The third time he lied about how they met he actually told the truth and then lied about telling it.

Nolan's friends were pushy. They always had his best interests at heart but with him being the quiet one they had a tendency to push him around. None of their actions were malicious but sometimes he wished he had the courage to stand up to them and tell them, no.

During that afternoon, his friends had stopped at the café where he worked and had pulled him away during his break. He had intended to take a later break but they had decided he would take one at noon. It was yet another instance of him not being able to speak up but they hadn't gotten together for a while and he didn't want to ruin that.

They would show up at the others place of work and then pretty much demand they spend their lunch break with them. It one of the only ways they could stay in contact when their lives got very busy and was common practice. This afternoon everyone was talking and discussing what was new in their lives and someone asked how Jack was. They had met his lover a few times and had seemed to like him despite Jack's sometimes cold demeanor

"So how did the two of you meet?" one of his friends, Alice asked as she took a bite of her sushi.

"I told you how we didn't I?" Nolan asked. It had been six months and he would've thought he had told them the truth or some version of it to his friends.

"You kept skating over the issue."

Justin nodded. "You never actually told us so tell us now. How did you and Jack meet?"

Hesitating, he nearly squirmed in his seat and tried to think of an answer. Then, after mulling over it, he decided on the truth. His brother never passed up on an opportunity to insult or mock him and his parents were very uptight. However, his friends he trusted and he knew that they wouldn't judge him at all.

"We met at a brothel."

The first to respond to his answer was Justin who stared at him with a strange expression on his face. "Are you serious?"

"A brothel? Why would you go into such a place?" Alice asked, wrinkling her nose in the process.

"I…I thought it was a bar and didn't realize what it was until I went inside and that's where I met Jack."

Ana, who had yet to say a word, finally spoke up and she looked a bit uneasy. "Please don't tell me he worked there."

"No!" Nolan laughed. "He led me to think he was but he was just kidding."

"Dude, you are kidding right?" Justin asked seriously. "If you're not that is seriously messed up."

The last thing Nolan had expected from his friends was all this and he swallowed, forcing a teasing smirk on his face as he shook his head. "No, I was just messing with all of you. Jack and I met in a bar."

They all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and told him his joke wasn't very funny. Then the conversation moved onto something else and Nolan was left feeling confused as well as hurt. "It was great seeing you three again. Let's do it again soon."

Nolan was surprised his friends had reacted in such a way. They weren't exactly innocent themselves and he wondered if part of the reason they were so quick to judge was because of Jack's being a vampire. He wasn't sure if that was the reason but he felt like it might be.

He ended up closing up the café that night and was exhausted by the time he left. Walking to his car, he paused when he saw Jack leaning near it and lifted a brow. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be working at the bar tonight?"

"I took the night off after you called me."

Nolan felt his face flush when he thought about the conversation right after his meal with his friends. He had been upset and sort of just babbled on and on about what had happened. Honestly, he wasn't sure how Jack had managed to understand him.

"You didn't have to do that, Jack."

"I know but I wanted to so get in your car and drive to my place. That sound okay with you?"

Still caught off guard, he nodded and climbed into his car, following Jack back to his apartment which was close to where he worked. Once inside, Jack prompted him to sit down and he let out a sigh. "I don't know why they reacted the way they did."

"I think I know why."

Nolan lifted his head and looked at him questioningly. "Why would they react that way?"

"Maybe it has to do with the fact that I'm a vampire."

He shook his head. "Jack, that's crazy. Humans and vampires have been living side by side for years now."

"Yes, but there are still a lot of misconceptions about us as well as prejudice."

Nolan had an inkling about that but it was difficult to accept. Could they really be reacting that way because Jack was a vampire? He didn't want to accept it but sometimes one didn't have a choice.

"If that really is the reason they need to get over themselves because those three are far from perfect," Nolan muttered as he leaned against Jack.

"Would you care to share?" he asked with a slight grin.

"I'd rather just forget it happened and spend the night here if that's all right with you."

Jack nodded. "I think that sounds like a fine idea but I have a few demands."

"Like what exactly?"

"First of all you should get out of those annoying work clothes."

Nolan gave him a look and kissed Jack softly. "Does the term "too tired" mean anything to you?"

"Then I suppose you can't stay over."

Nolan shifted closer to Jack after having a chuckle at the comment. "Thanks you coming to get me. I appreciate it."

"You don't have to thank me, Nolan. I would do it in a heartbeat for you."