Dedicated to @Alicehaibara for making me a cover. c:! This book used to be titled Bromance Blues
Cody
"Should we let him go up there?" I shouted over the techno music at Mason.
I watched Mason's brother, Noel, sway dangerously from side to side as he walked up some unstable looking stairs, which lead to an equally unstable looking stage. Both were clearly past their prime, having to endure beer showers and who knows what other fluids students shed on an average Thursday night at the bar.
Noel reached the top of the stairs, his mop of black hair dancing as he jumped on stage. The techno dimmed to background noise, and with said music gone, I heard Mason letting out a hoarse laugh. Small dimples played at the corners of his mouth, and his light eyes shone with humor.
"Sure we should stop him, mom. Along with giving him the 'don't drink in excess' lecture that's about two hours too late. But I personally hope Noel makes an ass of himself in front of his entire uni."
"So much love between you and your brother."
"Aww," Mason cooed, flinging an arm around me. He reached for my face, and squeezed my cheek, "But you know you're still my favourite target right, Codykins?"
"Dude, get off," I laughed, jerking my head to the side.
Still grinning as well, Mason got his hand out of my face, but kept his arm casually resting around my shoulders. He combed his hand through his vivid blue hair.
I kind of had to get used to the blue. I would never ever dare to dye my hair such a bright color, but Mason did without a care in the world. Never knew when he'd get bored of it and the next colour would come along either.
On stage, Noel tapped the microphone, "Good evening ladies and gentlemen!" he called out with fervor, his deep voice resounding through the bar. "Welcome to our little after intro party! You all having a good time?"
The crowd cheered in affirmation. I brought my hands together to clap too, but clearly with less enthusiasm than some others.
There were lots of familiar faces in the sea of people around me. Mostly Noel's college friends, which made sense considering this was kind of their party. Zoey and Yue, two of Mason's friends, were also standing in front of me. Occasionally they glanced around, leaned towards each other, and said something in the other's ear. Along with Mason they were probably the biggest gossips I knew.
Noel waved for the crowd to quiet and the applause faded out. "We're about to make this party even better! Yeah, I know right, better? How?"
He raised his own cup, beer gushing over the edge, "I have a game for you all. Come on, an after intro party isn't complete without a few drinking games am I right? So we're all going to need a beer in our hands. Ladies, gentlemen, if you'd be so kind?"
Promptly, a few boys and girls holding big trays with cups of beer emerged from behind the bar, and swiftly spread through the crowd. Zoey and Yue both nimbly snatched a cup as a brunette dressed in a black uniform approached us.
The brunette looked up at me next and winked, offering me one of the cups. I immediately shook my head.
"Come on," Zoey was immediately on top of things, smirking at me. "Is even one fuckin' beer too much for coach Sparta?" She punched my arm harder than one would expect from such a small girl, and laughed way more gravelly than one would expect from such a small girl
"Coach Carta," I corrected her teasingly, rubbing my arm and shuffling a few inches away, "Is right."
"But will one little beer really make you any slower? I doubt it," Yue chimed in. Her nose piercing glittered as she smiled, and the light hit it. Mason told me she only had that piercing to piss off her super strict traditional parents.
"I really can't," I repeated. "Coach would have my head."
Sure, coach Carta was harsh and strict and yelled a lot (which had earned him his nickname "Sparta"), but he and I both knew I needed to keep my swimming scholarship safe. I wouldn't be going to a great college otherwise, with my GPA barely above 2, that's for sure.
That, and because of all the terrible carbs that were in beer. A reason I didn't say out loud because I'd only get called a dork if I told these people.
"Don't bother trying to convince him Zoey."
Leaning forward, Mason took a beer intended for me from the girl's tray instead. Although he helped me out, that prick still looked far too amused at my discomfort with his other friends. Zoey in particular was a bit scary. She was cute as a button, with adorable red hamster cheeks and a huge love for frilly dresses. Then she'd open her mouth and sound like a forty year old trucker. Punched like one too. And yes, that freaked me out just a little bit.
That was one of the reasons why our friend groups hardly overlapped. Aside from Mason, my friends were my teammates at the swimming team; all serious people, focused on health. Mason's friends were... Well, Mason, with his dimpled disarming smile, plus his genuine interest in others, could blend in and adapt to anyone he wanted. He was literally chill wherever he was. He got along with geeks, silent kids and he got along with the cool kids. He could probably befriend a rock if he set his mind to it.
In fact, I was pretty much as boring as a rock, and we clicked from day one. So I'm sure he could.
Zoey and Yue seemed to have given up on making me drink. Some cute waiter guy passed by, and Yue immediately leaned towards Zoey and said something in her ear.
I sighed in relief, and Mason leaned towards me. "You didn't have to take Noel's party invitation you know," he said, tilting his head to the side, "I know you didn't want to come."
"It wasn't Noel who invited me," I pointed out, "Zoey and Yue did. But it's fine, I did want to come."
Lies, all lies. Zoey and Yue had suddenly ganged up on me about two hours ago. Spammed my phone's inbox until I finally caved and replied a reluctant alright. I had to learn how to say no better sometime. It was a constant work in progress.
"No you didn't want to come. You hate these places. They pushed you into it, and you couldn't say no to them,"Â Mason laughed, seeing straight through my lie. "Lots of guys have that problem with Zoey and Yue."
Mason winked at me, but that last part was where he missed the mark. I wasn't interested in Zoey or Yue that way. In fact, I don't think I've ever been interested in a girl that way yet. I mean, I could tell they were both decent looking girls, but I didn't lose my mind like I'd seen other guys do. I preferred swimming or hanging out with Mason or other friends over trying to find a girlfriend anyway. I was only seventeen, what did I need to fall in love for already?
