Chapter 15: Professional Wanker.

February 5, 2024, 5:00 PM. Sarah's house, Dreamside.
Sarah finishes her second tutoring session with Alex. He makes even more progress than in the first one, but he still does not respond to her hints, even though she turns up the flirting a bit more.
Now they sit in the kitchen with cups of tea. Alex wears loose black trousers and a gray T-shirt. Sarah wears a white T-shirt and blue jeans.
Sarah takes a sip of tea and slides an open pack of chocolate cookies toward him. "Alex, you've made amazing progress today… But you're kind of quiet. Everything okay?" The flirtatious tone in her voice shifts into genuine concern.
"Yeah, it's fine… Or not exactly… I guess… Honestly—I don't know." Alex takes a sip and picks up one of the cookies, examining it. "By the way… Is everything alright with your class? My $10,000 for Sarah—as Lila calls it—did it help? You said it was for supplies for some new art program?"
Sarah sets down her tea, her face softening. "Oh, Alex, don't worry about that. The money helped a lot, actually. We're able to buy some new cameras and lighting equipment for the photography class." She leans forward slightly, elbows on the table, attention focused on him. "But that's not what's on your mind, is it? You seem... distracted."
She picks up a cookie, takes a small bite, and continues. "Look, I know I'm supposed to be your tutor, but if you want to talk about something, I'm here. I might not be a professional therapist, but I can listen." She gives him a warm, inviting smile.
Alex chuckles. He does not look at her as he finally eats the cookie he has been turning in his hands and takes a sip of tea. "Of course the money was enough. There's probably even some left over. You only asked for a few hundred, and I kind of went overboard… Well, the main thing is that it benefited the class." He sighs and takes another sip. "Come on, I'm not stupid, Sarah… Lila set all this up to distract me from the situation with Kate and Brian and maybe—to pair me up with you. I've already talked to her about it." He looks at Sarah with a smile. "Still, you really are an excellent tutor… So you could totally be teaching instead of just being the administrative assistant in the art class at Dreamside High School—and, possibly, Kate's rival for my heart."
Alex's words hang in the air, a mix of blunt honesty and playful accusation. Sarah does not flinch. Instead, a slow, knowing smile spreads across her face. She leans back in her chair and crosses her legs.
"Rival? Oh, honey, no," she says, her voice a low, amused purr. "I'm not in the running. I'm the scenic detour. The one you take when the main road is under construction." She picks up her teacup and swirls the liquid inside. "And yeah, Lila's about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But she's not wrong. You're a fucking brilliant writer with the grammar of a concussed pigeon."
Alex laughs and fiddles with the collar of his gray T-shirt. "Kate will probably soon become the envy of many girls in Dreamside: a successful model, an artist, a bit of an actress, living as the owner of Château des Rêves… And on top of that, having two boyfriends now—an erotic writer and a rapper-basketball player-boxer…" He pauses in thought. "I'm just not sure anyone would envy me in this case. The public at Château des Rêves will clearly prefer the charismatic King B over socially awkward me with my introversion and muted panic disorder… not to mention hiding my true identity behind pseudonyms."
Sarah raises an eyebrow and stirs her tea with deliberate slowness. "Oh please, Alex. You sell yourself short. You think people don't notice the way you watch things? The way you pick up on details nobody else does?" She leans forward, elbow on the table, chin resting on her palm. "Brian's all flash—gold chains and Instagram flexes. But you? You're the one writing the fantasies half those girls whisper about at night. That's power."
A beat. Then she smirks. "Also, let's be real—panic disorder just makes you mysteriously brooding. Kate's not the only one who finds that shit attractive."
Alex smirks and takes another sip of tea. "Yeah, 'mysteriously brooding,' especially when I hide from every party in my own house at Château des Rêves—like a vampire from the light." He chuckles. "The maids probably see Kate as the sole owner. They don't say it outright, of course, but it's definitely implied."
