Page 52 of For the Plot
“I don’t know, you’re the writer!” I shot back.
She gasped. “You’re right!” But it was too late, because just then, Collins burst through the door.
His shoulders drooped in relief when he spotted us, and he called out, “Will, they’re in here!” He continued scanning the room after that, taking in the burnt dresser and half melted jeans, before turning back to us. “Is everyone ok? What the fuck hap—" His eyes scanned over Nikki, who was standing next to the bed and trying to keep herself from laughing, but she couldn't hold back her cute little snorts.
And then his eyes jumped to me, his brows raising as he took in my hands cuffed up above my head and the blanket thrown over my lap with my bare legs sticking out the other side. My chest shaking with silent giggles. “James, are you handcuffed to Nikki’s bed frame? What the fuck? Are you two fucking?”
Will burst into the room next and stopped short at the sight of the dresser, then Nikki, then me. “Uhhh, what did we just walk in on?”
Nikki and I looked at each other, bursting into laughter, Nikki’s face as red as a tomato.
“OK, explain,” Collins said, impatient. “Why the fuck are you handcuffed to Nikki’s bed, James?”
“Uhhh…” I looked at Nikki, trying to gauge what she wanted me to say, but she was still covering her mouth trying to stop her laughter.
Collins’s eyes flicked between us before a smile grew on his face, “Wait, are you both high right now?” He turned to Will. “They’re totally high right now.”
Will leaned forward, taking in our glossy eyes and dopey smiles. “Oh shit, you’re right.”
“Oh, yeah, no, we both took edibles,” I chuckled. I went to stand up again, and my hands pulled at the cuffs. “We also maybe lost the keys.”
Collins glanced around the room, closing his eyes in exasperation and sighing after a moment. He walked across the room to the nightstand next to me, picking up a small silver key. “You mean this one?”
“Hey, you found it!” Nikki exclaimed happily.
Collins just reached up to uncuff me, and I sighed in relief when my arms came down and I could roll my shoulders out.
I jumped up out of bed, and Collins and Will called out in protest, turning away.
"Woah, dude, warning next time!"
"I can fully see your dick man!"
“Oops, I just gotta put my pants—” I cut myself off, remembering my pants had been the start of this, and started cackling again. Nikki ran to her closet and tossed me a pair of sweats I quickly pulled on. Nikki and I sat next to each other on the bed and faced Collins and Will standing in front of us with crossed arms, waiting for an explanation.
“Alright, now start from the beginning,” Collins demanded, staring down at us like stern parents admonishing their kids.
“So, uh, remember when I told you I was gonna ask someone to hook up with me?” Nikki asked Collins.
His eyes widened. “Oh shit, you meantJames?" He turned to me. "And you said yes?”
I just nodded my head, letting Nikki control the narrative.
“Hold on, wait, what?” Will interjected.
“A few weeks ago, Nikki told me she was gonna ask someone to hook up with her, but she didn’t tell me she’d actually done it. Or that she was going to ask fucking James of all people.”
“Damn,” Will responded, eyebrows high on his forehead.
“I just thought he’d be a good option. I knew he knew what he was doing.” She smirked at me before continuing. “And I also knew he would understand me as a demisexual person. So I figured, why not?”
“So it’s just casual?” Will asked, brows drawn together.
“Yes,” Nikki replied firmly, and my heart sank in my chest. I’d hoped that maybe… maybe she was beginning to change her mind. That tonight had shown her what we could be. But I couldn’t expect her to flip a switch just like that.
Maybe she never would feel that way about me, but I would take whatever pieces of her she wanted to give me. Collins watched me carefully, scrutinizing my face, and I looked away. I was too vulnerable in this state for him not to see through me.
“Damn, guys,” Will let out a low whistle. “Should you really be fucking while being friendsandroommates?”
