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“Hello?” Jeremy shut the door to Michael’s apartment behind him. The key dangled next to his own house key, shinier than his own because it was freshly cut. There were still boxes everywhere in his studio, and the only furniture up were his bed around the corner, a TV, and three gaming consoles. Typical. Jeremy smiled and shoved his keychain into his jacket pocket. He regretted wearing this one; it was way colder than he expected this time of the fall, and his thin hoodie did nothing to stop the sharp breeze that cut through the pampas growing in the lawn of his complex.
Nobody answered. There was a brief pause, and he thought maybe Michael had walked out to the store. His car was there, but his door had been locked. He rounded the corner and found Michael lying on his back next to Christine, who was doing the same, and they were watching a video on Christine’s phone with shared headphones.
“Yep, we’re here, Jer,” Michael answered, five seconds way too late, he was wrapped up in the distraction. Christine laughed at something that happened on the screen.
“He just… straight up tumbled off the stage and totally played it off! Hands-down, best show I ever went to see. I’m glad he let me record it for him. Hey, honey!” She was still giggling when Jeremy came and plopped down in the space they scooted apart to make for him. “How was your first day of class?” It almost felt patronizing the way she asked; they had started over the summer to get ahead on credits and he, well. He was just average, like always. It didn’t normally bother him this much anymore.
“Fine,” he grunted and buried his face in the pillow. “It was like high school, but like, I guess calmer. It didn’t suck.” He felt Christine’s nails on his back lightly tracing up and down. He really liked when she did that.
“It’s not so bad,” she promised. “You’ll learn to like it, I think. Maybe.” It was easy for the scholarly to say. She had basically always liked school. “And hey, Michael and I wanted to pitch something to you.”
“Shoot,” Jeremy huffed into the pillow. Anything would be a good change from the buzz of change that was rattling between his ears.
“So, Christine’s parents suggested that she move out of the house and closer to school.” A soft mm-hm of agreement came from his other side. “And I’m sure you’d prefer to be closer too, maybe spend some time away from your dad.”
“I mean I love my dad, but-”
“But you’re an adult now. Don’t be that guy who lives in his dad’s basement,” Christine joked. Jeremy raised his face from Michael’s pillow. It smelled so much like Michael’s shitty new shampoo.
“So, you’re suggesting we move in together?” He looked up to find Christine and Michael smiling expectantly down at him. It was almost creepy -- no, it was creepy -- and he had a little flashback to A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Zombies . Not a fun one. “Uh, yeah. I’ll think about it.” That was victory enough for them.
He thought about it for three semesters. Almost a year and a half. Michael knew better than to heckle him, even jokingly. Christine knew he thought about it, so she didn’t need to bring it up to him. It just sat, a suggestion on the table, a centerpiece unforgotten.
Meanwhile, Christine was having a revelation. She and Michael had some classes together, just basic things like English and Math. They helped each other out, and they spent, well, a lot of time together. They were best friends. But a feeling Christine couldn’t put her finger on kept gnawing at her when she was with him. Was it… good, or bad, or neutral? Did it have a name, or was it one of those feelings that could only be described by some abstract word for an idea of the feeling in a language almost forgotten?
No, nothing that poetic. Michael had noticed it, too, in himself.
It came first in the laughter they shared in high school, the laughter of best friends. It came in the laughter shared with Jeremy, the laughter of my lover’s lover, the only other person who cherishes the one I cherish most as much as I do . That was a forgotten feeling. It came in nap piles with disgusting, greasy snacks that even into college they hadn’t grown out of while Top Chef marathoned in the background. It came in shared experiences, late-night talks, and distressed phone calls when a car had broken down or Jeremy said something stupid and hurtful. It came in real bonding.
It came in the moment when Michael, standing next to her, forgot to call her “my partner’s partner”. She wasn’t anymore, really, as far as his subconscious had decided. He called her “my partner”. It came in the fact he didn’t correct himself. It came in the way Christine’s heart swelled inexplicably when she noticed.
Christine put it out in their group chat first.
Christine: Morning!
Christine: Guys, I was thinking a lot last night
She almost couldn’t make her fingers type the next words. She wasn’t scared, she was excited . In the pause, messages popped up.
Jeremy: when arent you??
Michael: Honestly you should be a philosopher with all this thinking
Jeremy: but seriously, what is it? good bad other?
Christine: Well that depends lol
Jeremy: ?????
Christine: Michael, will you go on a date with me?
They couldn’t see it, but Michael turned red and laughed behind his phone. Cat was out of the bag, he supposed. Jeremy blew up their phones while he composed himself.
Jeremy: holy shit oh my god what
Jeremy: I clearly missed something here holy shit this is adorable
Jeremy: Michael please do it
Jeremy: you guys have been exchanging longing looks for months like
Jeremy: like idk
Jeremy: just for months and literally I will pay for you guys to go on this stupid date
Michael: omfg Jeremy
Michael: Of fucking course <3
Christine squealed. She figured he’d say yes, but validation felt good. She started planning everything. It was going to be perfect .
Christine: So are we moving in together yet or
Jeremy: oh yeah, I was hoping to get to that today. yeah, i’d love to. my dad thinks it’s a good idea too. I just keep forgetting to say something
Michael: Fuck yes. Fuck yes this is great.