No wonder Holden had a meltdown when he was in school. I couldn’t even imagine being here with touch aversion. I didn’t mind casual touches, but proprietary ones by rich girls who thought the world was theirs for the taking? Fuck no.
I started across the lawn. Seb could fend for himself if he wanted to change their minds. I was halfway to the door when the guy working the keg caught up with me, a cup sloshing in his hand.
“Sorry, man. Here.” He pushed the cup into my hand and smiled almost bashfully. “Mandy’s a little pushy, but she was right. You’re cute.” He winked. “Find me later.”
He went back the way he came, leaving Seb staring at me, slack-jawed. “Seriously? Why does everyone hit on you?”
“They don’t,” I said, handing him the cup.
He raised it and took a big gulp. “No one’s giving me beer and asking for me to find them later.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not interested.”
“Why not? He’s a guy.”
I snorted. “Yeah, because that’s all it takes, right? I’m gay, so any man will do.”
“I didn’t mean it likethat,” Seb said defensively.
I’d come out to him my first night in the dorm. If I was going to live in close quarters, I didn’t want to worry about hiding my sexuality from a bigot. Seb had been cool from the start. But I really didn’t like the way he’d blurted out that I was gay to everyone tonight.
“Don’t ever do that again, man. Don’t ever tell people I’m gay. I decide if I want them to know.”
He grimaced. Either in regret or because the beer was shit. Maybe both. “Sorry, Bailey. I didn’t think it was a secret.”
“It’s not a secret,” I said, swiping the cup from him and taking a gulp. “Just like your weird porn fetish isn’t a secret.”
“What?” he yelped. “Ofcoursethat’s a secret. You can’t tell anyone!”
I’d walked in on Seb watching animated porn in our first week of rooming together, and we’d both agreed to never speak of it again. It was bad enough that I’d never get that picture out of my head. Seb was so not my type, and seeing him wank at the computer was a sight I really would have preferred to live without.
But I needed him to understand how serious I was.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Really. I won’t do that ever again.”
I handed him the beer. “Okay, good. I’ll go get another drink and catch up with you.”
“You’re not leaving?” he asked, an excited smile pulling at his lips.
I shrugged. “A cute guy said I should find him later. Might as well get another beer out of it.”
“Yes!” Seb laughed. “That’s the spirit, man.”
Besides, if we left now, Seb would just be pestering me to come to another party. To give it a chance.
I’d hang out tonight, be a good wingman, and ensure he didn’t end up in any trouble. And then I’d tell him in no uncertain terms that frat parties were a no go.
A different guy was working the keg when I got there, but he handed me a beer without a second glance. I took it and wandered the yard, mostly keeping to myself, until I spotted a group clustered around a Jeep Rambler out on the road.
The hood was up. Some kind of car trouble.
I crossed the sidewalk. “What’s the problem?”
The crowd of guys parted to reveal a gorgeous Latina girl. “My Jeep won’t start. I’m going to have to call Triple A. My mom is going to be so pissed I came over here!”
“I could look at it for you,” I offered.
“We all looked at it, dipshit,” one of the guys said. “You’re not going to impress her.”
