Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this again? Oh yea, that's right, it's because I can't afford to be sued… whatever. Sigh… I don't own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its characters. But my birthday was on August 15th, so could I have Zelos? Pretty please?

Chapter 9: Trust is Easily Broken

Lloyd's POV

Don't ask me how it happened, because I have no idea, really. All I know is that I am, once more, being forced to stay in the same room as Zelos Wilder. He was in charge of reservations, seeing as he's the one who suggested all of this in the first place, as well as being the one with the money, so what does he do? He makes the two of us share a room while everyone else gets their own. Coincidence? I think not.

So here I am, in the most expensive room in Altamira, with a certain redheaded Chosen right in front of me. On the plus side, there are two beds, and they look wonderfully comfortable.

This whole room is freaking huge, and opulently decorated. Tan walls, a rich peanut butter colored carpet, with matching drapes over the ornate windows, accented by two king-sized four-poster beds with rich silk sheets, red and white checkered bedspreads, two red pillows on the right and white on the left. A red leather couch with white trim and pillows lays before a black and white marble fireplace, and a rich oak table with a glass top and matching oak chairs dwells in a far corner of the room next to a miniature red refrigerator. This must have cost a fortune.

Zelos seems to notice my obvious amazement at the room, for he grins quite widely. "I take it you like my taste in accommodations?"

I nod dumbly with wide eyes.

"Good. You take the bed on the right; I'll take the one on the left. Okay? Good."

I walk slowly over to my appointed bed, marveling at the feel of the soft black silk as the sheets glide between my fingers.

"By the way you're groping that, bud, one would think you'd never seen silk sheets before."

I let the edge slide out of my grasp and turn to look at him, replying, "Well, I haven't."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"No wonder you're the way you are, if you grew up without something so small and insignificant as silk. I never knew people actually lived that way…"

By now Zelos has wandered to his own bed and is lounging quietly on it. He seems so at home in places like this, whereas to me, this is still a whole new world. I wonder if I could ever get used to living like this?

The Chosen yawns before saying, "Look under your bed, there's some stuff there that might come in handy."

I have no idea what in the worlds he's talking about until I pull out a pair of black swimming shorts with a blue strip going down the side of each leg. I see Zelos pull himself off his own bed and pull out a pair identical to mine only with red stripes instead of blue. I wonder why he doesn't have his usual tiny excuse for a swimsuit? Maybe he finally learned to be practical.

"There's a bathroom through that door to the right. You can go get changed first, and I'll go when you get done."

"Oh, are we going swimming now?"

"Uh-huh!"

"What about everyone else?"

"Don't worry, I had the staff leave them each a swimsuit of their own and instructions to meet us down at the beach."

Satisfied with this answer, I grab the shorts and meander my way to the bathroom. Inside I see that the bathroom is as fancy as the bedroom itself. Black and white marble counters, pure white marble sink, toilet, and bathtub/shower, shiny glass mirror with a pure gold lining, all accentuated by a black tiled floor and pure white walls.

I stand in the doorway for a moment, just looking around, before shaking my head to regain composure, and shut the door behind me. As a second thought I turn back and lock it.

When I'm finished changing I walk out and am about to tell Zelos that it's his turn when I see that the redhead is nowhere in sight. I shrug and toss my other clothes onto the floor, noticing my roommate's clothes next to mine. I guess he already changed.

It's a short walk out of the hotel and down to the beach, and when I arrive, I see that all of my friends are already there. Genis and Regal are wearing variations of Zelos's and my swimsuits, the younger's with turquoise streaks and the older's with white ones. The girls are all wearing one-piece swimsuits. Colette's is yellow, Raine's is ice blue, Presea's is pink, and Sheena's is a dark maroon.

Colette and Genis are splashing around in the water, playing some sort of game, while Raine and Sheena are sunbathing, and Regal's enjoying a smoothie by the bar. Zelos, I see, is sitting on a red and white striped towel not far away, gazing at the ocean, and I decide to join, walking over and plopping myself down unceremoniously next to him and folding my legs.

Zelos shoots me a small smile; small, but a real smile, not one of he Cheshire cat grins, or trademark smirks. He turns to me and says, "I see you finally made it down here. Took your sweet time, though, didn't you?"

