“You can call me if you need help with the homework too.”
You can call me anytime for anything.
Evie spins on her heel and retreats back into the kitchen. Remembering the rumors that she told me about earlier, I turn to Christina for confirmation.
“Hey Christina, what do you know about the rumors going around school that I’m some big man whore?”
She shrugs her shoulders and gives me a look like I’ve grown a second head. “I didn’t know they were rumors. I just figured you’re you, so they were probably true.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re gorgeous; the hottest guy at school in fact. You’re the quarterback of the football team, president of Student Government. Everyone wants a piece of you. I just figured you take what they offer. Don’t you?”
“No.” It’s the first time I’ve admitted it aloud to anyone other than Mike or Alex, and the single word leaves a strange taste in my mouth. It’s not that I don’t know people talk about me, I just never really paid attention to what was being said. Or how much was being said.
With Evie, the rumors destroyed her. Changed her. She’s never said a word or lifted a finger to stop them. The why of that has always been a mystery to me. I don’t stop the rumors about myself because I have an image to uphold.
My plan of lying by omission to save face is coming back to bite me in the ass.
I don’t have the guts to dispel all the assumptions about my sex life in the locker room. Until the guys believed I was banging girls left and right, they viewed me as less than. In their eyes, the single marker for manhood is getting some. Being exclusive with your hand means you’re still a boy…or gay. The inevitable torture that would be my life if the truth ever came out makes me cringe. Unless they’re all lying, I’m the only senior on the football team who’s still a virgin. That lack of carnal knowledge kills street cred as a quarterback and captain. Guys won’t let a pansy-ass masturbation grand master lead them. I can’t win, no matter what I do.
Something’s gotta give.
Evie returns from the kitchen, pulling me to the present. She honestly looks like each step toward me causes her physical pain, which definitely causes me physical pain. She holds my notebook out to me in silence and refuses to meet my eyes, staring at her own notebook instead.
I exchange notebooks with her, juggling the bottle of water and trying not to do or say anything else to screw this up. My plans for this afternoon have failed spectacularly.
Evie makes a cute, little disgusted face as she takes her notebook gingerly between two fingers. “Is my notebook going to smell as bad as you now?”
I laugh, relieved that she seems to be recovering. “That’s funny, because you look like you went for a run too, and…” I bend down and lean closer to her, rolling the dice on this next gamble. I close my eyes and breathe in the scent of her. It instantly makes my mouth water. “You still smell nice.”
My heart jackhammers inside my chest so rapidly that she must be able to hear it. I can’t believe I just did that.
“I’m skipping bio and ditching tutoring tomorrow,” she says quietly, finally looking up at my face that is only separated from hers by a breath.
I could kiss her now.
No, I can’t.
“No, you aren’t,” I tell her softly but firmly. “Because you’re too smart not to get an A in every class.”
I straighten back up. “I made you some flash cards. They’re in your notebook. You’ll need to start memorizing the rules of derivation for functions.”
Better to entreat with her need for good grades than her so-so views of me.
“Thank you for the water,” I say softly, tipping my head down towards her for one last breath before turning to go.
“Hey! I got you the water,” Christina complains from her spot on the couch.
I turn and point my notebook at Christina from my spot in the doorway. “You are on my shit-list
You can call me anytime for anything.
Evie spins on her heel and retreats back into the kitchen. Remembering the rumors that she told me about earlier, I turn to Christina for confirmation.
“Hey Christina, what do you know about the rumors going around school that I’m some big man whore?”
She shrugs her shoulders and gives me a look like I’ve grown a second head. “I didn’t know they were rumors. I just figured you’re you, so they were probably true.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re gorgeous; the hottest guy at school in fact. You’re the quarterback of the football team, president of Student Government. Everyone wants a piece of you. I just figured you take what they offer. Don’t you?”
“No.” It’s the first time I’ve admitted it aloud to anyone other than Mike or Alex, and the single word leaves a strange taste in my mouth. It’s not that I don’t know people talk about me, I just never really paid attention to what was being said. Or how much was being said.
With Evie, the rumors destroyed her. Changed her. She’s never said a word or lifted a finger to stop them. The why of that has always been a mystery to me. I don’t stop the rumors about myself because I have an image to uphold.
My plan of lying by omission to save face is coming back to bite me in the ass.
I don’t have the guts to dispel all the assumptions about my sex life in the locker room. Until the guys believed I was banging girls left and right, they viewed me as less than. In their eyes, the single marker for manhood is getting some. Being exclusive with your hand means you’re still a boy…or gay. The inevitable torture that would be my life if the truth ever came out makes me cringe. Unless they’re all lying, I’m the only senior on the football team who’s still a virgin. That lack of carnal knowledge kills street cred as a quarterback and captain. Guys won’t let a pansy-ass masturbation grand master lead them. I can’t win, no matter what I do.
Something’s gotta give.
Evie returns from the kitchen, pulling me to the present. She honestly looks like each step toward me causes her physical pain, which definitely causes me physical pain. She holds my notebook out to me in silence and refuses to meet my eyes, staring at her own notebook instead.
I exchange notebooks with her, juggling the bottle of water and trying not to do or say anything else to screw this up. My plans for this afternoon have failed spectacularly.
Evie makes a cute, little disgusted face as she takes her notebook gingerly between two fingers. “Is my notebook going to smell as bad as you now?”
I laugh, relieved that she seems to be recovering. “That’s funny, because you look like you went for a run too, and…” I bend down and lean closer to her, rolling the dice on this next gamble. I close my eyes and breathe in the scent of her. It instantly makes my mouth water. “You still smell nice.”
My heart jackhammers inside my chest so rapidly that she must be able to hear it. I can’t believe I just did that.
“I’m skipping bio and ditching tutoring tomorrow,” she says quietly, finally looking up at my face that is only separated from hers by a breath.
I could kiss her now.
No, I can’t.
“No, you aren’t,” I tell her softly but firmly. “Because you’re too smart not to get an A in every class.”
I straighten back up. “I made you some flash cards. They’re in your notebook. You’ll need to start memorizing the rules of derivation for functions.”
Better to entreat with her need for good grades than her so-so views of me.
“Thank you for the water,” I say softly, tipping my head down towards her for one last breath before turning to go.
“Hey! I got you the water,” Christina complains from her spot on the couch.
I turn and point my notebook at Christina from my spot in the doorway. “You are on my shit-list
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