[Twice Featured Noteworthy Novel & Staff Pick on Tapas.io] ✔
[Previously featured on Tapas.io's LGBTQ+ Community collection] ✔
One night. That was all it took for Senn Reyes' life to change drastically--and permanently.
Senn Reyes is a seventeen-y...
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Wednesday
After hanging out with Samantha, Lucas and Avan until somewhere after dinner, Senn just wanted to go and hide in bed for a while. He went into the house, greeted his aunt and uncle quickly, and told them he'd be going to bed early. But while climbing the stairs, he heard familiar voices shout at each other.
Not so much in a fight; no, they seemed to argue over a video game that involved shouting 'how do you always get a red shield in second place', 'oh my god I got blown off track again', and a lot more familiar phrases that could only complete the whole Mario Kart experience.
Killian obviously found out of Julian's return to town, and they were in his room, playing the video game he knew so well himself. He was king at Mario Kart. So, when he passed the open door and Killian looked up to see who was there, he already knew he was going to ask him to join.
One game.
As soon as Senn passed the room, Killian waved him in with a goofy smile, as Julian seemed fixated on their race. He was in the lead, while Killian was being carried back on track as Senn stepped into the room.
"Hey, wanna race?"
"I was gonna go to bed, actually," Senn muttered, knowing if he'd sat down in that bean bag, he'd be racing until far beyond bedtime. One of the few advantages of living with their aunt and uncle after losing their parents; they weren't that strict when it came to bedtime when they were having fun together.
"You don't have to stay long. Just help me defeat Julian." Killian gestured towards the screen, where his own kart stood still in the middle of the track, as Julian passed the finish line and started his final lap.
"Which isn't going to work, if you don't try."
Senn smirked as Killian turned around and started his pursuit. He slumped down on the beanbag next to Julian, grabbing a controller while waiting for them to finish their race. He had actually never hung out with Julian at home, and it was weird seeing him in any other situation than drunk or stoned in the treehouse. Or in the least at a party.
Julian and Killian had been friends for years on end, until Killian moved for college over a year ago, and Julian stayed behind in town. But, Senn remembered that much, they kept in touch. So, it wasn't a big surprise Julian visited Killian now that they were both back in town. Though, Killian was back for obvious reasons, and Senn hadn't exactly asked Julian why he returned halfway down his first term in college.
"Are you really as undefeatable as Killian said?" Julian asked, nudging him to gain his attention.
"I guess." Senn shrugged, knowing he was a fairly good player months ago. But he hadn't touched a controller ever since the accident, and he couldn't exactly remember the last time he played videogames—Mario Kart in this case—prior to the accident. It really wasn't the most important thing to try and remember.
