No one can know.
What are you supposed to do?
19DAYTON
“Hey, could I borrow some YSL?” Marshall asks, poking his head into the bathroom you both share as you try to straighten your tie in the mirror.
Your dad was supposed to help you, but he ended up with a last-minute work emergency. He’s been down in his office for over an hour. And your mom just said to ask your dad again when he was done. So you ended up searching for a video online.
Okay, three videos. Ties are complicated.
Marshall’s own tie is still untied, and you wonder if he’s in the same boat you are.
“Sure.” You pass him the bottle. It’s one of your favorite scents, but it’s not really in your winter palette.
Marshall spritzes himself, then stands next to you at the mirror and starts working on his tie.
“You look good,” he says.
“Thanks. You too.”
Marshall’s suit is a lighter gray than yours, with a bright green tie to match his date’s dress.
“Whatever happened to that girl you liked? How come she didn’t ask you?”
“Mariana,” you say, then wince. You wish you could unsay it. It’s too embarrassing.
“Yeah. What happened?”
You shrug.
“Come on. You said you thought she liked you back.”
“Yeah, well.” You don’t want to get into it. Brody still feels bad about it.
He’s the one who suggested you go stag together (though he insisted it wasno homo). At least you won’t be the only freshman without a date.
“Come on.” Marshall elbows you in the side.
You bite your lip.
“We ran into her at Zona a while back.”
“Ah.” Marshall frowns in the mirror. “Something happen?”
You roll your eyes. “Brody made a joke that didn’t land. You know how he is.”
Your brother’s eyes get stormier beneath his brows. “I know he’s kind of gross to girls.”
“He’s not! He just has chronic foot-in-mouth disease.” He already apologized. Besides, he promised to help you talk to Mariana and maybe even get a dance.
Marshall just shakes his head. “Whatever you say. You almost ready? I’m supposed to pick up Lex in half an hour.”
Lex is the junior Marshall is going with, as “just friends,” even though you think your brother might have a crush on her.
You tug on your tie. This might be as good as it’s going to get.
“I’ll be ready.”
