Brian and Carey

by Colin Sherman

“No. I mean, it’s nice but it’s not fancy. Amy and I were just tired of looking like beach bums.”

  Brian shrugged. “It’s my boyfriend’s birthday. I wanted to look nice.”

  “You do,” Carey said, walking into the kitchen. “Very nice.” He caught Matt rolling his eyes. He was going to give Brian a kiss but didn’t.

  “I’m on vacation,” Matt said. “I ain’t dressing up.”

  “Nobody said you had to,” Amy replied. After a few days together in the house, it was clear that she wasn’t fond of Matt.

  “We’re walking, right? It’s close enough?” Josh asked.

  “Yep,” Robin smiled.

  Josh walked over to her and whispered something into her ear, making her giggle. Carey noticed that Matt rolled his eyes at them too.

  “Everybody ready?” asked Todd, who was the last one out of his bedroom.

  Everyone was, and they began to make the walk to the restaurant. Forced by the narrow sidewalks, they all paired up, except for Matt. He hovered closely to Dave and Tim as they walked.

  Deciding he didn’t really care what Matt thought, Carey took Brian’s hand.

  “That shirt looks great on you,” he said. “It really shows off your tan.”

  “Your nose is a little burnt,” Brian teased.

  “My shoulders too, but not too bad. Your hair is super curly.” He ruffled it a little with his free hand.

  “I know,” Brian frowned. “That’s the only thing I hate about the beach.”

  “I love your hair.”

  “Yours is better,” Brian smiled. “No frizz.” He smoothed the side of Carey’s hair.

  “Enough with the PDA,” Matt shouted ahead. “Jeez, if I’d known it was going to be all couples, I would have brought a date.” He looked at Tim and Dave. “I guess that means you two are a couple, too,” he laughed.

  Brian turned around. “No, you guys must be a threesome.”

  Matt flipped Brian off.

  “When we get back, we should go over to the girls’ house next door and hook up,” he said to Dave and Tim.

  “I don’t think Brianna liked me much,” Dave said. “She barely said two words that first night.”

  “Maybe she’s just shy,” Tim suggested. “Why don’t you invite her over again. Tell her to bring a couple of friends so she’ll feel more comfortable.”

  “Like, Mary,” Matt nodded.

  They had to wait a little while at the restaurant, while some busboys pushed together a few tables to accommodate the large group. Once they sat down and figured out what they each wanted to eat, they began to talk.

  “Hey, how about if we go around and tell our best high school memory,” Amy proposed.

  “That sounds fun,” Robin smiled. “Why don’t you go first?”

  “Ok,” Amy said, sitting up straighter. “My favorite memory was Junior Prom. My first dance with Todd.”

  He smiled self-consciously at her. “You’re not going to be mad if I don’t say the same thing, are you?”

  “No,” she said, but she looked disappointed.

  Oblivious, he said, “My favorite was when Mr. Klusky got locked out of the school and no one would let him back in. He gave our whole class detention, but it was hilarious.”

  “I heard about that,” Josh said. “But I thought the detentions were just a rumor.”

  “No, man. My mom was so mad, she called Dr. Gould. She said if the teacher was stupid enough to lock himself out, he shouldn’t have taken it out on us.”

  “Did that work?”

  “Nope. We still all got after school detention.”

  “Mine was when Carey won Homecoming King,” Dave said next. “I wish Kristy would have won too, though.”

  “Mine was going to Regionals. I was so happy to make it that I didn’t mind being fourth chair,” Josh said.

  “What’s regionals?” asked Amy.

  “It’s auditions for band. First you make Districts, which is local. Then you try to make Regionals, which is bigger. If you’re lucky, you go to States. But Carey and I didn’t get that far,” Josh explained.

  “How about you Matt?” Tim asked.

  “Getting laid in the boy's locker room last November.”

  “You did not,” Dave scoffed.

  “Did too. Risa Jarvie let me do her in the showers. No water though.”

  “You lie,” said Tim.

  “I swear.” Matt held his hands up. “And if any of you ever got laid, that would have been your best memory too. Virgins,” he laughed.

