I may have made a new best friend
I load the image Oliver sent and chuckle out loud. It’s a rainbow-colored foam stress toy shaped like our school mascot, the Eidola Phantom.
Jude
I love it! very cute
did you guys enjoy the EQA meet?
Oliver
yeah we all had a great time! got lots of swag and talked to some members
they have a lot of events coming up so hopefully you can join us next time
Jude
absolutely!
Oliver doesn’t reply right away, so I start up my car and navigate back to The Village. I never expected to miss having a Friday class to go to, but during the first week of school, I don’t have enough studying or homework to keep me busy. Plus, it’s essentially a four-day weekend for me with Monday being Labor Day, so being bored is a legitimate concern of mine.
Thankfully, though, I have Max, who is fantastic at keeping life interesting. Surely, he has some big plans for the three of us.
Opening the door to room 714, I nearly swoon as all the delicious aromas of Max’s cooking hit me at once. I also recognize the unmistakable rhythm of Bad Bunny playing in the background.
“Jude!” Celeste calls out from a barstool facing the front door. “Welcome back!”
“Morning, Papi!” Max chirps from the kitchen while actively sautéing something on the stove. He’s sporting hisDuneapron with the iconic sandworm and the words “he who controls the spice controls the universe” printed across it. “How was your night with Nikki?”
“Mostly good,” I answer, plopping my overnight bag by my bedroom door before putting away my groceries. “What are you making? It smells heavenly.”
“Arroz con Pollo Cubano,” Max says, grinning widely. “I hope you’re gonna be hungry in about an hour.”
“Oh, definitely,” I vow. “Do you need any help?”
Max shakes his head. “Not at the moment, but if you pull up a stool with Celeste, I’ll probably start shouting orders at some point.”
“Heard, chef.”
“In the meantime, how is Nikki?” Celeste asks.
“Good,” I say, settling into the barstool next to Celeste. “I talked to her about hanging out with all of us, and she’s down.”
“Great!” Celeste claps her hands together. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Apparently, she was reluctant about hanging out with Max because she doesn’t feel comfortable around men,” I say, giving Max a wary glance. “But I told her you’re gay, and she felt a lot better about it.”
“Huh,” Max frowns. “I guess that makes sense. Just wait until she finds out I’m trans. That should be interesting.”
“She’s not a TERF, is she?” Celeste demands, her brows in a hard line.
I cringe. “I certainly hope not! I think I would know at this point if she hates trans people.”
“I mean, if she doesn’t know I’m trans…” Max slows his stirring to meet my gaze.
“Guys, she’s dating a nonbinary person. I think if she hated trans people, it’d be obvious.”
“Fair enough,” Max concedes.
