They all said goodbye to each
other, congratulating one another on a good rehearsal even though it had been a
shit rehearsal. Just like every
rehearsal had been shit, because the play they were doing was shit.
Karine gathered up her things and
put on her coat, falling into step with Cerise as they walked through the
school to get to the back-door bus stop.
“So I guess that was that,” said
Cerise. “Did you find it awkward? Hanging out with Jay again after all this
time?”
“Wasn’t awkward for me. Was it awkward for you?”
“I dunno,” shrugged Cerise. “He seemed pissed, didn’t he?”
“’Cause the guys were being
pretty harsh on him, constantly making fun of his nose and his motor control
issues. It was pretty hilarious.”
“They’re so mean,” said Cerise
with a slight chuckle.
They got outside and went to
stand inside the bus shelter. “God, it’s
fucking freezing!” said Karine as she pulled her hat down on her head. She rarely wore a hat since she didn’t want
to mess up her hair but she just couldn’t handle this kind of cold. God, winter sucked.
“I know, these late-night
rehearsals are so bullshit. We have to
stay so late and for what? So the play
can continue to suck regardless?” asked Cerise with gritted teeth, holding her
scarf over her nose.
“I know, it’s so insane. I wish we didn’t have to take the bus… oh my
god! Terry is totally here!”
“What?” Cerise looked around in a panic.
“Terry and Nick! They had a game tonight! I think in Baie d’Urfe! And then they were gonna go drink in
Ste-Anne’s after so like we can totally get him to pick us up!”
“We can’t just expect him to come
get us when he’s probably like partying with a bunch of hockey groupies.”
“Oh god, whatever. What’s the point of having a friend with a
car if you can’t force him to drive you home when it’s minus fucking 30?”
Before Cerise could protest,
Karine dragged her back inside the school and pulled out her phone.
“He won’t want me in his car,
Karine. Terry hates me.”
“Oh shut up, you think everyone
hates you,” said Karine as she dialled.
“Hey Terry, it’s me. Can you pick
me up? I’m at school, we had a late
rehearsal. Oh don’t give me that, I know you’re not having fun with those
red-necks. It’ll be way more fun just us
and Nick. Ok, later, babe!” She hung up and then advised Cerise that he
was on his way.
“You didn’t tell him that I was
here too.”
Cerise followed Karine outside,
rushing to Terry’s car and jumping inside, sitting in the back with Karine
since Nick was in front. She hoped Terry
wouldn’t freak out that she was in his car.
“Oh my god, this has been like
the craziest winter ever!” exclaimed
Karine.
“I know, it’s insane. First it’s freezing, then it’s boiling, then
it’s freezing again! I blame the government,” laughed Nick.
“Hi Terry,” said Cerise. “Thanks for picking us up. I mean I can still take the bus. It’s just that Karine said…”
“Oh my god, Cerise, calm down. Terry doesn’t hate you, right Terry?” said
Karine, displaying about as much tact as Janice might in this situation.
“Of course not,” smiled Terry, meeting
Cerise’s eyes for a moment and then turning back to face the wheel and driving
off. “Are we going out or am I taking
everyone home?”
“I’m good to go,” said Karine.
“Whatever everyone wants,” said
Cerise. Part of her wanted to get home
as soon as possible and part of her wanted to keep hanging out with Terry. She hadn’t seen him in forever.
They ended up at a crowded bar
and sat at a table where they were thoroughly ignored by all the
waitresses. Terry and Nick went to the
bar to get their drinks and Karine reminded Cerise to get her shit together in
terms of applying to Universities. The
guys came back with three beers and a red drink.
“A Shirley Temple,” said Terry,
depositing the drink in front of Cerise.
“You like them, right?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “How much do I owe you?” she asked, taking
out her wallet.
“Don’t worry about it,” he
smiled.
“No, seriously,” she took out a
five-dollar bill but he pushed it away, insisting that it was no big deal and
that she could buy him his next drink.
“So where are you guys going next
year?” asked Karine.
“Concordia,” Terry and Nick said
in unison.
“I applied to McGill too,” said
Nick. “But Terry wants to go to
Concordia. The Loyola campus is super
close to where he lives now.”
“Oh yeah, that’d be super
convenient,” nodded Karine. “But it’s
not like McGill is far.”
“That’s what I said,” agreed
Nick. “But Terry doesn’t think his grades are high enough to get him into
McGill.
“But I thought you’d been doing
really good lately.”
“Yeah but still,” shrugged
Terry.
“What program are you gonna do?”
asked Cerise.
“We both applied to Sociology,”
said Terry.
“Both of you?” asked Karine with
a smile.
“Terry took it first semester and
then I took it second and we both liked it.
And we’ve done Anthro and Psych but we both like Soc best.”
“Oh yeah?” Karine snickered.
“Sociology, eh?” said Cerise. “That’s cool.
Sounds interesting.”