He makes a vague hand gesture. "And you already know the social climate at my place. You come to our parties, you're friends with Lila." He shrugs. "On the other hand, I probably couldn't live in LA. All the paparazzi, the noise… It would come out fast. I'm the one writing all these books. But here…" He sighs. "It's convenient for me. Dreamside is quiet, peaceful, no paparazzi. That's why all these actors, artists, producers I meet here behave like people, not like live pages of Vogue. More humanity when there are no cameras or reporters. Just a closed, creative, quasi-Hollywood community with a bit of isolationism and customs that seem strange to the outside world."
Sarah hums thoughtfully and taps a manicured nail against her teacup. "See, that's the thing about Château des Rêves—it's not just yours. It's all of yours. Kate's, Lila's, Daria's, Becky's... even Brian's now. You just don't acknowledge it."
Alex folds his arms and speaks playfully. "Oh really? Heh… You're supposed to understand my feelings a little, aren't you? You're a bit introverted too, though not as much as me. All your free time goes to baking, playing the ukulele, video games, chatting with Lila. At our parties, you're one of the quietest people, but you always notice everything. Did I get that right?"
He rubs the back of his neck, then folds his arms again. "And I bet you have your candid opinion about the fact that I'm becoming a cuckold for Kate, so to speak… mmm…" He sighs. "You can tell me what you think directly, no censorship. Trust me—I've heard plenty from Lila already." He rolls his eyes. "Your blue eyes and pretty face—we'll call them visual anesthesia for me against your harsh words."
Sarah laughs outright, her face brightening with amusement. "Oh, you are a piece of work, Alex." She sets her teacup down with a soft clink. "But fine, I'll play. I do notice things. And yeah, I've had my opinion about this whole situation of yours."
She studies him for a moment, head tilted slightly. "First off, no, you're not just 'becoming' a cuckold. You are one. There's a difference between what you are and what you're becoming."
Alex shifts uncomfortably in his chair but doesn't interrupt. His fingers toy with the handle of his teacup as he listens, his face unreadable but his gaze attentive.
Sarah continues, her tone more measured now, softer. "Second... I think you actually like it more than you realize. The way you talk about it—you don't sound upset. You sound intrigued. Maybe even a little excited." She leans forward slightly. "And I don't mean just because of Kate. I think it's freeing for you. The idea that you don't have to be the one in control all the time. That someone else can be what you aren't."
Alex smirks. "So you think it's all about my sexual fetish?" He clears his throat slightly. "Yeah. I'll admit it—I often watch interracial porn. Well, not just watched. I still do. Lila and I watch all sorts of porn—it's part of the creative process for me as an erotic writer, and for Lila as my assistant."
He pauses, staring into his cup, then shifts his gaze to Sarah. "I think you already know this. We use porn for inspiration and finding story ideas. But here's the thing: it's not about me getting off on Kate being with some other guy." He rubs his temple with one hand. "It's more about convenience. On one hand, Kate will now experience different types of intimacy—with me and with Brian. But on the other hand…"
He pauses. "I think you can guess what might happen. Putting aside all my intimate, meme-ish vibes with her about 'Goddess' and 'Baby Boy'... Kate is objectively amazing, inside and out. What if Brian doesn't want to share her with me? What if Kate's passion for Brian turns into love, stronger than my connection with her?"
He folds his arms. "Kate says I'm her 'favorite dork.' Lila also says I shouldn't worry. I trust Kate and I love her, but the heart isn't something we can control. Of course, you haven't spent as much time with Kate as Lila, Becky, Daria, and a bunch of other girls in Château des Rêves and beyond. But tell me honestly, as an outsider not living in my mansion—do you think I should be worried?"
Sarah exhales slowly and taps a fingernail against her teacup as she considers her answer. "Well," she begins, speaking with thoughtful care, "I think you're overthinking the 'what if' part a bit. You're worried about losing control, but you're not losing control—you're choosing to step back, which is different. Kate isn't some prized possession. She's a person, and people have feelings that change."
