Breathing Room (Waiting Room #2)

Chapter 3: Party (Part 2)

Pete set about playing bartender, and several people saw the alcohol and meandered over, demanding Pete make them a drink too.

"Look at this mess!" Sam shouted, pointing at the spilled Kool-Aid. She grabbed a sponge and started mopping. "Why are you all here, anyway?"

"Come on, it's your annual back to school party!" said a girl with buzzed hair and multiple facial piercings.

Sam was unmoved. "Annual? You mean like that one time last year?"

"Yeah?"

"For real, guys, our new roommates just moved in. You're making a bad impression." Sam tossed the now-red sponge in the sink. "And I hope you've all introduced yourselves to Pete and Ryan here."

Suddenly the center of attention, Ryan froze with a forced smile on his face. Beside him, Pete waved and said, "I don't remember anybody's name except Zac's."

Ryan didn't even remember Zac.

"My question is," said Van, squeezing through and resting his elbows on the counter with his chin in his hands, "are you single, Ryan?"

Several people groaned and someone muttered, "Keep it in your pants, Van." Harper just slapped him upside the head and glared.

"Van's our resident fuckboi," Sam explained.

"I don't appreciate being slut-shamed," Van countered.

Ryan reached for his red solo cup and took a swallow, grimacing at how strong Pete had made the drink.

"Maybe you could let him breathe for a minute before you attack him," Sam said.

"What? He's hot." Van grinned at Ryan, who needed to take another swig.

He could feel his face getting hot, which was weird. Back before he'd come out to the whole school in spectacular fashion at the winter ball junior year, lots of girls had looked at him like Van was now. The difference, Ryan supposed, was that he wasn't at all attracted to those girls. Not that he was attracted to Van. Or was he? He was single now. He could let himself look at other guys. When he was with Jacky, he hadn't done that. Except that time they watched porn together.

Over the rim of his cup, he tried to get a look at Van. He was a little shorter than Jacky, but also had dark hair. Dark eyes, though. A square jawline, clean-shaven.

Ryan still didn't think he was attracted to Van.

"Well? Are you single?" said one of the others Ryan had been introduced to at the door. He – they? – looked almost as hungry as Van.

"It's complicated," Ryan said.

"Whaddya mean?" Pete said. "You and your boyfriend broke up last night."

"Oooooh," came the chorus, and Ryan took another drink instead of smacking Pete like he wanted to. He saw money exchange hands in the crowd, with the winner saying, "I knew he was gay! Sam wouldn't let two straight guys move in with them."

But Van eased back. "All right, it's still fresh. That's cool." He smirked. "I can wait."

"Can you?" Sam asked with heavy sarcasm.

The crowd dispersed and Ryan sipped at his drink. "Ugh, this is awful."

Pete had pulled out a huge bag of Cheetos and was shoveling handfuls into his mouth. "You're welcome."

Jordan wandered into the kitchen area wearing pajama pants and an off-the shoulder sweatshirt over a tank top, her hair up in a messy bun. "What time's your first class tomorrow?" she asked, cracking open a bottle of water from the fridge.