It reminded me of being at an Iranian wedding, wherethe married couple would have to kiss whenever people started clinking their glasses with their forks and shouting “Shoo-loo-loo-loo-loo!”
“You good?” Landon’s hair tickled my lips as I spoke into his ear.
“I’m good,” he said.
“I’m gonna grab another drink.”
I untangled my limbs from his and went upstairs to pull another purple Gatorade—the best flavor—out of the fridge. A few guys were upstairs, hovering in the kitchen or sprawled out in the living room playing on their phones.
The door to the patio was wide open, to circulate some air and relieve the overwhelming smell of pizza rolls and tightly packed boys.
Chip was outside, talking to Trent Bolger, who had somehow rated an invite to the party. They were arguing, as best I could tell.
“—ditched me again, dude,” Trent said.
“I don’t complain when you have football practice.”
“Why are you playing soccer anyway? It sucks.”
“I like soccer. I told you football wasn’t for me.”
Trent grunted.
“Yeah, well, what about Monday? You were supposed to text me when you got out.”
“I told you I was sorry. I kneed Darius in the balls. What was I supposed to do, leave him on the side of the road?”
Trent snorted at that. “I wish I’d seen it.”
“It was awful. You don’t even know.”
“I didn’t know you were so desperate to get to third base.”
My ears burned.
Chip mumbled something I couldn’t catch, but it made Trent laugh again.
“Whatever.” Trent rounded the corner and saw me holding my purple Gatorade up to my lips without drinking. “What’s up, D-cheese.”
That was a new one.
Objectively speaking, Trent had said worse. Dairy Queen was at least a Level Three Homophobic Insult.
But D-Cheese offended me more.
I had excellent personal hygiene, and that hadn’t been a problem for me since I was like twelve.
Not that I could tell that to Trent Bolger.
I never wanted to discuss my penis with Trent Bolger.
“Be cool, man,” Chip said. “Hey, Darius.”
I took a sip of my Gatorade. “Hey.”
The burning in my ears had spread down to my neck.
I looked from Trent to Chip and back to Trent. He had this smirk on his face, like he knew what I was thinking.
