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I turn and watch everyone react to his words. Everyone looks around confused for a few minutes before Riggs calls from the back, “Are we supposed to be surprised?”
Everyone starts laughing, and I can’t help but join in too. I love that Brendon doesn’t hide who he is, isn’t afraid to show affection to other guys, isn’t intimidated by toxic masculinity mentality. Being around him has helped me accept myself too.
Once we’re dressed, we head out of the arena, and I run smack-dab into the back of Brendon who has stopped dead in his tracks.
“What the fuck?” I look over his shoulder and grit my teeth when I see Nikki standing there with a grocery bag.
“Hey.” Brendon sighs. “I brought you a snack, figured you would be hungry after practice. And a Gatorade so you can hydrate.”
I manage not to make any noise, but I roll my eyes behind him where she can’t see me. I’m so tired of this girl.
“Uh, thanks.” Brendon takes the bag awkwardly.
“Dude, get outta the way! I’m starving!” Riggs yells from the back of the line. Brendon flushes but moves to the side, his neck and ears turning pink. It’s clear he doesn’t know how to get out of the situation, so I clench my teeth and handle it for him.
“Come on, we gotta get going.” I reach for his hand and pull him along behind me, not giving him time to respond to her.
“Uh, sorry!” he calls but hustles along with me. “Thanks. I never know what to say to her.”
His hand is so warm in mine, so right, that I don’t want to let it go. I should, but I’m so fucking tired of hiding.
“What’s in there?” I nod to the bag as we walk toward the dining hall, most of the team behind us. “Anything good?”
Brendon takes his hand back to open the bag and starts naming things off. “Zero sugar beef jerky, peanut butter protein bar, low sugar cherry Gatorade, and cheddar Sun Chips.”
“She’s really concerned about your sugar intake, huh?” I open the door for him, and he walks through, but I don’t hold it for Jeremy, so it smacks him in the shoulder, and I laugh when he glares at me.
“Dick,” he mutters as he gets in line behind me.
Brendon starts eating the snacks while loading his tray with dinner. Preston lifts an eyebrow at him but doesn’t comment. I’m glad we could finally break him of that particularly annoying habit.
We find a table and sit with Carp, Willis, and Nick. Nick is Carp’s friend that’s on the football team, and Brendon likes him because he showed us where to go get good cinnamon rolls. Brendon is very food motivated. Like a puppy.
“You guys going to be ready for finals?” Carp asks, and everyone groans.
“Shhh, we don’t use those types of words.” Brendon throws a cherry tomato at him.
“What words?” Nick smirks.
“Finals, tests, midterms, lima beans, burpees, Brussels sprouts, surprise anal.” Brendon ticks them off on his fingers.
Caught off guard by his last one, I inhale my water instead of swallowing it and have a rough coughing fit. Fuck. My throat is sore by the time I’m done, and Brendon has gone back to his food while everyone at the table either laughs or is staring at him.
“The fuck, dude? What kind of list is that?” I wheeze.
“It’s the naughty word list,” he says like it’s obvious.
“I swear, your brain is a weird place sometimes.” I shake my head and take another drink of water.
I can’t help but watch Carp and Nick. There’s something going on with them. They keep looking at each other and smiling, like they’re having a telekinetic conversation. It’s giving me a couple vibe.
“Surprise anal is never a good time,” Nick agrees, shoving a fry in his mouth. “But I like Brussels sprouts and burpees.
“Excuse me?” Brendon sputters. “You can’t sit with us if you like burpees. I can almost excuse the Brussels sprouts, but not burpees. Get out.” He points away from the table, and Nick laughs but stands up.
“That’s fine, I was done anyway. Gotta gostudy.” Nick leans over Carp, hand on his throat, and kisses him. Everyone at the table freezes before Willis shouts, “I fucking knew it!”
Carp flushes bright red, all the way down his neck and into his shirt, and ducks his head. Nick grins like the cat that caught the canary and kisses Carp’s head before winking at us and walking away to dump his tray.
