Delusional Love: Broken, #1

Also by Samuel Alexander

Broken

Delusional Love

I See Things In Blue

Dario

Gavin

Rayland

Kevin

Acceptance

Louis

Found

Salinor

Revelations

Standalone

Brothers and Frenemies

Dana

Stepping Into Love

Broken

Broken

Book 1

Delusional Love

Samuel Alexander

Copyright 2021 by Samuel Alexander

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Publisher Samuel Alexander

Cover design by Robin Ludwig Design Inc.

www.gobookcoverdesign.com

Table of Contents

Exercise

Saviour

The Breakup

The Aftermath

Special Guest

Pool Party

Happy

Manic

Found

Coping

Later On That Same Day

Return

Double Blue

Monday

Relapse

Thanks

Familiar Places

Christmas

Birthdays

Hypothesising

Moving On… Sort Of

Casual Encounters

Poetry

Music

New Year’s

Alignment

Exercise

Sandjai woke up. The sun shining into his room reminded him that this day was about to begin, but that was the very last thing that he wanted to deal with. Summer was coming, it was his last year in high school, and he could think of a million things he’d rather be doing than getting up on a Saturday. And why was his alarm blaring dancehall at this ridiculous hour? It had to be his best friend screwing with his phone again. He knew one thing for sure. He wasn’t getting up. Nothing was going to ruin his sleep today.

He quickly turned off the phone, throwing his head back onto the pillow. He sighed and just as he was about to go back to his happy place there was a tugging at his bed. His foot started to feel a little damp, then more damp. He tried to fake sleep as best he could but ultimately had to give in.

Fuck! I’m up!

Sandjai got out of bed and looked at his phone just as it started blaring at him again. This time it was country music. When did his friend have enough time to do this to his phone? He turned off the second alarm, looked down at the dog and sighed. The animal was all smiles and unconcerned that he didn’t want to be up. Sandjai petted him, glad the Rottweiler wasn’t the one jumping on top of him this morning and the Yorkie woke him up.

He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and the dog followed him. A shiny grey bubbling bundle of morning happy who seemed entranced by the human ritual. Sandjai shook his head and continued. When he was done his phone rang again, blaring Rihanna’s S&M. He answered it so hard his thumb almost cracked the screen.

Hello?

Morning, sunshine. I know you’re ready for our morning run.

Do I have to? Sandjai walked downstairs to the kitchen where his mom was smiling into a cup of coffee. Bryan was talking to him still but Sandjai wasn’t really invested in it.

He grabbed some bread and proceeded to make a sandwich. Bacon, lettuce, tomato, toast… more bacon, cheese… some more bacon and a nice thick slather of butter. Breakfast was served. One bite of the bacony goodness of this sandwich and he was floating on cloud 1,100,047. Just perfect. Now he could deal with the idiot on the phone.

You’re eating bacon, aren’t you? Bryan could hear the sound of pure bliss over the phone.

Yes. It sounded more like mmm, crunch crunch, mumble mumble, sigh, but it amounted to a yes.

So, you’ll be at the park?

We’ve worked out every day this week.

You promised you’d help me get in shape. You’re the one with the six-pack. You’re the one who’s been going to the gym since you came out the womb. And I’ve seen your dad. You don’t need to exercise.

Why you have to be so dramatic? Sandjai rolled his eyes for effect even though he knew Bryan couldn’t see him.

"I’m fat, and you promised to un-fat me, so you need to get your ass down to the park by 7:30 like you promised."

You’re not fat. Leonard, he’s fat. You’re husky. And Huskies are cute.

Don’t compare me to dogs. And if you don’t come, I’ll tell Maria you said I’m cute.

You wouldn’t dare.

I would. I’ll tell her you’re a closet homo and you made a pass at me and got mad when I turned you down.

God, you know she’s a jealous psycho bitch, and she’ll believe you. Besides, we are only dating in her mind. I have an actual real girlfriend.

Who you’re avoiding breaking up with.

