“I considered asking if you wanted breakfast,” Senior says. “But I decided I’d better not. It seemed you didn’t want me to know you were there. Still, I wasn’t certain. Not until now.”
“You’re not upset?” I ask. I feel like I’m waiting for everything to go wrong.
“Why would I be? You two are getting along.” Senior points at our sandwiches. “You haven’t touched your food. Go on, eat some. It’s tasty.”
Jasper and I share a glance.
“So you’re okay with us dating?” Jasper clarifies.
“You’re surprised because I’m ancient, is that it?”
“You’re notancient,” Jasper mumbles.
Senior grins. “Of course, I’m fine with you two dating. Who cares if you’re both men? As long as you’re both happy. Now, I’m serious about eating your lunch. I didn’t make food for it to be wasted.”
Jasper and I pick up the sandwiches and we eat. I’m not exactly surprised about what happened, but it’s a relief all the same. We chat about nothing in particular, and after lunch, Senior suggests a game of scrabble.
Jasper groans. “You only suggested scrabble because you know you’ll win.” Despite his protests, he cleans up the table and gets the scrabble board out.
“I don’tknowI’ll win,” Senior corrects. “Luck’s involved after all.”
We play a couple of games of scrabble, as Jasper predicted, Senior wins every single one. At the end of the last game, I take the moment in. The afternoon sun is shining through the windows, Jasper and Senior are laughing together and I feel completely content.
After we pack up the game, Senior leaves the house to meet friends. Once the door shuts, I pull Jasper into my lap.
“That went well,” I say.
“Yeah,” he says, running a hand up and down my arm. “I’ve told everyone know.”
“Yeah?”
He nods. “My friends all reacted the way I expected. Curtis was super nice about it, though he didn’t seem very surprised.”
I can’t help chuckling. “Not another person.”
“Well, to be fair, I told him about propositioning you. I didn’t mention your name, but he probably figured it out. Anyway, I also told my parents. They were…surprisingly kind.”
“Yeah?”
Jasper nods. “I had a video call with them and they seemed super happy for me. They asked a lot of questions and wanted to know how it all happened. I didn’t think they’d care that much,” he admits, sinking in my lap, so his head leans against my chest.
I run a hand through his hair. “I’m glad it went well.”
He looks up at me. “Have you told people?”
I nod, and tell him I told my friends. I saw the girls yesterday, and we got lunch all together. It was the first time I’d seen them since Imogen’s party. I apologised to Imogen for disrupting her party, but she didn’t seem that mad. They were more interested in the fight and if my nose was okay. Kennedy said she was surprised Jasper took me home, and that was when I told them we’re dating now.
Imogen and Kennedy were gobsmacked. Trinity and Zaina seemed mildly shocked, but that quickly disappeared. They all asked me heaps of questions, like how we even got to know each other, and that’s when I explained I was living with Senior. Of course, that led to a whole new rush of questions. It was a long lunch, but it was freeing being able to tell the truth.
Afterwards, when we were standing alone, Zaina asked me about the Fin thing. I told her Jasper and I wouldn’t say anything. Zaina nodded like she already knew, but she looked relieved anyway.
“Anyway, I guess everyone at school will learn that I’m living with Senior,” I finished.
“It shouldn’t have been a secret in the first place.”
“It’s okay,” I say, continuing to play with his hair. “I also told my dad about you this morning, and it went well. I also told him I’m applying for university.”
Jasper sits up and looks at me. “You are?”
