You Just Do

“Yo! Geno! Welcome, bro!” a smiling, slightly buzzed Jordan Staal welcomed me into his lavish home. The party for the players and their significant others was already in progress. “Beer?” I nodded and one was shoved into my hand.

I was shuffled inside to what Jordan calls his man cave. It’s a huge section of his house with a flat screen TV, video games, foosball and an old pinball machine. Sitting on the enormous couch was Sidney, Marc Andre, Kris, and a couple of Jordan’s closest friend. The girls that were brought to the party by these guys were no where to be seen. This really was a man cave.

“How’s the knee Geno?” Kris asked, motioning to plop down next to him. I obliged and nodded to the other guys in acknowledgement.

“Good,” I stated simply. “Coach says I play by next week. No more crutches. Life good.”

“Well that is very good to hear! We have missed you, G,” Marc Andre chimed in, his smiling face greeting me from the other side of the couch.

Jordan waltzed in, beer in hand, before I could reply to Marc. “Men, welcome to the cave! Na na na na Batman!” he sang before taking the seat in the recliner next to the couch. “Well I have some exciting news. I am going to ask Belle to move in with me.” He looked around waiting for reactions. Everybody was shocked. Jordan was not the type to discuss his love life unless he banged a hot chick. This was different. The thing that stuck in my mine was they had only known each other for the same time as me and Olivier.

“Are you crazy, man?” Sidney spoke up. “You known each other for how long?” Jordan shrugged not being able to remember how long either. “Not long. Do you really want this?”

“Yeah Sid I think I love her. I want the whole world to know. I think she is one.” The guys were all silent. Not knowing what to say to Mr. Man Whore himself. No one could see him settling down.

Then out of the silence, a good friend of his, Matt spoke up, “Good for you, man. I am glad you found her. Could you find mine, or at least a good lay.” The guys laughed and congratulated him one by one. I even found myself happy for him, but a pang of jealousy soared through my body. Oliver and I couldn’t be like this. We could never settle down.

*********
On the way home I called Olivier to say goodnight. It was kind of our little ritual. He answered on the third ring. “Allo?”

“Hey, Olivier,” I smiled, I loved the way his name rolled off my tongue.

I could hear him smiling through the phone, “ Hey baby. How was party? I wished came but stupid Max grounded me. I guess I came back too late one night.” I smiled thinking of the dirty reasons why he could have stayed so late at my house. “I don’t even know how he has the authority to ground me. For God’s sake I nineteen!”

“I missed you. Coming over tomorrow right?”

“Of course.”

“Well I almost home. You go to bed. Late. Goodnight baby.”

“Bonne nuit.” I smiled and hung up.

I still couldn’t believe Olivier made me feel the way I do when I am with him. Even when he is not I still feel carefree and happy as I am when I am around him. I love his smell, his touch, his warmth, his smiles, his accent and improving English. I adore the random, sweet conversations we have when he visits after school. He comes right over to my apartment and we usually snuggle. We have been a secret like this for about a month and I love every minute of it. I would have never thought I would be this way with a guy. Sure I am not a virgin, but that’s with girl. Lately, I haven’t even thought about girls that way. I think the same thing I used to think about girl’s boobs as I do about Olivier’s lovely bum.

After Jordan’s little get together I tried to go right to bed, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how I wanted to show Olivier off to the world. Tell the world to back off, he is mine. But at last, I didn’t think I could do that. The way that Max freaked when we were making out replayed in my mind every time I thought about bringing Olivier to a game and kissing him in front of the whole center. But I knew that wouldn’t have turned out well.