The Phone Call

The Party

Jeremiah parks his car on the side of the street, his heart syncing with the fast music blasting behind Eric's house. He takes a deep breath before departing his vehicle. The night is approaching, the sun settling in the distant horizon, behind the neighborhood houses. The crickets are chirping behind the noises of the speakers, humanizing the scene. The air is heavy, humid. Just as heavy as Jeremy's heart.

He knocks on the front door, and with no response, he walks slowly to the backyard's gate, surprised that the door is wide open. This is a party, after all. Jeremiah timidly strolls in to the yard, the scene only getting hotter and brighter with the fire lit in the fire pit. People are talking, playing bags, and even grilling. He stares into the flame, losing himself in the sparks, following their free forming movements.

"Hey man!" Eric slaps his hand on Jeremy's shoulder, making him jump.

Jeremy notices the beer bottle in Eric's other hand, then looks at his neck, but clearly avoiding eye contact. He loses his tension, but only a little. "Hey..."

Eric's attitude is a bit surprising to Jeremy. His casualness, his charisma... it hasn't changed at all since he confessed over the phone. It's almost like he was talking to a different person last night, and the one now is just his twin, trying to play a sick joke on him. But he's well aware that that's not the case.

"You want one?" Eric asks, noticing Jeremy glaring at the bottle shining in the orange lighting.

Jeremy recenters himself, finally looking at Eric's face. "Oh, yeah, sure."

Eric leads Jeremy through the yard, moving around the bodies that are having conversations, laughing, and making out. Eric gets to the pavement that is his patio, opening a cooler right next to the back door. Jeremy looks through the glass doors, looking into the kitchen and dining room that is past the barrier. It's empty, calm. Something that he wants with Eric, and only Eric.

With a wet tap on his sweater, the beer has arrived, covered in melted ice that once surrounded the drink. Jeremy takes it in his hands, and in a moment, the cap gets flicked off effortlessly by Eric. The liquid slightly bubbles, and Jeremy puts it up to his lips.

"Oh! Let me introduce you to Russell. I bet he's miserable right now." Eric jokes as he places his hand, the same hand that scared Jeremy, and turns him around to see someone sitting on the edge of the patio wall.

He looks somewhat similar to Jeremiah. His hairstyle is practically the same, just straight, his attitude sheepish. He's wearing a button up white shirt and jeans, which stands out from the dark, casual outfits the others are wearing.

"Heeeey, what's up, Russell?" Eric daps him up, making the man stand up going to shake Jeremiah's hand. They both avoid eye contact, awkwardly staring at their hands clamped together. "Now, I'm pretty sure I told you guys about each other."

"Yeah." Russell mutters in a deep, somewhat raspy voice. His eyes glow in the light, looking at Eric.

"Alright, cool. I gotta help at the grill."

And just like that, he disappears into the crowd, leaving the two shy boys behind. Their conversation starts off dry, but then they get going. They talk about music, what they're majoring in for college, and what books they've read recently. In just 15 minutes of conversation, they learned so much about each other.

"Howdy honeys!" someone wags their hips sassily at the two boys, looking like a cowboy with his plaid and jeans. The two look up from the waist to the face; who else would it be other than Isaac?

Isaac always had this unique aura around him, one that made him stand out above the crowd. He also has a distinct voice. One that's southern, despite growing up in Washington, and having a lingering lisp whenever he spoke, but only noticeable if you pay attention to it. Nonetheless, it draws the attention of the two boys.