Today is when Aaron and I have agreed to tell his friends. He’s been to a couple of Thursday nights at The Flaming Unicorn since we got back, but we want to tell them together.
Today is the first opportunity. Matthias sent out a mass text asking for help moving Frank in with him. Of course, it includesa housewarming party after. The perfect opportunity to let them know we’re dating.
Officially and finally.
No matter how I came into the group, they have to be willing to admit that things worked out. I doubt anyone even remembers that I went on an almost date with Colt. He and Nathan are so in love with each other that it’s practically sickening. As currently evidenced by the fact that they’re wrapped around each other instead of moving any boxes.
I hope they say that about Aaron and me. Once we get through with the whole telling them thing. Thus far, we’ve had to keep ourselves apart at these gatherings, making sure no one guesses at our status. I think that’s what I’m most looking forward to, not having to edit myself when we’re with his friends.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure they have an inkling. Aaron doesn’t give his friends enough credit. We cannot possibly be that great of actors. I mean, my family figured it out pretty fast.
I grab a medium-sized box and haul it inside. I thought I was past the life stage where people ask for help moving. When I got the group text asking for assistance getting Frank out of his parents’ home and properly moved in with Matthias, I thought it was a joke. Or, at the very least, didn’t concern me. The longer I sat and watched the messages come in, the more I realized that Matthias was very serious.
When I duck back outside, there’s only a small box and a backpack left sitting on the front lawn.
“This is the last one,” I yell out as I carry them inside. I set them down in the living room with the rest of the stuff. No one else is around, which figures. I’m pretty sure I carried more boxes than anyone else.
Of course, Aaron’s not here yet. I’m trying not to let that make me nervous. It’s still early, and I know he had a long run on his schedule.
“Hey.” I nod as Frank and Matthias make their way inside, both of them looking a little shocked at the state of the place. There might not be that much stuff, but when it’s all piled in the middle of the room, it looks daunting.
I try to give Frank a reassuring look. It’s different, but it wasn’t that long ago I was sitting in a new place getting ready to start a whole new life. It’s exciting and terrifying all at the same time.
When my phone buzzes, I reach into my pocket and pull it out.Aaron. If he’s calling, that’s not a good sign. Usually, he texts, but I’ve learned that phone calls mean bad news.
I excuse myself and step around the corner into another room. “Hey. Are you almost here? We already moved all the boxes, so you’re off the hook. I think Matthias is getting ready to fire up the grill.”
“Oliver.” I knew it was bad, but the tone of his voice nearly undoes me. Even before he says anything else, tears start welling up in my eyes.
“You’re not coming.”
“Oliver, it’s not like that. There’s an emergency at work. I have to go in.”
“I—” Words completely escape me. I know somewhere in the back of my mind that he’s not doing this on purpose. That it’s not because of our plans for today, or that he no longer wants to be in this relationship. None of that makes it easier to hear. “Go.”
“If it wasn’t an emergency…” Then what? He wouldn’t go? Tell them he had other plans? He’d pick me? “Can I call you when I get off?”
“Sure.”
“I don’t know what time it will be, but I’ll call you.”
“Okay.” One-word answers aren’t a solution, but they’re all I can manage at the moment. If I say anything else, I’ll fall apartcompletely. That’s going to be hard to explain to Matthias and Frank, especially when I can’t tell them why.
“Oliver, please know that this doesn’t change anything between us.” There’s a bunch of noise in the background, some alarms, and yelling. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”
He’s gone before I can say anything else. Probably for the best since I’m not sure what exactly I’d say. I take a few minutes to steady myself, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. Maybe I can sneak out without anyone noticing.
I step back into the kitchen to find that it’s bustling with activity. All eyes turn to look at me, waiting for something. Probably an update on their friend. The real one, the one I tag along with. “Uh, Aaron called. He’s tied up at work. I guess they had too many people call out, so he’s not going to make it.” That’s not quite what he said, but I figure it’s close enough to the truth.
There’s a long pause. People are probably trying to figure out how to uninvite me from the rest of the event. I’ve never been here at an event without Aaron. If we don’t come together, I make sure he arrives first and leaves after me.
“Sucks for him. More burgers for you.” Nathan claps his hand on my shoulder, leading me toward the food.
“Oh, um, okay.”
“Veggie burgers. We’re grilling veggie burgers today.” I almost laugh at the protective way Matthias says it, as if we don’t all know about Frank’s dietary restrictions.
“There better still be chips.”
