Adam can’t say he’s surprised. It’s not like the vast majority of guys even have gay experiences, and probably not at their age. He’s not sure why he even bothered to ask, except he is. He knows exactly why he asked. Firstly, out of hope; Adam’s mostly-optimistic personality was hoping that something in Blake’s answer would imply that Blake would be up for such a gay experience in the future. And secondly, he asked because Adam’s looking for some sort of indication that he’s not dreaming up the occasional moment between the two of them.
Christina’s up on her feet a couple of rounds later. “Okay,” she says. “Rule change. Everybody trade seats, and then we’re going old school. The two people at each end of the bottle are making out in the middle of the circle.”
This is the part Blake’s less comfortable with; it’s written all over his face. Adam doesn’t mind it, but then again anybody he’s ever had to make out with usually seems more than willing. And if it’s a guy, a straight guy, then Adam can practically hear them telling themselves that it’s okay, because Adam isn’t the worst guy in the room to have to kiss, and that he’s gay, anyway, so he won’t get off on this. Which is wrong, of course (the gay part). Anyway, the point Adam is trying to make, is that this thing, this game, usually isn’t that bad.
Except that tonight it is, because there’s one person in the room that he actually wants to make out with. And that person more than likely doesn’t feel the same way.
“Oh,” Christina adds. “And another rule, for those that haven’t been here before; doesn’t matter if you’re same-sex or opposite, unless you opt out now, you are making out with your match.”
Adam glances at Blake in the reshuffles, with mixed feelings about the fact that there’s no way the bottle will land on the two of them together.
He’s not even close to being done with that thought when the person next to him delivers an elbow to the ribs, and then Adam looks up, looks at the bottleneck pointing towards him and swallowing when he sees who the other end has landed on. Carson. Carson, the guy he’d told not so long ago, that he’d had a crush on.
Carson’s smiling slightly, like he finds the whole thing amusing. He shrugs, eyes sparkling in a way that says he’s up for it so long as Adam is. And that right there is why they’ve pretty much been best friends since their first day here. Living in L.A, you come across a lot of fakes; this guy ain’t one of them.
Adam starts moving as Carson does, purposefully does not look at Blake as he gets onto his knees and crawls towards the middle of the circle.
Carson seems to pick up on the fact that Adam doesn’t think this is an ideal situation, and Adam finds himself relieved that his friend takes control, lifts a hand to the back of his head and presses their lips together. It’s pretty quick, open-mouthed but without tongue, and it’s enough that Adam can hear the whistles and applause from the group when they move away.
Carson’s smiling, gives him another shrug as though to say what-can-you-do? Adam mouths two words. Thank you.
And then the bottle gets its next spin. Adam isn’t called upon again for the rest of the round, and impressively, neither is Blake.
“Okay,” Christina says, standing in the center of the circle again. “This is the last round, alright. It’s a mashup of Spin the Bottle and Seven Minutes in Heaven. Rules are as follows; the bathroom is our cupboard, we’re actually only playing four minutes in heaven, and minimum is lip-to-lip contact. How far you go beyond that is up to you, but remember you only have four minutes. Everybody change seats.”
