She greets us with a grin. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Seth says, dropping down on a chair next to the couch. “Love your jacket! Is it Acne Studios?”
“Good eye,” Olive chuckles. “Thanks! Found it in a second-hand store last week, actually.”
And then they’re off, talking about different designer brand I’ve never heard of, and which stores are the best around here. Seth doesn’t shop second-hand, but he’s too polite to tell her that, so they rattle on. Iggy grins like this is the best day she’s ever had, and I lean back in my chair, opening a bottle of beer.
“So, you work together?” Olive says after a while, looking from me to Seth.
“Yeah, for almost seven years now,” Seth says, glancing at me.
“And how long have you been together?”
“What?” I laugh before I glance at Seth and he looks at me, a grin spreading.
“Oh,” Iggy laughs. “No, they’re nottogether,together. That’s just the way they are around each other,” she says, waving a hand at us. “But Kaden’s straight as an arrow.”
“Oh,” Olive says, wide-eyed. “I’m sorry. I just assumed—” she shakes her head. “That was stupid of me,” she chuckles. “I just… This sort of felt like a double-date or something.”
“Yeah, no, uhm…” Iggy clears her throat. “Megan and Tilly were supposed to come too, but they got caught up so.” She waves her hand while taking another sip.
“Aha. But you’re gay, right?” Olive directs this question at Seth, squinting her eyes a little as if she’s afraid she’s making assumptions again.
“Yeah, I’m gay,” Seth chuckles.
“And you’re straight,” she adds, looking at me. And it’s not a question, and even if it was, it’s none of her business so I just raise my brows in answer.
“Okay, glad we sorted that out.” She wipes her hands down her pants, and giggles. “Anyone want to take a stab at me, so I don’t feel like a complete idiot?”
I’m hiding in the kitchen, looking over the open-shelf above the sink, inspecting the weird-looking cups and mugs as if they were the most interesting thing I’ve ever seen before. ‘I’m not a gynecologist but I’ll take a look’ says one. ‘Office twat’ says another.
“I’m shocked you managed to hide in this shoe-box,” Seth snorts behind me. I turn around, dragging a hand through my hair.
“Can we leave?” I whisper.
“What? I think it’s cozy here. And Olive’s great!”
I glare at him. Yeah, she’s funny and seems to be into Iggy and that’s all great but I’m not a people person. And it’s Friday and if I have to listen to them talking about which professor is the creepiest or which class they’re taking next semester for one more minute, I’ll lose my mind. And Iggy’s playing her fucking cursive singers which makes my ears bleed.
“Fine,” he says. “One more hour, then we’re leaving.”
He hands me another bottle of beer—a bribe—and I crack it open, shooting another glare at him.
“Come on, boyfriend,” he laughs, and smacks my ass as I walk past him. I stop and snort a laugh before I turn towards him.
“Can you believe that?”
“What?” he says.
“Olive thinking we were together.” I take a swig of my beer.
“Yeah, no.” He snorts, clearing his throat. “That’s insane.”
“Right?” I chuckle as I walk into back into the living room.
54
Seth
