Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys

Chapter Forty-Five - A Well-Planned Revolution

The cozy lodge was surrounded by tall fir trees and other mountain vegetation, and the heavy layer of fresh snow that had just fallen made it a sight fit to inspire postcard painters. Jonathan had expected that much since Maddox had described the place to him to the minutest detail. It was easy to understand why his boyfriend was so excited to come here. It looked like a winter fairytale setting, but what made it truly amazing was that they were there together. A tender feeling engulfed Jonathan as he held Maddox's gloved hand in his while walking up the steep hill. Just as he was about to comment on the test of endurance forced upon their persons by the location, a thump and a yelp from behind them made them turn.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Ray shouted at them and waved. Hanna struggled to get him to his feet, but her boyfriend somehow managed to drag her down, as well.

Maddox and Jonathan hurried to help them. As usual, Ray manifested a suspicious passion for the heaviest, biggest backpacks in existence. It made Jonathan remember fondly his first day at Sunny Hill when he had met his roomie slash bestie for the first time. It felt like it had happened a long time ago. So many things had occured in the meantime, some amazing, some not so much.

Hanna and Ray both laughed as their friends tried to help them get up. Jonathan freed Ray from the impossible burden he called a backpack, but that only gave his bestie the freedom to let himself fall on his back and swing his arms and legs in well defined semi-circles. "Look, guys, I'm making snow angels!"

They were behaving like small children at the sight of all that snow. Jonathan could only agree that it would be impossible to have grim thoughts while surrounded by so much pure white.

"Get up," Maddox scolded them. "I'm sure Dex and Kane are already going through the beer supplies and we're far from midnight. You don't want us to go thirsty, right? Hanna, help a little, will you?"

Ray's girlfriend, however, didn't care about setting Ray straight, and she launched hearself into what was her own version of a snow angel. "You guys should try it," she told them with a face-splitting grin. "Don't act like grandpas. And I only care about champagne anyway."

That last comment earned her a snort from Maddox, which made Jonathan wince internally. "Champagne? In your dreams, Hanna. And who drinks that piss anyway?"

Oh-kay, so not that good a time to tell his boyfriend that his parents had a special delivery made to the place. Jonathan grabbed Ray by one leg and threatened to take action. "I will drag you up to the lodge door if that's what it takes."

"Do it," Ray challenged him. "I bet it'd be awesome."

Jonathan growled playfully. "You won't think the same when you're wet down to your underwear."

"What are you guys doing?" someone yelled at them from the top of the hill.

Rusty was already there, apparently, and not so surprisingly since he was the most athletic of them all.

Maddox was the one to reply, "We're dealing with a bunch of kids."

"Hurry up," Rusty yelled again. "We're organizing a race."

"What race?" Maddox shouted.

"Who goes fastest down the hill," Rusty clarified, placing his hands around his mouth to act as a megaphone, although they weren't that far from each other.

"Don't believe him," someone else intervened.

Jonathan gave up on Ray's leg and watched Dex followed by Kane appearing in the picture. They all had winter gear on, and it seemed that the full team of The Amazing Four was about to be reunited.

"Yeah," Kane chimed in. "Who would want to go down the slope only to have to climb back up it?" He barely had time to finish his sentence before Rusty grabbed him suddenly, and the next thing, they were both rolling down the hill.

Jonathan had to jump out of the way, and the two ended up stopping against Ray, who acted as an unwilling obstacle.

"That's it," Dex bellowed. "I'm coming for you, Rusty!"

Rusty seemed completely impervious to threats as he was busy snow fighting Kane. They didn't stop to make snowballs, simply using handfuls of the fresh snow to throw into each other's faces. Soon, Ray was a collateral victim, and Hanna joined in, determined to guard her boyfriend.

Jonathan laughed and shook his head. Instead of Ray's leg, he grabbed the heavy backpack. Maddox did the same with Hanna's luggage, and now they were the only ones climbing the hill.

"Can you believe the kids?" Maddox said with a snort.

"Yeah," Jonathan confirmed, "it looks like we're the only adults around here."

They both burst into laughter at the same time. "Yeah, right," Maddox commented. "You're up for a snowball fight later, Hamilton. Ever since I visited your folks, I feel a strange competitive streak developing inside me."

"I sincerely think that you've always had it," Jonathan replied. "Or else, you wouldn't have ended up with me."

"Whatcha trying to say?" Maddox drawled. "You make it sound like I got a bad deal."

