Kit
S everal shots in and I’m feeling good. Almost like I can’t feel the crushing weight of adulthood on my shoulders. Almost. It’s been there for months leading up to this moment when I have to say goodbye to my friends and the life I’ve enjoyed for the past four years.
I should be excited to start my new life. I’m ditching long winters for sunny beaches and the opportunity of a lifetime to work in my uncle’s video game design company. I get to actually use my degree with a decent paying job.
Indy nudges my arm, his pretty blue green eyes cloudy from the alcohol we’re putting down. Even bordering on being trashed, he’s still the best looking guy in the room and that’s saying something with Lowen present.
That’s how I chose my seat in English Lit that first day. I walked in, spotted him and took the chair next to him. I was hoping for a dirty hookup with the sexy guy who always seemed to be ready for anything. His dark hair, olive skin, and light eyes are a deadly combination, but when he started working out and adding tattoos — whew. Dude is hot. Unfortunately, we have tons of chemistry as friends and absolutely nada when it comes to romance. Our almost kiss proved that.
“Why the face, ?” he teases, repeating my earlier words.
“Goodbyes suck, man. I don’t want to do it.”
He shrugs. “Then don’t.”
“What?”
“Don’t say goodbye. We’ll do the yearly thing and we’ll stay friends.”
Reaching across the sticky table, I grab his hand and squeeze it. “Do you mean it?”
He focuses his gaze on me and nods. “Yeah, I do. You guys mean a lot to me too.”
The sincerity in his tone lifts my mood a little. “This group of guys…” I shake my head, glancing around the table at everyone talking and laughing. “I never thought I could have friendships like this, you know? The kind that matter.”
“Yeah, I know. We’re lucky we found each other.”
I chuckle as memories flow back. “Remember Professor Crane getting so mad at us for the dick jokes?”
Indy laughs too. “It was his decision to ask a bunch of horny nineteen year olds to dive into Moby Dick.”
“Did someone say dick?” Lowen asks, scooting his chair between us. “Where?”
“ Moby Dick,” I say, emphasizing the first word.
“Oh god, that subject again. If I never have to talk about sperm oil again I’ll be grateful.”
“That section was amazing,” Indy says. “I mean how much more homoerotic does it get than a bunch of brawny sailors on a boat?”
“What are we talking about?” Jerryn asks, draping his arm over my shoulder.
“Moby Dick and sperm oil.”
Jerryn snorts, almost sloshing his beer on me before steadying himself. “Did anyone else know that book was so gay? I thought it was gonna be like Jaws or some shit.”
Bane joins the convo. “If I didn’t know I was into dick before I certainly did after that book. The class decisions were rough.”
“If you’re a horny kid,” Ridley says.
“Says the horniest kid of them all,” Indy teases.
Ridley grins, winking. “The jokes wrote themselves.”
“No lies told,” Indy says. “I loved how seriously Howard Dells took his homework. That speech he gave was fucking priceless.”
I laugh at the memory. “He talked about Ahab like he was running for president against him.”
Bane smacks his hand on the table. “Damn, that’s exactly it. He launched a smear campaign.”
“Even the prof was like it’s not that serious, man,” Jerryn says.
“I bet his term paper was fifty pages long,” Indy adds. “Dude couldn’t get to the point to save his life.”
“I wonder if the prof liked students like Howard who got into it or if it was a chore,” Lowen muses.
“He had to like Howard more than us fuck ups,” Ridley says.
Smiling, I nod. “Yeah, but that class was how we all met and bonded. We wouldn’t be here tonight if it wasn’t for that whale.”
“I think our answers to the group discussion were undervalued,” Bane says. “I mean, Moby Richard is comedic gold.”
We all laugh together and my heart fills with warmth and nostalgia. “I’m gonna miss you guys.”
“Hey,” Indy says, smacking my arm. “No mush until midnight. That’s your rule.”
I smile as he wraps his arm around me, pulling me into him. “What time is it because the tequila is working.”
“Eleven-forty,” Lowen announces. “Twenty minutes to keep it together. Not that I’m counting or anything.” He blinks rapidly to clear his watery eyes. “Ugh. Feelings.”
“I have a suggestion,” Jerryn says, leaning on his elbows. “Let’s all name something we’re looking forward to. We’ll save the sad stuff for last call.”
