Being gay is a curse when the homophobia you grew up with was so bad that you're homophobic yourself. Especially when you're into unavailable guys like your roommate, whose girlfriend is everything you're not (though appearances can be deceiving). S...
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My friends were more excited about my brother's housewarming party than Jamie and I were, it seemed. Phyllis said she couldn't wait to meet my family, as if she was my girlfriend, and Lily had many questions about the brother I had apparently barely mentioned. I mean, there wasn't much to mention... He was my brother.
They also still hadn't gotten over the fact that Jamie and I were dating, and by 'they' I meant Lily and Hector. Phyllis had grown accustomed to it fairly quickly, and by 'accustomed' I meant she was a smug bitch who was constantly giving us winks and smirking like a sixty-year-old aunt who desperately tried to get brownie points by acting like a Cool Parent.
Meanwhile, Lily was driving her sister's car, which had been lent to us despite Lily having a very bad history with her car (or cars in general). I didn't believe it at first, because Lily seemed like the kind of person to drive so carefully and slowly that you'd get annoyed by it, but I couldn't be any more wrong.
Hector was in the passenger seat and Phyllis, Jamie and I were squeezed into the back, and Hector kept turning around to face us every time Lily asked one of her questions, but I couldn't stop looking at the road. I felt my heart skip a beat every time she made an unexpected turn and jerked the steering wheel for no fucking reason on the highway.
This is the day I die.
"Is there a reason why we're going so fast?" I asked.
"Oh, I hadn't even noticed!" Lily said, promptly stepping on the brake.
We all shot forward and Jamie exclaimed, "Okay, pull over, I'm taking the wheel!"
They switched places and we safely arrived at my brother's apartment half an hour later—bless my boyfriend. Our destination was a ten-story building with lots of windows, which were all decorated with differently colored curtains and objects. It was easy to guess which one was David's. He'd put the hideous statue he'd once bought on holiday on display in his window. I felt like the disproportionate, carved wooden figure was staring at me all the way from the eighth story.
As soon as we got out of the car, Jamie grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the front door of the apartment building so the others wouldn't hear him when he said, "Em, I severely regret telling them."
I snorted a laugh and squeezed his hand. "They'll get used to it."
"Okay, but if Hector says 'I can't believe it' one more time, I'm gonna stab someone."
"That someone is Hector, I presume?"
"Perhaps," he said, shrugging.
I chuckled and let go of his hand to press the buzzer next to David's apartment number, telling him my friends and I had arrived when he answered. As soon as the door was unlocked, I held it open for everyone as they came in, and Phyllis asked, "So how are you going to surprise your brother?"
