I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. Arkin is not your problem. Besides, you could get into trouble if he stayed here.”
Stupid fucking landlord. It’s not like I want Arkin to sleep on an air mattress on my friends’ floor. He deserves a comfortable bed and safety after everything he’s been through. But I’m desperate.
“Have you talked to your dad?” Ryan asks, slouched beside me, nursing his half-empty beer.
“Not yet. He’ll lose his shit when he finds out.”
“Maybe he’ll surprise you,” Harrison suggests, and I scoff quietly.
“I know my dad. He’s too proud to accept that his son likes dick.”
Ryan chuckles, then takes a long sip before grabbing my shoulder. “Maybe don’t tell him the truth in those exact words, or you’ll give him a coronary.”
I can’t help but smile at that.
Ryan gets up to get us more alcohol. Harrison loads up Halo Infinite, then helps himself to another slice of pizza. As he takes a large bite, I say, “Thanks for being so cool about this.”
Chewing, he looks at me. “Do you remember when we were in primary and went on that school trip to the Science Museum in London?”
A smile tilts my lips. “We played hide-and-seek.”
“You got into so much trouble after you hid in one of the old cockpits in the Flight Gallery. When I couldn’t find you, I panicked and told a teacher.”
Ryan returns with the beers, handing me one as I snigger at the fun memories.
“My dad was pissed,” I admit.
“The kid I was then didn’t care if you liked boys or girls, and I still don’t. We were best friends then, and we always will be.” He accepts a beer from Ryan and tips it back.
“Unless you fuck Arkin, because then I’ll have to kill you.”
Surprised, he sprays his beer everywhere, then laughs good-naturedly. “I can’t make you any promises.”
Ryan and I crack up laughing, and Harrison frowns slightly before throwing his arms out with a wide smile. “What? What’s so funny?”
“Bro…” Ryan sniggers. “You’re straighter than dry spaghetti. You’d run scared if a guy propositioned you.”
Harrison pretends to be offended, but he’s laughing too. “I would not. I’m always down for a good time.”
“Sure,” I say, nodding along. “We believe you.”
“Screw you,” he responds around a chuckle as he reaches for the crumpled-up beer label on the coffee table and throws it at me. “I’m not scared of dicks.”
That does it. Ryan and I descend into ab-crunching laughter.
CHAPTER TWENTY
It’s late afternoon by the time Arkin and Dad return.
The 100 plays on the TV. Neriah has already watched it countless times. It’s now her comfort show when she’s not buried in a book.
My room is too quiet and empty without Arkin. I hate to admit that I’m worried about him. So here I am, watching the show with my sister to keep my mind occupied. It beats overthinking alone.
The door opens, and my father enters first. Then Arkin.
I start to smile as Arkin appears in the doorway to the living room, but then he walks past without making eye contact, and I stiffen on the couch.
What the hell?