“Yeah, it’s kinda cool,” nodded
Terry. “I mean, I dunno if I’ll get in,
even to Concordia. If not I guess I’ll
get a job. What’d you apply to?”
“I haven’t yet,” Cerise admitted.
“The deadline is in like a week,”
said Terry with concern.
“I know,” nodded Cerise. “But I don’t know what I wanna do.”
“Well you’re good at
everything. Just pick something. Even if you don’t like it you can always
switch programs later on,” Terry suggested.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“How ‘bout English?” he went on.
“I mean you love to read and you write too.
And you like to analyze books and stuff.
You could do English Lit.”
“Yeah,” Cerise sipped her drink
and smiled.
“Or Education. You were always so good at helping me study,
explaining shit I didn’t get. Helping me
write papers.”
“Helping you write papers? You mean writing them for you?” she
snickered.
Terry smiled and blushed. “Yeah well, I write my own papers now! Thanks to you I know the difference between
its and it is. Or at least I know how to
use the grammar check thingy.”
Cerise smiled and Terry smiled
back.
“You ok?” asked Nick once Terry
had dropped off Cerise and Karine. Nick
lived in the opposite direction but he was gonna crash at Terry’s tonight.
“Yeah, I’m good,” said Terry as
he drove.
“You sure? You haven’t said anything in a while.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“’Cause we could talk…”
“Oh my god, stop being such a
fag!”
“Words hurt, Terry,” said Nick,
wiping away a fake tear.
“Shut up,” snickered Terry,
getting onto the highway.
They drove in silence for a while
and then Nick asked again if he was ok.
“Oh my god, serious?!”
“Well you’re being all sad!”
“How am I being sad?”
“It’s all over your face!”
“Fine fuck, I’m sad! Satisfied?”
“Yeah, so let’s explore these
feelings.”
“Fuck, you sure you wanna do
Sociology and not Psychiatry?”
“You joke but I’ve actually
thought about it.”
“So do it then,” said Terry.
“Nah, Sociology will be more
fun. So anyway, tell me about how you
feel. Seeing Cerise tonight after all
this time must have been pretty intense.”
“I guess.” He sighed.
“Yeah, I miss her. But honestly I
think I miss the sex most of all.”
Nick laughed. “Oh yeah?
You can get laid anytime you want, Terry.”
“It’s different when you’re in
love. Seriously, it’s a cliché I guess
but it’s true. It was always different
with Cerise. So much better.”
“Yeah?”
“God, I can still feel her
skin. She has the most amazing
skin. It’s like fucking silk. It’s like, you wouldn’t even believe… and if
I would touch her really lightly, like you know, really lightly, she would
shiver, like actually shiver.”
“Well I won’t waste my time
telling you to get back with her ‘cause I know you hate it when I state the
obvious.”
“Uh-huh,” said Terry, examining
the road signs with extreme interest.
“You just wanna torture
yourself. You’re enjoying the fucking
pain,” sighed Nick.
Terry let out a small laugh and
Nick asked what was funny.
“I dunno, I guess… nevermind.”
“No, what?” Nick insisted.
“Do you think it’s weird to be
into that? Like pain? Like S&M style?”
“Are you saying you’re into kinky
sex?”
“A little. Not really.
Just a bit. I only ever tried it
with Cerise, and pretty mild shit. Just
like, I’d have her scratch me and hit me.
Nothing major. I never hurt her!”
he clarified quickly before Nick could ask.
“Huh. So you really do like the pain,” said
Nick. “I guess that makes sense. Yeah, you fucking love torturing yourself. You’re a fucking martyr, you know that? All like refusing to get back with her, just
so you can act like you’re the victim somehow.
Like she wronged you, when the only reason she ever left is ‘cause you
pushed her away. And the only reason she
got with Jay is ‘cause you straight up told him to get with her and then you
fucking hit the kid like he did something wrong, like it wasn’t all your
fault!”
“Are you done?” asked Terry,
entering NDG and stopping at a light.
“I guess.”
They got to Vicky’s place and
quietly entered the apartment, tiptoeing to Terry’s room and silently taking
their turns in the bathroom. Nick
settled into the sleeping bag that had become a permanent fixture on Terry’s
bedroom floor and Terry turned off the light, deliberately stepping on Nick as
he got into bed.
“Ungh!” Nick exclaimed. “You should get back in the gym, loser, I
barely felt that,” he whispered.
Terry chuckled quietly and
quipped back that he’d be happy to take on Nick in any physical challenge to
see who was weaker.
“Seriously, any physical challenge?” Nick snickered.
“Shut up, fag.”
“You harm because you hurt.”
They both chuckled, trying not to
make too much noise. Terry waited until
he could hear Nick’s sleep breathing and then he fished Stir-Fry the chicken
out of the drawer next to his bed. He
tucked the stuffed animal under the covers and closed his eyes.
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