#Goals

by Teodora Kostova

  When Aziz brought in dinner, Avery got up, circled the table, stole a couple of chips from Victor's plate, and went back to bed.

  The villa was so silent without Avery's laughter. Victor tried to read but nothing would keep his interest. In the end he gave up trying to entertain himself and decided to go to bed.

  Avery was sprawled in the middle of the bed, sleeping. He was clutching his phone in his hand like a lifeline. Quietly, Victor tiptoed around the bedroom collecting his pillow and a soft blanket from the wardrobe, and settled on the sofa.

  Avery needed space and Victor was giving it to him. But he’d also be there when Avery needed to talk.

  Avery's ringtone woke Victor up. It was still dawn outside, the sun barely peeking over the horizon.

  Victor got up and approached the bedroom. The door was open so he leaned against the frame and watched as Avery talked to Monique. He was sitting up, his hair dishevelled, his free hand rubbing his eyes. He looked so vulnerable – so adorable – that Victor's stomach did a funny little flip.

  “Mhm… mhm… yes, I’ll do that.” He paused to listen to Monique, nodding.

  Avery seemed calmer this morning. His hands weren’t shaking as he held the phone, and his eyes were dry. It’d been horrible watching him retreat into himself like he’d done yesterday.

  “Okay. Yes. Thank you, Monique. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Avery tapped on his phone and threw it on the bed. He raked a hand through his hair and groaned.

  “What a fucking mess.”

  Victor took the few steps to the bed and sat. “What’s going on?”

  “Monique was emailing Instagram back and forth all day yesterday, and when that didn’t lead anywhere she demanded a phone number. They claimed there isn’t one.” Avery fell back onto the pillows, and Victor crawled up until he was lying next to him.

  “And?”

  “Monique being Monique, she managed to find a phone number and has been pestering them pretty much all day.” Despite the dire situation, the corners of Avery's mouth lifted. “They’re saying there have been quite a few reports of Instagram’s terms of service violation on my account. Which is crazy because I never post anything that may get me in trouble. Monique said they refused to tell her what post it was about.” Avery sighed, then rubbed his eyes. “But the good news is, they’re considering reinstating my account and looking into the case on a higher level.”

  “What about ‘Sunset’?”

  “Monique said they were very understanding and said we should continue posting on your account until mine is back up. And the rest of our stay here should continue as normal.”

  Avery scooted closer to Victor. “Fuck, I’m exhausted.” Victor wrapped his arms around him. “I don’t know if I’ll keep my followers or my stats or my photos if they reinstate my account,” he said against Victor's chest.

  “Is there anything we can do?”

  Avery shook his head. “No. Monique is handling it, and until they make a decision we can’t do anything.” Avery took a shuddering breath. “Monique’s Christmas bonus this year will be humongous.” Victor chuckled, his palm drawing circles on Avery's back. “I’d be completely fucked without her.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  Avery lifted his head and gave Victor a sweet peck on the lips.

  “Just being here is enough,” he whispered, holding his gaze.

  “Okay.”

  Victor drew him in for a long, languid kiss, hoping to bring the smile back to Avery's face.

  Chapter sixteen

  The next five days passed in a blur of day trips, lazy days at the pool, sex – lots and lots of sex – and some fun activities Avery had never thought he would want to try. He’d enjoyed the boat ride to a series of caves that were spooky and incredibly beautiful at the same time, and the surfing lesson at Kuta Beach. The waves had been perfect for beginners, and Avery had actually managed to stand up on the board and keep upright for a few seconds. Victor, looking like he was born to surf with his long hair, scruffy beard, and beaded bracelets, hadn’t done as well as Avery had expected.

  The Tree Top Adventure park had challenged Avery's fear of heights, but with Victor’s help and support he’d managed to relax and even enjoy it. He refused, however, to try the jetpack, and instead had been in charge of taking photos while Victor levitated twenty feet off the surface supported only by a pressurised jet stream of water.

  Victor had done everything he could to make Avery relax and have fun. To get his mind off the waiting.

  And that included a massage as Avery lay on Frank – the pink inflatable flamingo. Thankfully it was big enough for both of them. Lying on his stomach, Avery groaned when Victor pressed on an especially sensitive knot of muscle.

  “That feels so good and so painful at the same time,” he said.

  “You’ll be as good as new when I’m done with you,” Victor said, his hands doing magical things to Avery's stiff muscles.

  “Where did you learn how to do that?”

  “I took a course,” Victor said, fingers digging into Avery's neck muscles. “The models I work with often overdo it the day before the shoot to look as ripped as possible, and I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to deal with painful backs and stiff leg muscles during a photoshoot.”

  Avery rolled onto his back, nearly knocking Victor off the flamingo.

  “I have a stiff muscle you can deal with right here.” He pointed at his hard on, clearly visible in his tight trunks.

  “Is that so?” Victor raised an eyebrow and folded his arms.