I try to scowl at him, I really do! But my carefree upturned lips give me away.

Dismissing the comment, I turn a curious gaze onto the redhead. "Why are you over here all by yourself, instead of flirting with all the girls on the beach?"

"I'm not alone anymore, now am I?"

I send a playful glare at him to attack the smirk on his face. My glare looses. "But seriously, why are you over here?"

Zelos seems to think unusually hard before answering, "I don't really know the answer to that myself. I guess I just get tired of being 'Zelos the playboy,' just like I get tired of being 'Zelos the Chosen.' Every now and again I'd like to just be Zelos, the ordinary guy, without apostrophes surrounding his name like some sort of title. Sometimes I just want to be me."

Wow. Once again, this stupid guy beside me has said something serious, well thought out, and sincere, rendering me speechless, and causing my brain to do far more thinking than it's used to.

It takes me a minute to form some sort of reply, and the whole time, Zelos just sits there, leaning back on his elbows, looking at me with an almost lost and sad expression.

"So, wait… all this time… you've been acting?"

He nods slowly.

"You don't like the attention?"

Another nod.

"You don't like the women hanging off of you?"

This emits a verbal response from him. "To be honest, I don't really like girls. There are some that are kind and sweet, sincere and loveable. But far too many of them are spoiled, selfish, heartless little brats who want me for my looks, fame, and fortune."

"Then, do you mean to say you're…?"

"Gay? Yep."

I simply stare, bewildered, as my entire image of Zelos Wilder collapses upon me.

"Most people think I'm either straight or bi. You and I are the only ones who know the truth. You'll keep my secret for me, right?"

I nod, very slowly, absorbing it all in. Wow.

"I'm also a virgin."

This is enough to make me fall backwards in surprise. "Seriously? Zelos, a virgin? I mean, even if you don't like girls, the way you act about everything…"

"Yeah, I know. I'm a pretty good actor, ne?"

Still on my back, I stare up at the bright blue sky in amazement, watching as the puffy white clouds drift by lazily. "Wow. You have, in the past few days, completely destroyed everything I thought I knew about you."

The redhead simply chuckles, and lets his arms give out so that he, too, is looking to the sky. "I guess you could say I'm a more complex person than I let on to."

"Yea, you definitely are. But that's one of the reasons I lo--… like you so much," I reply. Crap. That could have been a very bad slip there.

Zelos sits up and watches my blushing face with curious, yet mischievous, deep blue eyes. "Lloyd, what were about to say before you stopped yourself?"

Shitshitshitshitshit. "Umm, n-nothing. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"You were about to say you love me, weren't you?" the Chosen asks, letting a grin play across his yummy lips.

I bolt upright. "O-of course not! I'm Lloyd, you're Zelos, I'm a guy, you're a guy, that's just wrong and stupid and gross and you're—you're—you…" I manage to cut myself off and clamp my hands around my mouth, realizing the numerous mistakes I just made.

Right on cue, Zelos stands up, all hints of curiosity, mischievousness, and happiness gone, instead replaced by anger, sadness, and hurt, and he balls his fists up at his sides. "I thought… I thought you were different than that. I thought you would understand. I thought I could trust you. I guess I was wrong, though. You're just like them. Just like all of those other people who just don't get it."

I hang my head in shame the whole time, looking up only long enough to whisper, "I didn't mean it that way, and you know it…"

He simply shakes his head sadly. "Do I? I don't think so. What I do know is that next time, I'll be more careful not to trust too easily. I now know that I may not ever trust anyone, ever again…"

With that he walks away, back toward the hotel, sadness written on his features, the way his back is too straight, head slightly down, walking slowly.

How easy it is to slip, break someone's trust, and lose one's best friend.

TBC!

Okay, yes, I know this was a sad chapter, as far as the storyline and my writing abilities… meh. I tried really hard to make Lloyd sound like he was completely insulting Zelos in his little rant, but I'm not sure I quite pulled it off. You know how that stupid boy can be, letting his mouth run without the help of his head! So, yes, review, please! Cookies to everyone who does! And if you don't review, the evil cookie-stealing mouse of doom will make sure you never have any cookies again… Nyahahahaha!