“We wouldn’t be able to talk much for me to ask you questions for my article, though, if we’re at a library.” Not that the article is the only schoolwork I have, but it’s the only schoolwork I need their help with.
“We’re just thinking that we all have rigorous school schedules right now and figured we could see each other more regularly if we include studying and homework time when we get together,” Lukas tells me. “And maybe we can’t do a full interview at the library, but this would let you ask us the questions slowly and decide exactly what you need answered as you write out the article instead of feeling pressured to get through every possible question all in one sitting.”
“Yeah, that way it’s less pressure each time. We know you have a lot on your plate right now too,” agrees Felix as he slides the nachos into the oven that Elliot started preheating when we first walked in.
They’re right that it’s difficult to generate all of the questions that might be helpful for my article in one go. It’d be easier to ask them as I need them, since I’m sure I’ll think of a hundred more that could be helpful as I’m writing.
“And if you have other homework, you could do that too,” Elliot points out. “It wouldn’t have to be just your article. But it would be nice to hang out with you more, and this would be an easy way for us to all spend time together.”
“Okay, we can try to do that.” I mean, I need to study anyway, and if they want to sit near me while I do it that’s not a big deal. It might even come in handy, if I need help with some particular math issue.
I normally study alone, or occasionally with Ronnie, but there could be a lot of benefits to having study partners who actually take their schooling seriously.
“I was kind of surprised that you wanted to go to the café and do movie night tonight,” I say, watching the four of them continue to move around the kitchen efficiently, getting down plates and pouring drinks. “I thought you normally go to parties to play poker on Friday nights.” That’s what it had sounded like when we were texting earlier in the week about our weekend plans.
“Normally, yes, but we voted and decided that going out with you tonight was worth missing one of our poker nights.” Felix carries the stack of plates out to the living room and sets it on the coffee table.
Wow. To have them prioritize me over one of their work sessions is unexpected.
“Don’t worry,” says Felix, grabbing two oven mitts and clapping them together, which snaps me out of my mental spiral. “We’re working on paying our rent for six months from now, so it’s not a big deal to skip a night.”
“Besides, if we’re seeing each other more often, we can schedule around the poker,” adds Lukas. “You could maybe even come with us to the parties and be our good luck charm.”
“You know,” Sebastian tells him, “good luck charms aren’t really lucky. It’s just that the idea of having that luck calms yournerves and lets you think clearer and make better, more logical decisions.”
“Yes, but in movies, whenever there’s a poker scene, there’s usually a woman who the hero says is his good luck charm,” says Elliot. He looks at me. “So if that’s something you’d like, you can come be our good luck charm even if good luck charms don’t actually bring us luck.”
Sebastian looks thoughtful as he considers this. “I suppose that even if we know the good luck is actually just a placebo effect, it can’t hurt to have you as our good luck charm,” he concedes. “Maybe the placebo effect will work even though we know to expect it.”
“I think it could be a fun experiment to try,” I tell them. I take the bag of pretzels from Elliot and go into the living room to deposit them on the coffee table, if only for something to do with myself.
Lukas comes into the living room with the bowl of microwave popcorn and offers it to me.
“Thank you for making popcorn,” I say, taking the bowl from him and setting it on the table next to the pretzels. I can’t spot a single burnt kernel. Of course they’re able to make perfect popcorn. They probably ran an analysis to determine the perfect microwave setting to ensure every kernel pops and none of them burn.
Felix carries the hot nacho tray out to the coffee table and sets it down on the hot pads they put there earlier. “Don’t forget, you’re sitting in the middle.”
“Fair is fair,” I say with a smile as I settle into position.
“Exactly,” says Sebastian, grinning as he sits on one side of me and Felix sits on the other.
Elliot starts up the show before he and Lukas join us on the sofa, and everyone starts to plate up their snacks. We all have a little bit of everything, and they were right about nachos being asuperior movie night snack to popcorn, not that I’ll admit it out loud.
As the first episode winds down, I start to wonder what’s going to happen next. Are we going to stay up late, watch more TV, and not actually tackle the list at all tonight? Will they want to go to bed right away? Where will I sleep? In one of their rooms? On the sofa? I’m assuming they don’t have a guest room.
And if they do want to try something from the list tonight, will I be able to wash my hands first? Because right now I have grease from the popcorn and cheese and I don’t want to get that everywhere.
Maybe I should go brush my teeth.
Finally, I can’t take it anymore. I cannot be the only one who feels a mounting tension.
“So what’s the plan for tonight? Are we checking off any items on that stupid to-do list, or are we just hanging out?” I reach for a napkin to wipe the snack grease off my fingers, and also just to give myself something to hold onto. My hands are shaking, I’m so nervous. Maybe I shouldn’t be; we’ve been having a good time and they’ve put no pressure on me. But I can’t help it. This is a big deal, and the build-up is really starting to make me spiral.
Felix shifts so he’s angled a little more toward me and puts a hand on my knee. “We would like to cross at least one thing off the list,” he says. “If you’re up to it.”
“We didn’t want to make you uncomfortable by moving too fast,” Lukas tells me, and the others nod their agreement.
“So … just one thing? We can’t get through the whole list in a night?” From what Ronnie’s said about her nights with certain guys, they can really cover all the bases in just an evening. It sounds intimidating, but at least it would get it all over with and I could stop being so nervous. I pull my hair out of its ponytailand begin to finger-comb it, just to give myself something to do with my hands.
