Page 22 of This I Promise You
That was an utter failure. Just once, I need that to work. Hell, he might have actually been an option, but I’mnevergoing to know because I’m a pathetic loser who can’t even walk up to a guy, let alone start a conversation without a damn app.
“Easton?” A voice pulls me out of my thoughts with an excited soprano.
I turn and a smile lifts my lips.
“Huxley!”
But does that mean… I do a quick check to see if Paul’s here—he’s been with her every other time I’ve seen her lately. I’m half relieved he isn’t and half irritated when I don’t find him tagging along. It’s better like this. I know she’s a decent person, which is why Paul can’t bethatbad. She wouldn’t have brought him to play pool if he were. That was actually a lot of fun, but it’s been a few weeks since then.
“I didn’t think you’d actually come by yourself.” She pulls me in for a hug.
I’d usually shrink from such, but it’s Huxley. You don’t say no to a hug from the Amazing Huxley.
“Yeah.” I roll my eyes.
“I could barely get you to come to the library for study sessions,” she reminds me.
“But I did,” I remind her back. “That’s why you passed, remember?”
“I mean it’spartof why I passed.” Huxley shrugs.
We had a great time in political philosophy last year…well, at least I did. As I remember it, she hated it, and I helped her pass.
“Not how I remember it.” I smile.
I definitely recall her in desperate need of help the last half of the semester. It’s not like I just volunteered my tutoring services, despite us already being friends at that point.
“How about more you, less me.” Huxley bounces her shoulders and takes a drink from her bottle. I do the same and finish mine off. “Afterwe get another drink.”
“Uh…” I start to say no, but what the hell. “That I can agree with,” I say and follow her to the corner where there’s a random bucket filled with ice and bottles. We both take another and pop the tops.
“So, where’s your boyfriend?” she asks.
“My boyfriend?” I squint and take a drink.
“Yeah, Aidan. Or is it Tyler? TylerandAidan? Are you in a throuple situation?” There’s a slur to her words. “I always see you with the one. I remember you mentioned them both. I think? Could be wrong.”
I nearly choke on my beer. I cough to keep it from going down the wrong pipe. I’m beginning to wish Iweredrunk.
“Oh shit, you okay?” She steps back so I don’t spit on her.
“Good, good.” I swallow and clear my throat. Aidan? My boyfriend? Where the hell did she get that from? “And no! Definitely not. Aidan’s myfriend, not myboyfriend.Ty’sAidan’s boyfriend. And a throuple?”
“It’s 2021. Why not?” She doesn’t miss a beat.
“Uh…nah.” You do you, boo, but that’s just not for me.IfI ever do manage to find my guy, I’m a selfish bitch. “Not for me.”
“Fair. So, Paul.” My heart lurches at his name and I think, for a split second, that maybe he did show up after all. Huxley moves closer like she’s about to divulge a huge secret. “Cute, right?”
“Ye…” I start to agree but stop myself. I donotneed her telling Paul I said he was cute. Plus, he’d probably not want to be called cute anyway. So instead I give her a sort-of answer. “Uh…I…sure, I guess.” I gulp. Why am I suddenly twice as nervous? “Uh…no. Is he here?”
“Maybe. He might be here. But he doesn’t really party. He does, however, spend a lot of time in the gym.” Her shoulders raise and she squints suggestively at me. “Which, I mean, come on, right? Like, he’s hot, but not for me. He’s, like, super gay. Did you know that? I’m bi, myself. Are there any other queer people here, you think?”
She doesn’t give me enough time to answer her questions. It’s seriously one after the other after the other without a breath between them. I just grab the last one and go.
“I don’t know. I don’t usually come to these things alone. Love to party, but you know me, socially anxious and shit.” Still not sure I made the right decision. “Although right before you caught me, there was this one guy…maybe…”
“Ooooh, gotcha. Interesting. Another guy, hmmm?” She skews her lips and pops her hip out, like it’s some deep thing she has to figure out. She always did have a flare for the dramatic. “Well, he probably wasn’t queer. I mean, it’s a frat party after all. Right? It is, right? I mean, not that frat guys can’t be qu—”
