Page 50 of Every Hidden Truth

“I’ll see you tonight. Six o’clock. Look nice.” He punctuated each statement with a kiss, and I smiled against his mouth.

“I was planning on wearing my pajamas, but I guess I’ll figure something else out,” I teased.

He poked my side with a playful wink. “Sass.”

“Always.”

With one last kiss, he squeezed my hand, then headed toward the gym. I drove home, imagining all the ways I could get Ben naked after the winter dance. Dad wasn’t coming home until tomorrow, so we’d have the house to ourselves tonight, and I had plans.

But first I had to shower and find something to wear.

After dumping half my wardrobe on the bed, I wasted an embarrassing amount of time sifting through the clothes. I wasn’t renting a stupid tux for this, but Ben was looking forward to the dance and I didn’t want to ruin it by being a stick in the mud. I wanted him to have a good time, and that meant putting in at least a forty percent effort to look presentable.

Once I had it narrowed down to two outfits, I took a break and showered. Thoroughly. You know, just in case.

I blow-dried my hair and shaved what little facial hair I had. I even broke out the cologne that my dad had given me last Christmas.

Studying my reflection, I traced the mark Ben had sucked into my shoulder, then the jut of my collarbones. I’d always beenkind of scrawny, but I’d filled out a little in the past year. I couldn’t pull off a Speedo like Ben could, and my stomach was soft and squishy.

Weak, the evil voice in my head said.

“Ben likes you” I told my reflection.

My reflection grimaced. Because I realized I was standing in front of my mirror, flexing pathetically, as I contemplated my level of attractiveness.

“Ew,” my reflection and I said to each other.

Thankfully, my phone rang, ending the insecurity crisis, and I hurriedly tugged on a pair of orange boxers before answering the video call.

“Esther” I crowed as my screen filled with dark hair streaked with purple.

Esther’s hazel eyes widened, expression contorting in horror. “Oh my God, are you naked?”

“Why? Do you want me to be?” I waggled my eyebrows, and she scowled.

“Gross,” she said.

Then she hung up.

Trying to swallow my laughter, I called her back.

“I’m not going to talk to you if you’re naked,” she said in lieu of a greeting.

“I’m not naked.” I turned my phone to show off my orange underwear. “See?”

“You look like a traffic cone,” she deadpanned.

I pouted. “Now you’re just trying to hurt my feelings.”

The corner of her mouth lifted in a smile, and I took it for the win it was.

Ever since we met a month ago, I had made it my life’s mission to make her my best friend. It was slow going, but we were getting there. It was kind of nice to have queer friends. Not that Ididn’t love Kim and the others, but it was nice realizing I wasn’t the only queer person in a hundred mile radius.

“I need your advice,” she admitted grudgingly, and I beamed at her.

“Why yes, I do suggest you dump Ronnie and join Ben and I in a polyamorous threesome,” I said seriously. “Now, you and I will have to be platonic because I don’t like girls. But Ben is more flexible, so we can make it work.”

“We could just be a polyamorous foursome,” she suggested, brushing a curl out of her eyes. “Then I won’t have to dump Ronnie.”

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