  “Just because we don’t go around bragging doesn’t mean we’re virgins,” Dave said.

  “Yeah, right. Who did you do?” Matt challenged.

  Dave kept quiet.

  “That’s what I thought,” snickered Matt.

  After a brief silence, Robin picked up the conversation.

  “So, what was yours, Brian?”

  He grinned. “So many to choose from. I want to say finally getting the lead in the spring musical. But Junior Prom was pretty memorable.” He glanced at Carey.

  “Mine was definitely the Homecoming dance,” Carey said. Even though no one else knew that they declared their love for each other on the dance floor, he still blushed thinking about it.

  “I think mine was the Environmental Club trip to French Creek. We camped in tents, took soil and water samples, and went canoeing. It was so much fun.” Robin looked excited just talking about it.

  “Nerd,” Josh nudged her playfully.

  “I think this is it,” Tim said. “I guess technically, we’re not in high school any more. But this is the best time I’ve ever had.”

  “Yeah, man.” Dave raised his glass of Coke, prompting the others to do the same.

  “Cheers,” somebody yelled, and everyone followed suit.

  Matt managed to behave himself for the rest of the evening, though Carey could see why Amy wasn’t fond of him. He could be a little crass, but basically, he was okay.

  Back at the house, the girls put candles on Carey’s cake. The kitchen was overcrowded thanks to several visitors. Dave persuaded Robin and Amy to invite the girls next door to help celebrate Carey’s birthday. Five of them agreed.

  Everyone sang Happy Birthday, and Carey blew out the candles.

  “What did you wish for?” Brian asked, giving him a kiss.

  “I’ll let you know if it comes true,” he answered.

  Robin passed around small pieces of cake, while Todd passed around beer. Amy made virgin margaritas for anyone who didn’t want to drink.

  “Hey, where did Dave go?” Tim asked, no one in particular.

  “I think he and Brianna went for a walk,” Ashley, one of the girls from next door, told him.

  Matt held up his can in cheers. “Go ginger!”

  Once again, Tim tried to get a game of strip poker going, but the girls all refused. They settled on regular poker and a lot of flirting. As the night wore on, and the beer disappeared, the partiers began to drop. Matt passed out on the couch. Three of the other girls went back to their house. Tim brought the last girl to his room, as Dave and Brianna had yet to be seen since taking their walk.

  Brian yawned and stretched his arms. “I’m going to take a shower and go to bed.”

  “Didn’t you already shower before dinner?” Carey asked.

  “I feel all salty from walking around.”

  “You just want to quit because you’re losing,” Todd said, grinning as he scooped the pile of chips in the middle of the table toward him.

  “It’s not like you’re going to be able to trade those in for money,” Brian laughed.

  Carey started to get up.

  “Oh, come on Carey,” Todd whined. “If you leave it’ll only be me and Josh. And he sucks.”

  “Hey,” Josh scowled.

  Brian put a hand on Carey’s shoulder. “Go ahead. Play another round. Beat the pants off him.”

  “Okay. I’ll be up soon.”

  Brian glanced back at the boys playing cards as he ma
de his way up the stairs.

  ◆◆◆

  “Fold,” Carey said as he threw his cards down. “I’m done. Is it really only twelve-forty? It feels so much later.”

  “Me too,” Josh said. “I’m going to bed.”

  Josh put the cards back in the box, while Todd swept the chips into a bag. Carey threw out their trash and empty beer cans.

  “I’m going up. See you in the morning,” Carey said as he walked past Dave and Tim’s room. He paused when he heard voices.

  “I should go,” a girl’s voice said.

  “Oh. Okay,” Tim said. “Sorry I fell asleep.”

  She giggled. “I did too. I don’t usually drink.”

  Feeling like he shouldn’t be eavesdropping, Carey quickly bounded up the stairs.

  He opened the door to his room to find Brian sitting in bed with a small gift wrapped box.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Shut the door,” Brian urged.

  Carey closed the door behind him and looked around. There were several candles lit and music playing on his phone.

