18. Jordan
Jordan
Orion was subdued yesterday, head and shoulders bowed a little lower than usual. I know it’s because things have been strained between us, but I’m not sure what to do about it.
I’m honestly not dealing with his coming out like I thought I would.
I meant to be the most supportive friend ever, but every time I look at him, I see him the way I see him—the best, most interesting person I’ve ever met—and then I see him the way queer guys will see him.
They’ll see deep-set dark eyes and shiny brown hair.
A neat face that’s attractive in a masculine way that might lean slightly pretty, if that’s what they’re looking for.
A way that bulges at the hinge of his jaw and goes kind of soft when his lips curl into a smile.
They’ll see a body that’s lean and tight.
They’ll think he’s attractive when they see him with his clothes on, but their eyes will bulge out of their sockets when he takes his shirt off because he has a sleeper build of note.
A build I helped him craft in the gym, by the way.
They’re going to be fucking over the moon when they find out he’s gay.
They’re going to be all over him, and he’s going to love it.
He’s going to be out all the time, making new gay friends, getting fucked rotten, and spending all his time with them.
Gay guys are like that. I’ve seen lots of guys come out and then migrate their friend group until it’s only the girls and the gays.
That’s fine, obviously. In many ways I get it because the girls and the gays are the best, but I don’t want it happening with Orion.
I sigh loudly and draw a worried look from Orion. I don’t know how to explain myself, so I lean slowly and deliberately to the side, lift an ass cheek off the seat of the sofa, and let out a belter of a fart.
Orion snorts and tries not to smile. He thinks if he smiles, I’ll do it again, and he’s right. I have another one saved up, just in case. Little lines form at the corners of his mouth from the effort it costs him not to react. They’re enough to give my mood a nice little boost and set me at ease.
Andy’s gay, I remind myself. He’s friends with a ton of gay guys, but he and West are still super tight. Orion and I will be like that.
Fuck.
Andy.
Orion knows Andy pretty well. They’ve hung out tons of times, and Andy is a great guy. If Orion gets any ideas about wanting a guy he knows to fuck him, Andy would be a solid choice.
At least, Andy would be a good choice on paper. In reality, I’m not sure how wise it would be. Andy is good-looking in a very obvious way. A way you can’t miss. A way everyone notices when they meet him, and I don’t think that’s the right vibe for Orion at all.
There’s such a thing as too good-looking, and that’s what Andy is.
“Can we change the channel, please?”
My voice is a lot louder than I meant it to be. It makes Orion blink at me and toss me the remote like I’ve done something to annoy him.