“Later.” I nod at Derek, who blows me a kiss.
“Hey if you do ketamine tonight, be sure to bring your ass into my room when you get home.” He winks at me while the others laugh.
Scowling, I roll my eyes to cover up the way I’m blushing. “Screw you, Delightful Derek.”
“That was exactly my point,” he sings.
I flip him off and he falls onto his side.
“Back off, slut. He’s mine.” Will grabs me by the arm and pulls me into him, waving at them over his shoulder as we leave.
“Watch out for The Carver!” Liv squeals. “You’re going into the mouth of the beast!”
“If the beast wants to put his mouth on me, I’m game!” he shouts.
I’m laughing while we leave their apartment, walking two blocks to the nearest subway.
“What if The Carverispicking up gays from the clubs?” I ponder out loud, scanning my phone and stepping through the turnstile. “Maybe we should, like, avoid strangers or something.”
“Aww man! But strangers have the best candy!” He whines, intentionally overdramatic which is sort of his thing.
Will is a real character, but I love the kid. We’ve been friends for years at this point, and while we started as casual hookup buddies who got fucked up together, I’ve come to sort of rely on him, and Derek. Liv and Josie are also pretty cool.
This group of hellions might not be the best influence on me, but at least I don’t have to feel like I’m alone anymore. Truth be told, hanging out with them has helped me feel a lot more comfortable with my sexuality too. They’re all extra queer, so we have that in common. But none of them are afraid to show it, and I think I really needed that.
No one back home was gay. I mean, theywere, but not the way they are here.I can’t explain it, but it’s just different.
I guess it helps that they’re all so casual, sex-positive and non-judgmental. We can fool around and act crazy together and it doesn’t matter.
“You know, little muffin, if I didn’t talk to strangers then we would never have met.” Will pokes me on the nose. “So I guess it’s lucky for you that I’m so irresponsible,hm?”
I laugh. “Oh, is it? Lucky for me?”
He nods animatedly. Then he takes me by the arm again, walking us down the subway platform. “You’d be lost without me, Princess Elias.”
My chest constricts, but I force it away and just keep grinning.
Never letting anyone get too close.
These people don’t know the real me. Where I’m from, what I’ve been through, who Iam…
They don’t know I’m hiding from someone a million times worse than The Carver.
Twenty minutes later, we’re walking into a club in Hell’s Kitchen to meet up with some friends. Friends with drugs, which is perfect because I can feel myself falling into a hole of depression and I need something to drag me out.
We take pills, get drunk, dance and flirt and laugh. And when we decide we don’t want to pay the high drink prices anymore, we leave, making a pit stop at Empanada Mama before Will and I inevitably adjourn to his place for somestress relief.
“Which ones are you getting?” He hiccups. “Like I have to ask. Brasil and guava and cheese.” He grins.
“I’m good, thanks,” I murmur, even though I’mstarving,and they look and sound and smellsodamn good.
“It’s my treat.” He shoulders me, and I peek at him. “Don’t give me that look. You gotta eat. You’re too thin. Runway model chic is only cute on a yacht in Saint Tropez.”
I huff and shake my head. But I can’t argue because he’s already walking away. Not that he would listen anyway, so there’s really no point. Will is selfless when it comes to his friends.
That and his parents gave him a credit card to use while he’s in school that has no limit.
Will’s high-pitched squeal draws my attention to where he’s hugging a pretty, blonde girl in platform boots, super short shorts, and a mesh crop.She’s really serving here on the crowded sidewalk outside Empanada Mama at a quarter-to-four.
