Twelve Days of Christmas

8 Maids a Milking

Luca

I pulled off the third jacket I'd tried on and threw it onto the bed with a groan.

"None of them look right!" I huffed to a rather bored looking James.

"Come on man, they all look the same.   And anyway, we'll have to get changed as soon as we get there, so why does it matter?"

"It just does, alright!" I snapped as I fished an old worn denim jacket out of my wardrobe.  Maybe I was trying too hard.  Maybe I needed a more casual look.

"Come on guys, what's taking so long," Marvin said as he burst into the room.

"It's Luca," James whined. "Seems to think he's dressing for the queen or something.  News flash Luca – no one cares!"

I tried my best to ignore him.  He didn't understand and I wasn't about to explain it to him.

"Just head on down, and we'll be there in a second," Marvin said to James, while I pulled off the denim jacket and went back to the original one I had tried on, a light grey suit jacket with dark grey lapels, pockets and elbow patches.

"What do you think?" I asked turning to face Marvin.

"Erm?" Marvin said, scrutinising me closely. "Turn around."

I did as he said, then turned back again. "Well?"

"Mmm, yes, it's as a I thought," he said giving me a very solemn expression. "I actually don't give a shit."

"Get out!" I shouted, "You're no longer my friend!"

Marvin just plopped himself down on a chair next to my bed and grinned at me.

"You're cruel, you know that?" I said, trying not to smile at Marvin's self satisfied face.

"You're wasting your time you know," he said, making me frown.

"What do you mean?"

"Drummer Boy?  That's who all this is about, isn't it?"

I felt my cheeks start to warm up, so I looked away, pretending to busy myself with putting all the rejected clothes away that had piled up on my hotel room bed.

"Just because I want to look nice, doesn't mean I'm doing it for a particular person."

"Yeah, except this time you are.  I've known you for most of your life, don't you think I can tell by now when you've got a crush?"

I shrugged, deciding that there was no point in denying it, but also trying to play it off as insignificant.

"So I think he's cute?" I said with a shrug. "Doesn't mean I want to play mummies and daddies with him."

Marvin rolled his eyes. "I know, but all I'm saying is, if you're after a quick shag you're barking up the wrong tree."

"You saying he's not interested in one night stands?" I asked.

"Not exactly, but I think that's probably right too."

I nodded my head, conceding that he was probably right.  Ben looked like the type that would want a proper commitment before doing the nasty, but that didn't mean he might not do other stuff.

"If that's not what you meant then what were you talking about?" I asked.

"I'm saying that he's not interested."

I frowned at that idea.  Sure, he hadn't exactly been responding to my flirting like most others did.   But I was sure I got hints from his body language that he was interested but was trying to hide it.