She leans back slightly and crosses one leg over the other. "And yeah, maybe she does fall for Brian more than you'd like. Maybe he does want to keep her all to himself. But you two have something different."
Alex chuckles and rolls his eyes as he grabs another cookie. "Oh, fuck… You sound just like Lila right now." He pauses, then continues. "See, here's the thing: if the dynamic between Kate and me were ordinary, like everyone else's… If I could've said 'no' to Kate… Then Aria wouldn't have suggested this whole idea to her. I'm sure of that. Maybe Aria wouldn't have even introduced Kate to Brian at that party in our house a few months ago."
He sighs and takes a sip of tea. "But then that wouldn't be me. And most likely I wouldn't be with Kate right now. Wouldn't have been with her for four years already." He eats the cookie and washes it down with tea. "I don't know what Aria wants. Just to have fun? Too big a risk—I'm her best friend's guy." He sighs. "Looks like that smug little diva is losing her mind over a life that's way too successful and comfortable."
Sarah's lips twitch at the corner, a small, knowing smile forming. She swirls the tea in her cup, watching the ripples form before taking another sip. "Aria's got her own demons, that's for sure. But I don't think this is about her. I think it's about Kate."
She studies Alex's face, gauging his reaction. "You've got to understand, Alex—Kate's been with you for four years. She loves you. But she's also a woman who's never settled down. A woman who's experienced the world in ways you haven't. And Brian..." Sarah exhales, choosing her words carefully. "Brian... he's new. He's exciting. And he's everything you're not." She says it with no malice, just simple truth. "He's got that charisma. That confidence. And yeah, the way he looks at her?" Sarah lifts a shoulder in a small shrug. "It's like he's trying to memorize every curve, every expression. Like he's afraid she'll disappear if he blinks."
She sets her cup down and meets his gaze. "I know how that feels, Alex. To want someone so bad it burns."
Alex shifts in his seat and crosses his arms over his chest. His jaw tightens for a second before he forces himself to relax. He laughs. "What an incredibly poetic way to describe how Brian looks at Kate!" He tilts his head toward her, chuckling. "You've probably seen it more than once, haven't you? At every party in my house over the past few months… just like all the other guests and staff."
He stretches his shoulders slightly. "I guess everyone was secretly giggling. Oh…" He rubs the bridge of his nose. "Alright, I guess I should head out soon… Tomorrow's Tuesday, right?" He finishes his tea and rises from the chair. "I don't want to bother you, though of course you're not a teacher and you don't have students' work to grade…" He glances around the tidy kitchen. "So clean, it's like guys hardly ever come in here…"
He folds his arms across his chest and asks teasingly, "Do you even have a boyfriend? Or did you just fall for me—and with Lila so colorfully telling you about me over the past weekend, persuading you to become my tutor—are you just waiting for Kate to dump me for Brian? Do you realize that for me that would be… a catastrophe?"
Sarah chuckles. She sets her cup down and leans back in her chair, watching him with an amused smile, her fingers toying with the handle of her mug.
"Oh, Alex," she sighs, shaking her head. "You're really working yourself up about this, aren't you?" She studies him for a long moment. "No, I don't have a boyfriend. Not that it's any of your business." She raises an eyebrow, still smirking. "But no, I'm not waiting for Kate to dump you. If anything, I'm waiting for you to wake up and realize you're already in deep."
Alex walks out of the kitchen, passes through the living room, and heads toward the front door. Sarah follows. He chuckles while checking his phone. "Ah... that's my business. I want all my friends to have happy personal lives. I just don't interfere as bluntly as Aria."
He stops by the door and gives her a playful look. "And about waking up and realizing I'm already in deep… hmm…" He eyes her from head to toe. "Beautiful, loose long chestnut hair, a cute face, and blue eyes. And your outfit… white T-shirt and jeans… hmm." He shakes his phone in his hand. "How about I take a picture of you now and… jerk off to it tonight when Kate goes to her date with Brian at Topanga Canyon Inn? Maybe even base a character in my next book on you? How's that sound?"
