Out of Character

by Annabeth Albert

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Jasper

  “What are you doing here?” My Wednesday was already going haywire when George walked into the game store. I’d had an early morning class and now was helping Arthur because another employee had called in sick and there was a bunch of new merchandise to inventory before the weekend rush. I’d have to hurry to make it to the cosplay group on schedule, and I did not have time to deal with freaking George of all people.

  “Now, is that any way to greet a paying customer?” He looked slick as always—expensive sneakers, pristine clothes despite slushy weather, perfectly arranged hair, and weaselly expression already in place.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “I thought Arthur banned you from the store.”

  “Correction. He banned me from playing here. Not shopping. My money’s as good as anyone else’s, and I need some booster packs for a draft party I’m having tonight. Thought I had enough but it looks like I’m more popular than I anticipated.”

  With anyone other than George, draft parties were super fun as everyone got a set number of card packs and raced to build decks with the cards they scored and then played each other for prizes and bragging rights.

  “Planning to cheat more so-called friends out of premium cards?” I wasn’t going to bring up Milo by name, but I couldn’t resist a dig.

  He made a scoffing noise. “You’re jealous that I’m a superior player.”

  “Superior at cheating, sure.” I shrugged, no closer to retrieving the packs for him.

  “I could go pro and you know it, Quigley.” His sneer transformed him from slick to slimy and no way could I let that stand.

  “Prove it.” Slapping my hands on the counter, I stared him down.

  “How?”

  “Rumor has it you recently acquired Frog Court cards. Play me for them.” I could already hear Milo’s protest in my head, but I was too pissed to reconsider my brash proposition. Milo might hate the idea, yet I’d also bet he wouldn’t turn down the missing cards. I’d almost qualified to the finals at the Philly tournament. I could do this for him as well. Even simply thinking it had my shoulders lifting. I wanted to be the one to do this for him.

  “In your dreams.” George made a dismissive gesture. “Even if I had said cards, why would I wager them against you? What’s going to be your bet? Even that beat-up roller skate you call a car isn’t worth as much as a single one of those cards.”

  He had a point, but I also knew exactly what would tempt him. “I have a ticket to the launch party in NYC.”

  “Keep talking.” He was playing it cool, but the light in his eyes gave him away.

  “Play me in the new tournament style they just announced. Best two out of three.” I liked this format because it was newer and therefore less likely that George would have already found a hack. “Bet me those cards.”

  “I might think about it.” His smug smile had my fists clenching.

  “You do that.” I finally gave in and slapped the booster packs down on the counter for him. “Now how many did you need?”

  “Fifteen from the latest set.” He pulled out a gleaming credit card. “Why are you suddenly so interested in rares? They hardly fit your…style.”

  “None of your business.” It was, however, Milo’s business, and he was undoubtedly going to have lots to say about me trying to goad George into a game. In fact, it might be better simply not to tell him yet. Wait to see if George actually took the bait.

  At least that was how I attempted to rationalize things on the way to the hospital. I was a couple of minutes late, and Milo was already in costume, sitting in the waiting area with Kellan, laughing at a story Jasmine was telling while April sat on his other side. Watching him with my friends gave me a strange pang. I loved seeing him integrated into our little group, loved him getting better taste in friends, but I also knew how much more it was going to suck if things didn’t work out between us. It wouldn’t be only myself who was let down.

  “Hey.” Milo noticed me hovering. “I was getting worried about you. You better change fast.”

  His concern felt almost as good as a hug and I smiled at him. “Will do.”

  When I emerged in my costume a few minutes later, Milo and Kellan were deep in conversation with April.

  “Jasper! You know how Mom doesn’t want me doing any crowded big events? She was going to make me skip the revue at the college despite us having tickets. But Kellan has a work-around.”

  “Tech rehearsal tomorrow night. Full run-through. Limited audience. I can get you guys in, get you seats away from anyone else.”

