Page 9 of Blitz'd

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I didn’t do anything, so you don’t have to lie about being here. Thanks for having my back, though.” He smiles at me and bumps my shoulder.

My phone rings. Luca nods towards it and stands. “Answer your phone—I need to finish this essay.”

He walks over to his side of the room as I grab my phone. I grumble when I see my brother’s name pop up on the screen. I already know what he’s going to say.

For hours last night before I crashed, I watched the sports recap of our game. Front and center was the kiss I shared with Kerian. From the outside looking in, you’d think we’d locked lips before. Our kiss looked familiar, like we’ve been together and known each other’s mouths for an eternity.

There’s no way Colson is calling for anything else.

Blowing out a fortifying breath, I answer my phone with, “Colson.”

“You know, I watched the game so I could see you win, not tongue down the Meridian quarterback.”

“I hate you.”

“All morning, the sports channels have been replaying my baby brother being… what do the English call it… snogged? Being snogged by a rugged-looking guy who didn’t look like he wanted to let you go.”

“I can hang up. At any time, I can hang up.”

He doesn’t care; he keeps going. “Don’t get me wrong. If I was into dudes, Slade would be a good choice. But I thought you’d tell me first before you came out of the closet. We’re supposed to be best friends.”

I hear the laughter in his tone, so I don’t take him seriously. “I’m not in or out of the closet. I only kissed him because of Megan’s bullshit.”

“What bullshit?” His voice instantly loses all humor.

Quickly, I give him a rundown of what happened before the game and why I pulled Kerian in for a kiss. Luca makes a snorting sound, shaking his head at me.

“It wasn’t the best plan,” I tell both Colson and Luca, since Luca is all in my business, “but I didn’t know what else to do.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell them how Kerian showed up at my room late last night and how I got off with his saliva in my palm, but that’s for me.

Colson grunts. “I can see why you went the route you did, but did you not think you were proving her point?”

Thatwasthe point. I wanted Megan to think I had something going on with Kerian, even though I didn’t. Idon’t. But she didn’t know that.

“Whatever,” I say, unwilling to explain my harebrained idea, especially after Kerian came to visit and made me even more confused than I already was. “Did you call to give me shit or what?”

“That and Mom was asking about you. I went over early this morning and she’s sad. She thought you two had the type of relationship where you would tell her if you were gay.”

I groan and sit forward on my bed. “I’m not. Nothing is going on with me and Kerian. Just that stupid kiss that was obviously a mistake.”

“Don’t tell me, tell Mom.” He pauses for a beat, his tone going all big-brother serious. “But if you are gay or bi or whatever, you can tell us. You know that, right? You’re my annoying ass little brother, but I won’t love you any less.”

“I know, dipshit,” I tell him, waving him off. “Don’t get all serious. I’m not gay, or bi, or anything other than straight.”Probably not a lie. “I’ll call Mom after my gym sesh with Russ and talk her down. God, y’all are fucking annoying.”

“Love you too, you little shit.” We both laugh and click off.

I gather my things to take a shower, glad that our shitty dorms include a bathroom in our rooms. The older dorms still have communal showers.

I don’t waste time in there, even though my dick is rock hard.Talkingabout the kiss with Colson has methinkingabout it, and my cock is so on board for another one.

But I’m not. Not that kissing a dude is gross or something. It’s whatever. It’s because it’s Kerian.

Besides, I’m not into dudes. Nothing wrong with being gay or bi or pan, but that’s not me.

Right?

After I roughly wash my hair and body, I hop out and get dressed. Kinda pointless to shower before the gym, but my blood is singing in my veins and I needed to calm down.

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