“Um.” Nick thought about it. “I used to, but it might have changed.” There were a couple of months after Dad died where I had trouble remembering to eat.
“Very well. I’ll bring some options.” She disappeared into the rows of clothing.
Nick glared at Deen. “Why’d you make it sound like we’re a couple?”
“We’re two guys shopping for clothes together. She was gonna assume we’re a couple regardless. Besides, I’m taking an improv class for gen. ed. credit, and I need the practice.”
Pouty as Nick acted, the joke was kind of a relief. He hadn’t disclosed his orientation to Deen yet—mostly because it hadn’t come up—and he was nervous about it. Much as he liked Deen, there was no telling how any given college-aged male was going to react to learning his roommate was into guys. This exchange gave Nick hope that Deen would be cool when the time came.
The salesperson—whose name tag read Makeba—reappeared with jeans, slacks, and a variety of shirt styles draped over one arm. Nick thought he spotted a vest in the mix too.
“Here you are,” Makeba said, cheerful as a bird. “I brought a few different sizes. Head into the dressing room over there, and once you find something that fits, I’ll bring more.”
Nick took the mountain of clothing and headed for the doorway she’d indicated. The stalls were all empty; Nick ducked into the nearest one.
“I’m gonna stay out here,” announced Deen’s muffled voice. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, dear,” Nick shouted back. He riffled through the clothing and held a pair of jeans up to his waist. They seemed about right, so he kicked off his shoes and pants and pulled them on first. In actuality, they were a little loose, but he wasn’t the sort to walk around in skintight clothing.
He tried on a few more pairs, found two that fit him the way he liked, and set those aside. Then he went for what he assumed was the semiformal outfit: black pants and the vest he’d spotted before. There was no fancy shirt to go with them, so Nick threw on a short-sleeved white tee and left the vest unbuttoned.
Everything fit him perfectly. When he glanced in the mirror, he almost didn’t recognize himself. He looked good. The well-cut pants lengthened his legs, and the shirt hugged his broad shoulders and flat stomach. But it was the vest that turned the clothes into an outfit. He liked that it was a mixture of formal and informal too. He’d never had a “look” before, but now that he saw what some decent clothing could do, he was tempted to make this his.
Now to see what the peanut gallery thinks.
Nick unlocked the door and—face already hot—walked out. He was grateful there weren’t many other customers hanging around, especially when Deen caught sight of him and whistled.
“Damn, Nick. You clean up good.”
“Thanks.” He rubbed the back of his head and stared down at the ground. “This isn’t normally my sort of thing.”
“You should make it your thing.” Makeba eyes roved up and down his body, but there was no heat behind the look. Nick got the sense she was taking his measurements with her eyes. “It suits you. If you’d like, I can bring some similar options.”
“Um. Maybe.” Nick hadn’t checked any price tags while he was getting dressed. He flipped over the one hanging off the vest, and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. “Holy shit.”
“That bad, huh?” Deen sidled up next to him and peeked at the price too. He huffed. “Ouch. But think of it as an investment. A piece like this will last you for a lot longer than those crappy shirts you got at the thrift store.”
“He’s right,” Makeba said. “And I’m not just saying that because I get commission. Though if you like, we have some less expensive alternatives I can show you.”
Nick’s blush was getting worse by the second. Unless her options were a third the cost of this, he still wouldn’t be able to swing it.
Makeba seemed to sense his unease, because she stepped back. “I’ll give you two a chance to discuss it.” Her heels clicked on the tile as she retreated to the other side of the store.
Once she was out of earshot, Deen leaned toward him. “Dude, you gotta buy this outfit. It was made for you. I’ll weep if you don’t.”
“I don’t know.” Nick checked the other price tags.
The shirt was twice what the ones from the thrift store had cost, but not wholly unreasonable for something that hadn’t previously been worn. The pants cost less than the vest, which made no sense, considering they had three times as much fabric. Regardless, the whole outfit would take a chunk out of his bank account. If it was between this and replacing his laptop, he had to go with the practical option.
