"You made me, you made me a believer! Believer!"
All four of us were screaming the lyrics of the new Imagine Dragons song. I was in the back seat on the passenger side next to Kevin. They laughed as Daniel decided to finish with a riff and very off key.
Dan jerked around to look at them. "Hey! We all suck, dudes!"
"You more than us..." Bryan responded. Kevin and I made quick eye contact and roared with laughter and Daniel dramatically pretended to be offended, but all of us could see the smirk on his face.
Dan was driving us back to Bryan's parents' house where we were staying for the night. They were very generous to let us crash there after we got tickets to see Imagine Dragons in Montreal, which is a good two hours away from Ottawa. All four of us attended university there.
Tommy was exhausted but felt great. It was one of the best nights in a long time. It was mid-July, and the heat was suffocating, but that didn't stop them from partying hard tonight. Thomas was a sweaty mess, but his clothes rarely got wet, just a little damp in certain areas. Kevin was a little on the chubby side and he was soaked from head-to-toe, but he didn't smell. Kevin was using some of the concert programs as a fan to try and cool off, but the sweat was still rolling down his face like a waterfall.
"Guys, I'm dying back here. Has the AC kicked in yet?" Kevin asked between deep breaths.
I heard Dan checking the buttons on the console. "It's on, but this heatwave... Hold on." The back of his head disappeared. "Here, drink up. I have plenty." Kevin reached towards the front of the car and brought back two bottles of water in his hand. "We'll be there in about fifteen," he said looking at Kevin, a little worried.
I wondered how much Kevin had had to drink tonight, but I can't imagine it was that much. Dehydration was definitely a danger in this heat. After Kevin chugged some water down, I looked over to see if there was any indication that he was losing strength, but he looked fine. Kevin was just sweaty and hot; probably just super uncomfortable and wanting to get into a room with temperature control.
"Hey Thomas! You brought your air mattress, right?" Dan asked. I could see a light coming from his lap; probably his phone.
"Oh yah, it's somewhere in the trunk," I responded back to him. "Do we not have the extra bed then?"
"No," he responded. I could tell he was doing two things at once because his answer was almost devoid of emotion. Then the light disappeared. "No, my sister came home as well apparently. It's a full house."
"Your sister?" Bryan blurted out, looking at Dan, then back at the road. Bryan was in the wrestling team at the University of Ottawa and was built like a tank. He wore a tank top with shorts that showed off his bulging arms and legs. I won't lie that it's very hot, but he's straight as an arrow. I did hint that I was interested when we met, but that flew out the window.
I chuckled and heard Kevin beside me say: "Bryan... she already said no twice..."
"I know," Bryan said. His voice was a little sensitive there. Bryan never had girl troubles and Isabelle was giving him a hard time. He was brooding, focusing on the road with furrowed eyebrows. They were a bit thicker and angular. Combined with a pronounced brow ridge, his looks will let him have any woman he wanted. Nonetheless, he was insecure about his height. I kept telling him to shove it cause I'm only 5'4", but he didn't like to compete with guys who are 6'2", basically 5 inches taller than him. Although, none had his physique.
Isabelle was gorgeous, 5'6", lean and curvy at the same time. I could see the alure for Bryan, even if I was as gay as they come.
Dan changed the subject quickly. "So, I was thinking that I could bunk with Bryan in my room. It's a queen-sized bed, so plenty of room." Bryan nodded and made an agreeable sound, but his expression didn't change. "Tommy and Kevin can share the guest room, but that's just a double bed. So, air mattress for Tommy and Kevin has the bed!"
"I don't care as long as the room has AC," Kevin was still sweating like crazy, but he was just fine.
"We're 2 blocks away now", Dan mentioned. Kevin rolled down the windows at that. No one said anything; the AC in the car wasn't doing anything and Kevin's sign of relief at the current was enough to just smile quietly.
Dan's family was upper-middle class. They had a 2-floor home plus a fully finished basement. All four bedrooms were on the top floor. The basement was divided into a gym and an entertainment room which was mostly used by Dan's dad, now.
Dan and I have known each other since middle school. I'm originally from Montreal, but my mother moved us to Ottawa in my senior year of high school. Luckily, Dan and I both planned to attend the University of Ottawa. I wanted to be a Computer Engineer and he wanted to go into political sciences, so we reconnected as freshman the next year.
Dan was a tall guy at 6'1". He was fit but had gained a bit of weight since coming to Ottawa. We had just finished our second year of university and he was maybe 20 lbs. heavier from stress eating, but it didn't look bad on him. He always had a thicker build, so the extra padding was proportionally spread out. His superpower was charming the ladies. Even if he was heavier, he wouldn't have a hard time; he could convince you to go to bed with him if he really put his effort in. Guys in our dorm called him The Politician because he could convince you of anything.
Kevin was a little shy with women, but he had a girlfriend of 7 months that he loved very much, and he never complained about her. We liked her well enough, even if she was a little simple for what I thought Kevin would like, but he was happy.
I was a tiny twink, or so they called me every time I went out at the gay bars in town. I've been going to the gym since I moved to Ottawa, but I could never gain any real muscle mass. So, I was left with a toned body and have been called cute often enough. I have a little stubble that I keep on my face to appear a little older, but I don't have much body hair. I'd rather have no hair than have ridiculously weak ones, so I get rid of most of them on my body.
Bryan's thick frame was pulling bags from the trunk like they were light as a feather. That would have made me swoon when I met him as a freshman as well, but now he's just a friend. I chuckle at it since he doesn't realize how hot it is, but I just grab my bags and make my way to the front door.
Dan's mom opens it a few meters before I get to it.
"Tommy!" It wasn't quite a scream, but it wasn't her usual tone either. "It's been 3 years! You still haven't grown, eh? But you have definitely filled out. Look at those arms!"
"Hi Nicole," I greeted back after she finished her little spiel. Then she pulled me into a big hug. "It's been way too long time!" I was able to say, her grip was tight, and it caught my breath.
"I'm really sweaty..." I told her after a good three seconds. She let go suddenly and pulled away. She wore a big grin.
"Pff! That won't stop me from hugging the boy who was always here on the weekend and half the school nights!" she responded. She looked away towards the rest of the group as they started to make their way towards us. "Right! Let's get all inside before we all get acquainted."
Bryan looked at me with a smirk, almost saying something naughty. I gave him a sharp look. He was not going to say anything while Isabelle was here; there was too much ammo for us to use against him at the moment.
Kevin was the last to get into the house and closed the door. "Dear Mother of God... I'm saved".