Page 89 of Resistance Training
I carefully move my hand away from Brad’s body and cover my mouth because oh my God, this is amazing. Brad’s mouth is open, and he still won’t move or breathe. We look at each other and silently mouthOh my God!This is a sign. Hairy Styles is giving us his blessing. This is the best thing that has ever happened to us since Brad and I had amazing sex just now.
“Good boy, Hairy!” I say.
Brad shushes me.
“He’s not going to leave—look at him.”
“This is very cool.”
“It’s so good.”
“He looks great. Do you think he can tell I’m a cat guy now?”
“I mean, I think everyone can tell. You had cat hair all over your shirt.”
“I wish.”
We just lie together smiling at each other, barely breathing.
All because I’m such an amazing email writer and Brad finally stopped being an idiot.
“I have to tell you something,” he says.
I start touching his pecs and biceps again, very gently, so it doesn’t disturb Hairy Styles or Captain Peen.
“Are you listening?”
“Yes. I’m listening with my ears, but my hands aren’t paying much attention to what you’re saying.”
“That really fucking works for me. So, the reason I was extra pissed off about what happened with Brad Turner and prom is that I was planning to stay in Seattle so I could be with you.”
“When?”
“After we graduated. I mean, at the end of April I deferred my spot at Princeton. I was accepted to both schools, remember, and you seemed so sad that I chose Princeton.”
“I never blamed you for wanting to go to Princeton?—”
“I know. But it was too late to register at UW, so I was going to take a gap year and then go to UW in 2018. I was gonna surprise you. But it seemed kind of intense, giving up Princeton for you.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah.”
I put my hand over his heart. “Bradley.” Now I’m tearing up. “I wish you’d told me.”
He shrugs. “Anyway. I didn’t need a degree from Princeton to become a personal trainer, so…”
“Wow. I mean. Everything happened for a reason, I guess, right?” It’s so easy to say those words, but the thought of him deferring his spot at Princeton so he could be with me before all that happened with Other Brad…it’s just too much. No wonder he was so mad. But also, he should have told me. It would have changed everything.
“Don’t cry, baby.” He wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “I didn’t want to make you sad. I just wanted you to know how much you meant to me.” I make a happy-sad little kitty-cat sound and rub my cheek against his hand. “How much youmeanto me. So much.”
“Oh my God, your parents must have been so upset.”
He exhales. “They were not happy about it.”
I have this realization all of a sudden. “Oh my God. Did your parents make you stay away from me because you gave up Princeton for me?” This is so much more romantic and acceptable to my brain.
“I mean…no. That was all me.”
