Chapter 23 - Avett

Avett

Christ, what a thoroughly shit day it was. Somewhere between the Randy debacle and the ridiculously difficult Calc quiz, Sir had decided to drop the bombshell via text that Lily would not be returning home this afternoon — that she was to stay at her dorm so we could all focus on our studies. He had failed to factor in one glaring question: how would I ever study when I was so preoccupied by the injustice of it all?

“It’s just not fair,” I moaned into Adrian’s back. He was laying on his stomach, laptop open on the floor before him. I was laying directly on top of him.

“You said that already,” he grunted. “Mind getting off now? You’re really heavy.”

“It’s bullshit!” I shouted, rolling off his back into a wrinkled blanket. I hoped Sir heard me, even from his study several floors below. I mean seriously, what was his problem? Lily was ours now. She wore the collar to prove it and everything. Why the hell had she been sentenced to spend the night shut away in a dingy dorm?

“What difference does it make whether Lily’s here?” I asked. “I mean, WE study perfectly fine together.”

Adrian glanced at my untouched textbooks nearby. “Do we?”

I opened A Clockwork Orange and a scrap of paper fluttered out. I’d been compiling a list of Nadsat translations for her to reference the next time we read it. If she was ever ALLOWED HOME again, that is. Adrian was typing away. “You seem awfully tolerant of this waking nightmare,” I told him.

“I’m not bothered.”

I shot up to my knees. “Not bothered? So, that’s it then? You’re over her, are you? Great, I’ll tell her she’s free to go date Randy. His dad, too, for all you care. They’ll both be thrilled.”

Adrian put his head in his hands. “Avey, stop. Obviously, I’m not over her.”

“What, then? You’re just perfectly happy admiring her from afar?”

“It won’t be for much longer,” he mumbled.

“What’s that?”

“She’s gonna move in like, this weekend, Avey. So just relax.”

That was news to me. “She is?”

“For my birthday, yeah.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And you know this for a fact?”

“Well, not exactly.” He tapped the side of his head. “It’s more of an instinct.”

“Oh, fantastic,” I deadpanned. “You’re just delusional.”

“Nuh-uh,” he said, withdrawing into his coy little baby voice. “Sir knows that’s what I want best of all. He’s gonna surprise me.”

I was unconvinced. It was an intriguing idea, sure, but I didn’t trust Adrian’s “instinct” as far as I could throw him. I could throw him pretty far, but still. I stood up, nearly bumping my head on the sloped ceiling. “Let’s settle this right now, then.”

“Wait, what are you gonna--?”

I was already booking it for the steps. “Shush, kid! I’ll be right back.”

I flew downstairs and skidded to a halt at the door to Sir’s study. He was at his desk with his cellphone pressed to his ear, speaking in an annoyed tone. He glanced up at me, then looked back at his computer. Ding dong, your personal whore is calling, I thought. I dropped to all fours and began to crawl across the floor. Look at me, a good little sub here to relieve all the stress of Master’s terribly long day of work! He ignored me, far too busy reaming out whoever was on the other end of the line.

I approached his lap. I nudged his knee with my head. In spite of himself, he reached down and began to absentmindedly stroke my hair. Yes.

“Look, I’m quite frankly getting bored of all the excuses,” Sir said. “At this point I’m simply asking how exactly you plan to fix it.”

Yeah, you tell him, boss. Stupid subordinate. I rubbed my cheek up the length of his thigh. He spun ever-so-slightly in his desk chair, inching his leg open for easier access. I pressed my nose against his fly with a satisfied inhale. Mmm, man musk.

His grip on my hair tightened, holding my head in place. “What’s the plan of action, Kev? It’s not a difficult question. We’re not performing heart surgery here.”

After grinding my cheek into his crotch a few times, I darted my tongue out for a quick lick that left a wet spot on his slacks.

He tugged my head away. “I’m gonna have to call you back, Kev. Do yourself a favor and try coming up with a more impressive answer in the interim.” He tossed his phone onto the desk with a thud. “What do you want?”

I rested my cheek on his thigh and blinked up at him. “I’m awfully sorry for bothering you at work, Sir,” I said, quite sincerely. “I just missed you so terribly much today, you see.”

“Uh-huh. What else?”

“Well...” I trained my eyes on the wet spot. “I keep thinking about how quickly Adrian’s birthday is coming up. I just want to make sure it’s extra special this year, you know? The little guy really deserves it.” He didn’t say anything. “Do you have anything planned yet, Sir?”

“I might,” he said, clicking around on his computer.

“Oh, that’s great news!” I enthused in mock relief. “Sir, by chance do your plans happen to involve Lily at all? Having her around would be super extra special, you know.”

“Uh-huh.”

“ ... Is that a yes?”

He let go of his mouse and replanted his fingers in my hair, smiling down at me. “You’re just going to have to wait and find out, aren’t you?”

I’ll take that as a yes. “Certainly, Sir.”

“Good. Now open your mouth, puck.”

The next morning’s drive to school was so quiet without Lily in the car it almost made me miss her incessant squabbling. We passed the time by listening to music and brainstorming new, increasingly naughty ways to retaliate against Lily’s antics by torturing her back. Well, I mostly bounced ideas off Adrian, who mostly blushed and plucked at loose threads on his flannel.

Once finally back on campus, Adrian walked me to Stats. “Meet at the café at noon, as per usual?” I asked. He nodded curtly and ducked off into the throng of students in the hall.

I was too early for class, by far. Only a few scattered students dotted the desks, including Lily’s fiery roommate, Cassie, who was draped over her stoic boyfriend. As I settled into my seat one row behind her, she detached herself and swiveled around. She eyed me like a hungry lioness might a wounded gazelle. “Avett, ” she purred. “Just the man I wanted to see.”

“Here I am.”

Her chair shrieked against the floor as she scooted closer. “Hope you’re ready to spill the beans, Avett. Lily won’t tell me fucking anything.”

“About what?”

“Well, for starters, about which one of you she’s even dating. Is it you or is it your little brunette friend?”

“She’s dating me,” I said.

“Huh.” She nodded slowly, seemingly approving of that answer.

I stuck the end of an already well-gnawed Bic pen between my teeth and waited.

“You live outside town, don’t you?”

“I might.”

“Who do you live with?”

“Why are you so interested in my living situation?”

She huffed. “Sorry for being just a little curious about where my slightly... naive roommate has been spending all her time.”

“She’s not naive.”

“Okay, fine. Oh, I don’t know... agreeable, then? Sorry.”

“I forgive you.” She waited for an answer. “I just live with Adrian and our sugar daddy.”

“Ha!” She cackled, not taking me seriously for a goddamn instant. “Sounds like a sweet deal.”

“It is.”

“Anyway, since Adrian is single, do you think I could get his number? I have a couple of girlfriends I wanna try setting him up with.”