Serpentine Walls (13 page)

“Now?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I… I’ll see you around, baby.” Giving Pete one final kiss, he exited through the door to the kitchen.

Numb and fricking horny, Pete watched him leave.
Well. Alrighty, then.

He slouched against the wall and downed the rest of his whiskey before wandering into the kitchen and setting the glass on the counter. After staring into space for a minute, he stirred, picked up the glass, and washed it. He was considering washing the rest of the dishes in the sink until he noticed he was hiding out in the kitchen to avoid running into Matthew.

Grow some balls
, he ordered himself and went into the dining room. The party was in high gear—people laughing, dancing, drinking, and kissing in corners. He scanned the crowd in the living room for his friends.

A disembodied voice Pete recognized as Parker’s suddenly blared out, broadcasting over the karaoke system. “Okay, darlings, everyone get your lovely asses into the den. Costume judging starts in five minutes. Matthew and I are raring to go, right?”

Matthew’s voice responded, “Damn straight!”

“Pete!” Angie waved to him from near the front door. She looked great, all decked out in a fringed flapper dress that clung to her hourglass figure, complete with a jeweled headband. He wove through the mass of revelers, who were forming a steady stream into the den. When he reached Angie, she hugged him.

“About time you got here,” he grumbled into her ear.

“Sorry, sorry,” she said, practically smirking. “Looks like you’ve been doing okay without me.” She touched his neck. “Quite a little love bite you’ve got there.”

“Shit.” His hand flew up to cover the spot. “Yeah. Aidan….”

“Don’t tell me—you and Aidan were out on the screen porch making beautiful music together,” she teased.

Someone’s in a good mood from seeing her Mystery Man,
Pete thought grumpily as he pressed his fingers into the hickey Aidan had been giving him with such enthusiasm just ten minutes ago.

“The pantry, actually.”

She laughed and looked around. “Where is he?”

“He… uh, he had to go.” Before she had a chance to react to that, he asked, “Where’s Brian and them?”

“They went into the den for the costume judging. C’mon, let’s go in.” She put her hand on Pete’s arm, but he pulled away.

“I think I’m gonna go.”

“What? Aw, come on, Pete, I just got here! I want to laugh at costumes with you. And we need to ogle Matthew together. Cleo told me he looks hot like burning tonight.”

“I gotta go.” He didn’t want to see Matthew right now. It shouldn’t bother him so much that Matthew saw Aidan groping him—he’d probably seen a lot more than that at his parties—but the look on his face…. Pete still cringed when he thought about it.

“Are you going over to Aidan’s or something?”

“No, I’m, uh, going to Jed’s.”

“Oh, good.”

“He… he wants to see my costume.”

It wasn’t true. He hadn’t talked to Jed in a few days, but right now the thought of playing video games and trading blow jobs with Jed was almost soothing.

“That’s good. Especially if Aidan is doing his disappearing act again. Sorry we didn’t get a chance to hang out tonight, though.”

“Yeah, me too.” Pete decided not to ask Angie about her Mystery Man. It was strange she wasn’t confiding in him, because she usually told him everything, but she seemed happy. He figured she’d tell him when she was ready.

Matthew’s voice came over the karaoke system. “Costume judging is about to start. All you stragglers get in here so we can admire you.”

“Okay, I’m going to go watch the judging. Go show Jed your costume.” Angie’s eyes went to his neck. “What about your hickey?”

“Huh?”

“Is Jed going to be upset?”

“Oh.” He hadn’t thought of that. “Why should he?” he said, feeling defensive. “All we’re doing is—”

“I know.
Hooking up
.”

He didn’t care for the almost pitying glance Angie sent his way. “Well, yeah. It’s not like we own each other or anything.”

“Okay. See you, Pete.”

“Later.” Watching Angie cross the room, he pulled out his phone to send Jed a text.

Are u free?

At Cellar. Want to come?

Can I meet u @ dorm?

Ok. C u in 10

Relieved that Jed was available, Pete left Matthew’s house, glad for his jacket when the wind hit him.
Damn Angie for not letting me wear a longer tunic.
He walked through the throngs of drunken Halloween partiers on Rugby Road, feeling exposed with his bare legs hanging out. At the Corner, he ducked into Cohn’s and bought Funyuns for Jed and Cheetos for himself, along with a six-pack of Mountain Dew.

