The message came across loud and clear. He wanted me to make better choices. The fact that he wasn’t lecturing me like a kid meant a lot, though. I wasn’t sure I’d really earned it, given how reckless I’d been lately.
“Thanks,” I said. “I’m working on it. No more hustling on campus. That’s for sure. I kinda, uh, went viral last time.”
“What?” Holden yelped.
“Oh, I’m looking that shit up,” Axel said with a laugh.
He dumped the bag on Holden’s desk and dug out his phone. Gray beat him to it. He held out a video, already playing.
I was bent over the pool table, a shit-eating grin on my face as I made shot after shot. The shaky video occasionally panned to Owen and Petie, looking redder and more pissed as I went.
There was bad audio of catcalls from the people who’d gathered to watch. Some cheers. Some rude jeering toward Owen that I’d missed in the moment.
“Keep holding your stick, man. Ain’t nobody else touching it after this.” Peals of laughter.
“This dude is fucking you hard in all your holes, man!”
A tad homophobic, though the tone made it sound almost enjoyable, so maybe not?
“Holy shit,” Axel said as he watched. “I knew you were good, Bails. But you are wiping the floor with these guys.”
The phone was passed to Holden, then to Flynn, everyone watching the video.
“I’m not going to say it,” Holden said after watching the reel.
“I already know what you want to say, and you’re right. I’m reckless sometimes.” I pointed to my eye. “I got the message.”
“Okay,” Holden said with a nod. “I just don’t want you getting hurt.”
I licked my lips. “Guess I kinda took for granted having you all watching out for me.”
“We might not always be there like before, but we’ve still got your back,” Gray said.
“Damn right,” Axel said.
“Thanks.” I cleared my throat. “So, Shiloh’s at school?”
“Yeah.” A sappy smile overtook Holden’s face. “He’s so happy to be back in the classroom full-time.”
“And Holden’s glad he’s never doing that cam shit again,” Axel said with a snort.
Holden rolled his eyes. “I’ve never said that.”
“You don’t have to say it, man. Shiloh’s your boyfriend. We get it.”
Holden shrugged. “If he hadn’t cammed, we’d have never met. I’m happy I don’t have to share him, but if I did, I’d find a way to be okay with it.”
“Because you’re all mature and in love and shit,” I teased.
“Your turn will come soon enough,” he said.
My thoughts went straight to Flynn. I was glad he was sitting behind me, or I might not be able to control my reaction.
What we had was new, and it was too soon to call it love, but it was hardly casual when a guy admitted his deepest, darkest secrets and you told him you wanted him, anyway.
We were too complicated for casual. But that was the story of my life right now.
Axel handed out Zacos, and we all dug in, wrapping papers crackling.
