Summer Nights (Solangelo AU)

will xi • parental guidance

"Have you been practicing?" Dad asks as we walk back to the country club house.

   "Nope, you're just getting worse," I smile. Dad rolls his eyes.

   "Must've gotten that big ego from your mother," dad jokes. The sun was setting, cascading a triangular shadow over the ground. Nico must have landed by now, but I was waiting for him to text me first.

"Shut up," I say as we walk inside. I'm immediately hit with the cold blast of air conditioning. The room was full of middle-aged dudes in polo shirts, their sons and few daughters on their hip. Dad talks me into taking a photo for his Facebook before venturing off to speak to the guys who I presume are his friends and colleagues.

I lean against the wall, sipping on water when a body approaches me. "Was hoping you'd be here," he says.

I wasn't that surprised this time. I straighten my back and nod. "Hey, Luke."

He puts his hands into his pockets. His hair is newly cut. He wears a vest over his button-up. So adult. So classy. "Loved the article," he says with a smile. "Pursuing journalism after this?"

I shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not," I say. "I'll probably follow after my dad. Something in law or politics."

"Ah," he nods. "Makes sense."

We sit in awkward silence for a small bit.

"Well, me and my dad are here," he says. "You want to join?"

I chew on my bottom lip. "Okay. Sure." To be honest, I could care less about Luke. But he was wealthy like us, and his dad has big connections. It would help out with the campaign.

Luke points with his head and I follow him to a table where his father is laughing with a few older men, chewing on tobacco. I shake their hands as they warmly welcome me, and Luke and I sit across from them.

"So, Will, plans for after high school?" Luke's dad asks. All the eyes are on me.

"Planning on law school," I nod with a smile. Suddenly, I feel a hand slip onto my thigh under the table. "Harvard or Yale, possibly."

"Hell, if you continue on your path with football, you could land yourself D-1 with Westpoint," he winks, pointing his fork at me after cleaning off a big piece of steak. Luke's hand drags along my thigh, meeting my crotch. "One of the best educations in the world."

"Oh, really?" I ask, trying not to react to Luke's hand grabbing and rubbing.

"Hell, my father went there. Turned him into a man, y'know? Toughened his shell."

"I've heard good things," I clear my throat. I reach my hand under the table, frustratingly throwing his hand to the side. Then, I freeze up slightly.

Did I do that...for Nico? A guy I'm not even dating who's not even here? Oh Jesus.

My eyes start searching around the room. I just wanted to find my dad and go home. Eventually, I did find him.

He exits the bathroom, trying to hide a smile. I watch closely as a few minutes pass, and a girl walks out after him. My throat tightens. My heart pounds.

He puts his hands into his pockets, speaking with some other old guy, talking as if he wasn't guilt. As if he didn't care at all.

And why would he?

Sex was sex. Regardless of feelings, right?

I turn to Luke. "Wanna walk out for a smoke?"