"Not at all," Jonathan said airily. "My mom is really impressed with your determination to get me."

"Seriously?" Maddox's face lit up with a smile. "I didn't notice."

"We're secretive like that," Jonathan said with a wink. "By the way, do you really think champagne tastes like piss?"

Maddox caught on to the trap right away. "Don't tell me that... Oh, shoot. They, what, had it delivered here?"

"Don't say my family's not the go-getter type. This wasn't even a challenge."

Maddox sighed from the depths of his soul. "Does this mean I have to get trashed on champagne?"

"Dear, one doesn't get trashed on champagne. It's not done," Jonathan said in a phony accent. "But you'll have a glass for my sake, right?"

"Only if you let me lick some straight from your skin later," Maddox said with a naughty wink.

Jonathan licked his lips as he felt the familiar frisson that came, usually, with Maddox's comments on the topic. During Maddox's stay at his parents' house, they had become experts at finding secret places to make out. However, stealing snacks here and there had only made them hungrier for a full-course meal, so it was an understatement to say that he was more than ready to get to the lodge and lock himself inside, with Maddox on the same side of the door, for at least one hour.

He was about to say something to that effect when a heavy arm thrown over his shoulders made him buckle under its weight. Maddox grunted as the same thing happened to him.

"How are my two favorite lovebirds?" Rusty asked.

"In the mood to push you down the hill again," Maddox said promptly.

Rusty laughed and then smooched Maddox's cheek with a loud smack. Maddox made a disgusted sound and wiped it off, but that didn't deter the troublemaker from subjecting Jonathan to the same treatment. Jonathan didn't hurry to wipe his cheek but didn't protest either when Maddox reached up with one hand to do it for him.

"Stop slobbering all over us, you dog," Maddox scolded his bestie.

"But 'tis the season," Rusty protested in what seemed like a very genuine manner.

"Rusty," Maddox sighed, "that's what people say about Christmas, but we're past that, remember?"

"You didn't let me finish. 'Tis the season to get slobbered all over your face," Rusty said with satisfaction.

"Yeah, yeah," Maddox said wryly, "try it once more, and you'll see what happens. Did you talk to Dex and Kane already?"

"The battle room is waiting, captain," Rusty replied. "By the way, Jonathan," he said in a more serious tone, "everyone's really pissed at this blackmailer. And even if you're going to see other people at the lodge, they don't know anything. They're outsiders," Rusty added in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Really, not even Louise?" Maddox asked.

Rusty scoffed. "She's Kane's woman. He probably let out some details during pillow talk, I don't know. But the battle room is for Sunny Hill only. Just so you know."

"Wait," Jonathan asked, "what's with all this talk about a battle room?"

"Just a little something to rally the troops properly," Maddox replied. "The final goal, in case you're wondering, is to get you back to Sunny Hill, and exact some proper punishment on Xpress and any other morons who dare to laugh at my boyfriend."

"It might not be Xpress," Rusty restated his belief in front of his bestie.

"Who else?" Maddox asked aggressively.

"Some other dudes. Or dudettes," Rusty replied. "I'm not crossing anyone off of my list of suspects."

"Suspects, huh? Do you have any idea what he's talking about, babe?" Maddox asked, craning his neck to look at Jonathan.

"Actually, I do. And before you guys make a big fuss and ruin your New Year's party with making plans to go to war with this invisible blackmailer of mine, I believe it's a good moment to tell you. You guys don't have to do anything." Jonathan stopped Maddox from interrupting with a look. "I'm coming back anyway. It's time I owned up to my mistakes. Even if that mistake is something as shameful as that."

"Nothing shameful about sucking cock," Rusty said matter-of-factly. "You tell him, Maddie."

Maddox grunted in feigned despair. "I can't believe there's something I can agree with you about, you kinkster." Then, as it finally dawned on him, he turned toward Jonathan while Rusty opened the lodge door for them. "Really, babe? You're coming back?"

Rusty snickered. "Babe," he drawled.

"Shut up," Maddox warned him. "Jonathan, say it again."

"I'm coming back," Jonathan repeated the words. He hugged Maddox and kissed him on the nose. "I'm in no mood for a long-distance relationship, Ace." It was the proper time for some payback.

"Ace?" Rusty caught on right away.

Maddox made a sour face and begged Jonathan with his eyes. Jonathan winked at him. It was just one of their little secrets.

