Chapter Sixteen: "I'll Be Your Sugar Daddy." 

"SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA?" I MUTTERED to Laurence in the middle of one of the lecture rooms in Roger Hall on Tuesday evening.  The beginning of November winter dawned upon the room by the traces of wet footprints down the aisle. Most people in the room were still rubbing their hands or cold cheeks and their winter coats were in their laps or thrown on the backs of chairs.

Fall was gone in southwestern Ontario and when winter typically came, it came with a vengeance I wasn't excited for.

The rest of the Piano society club was in the lecture room along with a few other adjacent music clubs that the club collaborated with or plans to collaborate for the school year. Laurence stood in front of the room, in front of me actually from where I was sitting with a few members of his own committee, all of us completely caught off guard from his announcement.

Laurence had the words 'CONCERT' written in a nice calligraphy on the whiteboard. A symphony orchestra to be held at a downtown concert hall conducted by the local orchestra made a lot of sense with our club. Yet it wasn't something that would appeal to a majority of the HU population. 

Laurence didn't care. 

In fact, Laurence made it sound like the best thing ever just by his tone. He did what he did best: explain.  

Laurence nudged me later that evening when the meeting was over. People were quick to start filing out of the room and Laurence and I were right behind the crowd. "Who can you sell to?"

"All of my friends hate classical type of music," I said.

It wasn't until we were in the hallway that I heard him mutter, "Useless."

"Hey! "I am not useless."

"One more time: can you sell a ticket to at least one of your friends?" I paused and Laurence shrugged, taking out his phone as if I wasn't worth his attention in any way. "Then you're useless."

"You're a dick." I scowled.

"Very true, but unless you can sell a ticket—"

"You've met Mariam," I sighed, trying to think of anyone who could even slightly enjoy music without words like we did. My mind immediately flashed to Aven, knowing he could tolerate that music but Laurence was his roommate. "She's not an instrument type of girl."

"Mariam is into Kyle," Distaste covered his voice. "I don't trust her judgement."

"Laurence." 

"I didn't insult her specifically," He said. "Have I not met her? Have I not helped her steal a cone off the street the other night because she wanted to add another collectable like her stop sign?"

"Yeah, Mariam's a lil' bit of a--"

"Of a klepto." He finished. "How many stolen things does it take for someone to become a kleptomaniac? I mean, people who are kleptos have irresistible urges but she wanted something pretty next to it because she said she had a lava lamp in her room so--"

"Moving on," I demanded.

"Her taste in men is questionable." He said with a shrug. 

"She dated Iman." I said I would like to think that my friend is a great catch. But Kyle? The way Laurence was talking about him made me frown.

Then Laurence did a double-take as we made it to the "Wait, like Aven's Immanuel? Are you serious? Where did she go wrong?"

Aven's Immanuel. The sound of that made me smile for some reason. They really are associated with each other. Probably have been for a long time. They'd be used to hearing something like that. "Do you really hate Kyle that much?"

"No," Laurence admitted. "He's...He's Kyle. He's an asshole."

"You can be an asshole." I pointed out. 

"Once again, true. But I feel like there's a difference between a handsome, charming, entertaining asshole like me and Kyle."

"You live with him. Doesn't that mean you should get along?"

"Jaime," Laurence said as we got closer to the front doors of the building. "We get along fine. It's just Kyle and women? Each relationship or whatever doesn't last long and I hope Mariam isn't thinking that she's going to change him or something. Or fix him because he's broken or whatever the fuck they say in the stupid novels my sister reads."

My lips parted in surprise, "You have a sister?"

"Anna. She's in her final year of high school," He waved a hand in dismissal. "But seriously, I hope Mariam knows Kyle is only down for fun. The second she so much as thinks she can change him, get her out of there. Sex clouds the mind."

"I don't think they're having sex."

"He texted that he was home and she was over."

"Oh, God."

Laurence continued typing on his phone as we made our way down the front steps, getting blasted in the face by the cold. The sun was coming down by this time and the lamposts along the paths were already lit up as we made our way through campus, heading towards Edgar Hill. "Are you staying here for reads?'