Stay on topic. Remember when you told her I was eyeing up her best friend Lucy? Do you really want me to go through that again?

Okay. I’m not that evil. But you’ve tortured me for three weeks now. I shouldn’t be the one calling you to come to me.

Alright, Bri.

Ugh. My name is Bryan. Why do you insist on saying Bri like it’s Sabrina?

Lighten up. I’m going to hop in the shower, and I’ll be there.

Do not stop by Susan’s for a quick fuck. Come straight here.

Why must you suck all the joy out of my life?

If I have to sacrifice orgasms for this run, so must you.

Seriously? You jerk off like five thousand times a day. I’m surprised you haven’t rubbed your dick raw.

We can’t all be chiselled south of the border gods with accents that literally melt the panties of women.

Alright. You win. I’m walking in the shower now. See you when I get there.

***

You’re late. Bryan gave Sandjai his best accusatory glare. Sandjai dutifully ignored it.

Just shut up and let’s do this running thing.

Bryan was in a white t-shirt and basketball shorts. He was dressed like a guy conscious about their weight but trying to act like oversized clothes were something he liked. Bryan had chocolate skin, hazel eyes and was exactly five foot seven and a half. He took his half very seriously. Especially since Sandjai was six-two. Bryan was an okay looking guy; the problem was that Sandjai was the hottest thing since the first taco. When he was Pudgy, it wasn’t too bad. Pudgy seemed to work to his advantage. However, as Bryan got older, cute and pudgy up and left the building for thick and sexy. Unfortunately, only other people saw him that way.

So how's things at home? Mom still being a— Sandjai tried to make small talk to distract Bryan from exercise which he commonly referred to as evil torture from the Gods. Sandjai found Bryan’s distaste for exercise highly amusing. Bryan found his amusement at such things very unamusing.

God, don’t say it. I think she might finally be on her way out the door. Dad’s trying to save things again, but I can see even he has finally given up on her. Honestly, didn’t think that would ever happen. This would be the third divorce should it happen.

Man, that sucks.

Why aren’t you gasping for air yet? Bryan asked. The distracting conversation was not distracting enough.

We’ve only been running for seven minutes. Sandjai laughed. Bryan glared at him as per usual. How was Sandjai managing to laugh and run when he was puffing and wheezing and felt like death. Bryan hadn’t failed to finish a run yet. How none had managed to kill him was a mystery better solved for when he wasn’t running.

Americans are weird. Random, but Sandjai felt it should be said.

Your dad is American. What Bryan meant when he said that was Puerto Rican hottie supreme. He was too tired to give that thought the attention it deserved. Breathing and running was hard enough let alone fantasising about his best friend’s hot father.

Latin American. And he’s weird, too. But his Island roots balance that out.

Bryan didn’t have a response to that, so he got back on topic.

Sister is crying every night begging Dad to fix Mommy. Brother keeps getting into fights in school. Me… depression. My older brother is the only normal one, or the most normal. And my youngest brother, well, he’s two. Maybe my mom will be gone long before she can fuck him up.

The two of them ran in silence for a while. Neither wanting to dig much deeper into this area of conversation.

"It’s embarrassing running with you. All the girls just eye you up like what is he doing with that fat sweaty loser..."

You’re not a loser. Stop fucking saying that. And you know they are checking you out, too.

Eww. Why would you say that?

Sandjai chuckled. Nothing like mentioning girls found Bryan hot to hedge of a self-loathing episode.

School is officially over in two months. Any plans? Sandjai smiled at the grossed-out expression on Bryan’s face. He knew him well enough to know for the right guy Bryan would get naked with a girl. Bryan did not have him fooled not one bit.

To be as hot as you?

Sandjai laughed. Real plans. And like I said: girls think you’re hot.

"Stop right there. And do not follow it up with ‘but it’s true.’ That does not make it any less gross. Think I’m going to take a year off. Dad wants me go straight college, but I don’t know. I mean he’s this big-time engineer. Out