He patiently waited for the barwoman to come in his direction and to offer to refill his drink.
“Honestly, I think you are my only true friend here” he babbled to her, as she poured inside his cup. “You truly understand my needs and doesn’t judge me for it. Thank you, barwoman” he raised his glass.
“It’s a bit early for that, don’t you think?” a girl sitting next to him, equally bored, equally drunk.
“Never too early for a broken heart” he complained, slouching on the counter.
“Wow. Deep drunk thoughts” she mocked and took a long gulp. “Be careful young man, or else you’ll end up puking your liver on the dance floor when your lovely girl comes back.”
“It’s not a girl” he murmured. “It’s a boy. But it doesn’t change anything, because I’m all alone the same.”
“You’re not alone,” she put a hand on his shoulder. He gave a pointed look, but she didn’t move. “you have me!”
“An unknown”
“Everyone is unknown until you introduce yourself.”
“I’m Percy” he greeted, raising his glass.
“Piper” she drank all of her champagne at once. “Are you an actor?”.
“My boyfriend’s mom” he explained, and thought it sounded like a lie. More than half of the population of Los Angeles were actors, and if he claimed to be one himself, he would have a better story than the truth. “He invited me to make it all official, but apparently he has gone missing” he said, rather bitterly.
“I don’t see him anywhere either!” she mocked, and they laughed together. “Maybe we should drink more until he comes back” she suggested, and he more than glad, accepted it.
He clinked glasses and drank, smiling at each other. All in all, he never expected to find someone so miserable in such a fancy party. Apart from himself, obviously.
“So, why aren’t you chatting around and talking to a celebrity? There are plenty of them here” he turned to her.
“I’m bored off all of them” she shrugged.
“Are you an actress too?”
“Oh no!” She scoffed “I couldn’t act even if my life depended on it”. She took a sip of her drink. “I’m Tristan’s daughter”
“Oh, right” he nodded, but then looked back at her. “Sorry, who is Tristan?”
Her laugh was so loud that it surprised him. It seemed so honest that he was shocked to see such a reaction in a place where every word was measured. “The host. Tristan McLean. My dad” she explained.
Percy wanted to dig a hole in the ground jump on it and never leave again. “I didn’t…. I’m sorry…. I swear I’m not crashing I am here with Jason”
“Jason Grace?”
“Do you know him?” Percy felt glad.
“Oh yeah, we went to camp together. We both hated it.” She told him. “My dad and his mom have worked together a lot, too” she leaned on the counter, “we messed around the set when we were kids”
“Jason told me about that” he exclaimed, even though Piper was never mentioned.
“Yeah, Jason is a sweet guy. I’m glad to see him with a boyfriend. You chose well” she smiled.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” he explained, “well, not boyfriend boyfriend. We just have been together lately”
“Oh, don’t worry. If it’s more than two week, it’s probably love. Back in camp, he had one for each three days. It was astonishing.” She laughed. “Besides, if he brought you here… I mean, that’s got to mean something, don’t you think?” she asked the barwoman, who had just stopped in front of her.
“Sorry, I don’t know what you are talking about” she looked up, rather confused.
“I mean, you don’t bring people to a fancy party unless you mean something serious, right?”
“I agree.” She nodded, and then kept silence. “Or unless you’re in need of a barwoman. That is also a very valid reason to have a plus one”
“Is that self-promo?” Piper laughed
“No.” she smiled, confidently. “Unless you’re in need of a barwoman, then yes.” She complemented, laughing.
“Then I should have your phone. Just for absolutely professional reasons” she said, rather smoothly. Before the girl could give a reply, she was requested at the other end of the counter.
She raised a finger “Hold that thought until I get back”
“Did you just wink at her?” Percy whispered, shocked. “I’m sorry did you just hit on the barwoman?”
“To my defense, she is completely okay with giving me her phone number” she raised her hands, in a defense position, and then finished her drink all at once.
Percy felt a pair of hands grabbing him by the shoulders, and he was ready to throw a punch, but saw it was Jason before having time to do anything;
“I see you met Piper. Isn’t she lovely?” she blew him a kiss. “We go way back. Camp and mates at filming sets.”
“Told all about it” she smiled. “But I still have the good ones saved for the next time.” She raised an eyebrow “There will be one, right Jason?”
Percy looked up to him and saw him blush. “Yes, Piper. There will be another” he confirmed and nodded. ‘Now, if you don’t mind…” he held Percy’s hand and pulled him away from the bar.
They stood on the balcony, overlooking the entrance, where a red carpet was flooded with photographers, as Tristan McLean and his co-star had just arrived.
“Are you liking the party?” Jason leaned to whisper on Percy’s ear.
“It would be better if you didn’t left me alone” he complained, frowning.
“Sorry, I was doing press with mom.” He apologized. “She wanted me to be in a few pictures” he held Percy by the hip, pulling him closer to him. “I’m all yours now”
“Now it’s too late, I’m already drunk and ready to ruin anyone’s party”
“Good. You’re drunk. I could use a little of your poor judgment right now” he smiled and pulled him into a kiss.
Everyone on the garden could see (even though none of them were, all focused on Tristan) and everyone inside too (all too busy with their own conversations), but still, it was something intimate between them.
“You look good in a suit” Jason whispered, hands going down the front of Percy’s jacket.
“I look better off it!” he smiled “Oh man, that was awful. Please, make it stop. I’m too drunk to speak coherently”
“I thought it was great” Jason laughed and kissed him on the cheek. “Besides, you better hold up your liquor, because we still have to dance”
Percy’s protest were drowned in the loud music. On the dance floor, Piper was the only one dancing, and they ran to join her on it.