My dad had destroyed my credit cards, revoked my access to his bank accounts, and kicked me out of the only home I’d ever known, threatening that it would be a permanent arrangement if I didn’t show him I could at least hack it in the real world enough for a college degree. I had a trust fund sitting around with enough money to last me several lifetimes, accruing more and more interest every day, but I wouldn’t be able to get into it until I was 21, and that was over a year away. And I wouldn’t even have my degree by then anyway, so I wasn’t totally confident that he would even let me crack into it. It would be mine legally, but I wouldn’t put it past him to figure out some way to keep it from me until he deemed me worthy and responsible enough.
The sad thing was, he’d pretty much been right about everything. I’d had absolutely no fucking clue what living on my own would be like. He was still paying my tuition, but nothing else. I’d ended up having to sell a lot of my nice stuff, a couple of watches and some designer pieces I hadn’t wanted to let go of. The thought of selling my Porsche had started haunting me like a waking nightmare, but if it hadn’t been for Maddox pushing Ren to convince Aspen to vouch for me at Common Grounds, I wouldn’t have had a choice. At least for now, my beloved car was safe.
And truthfully, if it wasn’t for the group of friends I’d luckily stumbled into, especially Maddox and Cyprian, I would probably be dead in a ditch somewhere. That didn’t mean I was going to get all mushy and heartfelt and let them all know how important to my wellbeing and happiness they were or anything.
Maddox noticed me looking in his direction and pulled his hand off his boyfriend’s chest long enough to stick up his middle finger at me, his eyes sending off a clearavert your eyesmessage. Opening my mouth and letting my tongue hang out, I silently brought my hand up to my face and mimed giving a blowjob before jerking my chin down toward my crotch. Hetilted his head, popping up an eyebrow before mouthingyou wishin response to my suggestion. Shrugging my shoulders, I blinked innocently at him.
Ren finally seemed to notice the pseudo-conversation going on between us, giving Maddox a questioning look. Maddox rolled his eyes at me briefly before giving Ren a kiss and snuggling back against him as he directed his attention back to the TV. Ren gave him a soppy, lovesick look before shifting back into their cuddly position.
They’d started dating the year before, in the always entertaining ritual ofwait, I like guys?Maddox Holmes was a fitness-obsessed jock, having played basically every sport known to mankind, while Ren Suzuki was a brainy, if somewhat awkward, computer geek. They should have meshed together as well as orange juice and toothpaste, especially considering Maddox’s mood could only be described as perpetually bitchy and Ren was about as easygoing as one could be, but they’d become pretty much inseparable. I might have called them attached at the hip, but in truth they were usually attached via Ren’s dick.
We all jerked, startled, at a particularly shocking jump scare. Except Arie, who only chuckled in a sadistic, victorious kind of way. He loved when his chosen movies scared the shit out of any of us. Arie Becker was like a pink-haired, glittery little devil. And similar to Ren and Maddox, he was in a surprisingly odd couple with Che Arroyo, who had to be the sweetest, shyest, and gentlest human being alive.
When the movie was done, because the whole football team had been ripped to shreds in one way or another, Arie stood up from his spot on the couch.
“So,” he started, in hisalways the center of attentionsort of way. “The reason I picked this movie tonight is because…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Next weekend we’re all going to aparty. In a cornfield,” he added, and then gestured to the TV like we needed a visual reminder of the connection.
“Is there going to be a flying monster who rips all our heads off and eats our organs?” Maddox asked flatly. He and Ren usually skipped the parties the rest of us went to, though not always. Then again, I might not have cared much about socializing either, if I was already cozily tucked into the domestic bliss of comfortable companionship and constant dick riding. I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.
Glancing over at Aspen, I noted the somewhat bored expression in his hazel eyes. He wasn’t too excited about the idea of a party either.
“No,” Arie answered back, ignoring the deadpan lack of enthusiasm. “But there will be kegs, and music, and other human beings that we don’t see on a daily basis.”
At the mention of beer, I found my eyes drawn back to Aspen. He hadn’t reacted, but I knew the promise of alcohol was not particularly appealing to him. I didn’t know the reason behind it, but I’d discovered that fact about him the hard way.
The year before, when I’d still been wallowing in self pity, grieving my exile from my cushy, privileged life, I’d started developing the unfortunate habit of drowning my sorrows in bottles of expensive vodka or rum. Aspen had come over one day to drop something off for Ren, who’d been holed up in Maddox’s room like he tended to be, and he’d happened to catch me at a really low point.
He’d never exactly been my biggest fan but the way he’d looked at me that day, like I was the lowest form of being on the planet, was something I hadn’t quite been able to forget. I’d tried talking to him, but he’d ignored me and rushed out before I’d had a chance to try and understand his reaction. I couldn’t stand the idea of suffering under his repulsed gaze again, so I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol since.
“The GSA club is throwing it, it’s only $10 to get in, and the proceeds are going to the club so yes, we have to go,” Arie continued. “There’s going to be a DJ and everything, and basically everyone in the club is going. They’re doing, like, a rave theme. It’s going to be super fun.”
Aspen shifted, pursing his lips. “I probably have work.”
“It starts after the café closes, so neither you nor Caelyx can use that as an excuse,” Arie retorted quickly, like he’d expected that answer. “And anyway, Aspen, youspecificallyabsolutely have to go.”
“Why do Ispecificallyhave to go?” He questioned.
“Because Prestonspecificallytold me to invite you,” Arie answered, then glanced back at Che, like he was asking for backup. “Right, Che?”
“He did ask about you,” Che confirmed softly.
I sat up straighter, my spine going stiff against the back of the couch.
“Preston who?” Aspen wondered, and I had to bite down on my tongue to avoid giving an answer that would make it obvious how unhappy I was with the direction the conversation had taken. I knew exactly who Preston was. He was a senior, and the over-achieving do-gooder who ran the Gender and Sexuality Alliance club. He’d organized charity events benefiting queer causes, too. Probably exactly the kind of reliable, responsible, organized guy that Aspen would be into.
“Preston runs the GSA club,” Arie said quickly. I knew Arie was all about that club, being the out and proud little devil he was. “Andhe’s totally hot.And, like I said, he totally asked me about you.”
“He asked you about me, or he told you to invite me?” Aspen asked, raising his pierced eyebrow.
“Both,” Arie promised. “He asked me about you, and then he said I should invite you.”
“He said we should invite our friends,” Che chimed in. “But then he did mention you specifically, and asked us to invite you,” he said, corroborating Arie’s story. Great.
I waited a beat, hoping Aspen would scoff and blow it off, but my hopes for that weren’t too high. Despite his edgy, emo boy looks, he wasn’t introverted or anti-social. There was no real reason why he’d turn down a party invite, Preston’s interest in him aside.
“Fine,” he said, shrugging a shoulder. “I’ll go.”
“I’ll go, too,” I piped up quickly. No way in hell was I letting some try-hard know-it-all hit on Aspen without me there. Arie tilted his head, giving me a sly look colored with mock surprise. He knew why I’d agreed so quickly. Probably everyone did. I didn’t care.
