Page 97 of Whistle

“You want me to come with?” Ryan asked from down the row.

I made a face. “Yeah, and right after, maybe you can come to the bathroom with me and wipe my ass after I shit.”

Nearby, Kruger made a sound. “Bro. You been watching that show too? I didn’t believe it at first. Had to Google it.”

There was a collective pause, and then everyone turned to Kruger.

“What?” I asked, because, seriously, what the fuck was he saying?

Kruger made a face. “Oh, that’s not what you meant? Guess I wouldn’t be watching either if it weren’t for my wife.”

“You’re married?” I said, surprised.

“I’m offended you look so shocked.”

“Just wondering how you conned someone into marrying you.”

“Please,” he scoffed. “I’m the whole package.”

Jamie snickered. “They aren’t married. They’re engaged.”

“Same difference,” Kruger muttered.

“No, it’s not,” everyone within earshot said. Guess they’d had this conversation before.

“Haters stay hatin’,” Kruger sang, turning back to his open locker.

“Bro,” Jamie called. “You can’t vague-book us like that. What show?”

Kruger turned back. “My Lady Jane. Some drama about the monarchy in England back in the day. Then some people started shifting into animals and shit. Kinda weird but oddly entertaining. Jess loves it.”

I was still confused. How was anyone supposed to keep up with the conversations they had? “And you’re telling us about it why?” I wondered.

“Grooms of the Stool,” Prism spoke up.

Pretty sure it was the first time I’d ever heard his voice. And what a weird thing to say.

“What?” Wes asked.

“Back in the day, the kings and queens had people to wipe”—Prism gestured to his ass—“their butts for them. They were called Grooms of the Stool.”

“That can’t be a thing,” Wes said, looking doubtful.

“Bros. The intranet confirmed it. It’s real,” Kruger said.

“Don’t you mean internet?” I corrected.

Ryan shook his head. “We say intranet around here. Right, P?”

Nodding, Prism smiled. A wave of discomfort washed over me, a sensation of being out of place. These guys had inside jokes and obvious history. They were clearly tight friends, and I was just… standing here in the middle of it like a third wheel. I didn’t fit with these guys. I probably never would.

“You watch it with Jess?” Jamie asked, and Kruger nodded. He turned to Prism. “What’s your excuse?”

Prism shrugged. “She’s my sister.”

“Valid.” Jamie allowed. Then, “But don’t be telling my sister, or I’ll have to watch it too.”

Ryan stretched out his arm to Jamie for a fist bump. “Good looking out, bro.”

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