His Thickest Desire

Chapter Three

Luis didn't know what to do.

His best friend was planning a last minute get together with their small, but close knit group of childhood friends. It was going on six o'clock. He had two hours to get home and ready for his date with Dominic. A date. A fucking date with that gorgeous man. Before he could even worry about an outfit, he had to figure out how to get out of Sara's plans.

Saying I'm sick at the last minute won't work. I've been at her house all day. She'll know I'm lying. I can't just not show up. They'll set up a fucking search party. I could just leave halfway through. I would need a good excuse though. Maybe something about picking Renzo up at some party—

"Luis? Helloooo? Earth to Luis!" Sara nudged him with her foot. They were sitting in her living room on the long burgundy sectional. Luis was sitting in the corner and Sara was sitting on the other end with her legs stretched out on the rest of the sofa. "Are you paying attention to the group chat? We're trying to figure out where to go. We don't want somewhere too crowded, but it's Saturday night. There'll be crowds pretty much everywhere. You have any suggestions?"

Luis watched as she ran her hand through her short, dark blue hair. Sara had been experimenting with hair dye since she was thirteen and she was always able to never repeat a color. It amazed Luis every time, but he couldn't afford to be distracted now. He needed to think of a way out of this friend date night. The last thing he could do was be honest. He didn't need a three hour interrogation and Sara raging through his closet. He was already nervous enough.

"Uh. I don't know. I don't really think I'll be able to make it, Sara." Luis looked down at his lap as he tapped his fingers along the sides of his phone.

"Why not? You never miss a friends night out!" Sara sat up as she paid attention to Luis. She squinted her eyes at his lap, watching his fiddle with his phone. "Do you have plans or something?"

Luis could hear the emphasis she placed on plans. He felt the back of his neck get hot at her attention. "No! I'm not busy or anything. I just don't feel like going out tonight."

"Okay! Then we'll stay in." He almost sighed until she started talking again. "We can all bring some food and wine here. Watch a movie or something. Oh! Maybe we can play some board games or Cards Against Humanity?" Luis wanted to scream.

"That sounds great and all, and really fun, but I meant I just want to be at home tonight. By myself. Have some me time, you know?" Luis felt himself starting to sweat under her gaze. He knew she wasn't buying it.

"Luis, what's going on?"

"Nothing!" Luis tried to laugh normally, but it came out strained and he knew she caught it. "I just— I just don't feel like going out tonight is all! I've been looking forward to a night by myself."

"You just told me the other day you were bored out of your mind in that apartment." She crosses her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrow.

"Well, that was the other day and today is today. Like you've never changed your mind before."

"Oh, I have, but you don't. You love going out with friends, Luis. Now what's really up?" Before Luis could think of anything else to say, Maurice entered the living room. He lifted Sara's feet and sat between Sara and Luis. He placed her feet on his lap and rested his hand on her ankle.

"What did I miss?"

"Luis doesn't want to go out tonight." Sara pouted. "Make him go out, Maurice."

"I can't make him go, baby." Maurice laughed as Sara nudged him with her foot. "Everyone deserves a night to themselves. Look at it as a night to recharge. The next time we all want to go out, he'll be up for it. He's allowed to miss one outing, Sara. And it's not like we'll be going somewhere new. Wherever we go, it'll be somewhere we've been a thousand times."