Damien heard a knock at his bedroom door early in the afternoon. 

 

“Yo man.”

 

Will! 

 

“Open up man.” 

 

Damien strode towards the door and opened it to reveal a youth with sea-green eyes and black hair that curled a bit near his ears.

 

“What do you want, man?”

 

Leading him into his room and offering him a seat, they started talking.

 

“My girl just caught me,” Will said without preamble.

 

Damien did a double-take. “You let her catch you?”

The boy, barely fifteen years old, leaned back in his chair and put a hand over his face. He sighed. “I dunno how I let this happen.” 

 

“With who?”

 

“The girl next door, you know?”

 

Damien tsked. “Man.” 

 

“I dunno what to do.” Will groaned.

 

A shrug. “Say it wasn’t you.” 

 

“Alright.”

 

“So, “ Damien walked over to a nearby dresser and took a silver pitcher filled with wine from it’s top. He poured a drink and set it in front of his friend. “What exactly happened?”

 

“Honey came in and caught me red-handed creepin’ with the girl next door.” He began. Honey was the name of his girlfriend. Which was a great injustice because the girl was anything but sweet. “Picture this. We were both butt naked banging on the bathroom floor. How could I forget that I had given her an extra key? All this time she was standing there she never took her eyes off me.”

 

I snorted. “How could you grant the woman access to your villa? Trespassing and a witness while you cling to your pillow.” The girl would always barge in like she owned the place. The idiot should’ve known this would happen. “You better watch your back before she turns into a killer.” 

 

Damien took a swig of wine and slammed the goblet onto the table. “Alright, let’s review the situation that you caught up in. See to be a true player you need to know how to play.”

 

Will peered at him with a queer eye, not at all knowing where this was going but finding himself suddenly hanging on every word.

 

“If she wants to stay a night, convince her to stay a day. Never admit to a word that she says. And if she makes a claim just say, ‘baby, no way’.” Damien intoned. No matter what she accused him of, the proper response was to shrug it off and reassure her. 

 

Will frowned. “But she caught me on the counter.”

 

“Wasn’t me.” Damien reminded him. 

 

“She saw me bangin’ on the sofa.” The boy replied bluntly.

 

“Wasn’t me.”

 

“I even had her in the shower.”  

 

“Wasn’t me.” 

 

“Dude, she saw the marks on my shoulder.”

 

My response was the same as ever. “Wasn’t me.”

 

“Heard the words that I told her. Heard the screams getting louder. She stayed until it was over.”

 

Damien looked him dead in the eye. The boy furrowed his brow. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You really are no help at all, you know that? I mean from what she saw why should she believe me when I tell her it wasn’t me? ”

 

“First off make sure she knows it’s not you, then lead her on so she has no right to be vexed. Whenever you see her just make the gigolo flex.” He pointed a finger at the guy. 

 

“Huh?”

 

“Say it was someone who looks like you.” Damien clarified. “Seeing is believing. Tell her to check her specs.” Honey had poor eyesight so she had to wear glasses. “And you know she’s gonna be bringing up things from the past. You better know how to mask all the little evidence. Just go over there and be quick with your answers. But if she picks up a knife you better run fast.”

 

Will rubbed his temple. “Forget it, I’m just gonna tell her that I’m sorry for all the pain that I’ve caused. I’ve been listening to your reasoning and it makes no sense at all!” He gazed at Damien with pity. “You know, you think you’re a player but you’re completely lost.”

 

“What? Fuck you, when did I say I think I’m a player? I’m not a cheating bastard like you. In fact, I’m still pure and unblemished.”

 

Will laughed uproariously. “Yeah, because you keep getting cock blocked all the time. Otherwise half the eligible maidens in the Kingdom would be bearing your children by now.”

 

Damien scoffed. “Please. Just the pretty ones.” He joked(?)

 

“Well, I should go.” Will rose from his seat and downed the contents of his goblet all in one go before licking his lips. “Good stuff.” He nodded in approval. “Anyway, thanks for the advice...I guess. By the way,” He hesitated. “What’s with the chain?”

 

Dolly, who’d been quite silent up till now, grinned. Before she could say a word Damien covered her mouth. 

 

“Please don’t ask.”