  “What’s all this?” Carey asked, smiling.

  “I didn’t get to give you my present with everyone hanging around.” Brian patted the bed for him to sit. He held out the box for Carey to take.

  “You didn’t have to get me anything.” But he took it and began to unwrap it. It was a framed picture of the two of them at graduation. “Thank you. Did your mom take this? I don’t think I saw it before.”

  “Yeah, she did. As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to give it to you, so I made sure you didn’t see it with all the other pictures.”

  “I’m definitely going to take this with me to school.”

  Carey leaned over and kissed Brian. When he pulled away, Brian wrapped his arm around him so he couldn’t get far.

  “I have something else for you,” Brian said. He reached for a bag on the night stand.

  When Carey peeked inside, his eyes widened. He looked up at Brian. “Is this . . . are you sure?”

  Brian held up the sheet to reveal his nude body underneath.

  “I wasn’t sure if you brought any of this stuff,” Brian said. “So, I wanted to be prepared.”

  “You’re really ready for this?”

  Brian nodded. “I, um, showered and everything.”

  They kissed while Carey slowly removed his clothes and slipped under the covers with Brian.

  ◆◆◆

  Carey opened his eyes before his phone alarm went off. Brian lay beside him still sleeping. He watched Brian’s chest rise and fall slowly, small noises, not quite snores, coming from his nose.

  Thinking back on the night before, Carey sighed. They moved with neither grace, nor finesse. But it had been the best night of Carey’s life. He tried not to laugh out loud when he thought about what Matt said at dinner the day before. He was right. Getting laid was definitely the best memory.

  He was still staring at Brian’s perfection when the phone alarm went off.

  “Mmm. Is it time to get up already?” Brian mumbled.

  “Yeah. It’s our turn to make breakfast, remember?”

  “Ugh.” Brian rolled over and buried his face in his pillow.

  Carey moved over and leaned heavily on him. “How do you feel?”

  Brian picked his head up a little and blushed. “I’m okay. I guess we should go down and start breakfast.”

  “Why don’t we just pick up bagels?” Carey suggested. “There are a couple of places to get them nearby.”

  “Okay.”

  They got dressed and went quietly down the stairs. The whole house was silent, except for an occasional snore. Brian began to set up the coffee maker, so it would be ready when they got back with bagels.

  Still worried about Brian, Carey walked up and hugged him from behind.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? I didn’t hurt you?”

  Brian shrugged. “I’m . . . a little . . . sore,” he admitted.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not,” Brian smiled. “That was amazing. I don’t know why I made us wait so long.”

  “It was worth the wait.”

  They stood hugging in the kitchen for a while.

  “We should get going,” Brian finally said. “Don’t worry about me. I will definitely do that again. A lot,” he chuckled.

  “Good. Because that’s all I’m going to be thinking about until bedtime tonight.” Carey blushed. “I love you,” he said shyly.

  “Love you too, babe.”

  Brian hit the button for the coffee maker and the pair walked out to go to the cafe hand in hand.

  ◆◆◆

  When they got back, Matt was sitting at the kitchen table with Robin, Amy and Dave drinking coffee. Brian and Carey were giggling as they walked in.

  “Oh, why is everybody up already?” Carey asked, surprised to see so many of them up before eight thirty. He put the two bags of bagels on the table and got out a knife.

  “I guess I passed out pretty early,” Matt said.

  “Amy and I went to bed before midnight,” added Robin.

  “I just got in,” Dave grinned.

  Brian gasped. “You were out all night?”

  Dave laughed. “It’s not what you think. I slept on their chair, and Brianna slept on the couch. I think Mary slept on the floor. Did you know they only have three bedrooms over there?”

  “So, how did it go?” Amy asked, ever the romantic.

  He shrugged. “Good, I guess.”

  “Do you like her?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I mean, really like her,” Amy clarified.

  “Yeah, she’s nice. We walked round town for a while. Did you know she’s going to major in neurobiology? I had no idea she was that smart.”

  “Too smart for you,” Matt laughed. He spread cream cheese on his cinnamon raisin bagel.

