Jack
Should I bring a change of clothes to your place?
My throat feels constricted after I click send. There is no earthly way for him to misunderstand what I’m asking. Thankfully, he doesn’t leave me waiting long enough for the terror to talk me out of going.
Desmond
Yeah, that’s fine. I also got some fancier hot chocolate for you, so you don’t have to drink the rubbish I get for Parks.
If you need a caffeine hit, I bet it would mix good with coffee.
We can play around with it.
“Are you talking to Des?” Parker asks, moving to stand next to me and leaning over to look at my phone.
“Yeah. We can head back to the arena and meet him. I just need to put a few things in my backpack first.”
Pulling my toothbrush out of my bathroom kit, I choose a clean shirt, jeans, and boxers to bring with me. I don’t have enough pairs of socks to wear new ones every day of the week, so I don’t bother grabbing any. These are clean enough to wear twice, and it’s not as though I was sweating much today.
“Are you spending the night?” Parker asks, watching as I put everything in my bag. My face flames.
“Yeah,” I reply quietly. It sounds like a question more than a statement of fact.
“Awesome. Are you coming to the aquarium, too? Desmond doesn’t like aquariums, but I have to go for school. He says it’s unethical unless it’s for conservation. Hereallyhates the zoo, too. You should ask him about it. He gets so mad.”
Parker smiles gleefully, happily sharing all his uncle’s buttons in case there are any I’d like to press.
“Maybe I won’t,” I tell him, making him laugh. Clearing his throat, he continues talking in a somewhat ridiculous Australian accent, apparently trying to mimic Desmond.
“Realistically, there is simply no way to have the appropriate amount of room needed to house these animals. A lion should not be living in a space the size of a backyard.” Parker pauses to think, trying to remember what else was in Desmond’s monologue. “It’s restrictive of their natural behaviors, and do not even get me started on the animals they use to perform shows.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Did you get him started on animals used for shows?”
“I didn’t even have to! He just kept talking to himself about it all day. He was so mad,” Parker repeats, laughing and shaking his head. “I like the zoo, though. I went with Mom and Dad a couple times.”
He walks behind me as we leave my room, watching in interest as someone down the hall heads toward the bathroom. He nudges me as I lock my door.
“Who’s that?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I glance at the retreating back of the man who is apparently my neighbor. “I don’t hang out with anyone on the floor. I’m pretty shy.”
“That’s okay,” Parker replies bracingly, voice echoing in the stairwell as we make our way down. “You don’t need to hang out with anyone but me and Desmond.”
Smiling to myself, I hold the door open for him as we exit the building. He’s been in an incredible mood all evening, and seems to have hit a second wind. I’d noticed his energy flagging by the third period of the game, but now he’s excitable and happy, as though invigorated by the night air and the field trip across campus.
We didn’t leave right when Desmond had texted, so by the time we make it to the hockey complex, he’s already outside. Mortified that I made him wait, I apologize the moment we’re close enough for him to hear.
“I’m sorry it took us so long to get here, I’m sure you’re tired and?—”
“No drama, Jacko,” he says, putting a hand on my upper arm and squeezing gently. “You guys have fun?”
“Jack doesn’t even have abathroom, Des,” Parker tells him immediately.
“It’s true,” I confirm, to Desmond’s amusement, if the look he gives me is any indication. Hooking an arm around Parker’s neck, he pulls him into motion. I follow a step behind, smiling as Parker fights to free himself from the headlock.
“Did Jack make a hockey fan out of you?” Desmond asks, glancing at me even though he’s speaking to his nephew.
I miss Parker’s response, too busy gazing at the hand Desmond holds out to me. It’s so clearly a request to hold it, that my blood pressure immediately rises. Hastily, I scrub my hand against my leg, trying to ensure a dry palm. I really do not want to ruin our first time doing this by being moist.
