By the Hour

Seth watched Caleb pause, and for a second he wondered what he was doing. He’d vowed never to get involved in this again, not after all the pain it had caused him, all the struggle it had taken to finally get out of it. But seeing Caleb, still so absolutely sure of himself, so confident that he had Seth right where he wanted him, made him want to do something reckless and possibly stupid.

“I’ve got money now,” Seth said slowly, and Caleb arched an eyebrow. “And we both know that whoever has the money has the power.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Caleb drawled skeptically, and Seth jerked his shoulders in response, eyes on Caleb.

“If you’re scared, you don’t have to.”

Caleb scoffed. “What the fuck do I have to be scared of?”

“That you’ll finally prove me right,” Seth replied, eyes meeting Caleb’s and not wavering. Caleb stared right back, eyes narrowed. “That you might enjoy it, that I’m better than you.”

“Honey, it’s a fact that I am and always will be better than you, and no amount of fucking is going to change that. Isn’t it about time you got over that little crush? You’re never gonna get me.”

“Five hundred dollars begs to differ,” Seth replied coolly, and Caleb frowned, a flicker of something other than disdain in his eyes.

“You’re gonna pay me five hundred—”

“Seth!” Logan’s loud voice cut through them, and Seth took a startled step back as Logan came bursting out of the doors and stumbled down the stairs to the street. “What the fuck are you doing out here? Who’s he?” he asked, noticing Caleb.

Seth glanced at Caleb slowly as Logan grabbed his shoulder and grinned at him, beer on his breath. “He’s no one,” he said finally. “We should get you home.”

“Were you gonna get laid, buddy?” Logan asked as Seth grabbed his arm and steered him in the other direction, leaving Caleb with a dark expression on his face. “That would be, like, groundbreaking!”

Seth didn’t reply, helping him up the street, though his thoughts were back on Caleb and wondering how far he might have pushed it if given the chance.