Page 86 of Advanced Chemistry

Chase: That really isn’t necessary.

Amos: I’m with Everett. Chase. Teacher of the Year. It’s going to happen.

Julian: I’m with them. You deserve it.

There was no stopping my friends, especially when it came to looking out for one of us.

Chase: Okay. Let’s make it happen next year :)

* * *

“I have boyfriends. I have boyfriends.”No matter how I said it, this statement of fact sounded like retro cat-centric internet slang.I can has cheezburger. I has boyfriends.

I was practicing how to introduce my new social situation to my friends over some creamy cherry goat cheese vanilla ice cream that Amos had made. The recipe used four different kinds of dairy, which would wreak havoc on my stomach later.

Everett and Raleigh had found someone selling a brand-new ice cream maker on Facebook Marketplace and bought it before realizing that they had neither the time nor patience to make ice cream. Everett would rather buy a carton at the store, and Raleigh said something about abs being made in the kitchen then lifted up his shirt. They gifted it to Amos and Hutch for a one-year anniversary gift.

We relaxed on Amos’s balcony, another beautiful summer evening stretching out before us.

“This is my boyfriend Sebastian. And my other boyfriend Anton,” Julian said.

“I’m dating…people,” Amos said between bites. “You’re right, Chase. There is no practical way to say this.”

“I’m having threesomes on the regular. And how are you?” Everett said. “How about that one? It’ll shut people up.”

I rolled my eyes, even though yet again, Everett’s bluntness was probably the best call.

“I’ll take these all under consideration.” I sprayed another dollop of whipped cream on my sundae, adding more dairy into the mix.

“No matter what, you’ll have to rip the band-aid off,” said Julian. “People might not know what to make of it, but that’s their problem. All that matters is that you’re happy.”

A smile took over my face. I was. I was brilliantly happy in a way I’d never been before. It’d only been two weeks since Anton, Sebastian, and I made it official with a victorious water basketball game. It was two of the best weeks of my life. Waking up cuddled by both men, laughing together over breakfast, feeling part of a new family. Ever since my dad skipped town, I’d gotten used to holding people at arm's length. But finally, I let two guys in and held them tight. There was no mess, only warmth. As Sebastian once said to me, good people stay.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching the three of you find your true love over this past year. I assumed it wasn’t for me. I thought I was a noble gas, but I actually like being an element with multiple valence electrons.”

“I have no idea what you just said, but I’m sure it was sweet,” Amos said.

“Not as sweet as this ice cream. This is incredible.” Julian scooped the last bits of it onto his spoon.

“What are you guys doing?” Hutch called from the sliding door, his voice high with accusation. Raleigh and Seamus peeked their heads in behind him.

Raleigh held up delivery bags. “We’re back with the takeout.”

“I thought we were going to have dinner first, then ice cream, as has been done by civilizations for thousands of years,” Hutch said, his accusatory stare aimed at his boyfriend.

“Dessert as we know it is a fairly new phenomenon,” Amos said.

“Stop! It’s summer vacation. You’re not allowed to talk about school stuff. No learning allowed,” Everett said, a rule he held firm on.

“You regale us with musical theater trivia all year long,” Julian said.

“Well, my subject is fun. It’s not history.”

“History is fun!” Amos exclaimed.

“Stop changing the subject!” Hutch kissed his boyfriend quiet. “We were all going to have the ice cream after dinner. That was the plan.”

“I wasn’t. Gotta protect these bad boys.” Raleigh pulled up his shirt yet again. Did he think he was the only person on this planet with abdominal muscles?

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