Page 105 of Unrecognizable Player

“No, he said he only found out a couple of weeks ago.”

There’s a pause while he absorbs all the information. “So wait a minute, I know I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but, you two becoming roommates was just a weird coincidence? He didn’t know when he moved in with you that you guys had shared dick pics online?”

“Not dick picks, and no.”

“But haven’t you guys been… sleeping together?”

I nod.

“And you didn’t recognize his body from the pictures he sent you of his ‘not dick?’”

I shake my head. Wow, I really am fucking blind and stupid. I literally saw that little freckle and thought of horror boy, but told myself it was a coincidence.Idiot.

“How did he figure out it was you?”

“He said it was when I got a concussion and he came into my room. I guess he recognized my sheets and saw my scar and saw that I had all the same books as Kelsier38 – my handle.”

Pawlowski pats my back.

“Do you think maybe you’re giving him shit for no reason here?”

My head snaps up. “What the fuck? He lied to me.”

He runs a hand over his face. “Stef is fucking awesome man, and it’s obvious how into each other you are. So he’s smarter than you and figured out that you guys are in some weird-as-fuck coincidence where you ended up living with a guy you’re talking to online? So he figured it out before you did, so what?”

“He should have told me the second he realized it was me.”

“Agreed. But… if it was the other way around, would you have told him?”

“Yes.”

“You wouldn’t have worried that he’d be disappointed it was you?”

That makes me pause.

“Had anything even happened between you yet?”

“No.”

“Who initiated this thing between you?”

I think about going into Stef’s room and kissing him. How surprised he was. How nervous he looked when I started lavishing all that attention on his body.

“As soon as something happened between us, he should have known I’d be happy he was horror boy.”

“Would you have been?”

“Yeah, of course I would.”

“But dude, uh, how do I say this without you getting mad at me?”

My nostrils flare and I try to relax my face. “Just say it.”

“You kinda have ridiculously high standards, like mostly for yourself, but for other people too.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“I know your dad’s rough on you, but-”

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