With everything seemingly fair game for this chat, I didn’t feel as much hesitation after Kalei asked me something that would have made me freak out if she asked it at the lunch table or something. I understood her desire to have this kind of talk as a late-night sleepover thing.
“You didn’t fall asleep, did you?” Kalei asked. “Or are you pretending to because I just asked if you think anyone in our class has done it yet?”
“I’m not asleep, I’m just thinking about my answer,” I said. “I hate that my first thought is the love trio.”
“OK, but it’s in the name so I don’t blame you,” Kalei said. “KJ went all goth not just because Rain’s not at school but because she wasn’t getting any, it checks out.”
“Who do you think? Please answer quickly so I can stop thinking about the love trio because the mental image is way too clear.” I said, doing everything I could to force that painfully vivid mental image away.
“I bet Iris and Maia had a fling.” Kalei said.
“You think?”
Kalei picked up on my tone immediately.
“Zeta, do you know something I don’t?” Kalei asked with the tone of someone telling their dog to drop something they weren’t supposed to be carrying around.
“Don’t tell anyone this…but…I shouldn’t say, I was asked to keep it secret.”
“Well, you can’t leave me hanging now.”
“Promise to keep it a secret?” I said. Normally I wouldn’t have said anything, but I was so sleepy alongside the aforementioned everything on the table in this chat deal.
“Yes, I promise,” Kalei said. “Are they seriously doing it? And they told you for some reason?”
“No, but Maia told me that Iris bit her and it sounds like they got pretty heated.”
Kalei clicked her tongue. “Damn, OK, so that’s close enough that I’m counting it and giving myself points.”
“Whaaaat, biting isn’t doing it,” I said. “Then Oka and I would technically…”
“Fine, fine, but I bet they’re gonna...wait," Kalei said. "I forgot about the hickey thing. I don't know if I'd count that as doing it."
"Right, yeah." I said.
"I'm still giving myself points for the Iris and Maia thing though," Kalei said. "On the subject of hickeys and junk, though, I think you’re a lot better at this then you let on.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Like, you clam up talking about it sure, but you’ve had two girlfriends, and only one was a total suckbag that was terrible. One’s actually cool. And you guys like. Do romantic things together. Like you don’t just stumble into those, so like. I dunno. Be proud, dude.”
I was blushing pretty hard. Getting genuine compliments from Kalei was rare enough that it felt like I really earned it. “Thanks.”
“Imagine if there was an ‘Oka’s You Knows’ page, you’d lose your mind.” Kalei giggled. That was more like the Kalei I was used to.
“In a lot of ways,” I said, feeling my own giggles approaching. “I’d get all excited about seeing her, but then also upset that other people could see that.”
“Oka got all goofy after you gave her a hickey, imagine how bad you guys are gonna be if you like touch ‘you knows’ and stuff.”
“I know, it’s gonna be terrible.” I laughed, covering my mouth with my hands so I wouldn’t be too loud. “I’m gonna have to take a day off classes to recover.”
“On that note, it does suck Oka got booted from our room right as soon as you started dating.” Kalei said.
“I know…” I said. “I didn’t even get to like have a secret late night make out with her.”
“Maybe we can do some deal where I trade with Oka…” Kalei said. “It’d take some finagling with like, I dunno if our wristbands tell which room we’re in…but I think we can figure something out.”
“You’d do that for us?” I asked.
“Oh, totally.” Kalei said. “Best friends help each other out, right?”
“Right.” I smiled.
“If I’m ever out of the dorms on a trip or a beam chasers away game you should try to sneak Oka in then too. We should try that soon really, because who knows when we’re gonna get that third roommate.” Kalei said.
“Yeah…” I said.
“I’m really glad you guys are dating, you know?” Kalei said.
“Really?” I asked. “I always worry we’re gonna make you feel like a third wheel.”
“Well, it’d be third of four wheels with Lillia now,” Kalei said. “I did kinda feel third-wheel-y at first, but that was when we all just moved in and I didn’t really get the dynamic you two had. Now I’m like. I dunno. Thankful, I guess. I dunno what I’d do if I didn’t have you guys to talk to about this. I’d probably be like, punching walls and stuff trying to figure myself out.”
“Aww,” I said. “Well I’m happy to help.”
“OK, random thought. When she was still our roommate, did you ever like go through Oka’s drawers and look at her panties and stuff?” Kalei asked.
“What? No!” I crossed my arms and pouted. “I’m a good person, I wouldn’t do that.”
“Alright, geez,” Kalei said. “I’m just saying I would have if Nikki was my roommate, I probably would…feel pretty tempted, I guess.”
“That’s kinda gross.” I said. She gave me her own pout. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“No, you’re prolly right.” Kalei said. “I just...never talked about feelings like this with anyone so…”
“It’s normal to like have feelings like that,” I said. “Just don’t be a creep about it—and you’re not a creep so don’t get all defensive.”
“Right, right,” Kalei said. “I have been thinking about Nikki’s panties a lot though, not gonna lie.”
“That’s normal, you got a crush on her!” I said. “And again, definitely not faking. If you need to hear it again.”
“I’m fine with you saying that as much as possible,” Kalei said. “There’s still a part of me that’s like. Whispering that I’m faking it whenever I have ‘the gay thoughts.’”
For some reason, she said the last bit with her demon voice, and it made me laugh really hard. Like full on kicking my feet like a total dweeb, but I was really happy so who cares.
“Oh my god, I forgot to ask the one friggin’ question that was really bugging me.” Kalei said.
“What’s that?” I asked.
Kalei rolled to her side and stared into an empty root beer bottle. “I haven’t told my mom yet.” Given the way she looked downward, this seemed to be a big part of what Kalei was worried about. “I know that’s not really a question. I guess the question is how do you think I should tell her?”
