Page 74 of Ours
“Seriously. I thought you were gonna put Steve in the hospital or something,” Greg joked.
“I’m glad you’re feeling a lot better today, babe.” Amy squeezed Nic’s thigh. “I told you they’re just stupid rumors.”
“I know, I know. I should have just listened to you; it was nothing,” Nic lied because Amy still had no idea that those“rumors” were true. “How about I take you to a movie tonight to make up for it?”
“Ooooooo, yay!” Amy clapped to herself. “You can finally seeWickedwith me!”
“Uhhhh. Haven’t you already seen that, like, twice?” Nic questioned.
“Yep!” Amy only smiled in return. “It’ssogood.”
“Great.” Shit, did his voice just crack?
“You get any calls from schools yet, man?” Greg turned the conversation back to something they both knew.
“No, not yet.” At least Nic didn’t think so.
There was no way his dad would keep quiet about something like that. He knew colleges had sent a number of scouts to his last game. The way his dad talked about it, it was only a matter of time before they started vying for his attention.
“I can’t wait.” Greg was practically bouncing in his seat. “Anyone you hoping to hear from first?”
“Heh, I guess there’s probably a few…” Oh good,thisconversation again. He turned to give Amy a quick kiss on the lips. “Be right back. Gotta take a piss.”
“Gross.” Amy whacked him on the arm as he stood.
Nic walked into the nearby hall, nearly empty with everyone either in class or at lunch. He entered the restroom, happy to find it empty, and leisurely walked to the urinal. He was in no rush to return to the conversation waiting for him outside. But being alone also allowed his mind to wander. Wander to things he didn’t want to think about. Things like what happened with Derek and Cory this morning. Things like what happened with Cory last night.
He wasn’t hurt by what happened this morning. Hewasn’t. It sucked that he wasn’t going to hang out with his bros anymore, but things had to change. That’s all. They were still friends. He’d see them around school. They were going on winter breaksoon, and then they only had a few more months to go before graduation anyway. They were going to split up one way or another. Did the reason why really matter? Nic shook himself off and walked to the sink to wash his hands.
Of course, Cory very clearlywashurt. That look on Cory’s face this morning by the lockers… He was crushed. And Nic knew it, knew it would hurt him. But he had to do it. Last night was a fluke. He was drunk.Verydrunk. And then he went over to Cory’s place, and they… He wasn’t gay. He would only have been leading Cory on if he … let things continue. It was time to put that shit behind him.
As Nic dried his hands, he looked at himself in the mirror. What he did was for the best, for all of them… Right?
“Wow, right there in the sex shop?” Jackson took another bite of his burger.
Cory and Jackson were sitting in the lobby of a Wendy’s eating. Jackson nearly took them to the Burger King Derek had left Cory at the day before, but Cory steered him there instead. It was way too early for lunch, but that didn’t stop either boy from getting a burger and some fries.
“Yep,” Cory said after he washed down his own with some soda. “It was fun, too. The daddy we met there was sweet. And hot.”
“Is that your type: older daddies?” Jackson asked pointedly before taking another bite.
“Uh…” Cory blushed, realizing how frank he was being in public, and lowered his voice. “I mean, I’m notnotinto it? I haven’t exactly had experience with a lot of guys.”
“I dunno. From what you’ve told me, sounds like you’ve done a lot more than most people do before finishing high school,” Jackson reasoned.
Cory blushed further and dropped his eyes to the table, Jackson’s words making him feel even more self-conscious.
“Hey, I didn’t mean that in a bad way,” Jackson backtracked. “I just meant you probably know a lot more about what you like than other people our age.”
“I guess you’re right,” Cory muttered. Then he saw a chance to turn the questioning around. “But what about you? Seems like you know as much about this stuff as I do.”
“Internet porn is a magical thing,” Jackson explained. “You start off looking at pictures of naked chicks, and somehow you end up watching men being tied up and being spanked…”
Cory snorted at Jackson’s frankness and kept up his questioning. “So, are you gay then?”
“I’m open-minded.” Jackson shrugged. “Don’t see a reason to let labels cut down my options.”
“Fair enough. I’m just gay.” Cory paused. “I think that’s only, like, the third time I’ve ever said that out loud.”
