Page 115

“Hey, you two. Get in here so we can toast your newly not-so-secret love already!”

Mrs. Richards gave a watery laugh and released her son who, like a puppy who’d spotted a new friend, grabbed Suveer by the hand and trotted to the limo.

“Surprise! I like dick!”

“Specifically mine,” Suveer added, like he didn’t want there to be any doubt.

A.J. didn’t try to stifle the groan this time. “Tell me that’s not how you came out to your parents.”

“Well, the interpretive dance wasn’t working. I had to get direct.” He took one of the champagne flutes Yu had filled. “Nice job stealing our schtick.”

It took a few seconds for A.J. to realize he was talking about his and Bren’s non-matching pink and green accents.

“Yee haw! We sure do look right the same, partner,” Bren said with a monstrous attempt at a southern accent. He tried to snatch Dustin’s hat but was swatted away with zero effort.

“I told you we should have pulled seniority,” Suveer said, his hand finding Dustin’s thigh the second they sat down.

“Yeah, I still dunno if that counts, like,” Bren said, taking two flutes of his own when Dustin had poured a measure of clear liquid from the flask he’d taken from his suit jacket.

A.J. wasn’t sure how he’d felt about Bren comparing their relationships like that. Bren was adamant that two years together was more impressive than six years on and off and shagging other people on the side. In the end, A.J. decided to call it cute.

“Everyone’s relationship is different, dear. It’s not a competition,” he said in his best impression of what he might sound like at sixty.

“To being different,” Dustin said, raising his glass.

“Cheesy. Try again.” Nat said, taking his flask to add an extra shot to her glass.

“To dick!” he tried, and Bren and Suveer raised their glasses.

Yu, who looked like he was tempted to meet the toast just to annoy Nat, raised his glass. “To not needing a toast to drink.”

“Hear fucking hear,” Nat said and downed half her glass as she tried to keep the faux scowl on her face.

A.J. was about to join her when Bren nudged him in the side. He and the world’s worst couple were still holding their glasses up. Yu and Nat were already pouring another round.

“Rough luck, Ireland,” Dustin said, reaching over with his free hand to clap Bren’s knee.

Suveer shook his head like he’d never heard anything sadder in his life. “Imagine not liking your own boyfriend’s d—”

“Okay! Cheers to dick,” A.J. said, clinking his glass so forcibly that some of the juice sloshed out over the rim.

They were jostled back as the limo rolled forwards, and Nat took that as her cue to turn the music back to max. She was a good friend, whether or not she’d meant to be.

Bren finished his glass and waved away the offer of another shot, opting to lean back in his seat and return his arm to its spot around A.J.’s waist.

“I know you’re probably tired of hearin’ it, but you’re real cute when you blush.”

“Mhm,” A.J. said, taking the shot Bren had refused, not bothering to save face by suppressing the shudder. “And you’re a real dick sometimes.”

“Yeah?” Bren said, leaning in so that no one would hear him over the music. “Guess that’s why you’ve stayed with me so long, like. Bein’ such a big fan of dick and all.”

Oh what a fool he’d been ten minutes ago, thinking the combination of Dustin and Suveer would make for a pair of sympathetic confidantes. Oh, well. He’d only have to put up with them for another month, then he was off to Ireland where he could search for better friends in peace.

God he was going to miss them.

***

As the only out gay kid in school, there were always certain things other people took for granted that A.J. knew would never be for him. Going on dates, flirting in that breathless if-they-flirt-back-I’m-going-to-implode-with-joy way. Even being able to talk openly about something as simple as having a crush. It was all off limits unless you wanted a punch in the face, or a limerick about you scribbled on a bathroom stall.