Terry

"God, I can't believe I didn't think of it before. How did I miss something so obvious? They all have the same last name for Christ's sake. Just because their skin color is different, I missed it. What kind of human I am?" I ask Brian.

"Man, it's not like racism, is it? It is, I think. Fuck, I feel bad for you." Brian pats my back.

"You could have told me!"

"Look me in the eye and say that again." Brian punches my shoulder.

"Fine. It's completely on me." I groan. Brian sometimes forgets his own last name and checks his ID card.

"I'm ashamed. Whenever I think about it, I want to bang my head. I preach not to assume, yet here I am, completely ignoring what's right in front of me and assuming my ass off." I punch my sandwich with my fork.

"Whoa..cool down... we all make mistakes, that's how we learn. You're no exception. Tell him how sorry you are. That's all you can do now. Stop fretting." He chides.

I nod. Last night I somewhat brushed off the whole thing while talking to Carl, but it's still eating me.

****

"Hey..." I wave when I see Carl near the bleachers, panting.

"Hi.." He wheezes.

"Laps?" I sneak glances at his biceps. He is all sweaty and yummy in a sleeveless blue track shirt and shorts. The shirt sticks to his stomach in a way that left nothing to imagination except how it would taste. His shorts, nope, not going there, not unless I get to go all the way.

"Done. You? I didn't see you in math today." Carl wipes his forehead with his arm. Usually I see him from afar, when he runs around the ground, this close, everything is million folds sexier. Even his forearm.

It's becoming difficult to concentrate on what he is saying.

"I had a conflict with a chem test." He was looking for me, it made me grin.

He sits on the bleachers and stretches his legs. "Are you really sure the mall is okay?"

I step closer but don't sit, I've a lovely view, it'd be a stupid move to give it up. "Come on. You're making me second guess." I'm ready to take the risk for Carl, I know it'd be worth it.

"I don't want you to be the topic of the next rumor, when you want to keep it a secret. Rumors are bad." He studies his nails, uncomfortable again.

"I know, sorry about that rumor about your break up." I sit down, sighing.

"That's the bad part, no one knows the truth. Jas broke up with me coz, she wanted to get back with her ex." Carl still doesn't look up, his voice is barely above a whisper.

"What? Then why the heck you didn't correct anyone?" I fume.

He shakes his head. "She should have done it. I can't."

"Why not?"

"She dumped me. How can I give a reason? Maybe this is the true reason. Moreover ladies are like pedestrians on the road. They're always right. Even when they do wrong. If you fight them you'll get a lawsuit. You always agree with them."

"Wow." I slow clap.

He bumps his shoulder with mine, a small slice of his sweaty skin brushes below my half sleeve.

"What?"

"That's really unfair for men.."

"Maybe, but it works. My dad gave me that advice when I was six or seven. I never had a single fight with any ladies. My parents have been married for twenty five years now. I think that's because he follows it too." He is becoming comfortable as he gets back to talking his usual topic. Family.

I hum. "You don't fight with Fio?"

He laughs, looking at me. "Fio? She's a snake on two legs. If you don't fight she'll eat you. Remember that."

His eyes sparkle in the evening light and I swallow back my desire to keep staring at them. I decide to apologize for my ignorance.

"I'm sorry, I assumed you guys aren't related. I can't even give any excuse, it didn't occur to me at all." I hang my head in renewed shame.

He chuckles. "I enjoy it when guys feel bad about it. I knew you would worry over it."

"Hey, you're supposed to say it's cool and accept my apology. Not enjoy it." I drag my foot on the sand aimlessly making some pattern. I'm not used to apologizing. I never made these kind of stupid mistakes.

"Why should I? Fio and you are going to the same club for a year now. How did it not occur to you?" His tone is kind of harsh and it feels like scolding.

"I'm sorry." I mumble, erasing the pattern I made.

"Hey.. I'm messing with you! Look at me." Carl grabs my shoulder, and I'm forced to look him in the eye.

He is laughing without a sound.

I push his hand away. "Mean. I couldn't sleep last night, thinking about it."

"Serves you right. But it's no big deal. We're used to it. I was just having some fun." He pushes my knee with his.

I look at his knee and raise my eyebrows, meaningfully. Pay back time. My turn to have some fun.

"Wha— can't a guy bump knees?" He flushes full pink.

"Not you, not my knee."

"Wh—" He clears his throat, and looks at his fingers. "What...will you want to do? It's just a knee." He whispers.

"By bumping, you're bringing my attention to it, when I'm already hyper aware of you. I'd like to touch it and explore a little further up, you know lot further up, under your clothes," I say, my voice a whisper, my gaze glued to his face. I'm more interested in his reaction to this than his knees.

"Oh... oh.. umm.. I should be going." He gets up, face flaming.

I want to eat that face.

"You asked," I say, trying to keep in my smile and failing. But he's not looking at me to know that.

"Still, it's... I'll text you. Bye."

I smile at his retreating form. Fuck, I can't wait for Friday.

****

Prince Carl: Wouldn't it be difficult, if you get horny every time a guy bumped knees?

I laugh, I told him it's his knee. How to explain? I tap the book with the bookmark.

Terry: Imagine you've set your eyes on a mouth watering pie on a display window of a store. The store is always closed. You stay outside watch. Daily you imagine how it would be to taste it. And suddenly one day, the door opens and you are..

I delete the message. Need a better example. Something he can relate to. I don't know if he likes pie.

Terry: What's your hobby?

Prince Carl: Sleeping.

I laugh again loud. I wasted two months. I should have talked to him the first day I saw him.

Terry: Ok imagine, you watched an advertisement about a bed. It looks inviting, soft

I delete it. Bed is the worst example.

Terry: Imagine that you haven't slept for straight two months. Not even a wink. And suddenly you're next to a bed, it's brushing your knees.

I delete it.

Prince Carl: what are you still typing?

Terry: wait.

Terry: I don't get horny because it's a guy's knee. My friends are male, I touch them all the time, it doesn't do anything to my 🍆.

Terry:  I get horny because it's YOUR knee. A guy I'm attracted to. A guy I've wanted to touch for quite some time now. It's the craving for what I can't have. You're my forbidden fruit.

Prince Carl: I get it. I'll keep my distance.

Terry: hey.. I thought you're going to experiment with me?

Prince Carl: I don't want to hurt you. You already like my knee. What if I don't like yours?

Terry: I'm fine with that. I want to be the one who gave you the experience of knee touching.

I'm sure I'll enjoy his curiosity if nothing else.

Prince Carl: sure?

Terry: yes, Carl. I'm waiting for Friday.

Prince Carl: You said no PDA.

Terry: yes, not at the mall. Can we go somewhere private after that?

Prince Carl: My room?

Terry: What about your parents?

Prince Carl: No one will be home till eleven.

My body shivers at the thought of going to his house. His room. Where no one can disturb us.

Terry: Sounds good. Do you have condoms?

Prince Carl: you're making fun of me.

Terry: I am 😂

Prince Carl: mean.

Terry: I like it when you become all flustered.

Terry: I still can't believe you're this shy.

Prince Carl: me too. I'm not. It's just that talking about sex to a guy is new to me.

Terry: no locker room stories about who did whom?

Prince Carl: a gentleman never kisses and tells.

Terry: I'm swooning.

Prince Carl: get lost.

**** End of Chapter Seven ****