Page 52 of Theoretically Straight

“Can we not talk about Sienna?” Harrison says, his tone more serious now. “Again, ancient history and a real bummer to talk about. I think we should revisit the nineties horror movies you mentioned earlier, Caleb, the lesser-known stuff. You said Wren has a collection of old VHS tapes? They should bring them here sometime! Theo’s parents have this crazy theater room setup downstairs. Has he mentioned that before?”

Caleb raises an eyebrow. “Yeah, I know. We came over last night to watch one.”

Shit.

“Who did?” Harrison asks.

“Me and Wren,” Caleb answers, though it sounds more like a question as he glances at me.

All eyes are on me. I shove a huge bite of pizza in my mouth and shrug.

“Oh, cool,” Elise swoops in, her tone still casual. “It’s super fancy down there. What did y’all watch?”

The conversation continues, but I can feel myself drifting again. This was a bad idea. Why didn’t I tell them everything? This is my fault. I made this weird. Things were going so well, but I’m messing everything up. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

At some point, I notice Oliver throw his paper plate away and head back towards the pool.

“You’re getting back in?” Elise asks.

“The sun is still up,” Oliver replies as if it’s the dumbest question he’s ever heard. “So, yeah, duh.”

Harrison and Elise exchange glances, shrug, and follow Oliver outside, shutting the screen door behind them.

Caleb is suddenly next to me, closer than I expected, and my stomach flips. “Hey, are you okay?” he asks softly, his brown eyes studying me.

“Yeah, I think so,” I answer, fighting the panic away. “Geez, I’m sorry, man, I keep spacing out on you. But yeah, I think the food and the caffeine will help.”

Caleb smiles hesitantly. “Are you still seeing killer nuns everywhere?”

I can’t help the grin that takes over my face. “Yes, dude, they’re everywhere! You too?”

“Yeah, I could barely sleep last night. Kept having nightmares of nuns chasing me and...” he trails off, looking down, but then he’s back smiling at me. “Never mind.”

“Well, let’s definitely stick with the group. First rule of all campy horror movies: never split the party.” My eyes land on his exposed shoulder, his skin there the lightest shade of pink. Before I even realize what I’m doing, I reach out to touch the back of my hand to his shoulder, and it’s warm. “Hey, do you need some more sunscreen? I don’t want you to fry out there.”

Caleb’s expression wavers, but only for a second before feigning offense. “Oh, is my paleness worrying you?”

“Look man, I don’t want you to get sun poisoning because you came over to my pool! I can’t have that on my conscience.”

“Melanoma is no joking matter,” Caleb replies. “Yeah, I could probably go for another layer, I guess. Thanks for looking out for me.”

I bump our bare shoulders together and flash him a smile. “Hey, that’s what friends are for.”

And with that, I head back to the pool, determined to enjoy the rest of the day no matter what happens. No more weirdness. No more drifting away. No more worrying.

As I approach the pool, Oliver is already in an innertube, sporting his obnoxious holographic Pit Viper sunglasses. “Theeee-oooooo,” he calls out in a sing-song voice.

I lay my towel across a chair to dry. “Yes, Oliver?”

He beckons me to come closer.

I very nervously comply, bracing myself for whatever unhinged remark is about to come out of Oliver’s mouth. “What?”

“I like Caleb,” he says very matter-of-factly. I can’t see his eyes through the reflective surface of his massive lenses, but he sounds sincere. “Probably more than I like you, actually. He’s way cooler.”

Elise snorts, also floating on a tube with Harrison dangling off the side of her float, resting his chin on the tube and holding her hand in his. It’s actually really cute, and I can’t stop myself from picturing myself doing the same thing if Caleb was on a tube. Shit.

“Good to know,” I say sarcastically, pulling over a chair to the side of the pool, my gaze drifting to Caleb in the shade, reapplying sunscreen. I wonder what color his hair will be when it’s soaking wet. Probably darker. Maybe more brown than red.

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