"What about the battle room?" Rusty asked pleadingly.

"That's on," Maddox said. "I won't let anyone laugh at Jonathan, and I have a feeling that the blackmailer won't remain hidden for long. Let's organize ourselves before the party, or otherwise, we won't get results. You know, getting trashed on champagne and all that."

"On champagne? You mean that sweet thing that makes you puke for hours the next day?" Rusty asked. "Who thought that would be a good idea?"

Jonathan raised one placating hand. "My parents. But you guys don't have to drink it if you don't want to."

"Ah, if it's from your mom and dad, I'm sure it's not sweet and gross," Rusty said. "I mean, it must be the real thing."

"Of course, or otherwise the Hamilton name would be put to shame." Jonathan stopped for a moment. "That's my prerogative only."

Maddox comforted him with another hug. "Don't worry about that. I mean, worry, because that is what you do and I respect that. But know that I'll do something about it, and soon."

"I'll hold you to that. No, I'm just joking. I suppose I'm going to be the main headliner for a couple of weeks or so. Then, Xpress is going to move on to something else, right?" He didn't quite believe it, but that wasn't the point. A bunch of students at Sunny Hill or most of them would laugh and sneer behind his back until they all graduated. He could live with that, because the trade-off was worth it. At his old school, that hadn't been the case. Still, he decided to keep that to himself. The last thing he wanted was to ruin the party and have everyone worry about him.

***

"We're hours from the start of the party, but this meeting has an important goal," Maddox began.

"Wow, so formal," Kane commented with a shit-eating grin. "One week with your in-laws, and you're acting all grown up and stuff."

The battle room promised by his friends was basically the dining room at the lodge, which thankfully, was now empty and free of other guests. The others had been understanding enough of their secrecy, but Maddox had seen the looks exchanged between Kane and Louise. He could only surmise that they wouldn't be bothered by the larger group.

"What, Kane, are you jelly now?" Maddox stuck his tongue out at him. "You're not the only one who's engaged anymore."

"Seriously?" That was Hanna, staring at him wide-eyed. "Did you guys throw an engagement party without inviting us? Ray, invoke the bestie code right now," she added, as she turned toward her boyfriend.

"We haven't thrown that party yet," Maddox hurried to assuage any hurt feelings. "But I let Jonathan's folks know about my very serious intentions, and they're old school. It's not like I can take it back."

Hanna pointed an accusing finger at him. "Do you have any plans to take it back?"

"No, of course not," Maddox replied. "Ray, your girlfriend is trying to scare me. Do something."

Ray answered his plea by grabbing Hanna and smooching her loudly. Maddox grinned. Yeah, they were adorable like a pair of hamsters.

"Now, that the court is in session," he continued in the same serious tone, "it's time to come up with some ideas so that Jonathan doesn't get the nasty treatment he got at his old school. So, let me start." He paused for effect and then looked at Jonathan. "Off the top of my head, I'd say slug anyone who dares to sneer or laugh or whatever."

Jonathan snickered and grabbed his arm to make him sit down. "I appreciate the sentiment, Maddox, I really do. But I don't want you to get into any trouble." At the first sign of protest, Jonathan continued. "Your parents work hard to keep you in school. Let's not turn you into the local delinquent."

Maddox deflated some, but he had expected that kind of reaction from Jonathan. It didn't matter, as he had other plans up his sleeve. Only a battle room of this size required the entire gang of great minds to come together.

"I have an idea," Rusty intervened promptly. Maddox would have been disappointed if he didn't. "I'm going to do something to push Jonathan out of the headlines like this." He snapped his fingers to make a point. "I'm telling you, Xpress won't be able to resist the temptation."

"But what exactly are you going to do?" Dex insisted.

Rusty got to his feet and opened his arms wide. "The possibilities are endless. I can dress up as a pony and attempt to ride any guy or girl that happens to be in my way."

"That's not how ponies work," Dex insisted. "And since when did you switch to ponies from cat boys?"

"Rusty's into cat boys?" Hanna asked. "And Xpress hasn't caught wind of it?"

"Not yet," Rusty said with self-importance. "I can also organize a naked protest. I will unveil myself like a statue and offer my resistance for a cause. What's trending nowadays? Maybe write a message on my chest, something like 'do not eat the whales'."

"Sunny Hill is basically in a landlocked location, and I'm afraid people are going to have great trouble focusing on your message if you plan on going full monty," Kane pointed out.

