But it's not Logan or any of your fraternity brothers you want to hang out with, is it?
Ashton scowled, drumming his knuckles on the lacquered bar top, successfully distracting himself by making concentric ripples in his drink.
"Need that freshened up?" one of the bartenders came over to ask; his name tag reading 'Xavier', his eyes fixed on the fist Ashton was thumping against his bar.
Taking the hint, Ashton flattened his hand over the grain of the wood, shaking his head no.
As he reached for the tumbler, Ashton's phone dinged; hear the sound, check the time.
9:14 pm, and a message from…
Ashton's heart landed with a thud in his shoes.
[ Dylan ]:
U up?
He frowned at the bright rectangle of his phone screen. And while Ashton knew — heknew, okay? — that he shouldn't sayanything, that he'd be better off saying nothing; even if he wanted so badly to say everything, to spill his guts about it all?
No
There. Better for both of us if I just cut him off.
Blooop, argued his phone.
[ Dylan ]:
No?
U sleep texting?
Ashton snorted.
Should I tell him? Or will Dylan think it's lame, going to a bar alone?
I'm at a party
There, that should be close enough.
Ashton hadn't meant to come out tonight by himself. When Logan said he might show, Ashton had decided he'd arrive and hope for the best. But he'd bailed — again — at the last minute. Something about Oz helping him with an essay for a final or something.
Again.
It'salwaysOz.
Which… might be for the best, honestly. After what Dylan had implied at the party, Ashton's attempts at befriending the felt like it could be veering into dangerous territory.
Logan's cool and all, but there's no telling if he'd still be cool if he knew I was —had, past-tense — fucked around with a guy. Might start wondering if I was looking to fuck him too.
And… Well.
Ashton would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it, now wouldn't he?
But only because Dylan put the thought in my mind!
Nerves wound tighter than a harp string, Ashton scanned the room, desperate for a distraction. But nothing in particular caught his eye. And despite his best efforts, when his phone buzzes with a new message, he checks it.
[Dylan]:
