Page 16 of Sunflower

After the twentieth time of hearing him and Drew go at it in a single week, I’d taken a chance and confronted Jacob. While everyone in the house was happy for them now that they were together, their constant need to be loud—so very, very loud—had started to grate on us all. Although my frat brothers were happy to complain to each other about the racket, no-one wanted to step up and say anything to either of the culprits.

So I took the hit. No-one could ever say I wasn’t a team player.

I’d cornered Jacob one morning in the kitchen when it was just the two of us and gently and carefully brought the issue up with him.

He’d been mortified.

Even though he knew the walls were thin, I don’t think he realized just how loud he and Drew had been. Not that I could blame them. They sounded like they were having the time of their lives. I delicately explained that no one wanted to stop them from enjoying themselves, just that if they could be a little quieter, we’d all appreciate it.

I stopped short of offering to buy him a ball gag, but only barely.

Six months had passed quickly since then, and Jacob had happily continued to stay in Drew’s room, even after the contractors had finished fixing his room from the flood damage. Marshall had somehow convinced Lucas’s dad to pay Jacob’s accommodation costs for the coming school year, claiming that Jacob was still technically homeless because of what Lucas haddone. Something to do with the overlap of one school year to the next while the renovations were carried out. I’d never seen anyone as skilled at negotiating as Marshall had been during that exchange.

When Marshall had told Jacob and Drew about it at one of the house meetings, Jacob had offered his tiny room as a study den for everyone who lived in the house, along with using it as emergency accommodations so no-one would encounter the same issues he’d had if something unexpected popped up.

Marshall had been thrilled with the idea but reminded Jacob that if he ever needed his room back to actually sleep in, he was welcome to it. Jacob had laughed when Drew had grumbled loudly at the idea and wrapped a possessive arm around Jacob’s middle.

Everyone in the frat knew right then and there that those two were end goals.

Jacob, Drew, and I had become dear friends after I’d approached Jacob about the noise issue, so much so that we now regularly drank, studied, and gamed together. Occasionally, it was even all three at the same time.

“What’s this I hear about you leaving us in the lurch on Friday? You know how much Drew wanted to go to that club down on Herbert.”

I started laughing. It wasn’t Drew who wanted to go clubbing; it was Jacob. He always tried to throw his boyfriend under the bus though. “In case you didn’t realize, this Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. There ain’t no way I’m going anywhere on Black Friday.”

“Eh, you’re such a worrywart.”

“No, I’m an introvert who prefers not getting pushed around by strangers in very dark and obnoxiously crowded warehouses that masquerade as temporary clubs.”

“That’s half the fun!”

“Yeah, for you. You love getting your ass groped.”

“Only by Drew. Isn’t that right, babe?” Jacob’s voice drifted away, no doubt directing his question to Drew. A wet smacking sound came through the speakers loud and clear soon after, confirming my suspicions.

“Hey! No smooching while you’re on the phone!” I said loudly, even as I laughed. “Need I remind you thatyoucalledme? If you want to slobber all over each other’s faces, kindly do so after you get off the phone, please and thank you.”

There was a rustling sound before Jacob came back on the phone. “You’re so unreasonable, Joey.”

I heard Drew laughing in the background, so I suspected I was now on speaker.

“Excuse me, sir. I am perfectly reasonable. Just because you two have each other to lick each other’s tonsils, doesn’t mean the rest of us want to hear it happen.”

“I had my tonsils taken out when I was twelve.”

I rubbed my thumb along my forehead. I swear, talking to Jacob was an exercise in futility at times. “Oh my God, Jacob. Not the point I was going for.”

“Drew knows he can’t lick me there, anyway.” He paused to let Drew’s laughter carry through my speakers. “Not that he doesn’t give it a red-hot go. You like to lick me in lots of places, don’t you Drew?”

“You’re delicious. How can I resist?” Drew asked just before the smooching noises began again.

“Fuck my life,” I muttered, resigned to my fate of listening to these two horn-dogs going at it. “Guys?”

“Remember that night after I ate all that pineapple?”

Oh. My. GOD. “Guys!”

“What?”

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