Rusty seemed to consider. "Yeah, I see your point, Kane the bane of all good ideas. Something tells me that going only half naked for a protest won't have the same impact. Should I write it on my dick?"

Dex face-palmed himself noisily. "I don't think there's enough room down there for writing all that."

"You think?" Rusty challenged him.

Maddox decided that it was a good moment to intervene. "Let's hear someone else, too. Not that Rusty isn't able to shock the living daylights out of everyone on campus if he puts his mind to it," - Rusty agreed at this point with a humph and stared Dex down - "but we need something that will make people think twice before laughing in Jonathan's face. Or just something that will make them think."

For a few moments, he looked at everyone around the table, to let that sink in.

"I'm also for slugging anyone who dares to laugh," Rusty interjected again. "I mean, clearly, it will make them think that they don't want to get punched in the face."

"I was thinking more along the lines of thinking why it is a bad thing to judge someone like this," Maddox replied.

"Especially since most of the students at Sunny Hill have probably done the same thing countless times," Dex said and rubbed his chin in thought.

"Not most," Rusty contradicted him. "Everybody sucks cock one way or another."

Kane groaned and covered his eyes, as if that simple gesture would be enough to make the king of kink disappear. "I don't even dare to argue," he mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Yeah, that's good thinking," Maddox confirmed.

"We should do something to bring Xpress down if they dare to go public with this," Hanna suggested. "Maybe Rusty's idea about a protest is not that bad. Only that we should rally as many people as we can."

"Most people read Xpress as some kind of guilty pleasure," Ray chimed in. "I know that's been my case. Not anymore," he added with a big sweeping gesture of his hand. "They dare to trash my bestie, they don't get my time."

"And if it's not Xpress?" Rusty asked, making all heads turned toward him again. "I mean, whoever's behind the messages sent to Jonathan, they threaten with things appearing in Xpress, but it's not like they say that they're it directly."

"That complicates things a bit," Dex admitted. "I mean, it's not like we know who Xpress is, but having our attention split between multiple targets, I dunno, it might prove unproductive."

"We can all agree that stopping Xpress or the blackmailer, in case they're not the same person or persons, from going public with the video is not feasible. We're going to be back at Sunny Hill soon, and we can assume that the moment Jonathan sets foot on campus grounds, shit is going to go down." Maddox looked at everyone closely. "So, Ray and I thought of something to mitigate the damage, and to make sure that Jonathan is not going to regret coming back to school with us."

"Jonathan's mom and dad can also sue the school," Rusty pointed out. "Especially his mom. She's scary."

"I told them that I don't want them to get involved," Jonathan intervened. "I don't think waving lawyers and whatnot in front of people who aren't responsible for this demeaning show is the way to go. And even going after some college kids who think themselves smart by writing a tabloid seems to me like overkill. I guess that what I want to say is," he stopped for a deep breath, "maybe it's time for me to get over it, no matter what happens."

Maddox put a sympathetic hand on Jonathan's shoulder. "Just let us share our plan. Ray of sunshine, care to start?"

***

"So, what do you think?" Jonathan clinked his glass against Maddox's. It had been nothing short of a miracle to find some proper glasses, but, apparently, Kane's girlfriend had a keen sense for crystal and whatnot and saved everyone from drinking champagne from plastic cups.

"Let's take this to our room, and I'll tell you all about it," Maddox promised with a naughty smile quirking his lips.

Jonathan felt like he was riding a high, not the chemical-induced kind, of which he knew nothing about anyway, but one made from a cocktail of feel-good hormones. After Maddox and Ray had laid out their plan, Jonathan had been living with a cluster of bubbles in his chest, and he couldn't blame it on the champagne. "So, we're ditching the party so soon?"

"They won't even notice we're gone," Maddox said, "but let's make a quick run for it or Rusty is going to stop us from leaving."

That was a good point. Jonathan would have argued that he enjoyed Rusty's company, but he knew why Maddox was impatient. He stole a quick look around and was satisfied to see that everyone was either inebriated or on the way there, and also much involved with other people who weren't them, so he decided that it was a good moment to make themselves scarce. He pulled Maddox by the hand and winked at him. "Let's do this."

He snickered as he climbed the wooden stairs, with Maddox on his tail. His boyfriend had clearly lost all interest in what propriety stood for in the civilized world and was trying to grab his ass, all the while chuckling and murmuring dirty words.