A Different Slice

34.2 - Normal (Kieran)

In the kitchen, Naomi's other guy friend Marc searched through the fridge. Kieran should have checked on Jake, but talking to this guy solo may be helpful. Her words in the basement about her ex had stuck with Kieran. Plus, Austin was around to entertain Jake.

"Hey, it's Marc, right?"

The dark-haired man grabbed a beer and shut the refrigerator door. "Yeah, enjoying the party?"

"Yeah, an improvement on the last one."

Marc chuckled. "Definitely. Naomi and Shivanna are much better hosts, and their electricity works consistently."

They both chuckled and stood in that awkward space of silence, not knowing whether to stay or leave. Kieran glanced down the hall. Naomi hadn't left her room yet.

"Can I ask you a question about Naomi?"

Marc opened his beer and nodded.

"She hasn't told her ex about us yet, and we've been dating for over three weeks now. Should I worry about that?"

Marc looked around the room before his gaze returned to Kieran. "If she hasn't told him, it's a good thing. If she was using you to make him jealous, she'd say something. It seems like she wants to protect your relationship."

"Protect? Should I be worried?"

Marc was silent for a troubling moment. "He's not the same person he was when we were kids. None of us are, but he's more selfish, and oblivious or unsympathetic to the consequences. When we call him on it, he course-corrects, but if we don't..."

"What does that mean?"

"He may not take the news well. You seem like a nice person, and you make Naomi happy, so I'm hoping it works out. If she doesn't want to tell him, I wouldn't push her. Trust her instincts."

"Good to know. And is that your buddy playing tonsil hockey with my friend over there?"

Marc craned his neck and laughed to himself. "Shit, something finally went Ian's way."

"Will he take advantage of her?"

Marc shook his head. "No, he's decent, weird, often arrogant, but... decent."

"Cool."

"You're the game night guy, right?" After Kieran nodded, Marc added. "Good, I could tell she was excited about someone for a while, and I'm glad you've stuck around."

"Thanks." A beat of silence passed between them. "So what do you do for work?"

Marc leaned against the kitchen island. "I'm a high school social studies and history teacher." 

His black hair and young face were different from the gray hair and wrinkles of Kieran's history teacher. But it would be good for kids to have a fresher perspective. 

"Nice, at a different school than Shivanna?"

"Yeah, same division though. It's how I met my girlfriend when I helped coach the basketball team."

"Is she a teacher too?"

Marc finished sipping his beer. "No, she does support work at a few community organizations in high-needs neighbourhoods."

"Cool."

"Yeah, she's a better person than me, that's for sure. But keeping up with her pushes me to do better, so I can't complain." 

Marc looked out the window to where she sat with his friends, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Felicity was there chatting too.

"Naomi does the same to me."