Page 2 of Poolside

Tommy lifted his own imaginary mic as he echoed, slightly out of tune but not lacking in enthusiasm:After school.

The song went on, Chuck throwing his head back as he led them into the chorus, perfectly hitting the off-beat claps.

Stacy’s Momwas one of those songs no one would ever admit to liking, but as soon as it came on, everyone knew all of the words and sang along.

Stacy’s mom has got it going on.

She’s all I want and I’ve waited for so long.

Stacy can’t you see you’re just not the girl for me.

I know it might be wrong, but I’m in love with Stacy’s mom.

Chuck’s face ached from smiling. He danced like a fool, throwing his arms out and circling the large bathroom like he was an airplane even as he kept singing. Tommy stood in the middle, gyrating his hips with a mocking scowl on his face as he pointed to an imaginary crowd in the mirror.

Thiswas the Tommy he knew. The one who couldn’t hold a tune to save his life but didn’t let it hold him back from singing. The one who could never say no to acting like a fool. The one who laughed like it was easier than breathing.

The bridge came, and Chuck hit the harmony as Tommy wavered his way through the melody.

They came together like they were sharing the imaginary mic for the quiet:Stacy’s mom, has got it going on. Chuck’s breath caught in his chest as Tommy’s rough cheek brushed against his.

The bathroom door swung open.

Their voices cut off as a younger guy gave them a confused look before skirting around them to go to the row of urinals against the wall. Chuck tried to stifle his laugh, wrapping his hands around his middle, but loud puffs of air still burst out of him.

Beside him, Tommy’s face was contorted and flushed red as he failed to contain his own amusement. His hair was already starting to dry, returning to the usual boyish flop that reminded Chuck of a leading man from a 90’s rom com. The yellow light reflected the glitter of sweat on his forehead, smooth except for the beginning of a groove running straight across it.

He remembered the first time he’d met Tommy when they were freshman at Southeastern University. Chuck, who was a swimmer, had become tight with his roommate, David Hughes, who was on the basketball team. He’d dragged Chuck to a party with the rest of the freshmen basketball players, including Tommy.

Tommy had shown up to the party wearing two layered polo shirts with popped collars and a backwards hat, and was never seen without a puka shell necklace. He’d looked every inch of an obnoxious jock, saying things like “tight” and “sick,” quotingAnimal House, and bragging about his future in business.

But after a few nights out and a couple of shared meals in the dining hall, Chuck had seen right through it. Under all of the noise and bravado was a guy who just wanted to be one of the boys. A guy who, like David, thrived on the comfort of close friendships. And once you were in with a guy like Tommy, you werein. Then he’d relax, letting out the parts of himself he probably didn’t think were as desirable.

Now, Tommy tilted toward him, tipping until his forehead came to rest on Chuck’s shoulder. He could feel Tommy’s body quake as he lost the battle to hold in his laughter.

Chuck closed his eyes.

He shouldn’t enjoy the proximity of Tommy’s body as much as he did. He shouldn’t store those little moments away, deep in a vault inside of him. He knew the tighter he clung to false hope, the more devastating the crash would be when reality set back in, reminding him that his feelings wouldn’t be reciprocated.

He knew better.

He’d been a gay man in the closet long enough to know that he had no interest in living out that particular cliché. But years had passed and the crush persisted. It was innocent enough, something that reared up in the little moments when he was lonely. The moments when Tommy was over at his house, laid out on Chuck’s couch like it was his home.

The gay guy and the straight best friend.

Yeah, he wasn’t going to touch that shit with a ten-foot pole.

CHAPTER1

KEEP IT TIGHT

TOMMY

APRIL 2018

“Allison, give me some good news.” Tommy Littleton had his phone tucked up against his ear as he shook the chalky protein powder and water in his plastic bottle. “How are we sitting today?”

He heard the hiss of a power washer in the background. “We’re at 90% but we’ve got fifteen cars going out before ten this morning.”

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