  “I might have already said yes.” Milo gave me a crooked smile that melted me even more than his earlier concern. “Your sister is pretty persuasive.”

  “Better extend that persuasion to Mom,” I warned. “But sure. I can pick you up if Mom says it’s okay. Where is she, anyway?”

  “Dropped me off so she could do a conference call in the car.” April made a face. “And had a million warnings about keeping my mask on.”

  “She’s not wrong.”

  “But you’d like to do your own remembering. I get it,” Milo added, an unexpected bit of compassion from him. While I figured he was referring to his own mom, I also hoped he didn’t think that I was a nag, trying to get him to change more than he wanted to. I wanted him to find his own way. But not pushing was hard.

  “How’d that group-house interview go?” I asked him in a whisper as we all made our way to the lounge.

  Milo groaned. “Postponed. One of the housemates is sick.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Yeah.” His posture deflated, and I wanted again to hug him, but I refrained.

  “Looking splendid today, everyone!” Natalie greeted us. “And Prince Neptune, your fame precedes you. The family that you did the drawing for last week showed it around, and I’ve had a number of inquiries as to if you’d be with the group today.”

  “I’m here.” Milo blushed deeply even as he hurried to get a sketchbook out. “If I skip playing, I can probably do more than one sketch.”

  “We’ll give you a reprieve,” I joked as I waved him over to a table. Even once I was set up for a game with a kid who was new this week, my attention kept wandering to Milo, watching him draw a thin boy with a heavy cast as a mighty Viking warrior complete with shield and horned helmet. Pride made my shoulders lift and my chest expand. He was incredible. And, at least in that moment, he was mine.

  “Tell me it’s pizza night,” Milo joked as we packed up. We were the last two of our group left because Milo had kept drawing past our usual ending time. His final tally of sketches was four—the little Viking, a flying superhero, a hulking strongman, and a special request for a mermaid.

  “You have definitely earned your pizza,” I replied as we headed for the hall, letting my tone turn low and flirty. “And I owe you—”

  “Dude. Lionetti. What the hell are you wearing?” Two of my worst nightmares greeted us before we could reach the elevators. Luther and James, in gray janitorial outfits with matching scowls, were pushing big utility carts that stood between us and an easy escape. High school had taught me to always be aware of the exits where the two of them were concerned, and even Milo’s presence wasn’t enough to stop the chill racing up my spine.

  “Forget what he’s wearing. What are you doing with this Willy Wonka reject?” Luther gawked at me.

  “Aren’t you a little old for playing dress-up?” James sneered at me. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”

  I opened my mouth to defend the Frog Wizard costume to them, but then closed it because I knew these guys. They’d just twist my words, make it worse, and I wasn’t about to give them fresh ammunition. No, the best thing to do with bullies like them had always been to walk away fast.

  But they were blocking an easy escape, and Milo appeared to have put down roo
ts next to me. His eyes were wide and stricken, and his skin had turned a pasty, pale green.

  “You look f-ing ridiculous. Both of you. Who put you up to this? Is it some sort of prank?”

  “Blink once if you need a rescue.” Luther laughed as Milo continued to stay silent. “Better make sure no one takes a picture of you two. You wouldn’t want it to go viral.”

  I was dangerously close to decking him because this wasn’t high school. I wasn’t risking my scholarship prospects with an expulsion. I didn’t have to take this heckling, and even if Milo had turned into stone, I didn’t have to stay there and wait to see what if anything he was going to say to his friends.

  “Come on. Let’s get out of here,” I said firmly to Milo because I didn’t want to abandon him, but I also wasn’t going to stand there and let Luther and James pick us apart. However, when I stepped forward, Luther playfully swung his cart into my path.

  “Okay, now I’m mad.” I glowered at him, and right when I was about to shove his stupid cart, Milo suddenly came to life and stepped in front of me.

  “Stop,” he said, and time came to a screeching halt while we all waited to see what he was about to do.

