guys will be in AA
by the time they’re seniors. But it’s
worse than usual tonight because
we have a bye this weekend.
Ah. Gotcha.
What are you doing?
Heading to some bar with my study
group and Sophia and her friend.
Aniyah said it was called Tonic.
I know that place. Total meat
market. I’ll meet you there!
I couldn’t help but laugh at his last text. Sophia must’ve heard me because she turned and looked at me quizzically.
“It’s Carter,” I explained. “He’s gonna meet us at the bar.”
“Cool” was all she said in reply, but her smile showed she meant it.
I texted Carter that we’d meet him inside and then put my phone back into my pocket.
We arrived at the bar soon after and paid a five-dollar cover to get in. I hadn’t thought to ask and make sure everyone in our group was twenty-one—some bartender I was—but everyone produced an ID, so I guessed we were set.
Aniyah led us to a corner of the bar where there were two open tables. I paused to take the place in. The bar was huge and set in the center of the room, with leather-upholstered chairs surrounding it. Three bartenders shared the space, filling orders, while servers floated among the tables that lined the walls. The floor was wood, and the space had a kind of rustic vibe. Definitely not what I was expecting from a place called Tonic.
“This place is nice,” I said.
“There’s a second floor that’s more like a club,” Aniyah explained when we sat down. “I figured we could eat down here before heading upstairs. Have any of you been here before?”
“I have,” Sophia answered, but everyone else stayed quiet.
I was surprised there was a club overhead. They must have excellent soundproofing.
We looked through the menus and decided to order a bunch of apps to share. The server was just returning with our drinks when Carter showed up.
“Hey, can I get a Corona?” he asked her. “Thanks.” Then he plopped down into an open chair next to Toby and almost immediately leaned over him and extended his hand toward Taylor. “Hey, how’s it going? I’m Carter.”
Taylor didn’t hesitate to grab his hand and introduce herself.
Carter relaxed into his seat and turned to Toby. “Nice to see ya, man. Love that shirt. Very suave.”
“Oh, uh, thanks. Brody lent it to me.”
Carter sat back in his seat and regarded me. “That’s what my life has been missing. A gay friend to give me fashion advice.”
I saw Taylor’s head whip toward Sophia, to which Sophia subtly shook her head. Taylor schooled her features, but I was sure there’d be a discussion happening there as soon as they were alone.
“You’re gay?” Xander asked.
“Oh, uh, yeah. Yup. Definitely.” Pretending to be gay gave me new appreciation for LGBTQ people. Coming out over and over again was exhausting.
“Huh,” he said. “Never would’ve guessed.”
Aniyah scoffed. “Why would you? What, you think all gay people look and act a certain way or something?”
“Simmer down, Cujo,” he replied dryly. “I usually have great gaydar is all.”
Aniyah opened her mouth to no doubt yell at Xander some more, but Carter cut in before she could.
“Not me. A dude could basically blow me, and I’d have no idea.”
Jesus Christ, I needed out of this conversation stat.
“How come you’re out tonight, Carter?” Sophia, bless her, asked. “Doesn’t the team usually hang together after games?”
“Nah, we have this week off,” he answered as the server dropped off his drink. He thanked her before taking a long pull.
“Oh, that’s right,” Sophia said. “I forgot.”
“You’re a wide receiver, right?” Toby asked. He hadn’t done much conversing with Carter on the few occasions they’d been in the same proximity. Maybe the shirt was giving him confidence.
Carter’s face lit up like the sun. “Yeah. You like football?”
“I, yes, I do. There’s a lot of strategy involved that’s intriguing.”
Carter wrapped an arm around Toby’s shoulder. “Where have you been all my life?”
Toby’s smile was wide, and as he and Carter began talking about all things football, I suspected I wasn’t the only one who’d be taking Toby under his wing from here on out.
S O P H I A
Dinner went well. Carter announced proudly that he had the perfect costume for Aamee’s party, but he’d been having trouble finding a date to agree to be the other half. He refused to tell us who he was going to be, but since a good-looking football player was having trouble finding a date, I could only assume he wanted someone to be something like Wardrobe Malfunction Janet Jackson.
“How