Biggest bunch of asshats ever, I swear.
About an hour later I pick the guys up. Roman holds his hand out to me. “Gimme your phone so I can turn on some music.” He scrolls through and I glance over while I’m stopped at a red light. He’s got a funny look on his face. The song that blasts from the car speakers as soon as my Bluetooth connects makes all the guys, myself included, startle. Roman twists his head slowly, with his mouth stuck open in a look that screams he’s just been kicked in the nuts.
“What the HELL is this shit?”
I grab my phone and fumble to change the song. Tyler catches my eye in the rearview mirror. He’s trying really hard to contain his laughter. Roman’s still staring at me with his forehead wrinkled in either disgust or confusion, maybe both.
“Nice try changing over to FFDP,” he scoffs. “But it doesn’t erase what you just exposed my ears to. Seriously. What. The Fuck. Was that.”
“Can’t say I’ve ever heard anyone crooning about sweat dripping down their balls before. That was, ah, an interesting version,” Evan cackles.
“Fuck off,” I mumble as I start driving again.
“I guess this is what I should have expected from a playlist titledMusic To Annoy Ryne With.”
“What are you talking about?”
Roman grabs my phone back, then scrolls. “You have a playlist calledMusic To Annoy Ryne With. It’s right here.” He holds the phone up and points to the screen.
Dacen. I shake my head and hold back both my laughter and the few choice words I’d give him were he here right now. The guys give me grief about it the whole way to the laser tag place and I have to bite my tongue the entire time.
* * *
I get back home just beforesix, jump in the shower again, and head right back out. Nervous but excited energy prickles through my body as I drive over to Dacen’s. I don’t know what’s going on with me, I might be going a bit crazy, but I’m inclined to let this thing between Dacen and I unfold and see what happens. Maybe. I pull up in front of his house, put the truck in park, and grab my phone from the cup holder.
ME: You’re in trouble.
His response comes through quickly.
DACEN: Huh? Why?
ME: You put that weird playlist on my phone and Roman turned it on earlier while they were all with me.
DACEN: I’m dead. Deceased.
Another message comes through before I can respond.
DACEN: I’ve died imagining Roman’s face and you scrambling to change the song, in case that wasn’t clear.
ME: Not cool.
DACEN: I can’t even apologize because I wouldn’t mean it.
I swear to God, I’m gonna kick his ass. But despite myself, I’m grinning.
DACEN: What did you tell them?
ME: Fuck off.
DACEN: Um… rude.
ME: I told THEM to fuck off.
DACEN: Oh. Ok. Did you blame it on me? It’s my fault.
ME: Nah.
DACEN: Because that would entail explaining why I was on your phone, or…?