"I'm having a good time though," I tried again.
"Well, I'm not," Mason replied, placing his hands on his sides. "I wanted Noel to make an ass of himself on stage, but he's not."
I followed Mason's gaze to the stage, where Noel was patiently waiting for the beer to spread to every corner of the crowd before starting the game. He looked like he was fine now; not wobbling as much as he had when he walked up the stairs.
"Tell you what," Mason said, making me turn to him again, "I'll finish this beer, and we'll get out of here 'kay? Watch documentaries and drink your biological herbal tea with honey. Like the old married couple we secretly already are."
"I won't say no to that," I finally gave in, and Mason grinned at me knowingly.
There was movement on the stage again. "Now," Noel's voice rang out, "Before you all already finished the beer, yeah I know you guys longer than today, especially you Aaron--"
A guy at the front, presumably Aaron, stuck up his middle finger.
"--I'll tell you what game we're going to do. Let's start off with a simple never have I ever to get us warmed up. Alright, first question," Noel stated. "Because my family taught me gay is okay: never have I ever slept in the same bed with someone of the same gender. No, we're not talking childhood stories here."
"Lame question. Obviously we have." Yue shrugged. She shot Zoey a brief look and took a sip. "Whatever."
Zoey took a sip too. "You and Mace have too, haven't you?" she then asked me, winking. "I don't believe it anyway if you say you haven't."
Sure we had, Mason and I had known each other since we were ten for starters. Sleepover anyone? Last time we slept in one bed was during last year's summer break, sightseeing in Manhattan. When we arrived at the hostel, turned out the last room available had a twin bed rather than two separate. We both decided we didn't care and went to sleep.
"Well--" I started, but got cut off by the group next to us bursting out in laughter. They apparently didn't think the question was lame. Two guys of said group covered their faces. Hilarity ensued further as one of the girls started rattling off some story and the guys looked more and more embarrassed.
I don't know why everyone made such a huge deal out of it if two guys slept in the same bed.  Same way guys can't say other guys are attractive either. I had no issues admitting Mason had the kind of face which looked like there was a flattering Instagram filter constantly on it, and he could pull off any hair color. I thought he was good looking, so what? That wasn't gay.
"Like I was saying: sure," I said. My eyes automatically flickered to Mason as I intended to tell last summer's motel story.
But Mason wasn't paying attention to me, or Yue or Zoey. He was staring intensely at the stage. At his brother Noel, to be exact. Glaring at him like he wanted him to drop dead on the spot, to be even more exact. Mason's good mood had somehow mid-sentence disappeared like snow in the sun; from day to night in a flash. What was going on?
"But we slept in a two person bed so it's not that weird," I suddenly felt the need to explain. Judging by the way Mason grimaced, I wasn't making things any better however.
"See you have to drink," Yue told Mason, nudging him.
Mason rolled his eyes and took a gulp. Half of the beer was gone in that one gulp, and Zoey and Yue shot each other a meaningful look. Inconspicuously, but I noticed.
"What?" I asked, feeling like I'd missed the punchline of a joke. A joke Mason was not amused by either to boot.
"Nothing. It's just that you're always so serious about answering questions," Zoey replied, blinking innocently.
Yue giggled, and I was now 99.9% convinced me being serious was not why she was laughing.
Naive Cody, that's what they thought, and I was a bit naive I guess. Whenever Mason pulled a serious face and quoted some ridiculous fact, I'd always blurt out 'really?' before realising he was kidding.
Mason clearly wasn't having fun now. He hissed something angry under his breath to Yue, but I couldn't hear what he said.
"Too tame a question?" Noel blared into the microphone. "Let's make it more interesting then. Alright! Here's for our adorable, shy almost couple here in the front. Yes, I mean you Daniel and Lisa. I'll give you guys a hand. Never have I ever wanted to go on a date with the person next to me."
I swore Noel was looking straight at me when he asked his question, a sly smile tugging at his lips. Maybe I imagined it. Noel already looked away, focussing on a very skinny boy and a chubby girl at the front instead.
A series of cheers went up when both drank, looking indeed shy and awkward but also happy.
"Do we have a date here Lisa and Daniel? Yes?" Noel asked. "Good God, finally!"
"Hey Mace," Yue said. "It's almost like you and Cody are dating anyway. He has a drawer of stuff at your place and a toothbrush. So you should drink again."
Mason now looked at Yue like he wanted her to drop dead on the spot instead.
Why was he suddenly so pissed off? I didn't get it. He'd called us like an old married couple just a few minutes ago, and it's not like other people hadn't ever called our friendship a bromance before. We always laughed and agreed. Mason was acting very weird.
"Come on Mace, wouldn't you date me?"Â I tried teasing him too, hoping to get a smile out of him.
"Yeah, wouldn't you?" Zoey added.
Mason's lips tugged up, but that's all that could be said about the smile he attempted at me, not at Zoey. His jaw twitched and clenched, and the sparkle usually in his eyes when he smiled was missing.
Mason suddenly brought his cup to his lips, throwing his head back as he downed the rest of the beer.
"I'm done. Let's leave now," he told me, squeezing the cup in his hand, crinkling the plastic.
"Okay, I'll come with you," I replied quickly, ready to get out of here and ask Mason what had pissed him off so much.
Mason gave me a curt nod, just barely gave Zoey and Yue a wave, and started moving to the exit of the bar. I followed, but it was hard to keep up with his pace while zigzagging and dodging half-drunk students.
We were already halfway through the crowd, when Noel announced the next question: "This one's especially for my lovely baby brother," he said, and Mason's head snapped towards the stage. There was a devilish glint in Noel's eyes. "Never have I ever wanted to make out with my best friend."
I nearly crashed into Mason's back as he abruptly came to a full stop.