  Chapter Thirty

  Milo

  “Stop.” Finally, I’d recovered my ability to speak. It had taken me a few moments to get past the shock of seeing Luther and James at the hospital, exactly like I’d been dreading. And it was high school all over again, Luther and James hassling Jasper, and me doing nothing to stop it. It was like they started their shit and my voice fled along with my convictions and my courage.

  But unlike high school, Jasper now looked more furious than scared, and I had a sinking feeling some of that anger was probably directed my way. And also in contrast to the past, I now had way more on the line. I’d promised Jasper and myself that I was going to be a better person, and that better person was definitely not a scared-rabbit statue who let my roommates get away with harassing anyone, let alone someone who meant as much to me as Jasper.

  “Knock it off,” I said to Luther. My stomach issued a Category 5 hurricane warning. It might have been a little dramatic, but I swore I could feel my entire future hinging on the next few minutes. My stomach could deal. “Let him pass.”

  “I’m so sorry, Zeus. Or is it Apollo? Sorry. I didn’t pay attention to ancient history.” Luther laughed harshly.

  “It’s Prince Neptune.” I pulled myself up to my full height, which was taller than Luther and wider than James. “And you both need to cut it out.”

  “Or what?” James shook his head. “Since when do you hang out with Quigley, anyway?”

  “You don’t know everything about me.”

  “Clearly.” Luther swept his gaze over my costume again, openly mocking. “Like I said, you’d better be careful. People might get the wrong idea.”

  “Right here, guys,” Jasper said from behind me, tone still dripping with irritation.

  “Or maybe they’ll get the right one.” My stomach was in full-out revolt now, bile burning my throat, but I forced my hand backward, fumbling for Jasper’s. Holding his hand at the ball had been scary, but this right now was like the difference between a high dive and skydiving. With an iffy parachute. And the landing zone was on fire. But whatever. I was doing it.

  Jasper inhaled sharply but he didn’t flinch away, grabbing my hand back, not letting go.

  “Okay. Very funny.” Luther rolled his eyes as if there was no way I was serious.

  “I don’t have time for this shit.” James yanked his cart past Luther’s.

  “No. No way.” Tilting his head, Luther quirked his mouth like he might be seeing me for the first time ever. My clammy skin broke out in goose bumps under the scrutiny, yet I held firm to Jasper.

  “There’s no room in my life for you…experimenting, Lionetti.”

  “It’s not your life. It’s mine.” Even as my muscles started to quiver, I still stared James down.

  “No, I meant that literally. No room. You can pack up your crap and get the fuck out.” James’s expression was as hard as his tone.

  “Yeah.” Luther sounded more resigned than mad. “Way to choose that—”

  I cut him off with a growl. “Watch it.”

  “Everything okay here?” An older portly security officer stepped off the elevator and strode toward us. Heck. All we needed was someone to have complained about our argument.

  “Yup, Officer.” James spared me a last glare before steering his cart toward the elevators. “Moving on. Moving the F on.”

  “You do that.” I scowled back until they were both out of sight.

  “You need me to call the cleaning company supervisor?” the guard asked. “I know how much the kids love the costumed visitors like you two. That cleaning company’s workers are supposed to stick to the remodel on the next level up.”

  “No. It’s fine,” I said, even though it most definitely was not. Jasper muttered something under his breath about a complaint not being a bad idea, but I pretended not to hear, instead trying to look casual while waiting for the guard to head down the corridor.

  “Wow. That was…” Jasper exhaled about a decade’s worth of tension.

  “I know.” Swaying slightly, I squished my eyes shut.

  “Hey. You okay?” Jasper steered me toward one of the couches in the waiting area by the elevators.

  “No.” Collapsing onto the couch, I put my head in my hands. Jasper made soothing sounds and rubbed my back, but I was concentrating too much on not hurling to appreciate the contact. “What did I do?”

  “You stood up for me. For yourself. You were amazing. But I get that it was probably intense for you.” Jasper sounded amazed but all jazzed up, like we’d just conquered some ride together. And as always, now I was the one about to puke.

