“Shut up!” Noah laughed, shaking his head.
“If it’s not sex, I want you to sing for me then.”
“What?”
“I’m also working on a project, you know? And I want you to be my vocalist.”
“Oh, okay. That I can do.”
“Deal.” Zach grinned. “Anyway”—he reclined on his bed again, crossing his legs at the ankles—“tell me, what else are you gonna do with your piece?”
“I was wondering if Mads might join too…” Noah twisted his mouth.
“With the violin?”
“Yes. But I get the feeling he hates me.”
Zach snorted, waving a hand dismissively. “He doesn’t hate you.”
“Then why is he so tense whenever I’m around?”
He had watched Mads from a distance, and while he wasn’t all smiles, he was usually relaxed and talkative. Unless Noah was anywhere near him. They had barely shared a few words, sothere was no way he could have said anything offensive to him, right?
“He’s just a little withdrawn with people he doesn’t know. Besides, his grandma is not doing well lately, so he’s extra cranky.”
“I didn’t know about that…”
“Yeah. He doesn’t talk about it. Or anything personal, really. I only know he has a boyfriend because when I asked him who was looking after her while he was here, he told me that. During the first couple of weeks, I would have sworn he was just an alien that was here to study our species, but he’s quite friendly.”
Noah laughed at that. This guy was something else. “So… you think he’ll say yes?”
“No idea. And as nice as he is, he’s also weird as fuck. But if you don’t ask him, you’ll never know.”
“True.”
“Who’s your second option if he says no?”
“I haven’t thought of anyone. He’s so…”
“Charming? Magnetic? Hypnotizing?”
“All the above. And I want him to play the violin for me.”
“Guess you’ll have to make him an offer he can’t deny, then!” Zach smiled and flung his legs off the bed. “Now, it’s a Friday, and it’s your fucking nineteenth birthday—Val and Theo told me,” he said as he approached, leaning forward to wrap an arm around Noah’s shoulders. “Remind me again why we’re not getting drunk and celebrating?”
“Because—”
“Stop with the excuses. We’re all going out.”
“Who?” Noah asked as Zach shoved his laptop against his chest and pushed him out of the bedroom.
“Val, Theo, and the rest of the guys.”
“You had it planned all along, huh?”
“Your besties know you too well. Said you wouldn’t do shit for your birthday because you’re a pussy who’d rather crawl into bed and watch movies until you fall asleep. But that’s not happening here. So, we reserved the VIP area at Stigmata. Now take off those worn-out sweats and put on your best skinny jeans. We’ll meet in the lounge in thirty.” Grinning, Zach shut his door in Noah’s face.
And they did party. Hard.
