Page 59 of Open Water
"So," he said. With the tone that meant trouble. "Have you two done it yet?"
"Done what?"
He gave me a look.
"We've — there's been — we did stuff in the shower at—"
"I don't mean stuff. I meanit. The main event. Full send." He gestured vaguely. "Butt stuff."
"I'm not having this conversation."
"You absolutely are having this conversation. I gave you a detailed and comprehensive youtube guide—"
"You told me to buy lube and go slow."
"It's the two most important things! Did you watch the video?" He was grinning now.
"I really haven't had the time…"
"Right. You're busy beating down homophobes. We need more gays like you."
I laughed. "Oh God."
"That's what you're going to be saying when you finally let Liam in."
I raised my eyebrows and then Ethan started making the most obscene sex noises. "Oh god. Liam—yes Liam. Please more."
I punched Ethan in the shoulder. "Ethan stop."
All he did was laugh. "I can't wait until you finally do it."
"We've been a little busy getting outed and suspended and having our lives implode."
"Excuses. Liam's out now. You're out now. The hard part is literally over." He glanced at me. "And I say this with respect — Liam is really hot. Like, objectively. That jaw? Those arms? If you don't lock that down, someone else will. He's out on campus now. People are going to notice."
"Thank you for that anxiety, Ethan."
"I'm just saying. The clock is ticking. Get your man."
"I hate you."
"I'm the best and you know it." He reached for the donuts he'd brought — a gas station bag from Ashford, already half empty. "Donut?"
"No thanks."
"Life is short. Have a donut."
I took a donut and the powdered sugar fell all over my jacket. I didn't care.
The road straightened out for a long stretch. Open farmland, stone walls, the occasional barn. Vermont in November — stripped down and bare.
And then the radio caught a signal and the opening riff hit the car like a fist.
Guitar. Raw. Building. The drums kicking in underneath.
"Gimme Shelter."
My hand stopped halfway to my mouth. The donut suspended. The song filling the car the way it had filled the car two months ago when Liam had found it on the radio and turned it up and his whole body had changed. He sat up straighter, drummed on his knee, and was grinning like a kid.
