Chapter 3 #2
“I’ll be fine. I just need another drink.” He finished his first then opened his phone again. Reno hadn’t texted him back yet. “I don’t ever know what to say to him. He’s been carrying the conversation mostly, sending pics and thoughts throughout the day and I feel so awkward.”
“Have you sent him any pics?” Iris asked.
“Only of Michael and an art piece I’m working on.” Which he’d received high praise for from Reno, even if he felt it might have been disingenuous.
“Send him a selfie; see what he says.” Iris finished her drink, dumped the ice into August’s glass, then stacked the empties and pushed them to the end of the table. “I kinda get why you’re nervous, though. I’m not sure what I would do if August was some super-famous celebrity.”
“I feel like my heart’s going to jump out of my throat whenever I think about trying to be friends with him, let alone dating.
It terrifies me. Like sure, he’s gorgeous, talented, nice…
so far. But how does anyone navigate a relationship with someone on tour half of the year and a fanbase that might rip me apart if they found out I have unreleased lyrics from them in my phone right now. ”
“Ew, I didn’t even think about the fanbase. All y'all can be so nasty. I see Swifties go after people on Twitter and it’s scary.”
“Volt fans are just as bad. Maybe worse because it’s mostly a lot of girls in love with the band members.”
“You think Swifties aren’t delusionally in love with her, too?” Iris laughed.
“Do you think I’m delusional?” Luka groaned, clicking on his phone to no new messages.
Iris raised her eyebrows and August returned with the next round of drinks. Iris asked, “Are you in love with this guy?”
“What the fuck are you talking about, in love?” August said as they took drinks off the tray.
“God, no," Luka said. “I just think he’s really attractive and talented. I know better than to stan a musician so hard it becomes parasocial.”
August laughed. “Yeah, right,” then left to return the tray to the bar. Luka immediately downed his next shot.
He said, “I really don’t do that shit. I follow him like I follow any other artist.” He pointed at her with the tip of his cigarette to emphasize his seriousness.
“I believe you.” Iris lifted her shot to him then drained it.
“Gross. Anyway, unlike a parasocial relationship, this guy sought you out, right?” She waited for him to nod.
“Okay, then he’s been texting you a lot, yes?
” Another pause and Luka wasn’t sure he liked where she was going with this.
“Then really, you should treat this just like any other guy you just met.
Stop being so fucking hung up on the details.
"Like okay—" She looked around the bar at everyone else. “Okay, that's the most handsome man on this patio other than you. What if he posted a missed-connection post saying he saw you here last night and wanted to say hi, but didn’t want to bother you while you were clearly hanging out with friends. Someone who knows you here sees this post online and goes, ‘hey thats my pal Luka!’ Now, Handsome Man reaches out to you over DMs and you say sure, why not? Fuck it! And you start texting. He’s sweet, and kind, and you find out he’s talented and sends you lots of cute selfies throughout the day. But then you find out he travels for work!”
“This hypothetical is getting really elaborate," Luka said, taking another drag of his cigarette as August rejoined them, looking confused about the conversation.
“Shush.” Iris waved her hand at him in what would be a rude way if they weren’t such good friends. “He’s gone a lot of the year, but he’s totally your type. What do you do?”
“Probably an open relationship type situation.” Luka frowned. “I don’t know if I could seriously date someone who traveled a lot; I like nesting with my partner. Having him gone half the year would be really difficult for me.”
“You’re not poly. You don’t even swing," August said.
Luka shrugged. “I know. But I wouldn’t want him to feel like he couldn't have sex while he’s away from me. That doesn’t seem fair.”
“You are such a bleeding heart," Iris cooed. “What if he was fine with keeping it in his pants like a big boy?”
“Maybe.” Luka stubbed out his cigarette and took a drink. “Okay, sure. I still wouldn’t like that he was gone so much. Maybe if I could go with him sometimes.”
“I don’t see why you couldn’t go with Reno on tour," August said.
“We are not talking about him," Luka replied, taking a drink. “We’re talking about that guy over there.”
“Who?”
“The hottie over there.” Iris pointed, then collapsed into a fit of laughter as August looked even more confused.
They said, “I leave you two alone for two seconds. Cheers.” They raised their margarita and all of them clinked their glasses together and took their time taking a drink. “I think she’s right.”
“You always do," Luka huffed.
“Well, yes. My wife is always correct.” August pinched Iris’ cheek and got swatted away for it. “However, if you can have this relationship working with a hypothetical bar hottie, if you can believe that he would be genuinely interested in you and want to know about you, why not Reno?”
