The Etiquette of Smoking

Medicine

My phone buzzed under my pillow, startling me from my sleep. My head raised slowly, looking around my empty bedroom. Sunlight came streaming in through the windows in sporadic rays. I groaned, pushing my frizzy hair out of my face and rolling onto my back. Two hands overhead provided me with a satisfying stretch of my muscles. I yawned and blinked as I stared at the white ceiling above my head before my phone buzzed again. I reached for my phone under my head, fishing it out and looking at the screen. 2 texts from an unknown number. Curious, I unlocked my phone and opened the messages.

Unknown: Hey its George

Unknown: I hope its ok that Niki gave me your number

I stared at my phone for minute, blinking the sleep away as I processed the messages. George... Joji? Oh. My eyebrows rose in surprise as my tired brain finally caught up and began typing a response.

O: Yeah thats okay, hi

I yawned again, pulling the light blue comforter up to my chin and savoring the warmth of the bed. My phone buzzed again. That was quick.

Unknown: I just wanted to say sorry about yesterday. It was kinda weird and im sorry if I made you uncomfortable

O: No it was my fault. I missed ur cheek and made it weird, im sorry

The memories of last night came back, flooding me with embarrassment. I fully blamed Niki for everything that happened, even though there was a decent chance she wouldn't even remember. After the uh...thing that happened with George, we all continued playing for a while, giving and receiving kisses on the cheeks or hugs. Chad had offered to give a handjob to Max but that, of course, did not come to fruition. George and I never landed on each other again for the night which was honestly a huge relief. I don't have an explanation for the thoughts I had that night. Why I could remember how he smelled or the heat of his body or the feel of his skin on my lips. I'd kissed a couple other people on the cheeks last night but I couldn't describe in great detail what that was like, only the exchange with Joji. I chalked it up to mild infatuation at the extra male attention I'd been receiving lately and left it at that. It was nothing more and nothing less. The buzz of my phone pulled me back to reality.

Unknown: Yeah you made it super fuckin weird, you're right

I snorted a laugh at his reply. I turned to my side, pulling a long pillow up to my chest and rested my head on it as I typed up a response to him.

O: Lol you're a jerk. Still friends?

I smiled at my screen after pressing send, just watching as my text went from 'delivered' to 'read' and then the 3 little gray dots appeared in the corner indicating he was writing something.

Unknown: Of course

I dropped my phone on the pillow, raising an arm in the air in a stretch and contemplating if I wanted to get out of bed today or not when my phone buzzed again, deciding my fate for me.

Unknown: Wanna hang out today? Ian and Max are making out in the living room and I dont like it

I grinned as I sat up in bed and typed again only to be interrupted by my bedroom door swinging open and startling me, almost making me drop my phone. Gavin was standing in the doorway with a bowl of cereal and a spoon in his mouth.

"Oh, good you're up. I'm out of clean underwear and bud lights. Think you can do some laundry and go shopping today?" He asked, dipping his spoon into the bowl and bringing a spoonful of cereal back up to his mouth.

"Why can't you do the laundry?"

He rolled his eyes at me as he dropped his spoon back in the bowl and turned to leave.