After Hours (boyxboy) | ✓

Chapter Two

It was my second day of lifeguarding, but my shift didn’t start for a few hours. The closing shift lasted from four o’clock until eight, but I’d been told that it usually went a little later. Taking the late shift was a risk. I’d have to eat dinner during my snack shack time, and I probably wouldn’t get back home until around ten o’clock. But maybe it’d be okay. I’d gotten pretty lucky with my morning coworkers, so who’s to say my evening ones wouldn’t be as good?

Anyways, this Tuesday afternoon was going to be spent filling in my friend Amy on everything she’d missed during her two week vacation. And boy had she missed a lot.

I was meeting Amy for lunch at this popular greek place. She was my only friend that liked greek as much as I did. I’ll admit that my tastes were a little strange. I liked obscure foods, like fallafel, stir fry and brussel sprouts. My favorite food was easily sushi, but no one I knew shared that love.

As I entered the building, I spotted Amy already sitting at a table in the corner. She waved me over with her menu. I walked to the table and sat down.

“Hey!” she said, “What's up?”

“Nothing much. How was vacation?” I took a menu and looked through the options.

“Good…”

Amy spent the first two weeks of summer in the Bahamas every year. I envied her. I only went on vacation on special occasions. And I had a feeling I wouldn’t be going anywhere any time soon. 

“I hope I didn’t miss anything major,” She said. I smiled sympathetically. She’d have a lot to catch up on.

“You missed… a lot.”

“Uh…” She looked worried now. “Nothing bad, right?”

“Some of it is.”

“Well spill it!”

I laughed and put my menu down. “First of all, I’m a lifeguard now.”

“Oh, right. How’s that?”

“Good so far.”

“How ‘bout your coworkers? Anyone good?”

“A little…” Anyone who knew Amy knew what the word ‘good’ meant to her. But I was hesitant to tell her about Brendon. I knew she’d disapprove.

“Who??”

We were interrupted briefly by a waiter, who took our orders. He walked away with our menus, and Amy eagerly leaned across the table. 

“Laura McCoy, Donny Frost, and…” I hesitated.

“And?”

“Brendon Moreno.”

She wrinkled her nose. I guess she missed his breakup too. “Uh, I hope you don’t plan on pursuing any of them…”

“Aw, come on. Brendon’s cute.”

“Isn’t he with Jennie? Or did I hear they broke up…?”

“They’re over. He’s actually pretty nice.”

“Really? And how do you plan on seducing him? Isn’t he straight?”

“He keeps flirting with me.”

She shook her head, clearly a little disappointed by my choices. “Well whatever. What else?”

“Reuben’s grandpa died.” Reuben was one of our best friends. His grandfather passed away a couple weeks ago.

“What?”

“And my parents are getting divorced.”

“WHAT???”