Page 33 of The Chemist

Someone’s phone rang.

“Oh, that’s Levi. I gotta take this,” Chase announced, grabbing his phone and jumping up from his seat. They all watched as Chase scurried off to the basement, presumably to have a private conversation with his fiancé.

“Guess it’s just you and me,” Diesel said with a nod to Jared.

“Guess so. Deal ’em.”

Zero watched as the two began playing, each doing their best to fuck over the other. It was nice seeing Diesel smiling so much. From what Zero had gathered, the two were best friends, having worked at their magicsex wonderlandlonger than most of the guys there.

When he wasn’t shooting daggers his way, Diesel didn’t seem like such a terrible guy. Perhaps they just got off on the wrong foot… or the wrong knee, in his case.

Diesel and Jared were just about to finish their first game when Jared’s phone dinged. The guy’s face lit up like it was Christmas morning.

“Isaac says he’s got a boner. Time for some sexy times!” Jared announced, all excited and jumping up from the table.

He started moving toward the basement door, then stopped. He must have just realized that sexy times in his bedroom would involve Chase sitting right next to him, FaceTiming with his own boyfriend.

Head swiveling back and forth, Jared looked like he was trying to complete complex math in his head.

“Umm, hope nobody needs to use the bathroom for the next… umm… forty-five minutes. Later, dudes,” Jared stammered, bounding up the stairs like a sex-starved inmate who just got out of prison.

“But… it’s your…” Diesel began, pointing toward the deck of cards, before watching his friend disappear up the stairs.

Zero couldn’t help but notice the wave of disappointment that spread across Diesel’s face. He stared at the remaining cards he held before placing them down on the table and raising his hoodie back over his head.

Silence fell across the kitchen.

Perhaps one of the guys would end their call early and rejoin their buddy at the table for some cards.

As the minutes ticked by, it became clear that no one was returning to their card game anytime soon.

Lifting his laptop, Zero headed into the kitchen to join Diesel and his abandoned card game.

“Mind if I join?”

Diesel lifted his head and groaned when he realized who the speaker was.

“Honestly, it’s getting kind of late. I’m just gonna head to bed. Help yourself to the snacks.” He picked up his beer, then headed up the stairs.

Even though the man could be a selfish prick, Zero still didn’t like seeing him so dejected. Something was going on.

On his laptop, nothing was happening. It looked like it was going to be another quiet night for the doc.

Somewhere above him, the haunting lyrics of “Bullets with Butterfly Wings” by the Smashing Pumpkins began to play.

Grabbing the bowl of chips and the remaining four-pack of beer from the fridge, Zero headed up the stairs to join his new housemate.

Knocking once, he turned the knob on the door and let himself into Diesel’s bedroom.

“Dude!” a pissed-off Diesel barked as Zero walked in uninvited.

“Calm your knickers. I just need some help with something.” He was lying through his teeth, but the angry wasp on the bed didn’t have to know that.

Diesel’s room was just as he would have imagined. Dirty clothes were thrown over every possible surface, with empty glasses and half-eaten bags of chips left on the floor next to the bed.

Ignore the mess.Ignore the mess.

“Still, you could have waited until I asked you to come in.”

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