"Yeah. You?" I asked. 

"I'm driving up with Kyle and his brother," His eyes suddenly rounded. 

"Here we go," I mutter.

"What the hell am I going to do?"

"You could always get a ride with someone else. Or take a train."

"I don't know about your whole financial situation but some of us can't afford the train rides. Do you know how expensive those are?"

"Very," I said, fully aware of the prices he was talking about. "But do you see me entering cars with people I hate to get home?"

"I don't hate Kyle."

"Sure," I scoffed. 

Laurence glanced down at his phone, cursing and stopping our upwards trek. "Dev has the car and he's at the Rec center."

"Gym?" I turned around, looking at the lit-up Rec center at a distance past the intersection.

"Volleyball game," Aven. Who I haven't seen since Halloween. I stilled at the mention of the sport connected to him but Laurence didn't notice, already starting to make his way back down the hill. "I need to persuade Dev to come to the concert anyway. Come with me. He seems to like you."

"Does he not like you too?" I asked, following Laurence.

"You beat Kyle at Kings. And when we were at Outlaw, Dev actually spoke to you. He hates speaking to people at clubs especially when he's high. He likes you. But not in that way, you know cause he has a girlfriend and if you like him like then that'd be—"

"You and Iman get along really well, huh?" I inquired.  

Laurence blinked. "What do you mean?"

I didn't bother explaining. That was his thing. "Let's go, I'll try to convince Dev."

When we made it inside, the game was already in play. My gaze was fixed on Aven who's already in his middle front position. I spotted Iman on the court as well, taking up the front left position as power, his focus on the opposing team as they waited for the ball to return to their side of the court. 

Laurence and I took next to Dev when we found him closer to the top of the bleachers. "She said I was like Iman," Laurence said in greeting. 

Dev shrugged. An Edmonton Oilers hat sat on his head. "Yeah, kinda."

"I am not."

"He asks questions and you answer them. You're like puzzle pieces that fit." Dev said, leaning back with his elbows on the higher platform behind him before fixing his gaze on Laurence.

Laurence opened his mouth to retort but the look Dev shot him was one that easily made Laurence shut his mouth. "Are you going home during reading week, Dev?" I asked.  

He shook his head. "Flight's too expensive."

"We're all a bunch of broke university kids, eh?" Laurence mumbled. "I'm going to get rich one day and buy acres of land for no reason." 

"Invite me to your mansion when you do," I said. "And for my birthday, make a wheel that I can spin and when it lands on a country send me there. All expenses paid."

"Deal."

Dev let out a chuckle. "I can't believe we're envisioning a scenario where Laurence is the richest out of all of us."

"It's a good scenario," Laurence's smile only grew wider. "Let me take care of my friends. I'll be your sugar daddy with nothing in return just friendship."

"I'm pretty sure friendship is something in return," Dev said and I snickered as Laurence glared at him but before I knew it the blonde turned his body to me, nudging me on my side.  

"Ask him."

I sighed, turning to Dev. "We're inviting multiple people to a concert at--"

Laurence nudged me again. "What?"

"Ask differently. More enthusiasm."

"I was enthusiastic." I retorted. 

"No, you sounded like a robot—monotoned and not alive," Laurence had the nerve to snap his fingers. "Try again."

I huffed. "Okay, so, we're attending a concert down at the gold and royal hall downtown—What?"

 "It's at Benjamin Edwards Hall." Laurence corrected.  

"Everyone knows it as the gold and royal hall." I snapped.

"Who's everyone?"

"Clearly not you since you're so lost about the information, grandpa."

" I'm only three years older than you!" He had taken a gap year before he started university, unlike the rest of his fourth-year roommates, he was already 22.

"You're a grandpa," I said. 

"Then Dev's a grandpa too." 

"Don't bring me into this," Dev groaned, looking like he was mentally wishing he was anywhere but here.

"It's not my fault you're decaying at a faster rate and can't hold information anymore."

Laurence's jaw dropped, feigning hurt. "How do you have friends?"

