Page 16 of Attractive Forces
“Sure.”
We weave through the general chaos of the living room to Brewer’s kitchen, which is even more packed as that’s where the keg is located. The music is quieter here, which means it’s possible to catch snatches of half-formed conversations—‘I told you that shit stings’—‘then he said that he wanted’—as Jake and I push our way toward the keg. He must have gone home and showered because he smells like fresh soap and deodorant.
People generally move out of the way when they see it’s me, with hellos and smiles and ‘great game’ backslaps. I smile in return but keep myself focused on the goal. Get Jake a beer, then get the hell out of this kitchen and find somewhere quieter where we can actually have a decent conversation.
“Hey, man,” Brewer greets me just as we reach the keg. He claps me on the shoulder. “I’m surprised you managed to get away from Jen. She’s so into you, man.”
I try for a smile, but I know it’s more of a grimace. I grab two of the plastic cups next to the keg and fill one up, handing it to Jake.
“So when are you going to tap that, anyway?” Brewer asks.
I shrug and concentrate on filling my cup.
Unfortunately, Brewer continues his commentary. “Dude, you’re like an icicle. Treat them mean, keep them keen.”
“Yeah, that’s not really what I’m doing,” I say as I straighten.
“Whatever. Stick with this guy. He showed me all my moves with the ladies,” Brewer says to Jake while I almost choke on my beer. Because I feel like I’ve spent a lot of my life watching Brewer closely, trying to imitate him. His swagger around girls. The way he talks to them, flirts with them. And now he’s telling me he’s trying to copy me while I’m trying to copy him? How screwed up is that?
Luckily Mazza comes into the kitchen and Brewer heads off to tackle him.
Jake and I stay in the silent void left behind by Brewer.
“How’s the beer?” I finally ask. Fuck. I thought in the last few months, I’d finally gotten past this stage when my brain goes to mush around Jake. Apparently, it can still have nice gooey meltdowns at unexpected times. Like now, when Jake’s standing so close that I can see his Adam’s apple working as he swallows his mouthful.
Jake wrinkles his forehead. “Um, I’m going to give the beer about a five-point-four rating. I’m giving points for the fact it’s drinkable, and it’s here. Points off for the fact it’s at room temperature and tastes kind of what I’d imagine pond scunge would taste like.”
I laugh, and Jake gives a half-bashful, half-pleased with himself smile.
A certainty fills me, one of those moments where the truth smacks you over the head with such force it becomes undeniable.
I would rather spend a minute in Jake’s company, fully clothed, just talking, than spend a lifetime naked with any of the girls at the party.
That’s gotta tell you something major, right?
While I’m having my epiphany, one of Jen’s friends, Dani, wraps herself around Jake in a great imitation of an octopus. My stomach tightens.
“Hey, you’re Logan’s friend, right? You’re in my statistics class. You’re like really, really smart.” She’s looking up at him with a doe-eyed look. Jake’s eyes also look like they’re from the deer family. Only his are of the startled, stuck-in-headlights variety.
“Ah…yeah, I think we have statistics together.” Jake gently disentangles himself from her, giving me a ‘help me’ look that couldn’t be clearer even if he tattooed the words across his forehead.
The tightness inside me eases.
“Hey, Dani, how’s everything going?” I ask.
“Great, thanks.” Dani turns her bright smile onto me. “You guys had a great game.”
“Yeah, it was good to get one in the bank against St Kilda. Hopefully, we can go all the way again this season. How’s Kinnan doing this year?”
“Great. He’s in the starting lineup now and has had a few good games.”
Dani and I chat about her brother, who was captain of the Cougars last year and is now playing rugby at Otago University, before Arabella comes over and pulls Dani away for one of those huddles girls specialize in.
“Hanging out with you seems to increase the number of girls who talk to me,” Jake comments as we watch Dani and Arabella retreat.
I seize up automatically at his words, glancing at his face, trying to work out how he feels about this development.
“Really?”