Sarah rolls her eyes but laughs. She adjusts her white T-shirt so it sits a little tighter around her chest. "You're ridiculous," she says, though she seems to enjoy the attention. She leans against the wall next to the door, arms crossing under her breasts. "Go ahead and take your picture."
Alex takes several shots from different angles while Sarah poses slightly for him. "Perfect..." he says slowly and playfully. "Of course, I could've used photos from your social media, but that would be..." He pauses and slips his phone into his pocket. "...disrespectful. And..." He rubs the back of his head, frowning slightly. "I didn't think you'd just… agree like that. I bet if any other guy had asked, you'd have told him to fuck off. Did you agree because you like me? Or because I'm the 'safe guy' at the level of a 'gay friend for shopping'?"
Sarah laughs and shakes her head. "You're exhausting, Alex." She pushes off the wall and walks toward him, invading his space. Her eyes flick down to his lips for a second before she meets his gaze again. "I agreed because I know you'll keep it tasteful. And..." She speaks with measured softness. "Because I like the idea of you jerking off to me while Kate's with Brian."
Alex laughs. "Wow! You are forward."
Sarah tilts her head, smirking. "You know me, Alex. I say what I mean." She shifts closer, her chest almost brushing against him.
Alex rolls his eyes. "Damn, I really am the 'gay friend for shopping'… just straight."
He steps out the door. Sarah smiles as she notices his erection.
"Yeah, you noticed I've got an erection and it's your fault…" Alex giggles. "Well… same time tomorrow at 3 PM? If you're not held up at school?" He asks about their next tutoring session. "Don't worry that I'm picking up grammar so fast. I think…" He pauses playfully. "You'd be an amazing French tutor too. Yes, Ms. Cote?" He says it with a Franco-Canadian accent.
Sarah laughs and shakes her head. "You're impossible. And yes, 3 PM tomorrow works." She adjusts her white T-shirt again. "And no, you're not 'the gay friend for shopping'—you're the guy who pretends to be an erotic writer when he's actually just a professional wanker."
Alex playfully widens his eyes and covers his mouth with his hand. "Oh, no… oh my God!" he exclaims theatrically. "You've exposed me! Just don't tell Lila! Or Kate! Or my publisher Dana… or all of Dreamside for that matter!"
Sarah gives a small chuckle and looks at him knowingly. "Your secret's safe with me, Mr. Anonymous Erotica Writer." She moves closer, her chest nearly pressing against his. "But if you're going to be a 'professional wanker' about it, at least admit you like it."
Alex carefully moves away from her and steps outside Sarah's house. He turns around. "Okay, fine, yeah, I like it. I wouldn't do it otherwise." He smiles. "But it's work! Well, it's a combination of work and—"
"Wanking," Sarah finishes for him, grinning.
"Hmm… something like that," Alex says calmly, though his expression betrays his amusement. He heads toward his Tesla, still speaking as he walks. "You're starting to look a lot like Lila, Ms. Cote!"
Sarah arches an eyebrow and crosses her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "Lila? Really? You sure you're not just flirting with me, Alex?" Her voice carries a teasing lilt.
He opens the car door but hesitates, glancing back at her. "Maybe a little," he admits with a small grin. "But Lila's got that same confidence when she teases me. That 'I know what I'm doing and I don't care if you know it too' thing." He pauses. "And I know that between you besties, there are no secrets. Whatever I tell one, the other knows."
Sarah laughs and shakes her head. "Oh, please," she says, rolling her eyes playfully. "Lila and I don't share every little detail about our lives, Alex." She pushes off the doorframe and steps onto the porch, standing at the top of the steps while he remains by his car. "There are some things that are private." She watches him for a moment, then adds, "Just like some things between us should stay private too, yeah?"
Alex laughs. "Yeah, like I'd actually believe you!"
They exchange a few more jokes before Alex climbs into his car and drives off. Sarah heads back inside her house in good spirits.