Page 67 of Icing on the Cake

Oliver raises an eyebrow. “Then what’s with the wardrobe crisis?”

I shrug. “I want to look…presentable.”

Oliver uncrosses his arms and walks over, taking the pile of clothes from me. “You always look presentable, G. But if you want my expert fashion advice, let’s see what we’re working with.”

As Oliver starts sorting through the clothes, my mind drifts.

After reading that chapter on bisexuality in Elliot’sIntroduction to Human Sexualitytextbook, it’s all I could think about.

About me. About how maybe this thing with Elliot isn’t a phase or an experiment.

Ineededto know more, so I went to the campus library to check out the book myself. Thank God Elliot wasn’t working, but his friend Sarah was. The whole scene played out like a bad sitcom.

“Hey, Sarah,” I said as I casually strolled up to her. “I’m looking for a book.”

She pushed up her sleeves and smiled big. “Well, you’ve come to the right place! Which one?”

“Uh, it’s calledIntroduction to Human Sexuality.”

Her eyes widened a bit, and I could see the wheels in her head turning. “For a class?”

“Yeah,” I lied. “For…research.”

She pointed me to the right section, and I made my way through the stacks as if I were sneaking into enemy territory.When I found the book, it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

Carrying it back to the front desk, I worried someone might jump out and take a picture, like in those old-timey scandal rags. Thankfully, I wasn’t that important.

Sarah didn’t say anything as she scanned it, but her silence was loud enough to make my ears burn. As she handed it back to me, she paused and gave me one of those knowing looks. “Good luck with your…research.”

I bolted out of there so fast I nearly took out a freshman on a skateboard.

“Earth to Gerard.” Oliver is waving a shirt in front of my face. It’s a plaid flannel, totally something Drew would wear.

“Huh?”

“I said, what do you think of this?”

“No. I don’t want to look like Drew. Would you?”

“Right. So, what you want is something that says, ‘I’m effortlessly stylish and put together, but I’m also not afraid to get down and dirty with some pumpkin guts.’”

“Which is the truth. I’m all of those things and then some.”

“That you are.” Oliver chuckles and digs through the pile of clothes some more. “So, what’s the deal with you and Elliot? I heard you invited him here to carve pumpkins with you and Alex?”

“We’re friends. That’s all. And…he’s helping me read more.”Good one, Gerard.

Oliver snorts. “Reading. Right.” He picks up a tie-dyed shirt and holds it against my chest appraisingly. “You know we’ll support you no matter what, right? Me, Drew, Kyle…Even if you’re reading gay erotica now.”

I freeze for a second.How does he know?

Oliver laughs. “Dude, relax. I’m kidding.” He sets the tie-dyed shirt down gently on top of the flannel and pulls out a faded black T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. “What about this?It’s got a rugged, bad-boy vibe, but it’s also old enough that you won’t mind it getting dirty.”

I wrinkle my nose. “I don’t know, man. I wear that shirt all the time around the house. I want to put insomeeffort, you know?”

Oliver nods insightfully before tossing the shirt aside. “Fair point.” He dives back in until he finds a dark brown Henley that’s distressed from years of washing. “How about this one? The color brings out your eyes, and the buttons give it something extra. Pair it with dark jeans, and you’re golden, Holden.”

I study Oliver’s selection but can’t see anything wrong with it. “I think we have a winner. Thanks, man. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

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