  “Mhm.”

  “Well then, let’s see what I can do.”

  He leaned forward, tucking his fingers inside Avery's trunks, but instead of pulling them down, he rocked the flamingo and it overturned, throwing them both off. They fell in the pool in a giant splash of water.

  “You prick!” Avery yelled when he resurfaced.

  Victor laughed, shielding his face when Avery splashed him. Before he could react, Victor was on him, holding his arms to his body so that Avery couldn’t escape.

  Avery didn’t want to escape, but he put in a sufficient fight. It excited him when Victor chased him, when he grabbed him and lifted him off the floor. When he manhandled him, kept him still when Avery wanted to thrash on the bed, demanding more.

  “Got you,” Victor said before kissing Avery. It was an eager, messy kiss that left them both panting.

  “I can’t believe we haven’t fucked in the pool yet,” Avery said, wrapping his legs around Victor's waist underwater.

  “We can remedy that very quickly.”

  “We can,” Avery said, stealing another kiss. “But we need a condom.”

  Victor detached himself from Avery and went inside to grab a condom and lube. Thoughtfully, their hosts had provided silicone-based lube in the big green box of pleasure, as Avery had started calling it.

  By the time he came back, Avery's trunks were discarded on the side of the pool, and Avery was leaning against the wall, his hand jerking his cock under the surface.

  “What took you so long?” He panted against Victor's mouth when he submerged in the pool and took Avery in his arms.

  “I was gone for less than a minute!”

  “Too long.”

  Avery's mouth was on Victor's before he could reply. Hands in Victor’s wet hair, Avery clung to him, gasping when Victor entered him. It was hot, and wet, and everything Avery needed. As Victor moved inside him, Avery let go of every thought fighting for dominance in his mind and just felt. Victor's hands on his back, Victor's mouth on his neck, Victor's cock thrusting in and out of him.

  Victor…

  Later, they lay in bed, hands clasped between them, bodies entwined.

  “Tell me something real,” Victor said.

  He’d asked Avery that every single day since they’d arrived. And with every day that passed, Avery felt more comfortable revealing things about himself.

  “Both my mother an
d my father were sixteen when I was born,” Avery said.

  He’d never told this to anyone, not even Monique. She knew parts about his childhood, but she’d never pried for more than Avery was comfortable revealing.

  For some reason, Avery wanted Victor to know.

  “They had no idea how to care for a baby – fuck, they were children themselves. But their families wouldn’t let them give me up for adoption. They offered to help.” Avery's fingers traced circles on Victor's thigh. Victor was silent next to him. He kissed Avery's temple, encouraging him to continue. “I was passed from one house to another my entire childhood. I barely saw my mum and dad. Aunts, cousins, grandparents – hell, I think I spent a couple of Christmases with my aunt’s neighbours. They all pretended to care, but tossed me aside the moment they had something better to do.” Avery puffed his cheeks and exhaled. Fuck, he didn’t know why he was even saying all this. It was in the past. He didn’t want Victor to feel sorry for him. “It wasn’t a bad childhood. I wasn’t mistreated or anything. It just felt weird to not know how long I’d be allowed to stay, or if I’ll have to change schools again. I never managed to make any real friends.”

  Avery paused, collecting his thoughts. “Until I discovered ‘Bright Horizons’. It was a community centre for LGBT kids. It changed my life.” Avery clearly remembered the day he’d walked by the centre, not even realising what it was until he’d seen the faded rainbow sign over the door. “For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged somewhere. I made friends. I could talk about my interests without being mocked. And there, I met Johnny.”

  Avery smiled at the memory of seeing Johnny for the first time. “He was scrawnier than me, with a mop of wild dark hair and the biggest eyes I’d seen on a human face. And he was always so damn happy. Nothing could get Johnny down.”

  Avery felt Victor's smile. He turned his head to place a kiss on Victor's chest, then continued.

  “I was terrified I’d have to go live somewhere else again and leave ‘Bright Horizons’ behind. Turned out, that should have been the least of my worries. A few months after I started hanging out at the centre, it closed down. Just like that. One day, Johnny and I met in front of it only to discover the door locked and a foreclosure sign stuck to it.

  “I was devastated. Johnny and I remained friends, but the other kids kind of disappeared.” Avery leaned away, disentangling himself from Victor so that he could look at his face. Victor was watching him with concerned blue eyes. “That centre saved lives, Victor. Kids like me, like Johnny, who didn’t feel like they belonged anywhere or were shunned by their families and didn’t have any friends. Kids like that need places like ‘Bright Horizons’. And not just back then. Even now.” Avery's voice was raising just like every time he talked about this. “Things are getting better, but there’s still so much work to do. And I want to do something, I want to give something back. Not everyone is as fortunate as me.”

  “Okay…” Victor said, frowning. “What do you want to do?”

