Page 34 of Footlights and Forever

“What you mean, Kevin didn’t tell you that I was outside an hour ago and he refused to let me in?” I asked with mock surprise.

“I’m sure there must be some mistake.” He shrugged. “You know Kevin, always joking about.”

“Yeah, it was hilarious when he closed the door in our faces,” I deadpanned.

“Anyway, you’re here now.” His smile was too wide; he seemed too pleased to see me. I felt the sudden, urgent need to abort this interaction and go home. “Have you found Austin yet? He was definitely around here somewhere. Having a good time last I saw.”

“That’s good.” I regarded him like he was a coiled viper ready to strike. “I’ll go find him.”

“You do that, was on the back terrace I think.” He grinned, swiping his drink off the counter and turning to talk to a group of frat brothers. I’d already been forgotten.

I pushed my way back into the fray, stopping briefly to ask Michelle who had Natalie pressed up against the wall under a stairway where I might find the back terrace. She pointed in the vague direction of a large room and the area of the house that the music seems to be emanating from. I spotted a large double door leading off in the back garden at the back of the room, and after some careful negotiation of the cramped space I pushed the glass doors open and stepped back into the night air.

Chapter 12

“I’m integrating all the parts of me - jock, musician, writer, poet, philosopher - and becoming stronger as a result.” – Alanis Morrisette

Austin

Two Hours Earlier

“What the fuck Kyle?” I called down the stoop, my voice strained as I lugged the giant keg up the stairs of the brownstone. “I thought the whole point of a sponsored event is that you can pay to have this shit done for you.”

Kyle shrugged from his seated position on the top step of the stoop. “You know how it is, all the brothers help out.”

I dropped the keg on the floor of the entryway and moved to sit next to him. “Well, therein lies the problem.” I sucked air between my teeth. “I’m neither a frat brother or the hired help, so you best get to moving” I hooked a thumb over my shoulder towards the metal keg of beer on the floor.

“Oh, no can do, sweetie.” He shook his head, eyes filled with panic. “I just got my manicure earlier today and I have a shoot on Monday morning. My agent would kill me if I scuffed this.”He showed me his hands as if that was simply enough evidence to prove why he couldn’t get off his ass.

“Then you best be really careful.” I smiled, plucking the sunglasses out of my shirt pocket and sliding them on my face.

“Oh please.” Kyle gripped hold of my bicep and gave it a small squeeze. “I can promise that Kevin will be really grateful.” He gave me a wide smirk.

“Why on earth would I care what Kevin thinks?” I barked out a laugh.

“You know.” He gestured towards me as if that explained everything.

“No.” I scrunched up my nose. “Enlighten me.”

“Well, you guys have a thing for each other.” The ball of dread that reared its ugly head time and again made an appearance. This was the way of things with Kyle and the other guys at the house. I’d been very honest with them when I’d moved in that I was in a happy stable relationship, and that nothing was going to change that. For the first few weeks everything had seemed fine, apart from the curious glances and comments from my housemates to Dylan that had irked me. I had spoken to the guys, who had apologized and said they would knock it off and show Dylan the respect he deserved.

Dylan thought I was oblivious to the way that he and my friends were with each other, choosing to remain blind to the palpable animosity between them. I was not. I worried about Dylan and his own self-esteem. My friend had done a number on him in high school and over time, it had worn him down until he’d started to fade into the background. The only time people seemed to notice him was when they wanted to vent some of their teenage angsty rage his way. I had not done nearly enough to protect him from my friends before we became something.

It had shown in Dylan’s reluctance to come out, so to speak, as a couple when I had been ready to shout it from the rooftopsa long time before that. So I had taken on the strategy of downplaying any shadiness exhibited by the guys, passing it off as jock humor. I had hoped for a while that that was how things actually were, but over the past few months, Kyle in particular had taken to flaunting his brother in my face at every available opportunity.

In any other situation I would have been on Kevin in a heartbeat. As my friend’s twin he shared the same good looks and strong body as Kyle, but unlike Kyle he seemed to be a lot softer and approachable. Kyle was all hard edges and sarcastic humor, whereas Kevin was funny and engaging. There was Dylan though, and Kevin could not hold a candle to the guy who’d showed me more about myself in a few months than I’d ever learned in the previous 17 years. Dylan was my person, he was the guy who looked out for me and let me look out for him.

“Kyle, I don’t have a thing for your brother.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose between my fingers. “Don’t get me wrong, he is a nice guy, but I already have the best guy. I’m not looking for another.”

I caught the quick roll of his eyes as he pushed to his feet.

“What?”

“I didn’t say anything.” He raised his hands in front of him, but rolled his eyes once more.

“You don’t need to say anything.” I shook my head, throwing him a grin.

“Listen I know this is not what you want to hear, but college is for living, and I don’t think that’s what you’re doing right now.”

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