The wind picked up as he crossed University Avenue; it felt like it was blowing right up his tunic and into his Under Armour briefs.
How can women stand to wear skirts?
he wondered, teeth chattering. By the time he’d crossed the Grounds and reached Jed’s dorm, all he wanted was warmth.

The dorm was deserted tonight, and he was happy not to hear the usual pounding music through the wall as he knocked on the door of Jed’s suite. Jed opened it, looking nice in a pair of tight jeans and a rugby shirt. His eyes widened at Pete’s outfit, and he grinned.

“Cool wreath, dude. Take off the jacket. I gotta see the rest of this.”

“Don’t laugh.” Pete took off his jacket and struck a model’s pose. “Whaddaya think?”

“I like your legs,” Jed said, laughing despite the warning. His gaze landed on Pete’s neck, and the smile slipped off of his face.

Oh shit
. “Um. I brought supplies.” Pete held up the grocery bag like a peace offering, hoping Jed wouldn’t mention the hickey.

Jed took the bag and peered in, and when he looked up, he was smiling again. “Funyuns? Cool. Come on back.” He led Pete through the empty living room.

“Where is everybody?”

“Out partying for Halloween, I guess. There was a bunch of people in costumes at The Cellar.”

When they entered Jed’s room, Pete stopped and stared. It had been totally rearranged. The two single beds were pushed together to make a double, and half the stuff that used to occupy the bookshelves and desk was missing.

“What happened here?” Pete asked, eyeing the now-double bed askance.

“Like my new bed? Don’t worry. It’s not what it looks like. Bobby decided to move in with his girlfriend, so all his stuff is there, and I have the room to myself.”

“Awesome, dude.”

“Yeah. It’ll be more comfortable now when you sleep over.” Jed’s smile turned shy, and the color rose in his cheeks.

Pete was taken aback by how couple-y that sounded, thinking maybe he should say something about not being exclusive.
Oh, wait. Hickey. Yeah, guess that said it.
He felt a vague sense of guilt, like he’d been leading Jed on. They’d never talked about what they were doing. He’d just assumed Jed was down with the whole “friends with benefits” scenario.

“You gonna stand there all night?” Jed asked. “I need some Funyuns.” He put the grocery bag on the floor and pulled out the snacks. “Mountain Dew too? You rock.” He threw the Cheetos bag to Pete.

Pete caught it and gave a small bow. “At your service, dude. What’re we gonna play?”

“
Mortal Kombat
?”

“Okay.” Jed stuck the game in the console, and they settled on the bed, now conveniently in front of the TV. “Prepare to die.” Pete grabbed a controller and aimed it at Jed.

“In your dreams, dude.” Jed knocked his shoulder into Pete’s and then stared pointedly downward. “Your underwear is showing.”

Pete looked down to see his tunic had ridden up, exposing his briefs. “Crap. Stop laughing and lend me a pair of sweats.”

It was nice with Jed. It wasn’t exciting like with Aidan, but Pete always relaxed when he was with him. And the sex was improving too. He just hoped Jed wasn’t getting hung up on him.

Later, as they lay naked on the now-double bed, Jed pressed his fingertips lightly on Pete’s hickey.

“Uh, do we need to talk about that?” Pete asked.

There was a small pause. “Not if you don’t want to.”

“I’d rather nibble on your shoulder. And other things.”

Jed blushed, just like Pete knew he would. “Sounds good to me.”

Giving silent thanks to Jed for not making a big deal out of things, Pete rolled on top of him and nipped at his muscular shoulder while Jed laughed.

T
HE
voices swelled, the beauty of Bach’s Mass in B Minor giving Pete goose bumps. He concentrated on his breathing as he sang, loving the way the vocal parts wove together. He couldn’t see Aidan, who was on the riser behind him, but could hear his lovely tenor ringing out.

“Okay,” said Eric, choral director for University Singers. He rapped the music stand with his baton, and everyone halted. “Sounding good. Altos, watch coming in too soon at measure thirty-two. Tenors, power it back a notch.” He stared at Aidan. “Let’s start again from the top.”

At the end of rehearsal, Aidan and Eric talked by the door, faces intent, while the room emptied of everyone but the octet members. Pete gathered his music and joined the rest of the guys, who were hanging around the piano with their accompanist, Soren.

“Okay, troops!” Aidan said brightly, coming over to the piano as Eric left.

“Everything squared away?” Lee raised his eyebrows at him.

“Oh, yeah. Just talking to Eric about balance and blend.”

