“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 dumpedme,remember?You’rethe 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.”
“Nice to see you too!” Jay laughed but got up from the chair. “Later!” He hooked an arm around Zahir and led him away from them, disappearing inside the bar.
“Christ.” August watched the door close behind Jay, then got back into their seat. “Vultures. I can’t stand cis gay men.”
“My turn!" Iris claimed, then left the table with only a little flourish. Luka assumed she' gone for another round of drinks. He watched her walk away in her high heels and cringed, remembering how much he hated when his mother forced him to wear them when he was younger.
“Jay wasn’t giving you grief, was he?” August asked.
“No, he was just being a slut. Nothing new.” Luka felt his phone buzz in his pocket again and blushed.
“Jesus, what did he say to you?” August stole a french fry from Luka’s carryout container.
“Nothing! I swear. It’s still Reno’s fault for this.” He pointed at his face, hating how easily he blushed. “I sent him a selfie. Or three. While you were gone.”
August burst out laughing and Iris returned with a round of shots and drinks, and some water for them.
“Babe, Luka sent selfies!”
“Have you ever done that before?”
“Send selfies? Yes?” Luka wondered what his friends really thought of him sometimes.
“Amazing. No notes.” Iris took the tray and left.
“Cheers, bitch.” August raised their shot and Luka clicked his against theirs before knocking it back. “Way to go. Did you send a hot one? Are you flirting?”
