Page 74 of Man On

I don’t say a word, picking at my chicken sandwich while Miah and Danny talk about a class they have together. I don’t take part in the conversation until it involves our match tomorrow. Virginia Tech had one of the best records in the NCAA last year, narrowly missing the championship in the third round. I feel like our team is playing well together, but there's a lot of new blood on our team— including me, Miah, Lane, and Danny. We’ve won the last couple of matches, and I feel like we’re growing stronger as a team, but this match will definitely test us.

“Where’s Lane?” Danny asks.

“Do I look like his keeper?” I should feel bad for being such an asshole to him, but that Danny is such a nice guy isn’t actually working in his favor here.

“He seemed upset when he left Randy’s. I texted him but he didn’t answer.”

“He’s fine,” I say, glaring. He’s right though, Lane is definitely off. He’s upset, that much is clear, but he won’t talk about it. And the way he was acting giggly and high was less fun than it should have been. It freaked me out. I think I’d worry less if he cried or got upset. Hulking out and breaking shit would have been less frightening.

I’m not about to admit to Danny that, despite living with him, I’ve barely spoken to Lane since teasing him about waking him up with a blow job. We have the same first morning class, but he sits far away from me and didn’t look at me even once today.

"So are we going to talk about the hickey or are we still pretending it's not there, because that thing is really hard to ignore," Miah says.

My head jerks up, realizing that Danny has walked off. Good riddance. Although now I have to deal with being badgered by Miah, who thinks I have a secret girlfriend. We haven’t been hanging out much because he has been seeing someone, and I’ve been preoccupied with Lane.

"Look, I can totally respect wanting to keep things on the DL, but we've been best friends since kindergarten. It's against bro code not to tell me." It takes effort not to laugh uncomfortably at those words.

"Did I tell you I have to be fucking chem buddies with Danny Hastings this semester?" I say, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, uh huh," Miah says, waving his water bottle in the air dismissively. "Whatever. Unless Danny's the one that gave you that love bite, I don't care."

"Gross."

Miah shrugs. "Fess up then, playa. Otherwise, this love affair you have with hating him is getting a little sus."

“Whatever, man,” I say, getting up to throw my trash away so I can get to my next class.

“Why won’t you tell me?” he whines, bouncing in his seat. If I wasn’t actually afraid of him finding out who it really is, this would be significantly more entertaining.

“Because you have a big mouth. Which, by the way, reminds me I wanted to talk to you.” I stand in front of him, crossing my arms and giving him my most serious expression. “You need to keep anything you know about Lane’s past to yourself. Don’t mention shit. Don’t act like you know shit. You don’t know shit.” I make a zipper gesture in front of my mouth, and then a slashing motion over my throat.

“You don’t think anyone’s going to find out when that documentary airs?”

“Not if you don’t open your fat mouth, Miah. And don’t you fucking watch it, either. I’m serious. He deserves some damn peace.”

Miah’s eyes narrow thoughtfully. “I guess you two are getting along better?”

“It doesn’t matter if we are. No one deserves to have their shit aired out like that.”

“Alright.”

“Miah,” I say sternly.

“Down boy. I fucking promise, okay?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, back to these hickeys. You know I won’t let it go until I figure it out, right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

“And you’re going to give me nothing?! After I just swore to keep your sworn enemy’s secrets?!”

A loud sigh escapes me. “Fine. One thing.”

Miah nods enthusiastically. “It better be good,” he says, pointing at me.

“You know the kind of bubble butt that has dimples on the side?”

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