———Anthony———
Friday, June 7th, 2019
The next week passed in a comfortable routine. I was spending a lot of time with Ben, and it felt like every time we hung out, the skin-crawling urge to run away from my life had subsided just a little bit. Despite being Friday night, I had forgone making plans with Ben due to the nasty storm raging outside. I was currently sitting on the couch and reading a novel to try and distract myself from the now seemingly permanent anxious buzzing in the back of my head.
"Anthony, where the fuck is the jacket you borrowed from me," James said as he eyed the rain lashing at the windows distastefully.
"What jacket?" I asked without looking up from my book. I knew precisely what jacket he meant. What I didn't know was where it was.
"You know exactly what jacket I mean," he said, immediately calling my bluff. "The water-resistant green one with the swim team logo on it that you took last Sunday when it was also raining."
"Oh. That jacket," I said lightly.
"For fuck's sake, Ant, that jacket cost me like 50 bucks," James said with a glare. "Why don't you ever lose your own shit?"
"Chill out. I'll pay you back," I said with a roll of my eyes as I finally conceded to abandoning my book. "I've been a little preoccupied."
James continued to grumble, but a buzzing in my pocket distracted me from his less-than-flattering assessment of my personal character.
His Excellency: Hey, Ant, can you swing by the admin building and grab something to take to Marcus? He isn't answering the phone.
Me: It's raining
His Excellency: I'm aware.
His Excellency: You won't melt.
His Excellency: Please? I'm slammed in meetings today, and this is for a time-sensitive pack diplomacy thing with the Eagle Ridge Pack.
Me: Fine. You owe me, though.
His Excellency: Already aware, nothing else is new.
His Excellency: Thank you.
His Excellency: Jasmine has the envelope at the front desk. Marcus is probably at the gym.
"I've got to go pick up something to deliver to Marcus. Alpha's orders," I said as I pushed myself up off the couch. James stopped his grumbling mid-huff and seemed to consider that for a moment.
"I'll go with you, I guess," he said.
"It's raining. And neither of us have rain jackets," I replied.
"I am perfectly aware of the status of our jackets," James said with a roll of his eyes as he grabbed my keys and tossed them to me. "I still want to go."
"Whatever, weirdo," I said as I followed him out the door. The drive was a little uncomfortable, as it was raining too hard to have the windows down, but it wasn't an option to walk without the documents or whatever I was bringing to Marcus getting wet.
I grabbed the envelope from Jaz without much small talk and got back into the car quickly. I hoped to have this done quickly so I could return to my book as soon as possible. Before long, we pulled up to the gym. I was surprised as James also got out of the car and followed me inside.
"What the hell is that smell?" James said with an odd expression on his face as we walked through the gym doors.
"Testosterone and sweat," I replied flatly, my nose wrinkling.
YOU ARE READING
Lost in Translation
Lupi mannariBen is a 22-year-old with anxiety issues and no idea what he wants to do with his life. Anthony is a college junior who knows exactly what he wants: to socialize with as few people as possible for the rest of *his* life. Ben wasn't looking for a ma...