Before he could announce his decision and break Deen’s heart, an unfamiliar voice called out to him.
“Nick? Is that you?”
Nick glanced over his shoulder and froze. Dante—the guy from his lab—was standing a few feet away. He had shopping bags in both hands and was dressed in skinny jeans and a scarlet long-sleeved shirt, the fit of which suggested it was actually a glove. He looked like he’d just stepped off the pages of GQ.
“Hey.” Nick turned to face him. “You’re Dante, right? I think we have a lab together.”
“Every Thursday.” He flashed a perfect smile, and one of his cheeks folded into a dimple.
Hot damn. Nick struggled to think of something to say, but his tongue tied itself into knots with the skill of a Navy Seal.
Something dug into his side. Deen’s elbow.
“Gonna introduce me, roomie?” Deen chuckled, seemingly for Dante’s benefit, before lowering his voice to a hiss. “How do you know all the most notorious partiers at our school? It’s like I’m living with a Kennedy.”
“Be cool, okay?” Nick whispered back before clearing his throat. “Dante, this is my roommate, Deen. Deen, this is Dante.”
Dante nodded at him. “I’d shake your hand, but . . .” He held up his shopping bags.
“Don’t worry about it.” Deen laughter was pitched too high. “Rain check.”
Dante’s attention returned to Nick. “There’s someone with me, by the way. Someone I think you’ll want to say hi to.” His attention shifted over Nick’s shoulder.
Heart skipping, Nick swallowed and followed the direction of his gaze. Could it be?
Sure enough, Sebastian Prinsen was standing over by a sweater display, having what appeared to be a lively conversation with Makeba. Unlike Dante, he was dressed down in a dark-green V-neck and casual cutoffs that showed off his long legs. Nick’s mouth watered a little as his eyes trailed over the chest exposed by his shirt.
I gotta admit, Sebastian’s gorgeous.
Dante’s voice brought Nick crashing back to reality. “I see I was right.”
He shook off his temporary stupor. “Huh?”
Dante merely smiled again. His eyes drifted down to Nick’s outfit. “I hope you’re planning to buy everything that’s on your body right now. It works for you in a big way.”
Nick’s face got hot for an entirely different reason. “I was thinking about it.” Almost against his will, he glanced back at Sebastian.
Sebastian was still talking to Makeba. He didn’t so much as glance their way. Nick frowned. He’d expected Sebastian to come over. Say hi. Maybe flirt some more. But no, he seemed to be telling a joke, judging by the way Makeba giggled.
Something pinched low in Nick’s belly. He turned his back on them.
“So,” Deen said to Dante, “how’s the semester treating you so far?”
“Pretty good, though I’m taking sixteen credits.”
Deen blew out a breath that made his bangs flutter. “Yikes. Did you have to give up some nonessentials to make your schedule work? Like sleep?”
Dante grinned. “Something like that. Actually, I need people to study with. Nick, I don’t suppose you’d want to get together sometime, since we have a class together? I’m only taking it because of a lab requirement, and I hear you’re a STEM student.”
“Sure.
” Nick shrugged. “I could use a study buddy. You free sometime next week?”
“Sounds good. Let me get your number.” Dante set his bags on the tile floor and pulled a phone from his pocket.
Nick was even more grateful to Theo now than before. He was able to pull his own phone out of his bag without feeling embarrassed about it. “Call me so I’ll have yours too.”
After they’d exchanged numbers, Dante slid his phone back into the pocket of his jeans—with some difficulty, they were so tight—and smiled. It was amazing how he could turn it on and off like a bulb.
“Great. We’d better be going. See you in class on Thursday. Or maybe sooner.” Dante raised his voice. “Yo, Sebby! C’mon.” He grabbed his bags and left without checking to see if Sebastian was following him.
Nick’s mouth went dry as Sebastian peeled himself away from Makeba and strolled after Dante. As he passed, Nick prepared himself for whatever ostentatious greeting Sebastian was sure to send his way.
