Page 22 of The Broposal

“No means no, ‘Adam’!” I found myself using actual finger quotes around the probably fake name.

“Wait,areyou saying no?” “Adam” looked to Kenny.

“I saidhow could I say no,” Kenny tried to explain, but somehow I doubted this “Adam” would get the hint.

“Exactly!” I said firmly. “I think you should leave.”

Kenny gave me a slightly wide-eyed look that seemed like he was trying to tell me something, but I was never an expert in body language. Whatever. He could tell me after this “Adam” guy left.

“You don’t have to leave!” Kenny said, which confused the hell out of me, but “Adam” was already standing. I stood, too, not knowing whether he was about to leave or pick a fight. He just laughed.

“Okay, I don’t know what the hell is going on with… allthis”—he gestured wildly to me and Kenny—“but y’all should really figure that shit out, far away from me.”

“Wait!” Kenny stood up too now, but “Adam” was already storming out.

The door slammed behind him, leaving me and Kenny alone with an unexpected amount of tension in the air.

“What thefuck, Han?” Kenny’s head snapped toward me.

I studied him before responding. Shoulders tense, brows furrowed, mouth hanging open. I wasn’t an expert at reading people, but… even I could tell he wasn’t happy.

“Wait, you’re mad?” I asked, completely at a loss.

“Yes!” Kenny threw his hands up exasperatedly. “What the hell was that! Why are you cockblocking me?”

“I thought I was helping!”

Kenny slumped in the chair and rubbed his temples. “In what world does kicking out the guy I brought over help me get laid?” The gears turning in my head suddenly ground to a stop.

“Wait… youwantedto fuck that guy?”

“Yes!” Kenny yelled. “Do you have a problem with that or something?”

I sat down across from Kenny and sighed. “No, I don’t have a problem with that.”

“Then what the hell just happened?” Kenny asked earnestly, sounding more confused than angry at that point.

“You said ‘how could I say no’ when he asked to go to your room,” I said plainly, but Kenny didn’t look any less confused. “Did that not mean you needed help telling him to fuck off? Like, you didn’t know how to tell him you changed your mind?”

“Fuck.” Kenny softened up a little. “Okay, that’s actually kind of sweet, but that’s not atallwhat I meant!”

“You meant yes,” I said, half realization, half question.

Kenny nodded, rubbing his temples again.

“Now I know, I guess. Um, sorry, bro.” I hoped he wasn’t too mad, but maybe I deserved it. I did fuck up his first chance at rebound sex. And in trying to keep him from getting taken advantage of, I ended up making the decision for him. Just like Jackie had always done.

Kenny sighed. “It’s been a long day. Let’s just go to bed.” He got up and headed to his room.

“Okay,” I said, and went to my own room. I stood in front of my door for a while, trying to decide whether to go knocking on Kenny’s door to apologize again. I felt like shit, but it wasn’t like Kenny to stay mad. And I wasn’t great at apologies. Too vulnerable.

Still, maybe he needed more than just a “sorry, bro” to feel like I understood the problem. I started texting him, but before I typed much, my door swung open and Kenny rushed toward me in an unexpected hug.

“Thank you,” he said, his words muffled by his face pressed against my shoulder. I was so caught off guard by the affection that it took a second for my body to react. Once my brain registered what was happening, I relaxed into the embrace.

“What? I was just gonna say sorry again…”

“For the curtains, Han. Not the cockblocking.” He laughed into my shoulder and gave me one last squeeze before pulling away. “So… are you sure you don’t have a problem with me bringing people over? Like, guys, specifically.”

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