Page 78 of Back to You

He sipped his beer and glanced around for the millionth time. He tried to tell himself that he wasn’t looking for anything or anyone in particular, but he knew it was a lie.

A lie that was proven when his heart jumped upon seeing Ethan fighting his way through the crowd.

“Hey.”

“Hey! This crowd is wild. Be sure to give Marcus shit for getting a better crowd with the grownups than the college kids.”

Brandon smirked. “Already planning on it. Here, want to sit?”

Ethan tumbled gratefully into the chair. “Woo. I’m too old for this kind of crowd.”

“Hey, I’m three years older than you, what does that make me?”

“Brandon, you were born too old for this kind of thing.”

“True.”

“Hi!” cried a woman as she stumbled up to their table. “I’m Mina, what’s your name?”

“Uh, Brandon?”

“Hey Brandon. Can I buy you a drink?”

Brandon scowled at a grinning Ethan. “No, I’m good, but thanks.”

Mina wasn’t at all put off by Brandon’s scowl. “Maybe we could get dinner later?”

“I don’t think so, but thanks.”

“Aw, why not?”

Brandon heard the band start warming up and leaned closer to Mina to make himself heard. “I’m gay.”

“What?”

“I said I’m gay!” he yelled. Of course that was the moment the band shut up and the whole bar heard him. Several of them broke out in a round of applause.

Ethan cackled madly as Marcus stepped up to the mic. “Thank you, Brandon, we appreciate you sharing.”

Mina had run away by this point, and Brandon laid his head down on the table. “Kill me.”

“Not a chance.” Ethan was busily texting on his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Telling everyone this story.”

“Who is everyone?”

“Lake, Nia, Michelle and Steven.”

Brandon groaned and put his head back down. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

Michelle: Are you with Ethan?

Brandon: Yeah, Marcus invited him to see the show tonight.

Michelle: You okay with that?

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