Page 79 of After the Siren
Drips wolf-whistled, and Dex actually dropped their phone. Gabby was laughing so hard she almost fell off the bench and had to grab Jake for support. The song faded out and Theo recognised the first bars of Beyoncé’s ‘Partition’ – that one he did know. Obviously Jake was in charge of the playlist.
Drips caught sight of Theo first and waved. ‘Hey, Stavs, you’re late for the show.’
Jake turned, smiling. ‘Hey,’ he said, and for a second Theo felt like he was choking on his own heart.
‘I think I caught the best bit,’ Theo said, walking over.
Jake grinned at him, skin sheened with sweat from his workout, his eyes dancing with laughter. ‘Bet you haven’t got moves like that.’ He winked.
Instead of sayingI don’t really dance, Theo’s mouth opened without him giving it permission and he said, ‘I have moves you can’t even imagine.’
Drips snorted. ‘Shots fired.’
Jake rolled his eyes. ‘All bark, no bite,’ he declared.
‘Yeah, come on, Stavs,’ Dex said. ‘Gotta back it up.’
‘Jaze certainly did,’ Gabby said.
‘I’ll dance with you,’ Drips volunteered. ‘I promise I won’t try to cop a feel.’
Theo underwent his second out-of-body experience in half a minute and grabbed the hat from Jake. ‘Sure.’ He put the hat on – sideways, obviously – and Jake dropped back onto the weight bench next to Gabby, grinning.
The joke was on Jake, though, because Theocoulddance. His sisters had had a longDance Dance Revolutionphase, and he’d spent a lot of time dancing with Priya at clubs and parties. Priya had a great sense of rhythm and did not tolerate half-measures.
He didn’t want to get closer to Drips than she was comfortable with, but she made it clear almost immediately that she was game to get cosy in pursuit of the bit. He was trying to keep his face serious, which was just making it harder not to laugh. Then he glanced across at Jake, who was staring incredulously, and couldn’t hold it back. He managed to keep dancing, though.
‘Oh my God,’ Dex said, nudging Drips out of the way. ‘I want a turn.’
So, Theo danced with Dex, then with Gabby. Then Jake shouldered Gabby out of the way and they were dancing together, Theo trying not to just stare into Jake’s eyes, trying not to run his hands down Jake’s sweat-slick biceps. Jake was, of course, outrageous. Theo was going to murder him for the way he was jokingly grinding against Theo, as though that wasn’t likely to cause Theoproblems.
The door opened again and they turned to see Yelks and Tenders in the entrance, gaping. That did it. Theo lost it, grabbing onto Jake as he doubled over with laughter. Jake was no better, and Gabby was actually on the floor, curled into a ball.
‘I’m not going to ask,’ Yelks said, over the beginning of ‘WAP’.Theo thought about turning the music off, but technically whoever got to the speakers first had dibs. He was sure Yelks had heard worse. He and Tenders retreated to the far corner of the gym, and they both had headphones on.
The workout was clearly over. Jake dropped down to the ground to stretch with the others and Theo joined them. There could never be too much stretching.
‘This song is a public service,’ Dex observed. ‘Swiping your nose like a credit card.’ They looked pointedly at Jake and Theo.
‘Not really my area of expertise,’ Jake said casually from his hamstring stretch. Dex’s eyebrows drew together, and Theo knewexactlywhat they were thinking. Then Jake said, ‘I don’t mind when it hits the back of my throat, though.’
There was a brief moment of silence. Theo couldn’t breathe. He felt a rush of something that might have been pride.
‘Do you mean ...’ Gabby started, carefully.
‘Yeah,’ Jake said, like it was something he told people all the time. He shot a glance at Yelks and Tenders, but they were both on bikes and facing the other way. ‘I’m, uh, gay.’
Drips rolled close and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. ‘Awesome. Thanks for telling us.’
Then the other two piled on top so Jake was at the bottom of an enthusiastic and sweaty group hug. They disentangled themselves eventually. For all the grinning Jake did, Theo wasn’t sure he’d ever seen that exact smile before.
Gabby glanced at Theo, something a little measuring in her eyes. He swallowed. He knew he didn’t have to say it. But if hedidsay it, Gabby, at least, was going to work out what was going on between him and Jake.
‘I guess, while we’re talking about it ... I’m also queer,’ he said, before he could change his mind. ‘I’m bi.’
‘I fucking love this,’ Drips said. ‘This is great. I love you both.’ She held out her fist for Theo to bump. ‘Except I love you more, because bi rep.’
Jake glared at Theo. ‘First the dancing, now you’re one-upping me while I’mcoming out.’
