Savior [Completed]

Savior: [Ten]

Ten – Nick

“You’re sure?” I asked. “You really don’t want to come?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to come,” Lani sighed, “but I can’t bail on this party either. It’d just be so wrong, you know? I mean, I don’t even babysit Karen anymore, but they still thought to ask me, so I don’t feel it’d be right not to go.”

I was already aware of this – that is what she’d told me when I’d arrived to pick her up, but I’d still felt obliged to insist. Yeah, ‘obliged’ is the right word here. When she’d come out of the front door clearly not yet ready and burst into an apology about how she’d completely forgotten to tell me about her change of plans, my heart leapt a little. In a good way. I mean, it’s not that I didn’t like her company or anything, but the idea of just being with my friends was very appealing…not that I could just say ‘alright, bye’.

So as dishonest as it made me, I tried to coax her into coming.  “Makes sense,” I nodded thoughtfully instead, “but how about later? It’s a kid’s birthday, right? So it could end early and you could join us later?”

That earned me a smile, and in as much as I wasn’t heartbroken that she couldn’t make it this one night, this sort of thing did still feel good.

“Nah, I don’t have a ride,” she shook her head before raising an eyebrow, “and no, I’m not going to ask you to pick me up from in between. Go have a guys’ night out or something.”

The finality in her tone told me I was absolved from my obligation. “Alright then,” I responded, “have fun, and don’t worry, I really don’t think you’re going to miss much.”

A quick kiss later I was headed towards Ryan’s house, where he’d told me we’d all be grouping up. Though this is only relevant here because it brought to mind the conversation I’d had with the guys, minus Max, earlier that day.

“But Rodney’s house would be way closer,” was a point I’d raised when Ryan had declared that we were all to report to his residence first.  

“I know,” he’d responded, “but Rodney doesn’t own too many of the type of clothes I have in mind, nor does he have a helpful, handy-with-makeup sister.”

His cryptic response led me to raise the question about what he meant and why Rodney’s lack of siblings was of any relevance, but Ryan had just shrugged me off and told me it could be a surprise for me too.

Rodney, however, clearly not very happy with whatever was going on, just shook his head and filled me in. “Ryan’s got this idea in his head that involves making Max put on something nicer than his usual stuff. And Maya’s in it.”

“As are you,” Ryan waggled a finger at his boyfriend, “so don’t say it like it’s all on me.”

Rodney shifted uncomfortably. “Well, you are the one who decided to give him a makeover.”

“Hush,” Ryan laughed, “and seriously, relax. It’s not going to be that extreme, and anyway, I only thought of this because of what you said. And swear that you’re not going to back out of helping me.”

I’d been watching my friends intently during this exchange, and when Ryan made the comment on Rodney’s contribution to this scheme, Rodney’s face fell a little, which only served to pique my interest.

“What’d he say?” I’d asked curiously, while Rodney simultaneously sighed and affirmed his commitment.

“And answering your question,” he said quietly, “he actually didn’t say much. It’s Ryan who made a whole interpretation out of it, but basically, we once had this conversation and what I got out of it was that he wants to blend into the background because he doesn’t feel confident enough to face people in general.”