Smith
"Die, bitch, die."
"Babe, language. My parents are home."
"My bad."
I snicker, looking up from my homework. Tate continues to mash buttons on the controller, his tongue poking out of his mouth from his deep concentration. His blonde locks bounce across his forehead with each movement. I'm pretty sure Tate could spend the rest of the entire day playing video games and wouldn't have noticed.
"I think he only comes over for my Xbox," Justin humors, chuckling at his boyfriend's interest in the screen over us. I nod in agreement, but know the statement isn't true. Those boys adore each other more than anything. "He loves it more than me."
"Not true," Tate insists, sending the dark haired boy a teasing grin."I also only come over for your di-"
"Okay, okay," I interrupt, waving my hands around to stop any future words from being spoken. My eyes shoot back to my homework, sparking a reminder I saved from earlier in the day. "You need to turn in your Economy project before Mr. Keegan deducts another 10 points.
The blonde scoffs, as expected. I swear, this boy would rather eat dirt than touch a pencil. It's a miracle how we're friends. "Okay, nerd."
"You're not going to be calling me that when you're begging for my help later."
"Yes, I will. If anything, I'll call you a bigger nerd for knowing all the answers."
I didn't expect any other reply from Tate. I know him far too well.
It feels like yesterday I became friends with Tate and Justin. In middle school, I vividly remember the three of us being assigned together for a group project. Like now, Justin and I did most of the work while Tate cracked jokes and signed his name on the paper. Since then, the three of us have remained a strong, unbreakable trio.
That is until a year ago when the two became a couple out of nowhere.
Instead of making me feel like a third wheel, Justin and Tate act as if they've adopted me. I'm like their kid or a stray puppy they refuse to leave outside. And I'm perfectly okay with that. Our friendships haven't changed, and the two don't act much differently than before. So, I still feel content.
However, if my parents ever found out about Tate and Justin's relationship, they'd ban me from breathing the same air as them. Part of me feels as if I'm sneaking behind my parents back for hanging out with 'sinners', as they'd say. However, I'm just hanging out with my best friends, who so happen to be dating. Their relationship being a gay one is quite irrelevant, in my opinion.
"Smith, come play this new racing game with me." I groan at Tate's command, slamming my pencil down. If my parents finds out I raced cars rather than doing homework, I'll be toast. I'm not sure how they'll find out, but they'll find a way. "Pleeeease? I'll give you a kiss."
Though I'm straight, I play along, as best friends do. "Where at?"
Tate picks out a BMW before clicking through wheels. His lips tug into a playful smirk, his attention flying to me. "Wherever you want, baby," he sings, winking at me. "Justin doesn't need to know."
"I'm right here." Tate waves his boyfriend off, giving me a pleading look. Justin glances over at me, reading my stressed demeanor. "Take a break. You've been working since you got here."
