"YOU HAD SEX WITH THAT?!"
I put my hand right on his stupid mouth. "Do you want my dad to show up with a shotgun?!?!?!?!" I snap. He puts both hands over his mouth like he's praying. "…You are the luckiest bitch I've ever met. I see the appeal now. You've been blessed, my dude. This explains your post-glow."
"I swear to god, if you call it a glow one more time—"
"I'm naming your sex tape Ride or Die, by the way. I can't believe this is your actual life," he murmurs. "I thought you were being dramatic, but no. He reallyisthat hot. And he knows it, too. Look at the way he wipes that sweat."
I roll my eyes, but I can't stop the stupid smile tugging at my lips. I glance out the window again.
Okay. Yeah. He is. His hair is pushed back, messy and wet. I smile wider, before I can stop myself.
"You're smiling like a teenager in a coming-of-age movie," Noah says suddenly, turning to look at me. "Bro. You're in deep." I try to play it cool. "Shut up."
"No, no. This is adorable. You're completely gone. You're finished. I'm so proud. I always knew you needed someone to break you a little."
I laugh under my breath. He grins and turns back to the window. "He's got good hands. You can tell. Big, veiny, probably heavy. I bet they leave marks."
"Noah—"
"No, no, hear me out." He turns toward me, suddenly intense. "His right arm. You saw it, right? That blank space under his inner bicep?"
"Yeah?"
"I knowexactlywhat tattoo would go there," he says, eyes gleaming. "It just hit me. It would be perfect." I narrow my eyes. "You are not tattooing Gio."
"Oh, Iamtattooing Gio," he says.
"It's destiny. I brought my kit. You think I flew across the world without my needles? Please."
"Noah—"
"No, listen to me. I'm doing it. Free of charge. As a gift. From me, to him. To say thank you for transforming your nerdy Canadian ass into a functioning, slightly emotionally available human being."
"You are insane."
"I'm in awe," he corrects, hands over his heart. "Let me give this man some ink. Let me honor this." I laugh.
I laugh until I have to sit on the edge of the bed, shaking my head.
My life has officially become a fever dream.
10) Hard Since Forever
Gio
"Seriously?" I stare at Jin. "We literally said it two minutes ago, dude! Two. Minutes."
Jin blinks at me, confused as fuck. "Was it...1814?" I drop the flashcard on the floor and drag a hand down my face.
"No. Try again. With brain cells this time, man."
"Ugh," he groans, flopping back dramatically onto the couch. "Why is everything about the 1800s so confusing?"
"Because history hates you," I say. "Just like me right now." He shoots me a look, then sits back up, already sweating through his T-shirt. The fan by the window is useless.
It’s August, the air is heavy, and we are two idiots buried in European history instead of doing literally anything else. I point at him. "And why are you even studying?! It's August. People are at the beach. There are pool parties happening. The world is out there—"
"My dad told me to," he mutters. "He said I should be ahead for next year. Prepared and 'disciplined'."