“The two Bs,” Lee said. “Well, you got that big-ass voice, so what’re ya gonna do?”

“Try to tone it down before Eric tears his hair out. He keeps reminding me that U. Singers isn’t musical theater.”

“Uh-oh,” boomed Jay, a bass, whose speaking voice was as commanding as his singing one. “Next thing you know he’s gonna call you flamboyant, boyo.”

“If the shoe fits…,” Pete found himself saying.

Aidan laughed and stuck his tongue out at Pete. “I am
not
flamboyant,” he said, waving his hands around. “I’m
theatrical
.”

“There’s a difference?” Soren asked in his Swedish accent, lounging on the bench with his elbows resting on the piano. His icy blond beauty did nothing for Pete, but Aidan seemed to like him.

Then again, who doesn’t he like?
Pete thought sourly, watching Aidan ruffle Soren’s hair. Beyond saying hello in passing, Aidan hadn’t approached Pete since their grope scene in Matthew’s pantry.
Just another notch on Aidan’s bedpost
, John said in Pete’s mind.

“Okay, my dears, enough of that,” Aidan said. “Let’s start with ‘Ave Verum Corpus.’ From the top.”

They ran through the William Byrd piece several times with Aidan directing, blond hair falling in his eyes as he swayed his body to the music. Pete liked his style as a director. He whipped their ensemble into shape with his critiques but kept things fun with his playful banter.

At the end of yet another run-through, Aidan closed his music. “Sorry, but that’s all I have time for today. We’ll do ‘I Have Longed’ next time. Gotta run to rehearsal. First one for the musical.”

“What are you doing?” Soren asked.

“
Sweeney Todd
. I get to be the demon barber of Fleet Street.” Aidan struck a dramatic pose.

“A blond Sweeney Todd?” Ted scoffed. Another baritone, he was always throwing barbs at people. Pete tried to stay out of his way.

“I’ll dye it dark for the production. Oh, and everyone come see
Of Mice and Men
. We’ve got a few more weeks of performances. Farewell, people.”

Pete followed Aidan with his eyes as he strolled out of the room, Lee and Jay in tow, and then put his music in his backpack with a sigh.
Why do you have to be so attractive?

Despite his revolving roster of men, Aidan’s talent was amazing. He was playing George in
Of Mice and Men
, a role far different from his usual musical theater turns. Pete had gone to opening night and had barely held it together at the end, while Angie had bawled openly beside him. He admired Aidan’s dedication to perfecting his craft in music and theater. And he was smart, and fun, and frigging gorgeous, and….
I wish I knew how to quit you.
Pete smiled to himself at the
Brokeback Mountain
line as he left the band room.

John, ever the psychology major, advised him that Aidan was an “animus figure,” that it wasn’t the guy himself who attracted Pete as much as some aspect of his own soul. Or something like that. All Pete knew was that when he was around Aidan, he got an all-too-familiar feeling of being just another one in the crowd. John nodded sagely at that too, saying, “Everything comes down to family of origin issues. You’re a middle child and an introvert stuck in a family of extroverts. What d’you expect?”

Well, this is a depressing train of thought
. He was walking through the bowels of Old Cabell Hall, trying to decide whether or not to return Jed’s latest text, when he saw Matthew through the glass door of one of the practice rooms, playing the piano. Pete hesitated. He and Matthew had exchanged texts but hadn’t seen each other since the Halloween party a few weeks ago. Remembering that awful moment in the pantry, Pete moved on, but then he heard Matthew’s voice.

“Pete!”

He turned around, saw Matthew sticking his head out of the now-open door, and acted surprised. “Oh, hi! Didn’t see you there.”

“Liar. Why didn’t you come in?” Matthew laughed at Pete’s sheepish expression.

“Oh, um, I didn’t want to bother you, I guess.”

“Bother? No, I love a captive audience. Come on in.”

Pete joined Matthew in the practice room, which held an upright piano, a bench, and one chair.

“Make yourself at home,” Matthew said, settling himself on the piano bench and indicating the chair. Pete sat. “What are you doing in Old Cabell?”

“U. Singers rehearsal, then one for the octet that Aidan started.”
Aidan. Crap. Way to go, loser.

“Oh.” Matthew turned on the bench to start playing.

Pete had no idea what the music was, too busy wishing he could drop through the floor. When his hands started to hurt with the way he was twisting them together, he decided to say something, because this was getting ridiculous.