Page 16 of The First Time
"Piper?"
"Okay. She invited her boyfriend over and he's kind of annoying, but it was fun."
"Just fun?"
"Yeah, well, it was my first threesome but I think I got the hang of it."
Mal teases back. "How did the boyfriend handle it? Did he take you one at a time or did one of you sit on his face while he fucked the other?"
My cheeks flush.
Mal chuckles. His eyes flare with victory.Don't tease me if you can't handle me teasing back.
"How did you pull that out so quickly?" I clear my throat. "Do you have threesomes?"
"You really want to know?"
"No, but you won't tell me."
"Fair point." He turns back to the stove, scoops the eggs onto plates, and passes one to me. "I'm leaving first thing tomorrow."
"I know."
"You gonna be okay alone?"
"I always am."
"School's about to start. Are you registered for classes?"
I nod.
"What are you taking?"
"We've been over this twenty times." For a guy who never went to college, Mal is really concerned with my class schedule. I'd rather not talk about it. College isn't clicking with me. I'm not good at taking tests and getting through my required reading is like pulling teeth. I'm slow and I barely retain anything.
"Remind me." He waits until I'm done with the sriracha to pour hot sauce onto his eggs. "Piper, this is important. School comes first."
"I know."
"Something you're worried about?"
"No." More like everything. Mal and Ethan have wanted to make music since forever. And they've been good at it for nearly as long. I've never wanted anything that much. I've certainly never been that good at anything. The only time I've ever been excited about school was when I got the lead inRomeo and Julietjunior year. Or when I got the lead inOur Townsenior year. "I'm looking forward to my drama class." It's the only class I'm looking forward to.
I still have a burning desire to act. This class needs to fill it. I don't have room in my schedule for any more electives and majoring in drama is out of the question.
I'm studying something practical. A good, stable job isn't romantic or exciting, but neither is relying on people who can abandon me at the drop of a hat.
Mal and Ethan wouldn't do that, but my parents are the ones who pay for the house, who pay for school. As long as they pay, I have to pretend like it's okay they're never around. Ethan or Malcouldhelp out. They do well. But I don't want to take away their chance to finally put themselves first.
I take another sip of coffee to wipe away the hurt forming in my chest. It doesn't work.
Mal is looking at me. "You look like you want to talk about something."
I shake my head. I absolutely do not want to talk about this. Any of it. "Just stressed about school. Last semester was hard and it was only 101 classes."
He nods. "Which advanced classes are you taking?"
"Drama and American History. Literature and bio are 101 classes."