  “Johnny is a lawyer now, and he specialises in family law. He also created a charity that cares for LGBT kids and young adults. Part of the charity’s goal is to create as many of these centres across the country as possible. He’s already opened one in Norwich and another one in Leeds. But rent in London and the South-East is so high that even with the government grants they get and the growing amount of donations, it’s still not enough to open a centre in London.”

  Victor was still frowning, still looking confused. “Go on,” he said.

  “There’s a building I have my eye on in East London. Close to the tube station, easily accessible by public transport. It’s big enough to house the community centre on the first floor and for emergency accommodation on the second floor. It’s been abandoned for some time and it’ll need a lot of work, but it’s going to auction next month. I want to buy it and let Johnny use it as one of his centres, so they’ll never have to worry that they’ll be kicked out.”

  Victor’s eyebrows rose. “Can you afford that?”

  Avery sat up, crossing his legs, too excited to lay still. “I can’t right now. But ‘Avanti’ offered me a collaboration deal if I get to five million followers. With the advance of that contract and the savings I currently have, I think I should be able to buy it. The guide price is very low, but it always goes up at the auction.” Avery fidgeted with the hem of his t-shirt as he sorted through his thoughts. “The things is…” he began, nervously licking his lips. “I’ve always known what I do was entirely dependent on a platform I have no control over. Instagram may go bankrupt and disappear tomorrow. My account got suspended for no reason. With a click of someone’s fingers everything I’ve done and worked hard for can disappear. I want to do something that matters. Something that can’t be erased with little effort.”

  Victor sat up, too, crossing his legs opposite Avery and reaching for his hand. “I want to help.”

  Avery's eyes widened. “You do?”

  “Of course!” He entwined their fingers together. “I’ve been fortunate all my life. I’ve had a supportive family and friends, and I’ve never had to fight to be who I am. Most people, and especially vulnerable kids, don’t have it that easy. I donate to charity and help when I can, but I feel it’s not enough. I want to do more. I want to be a part of this.”

  Avery was speechless. He wanted to say too many things, all at once, but instead he pulled Victor closer and kissed him.

  Chapter seventeen

  Avery's account got reinstated the next day. He got all his photos and followers back, as if it had never disappeared. Instagram didn’t give any reason for the suspension, and neither did they apologise for the disruption.

  He spent a few hours uploading photos, answering people’s many questions, and emailing advertisers back. By the time he was done, he was stressed and tired.

  Victor welcomed him in his arms when he joined him at the cabana. He’d been quiet all day, reading by the pool, and giving Avery space.

  “Hey,” Avery said, snuggling into Victor. He inhaled Victor's now familiar scent, instantly feeling better. “What are you doing?”

  Victor waved his tablet around. “Reading.”

  “Wanna go out for dinner?”

  “Yeah, I could use a walk.”

  They had dinner at one of the restaurants at the resort and then decided to take a walk on the beach. The moon was full and looked huge in the dark sky. Avery grabbed Victor's hand as they walked along the shore, the sand soft under his feet.

  “I’m going to miss this,” he said.

  Victor squeezed his fingers. “Me too.”

  Avery stopped, pulling Victor closer and circling his waist with his arms.

  “It’s easy here,” he said. Victor's blue eyes reflected the moonlight, making them seem otherworldly. Avery couldn’t look away from him. “It’s not going to be as easy when we get back to London.”

  Victor nodded, cupping Avery's cheek. “I know.”

  “But I want to be with you, Victor. Here, in London, wherever we may end up next.”

  Victor's smile was brilliant. “Me too.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you promise to love me and cherish me despite all the drama I bring into your life?”

  “I do.”

  Avery laughed and tugged Victor down, claiming his mouth in a soft kiss. Here, under the moon and the stars, the sea lapping at their feet, and holding the man he was falling in love with in his arms, Avery knew he was the luckiest man alive.

  “Shall we?” He asked, taking out his phone.

  Victor kissed his cheek and moved to hug him from behind, resting his head on his shoulder. Avery took the most perfect selfie he’d ever taken – himself and Victor, skin bronzed from the sun, hair air-dried with no product, and only the sea, setting sun, and stars as their backdrop.

  He snapped the shot and uploaded it to Instagram with no editing or filter, and a single word caption: #goals.

  THE E
ND

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  About the author

  Teodora is a bestselling, award winning author writing across genres, but has a soft spot for contemporary romance. As a passionate and vocal supporter of equal rights, LGBTQ+ themes are explored in most of her novels. A Creative Writing and English graduate, Teodora began writing full length novels in college, but only got the courage to show some of them to the world long after she graduated. She’s now been published by several publishers in five languages, and has attended book signings around the world. She loves travelling, and her wanderlust has inspired several of her novels. Her other passion is musical theatre and she can often be found in London’s West End trying to score a last minute ticket for a musical.

  When she’s not writing, Teodora loves watching anime, rearranging her enormous bookshelves or walking around London, always looking for a cosy, quirky coffee shop to settle in with a book and a cup of tea.

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