“Gran!”
Gray’s laughing so hard I practically have to carry him out of the house.
On the drive to the college, Gray talks.I try to keep up, but I can’t focus—now that we’re actually doing this, it seems like a bad idea.Somehow, we make it to the campus, and we find a spot to park, and then we’re walking out into the evening.It’s dark aside from the security lights, and the only sound seems to be the faint buzzing in the distance.It grows louder as we make our way between the old buildings, the noise splitting into voices and the thump of bass.And then we pass between a pair of buildings into a courtyard tucked off the main quad, and we’ve reached the party.
My first thought is that it looks like something off one of those CW shows Gran and I watch sometimes—the one with all the teenagers played by people in their twenties and thirties.My second thought is that it looks perfect.
Little lights hang over the yard, strands crisscrossing above us to shed a warm glow on the surprisingly large crowd gathered here.Paper lanterns are strung between the lights, lit softly from within.At the far end of the yard, a tent covers a stage where a DJ plays music over a massive sound system—I don’t recognize the songs, but nobody seems to be complaining.The sound system has lights that whirl and twirl in time with the beat.There’s a pop-up bar, and people are crowded around it for drinks.There’s the usual pride stuff—rainbow streamers, rainbow beads, a rainbow balloon arch where a cute young couple of guys are getting their picture taken, even a rainbow disco ball that sends pink and red and blue chips of light spinning across the lawn.Lawn blankets and throw pillows provide impromptu seating.All of a sudden, I’ve got a million ideas for the Greek Life outreach.And about a million other things I’m definitely going to change.
Gray nudges me toward a table near the entrance to the courtyard, where a person with alotof piercings is handing out glowing glasses, glowing necklaces, and glowing bracelets.Gray takes a glowing bracelet for himself, and before I can say anything, he passes one of the glowing necklaces over my head.
“Don’t forget to pick up your complimentary poppers,” he says.
Then he’s gone, plunging into the crowd, and the person with the piercings laughs as I hurry after him.
Gray heads to the bar first, and I catch up to him as he joins the line.The crowd is pretty well mixed—some guys, some girls, and a good number of people who are probably nonbinary or agender.They’re young, but not as young as I thought they might be; I think I look about the right age, and nobody’s going to give me any second glances.Gray might be at the older end, but to judge by the number of guys staring at him, that’s a good thing.A couple of the ones watching him actually linger, trying to catch his eye.I figure we’re here for the whole boyfriend thing, so I stare at them and make my point as best I can.One of them notices and stares back at me.
“If you keep looking at him like that,” Gray says, barely loud enough for me to hear him over the music, “you’re going to have to fuck him.”
“I’m not—I wasn’t—”
“It’s the polite thing to do.”
“He’s not looking at me.He’s looking at you.”
“Oh yeah?”
When I glance over, the guy is still there, staring at me, and when we make eye contact, he smiles.He’s real skinny, with long dark hair that’s got glitter in it, and he’s got more glitter on his cheeks.I guess he’s pretty if that’s what you’re into.
“Okay,” Gray says, “you passed the thirty-second mark.You’re now legally obligated to smash.”
I yank my gaze away and stare at the bar.
The line shifts.We move forward.
“Uh, that was a joke,” Gray says.
“I know.”
He’s quiet again.And then he says, “Is this too weird?Do you want to go home?”
“No.”
“Great.Because I can tell you’re having a great time.”
When I look at him, he’s waiting for me, and the amusement on his face dissolves the worst of whatever I’m feeling.
The line moves again, and I say, “I need a drink.”
To my surprise, Gray does a shot before collecting our beers.He pays before I can, and then we have to shuffle aside and let the girls behind us take our spot.
“So,” Gray says as we start to move along the perimeter of the party.“What were you thinking?Want to mingle and try to talk up some interest in WISP, or hang back and get a feel—”
I’ve done my research, and now that the first wave of—what?jitters?—is over, I’m focused and back on track.I scan the crowd until I see one of the people I’m looking for: she’s Black, her hair in a short afro, and she’s talking to a person wearing a jacket with a lot of leather studs.
“I want you to meet her,” I say, and before I can think too much about it, I take his free hand and start towing him through the crowd.
“Who?”Gray asks.
