“Living statues!” Francisco calls out from the back. “You know, where people paint themselves silver and stand really still? But we could do it in pairs, like Greek wrestlers or something. And naked!”
“That’s not terrible,” Nathan admits. “Except I can’t stand still for more than thirty seconds without?—”
“Massage train,” Jonas interrupts. “Everyone gives the person in front of them a sensual massage. It’s art because…uh…it represents the circle of life?”
“What about partner yoga?” Taylor suggests. “You know, where one person has to climb the other person? Very artistic. Very flexible.”
Gerard inhales with such dramatic force that half the bus turns to check if he’s choking. “Yes! Elliot and I did that once! Well, we tried. I accidentally kicked him in the face during the flying bird pose.”
I’m going to throw up. Or pass out. Or both. Because all I can picture is Jackson’s hands on my body, positioning me for some ridiculous yoga pose while everyone watches.
“Synchronized swimming,” Will says, then pauses. “Wait, is there a pool at the convention center?”
“No pool,” Oliver confirms. “But points for creativity.”
“Shadow dancing,” Mason offers. “You know, where there’s a screen, and you’re backlit so people only see your silhouettes? Could be pretty sensual.”
“Feeding each other,” Sebastian squeaks from his freshman corner of shame. “Like artistically? With blindfolds?”
The suggestions keep coming, each one more ridiculous and somehow more homoerotic than the last. My teammates are embracing this whole thing, probably because half of them are still riding the high from the roller disco. But all I can think about is how I’ll have to ask Jackson to do this with me. Again.
“Contact improv,” Nathan suggests, surprising everyone. “It’s this dance form where you maintain physical contact with your partner the whole time, just flowing together.”
“Since when do you know about dance forms?” Kyle asks suspiciously.
Nathan turns pink. “I may have Googled some stuff after the roller disco. For research.”
“Research,” Kyle repeats flatly. “Right.”
“Stage combat,” Jonas suggests. “But make it foreplay?”
“Burlesque,” Gerard says dreamily. “Elliot in those little tassels…”
“Focus, Gunnarson,” Oliver sighs.
The bus hits a pothole, and my phone flies out of my hand, clattering under the seat in front of me. When I lean down to get it, Gerard’s face appears upside down above me.
“You okay, buddy? You’ve been quiet.”
“I’m fine,” I lie through my teeth.
“Is this about Jackson?” He lowers his voice, which for Gerard means everyone can hear him from only five rows away instead of ten. “Because I’m sure he’ll do whatever this ends up being. He’s super into you.”
That’s the problem!I want to scream. He plays the part perfectly. And I can’t tell what’s real and what’s fake anymore.
“Partner acrobatics,” Kyle suggests when I sit back up. “Cirque du Soleil but with more sexual tension.”
“Everything has sexual tension when Kyle does it,” Nathan says, then immediately looks like he wants to crawl under the bus.
Kyle stares at him for a long moment. “What…did you just say?”
“Nothing. I said nothing. Shut up.”
“Living paintings,” Mason suggests. “Where we recreate famous artworks but make them erotically hockey-themed?”
“The Creation of Adam, but they’re passing a puck,” Francisco says excitedly.
“The Birth of Venus, but it’s Gerard emerging from the penalty box,” Nathan adds.
