“We went to primary school together. We’d been in the same class since reception but didn’t register on each other’s radars until year five.”
“What happened?”
“PE.”
Auggie raises his eyebrows. “PE?”
“Yes. In the autumn term, we did a lot of team games. The teacher would choose captains, and they got to take turns picking kids to be on their team.”
Auggie shudders. “God, I used to hate that. I was never one of the first to be picked. I was never last either, which was something. I bet you were always picked first.”
I nod.
“And Emory?”
“Last.”
A muscle twitches in Auggie’s cheek, and his jaw hardens.
“I hated it too. I realised the same kids were being picked last every week. So when it was my turn to be team captain, those were the people I chose first. Starting with Em.” We stop at a crossing, and I scuff the toe of my shoe against the pavement. “Afterwards, Em came to talk to me. He said he’d never been picked first in PE. Not once. I can’t imagine how shitty that would feel. So for the rest of primary school, every time I was made team captain, I’d pick those same kids.”
Auggie’s smile is sappy.
“What?”
He lifts his hand as though he’s going to graze his knuckles over my cheek but drops it without touching me. “That was a nice thing to do.”
“I don’t know about that, but it felt like the right thing to do. And hey, I got a best friend out of it, and we even won a few games of rounders in the summer term of year six.”
The red man switches to green, and a beeping sound fills the air, letting us know it’s safe to cross the road.
“Besides, Em paid me back tenfold by helping me keep on top of my homework when I got selected for the city’s swimming team.”
“Speaking of swimming, we’re coming to watch you next weekend. I booked our hotel yesterday.”
“You’re sharing a room?”
“Is that okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Emory and I haven’t spent the night together yet. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”
I nip my bottom lip between my teeth. “You could have done. You should. I know Em would like you to. Don’t let me stop you. Have I done something to make you think I wouldn’t want you to?”
He squeezes my shoulder, grounding me. “No. Relax. This relationship dynamic is new for all of us. There’s bound to be bit of tiptoeing around each other, at least to start with.”
“You make Em happy.”
“So do you.”
“Not in the same way.”
“True, but you make him happy in ways I never could.”
I snort. “I think you’ve got that the wrong way around.”
“Let’s agree with both giving him something the other can’t.” Auggie winks, and my stomach flutters.