  “I think you two make a cute couple. Matching gingers,” Amy smiled. “Are you going out now or what?”

  “I’ll make more coffee,” Brian offered. He poured out the rest of the carafe into two mugs for Carey and himself then rinsed it out for a fresh pot.

  Carey hovered over him, seemingly unable to keep his hands off. They kept pausing to kiss or whisper into one another’s ear.

  “What’s with you two love birds?” Dave joked, hoping to take the focus off himself.

  “They had sex last night. First time, sounded like,” Matt said casually, then sipped his coffee. Everyone else in the room just froze.

  “Uh . . .” Carey was at a loss for words.

  “You really should make sure the dude sleeping on the couch is actually sleeping before you air your dirty laundry,” Matt snickered. “I knew you guys were all virgins.”

  Everyone avoided eye contact until the coffee maker beeped. Matt was the first one finished with his breakfast and left to use the bathroom.

  “I knew you guys were all virgins,” Dave mocked, then stuck his tongue out in the direction of the bathroom door.

  “So what?” Robin said. “There's nothing wrong with that. We’re only eighteen.”

  “Maybe some people don’t like everyone to know their business,” Dave muttered.

  Robin glanced at Carey and raised her eyebrows in question. Was Dave talking about himself?

  “So, what should we do today?” Amy asked perkily, moving the conversation from an embarrassing subject. “Are there any places to go miniature golfing?”

  “Yeah,” Brian said enthusiastically. “I want to go.”

  “I’ll go,” Robin said.

  Carey sighed. “I guess majority rules.”

  “Don’t you want to go?” asked Robin.

  Brian laughed. “He’s not very good at it.”

  A groggy Tim walked down the hall. “Who’s in the bathroom? I gotta pee.”

  “Matt. Use ours,” Amy said. “Hey, do you want to go miniature golfing?”

  “Jeez, let me wake up. Do I smell coffee?”

  “Yeah, I just
made another pot,” said Brian. “Why are you so tired?”

  “I walked Colleen back to her house, and we stood on the porch talking for a long time,” he told them. “I don’t know what time I got to bed.” He looked at Dave and grinned. “You never came in, did you?”

  “I slept on their chair.”

  “Still,” Tim shrugged. “All in all, it’s been a pretty good week. We got lucky.”

  “Some people got lucky, anyway,” Matt said as he entered the room.

  “What’s that supposed to mean? Did somebody hook up? Dave, are you holding out on me?” Tim demanded.

  Dave put up his hands. “It wasn’t me.”

  Tim looked at Amy, who shrugged, then Robin, who shook her head.

  “Aw man, I didn’t need to know about that,” Tim said, glancing up at Brian and Carey looking guilty.

  “Do you have to tell everybody?” Brian said to Matt and hurried up the stairs.

  “You know, you could have kept it to yourself,” Carey said. “You didn’t need to embarrass us.”

  “What? Most guys like to brag about that shit,” Matt defended.

  “No, we don’t,” Dave said. “Only jerks.” He got up, walked to his room and shut the door.

  “Oh my God.” Matt laughed. “I guess I didn’t give him enough credit before. Who’d have thought?” He went into the front room to lie back down on the couch.

  Amy rolled her eyes. “Well, Dave was right about one thing. Only jerks go around talking about the people they’ve screwed.” She took her dishes to the sink. “I’m going to go online and see if I can find a miniature golf place.”

  “I’m gonna take a shower,” announced Tim, leaving only Robin and Carey in the kitchen.

  She smiled at him with raised eyebrows. “Well?”

  He sat down at the table next to her so they could speak quietly.

  “I thought only jerks talked about the people they screwed,” he joked.

  “You’re allowed to talk about it with your best friends,” she pointed out. “Was it really the first time?”

  “It was his idea. I mean, I’ve been bringing it up for a while, but he wasn't ready.” Carey sighed. “It was just as wonderful as I thought it would be.”

  “You guys are so lucky.”

  “What about you and Josh?”

  “We’re not that serious,” she said. “We have fun, but really, we’re so different.”