Page 63 of Septembers

“He’s been busy with interviews,” Caleb said. “And with the time difference and everything, it’s probably hard to respond.”

Theo didn’t know Dae had interviews. He’d made it seem like the job was his. Or did Caleb mean Dae was translating interviews? He didn’t want to ask, because he shouldn’t have to ask. The sting was venomous and unrelenting.

Caleb and Jason shared one of their quick glances of silent communication, then Caleb softened his voice. “Are you upset? About Dae staying in Korea?”

He was always so earnestly interested in the truth with no ulterior motives, it was impossible to lie to him. “A bit, but not at Dae. Just the situation.”

Caleb nodded and Jason hummed in agreement. The silence afterward was comfortable and soothing. Commiserative.

“But you’ll be okay with Jordan, right?” Caleb actually sounded worried.

“Of course. She’s Jordan.”

“Right, it’s just that when Dae left…” He cleared his throat. “I mean, you’re picky about your roommates.”

“Which, by the way, is flattering for us,” Jason said quickly. “But poor Seth…”

“Poor Seth?” Theo mugged out the window as if he’d find pedestrians to take his side.

Jason’s voice boomed over the sound of horns blaring at an intersection. “You barely spoke to him.”

“I was shy.”

They both laughed a little too hard at that.

When Dae left for Korea, they’d put a bulletin up at school and tried to pick someone who would fit in with the fun yet responsible, silly but not wacky, cool but not exclusive vibe they’d created in their home. Seth seemed fine at first, a history major with a loud laugh that made Theo proud when he made it happen. Until he realized Seth laughed at everything. Every. Thing. Turned out he was a nervous laugher, and even something like asking him to do his dishes would elicit a chuckle. Theo tried to like him, he really did, but he was in Dae’s room, taking up Dae’s space, breathing the air Dae should’ve been breathing.

“Okay, fine. I didn’t like Seth, but that doesn’t mean I can’t live with anyone but you three. I’ve grown as a person.”

They shared yet another look, but let it go, and the rest of the ride was spent singing along to the radio and talking about the looming future.

Jordan greeted them with beer when they arrived, and they tried to video-call Dae but got no answer. Probably the time difference. Or maybe he was at one of his interviews.

Theo needed to shake off this feeling, or he was going to do or say something destructive.

“This place is great!” Caleb said as he walked through the still mostly unfurnished apartment.

“Then call Avery and tell her to get her butt over here.” They all turned to Theo, lips shifting into apprehensive smiles. They’d heard that tone from him enough times to know what was coming. “In fact, call everyone you know. We’re due for a party.”

༻𓆪 𓆩༺

Theo’s leg jiggled against Jordan’s desk chair as he watched her read his notes, impatient for her thoughts on his five-year plan for her musical world domination.

She sat on her bed, still in her pajamas with her legs tucked under her. They weren’t allowed to paint, so her room wasn’t as pink as she wanted it to be, but her belongings made up for it. Her strawberry candle even made the room smell pink. Theo’s own boxes remained unpacked, despite having moved over a week ago, though he had used sticky-tack to decorate his walls with his collection of polaroids, which had grown to almost unmanageable proportions throughout the years. People had taken it upon themselves to pass the camera around during gatherings, or just randomly snap pictures of everyday life, which meant sometimes Theo would find piles of pictures he hadn’t even known had been taken.

Including from the party last week, which he’d honestly rather forget. It had gotten a little out of hand. He’d apparently made out with a random neighbour in the hallway for over twenty minutes, then threw up in the pocket of the guy’s jacket. The rest of the early morning was spent drunkenly ranting over the toilet seat, though his memory was hazy on the topic, and Jordan refused to fill him in.

He was still in recovery, which meant he couldn’t possibly think about unpacking. What he could think about, however, was making his Number One Client Extraordinaire into a worldwide star. “What do you think?”

She turned the book sideways, trying to read the scribbles that didn’t always follow the lines. “I think you’re a chaos demon, and I regret peering inside your brain.”

“Fair, but what do you think of the plan?”

She handed it back, sighing. “I don’t know.”

“I know you don’t, which is why you have me.” He sat down on the bed beside her, the fluffy duvet poofing around him. “It’s a solid plan. Nothing too big or fast; slow and gentle.”

“Are you taking my virginity?”