take a quick shower and go to bed,” I explained.
“Come on! Don’t be a pussy,” Mike yelled. “There’s a game on we can watch.”
Fuck. He wasn’t going to give up on this until I sat with him. I walked back to the living room as if I were facing an executioner. I plunked my ass down and ran a hand over my face in hopes I didn’t have dried come still on my cheeks or chin. For all I knew I reeked of it, and the thought of that had my heart racing something fierce.
“Were you and Dallas up on the roof?” Mike asked after a long moment of silence.
“Yeah, for a little while,” I mumbled. “Got stoned and drank a few beers.”
Mike nodded, and I continued staring at a basketball game that I couldn’t even begin to acknowledge what teams were playing. I had zero interest in what was on that TV at all.
“Yeah, it’s a great spot to … hang out,” Mike commented, and another painful minute passed. I saw him fidget on his end of the couch, and then I pushed myself off from my side.
“I guess I’ll head to bed,” I lied.
“Hey, you know you can tell me anything, and I’m not going to judge or have a problem with it, right?” Mike said.
“What is it you want to hear me say?” I was baiting him, and I’m pretty sure he knew it. I was a pussy because I was making him say the words that I couldn’t.
“Are you with Dallas?” he finally asked.
“I already told you, we were on the roof,” I said to skirt the real question. “We’re good friends. Why are you asking?”
“I’m asking if you’re with Dallas, like in hooking up with him?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re flushed and look like a guy who just blew a massive load, and you smell like sex,” Mike said. I made a scoffing sound at his comments and rolled my eyes. “Will you just be honest with me, Fletch? I don’t give a shit if you’re fucking around with Dallas. I really don’t. But considering how long we’ve been best friends, don’t you think I deserve to hear it from you? Just fucking tell me.”
I shifted my weight from foot to foot and looked everywhere in the room except at my friend. I couldn’t bear the thought he’d be disgusted by what I was doing with Dallas, and I couldn’t allow anyone’s opinion to tarnish what he was beginning to mean to me. Finally I met Mike’s eyes and nodded.
“Yeah, we’ve been … you know, together for a few weeks,” I practically whispered.
“Cool. He’s a great guy,” Mike said and glanced back at the TV to check the score.
“That’s all you’re going to say?”
“I told you I don’t care if you’re with a dude,” Mike said. “I’d be the last one to judge that considering I’ve done the same thing on a few occasions.”
“What? Wait. You’ve been with a guy?” I asked, and Mike’s laughter rose above the audio on the television.
“I’ve been with a few guys,” Mike admitted. “I’m bisexual, which is what I’m guessing you are, too, since I know you’ve banged your fair share of women.”
“I don’t know what I am,” I said. “I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
“So, Dallas is your first then?” Mike ventured.
I came back to the couch and took up my spot again. “You’ve really been with guys?”
“That’s correct,” he said and smiled.
“How come you never told me?” I asked.
“I honestly thought you’d have a problem with it, so I kept it on the down low,” Mike said. “When I was looking for that kind of action, I’d hook up on the sly, get my itch scratched, and come home without anyone knowing.”
“I can’t believe you never told me,” I harped. “When was the first time?”
Mike settled into the couch and chuckled. “This is a great story,” he said. “Remember that girl Jillian I dated senior year of high school? Anyway, she had a house party, and this smoking hot guy I’d never met before kept hitting on her, and she loved the attention.”
“She was kind of a flirt herself,” I added.
“Yeah, she was definitely that, but damn, she loved to fuck and was always fun to be around,” Mike continued. “I was standing right there while that guy was all over Jillian, and she never pushed him away. The three of us got stoned on some really strong weed, and at one point, he