Chapter 11
Rafe
So much for not hooking up with his broken-hearted flatmate. Rake awoke the next morning still buzzing from the night before. It wasn’t just that he gave his first-ever blow job. That evening on the soccer field with Eamonn was more than the sum of its sexual parts. To call it a success for Operation: Slut would be to cheapen what happened between them, and what he felt brewing inside him, even if it probably shouldn’t happenagain.
Rafe texted his best friend and former roommate Coop to see if he was able to Facetime. It was two a.m. at Browerton, but Coop would be up, probably writing a paper or playing video games with other kids in the dorm. As he waited to hear from Coop, he put his ear to the door to listen for Eamonn out there. He wondered what Eamonn was thinking. Rafe believed he had done an adequate, if not superb, jobyesterday.
His phone rang, and in seconds, Coop’s face took over his screen. Coop was buff with a serious expression forever on his face, but Rafe knew he was a big softie atheart.
“Hey, what are you doing up so late?” Rafeasked.
“I was working on a new rap for Squadron.” Coop fashioned himself the next Drake, and he liked to practice his material at this underground rap club that was a laundry room during theday.
“That’s awesome! I’d love to hearit.”
Coop cleared histhroat.
“But not right now. Sorry. I have big news toshare.”
“How’sEngland?”
“It’s great. I’m taking a class on Shakespeare. I can drink legally. And I gave a blow job.” Rafe’s eyes darted to the door. He should probably keep his voicedown.
“That all sounds veryfun.”
“Coop, the big question is how graphic should I get in my description?” Rafe sat on hisdesk.
“Not atall.”
“If we were characters onGirls, you’d let me go intodetail.”
“Good for you, Rafe. Seriously. I’m glad you’re having fun.” Coop yawned, and it caused a chain reaction for Rafe. Rafe remembered talking to Coop as they fell asleep about the most random topics, like what if gyros were made with pizza as the pita. It was fun having aroommate.
“So, I’m not sure what to do now,” Rafe said. “The guy I was with is my flatmate, and myfriend.”
“Were youdrunk?”
“No.”
“Was itawkward?”
“No. It was actually really nice,” Rafe saidwistfully.
“Do you want it to happenagain?”
“I…I don’t know. Eamonn, the guy, he’s one of my only friends here, and he doesn’t do casual hookups. I don’t want to make things weird since I’m only here for a few months.” Rafe knew of plenty of gay guys who hooked up with each other yet remained friends like it was no big deal. That’s what Louisa and Heath did. He didn’t know if he was capable of that with Eamonn,though.
“Then leave it alone,” Coop said. “Acknowledge what happened, then move on and go back to beingfriends.”
“Right. You know best, Coop.” Deep down, Rafe had hoped for a different answer, but this one was the wisest. It was the answer that would ensure he wouldn’t mess this friendshipup.
Coop yawnedagain.
“You should get to bed. Hey Coop! I’m technically calling you from thefuture!”
“Don’t ruin the surprise.” Coop cracked one more smile before yawningagain.
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