MATEO || bxb

- 31 -

| Camden |

"Hey, you guys made it," Sam said when he opened the door for us. The house was packed with people. Apparently, his parents had gone off to another country on holiday shortly after bringing Sam back home and he'd had the place to himself since.

"Hey mate," Ade said giving him a man hug.

"Cam," he said nodding at me in greeting. I didn't know he wanted a hug too, but Mateo was in front of me and I think Sam decided to take the safe option and not even try.

"Hey Sam," I said greeting him back. "Thanks for inviting us. This is Mateo by the way. My boyfriend." Ade hadn't introduced him yet, so I did the honours and I got to call him my boyfriend again, this time it being true.

"Oh, hey man," Sam said nodding at Mateo next. Mateo had grabbed a hold of my hand as soon as we'd gotten to the door asserting his claim on me or whatever as he said. "I haven't been told if you're the type to beat someone up for asking for their boyfriend's number. I swear I didn't know he was dating someone."

Mateo looked him up and down and seemed to come to a decision. "Just don't come onto him again and we're good," he said.

"You got it," Sam replied genuinely seeming relieved. "Well, come in then. You guys got drinks yeah?"

"Yeah, probably too much," Ade said following behind Sam to the kitchen where he found us some empty space for us to put our alcohol in the fridge, so it stayed cool. There were so many people in the house though, some of it was bound to be nicked. It always used to piss me off when people stole my drinks at parties, but I guess I didn't really have that problem anymore, and also I was a hypocrite anyway because I just stole other people's drinks right back.

The music was blaring loudly as the three of us got comfortable. I couldn't tell where it was coming from though and it seemed to drown out most of the house, so I wondered if they had some kind of inbuilt stereo system or something.

Once Adrian and Mateo got the drinks sorted out, Sam led us outside to a pin pong table that was currently being used for beer pong instead. He introduced us to everyone playing the game and said we were up next round. I hung around next to Mateo a little awkwardly. I was fine, but there were a lot of people, and I hadn't been around so many in a long time, so I was trying to get used to it again. I found myself starting to relax more eventually while Mateo made conversation with some girls that were talking to him.

"So, are you two together?" one of them asked eventually noticing how close we were to each other. I was to the side of him and his hand had been around my waist the entire time.

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend," Mateo announced proudly. "Made it official tonight." I beamed at how confident Mateo was in announcing our relationship to everyone.

"That's so cute!" the same girl replied just as Sam told us we were up for beer pong.

Mateo and I went on a team together while Adrian and Sam went on the other team opposite us. I was actually always good at beer pong and only missed twice. Unfortunately for me, at some point Sam managed to get one in meaning I had to drink. Except obviously it was alcohol, and I didn't really want to drink that, I had plans to just sip a glass of water all night.

"I'll have it for you baby. Don't worry," Mateo said taking my cup and downing its contents.

"Thanks," I said just as Sam started complaining.

"What! That's his forfeit, he's gotta drink," Sam said having already drank half his and Ade's cups.

"Nah, he doesn't drink, so I'm doing them for him," Mateo explained so I didn't have to.