I rolled my eyes, turning back to Dev. "Can you please buy a ticket to this orchestra concert?  I would have asked this sooner if Laurence didn't go crazy and make us sell tickets a week before reading week starts and two weeks before that event happens. And he's going to bother both me and you about it so please and I really really don't like begging at all—please come for your sake and mine."

Dev turned his baseball cap around, the dark waves of his hair moving with it and fraying over his ears. "Alright. All you had to do was ask. Didn't have to go all Laurie."

Laurence's head swung in Dev's direction as he was typing on his phone yet again. But this time he had looked agitated when he looked away from the screen. And it was likely not from Dev's words. "You did not make my name an adjective."

Dev grinned, reaching into his pocket for a gum package and popping one in his mouth before offering the package to me. I declined as I heard a buzzing sound coming from Dev's front pocket. 

Dev pulled out his phone, holding up a finger to me and Laurence. "Wait, she's calling." He answered the call. "Hi, sweetheart."

As Dev lowered his voice, turning away from us to continue his conversation, I turned to Laurence with a pout on my lips, about to gush over the nickname when I realized he was frowning at his own phone. 

"Is everything okay?" I asked Laurence.

"Family shit going on. Can't really escape it even when you're hours away from home." Before I could speak, Laurence closed off that conversation quickly by focusing on the game. After a quick chat, Dev hung up the phone. "Is she good?"

"Yeah, she needed a little pep talk. She has a presentation in a few minutes. Not a fan of speaking in public."

"Me and her both," I muttered.

"When is she coming up? Reading week?" Laurence asked him. 

"Nah, might come for a weekend later on, though. She said she'll have time."

"When's the last time you saw each other?" I asked him.

"A few weeks ago for a few hours because she had a conference here but before that? June."

"June?" I asked. 

"Right after she graduated last year, she got her job that requires her to travel a lot. I mean, we're not—our relationship isn't horrible. It's..." Dev shrugged helplessly. Unfamiliar impatience I wasn't used to, appeared on his expression before it was gone as quick as it came. 

"Long-distance is tough, man," Laurence said. "I don't know if I'd be able to do that."

"You're not able to do it," Dev muttered, taking his hat off to rake his fingers through his thick dark hair. "Every time Logan is around you, you always reject her because she lives on the other side of the country."

"Seriously?" I asked, remembering the blonde girl from Halloween weekend with Aven's ex-girlfriend Trinity. "You go to the same school."

"Yeah, but I'm planning on staying in Ontario," Laurence said as if that's the answer to everything. "She's planning on moving back to BC. I don't even think I'm into her like that. I'm not gonna lead her on."

"Makes sense," Dev said, putting the hat back on his head as I flickered my gaze between both of them. I felt a little satisfied with the topic of conversation. They had grown comfortable discussing their lady issues with me. If I didn't think I was friends with them before, I knew I was now.

"So, why the hell did you screw that Malcolm guy?" Laurence suddenly asked and I was quick to frown.

Never mind. If we were going to be closer friends, I did not want Malcolm to be an area of discussion.

"Who's Malcolm?" Dev asked as we watched the rally between both teams. Aven took two steps forward and hit the ball down but I mentally cursed as a player on the other side saved it with a bump and pass to the setter on the team.

"Her ex," Laurence answered.

"He's not my ex," I said.

"A guy she fucked, then. He looked like a douche." We paused the conversation as the opposing team went for the hit only for HU to save the shot and I clasped my hand in anticipation awaiting the next hit from our team.

"Cocky guy?" Dev asked.

"For no reason," Laurence drawled, adding on an eye roll to that sentence. "And he's mid at best."

"He's not ugly," I said as the power on our team hit the ball over, landing in an open spot on the opposing team's side.

"I never said he was. I said he was mid. Also, thirty seconds of watching him interact with you were enough for even me to get irritated."

Dev let out a laugh. "Jealous?"

"Of who?" Laurence's eyebrows rose high as he looked past me at Dev. "Jealous of her awful taste in men? Fuck no. Almost as bad as Mariam's."

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "You gotta stop criticizing me and my friend's taste in men."

"I'm saying that both of you can do better," Laurence said.

