“You wanna bet?” he asks, taking a step towards me.
“No,” I say, taking a step back. I lick my top lip, knowing full fucking well he probably could. And that I’d love it.
Oh, how I’d love it.
“’Cause I’d hate to see you lose,” I add with a flick of my head.
“You’re so full of shit,” he says, laughing.
“Actually, I’m not,” I say, hands on my hips. “Because I douche.”
“You what?”
“Exactly! You gay virgin.”
28
Kaden
I’mhunchedovertheguitar in my lap, absently picking a few chords, while I stare at my phone on the coffee table. Biting my lip, I mute the strings and reach for it.
I read the message for the third time today while bouncing my leg up and down. Every time I read it, the knot in my stomach grows, making me feel slightly sick.
My oldest friend, and former band mate, Finn, is getting married. Because, apparently, my life is the only one on hold. Everyone just keeps on living, like the past two years never happened.
And now I’m expected at his bachelor party.
I really fucking don’t want to go.
He was still single when COVID hit, for fuck’s sake. How’s he now engaged?
I throw the phone on the coffee table, and stand. Putting the guitar back, I go to wash my hands, hating every second of it, before I grab my phone and keys and leave.
“Finn’s getting married,” I say, drying a pan. Mom raises her eyebrows, turns off the faucet, and shakes the water off her hands.
“He’s having a bachelor party a few weeks from now.”
“And you don’t wanna go,” she states, turning towards me, wiping her hands on a towel before she reaches for her rings on the counter. Putting them on one by one.
“No, I don’t. And I think it’s reckless, and a bit stupid to throw a bachelor party during a burning pandemic, but apparently, I’m the only one.”
“Burning pandemic,” she parrots, clicking her tongue. “You gotta stop hidin’, K. Ain’t nobody can keep living like that.”
“Living like what?” I frown. “I don’t make the rules.”
“I’m worried, y’know.” She purses her lips. “You’ve always been a loner, but I worry you’ll end up alone.”
“I’m not alone, Mom.” I roll my eyes. “But I’m not risking my life to go to a bachelor party for someone I haven’t seen in—”
“Risk your life?” She frowns. “K, you’re young, healthy—”
“That’s what Zach thought.”
When my foster-brother Zach was hospitalized last year, they found out he has a rare heart condition that probably wouldn’t have made itself known, hadn’t it been for COVID. And that almost cost him his life. So, excuse me for being fucking cautious!
“And hadn’t he gotten sick, they probably wouldn’t have found out about his heart, and that might have killed him instead,” she says, a hand on her hip.
I drag a hand down my face. “Fine. Whatever.” I pick up my phone from the table, pocketing it, and pull on my hoodie. “I’m gonna get going.”
