“Sure. But don’t
“How could I forget?”
“Drinking is a sacrament with us.”
“Right.”
“So… are you ready to try standing up?”
“I think so.”
She waited a moment and then nodded at the pillow. “Are you going to take that with you?”
“I hadn’t
She reached to snatch it away.
I was too quick for her and held it in place.
She tugged. “No fair. You’re too strong.”
“Okay,” I said when she pouted, “you win.”
I pulled my hand away. She made a quick feint, but I didn’t move. She gave me a suspicious look. Then she reached out slowly, while I left my hand where it was. She grasped the pillow and yanked it away.
My penis was flaccid.
“No fair! You cheated!”
“Sorry,” I said without a trace of remorse. “You missed your chance.”
“I’ll see it one day.”
“Not if I can help it.”
Her expression crystallized.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I stood and held out a hand to keep her from leaving. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Listen,” I said earnestly, “we have to stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Saying the wrong thing. We hurt each other’s feelings. Then we apologize. Then we do it again.” I spread my hands in supplication. “We have to stop. And maybe cut each other some slack. I mean, I say some monumentally stupid things sometimes, but I never
She nodded. “Me neither. I just… say the wrong things.”
“So… from now on we give each other the benefit of the doubt.”
She nodded.
“Then maybe we won’t have to apologize as often.”
“That’d be nice.”
I ventured a smile, which she returned.
Then she pouted. “I still say you cheated, though.”
“With the pillow?” I laughed. “Yeah, I did. Sorry. Better luck next time.”
We spread the word about the Halloween party. I told Freddie and a few other friends in design class. I even invited Gracie, just to try to clear the air between us. She pretended I didn’t exist. She simply stared at her notebook and turned the page.
“Seriously?” I said in exasperation. “Whatever. At least I tried.”
I ran into Andy again, this time on the way to judo class. I told him about the party and asked him to invite Jamie and their other friends.
“Um…,” he said, “I hate to ask, but what kind of party is it?”
“Just a regular party.”
“Regular, as in…?”
“It isn’t a kegger at the frat house with a bunch of assholes,” I said with a laugh.
“But will there be…?”
“People like you?” I finished.
He nodded in relief at not having to say it.
“Sure,” I said. “I’ll be there. A few others too.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“But it’s what
“Okay, sure,” he said after he mulled it over. “Sounds like fun. I’ll tell Jamie.”
“And the other guys?”
“
“Awesome! See you Saturday. Oh, we’re having a costume contest, so wear something fun.”
We parted with a wave.
I told Glen about it too, but he had a party at the Kappa Alpha house.
Sometimes I forgot he was in a fraternity. He was the exact opposite of Rod and the Pikes.
I realized with a jolt that I hadn’t thought about them in a while.
Not surprisingly, I took a short and unpleasant trip down memory lane. I shook it off and tried to remember what had started it. Ah, right! Fraternities.
And sororities. Like Chi Omega. And Gina.
“Oh, shit,” I said.
Glen grinned. “Just remember something?”
“Yeah. How could you tell?”
“You looked confused.”
I shot him a rueful grin.
He shrugged.
“Yeah, well, I’d better go,” I said. “Have fun at your party.”
“You too.”
“See you next week.”
I jogged home and immediately bounded up the stairs. I didn’t shower or change clothes or anything. Instead, I sat at my desk and took out my unfinished letter to Gina. I added a few more generic paragraphs about my life, very boring stuff.
I was still staring at the letter when Trip came home. He climbed the stairs from the main floor, and I listened for a moment as he banged around the master bedroom. The pipes rattled when he turned on the water for a shower. One more thing to add to the list, I thought with irritation.
I wrote a bit more, until Christy and Wren came home. They were a lot quieter than Trip, but I heard them moving around in their bedrooms. Christy eventually came upstairs and stuck her head into my studio.
“Hey,” she said. “Whatcha doin’?”
“Just studying.” I moved my notebook and covered the letter.
“Oh. Want some company?”
“Maybe later.”
Her face fell.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I said quickly. “I just… need to shower. I came home from practice and had something to do. I got so wrapped up that I lost track of time.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“You wanna tell me about your day?”
“I talked to Siobhan and showed her my sketches,” she said, her eyes bright. “She says I’m ready to make a maquette. It’s a kind of—”
“Model,” I said. “I know.”
“You
“Not really. And I don’t have your talent.”
She blushed.