"Who's better? You?"

"We're friends," Laurence declared. "I like our friendship."

"I like it too but not when you're insulting me."

"Welcome to friendship with Laurie," Dev muttered.

"And what's friendship with you like?" I asked.

"There's a hockey game at the arena tomorrow night? Are you able to come?"

"Can't," I said, Dev may not have been as talkative and a bit of a know-it-all like Laurence but hockey seemed to take up 50% of his personality. I didn't even know if he played the sport. "Not that I don't want to solidify this newfound friendship but because I have a meeting with my stupid group for biomethods."

"Next time?"

"Sure."

"You're such a kiss ass," Laurence mumbled and I glared at him as the whistle blew to signify the end of the game. We won.

Aven's grin was wide as he smacked hands with his teammates in victory. The group huddled around their coach and assistant coach for a few seconds before going to shake hands with the other team.

A few people lingered on the bleachers but on the court, everyone had left except for Aven who held a ball in his hand. He and the ref shook hands, saying a few parting words before the ref left the gym. When the ref was gone, Aven bounced the ball. He wasn't heading towards the changeroom like the rest of his teammates had done. 

Aven turned towards the bleachers. He didn't roam to find me. Aven met my gaze head-on. 

We both made a move at the same time. 

I stood up.

He took a step forward.

I took cautious steps down the bleachers until my feet hit the court of the large gym. He neared me, taking a visibly deep breath as I assessed him. His yellow jersey. The captain band on his arm. The purple number nine. I was reminded of our height difference at that moment as I tilted my head to meet his brown eyes and to see his pink lips rise.

"Hello."

Immediately, I frowned despite every sensation in my body being heightened with the proximity. "I hate when you say hello."

"You hate it when I call you dumbass, too."

I sighed. "Hi, Aven."

He beamed. "Hi, Jay."

He tossed the ball in his hands over to me. I caught it with ease, dribbling the ball as he went under the net and stood on the other side. I passed the ball back to him and he extended his arms, allowing the ball to hit off of them and upward into the air. When the ball started to come back down he volleyed it over to me. I let the ball bounce once before grabbing it and dribbling it once again. 

He didn't seem to mind. In fact, he looked amused by my lack of motivation to play the game. "Not a volleyball girl?"

"Never have been, remember?"

I tossed the ball back and he did the same motion of bumping it but this time he bumped it over the net in my direction in a perfect arch. I reciprocated, doing the same. He repeated his action, bumping the ball back to me with no stress or concern like he had on his face moments ago. 

"Can you hit?" he asked. 

"Yeah," I said, volleying the ball back and over the net to him. "I used to practice with my sister sometimes. She used to eat, breathe, live volleyball, you know?"

"Oh, I know," Aven said, bumping the ball back to me.

He had already known my sister used to play volleyball in college. Maybe that's why the next time he had control of the ball, he jumped when it was still in the air. He swatted the ball at me but I was quick to bump it up and back over the fence in his direction. He looked impressed by what I would have considered the bare minimum. But I've seen Aven hit. That seemed to only be at 20% of what he was capable of.  

He tossed the ball over to me, stopping our game as he ducked under the net to meet me on the same side once again.  "You're lying about not being a volleyball girl."

"I'm not. I don't enjoy the game like you do," When I handed him the ball, the back of my hand accidentally brushed his arm, sweat coating my fingers. I wrinkled my nose, taking in the sheen of sweat over his body. "You're so sweaty."

I wiped my hand against my jeans, while Aven's lips only rose higher and suddenly he spread his strong arms wide.

I glared at him or at least tried to. The itching feeling of matching his grin only got stronger whenever he looked at me like that. "No."

He stepped forward. I stepped back.

"Aven."

"James." That was not a nickname we agreed on.

"I hate that nickname."

"You hate everything." He teased. "You hate it more than dumbass?"

"You're the dumbass."

He wasn't fazed. He was never fazed. Wasn't fazed by ranting me. Wasn't fazed by tipsy me. Wasn't fazed by sober me. "Okay, then you're James."