  “That’s one way to put it.”

  Jasper gentled his tone some and slowed his hands, like he was calming a nervous puppy. “You did good.”

  “Should have done it a long time ago, but still…” I held out my shaking hands.

  “I’m not trying to say it wasn’t hard for you.” Giving me a kind smile, Jasper squeezed my biceps. “But I was impressed.”

  “I’m now impressively homeless.” After removing my crown, I scrubbed at my hair.

  “Hey.” He stilled my hand while I still had hair left. “Do you want to call your mom?”

  I lurched away from him, gut roiling again. “God, no. I’ll figure something out, but I am not needing another rescue.”

  “Fair enough, but I meant more that maybe you need the support.”

  “I’ll be fine.” I pushed myself to standing even if my knees were still decidedly wobbly.

  “You don’t look—”

  “I just need a minute.” I dragged in a rattling breath before striding toward the restroom. “I’m going to get changed.”

  “Good idea. I’ll do the same.”

  Toting all his usual bags, he followed close behind me, almost as if he expected me to make a run for it. Which I definitely was not about to do in this toga. And Jasper might be my only friend. I was feeling like crap but I wasn’t stupid enough to flee. So no fleeing, but my self-loathing had reached new depths, and I wasn’t surprised when I ended up puking while changing. I hated how much I now needed Jasper. And I hated that it had taken me this long to stand up. Oh, and that I’d been this unprepared for the inevitable reaction.

  “Where to?” Jasper asked as I emerged from the stall, doing a pretty good job of pretending like he hadn’t heard me getting sick even as he passed me a pack of mints. “You want to collect your stuff while they’re still at work, right?”

  I quickly rinsed my mouth and popped a mint that did nothing to quiet my still-anxious gut. “What I’d like is to not think for a while.”

  It came out too loud, too sharp, and Jasper took a step back
, feet hitting his bags. “Okay.”

  “Sorry. That came out harsh. You’re trying to help. I get it. I hate being such a mess—”

  “This isn’t your fault or your mess. It’s theirs.” He rubbed my arm before picking up his bags and following me out of the restroom. “And like you said, maybe this was way overdue.”

  “Yeah.” I paused for a drink at the fountain by the elevator. His tone had been pragmatic, not accusatory, but he was right. I’d waited way too long to stand up to Luther and James. He’d be justified in being pissed about that. Yet if he was, he was doing a good job of hiding it as he waited with patient expression. “Let me help. Please?”

  “I guess I could use a ride back to the apartment. Everything I own should pretty much fit in my car.”

  “And then?”

  “You can be in charge of pizza.” I forced out a laugh as we got on the elevator.

  “I’m serious. You can stay with me tonight while you figure out what to do.”

  “Thanks. I don’t like imposing—”

  “You’re not an imposition.” Jasper was quick to interrupt me with one of his mom’s favorite sayings. But the soft way he gazed at me wasn’t familial at all and was way more caring than I deserved. “You’re my guy.”

  It was a nice thought, but I still felt like the world’s biggest burden as we stepped into the chilly evening. For weeks I’d felt one move away from my life collapsing like a faulty block structure, a build with a fatal flaw—me. Now it was happening and I had no one else to blame. Even with Jasper by my side, I wasn’t sure I’d ever been so alone.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Jasper

  Milo was in a funk. And I couldn’t blame him. He’d come out to his friends, who weren’t really ever true friends, but they’d been a part of his life for almost a decade, and he’d lost his place to live all in one grand gesture. Which had been unbearably sweet. And scary. The moment when he’d reached for my hand was something I’d remember forever. My inner fourteen-year-old had waited years for him to stand in front of me like that, to stand up, not only for me but also himself. I’d wanted to cheer him on, even if my adult self understood that the real-world consequences sucked. So I got why he was brooding. I simply wished I had a way to make it better.