But no, Sebastian sailed right by without so much as a sidelong look. He caught up with Dante, and the two of them headed for the door, already laughing as if they’d shared some sort of private joke.
Makeba reappeared at Nick’s side. “What a charming young man. He said he knew you both. Are you friends?”
“Yes,” Deen said at the same time that Nick said, “No.”
She glanced between them for a moment before smiling. “Right. Well, can I help you two find anything else?”
“There are some jeans in the dressing room I’d like to buy.” Nick swallowed, bracing himself for potential awkwardness. “Otherwise, I’m all set.”
“Perfect.” She indicated his body. “Would you like to wear your new outfit out, or shall I box it up for you?”
Sigh. I hate to think I wasted her time.
“Actually, I’m just going to get the jeans. I love this outfit, but it’s out of my price range.”
“It’s already paid for. Your friend took care of it.”
Nick’s eyes popped open so far, it hurt a little. “What?”
“I thought it was a little odd too, but he insisted.” Makeba shrugged. “When he walked up to me, he asked if you were going to buy what you had on. I said you seemed hesitant, and then he insisted on paying for it. He told me to give you this.” She produced a piece of paper that looked like it’d been torn from a notebook.
Sebastian had scrawled a message on it in hasty black ink.
My knees actually got weak when I saw you. Wear that to the party I’m having at my place tonight. Be there at nine.
Beneath his message, Sebastian had included his phone number and address.
Nick stared at it, so angry the digits swam before his eyes. If he thinks this is the way to win me over, he is so, so wrong.
“Nick?” Deen nudged him. “Are you okay? Your face is all red.”
“Yeah,” he lied. “Let’s go. Suddenly, I’m not in the mood for shopping.”
Sebastian gazed out over his packed apartment in the manner of a king surveying his land. The first party of the semester was off to a raucous start. Music was blaring, drinks were flowing, and tipsy undergrads were swaying together in the living room, which had been hastily repurposed into a dance floor.
It was a sea of debauchery and bad decisions. As the number of people dancing in his living room edged up toward “fire hazard,” Sebastian couldn’t help but feel like something was . . . missing.
“Why so pensive?” a nearby voice called over the din.
Sebastian glanced to the side. Dante had sidled up next to him with a martini in one hand and a lit cigar in the other. Sebastian wrinkled his nose. “How many times have I told you not to smoke inside?”
“Dunno. How many times have I ignored you?” Dante took a puff. “You seem like you have something on your mind. What’s up?”
Sebastian inspected his apartment again. He’d moved in at the beginning of sophomore year, and though he’d chosen to re-sign his lease, it’d never felt like “home” to him. Perhaps because he knew he wouldn’t live here past graduation.
The decorating consisted of abstract art, string lights, and mismatched furniture his father would despise. Which of course meant Sebastian loved it. Something nagged at him as he looked around, however. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
“It’s nothing,” he said to Dante. “I’m having an off night, I guess. I normally find parties motivating, you know? They’re my reward for getting through another tepid week of higher education. But this one isn’t doing it for me. I don’t know why.”
“Maybe you need to drink more.” Dante took a sip of his martini. “Or it could be that partying is losing its charm. We do it at least once a month, after all. Perhaps the novelty has worn off.”
Sebastian eyed the beer in his hand. He contemplated taking a sip before deciding he didn’t have the taste for it. He set it on a nearby table. “I hope that’s not the case. It’d be depressing if we got tired of partying before we turned twenty-one.”
“Who’s ‘we’? I’m having a great time.” A couple of boys in crop tops and tight jeans walked past them. Dante caught the eye of one of them and flashed a sultry smile. The guy turned red and sashayed away with a pronounced sway in his hips. Dante nudged Sebastian. “I could so have him if I wanted to.”
Sebastian debated with himself before asking. “So, have him. What’s stopping you?”
As predicted, Dante’s eyes dropped to the floor, as if he were afraid Sebastian would read his face. “No reason. I don’t want to leave you alone.”
Bullshit. He’s not the boy you want to take home tonight, and you know it. “Don’t let me ruin your good mood.”