“Because he could have anyone he wanted.”
“Not me," Iris said, “Lesbians are out.”
“Fair enough.”
“And couldn’t a ten like that have anyone he wanted?” August motioned at the guy across the bar who was completely oblivious to the whole speculation. “Why accept that he could like you and not another ten?”
Luka was starting to feel uncomfortable. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly.” Iris pointed at him. “Now let me bum a cigarette.”
“No, you’re supposed to be quitting," Luka replied.
“Oh, but I’m Two Margarita Iris right now and she smokes.” She snorted and August rolled their eyes.
They said, “Just give her one, she won’t stop asking until you do.”
[Unknown Number]
I guess i'm confused now. I'd figure someone like you would get plenty.
someone like me?
(??o ? o???)
Don’t make me say…
Okay, I won't lol. Do you have a keyboard on your phone for those?
lol yes. (??> ω
Don't u live in London?
yes, my mom gave me the phone haha shipped it all the way to me.
Oh, so you're close to your family then?
“Leave him be, he doesn’t smile like this very often," August was saying to Iris. Luka looked up from his phone and they were both staring at him, amused. August drained the rest of their drink, slurping again. “We’re gonna go next door for food, want us to bring you anything back?”
“Yeah, just some fries or whatever.” Luka waved them off and returned to his phone.
[Unknown number]
Yup! I call my mom every day. My younger sisters sometimes get to talk too if they are around.
Wow thats remarkably sweet.
Thank you!
How's your family?
I dunno. I don't talk to my parents. I'd rather not talk about them though, sorry :/
Thats ok! Im sorry. What are you doing?
Waiting on my friends to bring me food at the bar lol we've been out for a while.
Been texting me under the table, are you? :)
Out in the open, actually.
Luka gave in, popped open the camera app and took a slightly blurry photo of himself, called it good enough and dropped it into the chat before he could look at the selfie too closely and decide he hated it.
[Unknown Number]
[Image attachment] They're not back yet, sooo….
youre gonna make me say it arent you
what?
You are unbelievable.
So handsome.
can I have another?
(? ?·?-?·? ?)
Luka nearly choked on his drink, but snapped another with his face half hidden to try to disguise how pink his cheeks were turning. He dropped it in the chat, then threw caution to the wind and attached the photo he took post-shower yesterday.
“Hey, Luka!” Jay plopped down in the seat across from him with a stranger at his side. “Whoa, why are you so red?”
“Fuck off.” Luka scowled and hurried to put his phone in his pocket. “August will throttle you when they come back if you’re still in their seat."
“I’ll move when they return, then.” He drank from the can of beer in his hand and propped an elbow on the table. “You gonna come to trivia night next Wednesday? The team missed you last week.”
“I didn’t wanna wear myself out too badly," Luka said. “Plus, I’m no good at trivia, you know I just freeze up.”
“It’s still fun having you around," Jay said.
“I can’t come this time either. I’m going to a show this weekend, then I have game night Tuesday. If I go out drinking three times in a week I’ll be dead on my feet.”
“You’re getting old.” Jay smiled at him. “Twenty-five going on eighty-six.”
Luka searched for another cigarette. “Feels like it sometimes.” Other times it felt like he was still eighteen and fumbling his way through adulthood.
“What show are you going to?”
Luka lit his cigarette and didn’t answer.
“Wait, no way.”
“Don’t, man.” He stuck the lit cigarette between his teeth and pulled his hair free from its bun, running his hands through it. “It’s bad enough August and Iris have been on my ass all night, I don’t need you, too.” His phone buzzed in his pocket and he didn’t have the courage to take it out.
“Oh, if only I were on that ass.”
“Gross, Jay. You dumped me, remember? You’re the one who decided to fool around.” Luka pointed his cigarette dangerously close to Jay’s nose. The stranger was hovering by the table, on his phone. “Who’s this? My replacement?”
“Gross, Luka. I could never replace you.” Jay reached out for the cigarette and Luka handed it over. “Luka, this is Zahir. Zahir, this is Luka, my hot ex-boyfriend.”
Zahir raised an eyebrow at this and shrugged. “Nice to meet you?”
Luka replied, “Good to meet you, too. Sorry ‘bout Jay, he never learned his manners.” Luka turned to Jay and snatched the cigarette back to stub it out. He didn’t want it anymore.
“Oh no, we are not having this tonight.” August appeared with a takeout bag. “Scram, weasel.”