Something Blue

Chapter 60

"Have you seen Elliot?" Pierce asked Quinn.

She was lounging on a lime-green lawn chair beneath the shade of a portable umbrella. Hayden was on her lap, probably so she wouldn't get up and leave. Quinn couldn't really leave even if she wanted to. The best she could do was escape to her bedroom since the party was at her house. Actually, it was only her house for another month - hers, Elliot's, and Nicki's. Their lease was ending in May and then they'd each have to find a new living arrangement.

Quinn already agreed to split the rent for Hayden's apartment next semester. Which meant they'd officially be living together. Hayden was beaming when she told Pierce. Nicki had gotten a studio apartment downtown. It was closer to the action, she had said. Elliot hadn't found a new roommate yet. He'd wouldn't be able to afford a place by himself - not with his below-minimum-wage-paying gym job, and he refused to ask his parents for money.

"I think he's inside getting the life sucked out of him," Quinn joked. Hayden swatted her shoulder. "Sorry. I mean - talking to his parents."

Pierce pointed to the house. "He needs rescuing?"

Quinn took a bite out of Hayden's popsicle before saying, "Probably."

The backyard smelled like fresh-cut grass, watermelon, and rubber balloons. Stringed lights hung in branches of the maple trees overhead, readying for the oncoming sunset. The warmth of the daylight wasn't entirely gone, though.

A plastic container of Costco cookies was set on a slanted picnic table, attracting flies and hungry guests. Nicki had created the invitation list. Pierce told her to keep it small, so it was mostly STEM majors like Elliot, Birkenstock-wearing artists like Hayden, a few guys from football and hockey, and Elliot's family. Pierce was keeping a lookout for Rory. He had made an appearance earlier, but the last time Pierce spotted him, he was crossing the street to a nearby frat house. Definitely not someone to worry about, Pierce decided.

The sound of tweeting birds was replaced by the catchy beat of a Taylor Swift song as Pierce slid open the screened door. Cheesy banners and colorful streamers lined the walls and ceiling. The room wasn't too crowded. Pierce could count the number of people on two hands. One of them was Blake, who was trying to impress some girls with a party kazoo. Nicki was refilling the chip bowl, rolling her eyes. He past her and quietly thanked her for her help.

Pierce kicked past some deflated balloons and stepped into the kitchen. The cake on the counter had already been cut and plated. Pierce and Elliot had split a piece earlier. Elliot only liked the vanilla frosting. Pierce happily ate the leftover cake part because he hadn't wanted it to go to waste, and because it was chocolate.

Elliot was near the sink, shoulders slouched. Like the conversation he was having with his parents was draining his energy. A calendar hung on front of the fridge. April 28th was circled in bright highlighter - Elliot's birthday. Among his sketches was a photo of him and Pierce in Paris, secured with a heart-shaped magnet.

"Were you surprised?" Pierce asked Elliot, approaching with a child-like grin.

The surprise party was his idea, but he had enlisted Nicki to figure out all the details. He had managed to keep it a secret for seventy-two whole hours.

Elliot's eyes suddenly brightened. "Very," he replied. He was standing with his parents, but he reached for Pierce to pull him close and kiss his cheek. "Thank you." He patted his tummy like he was hugging a teddy bear and mirrored his smile.

Pierce greeted Elliot's parents awkwardly, having only ever met them briefly on Facetime.

"Have you noticed the fence is collapsing in the back?" Elliot's mother asked, not caring to socialize with Pierce. She looked directly at her son as she spoke. "Has it been like that all year? It's a safety hazard."

Elliot opened his mouth to reply, but his dad was already interjecting, saying, "I'm sure Pierce wouldn't mind fixing it. He could film it. Like a tutorial."

Elliot's mother pursed her lips and stuck up her nose. "Yes, Yes. Right. I've seen your videos. You have a...unique perspective of the world." She cleared her throat. Her face looked like she had smelled something fowl.

"Thanks," Pierce said, unsure if it was entirely a compliment.

"Darling," she addressed Elliot again. "Have you seen your sister. She flew all the way from France for this party and she's barely spoken two words to us."

"She's probably with Wyatt," Elliot answered.

Mrs. Norfolk's eyes drifted to the front hallway. Indeed, Chandler was canoodling with Wyatt. Pierce knew that look on his friend's face. He was trying to convince her to get a tattoo, and judging by the faint interest edging her mouth, she wasn't telling him no. Elliot had noticed something else - the extra lipgloss.

"That boy is a distraction," his father remarked.

"He could use a session," Elliot's mother sneered, referring to her therapeutic profession. "Nobody gets that many tattoos unless they are repressing trauma. How is he going to find a job after he graduates with those scribbles on his arms?"

"He's being scouted by Montreal," Pierce defended his friend. They looked confused, so he added, "For hockey."

"Montreal?" Elliot's mother sounded offended. Or maybe panicked. "In Quebec?"

"Oui, oui. Maybe he'll learn some French like Chandler," Pierce clipped, a moderate amount of sharpness. He still had to be respectful, of course. This was Elliot's parents he was speaking to, but he couldn't resist pressing them even further as he said, "You know, I heard the fashion scene there is really up-and-coming."

His words were nothing more than a tease. Wyatt had a year left of college and Chandler was too focused on becoming a fashion icon to date. Still, it was a dreamy idea - to think they might end up in a big city again, together. Pierce wished it would happen. Wyatt was such a hopeless romantic - he deserved to find love too. He never connected with a girl at a middle school dance, or a high school football game, or even a college party, but he spent a few days in Paris and found Chandler. Maybe the universe had bigger plans for his small-town heart.

Elliot's mother seemed to disagree. She clamped her jaw, glaring at Pierce.

Amusement whisked across Elliot's lips. His boyfriend wasn't so innocent all the time, but he already knew that from their numerous shared nights. He was just happy to see Pierce was living looser outside of closed doors.

"Have I told you I love you lately?" Elliot whispered.

Pierce looked down at him with wholesome eyes, as if he couldn't wait for something any longer. Excitement was stirring in his stomach.

"Can I show you something?" Pierce murmured, taking Elliot's hand.

Elliot nodded and let Pierce steal him away.