Dante regarded him. “You’re not ruining anything. Something really is up with you. Got a bad case of thinking about the future? After this year, there’s just one more left until we graduate and have to enter the big, bad world. I’ve woken up in a cold sweat at the thought of that before.”
“Nah. Furthest thing from my mind.” Talking about this was worsening Sebastian’s unease. He scanned the crowd, which was pulsating along to the beat of some pop song playing from the speakers. “Where’s Theo?”
“Dancing.”
A second later, Sebastian spotted a bright-red head in the throng. Eventually Theo looked his way, and Sebastian waved him over.
Theo disentangled himself from multiple dance partners and crossed the living room to the perimeter, where Sebastian had posted up. “Hey, guys. What’s up?”
“Nothing much.” Sebastian sniffed. “Having fun?”
Theo cocked his head to the side. “Of course. It’s a party.”
“Not for Sebastian here,” Dante cut in. “He’s experiencing ennui.”
Sebastian glared at him. “Only pretentious college kids use words like ennui in everyday conversation.”
That earned him a wink before Dante turned back to Theo. “I think he wants us to join him.”
“I’m down.” Theo smiled. “What are we angsting about?”
“Life. Graduation. Sebastian’s inability to enjoy underaged drinking and reckless behavior.”
Theo sized Sebastian up. “Since when are you all responsible? Did you try drinking more?”
“I don’t want to drink.” Sebastian tried to keep his tone from becoming a whine. “I’m in a weird mood is all. I’ll snap out of it.”
“Could be symptomatic of a larger problem,” Theo suggested. “Perhaps something to do with the new semester . . . or your parents. You wanna talk about it?”
“Theo, you know I respect you and your major, but the last thing I need right now is to be analyzed like a rat in a maze. I’m having a rough enough night as it is.”
“I think it’s about to take a turn for the better.” Dante craned his neck to see over the crowd. “Isn’t that Nick’s roommate who just walked in?”
Sebastian’s head snapped toward the entrance. Sure enough, Deen was standing in the doorway, fidgeting nervously like he was
waiting for a bouncer to appear and throw him out.
“Finally.” Sebastian let out a breath. “If he’s here, that means Nick is too.” Suddenly, the thing that Sebastian had been missing slotted into place.
“Have I met him?” Theo tapped his chin. “Oh wait. He must be the guy who was asleep in Nick’s room this morning.”
“You saw Nick earlier today?” Sebastian started to say something else, but then he shook his head. “You know what? I don’t care. Let’s say hi before they disappear into the crowd.”
Dante quirked a brow at him. “A little eager, aren’t we?”
“No.” Sebastian affixed his poker face into place. “I’m looking forward to making some serious progress on the bet. Hell, I might win it tonight.”
“Uh-huh.” Dante finished off his cocktail and set the glass down on a table next to Sebastian’s abandoned beer. “We’ll see about that.”
Sebastian wove through the crowd, and he wasn’t afraid to shove people as he went. Theo and Dante followed much more slowly and politely, which led to them falling behind. Deen spotted him when he was a few yards away. Between his huge eyes and heavy breathing, he seemed to have dissolved into anxiety.
That’s odd. Has he never been to a party before?
“Hey,” Sebastian said when he was close enough to be heard over the music. “Your name’s Deen, right? Thanks for coming.” Despite addressing him, Sebastian’s eyes floated right past Deen to the hallway beyond his front door. Nick was nowhere in sight. Had he come in before, or was he late?
“Thanks for having me.” Deen’s smile stretched tightly over his teeth. “I know you didn’t, uh, exactly invite me. I hope it’s okay that I’m here.”
Out of sheer politeness, Sebastian avoided saying he would have invited a hundred strangers if it meant snagging Nick. “Of course. The more the merrier. I’m still surprised I didn’t know you before Nick introduced us. You’re not a freshman, are you?”
“I’m a sophomore. And, uh, I tend to keep to myself.”
Translation: he’s a nerd. This could actually be his first party.
The Academy Page 13
