14. Lolly
fourteen
Lolly
It’s been three days. Three days and seven hours since I left his dorm room. My phone is heavy in my hand as I pull up his contact for the hundredth time, hoping Jay hasn’t noticed. My cheeks heat at the thought of texting him.
“Jinx says hey,” he grunts. “They also said if you forget to get the blonde’s name they will shove their stilettos into your carotid.”
I huff a laugh. “When’d you see them?” I ask, brows raised. It’s been months since I’ve seen Jinx and I’ve found myself missing their late night memes and riveting storytelling.
“I ran into them the other day and forgot to tell you. They said we should get together soon. Go out one night. ”
“Oh.” That’s all I get out because I’m already back to thoughts of those damn freckles.
“What’s got you wound so tight?” Jay says.
He’s playing a videogame so I’m genuinely surprised he even noticed me over here being awkward as fuck.
“Nothing,” I lie.
“Bullshit.” He looks away from the screen just long enough to give me the side eye. “You look constipated.”
“What’s his name?”
I laugh. “You know me too well, dude. It’s getting a little scary at this point.”
“Well? You gonna share with the class or not?”
I sigh. “He’s not out.”
He spins his chair around to face me. “Oliver, you swore you’d never fuck with another closeted guy. Remember how well that went last time?”
I groan, knowing he’s right.
“I know,” I say, looking down at the phone again. “I can’t help it. I swear, Jay. I couldn’t fucking stop this if I tried. I’m drawn to him.”
He turns his chair back around but my mind starts reeling and I can’t help the words that tumble from my lips.
“To make matters worse, I keep running into him. I’m not even trying. I could probably do my best to avoid him and the universe would plop him right into my lap, despite my best efforts.”
“Example. Gimme.”
I huff a laugh. “So, remember the other night at the club? When you and I went out back so you could smoke?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, he was outside. Sitting against the building, like he had been waiting for me.”
“So that’s why you didn’t come back inside huh? I should have known something was up.”
“It gets worse.” I wince.
“Spill.”
“That party we went to a few weeks back? When I left you to go find a bathroom?”
“I remember.”
“I knocked like three times and no one said anything so I let myself in and literally slammed into him, knocking his drink all over me.”
“No fucking way. Why is your life a rom-com right now?” He laughs and shakes his head, back still to me.
“Fuck if I know,” I reply. “After he awkwardly tried to soak up the beer from my shirt with a hand towel, we somehow ended up making out in there until he panicked and bolted.”
“Ah, the I’m not into guys exit?"
“The very one.”
“So, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that you have his number saved in your phone and are over there debating whether or not to send that first message.” He pauses. “That has to be what’s got your face all twisted,” he laughs.
“Fuck off.”
“But also, yes damnit. I am.”
“Hey man, it’s your funeral. Just don’t come crying to me when he jumps back in the closet.”
I sigh, “I’ll do my best.”
I pull up his contact, take in a deep breath, and decide to go with something earth-shattering.
Me: Hey, green eyes
I stare at the phone, unable to look away. Fuck, this is so unlike me. Just put the phone down, man.
“You hit send, didn’t you?” Jay quips.
“Yep.”
“Ah hell, here we go.”
“Here we fucking go.”