Bruised Ego (boyxboy)

Part Four

I make it back to the flat twenty minutes later, the kitchen once again empty. Although Laura took out my tea bag, our microwave broke last week and maintenance hasn't responded to any of our emails. I dump the lukewarm liquid down the sink as Christian's girlfriend walks out from the corridor leading to the bedrooms. She gives me a smile as she hauls herself up onto the island stool. 'Going to social tonight?' She asks softly, smoothing out her skirt. Everything she does is delicate. She's small, timid, acts as though she'll break from a raised voice or misplaced jab. But she's lovely all the same and tries to include me into conversation whenever she's around to see Christian.

'Maybe.' I shrug noncommittally. I'd thought about it on my walk, and the idea of going out, letting off some steam and having a shot or five seemed somewhat appealing at the time. But there's a 9:30 lecture tomorrow and I'm not sure I'd make it if I went out.

She clasps her palms beneath her chin, purses her lips in contemplation. 'Come with me?' She asks, unsure. She taps her pointers against her chin.

'What about Christian?' I ask, knowing he's usually up for it.

'He's coming,' She shakes her head, huffs. 'But his friend'll hog him all evening.' I widen my eyes believing I'd detected some bitterness, but she chuckles softly, fondly. 'And nothings getting between them two while he's here.' She rests her temple against her palm and yawns, politely covers her mouth with her free hand. 'So please, come with me?'

I start to form a reply when I hear footsteps bounding down the corridor, a slammed door, boisterous, boyish laughter. There's thumps, they're play fighting. 'Admit it!' Christian hollers, 'Just admit it.'

'Let up, man.' The walls rattle and a low chuckle filters through the doorway. They're making their way to the kitchen, tripping each other along the way. They're shoving each other into the kitchen, teasing smiles on their faces.

I'm drawn to his friend, his smile making my lips twitch unconsciously.

'Tell me you found him totally edib-' Christian snaps his head up. 'Finn, you're back.' Eyes wide and too innocent, he sneaks a look back to his friend, bites his lip and cocks his head in my direction. Were they talking about me? Glancing back to his friend and finding the smile wiped off his face, I wrap my arms around my middle self consciously. He's somber now, looking my way with a calculated frown. What did I do? What were they going to say about me? I thought Christian was cool with me.

'Uh, yeah.' I clear my throat, tell myself, stop being so self absorbed, they weren't talking about you, and slip from the stool. 'I was just,' I nod towards Christians girlfriend, see the curious frown directed at the guys, 'gonna get ready for social.' I give an uncomfortable, tight lipped smile, and scoot around them.

'Idiot.' I hear grumbled just before I close my door.

'Sorry,' Christian sighs, 'Han, how much could you hear?' My door clicks shut as bile rises. They were joking about me.

———————

Social wasn't that great tonight, despite everyone being pumped from the show. What had happened back at the flat zapped the excitement right out of me and my mood had turned sour. I was trying to decipher what Christian was about to say about me, but the sentence had twisted in my mind and I'm not sure my guesses where anywhere near what he was suggesting. He could have been saying anything for 'wasn't he absolutely embarrassing' to 'don't you find him annoying, like a child playing adult, whose dancing is terrible when he has a massive ego and can't recognise how bad he is.'