Page 22 of Brandishing Beginnings

Hunter was his name, and he was lean and muscular, with black shaggy hair and piercing green eyes. He had a rugged jawline covered in a hint of a beard. He was pre-med and had met Travis and Kyle in biology.

It was all I needed to know to wind up in Karma’s guest room with the dude, after the evening spent drinking. The sex had beendecent, hard and fast, and he’d gotten me off—which was better than most of the guys I’d slept with—but something had been missing.

It was good enough for me though. We met up a couple of times after that before we both agreed that life was too busy for anything more than casual, but we also didn’t feel the need to see other people. So I felt it was only fair I gave the guys a heads up.

Kara:

I met someone.

It didn’t surprise me when I didn’t hear anything back from them.

Kara had invited me home for Thanksgiving again that year, but I had to decline. My clinical hours were ramping up, and I was working every day during Thanksgiving break. I wouldn’t have time to go home for the Holiday.

Instead, Hunter threw some turkey legs in the crock pot, and heated up some Stove Top, and we did our own low-key version of Thanksgiving together in his dorm room. The food had only been alright, and the company decent. I sorely missed Lita’s homecooked meal, and thecompany more.

I was surprised though when the group chat had lit up, late that night.

Marcos:

You should have been here.

Jason:

Don’t think you’re not in trouble.

Nico:

We’re cooking up your punishment.

My heart had hammered in my chest as I read their messages. Even after telling them that I was seeing someone, they still wanted me.

Playing with fire, I texted back.

Maya:

Yes, sir.

Maya

TheweeksbetweenThanksgivingand Christmas were always busy and chaotic as hell. I hadn’t heard from the guys since Thanksgiving, but I hadn’t reached out either. Things with Hunter had been decent enough, if not a little boring and predictable. He was great, and things were easy, but I’d be lying if I wasn’t missing the spark that was between me and Marcos, Jason, and Nico.

It was the weekend before Christmas break and all through the campus people were partying…

I laughed at my own joke, even if it were true. Everyonewaspartying, including me and my friends. We were a little more low-key though, compared to the rest of the campus. Out at Arturo’s andKarma’s house, my group of friends were drinking and playing cards, smoking weed and eating munchies, all while laughing and having a good time.

The small ranch style home Arturo and Karma had bought over the summer was a simple two-bedroom starter home. Both of them were a year older than me, but I had met Karma in the nursing program and had learned a lot from her over the years. Her and her husband Arturo were high school sweet hearts, who everyone thought would be pregnant by now. Karma had rolled her eyes every time someone brought it up, but she had no plans of being pregnant any time soon. Arturo was on his last year of Architect school and Karma was working full time at Mourningside General already, driving the hour south three days a week.

New adult life was tough, but we made it work and still managed to keep in contact with old friends. Our group and I tried to visit every other weekend. With Arturo and Karma living an hour south of campus, we all had to make an effort to spend the night, or someone had to suck it up and be the designated driver.

Regardless, the evening was everything I wished for and more when I got time to hang out with my friends. Terri and Travis were dancing around the living room, while Kyle and Kara headed outside to smoke. Stephanie, Karma, and Hunter were in the kitchen making more drinks, or snacks as was the case for Karma. She was making me a snack, since I’d drawn the short straw and was the designated driver for Kara, Stephanie, and Terri.

Sitting at the table with Arturo, my good buddy, I laughed as he told me the jokes he was considering for his stand-up comedy gig. He finally going to hit the stage at school for amateur night and see how a crowd of strangers reacted to his jokes vs his best friends. “I don’t know man,” I laughed shaking my head. “You’re funny, anyone will see that.”

The phone on the table beside me rang, but I ignored it, it wasn’t mine.

“You say that, but I think you’re biased.” Arturo shook his head and ran his hand over his face.

“Bullshit dude, you have all of us rolling every time we see you!” I argued.

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