"Aven, I swear to GOD-" Aven wrapped his arms around me and I cringed, putting my hands over his face to push him back. He didn't budge. I hit him lightly in his hard and solid chest that shook with laughter as I tried to wiggle out of his hold.

Any other time, I would have melted into his embrace, it's exactly as I knew it would be even as he was laughing at my protests. He's warm. His build and strong and his toned arms encircled my shoulders, blocking off anything in my vision that wasn't him. He even managed to raise his head so his chin is right on top of my hat for the full effect of his sweaty embrace.

Aven let me go. 

For one second. 

The next second, I found myself being lifted up by the waist. Suddenly, I felt his shoulder dig into my stomach, the air getting knocked out of me and into a scream as my vision was met with the back of his bright jersey.

"I hate you!"

Aven's laugh was even louder, echoing across the gym. His hands gripped onto the backs of my thighs as he held me over his shoulder. "No, you don't."

"Put me down."

"No."

I groaned, "You sweat buckets on the court all the time?"

"It was a tough game," Aven said.

"You did really good." 

"Thanks," If I was standing properly in front of him, I knew his ears would be red by the compliment. While I was able to predict that I wasn't able to predict when he said, "I'm glad you were here to watch."

I froze. My hand was still on his solid back. His hands were still on the back of my thigh. His hands were still on the back of my thigh. His hands—

My voice grew quiet as I asked, "Can I be put down now?"

"No. I'm sure you're liking the view."

"Why are you acting like you're not liking the view too?" I snapped, not thinking about my words. Not thinking about how his view was my ass. I regretted asking the second the words were out there but like before the response I received wasn't what I expected.

"I never said I wasn't."

My jaw dropped. What I had thought during Halloween was right. I was right. "At least you're honest."

"Should I have a reason to lie, Jay?"

I didn't say anything and due to my lack of response, Aven's fingers dug into my sides and I shrieked at the feeling as his laugh carried throughout the large gym. I protested until he stopped, catching my breath. 

I was getting dizzy from his touch and having him so close. It's the hand that stayed by my side and the other on the back of my thigh. It's the way his laughter quieted down and he didn't say anything further. 

There's a strain between the two of us at who says what next. I could feel my heart pound in my chest, my breathing becomes manual as I waited. But my hand was still on his back. I couldn't help my fingers that curled into the fabric of his yellow jersey. "This is a bad idea." I couldn't help but whisper.

His next actions contrasted my words. He only held onto my side tighter and his fingers gripped onto my thigh, making me still before he asked, "What do you mean?" 

"Hey!" Immanuel cut in, coming out of the changeroom and interrupting any chance of me answering. I caught sight of a crooked version of him before Aven twisted around to face our friend. "What are you doing?"

"Just hanging," Aven responded and I hit him on the back as he laughed aloud at his lame joke before setting me down.

I wiped my hands on my pants, cringing. "Go take a needed shower, please."

"I will," Aven slapped hands with Iman before turning to me. "Give me a few minutes. I'll take you home."

Aven disappeared into the change room as Immanuel pulled out his phone, responding to a text. I peeked over at his screen, noticing that he was sending a message to Aaliyah. I assumed because of his well-known brother, Immanuel didn't typically talk about New Pensely but I've seen him message this Aaliyah a few times since we've known each other and I knew she was his friend from back home.  

He slipped his phone into his pocket, looking up at me as he adjusted the duffle bag. "So, the whole Clayton situation."

Yasmeen had told him in our group chat. The convo had ended in Immanuel telling us which anime we were all going to watch together once midterms were officially done.

"We're not going to talk about it,"The incident with Clayton suddenly reminded me of Mariam and Kyle and instantly, I frowned. 

Did he know?

Immanuel nodded once, easily letting it go without his usual consistent questions, "Then why's your face like that?"

I sighed. He might as well hear it from me rather than someone else. "Mariam and Kyle."

"What about Mariam and Kyle--" Immanuel's eyebrows came together before they widened in surprise. "Are you serious? I didn't actually think..."

I nodded once this time. "Laurence said doesn't think it's going to last long because of how Kyle is."