“I’m down.” I burp loudly, laughing to clear the emotions clawing at my chest. “No more shoveling snow for me.”
“Good one,” Jerryn says before glancing at Bane. “A whale watch for sure.”
“I was gonna say that,” Bane complains. “My second one is joining the Seattle coffee culture. We’ll see if the hype is worth it. Does it beat Dunks? Time will tell.”
“What about you, Ridley?” I ask.
He drags a hand through his hair. “Deep dish pizza, of course.”
“That’s it?” Indy asks. “You gotta have something more than food.”
Ridley shrugs. “Don’t laugh.”
“No promises,” I tease.
Ridley’s cheeks actually blush. “There’s this little queer bookstore near where my grandfolks live. I used to go there every summer when I visited. It was the first time I felt…” He shakes his head. “Normal, I guess. Seen. I saw books with guys like me in them. I was just a kid but it was nice. I can’t wait to go there again.”
Our table falls silent. No one was expecting that from Ridley.
“That’s cool, man,” Indy says. “We all deserve that.”
“Yeah.” He leans back as a wide grin takes over his face. “I’m not mad about indulging in some good Chicago Polish dick either. Rumor has it they’re packing.”
“There’s my guy,” I say, laughing.
“Your turn, Indy,” Jerryn says from across the table.
He looks deep in thought for a second, tapping his chin. “Hmm. I guess returning to the city I grew up in and experiencing it as an adult. It’s a whole new world.”
“Are we breaking out in song now?” Bane jokes.
“I’m not drunk enough for singing yet,” Indy replies, chuckling.
“Thank fuck,” Lowen says.
“And you, Low?” I ask. “What’s yours?”
He smiles, picking at the napkin under his cocktail. “Excellent segue. I have an announcement actually. I got accepted into a design house in Paris.”
His news stuns us silent.
“Paris?” Indy finally says. “Wow.”
“I know. I was interviewing mostly in New York and I had a connection with one of the managers I met with. She thought I’d be a good fit for their Paris location, so last week I had the phone interview. They liked me so much they hired me on the spot. Didn’t even want to meet me in person first.”
“That’s incredible, Low.” I nod. “Amazing.”
“Thanks, . I’m so nervous, but it’s all I wanted, you know? I want to work around beauty.”
“What position?” Indy asks.
“It’s nothing fancy,” Lowen answers. “Design assistant. Basically, I’ll just be a designer’s bitch, but I don’t mind. You have to start somewhere.”
Ridley squeezes his hand. “It’s incredible. Congrats.”
“Thanks.” He blows out a breath. “I can’t believe I’m moving to Paris in a week.”
“Sounds like we’ll be visiting Paris soon,” Bane says.
“You’re all welcome of course. My flat is tiny, but it’s in this amazing part of town where everything is happening.”
“Do you speak any French?” Jerryn asks.
“Mais bien s?r.”
Jerryn looks at all of us. “No clue what you just said.”
Lowen laughs softly. “Sorry. Yes, my parents demanded a French education. I went to boarding school for the first ten years in Switzerland.”
“Dude, that’s a real thing?” Bane asks.
“Of course it’s real.” Lowen drags his finger around the rim of his glass. “And it’s just as awful as it sounds. Being shipped off like luggage makes a kid feel like crap. I had some good times though. I had friends, but I only saw my parents on major holidays.”
“Whoa,” Indy whispers. “We never knew this.”
“It’s not my favorite thing to talk about.” He glances at the rowdy guys playing pool for a second. “The pressure to attend an Ivy League school was intense until I proved Willow Bay’s reputation in my field.”
“Dude,” Ridley says. “You don’t act like a snobby rich kid.”
“Don’t I?” He laughs softly, but it fades as his expression turns serious. “It meant a lot when you guys accepted me. I’m not ashamed of who I am or my background, but I’m fucking tired of being judged for it. None of you ever even asked. You just took me at face value.”
“We’re not shallow pricks,” I say. “I mean, we’re pricks, but not shallow.”
Lowen’s pretty face lights up again. “It works for me.”
Indy glances up at the clock on the wall. “Damn, guys. Five minutes to midnight. Another round of shots?”
I nod. “Hell yeah. If we’re not confused and sick as fuck when we wake up, we failed big time.”