I think back to our most recent movie night—the first one Nikki attended—and I remember the waves of disdain Nikki radiated the entire time. “That’s not really an answer,” I reply.
They sigh. “Look, Nikki is… She has a history with men—a bad one. The men in her life have been awful to her, so she doesn’t trust them anymore, like at all. So, it’s not you specifically. It’s all men.”
I open my mouth to speak candidly, but I think better of it. “She seemed to like Max and Theo just fine,” I counter gently. “It definitely felt like it was targeted at me.”
Jude’s jaw tightens a few times before they speak again. “Nikki knows that Max and Theo are queer,” they admit. “And I didn’t want to tell her you were ace in case you haven’t told anyone else yet. I wouldn’t want it to slip out or anything. Plus, that’s your news to share, not mine.”
I shake my head. “I appreciate that, but I mean…haven’t you also had some shitty men in your life? You were never cold to me like that.”
“I was definitely wary of you at first,” Jude clarifies. “Remember? That day in the library?”
“Yeah, but we were already friends at that point,” I counter. “It’s not the same.”
“Okay, but… Nikki and I aren’t the same, either.”
I wait for further explanation, but it never comes. So, that’s it? Nikki universally assumes that all cishet men are evil and never gives them a chance to prove otherwise? I guess I don’t know her story, so I can’t judge too harshly, but given how close Jude and I have become, I can only assume Nikki’s resentment will make things uncomfortable when we’re all together.
“So,” I say after a few moments. “I’m a guy, Nikki hates guys, so therefore, Nikki hates me, and there’s nothing more to it?”
Jude presses their lips in a tight line. “I think she’s also jealous of all the time you and I spend together.”
There it is. “Nikki is jealous of me?”
“She would never admit to it,” Jude says. “But yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s part of it. I’ve tried to convince her that she has nothing to worry about, but her distrust towards men runs deep.”
“Well, shit,” I conclude, as eloquently as possible. “That sucks.”
Jude sighs. “Yeah. But, hey, maybe she’ll come around.”
And what if she doesn’t?I don’t want to know the answer, so I don’t ask it aloud. Instead, I flash them a smile. “Yeah.”
“If any man can win Nikki over, it’s you.”
“Damn right, it’s me,” I repeat, hoping maybe I can convince myself that there’s a chance. “I’m a goddamn delight.”
Jude laughs, filling the air with melodic joy, and my heart soars with it.
If befriending Nikki brings Jude happiness, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
“Whoa, hello, what are those?”
“Hm?” I glance up from my phone to see Max squinting at my ears. “Oh! I got my ears pierced on Saturday. You like ‘em?”
Max raises a brow. “Interesting. You know, you’re not the first person I’ve talked to that got a piercing this weekend.”
“Hang on, let me see,” Theo calls from the hallway before half-jogging into the kitchen with one backpack strap on. His eyes go wide when he sees my studs. “Dude, what the hell? Since when have you wanted your ears pierced?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Can’t a nineteen-year-old spontaneously decide to go get his ears pierced over the weekend?”
“By yourself?”
“Well, no, I went with Jude. They got their nose pierced.”
“A-ha,” Max says, snapping his fingers. “So, you and Jude went to get piercings together?”
I frown. “Yeah? What’s wrong with that?”