"Yeah, you don't know Kyle that well," Immanuel muttered. I hadn't liked the way Laurence had said it either but with Immanuel's confirmation, it wasn't helping. "Kyle's the last person I ever imagined Mariam to be with. He cursed under his breath, running a hand over his face. 

"I'm sorry."

Immanuel shrugged. "We've been through this multiple times. If I keep trying to sulk over her, it'd be pathetic. I'd be pathetic. Especially since it's been months since we broke up. Besides, I'm dating. I'm out there. I'm doing okay and I'm going to be okay. Now give me a point for being self-aware."

"Point given." 

"There we go." Immanuel grinned. But the natural joy that typically touched his lips didn't reach his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night I was laying in my bed at 1 AM, my phone on my stomach and my music app opened as I looked at the new additions to his '9' playlist. 

A knock sounded at my door. Once. Twice. When I said that the person could come in, Yasmeen snuck her way inside from the dark hallway.

She crawled her way into my bed, glancing over at what I was looking at before giving me a raised eyebrow that I could only see due to the light on my phone.

"He told me to check out the new songs he added," I showed her the latest text message from Aven sent almost two hours ago but I didn't respond because I was finishing up an assignment. "See?"

She didn't say anything. I locked my phone, looking up at the darkness of my ceiling. Yasmeen mimicked my position, letting out a sigh of her own. For a moment, it was quiet. All I could hear was the faint whistle of the wind from the other side of the window. But that sound was briefly replaced by loud rap music coming from Mariam's speakers right outside my door before it faded away. She must've been going to take a shower. At 1 AM. Yeah, that sounded like her.

When I glanced over at Yasmeen, her eyes were closed. I sat up on my elbows, "You came into my room to sleep?"

She peaked one brown eye open, shooting me a dimpled smile. "Sleepover?"

"You shove in your sleep. So, no."

She put an arm behind her head, ignoring that statement, "So, what crisis are we suffering today?"

"No crisis." Besides the Clayton thing. Clayton who I still haven't seen since that night. I had a feeling I wasn't going to see him until after reading week. I had a feeling we would continue to play the avoiding game for the rest of our lives or until one of us spoke up first. "You?"

"No crisis." She said. Even if Yasmeen was going through something, she wasn't the one to break down. She always held it together. It was me and Mariam who would go off in a spiral upwards, but Yasmeen was the grounded one.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." She sounded sure but I was her friend. I needed to check one more time.

"You positive?"

"I'm positive."

"Okay."

"So...Aven gave you a ride home."

"Aven gave me a ride home." I had sat in the passenger seat while Iman, Dev and Laurence had taken up the back. When I had gotten out of the car and was making my way to the front door, Yasmeen had just been returning, walking up to the house from the bus stop. Aven had lingered, the boys saying hi to her and making conversation that resulted in Aven telling her that he would join the next time we were going to watch Days of Our Lives. 

I heaved a sigh, taking my phone off of my lap and putting it on my nightstand before laying back down.

"I think Aven and I are walking on a line."

She paused and judging by the way her eyebrows came together she was trying to piece together what I meant. Or she was trying to find the right words to say to keep me talking. I didn't talk about guys to her or Mariam despite how close we were. But this? I was okay with talking to them about him. "You think?"

No, it wasn't an 'I think' anymore. Definitely not after Halloween.  "I know. There's a line and we're walking on it. Like a tightrope. It's there."

"Jay." Yasmeen started but I shook my head.

"He's my friend," I said. Suddenly the reminder of what happened with Clayton flashed into my mind and I internally cringed, hoping it didn't appear on my face. "But I'll see. We'll see what happens, you know?" 

Yasmeen hooked her arm around my own, curling up to my side. "Does that mean he's not invited to DOL nights?"

"He's invited."

"Good. Because he gives good commentary." She said. "And I like him. I approve of him for you whether it's as your friend or whatever."

"Thank you, mom," I said she flashed me a dimpled grin.

"All I'm saying is that he better be around for a while." She said, releasing my arm and turning on her back, closing her eyes once again.

I mimicked her this time, closing my eyes as well. "Let's hope so."